we caught a mouse, I guess...that will have to do. :)

Dear Famiree,

I can't really think of any cool stuff to write this week, so I guess I will just type and hope something pops up. :)

My first transfer in the field is over! I will have been out 4 months 9 April. I am doing great! When we came into this area, we had literally nothing to work with. My companion and I white-washed the Spanish area and the English area was white-washed this transfer. Six weeks ago there were four different missionaries here! We're finally getting everything settled and have already had baptisms in both the Spanish branch and the English ward. When my companion and I transferred into the area last transfer, the area was the entire county and was shared with the English elders. It was pretty much a free-for-all-modge-podge-hope-you-don't-tract-the-same-neighborhood-at-the-same-time blob. We've got the area split up now and actually have an area book. That helps A LOT!

We're teaching several Spanish families who are close to being ready to be baptized. This will be a huge boost to the branch as there hasn't been a baptism there in upwards of two years.... If the branch continues to grow at this rate, we will soon have enough priesthood brethren to become a ward! The work is starting to pick up some momentum in the English ward as well. Our mission president, President Griffin, has asked us to attend both the Spanish and English units so that we can teach everyone we find rather than handing our English investigators off to the English elders. That means 8 hours of church each Sunday starting at 0800 for English PEC [an executive meeting with the bishop and other leaders]! It won't be so bad after the Spanish block is moved to 0700-1000. Then we'll only have 7 hours of church from 0600-1300. Plus we'll have more daylight to get out and proselyte. The Lord is taking care of us here!

I am super excited for General Conference this weekend. We're in the Eastern Time Zone here, so the Priesthood Session is from 2000-2200...that's after my be-at-home-time.... We have permission from President Griffin to attend--I just hope I won't fall asleep during it! :) We look forward to General Conference as missionaries because it is an opportunity to bring investigators and members who normally cannot attend church services due to work, to hear the words of the general authorities and feel the Spirit.

[questions we asked him]

[How's the weather?]

A little warmer--just means rain instead of snow :).

[Do the Spanish members celebrate Easter differently that you know of yet?]

Every day's a party with Hispanics. The holiday just changes the shape of the piñata.

[Did your companion get transferred?]

Elder Woller's still my companion.

I have 15 minutes left but can't think of anything else to write. I can never remember anything that happened during the week when I actually go to write the e-mails and I never remember to bring anything that I remembered to write down when it happened... :)

Anyway, I still can't think of any cool, fun stories...we caught a mouse, I guess...that will have to do. :)

Thank you all for your support and love!

Elder Raymond