June 23 2010

So, Hey Everyone!

I'm in Virginia right now and it's really humid. It's crazy how muggy it is here. When I got out of the plane I said to the other missionaries "Is it normal to be swimming while you're just standing here?" Yeah it's pretty hot. I met president Millburn after we got off the plane and he is an amazing person. He’s just a really awe-inspiring person. He is really kind and loving and at the same time he doesn't like people to slack off or goof off. Sister Millburn is really amazing. She's the more loving side of President Millburn.

So at the airport coming out here we met another missionary who was actually going back to Virginia with us. His name is Elder Savaiinaea (pronounced suh VYE i NYE uh). He had to go home for back surgery a few months ago and he came back out with us. In just the little amount of time we got to spend with him he became one of my best friends here. He says he likes me and Elder Wheelock the best out of the group we came with. Elder Wheelock actually placed a Book of Mormon at the Salt Lake Airport; the only one of the 16 of us who did.

So Wednesday we had dinner with the Millburns and it was really good. Half of us sat around one table and introduced ourselves to Sister Millburn and the other half sat with President Millburn. I sat at the table with Sister Millburn. She's awesome. After dinner and desert we had individual interviews with President Millburn and Sister Michener who is the medical adviser person. The rest of us who were not in interviews were sitting with the Assistants, Elder Fraga and Elder Doxey, and were learning about the area and role playing some questions that we might face with them. They're awesome and they are the perfect examples of what missionaries should be.

Our new mission president is going to be here June 29th. It's exciting and sad because President Millburn is a fun guy. But this is what the Lord wants.

Thursday was the day we met our trainers. We had a meeting with the Mission office missionaries who are in charge of medical stuff and things like that. I got a bloody nose just sitting there. My nose itched a little and I just rubbed the outside of my nose and I started bleeding IN THE MEETING. It was embarrassing. But I got it to stop. Then we had the trainer assignments and it was cool. Elder Savaiinaea calls it the "auction" cause it was like an auction. President Millburn called a trainer up to tell some stuff about the area they were serving and then would assign them a companion right after they were done. I learned that Kyle Valgardson is in this mission; which surprised me. Luke knows who that is so ask him about it. My trainer is Elder Lowry (almost like the seasoning salt). He's awesome. He's about 5'6" but he's awesome. His companion that he had before me, Elder Bues, was 6'8". I met Elder Bues and it was actually really funny to see him stand next to Elder Lowry. Elder Lowry is also the District leader for the area I'm in. He calls every night to see if the other 3 sets of missionaries (two sets of sisters and another set of elders) are in and safe.

So I'm serving in the Bennett’s Creek ward in Suffolk. We stay at our apartment half the time and with a member the other half because our area is so big and we have limited miles we can drive (yes I'm in a car 2010 Chevy Malibu named Buck Paterson) that it would have been hard if we didn't have a second place to stay. Brother Delos Santos is a Hawaiian and retired Air Force. He's an awesome guy. About two years ago he wasn't very active but some missionaries helped him get back to church and he was willing to help them out because they lived in an apartment complex that would have gun shots every night. Then the mission apartment was transferred to south Suffolk. He's awesome because he's like a dad to the missionaries here (which is only me and Elder Lowry). There actually used to be three missionaries here. They were shot-gunned in, meaning the missionaries here were all transferred out and Elder Lowry, Elder Bues, and Elder DiMaggio (I think that's how you spell it) were all transferred in.

The ward is awesome. They really help the missionaries a lot with dinners and stuff. We go on elders quorum exchanges on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The ward mission leader, Jason Taylor, is an awesome supportive guy. The bishop is a retired Marine Colonel and is a really fun guy. Our ward is pretty cool.

This past week we've had about, on average, 2 lessons a day. We have 5 progressing investigators with a baptismal date and we're teaching a lot of less-active people and recent converts. A big part of the ward roster is less-active people. We are teaching a less-active/part member family named the Angelellis. Brother Angelelli is a psychiatrist who believes the messages our church has but just doesn't really believe that the Book Of Mormon actually happened, historically speaking. He also doesn't believe Joseph Smith really did what he did.

So it's been tough because we've had some appointments fall through. One appointment we made the lady came to the door and said just a second and 10 minutes later we were still standing on the porch. It was annoying.

Anyway. It's been fun and exciting. I've never been so tired in my life. The heat and humidity just suck the energy right out of you. Elder Lowry got heat exhaustion and a little dehydrated on Saturday so we had to go in early. You really need to be careful out here in the heat.

Anyway, my addresses are:
Elder Mangum
601 Hillpoint Blvd #618
Suffolk, VA 23434 (that's our apartment);

and Bro. Delos Santos' house is
Elder Mangum
5003 Topsail Ct.
Suffolk, VA 23434

I love you all and I hope you'll send me emails and stuff. Remember, if you send me something that might be shared, send double so I can share. :)

Love you all,

Elder Rick "Mallow" Mangum

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NOTE: I got a message from a cousin in Midlothian Virginia today who said it's 104 there today! Yikes! -Mindy-
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