Life in Tell City, Indiana

Drew is currently serving in Tell City, Indiana. He is doing well, although it has taken some time to get adjusting to missionary life. Here are some excerpts from a few of Drew's letters. 

 From week 1:

So Tell City IN the last place that I thought I would ever be haha. It's a very small town compared to what I am used to, I have had some serious culture shock this week that is for sure. So I will try to answer all the questions you had and write as much possible that I can.

Yes the Woodbury's are really the nicest people, when they picked us up at the airport they brought along 3 Elders one of them was elder Murphy (Mckay Murphy) which was cool to see him he gave me a big hug which was nice and welcoming. we then went back to the mission home and had a orientation thing and had dinner, Her cooking reminded me exactly of home because of the food she made, We had a chicken dish with costco chicken breasts, with cheesy potatoes and corn flakes on top. then a pistachio dessert which brought me right back home. That was awesome it was delicous.

We have an investigator that is getting baptized this friday so that will be cool to go to. But besides that we have a few investigators that aren't really keeping commitments or showing too much interest in the church. Yes I have had a chance to go knock on doors, it was really intimidating the first few times because I have no clue what to say really, I know as I keep doing it, it will become much easier

Week 2: 

So this week was a lot better than last, I am starting to get used to everything, and having a desire to get out and work, We have realized last night that we need to do a lot of finding this week and get new people to teach. Thank you so much for the letters of encouragement, they really help a lot. 

This week we had a baptism which was awesome, I believe it was just what I needed to be motivated to see change in peoples lifes. My companion and his last companion had the opportunity to teach him, I came right before, but have still had the opportunity to teach him a little bit. He is awesome, he had a dream like 5 weeks ago and in his dream he had the prompting that he needed to find the Mormon church. So he showed up at church and the missionaries started to meet with him and on Friday he was baptized by my companion elder Stevenson. I have gotten to know him pretty well, and yesterday I had the opportunity of Confirming him in sacrament meeting. The spirit was so strong and He thanked me after and told me I did a good job, I asked him after how he felt and he said it was hard to describe that he was so joyous and felt clean. Then after that the Branch president wanted to ordain him and give him the aaronic priesthood. I thought you had to wait a week or so but I guess not. It was so cool because he asked me to do that as well, which made me feel so good because he trusts me enough to have me use the priesthood again. He is awesome, he loves college basketball his favorite team is North Carolina. He doens't really watch the NBA but I told him that I was a Jazz fan last week and this week he looked up scores of the Jazz and wants to keep me updated. He knows everything about college basketball it's really cool he can name any player who they played for and teams back till the 70s.

 So about Tell City, Well the area we are in covers Tell City, Cannelton, Hawesville and a few other tiny towns. We spend the majority of the time in Tell city so far. As far as scenary goes there is a huge smokestack and flat ground everywhere. This town is very very old, right now there are a ton of houses for sale on almost every street. We have a park right next to our house so when it gets warmer we are going to play basketball. About the humidity here, when It's cold outside its way worse than Utah the cold air goes right through your body. 

Week 3:

Elder L Tom Perry, Quinton L. Cook and Whitney L. Clayton of the Seventy all spoke, at first when they came in they lined everyone up and we all got to shake their hands. L Tom Perry is a really tall man, he is like 6,3. He seemed really healthy and I was suprised to hear that he is 90 years old. He was awesome he liked to joke around and have fun. They all gave really good talks it lasted about a hour and a half. The spirit in the room was so strong, they told us how lucky we are that it never happens to have 2 apostles speak for a mission. He talked a lot about how we need to prepare ourselves as missionaries now so that we can set the example for all of the new missionaries coming in soon. They told us that we are the rising generation in missionary work that what we do now will affect the missionaries that are coming in. So we got to drive to Louisville and back in the same day. We met some other elders and rode with them up there. We ate at Wendy's on the way up there. And then on the way back we stopped at waffle house, They are all over around here, Boy do they have good waffles. I've always wanted to eat there and finally had the opportunity to do so.

