Hey Everyone....this is the mom. I guess any letter you may have sent to the mission home won't get to Josh, but his mailing/package address is in his email below. Thanks for all of our support, friendship and kindness to Josh! You have all made such a difference in his life! And.....away we go! Looks like he is off and running and happy doing it! :) No pictures, because apparently he is picture upload illiterate and they didn't attach correctly. Isn't that what trainers are for? Ha.
Thanks again,
Mama Black
Hello there everyone!
I have finally arrived in New Mexico and it's pretty cool here. It looks like Moses Mistake (as one of the senior missionaries told me it's called it) but it's got mountains, volcanoes, and a lot more trees. I haven't really taken any pictures of it yet but it's pretty cool. When we flew in to the airport we walked out not too far and there was president and sister Miller with the AP's Elder Nauman and Elder Rico. We had a little spiritual thought right there in the airport and then we headed out to the mission home in the Querque, we call it the Querque so it sounds like kirk not kirkeee. Make sense? Anyway, when we got there we were fed some delicious taco salad and had some training given to us about money, vehicles, cleaning and then actual missionary work. We learned about contacting people and then we we went out with experienced missionaries and knocked some apartment doors! I was with Elder Rogers, he was a field goal kicker at the U so I guess he's a stud. The first door we knocked was a Buddhist lady. She believes in the universe but hey! So do we! She wouldn't budge though and she just believes in the universe apparently. The next door was some native family and they practice indian traditions and whatnot. They said they would call us back but they wouldn't let us have their phone number so that probably isn't the best sign. The next door was a tall black man and he has met with the missionaries before, he doesn't know what he believes so we took his information and the missionaries in that area will be meeting with him. I was super nervous when I had to actually do the talking but I'll get used to it!
After that, we came back and ate dinner which was sweet and then had testimony meeting with all of us 16 newbs and that was a really spiritual experience for me. It was awesome to hear what people know to be true and to all grow in our testimony together. Then Pres. and sis. miller shared their testimonies and they are two of the most spiritual people I've ever met. Pres miller was great and we had our interviews with him afterward, he asked me my concerns about the mission and then gave me an assignment to study and that will really be awesome. I can already tell how much love he's got for me and every other missionary here. There are like 170 missionaries in our mission by the way.
After all that stuff, we went to the AP's apartment and we stayed there for the night. 11 of us were with them and the rest were with another companionship but it was crazy cool. The AP's are studs and I want to be like them so I need to study like crazy and listen to the spirit all of the time instead of just some of the time. That's what I need to work on but hey, we've all got things we need to work on! In the morning we had to wake up wicked early so we could be at transfer meeting at 6:30 and there we were assigned our new companions and our first area in the field! My companion is elder Jacobs from Salt Lake valleyish are and he's a wrestler. He's been out about 15 months I think. I haven't taken any pictures or anything with him yet because we've been busy doing greenie things. My area is in Rio Rancho so basically I'm in Albuquerque but my area is the Star Heights area. It's pretty hilly and I am on a bike. I've got a bike already from another missionary and I'm not sure what he wants me to pay yet but that will be figured out eventually I suppose. My first lesson that I'll teach in the field is in about 3 hours and we are teaching the Law of Chastity. In the MTC you don't really get to teach lessons like that. I pretty much only have taught the first 2 lessons ever so it is gonna be an interesting experience and I'm kinda nervous but here I go! All the experienced missionaries think it's hilarious that that's my first lesson but oh well.
A few important things. Could you send the blue suit to me? Our mission rule is that we wear suits everyday from october to april unless it's 75 degress or over so I need that and I might need another small duffle bag or something because I've got more material than I have room for in all my bags and whatnot. That's all I really can think of though so besides that we're golden.
My address is:
615 Vancouver Rd SE Apt. M
Rio Rancho New Mexico, 87124
If you sent anything to the mission home by chance it wasn't there today or yesterday so that means I won't see it for probably about a month because that's just how it works here. For some reason they don't forward your mail from the mission home so you can't get it until the next time you're there which will be in about a month for me. So if there's anything important to tell me in letter form just feel free to send another one to my address. Packages can be sent there too.
That's all I have for you so far! I'll let you know how the law of chastity lesson goes and everything else. I know the church is true and that Christ truly suffered for us so we can return to live with God and our families forever. Thomas S. Monson is the prophet and that is so cool that we have a prophet today.
Love all ya'll!
Elder Black
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