Pictures!

June 20th

So, my first week in the field. What can I say? Its been pretty great.  I'm in the Purvis Area in the Hattiesburg Zone.  Its at the very bottom of Mississippi, almost in Louisianna.  Its awesome though, Elder McMullin, my Canadian companion, keeps telling me that we're in a rare kind of area for our mission, an anomoly, if you will. Its cool though, our ward is huge! Its the size of a normal Utah ward, you know, like 200 ish people, but for here in mississippi thats crazy unusual.  So we've got a ton of support coming in from the members. its awesome!  we have dinner appointments EVERY night, its pretty nuts. Although, I am yet to have some real southern cookin. It'll come though, I'm excited. Yesterday we had two meals made for us, so that was pretty sweet. The members take pride in makin us missionaries gain weight, so we'll see how much I gain.  We play basketball every Monday and Thursday mornings at 6 am, thats been way fun.  We just play with some ward memebers and some less actives.  today there was more black people than white guys, so that was kinda cool. The area I'm in is mostly white, so we don't see too many black people.  Its been way fun though.  Its wicked hot and super humid! its been hovering right around 100 degrees the whole time I've been here. Usually 95 or 96, but thats still crazy hot, especailly when we're walkin in it.  Ridin bikes isn't too bad, and we had to do that all day Thursday and Friday because the guy I replaced here, Elder Dean, drove 80 miles on Monday saying bye to people, so we had to bike cuz we were runnin low on miles.  Elder McMullin told me that it was the farthest he's ever ridden his bike while on his mission and he's been out for nine months. So yeah, it was hot, but since we're biking, its not super bad, cuz the wind hits your sweat and cools you down.  This is honestly the most I've sweat in my whole life, its nuts! and I'm wearing a white shirt and tie, so that is probably a factor. As for the ya'll, its pretty catchy. It's hard not to say it sometimes so I'm kinda getting into it.  Not a ton, but sometimes.  I still talk like a utahn, just a utahn that says ya'll. Its so much easier than sayin 'you guys', just say ya'll. it just flows, haha. Nobody here really talks southern. there are a few people, but they're definately the minority.  If it weren't for the heat and humidity, I wouldn't even feel like I was in the south, it just feels like a bigger, more spread out Utah. Which is good I guess, it'll make adjusting to missionary life easier.

So, we flew in monday, and I called ya'll from Dallas, then we flew from there into Jackson and President Tucker, his wife and the AP's met us at the airport.  We went to the churchouse in Clinton for lunch, had an orientation meeting and I fell asleep. I was trying SO hard not to, but I did anyway.  My eyes were only closed for like 30 seconds and Elder Scott swatted me with some papers, he's a pretty funny, chill guy so it was alright.  I guess thats what happens when you wake up at two in the morning to catch a plane.  I had my first experience tracting that day and it was kinda crazy.  I hated going outside then, I told 'em that and they just laughed.  Its not so bad now, but I still don't like all this heat and humidity.  Anyway, after that we went to the mission home, had dinner and a fireside/testimoy meeting.  It was pretty sweet. Tuesday I woke up, went to Clinton again and waited for the transfer van to come pick me and some other missionaries up, we were there all day till 4 pm.  Well, thats not totally true, cuz we went to this place called the frog head grill for lunch, it was pretty good. Transfer van picked me up, took me to Petal where I met my companion, then we drove down to our appartment, which, by the way, has the reputation of being the nicest appartment (we call 'em pads) in the mission, so I'm just gettin hooked up here in Purvis.  But we drove down here, I unpacked, then we went to bed, woke up and had a full day of missionary work.  It's been real.

As for my companion, Elder McMullin, he's aweosme.  He's from Vancouver, British Columbia, so he's got canadian flags all over everything.  He's definately proud to be a canadian.  He's a lot bigger than me too, he's like 6'1" 220.  Yeah, wrestled him today, mma style, at a members martial arts gym. man, he whooped me good. anyway, he's a rugby player and played at University of Utah, so that pretty cool.  He's been a great trainer so far and we get along great, so thats good.  We teach pretty well together too, so I think we'll be an awesome companionship.

The work is good, we've gotten out and taught a few lessons and such, its been great.  We don't have any investigators with a baptisimal date, but I'm gonna try and commit this family to baptism tomorrow, so we'll see how that goes. We're basically just trying to find people right now, visiting memebers, trying to get refferrals, knockin doors and such, but its been pretty good.  We've got this one guy, Steven, who's on house arrest, that we've been teaching and he's probably our most interested investigator. he's super awesome, but without special permission we wouldn't be able to baptize him for like 10 years cuz he'd be on probation and what not. But hopefully he's keep progressing and President Tucker will allow him to get baptized. i guess we'll find out.  Teaching is awesome though, its great when we actually have someone home for when our scheduled appointment's at, cuz then we get to teach! thats what I came here to do, so its awesome! 