Week 4: 

. I have realized a few things, it's normal at first to be completely overwhelmed getting out here. I have been trying to follow every rule and be strict and just trying to be a perfect missionary. Well I learned that there is no specific way to be a missionary. We all have our different talents and we are all human, I am starting to learn to just have fun with everything

This week we had exchanges with Elders from Owensborough. So it was me and elder Burge he is from Provo ut, he came out with me so we are both brand new, I got to drive the car which was awesome because that is one thing that I really miss doing. It was interesting because we both knew so little but we had a pretty good time. I have eaten a ton of food this week, we ate at a chinese buffet, a Member took us to this place called Bill and Daves Smoking pit which is also a buffet and then to DQ after to get ice cream. Then on friday we had a district meeting and ate at the Pizza place Capers again.

Week 5:

 We got a senior couple named the Godwin's they are from Alabama they are really nice people they make really good food they have had us over a few times now. We had a zone meeting this week which was fun to get to get out of Tell City and drive to Evansville and spend time with other missionaries

We had a exchange with another missionary this week so I got to switch companions which was nice. We met with Wade our recent convert that we talked about that you said was on sister Woodbury's blog he is doing good we gave him a blessing because he wasn't feeling the greatest and asked us if we could give him one. He loves basketball and we talk about that with him, since march madness is coming up he is getting really excited. He is awesome. As for that there isn't really much new here in Tell City the weather got really nice for a few days in the high 60's then it started raining yesterday and today sounds like your having fun at home wish I was there to spend it with you.

Week 2 Letter

 Drew has been in the MTC for almost 10 days now. Here is his letter that we received today.

 

 

 

 

Hey I'ts been great to hear from everyone and all the packages I have gotten, it means a lot. This week has been a great week besides that I got the cold that was going around here on Sunday but am almost over it which is good. The food here is not for me, I have decided to start a new diet that consists of eating only cereal and fruit, so I did the math I have 11 days left here I eat 3 meals a day and 3 bowls of cereal each meal, that leaves me with 99 bowls of cereal to eat till I get to the field! haha so class is going really well, I am learning so much every single day, the spirit is so strong and I'm realizing how key it is to learn to to teach by the spirit. Teaching is definetely my favorite thing to do in the day, we get a chance to teach actors that are members and nonmembers that are playing our investigators which is really fun. One thing that I am learning is to be able to manage time when we only have 30 or 40 minutes to teach because the last 2 lessons we have gone over 10 minutes each. I'm starting to learn how to teach with a companion better and to build upon what they say instead of going in a different direction. So today is our P day and we got the opportunity to go to the temple this morning, we chose to do iniatory today and then an endowment session next week. So it was the first time I've done it since I did it for myself. I love the temple so much it has definetely been the highlight of the MTC so far along with the devotionals. This Tuesday we had Whitney Clayton of the 70 speak along with his wife. They were both really good talks, she spoke on being happy and always being optimistic and how doing that will make us happier and have a better outlook on life. He spoke on how important your companion is and how they and you are there to help eachother. When we sang '' We are as the army of Helman that song not sure what its called but in the song it was really cool how they changed it to we are now the lords missionaries to bring the world his truth. That was really awesome and it hit me that I'm here now and that I am serving the lord which was a really cool expierence for me. The bad news is the computers won't recognize my camera without a sd card reader and the bookstore is out of them right now so I won't be able to send pictures till next week. Mom and dad I realized I am going to need one of those carry on suitcases to take with me or I won't be able to fit everything, I don't know if you can just drop it off here or send it or what but I know I am going to need it along with my Temple slippers and white socks. Oh and some chocolate covered cinnamon Gummi bears. I love you so much I know that I can't wait to get out in the field but the time here in the MTC is so valuable and I need to use it to my advantage before I leave. I'll write you more in a little bit.

 

 Love Elder Flathers