Jan 27, 2011 - Hobbs New Mexico Week 4 - Mission Week 20

Querido Familia,

Not sure if I sent "New Mexico Week 4" last week, but this week is finishing up the 4th week of being here in Hobbs. I've come to really like the area, its kind of funny. 2 months out and I've been in 3 areas, and have had 6 companions. Its pretty crazy. I actually just recently got a new companion Elder Walker. He arrived yesterday, transfers were this week and all of us in Hobbs are still here. (Me, Elder Miller, Elder Kenyon, and Elder Olvera)

This week has been quite an eventful week and it's been pretty crazy. Transfers here in the TLM are by a bus run by a baptist minister I think. It is a big coach bus that takes people all across the mission and drops them off at their specific spots. I have not actually gone on that bus though. When I arrived, I got brought down to Midland from Lubbock with the AP's. I then went from Midland 4th Branch, to Midland 3rd Ward, which was a drive down the street with the Zone Leaders. Then to go to Hobbs mid-transfer, I was driven there from Midland with the AP's again. So I haven't been on the Transfer bus before, and hopefully won't because I'm hoping to get my Visa before this transfer ends. President Robison said that anyways. Not that I don't like the TLM, but I'd like to go to my assigned area soon.

This past week we worked our tails off doing as much as we could and we had great improvements. However, when Elder Kenyon reported the numbers of the week's accomplishments, the zone leaders didn't even notice the improvement from the weeks before and just focused on the bad. It is so annoying how numbers don't show how much work we do in a week. I was pretty annoyed, but whatever. I know I worked hard and was trying. Numbers don't always show the amount of work in a week.

We had the opportunity to be the Mormon movers last Friday. A family here in Hobbs is moving back to Utah, and so we helped load the moving truck. They gave us their food storage and the mother of the husband of the family gave us money enough to go out to eat. We ate at a Chinese Buffet, and one thing I thought was funny was the waitress at our table complimented me on my chopstick skills. Heather, you have taught me well. :P

Getting used to a new Elder in the companionship is always an experience, and I wish I wasn't the bottom of the food chain, still quite green, I feel like a greeny sometimes but not that often. Elder Walker is our senior companion here now. He's a pretty funny guy but I still don't know much about him yet. We have 5 people living in our house now and it's quite fun, always an adventure here at the Hobbs house!

Milla's birthday is tomorrow and we're going to go over there and have a party with her and have cake and we are working on a present for her. She loves having the missionaries over and I enjoy going over there. Lately Elder Olvera and I have been improving on our German skills which is quite fun. We also learned the name of Milla's hometown. It is, "In Ulm, um Ulm, und um Ulm Herum."

I don't know how cold it is in Austin where Bradford has been for a week, but since finding out about the crazy weather that New England has been having, I feel like a pansy for feeling cold here in 40 degree weather. I saw the weather at a member's house on how it was -80 degrees with a wind chill in some areas and that boiling water when thrown into the air instantly froze! Yikes!

Weird, I've felt like so much more has happened in the past week, yet this email seems to be shorter than the other ones.

Tomorrow we're going back to the assisted living home to do service again. They are having birthdays for the residents there, and we might be cleaning up the rock piles again :) that'll be fun.

Dinner appointments happen quite often. We are over at the Ponders often and they love having us over and we eat dinner there sometimes, same with the Rodriguez's who fed us yesterday with Wendy's. The Prieto's also feed us and love having us over. The members are really good though with the missionaries here. If we don't have a dinner appointment, we don't take dinner till after we get home around 9ish because it is a hassle riding back to the house then back to our area.

Laundry is done at the apartment, we have laundry machines here in our house so that is really convenient and nice. In other areas we use laundrymats or member's who we stay with.

I love you guys a lot, and pray for you. I'm glad you're staying warm and hope you're enjoying all that you're doing. Definitely being at the apartment is the hardest part of missionary work because that is when I get the most "Trunky/Homesick" I love going out and teaching people and visiting with the people here. Missionary work is a great thing!

I hope I addressed everything, out of time now. Love you, miss you!

Love,

Elder Phillip Larsen

P.S. I was quite frustrated in the car ride over here again because I forgot my camera yet again! I will make a note so I can remember to bring it next time.

I had the opportunity to watch 'Mountain of the Lord' again. Watching that movie greatly increased my appreciation of temples all around the world. The early saints struggled to have that blessing and I am so grateful for the blessings that we all recieve in the house of the Lord.