Well, the people of the south are all super nice, even if they don't want to hear the message you're trying to share with them.  If you're sweaty and hot, they'll invite you in and get you some ice water, then, naturally, you'll have the opportunity to share with them the message we have for them.  Well, everything has been awesome here.   I hope all is well at home, I hope none of you got the measles, cuz that would suck.  Well, our p-day is Monday now, so that when you can expect emails and such, so yeah. I'll write to you next monday! Oh, and sorry if this email jumps around a lot, thats kinda what I've done while writing it, so.... haha. well, I love ya'll, you can expect to hear from me next monday.

Elder Zachary Green

June 14th

Hey ya'll!

My first day here in Mississippi was yesterday, and boy is it hot and humid! I kinda hate going outside every time cuz the humidity hits you like a wall of bricks and its super hot and sticky and gross. I’m definately not used to it at all. However, it is VERY pretty, the trees are so thick its ridiculous. Comparatively, our back yard is to logan canyon as logan canyon is to mississippi. Its pretty crazy, everything is super thick with trees, the only spots that aren't is what they've cleared out for roads and buildings, its amazing.  Today is P-day and transfer day, so we're just here chillin at the church playin some basketball waiting for the transfer van to come back, its starts in cove fort then up to Ruston Louisianna, then on its way back down it will pick me up at Clinton and take me to my area in Purvis MS.  I've only heard good things about that area. they say its rich with members and a lot of peoples favorite areas, so its gonna be legit being transferred there.  My trainer is Elder McMullen, I haven't met him yet but I did talk to him on the phone and he sounds like an awesome guy and missionary.  I've heard from others that he's great, he's also Canadian and a rugby player, if that means anything.  He says we'll play basketball twice a week with a bunch of big black guys and go to a dojo and learn some martial arts stuff on p-days, so that sounds like its gonna be fun! 

Yesterday we woke up at 2 am and went to the travel office at the MTC at 3, then flew out of SLC at 6. My first flying experience! It was pretty cool, I like take-off the best, obviously, I think everyone does, but I fell asleep for the whole middle of the flight and woke up for landing. We hit a little bit of turbulence and I thought it was fun. I turned to my companion and told him that I want a t-shirt that says 'I love turbulence', joking of course, but it was pretty cool. The second flight from Dallas to Jackson was in the smallest plane I’ve ever been in! I mean, I’ve only been in two planes, but still, it was pretty small.  I’m definitely a fan of flying now.  Especially when I don't have to pay for my own ticket, haha.  Well, i talked to this huge black guy in the airport about the gospel, it was a pretty good experience.  When we got to Jackson our mission president picked us up and took us to the church for lunch, we then went out tracting. I committed eight people to baptism. Ok, not really. We did get three people to tell us to come back though, so that was pretty legit.  Then we went to the mission home for dinner and a testimony meeting/fireside, that was pretty good.  I was super tired though, but I made it through. It was good, not like the firseides at the MTC though, I fell asleep in like half of those. Ok, maybe not that many as I only went to 5, but probably two of them.  I saw elder Anderson a couple times, I also ran it to Elder Rhett Beazer like every meal, it was pretty neat see him again.  Well, I can't really think of anything else to say. Mississippi's been great for the 24 hours I’ve been here and I’ve heard my companion and area are both awesome, I can't wait for tonight when I get to meet him and go to my area! Its going to be awesome! 

sei treu liebe euch

-Elder Zachary Green

June 10th

Hey ya'll!

Things are going so well at the MTC.  I can't believe it is time to leave already.  We are all leaving Monday the 13 at 6 am so we have to wake up at 2 to be ready to leave by 3! Its gonna be crazy! We’ve got a layover in Dallas at 9 35 to 11 10 so i will call you then.

Anyway being district leader is great. Its super easy when your district governs themselves so you don't have to be the bad guy. The worst thing I’ve had to do is to tell the sisters that when we sing we will sing all the verses of our songs, that’s just how it is. They only wanted to sing one verse and everyone else wants to sing all of them, so that as mean as I’ve had to be.  Its been great though. 

Elder Crawley, one of the guys going to Washington, was a total gang banger and druggy, but he's totally cleaned up his life and is already one of the better missionaries in out district. He's amazing and such and example of how to change your life, it is amazing to me.  Everything's going well with my companion, we've been teaching some fake investigators for practice, and its amazing, our give and take is great.  whenever one of us runs out of words to say the other steps in right at the correct moment with just the right thing to say! too bad we won't be comps in Mississippi, cuz we'd be amazing.

  Its kinda weird doing interviews every week as a DL, but its a good experience I suppose.  I just feel like everyone I’m interviewing is just as good as if not better than me so Idon't know why I got put into this leadership position, its been a good growing experience though.  I have to lead the group discussions when we have district meeting about every other day, that’s the weirdest thing cuz they're trying out this new system thing and we're the guinny pigs, so nobody's really taught me what i need to do.  I just kinda do whatever I think we should do as directed by the spirit. 

 The other day as a district building exercise, (time to have fun together) all the elders got together in our dorms and we worked on this  'big mac rap'  thing, its a youtube video but we've added more parts to it and added more verses and such, its just an acappela beat box rap thing, its pretty funny, its about ordering at McDonalds, but we do it and its amazing! we've filmed it a couple times and shown it to our teachers and stuff, they all love it. 

