8.15.11

Dear Family,

Hello. Whats up? This past week was pretty good. Let me start off by telling you a story. So, idk if I told you, but for some reason since we've had our new mission president, crazy things just happen, and everytime I run into him I give the worst impression ever, lol.

It started off back when I was with Elder Jones. I think I mentioned that Elder Jones had a sleeping in problem. He wouldn't ever get out of bed on time. Well one morning, I woke up, exercized, hopped in the shower, got out and got dressed, and went into the study room and saw that Elder Jones had moved from his bed to the couch, still in his G's of course. Then I hear a knock knock knock on the door, and then the thought comes in my head "man it would suck if that was President"- then I look through the peep hole and guess who I see, Presdent Petersen standing there. lol... So I run over to the couch and shake Elder Jones and tell him Pres is at the door, he jumps up and starts dressing, I start cleaning up the apartment while he's still knocking on the door. I couldn't open the door while Elder Jones was still dressing. He finally gets a tie on, and at this point President had already walked back to his car to get his phone, then our phone rings... so I answer "Hello, it's Elder LeBaron" "Hey Elder LeBaron, it's President Petersen, I'm out front, would it be okay if Sister Petersen and I come in" ... So I say yes... lol. They come in, and it's obvious Elder Jones had been sleeping, he looked like he just got wrecked by a train. We hadn't taken the trash out in a while, it was just piled up, there was dishes in the sink. It was bad... lol. They just smiled and talked to us for like 5 min, and acted like nothing happened. AND... Idk if I told you but JD let me borrow his Gourd, it's for drinking Mate', it's like herbal tea stuff from South America. It's like a cool looking cup with a metal straw sticking out called a Bombilla, but if you didn't know what it was it definately could be mistaken for some fancy looking smoking pipe. So after the visit I get a call from President saying that Sister Petersen saw some kind of smoking pipe in our apartment... so I had to explain that. That was my first experience with the new mission Pres. that story had spread all around the mission now. So I meet missionaries I've never seen before and they're like, "oh, your the missionary with the smoking pipe huh" lol. It's great...

Then AP Peay called me 2 weeks ago and told me I was invited to a Leadership Training Meeting with Pres. and to come with my District Leader. So Elder Lester and I go together, and we use Elder Petersons GPS, and there was 2 wallnut grove's saved in there, so Elder Lester picks the 1st one and decides that has to be it, but it turns out it was the second one, and we realize that 5 min before the meeting after we drove 20 min in the wrong direction. So anyway, we show up to the meeting 30 min late. and again, President doesn't say anything.

Then! Wednesday for transfers, Elder Jones and I left 45 min early to go to transfer meeting, we get directions from Elder Badger, long story short he told us to stay on the 40, but we were suppossed to get on the 240, and we ended up 40 min in the wrong direction. We had to drive the 40 min back, then take the right exit and drive up to the transfer building... we rolled up 55 min late. got in there just before they said the closing prayer... lol. President came up to me and said "Elder LeBaron, I think it's time we got you a GPS"

But somehow President still trusts me. I talked to him earlier today on the phone, and he said he selected me as a trainer because he knows my level of dedication and that I lead by example. Except for being on time I guess. I'm glad he trusts me though, and I'm glad I'm training, I'll get to work a little more closly with President these 2 transfers.

My new missionaries name is Elder Kowalk. He's a good kid. He's huge. He's 6,4" and weighs like 240. He's a big boy, and he's got a big heart. He has that MTC fire. I'm glad to be working with someone who has drive and is ready to work hard. We got a good week ahead of us.

I forget how different it is to be out here in the Ghetto, I'm so used to this area I'm in, since I've been in Memphis 8 months, and Elder Kowalk keep talking about how crazy it is out here, and how he's never seen so many black people, how he can't understand em, and he's scared he's gonna get shot. haha. It took me back to my 1st transfer, I remember I felt the same way, but now it's just like a home away from home.

I'm breaking him in with a lot of tracting. He's getting used to akward situations and getting yelled at every so often, so that's good. lol. The first guy that yelled at us really discouraged him, but I tried to show him that you just gotta laugh at those situations and brush it off. Some people out here are nuts, and a lot of em are drunk, so of course we're gonna get yelled at.

I think this is the start of great couple transfers, I'm ready to dig my feet in and get some work done. Thank for all your support family. keep us in your prayers. I love ya.

-Elder Justin LeBaron