E-mail #9 of 2011 2/28/2011 Week 45

THE PROMISED LAND

Hola Familia!

Hey so I was almost right about my dream! I'm in Dalton (West) now. Missionaries have called this place "la tierra prometida" "the promised land" because it's the highest or one of the highest baptizing areas in the mission. Also because there are sooo many hispanics here. My first week here has been sweet! We have one investigator named William. He has just recently quit smoking and chewing tobacco so he can be baptized this saturday. And now his eight year old son wants to be baptized as well! We have an investigator who has a date for the 16th. We committed her for baptism on the doorstep. She said yes and she came to church yesterday! Her name is Marlene and she's 20. She has accepted everything about the restoration. She's doing good so far. Hey I just realized that you never answered my question. I really really like the shoes y'all sent me but they're a bit too big. Would you be able to get a smaller size if I send them back. Oh I forgot to tell you my new companion is Elder Hedgecock. He is from washington state. But, I have a visitor's pass at the library so I'm running out of time and I still need to email president Griffin so I need to go! But, I love y'all bunches!!! Tell everyone I say hi and I love them!

Love,
Elder Barry Kreyling

Time for mom's questions:

Q. Te llego todo el dinero que te mandamos todos nosotros para tu cumpleanos? (Did you get the money that was sent for your birthday?)

A. Si, gracias a todos. (Yes. Thank you everyone.)

Q. Te ha llegado las cartas de dearelder.com (Did you get the letters we sent through dearelder.com?)

A. Si, gracias. Gracias por la historia tambien. (Yes, Thanks. Thank you for the story also.)

Q. Alguna esperiencia espiritual esta semana y porque? (Any spiritual experiences this week and why?)

A. Tenemos un investigador que se llama William. El va a bautizarse el sinco de marzo, este sabado que viene. El ha estado fumando y usando (masticando) tobaco. Le visitamos el sabado pasado y nos dijo que ha dejado de fumar y usar (masticar) tobaco para prepararse por su bautismo! (We have an investigator named William. He will be getting baptized March 5th. He had been smoking and using (chewing) tobacco. We visited him last Saturday and he told us he has stopped smoking and using (chewing) tobacco in order to prepare for his baptism!)

Q. Tuviste traslado (transfers) la semana pasada? (Did you have tranfers last week?)

A. Si, estoy sirviendo en Dalton, GA ahora Los misioneros han llamado a esta area "la tierra prometida". Hay muchos hispanos aqui! Como 50% algo asi. Tengo muchas oportunidades de hablar espanol ahora (Yes, I am serving in Dalton, GA now. The missionaries have called this area "the promised land". There are a lot of Hispanics here! Like 50% or something. I have a lot of opportunities to speak Spanish now.)

Q. Resultó cierto tu sueño acerca del nuevo lugar de traslado? (Did your dream come true about your new area after your transfer?)

A. Mas o menos haha. I came to Dalton but I didn't whitewash. Still, I was pretty close (More or less haha.)

Q. Comó les fue en la iglesia esta semana? (How did church go for you this week?)

A. Bien. Aqui hay dos barrios. Uno de ingles y el otro de espanol! Es mi primera vez de servir en un barrio! (Good. We have two wards here. One in English and the other in Spanish! It is my first time to serve in a ward!)

Q. Cuantos fueron a la iglesia? (How many attended church?)

A. No estoy seguro. Como 75 en cada barrio algo asi. (I'm not sure. About 75 in each ward or something like that.)

Q. Nuevos contactos esta semana? (New contacts this week?)

A. Si, hay Marlene. Ella tiene 21 anos y la comprometimos por bautismo en nuestra primera visita. Su fecha bautismal es el 16 creo. Ella asistio la iglesia ayer entonces ella esta progresando bien ahora mismo. (Yes, Marlene. She is 21 and committed to baptism on our first visit. Her baptismal date is the 16th I believe. She attended church yesterday and is progressing well right now.)

Q. Que ha pasado con Victor? (What's happened with Victor?)

A. No se. (I don't know.)

Q. Que ha pasado con la familia de Honduras? (What's happened with the family from Honduras?)

A. No se. (I don't know.)

Q. Que a pasado con el hombre de la culebra (snake)? (What's happened with the guy with the snake?)

A. No se. No se nada de las tres preguntas pasadas. Son de mi area pasada. (I don't know. Haven't heard anything about the last three questions. They were in my last area.)