It's not where you serve, but how

I'll tell you what, this whole e-mail thing is a headache! We're at a technical college now, they just happened to have public access to the Internet, so hence I am able to e-mail still. This won't be that long, considering my milk is still in the car. :)

Well, I'm getting adjusted to this new area. I have to say right off that Hazard isn't what other missionaries have said it is. I'd hear other missionaries say that Hazard was the one place that they didn't want to serve in, and I'm not sure why they'd say that. Yeah it's different, I'm not going to lie about that, but people here need the gospel just as much as the next person. I do remember when I was set apart that I would be sent to humble and unlearned people. And by unlearned I think that means in the ways of the gospel, and that is evident here since the Church is reasonably small. Thought I'd clarify that, in case you thought I was judging the people here as being dumb or something. I definitely saw a fulfillment of the humility part in Wilmington, but that's no reason to believe it couldn't be the same here. In Alma 32, we learn that Alma changed his focus from one group of people to the other, in large part due to the fact that their afflictions had humbled them, and therefore they were prepared to hear the word from God's prophet. The missionary efforts here have been pretty successful the past few months, and with the vast swarm of referrals the Lord has blessed us with, Elder Bittner and myself plan to continue moving the work forward!

I can sense that there are many people here that are just waiting for us to find them and teach them the restored gospel. The only trick will be if we can track them down on the seemingly endless and hidden array of Kentucky roads. :) It makes driving an adventure, let me tell ya! The other day it rained non-stop, and it was just pouring down the mountains turning little creeks into raging rivers! It was pretty close to flooding the roads in a few spots. Didn't stop us from teaching though, we got a lot done this past week. We still have something like 200 referrals to contact, but with the Lord's help we'll get it done! Hope all is well with the family, wherever they may be, and the ward as well. Thank you for your continued love and encouragement during this new phase in my life, I couldn't be more happy!! Have a great week!