News from Florida

Today we received our first e-mail from Florida. Lauren writes, "we tract in the literal ghetto everyday. We are referred to as the "white girls" and are asked all the time what we are doing around these parts all alone. However, I haven't ever once felt scared or like we shouldn't be there. We actually live in a very nice little neighborhood. We stay with a member. She is 82 years old and I would be scared to meet her in a dark alley. She is a little spit fire, but very kind. She makes us lunch/dinner on Sundays and then lets us have leftovers when we get home at night. She even feeds the Elders that serve in the ward with us...Oh the bugs, I'm pretty sure I have lost 12 pints of blood in the last five days from the mosquitoes. They are ferocious. So are the lizards. They should have given a girl a warning about the lizards around these parts. They are little tiny and everywhere...Tragically I have yet to see a gator. My comp and I are praying that we see one walking down the street any day now.

My companion is from Fresno and has been here for about 14 months. She is the sweetest girl ever. And boy does she baptize. She had 12 baptisms in the last transfer. She's like a mission legend. And she is intimidatingly beautiful. We make a great pair. I do love her and I am so thankful that I get to be with her. She has already taught me so much.

The next topic is that of "The Gathering". We seriously just walk up to people and tell them we are messengers of Christ and then start into asking them a bunch of questions that all start with "Did you know..." and then we invite them to be baptized. Right there in the first 30 seconds of contacting. Apparently the president had some great inspiration about this after he got out here and implemented the Gathering program. At transfer meeting on Thursday they challenged all the missionaries to teach 200 lessons and make 150 baptismal invites as a companionship the next day. My companion and I taught 170 lessons and made 178 invites in 12 hours.

My companion runs. and runs. and runs some more. We get up every morning and i run as much as i can with her and then she runs around and around the driveway while i sit and watch. it's great. This morning we went to the beach with the Elders and my comp ran like 10 miles down the beach. I took a leisurely stroll. It was excellent. Fear not, I am getting plenty of teasing from the Elders. They are like brothers that won't leave you alone. They even call in the middle of the day just to tease a little bit. They are sweet guys.

Please keep Lauren and the people in the Florida Jacksonville Mission in your prayers. I know Lauren would enjoy getting letters from her friends, so, please contact me if you would like her address.