 Our teachers tell us we're the best district they've had, so that makes us happy.  We all love learning, studying, and having fun so it makes it really easy on my part.  Sometimes we get a little off task, just like i did in hs, haha. But we've been working on that and we're basically angels right now. We're all doing very well and there is hardly any contention within our district.  I love these guys.  I’m gonna miss the Washington elders so much! Elders Frie, Manning, Crawley and Williams.  they are all super elders, and most of them are going to USU after, so we're gonna take elder Duran’s RV converted bus thing out to California where elder Crawley is from like the second week we get back from our missions, and just visit and have fun and go to the beach, it's gonna be sick! Oh, and while I'm thinking of it, thanks for the doughnuts! that was awesome! Shalese and Cam sent me a package too, it had chips, cheese sauce, and candy in it, their so kind =). 

 Well, anyway thanks for paying my ticket, out of my account, and making it so I don't have a warrant out for my arrest anymore, although I was kinda hoping they'd arrest me so I could have an awesome story to tell later in life, oh well I suppose.  I got a haircut today and they didn't butcher me! I’m so happy!  well, the next time I talk to you guys will be from Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, or Arkansas, who knows? Well, thanks so much for everything and for the letters! I love you guys! Thanks so much for everything.  Hope my facebook is doing well! haha, I’ve only gotten letters from the family and Rilee, so yeah, I do enjoy letters :)  I’ve got three minutes left and don't know what else to say, so I’ll talk to ya'll later! Sei Treu Liebe Euchj!

Sincerely

Elder Zachary Green

June 1st

Hey yall!

The MTC has been great, its crazy how fast time flies!  The days now fly by faster than the first half a day wednesday.  Sorry, but I haven't really had time to miss you much.  Its p-day today so we've got some spare time but we only get half an hour on the computer, after that it times out and you get kicked off so I'll have to be semi brief.  I was made the district leader so thats pretty cool.  I was actually kinda shocked with it happened because my district is made up of  A-class stellar guys, they are all amazing, so I don't know why I was chosen to be the DL, but its pretty cool, I guess I will learn alot.   It was super weird when I had to interview all the senior comps though, it was odd.  I didn't like it.   I've loved the mtc though, the food is pretty good... usually. the ravioli last night wasn't very good, but other than that its been stellar!  I thought I'd have gained a couple pounds already, but I weighed myself in gym yesterday and according to that scale I've lost six pounds, I was 136 and usually I'm over 140, so iIguess that was good.  

Gym time is awesome, its so much fun! I've just spent my time playing ball with the guys in my district and my companion is way good in the post.  He was guarding me yesterday and I was makin it rain! It was soo cool! He was all up in my face guarding me every time and i'd pull up for a three and drain it right in his face. There was this one time i faked him out, he jumped, I hesitated then we both jumped at the same time and I couldn't get the shot off through his arms cuz he was up higher than me, so I pulled the ball down to my hip and shot it super awkward and swished it! Everyone was pretty impressed, including myself.  His specialty is blocking shots so he was pretty upset that I was draining all these shots.  In fact, he told me next time he's gonna block me so hard that I'm gonna walk out of the gym, walk out of the mtc and apostatize from the church. We'll just have to see about that! He's great though, I love Elder Bruderer, we get along so well its crazy! He's a super hard worker and I think we really motivate each other to be better missionaries.  In my district there are eight elders, me, my comp, and my roommates, Elders Jemmett and Duran, they're all going to Mississippi, then the other four guys are going to Washington.  Their names are Elders Manning, Williams, Frie and Crawley.  They are all super awesome and we get along very well. Elder Manning was an ambassador at USU, so thats pretty cool, Elder Williams is very knowledgable about the gospel, Elder Frie is awesome,  I love him, he's so fun to spend time with. he's been teachin me some cool pen tricks, haha. and Elder Crawley is the funniest kid ever, he always brightens the day.  We all eat lunch together and really enjoy each others company, I'm very blessed by being in this district, they are all spiritual giants.  Its great.  We also have four sisters in our district, Sisters Harding and Urie are both going to mississippi and Sisters Dilworth and McGhie are going to Washington.

The MTC has been awesome though, the spirit here is so strong every day, its incredible.  I've loved my time here.  Our teachers, Sister Clive and Brother Snyder, are amazing! They both bring the spirit so stong and teach with great power and authority.  They really help us learn the lessons and how to teach out progressing investigators.  The time goes by so fast here, I can't believe i've almost been here a whole week.  On sunday we watched Elder Hollands talk called a mission is forever.  It was so inspiring, everything he said just penetrated stright through you and into our hearts. you guys should definately look it up.  Maybe it was just so powerful because it was directed straight to me as a missionary for the Lord, but either way, it was amazing.  It changed my life.  Everything i've done here has started to change my life. I can't wait to get out to mississippi! its going to be soo Awesome!  Well family, the church is true.  Don't you dare doubt it for one second.  Thanks for everything you do for me and i can't wait to hear from you! Sei Treu Liebe Euch!

Sincerely,

 Elder Zachary Green