9/15/08

Well Family,

This way of sending mail is more expensive but I have money left over so whatever. I feel homesick less and less now that I am in the field. 3 or 4 more days and I will have been in the field as long as the MTC. Crazy huh?! I really need to take more pictures. Maybe I will send them home in a couple months when an American Elder goes home.

Like I said in my email, the weather isn't too bad. The Ramataau is coming. It is when the sands blow in and cover the sun causing a dry season. It will be hotter during the day and colder during the night.

So far, I think my favorite part of being a missionary is all the doctrinal discussions we have. We go pretty deep into some stuff I normally wouldn't think about. Don't worry, I am not going to start another church!!

Well, I do cook a lot. It sucks, but I feel cool. Last Sunday we made a big stew and mixed in with rice and noodles all week. The carbs seem to be everywhere! Ha ha. I ate fufu again. It is good if it doesn't have fish because the bones are annoying. They just cook the whole fish and throw it in. I refuse to eat the head.

It's funny, when missionaries get their call we are bummed to go state-side, but now that I am here, I long for many things they get: washing machine, oven, wal-mart, Taco Bell, regular mail service, water running everyday, ugh. Then again it is fun not knowing whether you will come home to electricity or a need to light candles!!

So being a missionary now, I find joy in really weird things. Elder Woodhouse, Morriss, and I wanted to know the verse at the very middle of the Book of Mormon. One night we counted all the verses inside then did the math... it took 1 1/2 hours. The number was the 3,236.5 verse. So we used two verses of Alma 36. It is really cool what they talk about. Really the purpose of the Book of Mormon. this is what we do for fun.

I have now read Our Search for Happiness, Our Heritage, True to the Faith, the first 5 chapters of Jesus the Christ, 3rd Nephi, and have started the Book of Mormon again to see ow long it takes. You could say that I have a new appreciation for reading.

Well, don't want to write all, have to save something for the email. Hope I hear back soon. Love you all so much.

Love Elder Halling