First Week in the Field

September 14, 2015

Well today is my first p-day out in the field. I got here Tuesday and spent most of Tuesday at the mission home going thru orientation stuff that is specific to each mission. We also got iPads. I can't imagine doing this without them... We pretty much do everything on them from personal study to teaching. We use the scriptures on the iPads, Preach My Gospel, church videos, email, everything. Which brings me to a very awesome thing: I can check my email whenever. Everyday. So that means you all need to email me at least once a day and send me pictures and update me on how life is going in the real world since Utah is so sheltered!  

Other than it being a bit sheltered, I love Utah. I'm currently serving in Sandy in the Sandy Granite South Stake almost right at the base of.... A big mountain. It's beautiful. The weathers been pretty dang hot though. Upper 80s all week. It's rough. ;) Next week it's supposed to drop to the 70s though which will be heaven. The mountain has already started to turn red.  Everyone keeps telling me that this is the most beautiful time of the year. It is true, but idk - I still prefer AZ sunsets. We live in the basement of an elderly couple in the stake and have a decently nice kitchen and two small fridges. I've been told it's one of the nicer places in the mission. 

Our days are pretty busy. We wake up at 6 and work out for about 45 minutes every morning, then after we shower there is an hour of personal study and an hour of comp study. It's a lot. But the more I do it the more I begin to love the opportunity to sit and study the word because it brings the spirit into your day so much. After that we have 2 hours till lunch so we go and start our day. There is a huge push for member missionary work in the area so a big part of what we do is asking members for referrals, then we go meet the referrals, and then follow up with the members. Currently we have two investigators and a couple recent converts we are teaching, two of which are a 14 year old girl and her 16 year old brother. It's really cool to see how much better the gospel has made their lives even though they have only been members for a couple months. Every night we have at least one dinner with a member. Tuesday night we had 3 dinners at 3 members' houses. So you could say I'm eating well. But I refuse to gain weight.... We ride quite a bit every day and the hills are decent enough that I think I am losing weight.   

My companion, Elder Hilsburg, is pretty cool which is a blessing because I'm not sure if I could handle a bad trainer.... He has been in this area for a while so he knows lots of people which helps a lot. We are over the entire stake of 8 wards which means there's lots of people to cover, which is another blessing because there's lots to do to keep us busy. 

Well I should stop now because I could go on forever. I've still got to do lots of shopping today as well as laundry. Oh and the senior missionaries in the area are taking me and Elder Hilsburg to Raising Canes. SCORE. 

Love 

-Elder Ray

Elder Ray with President and Sister Chambers on Day One 

Elder Ray with Training Companion, Elder Hilsburg

At a member's home

Biking in Sandy, Utah

Elder Ray and Elder Hilsburg