Thurs. Dec. 11

This has been a whirlwind week! So much going on in this area. We came home from the couples conference and started looking for a new apartment because the tobacco smoke was so bad here from downstairs. But after spending a whole afternoon looking and weighing the advantages and disadvantages, we decided to come home and see if we could not figure something else out. We stopped and talked to the apartment manager and she told us that the people downstairs were actually moving out in a week. She said that we could have that down stairs apartment if we wanted it. It looks like we will either take the apartment just below us so that we will not get the tobacco smoke from down stairs or else we will see if they could possibly put someone down there who does not smoke. It seems like they have already moved or have just not been home. It has not been nearly so bad this week.

For the last two days we have been out meeting people and setting up teaching appointments. We have met several new contacts who would like to hear the lessons. So beginning next week we are teaching several people the 1st lesson on the restoration. Each one of them are so different from the other that we are just feeling a little overwhelmed. But it will be so motivating. We will need to do quite a lot of traveling too.

Yesterday we drove up near the Oklahoma boarder to meet with someone so we drove over into Oklahoma just to see what it was like. It looked just like Texas! We had to drive over the Texoma River or lake. It was just a little finger of it and quite narrow. So many little tiny towns here that often don't even have a gas station in them.

We are loving Sherman and finding the people very kind and loving people. We have had a lot of people ask us for Books of Mormon to give to their friends. Many, Many youth have asked. And many adults have called us with people to see. They have not had missionaries for about three weeks and I guess they went crazy while they were gone.

Last night we went to Seminary and the other missionaries taught a group of about 30 kids from two wards; plus they had their friends there too. It was fun to be with them. They had cider and warm cinnamon rolls afterwards. Then we had First Ward missionary committee meeting and pec for the 2nd ward and also taught Blake another part of the missionary lessons. Blake is scheduled to be baptized on the 21st. However, he has not told his parents yet and is a little apprehensive. He is 19, though, and can do it on his own.

We are trying to get set up to meet with the members and less actives also. We can be just as busy as we want to schedule ourselves. President Smith is thinking about bringing in a new set of young elders for English speaking also here in Sherman. These people are on fire and just going crazy with their fellowshipping and inviting.

We really like the Second Ward a lot. They are very friendly and kind. The First ward has a few more wealthy people in addition to the many Hispanics in the ward. Their leadership is a little more removed from the people. They are both doing a lot of missionary work. The Spanish Elders are going crzy with their teaching. These young Elders have a lot of energy.

ELder Whiting and I were asked to speak in church on Sunday in the 2nd Ward. The subject is on the gift of Missionary Work. Rats, they caught us the very first week.