Week 3

HEY EVERYBODY

So crazy week but also a cool week. Oh and I appreciate all the emails! I'm having problems having the time to write everyone back, so send me your mailing addresses because I have more time to write letters during the week.

My current address is:

Elder Jared Holt

366 W Main Street Apt. #14

Springville, NY 14141

Alright anyways, so I flew to Rochester on Monday. I got up at 1:30 am, flew from SLC to Dallas, got on my Chicago plane, which was then delayed so we sat on the runway for an hour. I got to Chicago and missed my Rochester flight because of the delay, so I had to sit in the airport for 7 hours waiting for the next flight. Did I talk to any strangers? No, I was thinking about it but I wasn't in the happiest mood so there you go. I got to Rochester at like 12:30 at night, where President and Sister Francis picked me up. It was great to see familiar people pick me up. (Sidenote; I don't want to forget but happy upcoming birthdays to Brookie, Audrey, and Sammy) Anyways, the next day we got up (there were 5 other visa waiter missionaries assigned to Rochester), went to the Hill Cumorah,  Joseph Smith's house, and the Sacred grove. That was a really sweet experience. Then I had transfer meeting, got my companion (who I really like) and we drove with 4 other missionaries down to Springville, New York. Its 2 hours away from Rochester, and 40 minutes south of Buffalo. It's a really small town, everyone farms, and everyone is actually pretty nice to us. I'm in an apartment with 2 other elders. The next day, Wednesday, we went to this auction (its like a giant yard sale) where they had classic east coast cider donuts. That was really, really sweet. 

Alright so basically the rest of the week was taken up by meetings and service. We had to go back up to Rochester once for a training meeting, stuff like that. We do a lot of service, because everyone around here still heats their houses with wood, so they need help picking up wood, moving wood, other wood stuff. I'm running out of time so I'm just going to write the rest of my letter in bullet form. 

-Everyone calls me a city slicker

-The sky is bigger here. I don"t know how to explain it, but its huge

-I'm out in the country, so there are pretty rolling hills and plenty of farm land

-It is ridiculously green. Not just here, but everywhere in this part of New York. Like for reals. 

-Our branch is really small. I think only 60 people show up each week

-We spend a lot of time visiting less actives, because everyone gets offended by stupid stuff out here, and there is a lot of branch drama,  so people will stop coming to church to get attention, stuff like that

-I met a lady who was baptized in our Lynnfield ward in like 1989, she knew Bishop Chopelas. 

Alright well I really have to go. I wish I could tell you all way more but I don't have time. The Gospel is true. 

Love,

Elder Holt

President and Sister Francis and I