Just gonna type whatever here starting next week

My Peoples,

I am in the field.

This email might be a little skiwampous but next week will be better.

Travel: Last monday was the day that i left the CCM, the MTC in mexico city. I went with one other Elder to the airport, which is where we checked in for the flight to SLC. While we were setting down and sitting down by the gate, we found 5 other Elders. They were returning home from Mexico Missions. 3 were leaving from the Mexico City Northwest mission, and the other two were leaving from the Ciudad Obrigon mission. We talked for a little bit and we heard quite a bit about missions and some advice. The flight up to SLC went well, and I soon said goodbye to everyone and said hello to my 4 and a half hour layover in the airport. It was 3 and a half but the flight to Idaho Falls got delayed an hour. Got some dinner and sat down after calling the family. There i found one more elder returning home. He had served in Russia and i was able to learn a lot of how the missions are going over there and how it is pretty different from the mission i was going to be serving in. After the flight, that landed around 12:30 at night, my Mission President Elder Nelson came and picked me up. From there i was given to the Assistants to stay the night, because the rest of the 22 missionaries that were coming in new, they were all coming one day later that i had arrived.

Orientation and Transfer Train: The day of orientation was talking about all of the health, driving, cleaning, and specific rules and goals for the mission. I relearned about the tiwi and about how it could frustrate the world. I also found out that there were three other spanish elders that had come from Salt Lake City. 2 were waiting for visas, but the other one is staying in the mission so i will most likely see him again. Then after that and some dinner, we camped out at the Mission Presidents house that night. In the morning we took was is labeled the transfer train. They go from Idaho Falls, to Rigby, to Rexburg. I was dropped off at the Rexburg point because my first area is the Rexburg Bilingual Area under the training of an Elder Bramwell. Elder Bramwell is 19 and from Ohio. He is obedient, awesome at spanish, and a very amazing missionary. i am ready to learn as much as i can and eventually be able to talk with my brother and dad back home in secret conversation.

First couple of days: The first couple of days in the mission were pretty fun. It consisted of getting to know a lot of bishops, and ward mission leaders. In the area i am serving in, we cover the North Rexburg stake for English and the entire city for Spanish. There are about 7 Wards we cover over all (They actually have a Spanish ward here, not a branch). The very first day i was in the field, while we were visiting some families, we stopped by a less active Hispanic family. They offered us some food. It was eggs. Nothing more will be said about this day. The other days were kinda hard for studying and the trainee study i was supposed to be doing with my companion because he had a District Leader Training meeting, and Friday we had a Zone Conference. Rexburg here is 99% Lds, but the work is still going strong. We are trying to teach and reach about 10 nonmember or part member families, but most are never home when we are stopping by. The rest of the work is with the members, or less active members. Even though it is a huge Mormon Population, some are less active, inactive, and there are some recent converts to go teach too.

Melisa: Melisa is someone i hard about my first day in the field. She was someone we were having a baptismal interview for and a date that was set for Saturday. The interview went well and then Saturday Eventually came. She was born in Peru but has lived and married in Italy for quite some time. Her husband is an active member and when they moved in, Elder Bramwell describes her being super prepared and ready right from the start. At the baptismal service, i was asked last minute to play the piano and it was a hymn that i had not played much of, and i haven't played in a couple weeks, so that was fun. Other than that everything went wonderfully and it was an amazing day. The next day she was confirmed and you could just see the whole family super duper happy.

Emailing: I have 2 and a half hours to email and most likely it will be from about 12- 2:3 each and every week (idaho time). I know its a lot.

Any questions you can email them to me.

Forgot the camera at home so pictures will come with next weeks stuff.

See y'all later,

Elder Baker