Hi from Hali

Dear family and friends,
Finally out of the MTC. I loved it but it was driving me crazy at the end. My companinon was really getting on my nerves but thats fine. So we had our big transfer meeting and my new companion, trainer, and mission dad is Elder Eggleston! We're in the Huddersfield Zone in a city called HALIFAX! So welcome to Hali (like cali but not). It's an amazing looking town. Beautifuly buildings and country side. It's some what south of Leeds. I'm not sure exactly. We're in a flat with 2 other missionaries, Elder Liane (pronunced Line-uh) from Finland and Elder Czirbon (pronounce Serbon) from Utah. They're all great guys and pretty good missionaries.

This first half week I have just been getting shown the ropes to proselyting and contacting people. We have serveral investigators already, a few who could be baptized within a month. The people here are pretty good. Most people stick to them selves though. Nobody knows their neighbors and says anything to anyone, and most people are just completely lazy. Due to the goverment having universal health care and goverment housing (which a lot of people live in) there's not much reason to work so a lot of people work maybe 15 hours a week, sit at home and watch tv, smoke, drink, party and clubbing and have sex. There are so many young teenaged single mothers it's ridiculous. There's not much incentive to work or do anything though. Everyone smokes from the age of 10 basically and drinking isn't far behind. So as you can probably tell there is a lot of work to be done.


We went to church yesterday and I got to meet the one ward for this city which has got to be the size of Everett. The one word I can describe it is pathetic. There is some good people there but the ward really needs to step up. I feel like it's gunna be one of my biggest priorities while I'm here to get the ward into shape. We have to get the ward into doing missionary work. We get no referals for anyone. They have quite a bit of success here, baptizing people and keeping them at church but thats just due to the missionaries finding people. The elders quorum lesson we had yesterday was basically teaching us missionaries how to be missionaries. Not very good. But I remain hopeful. The ward has good people, and the missionary work here could thrive if the members got more involved. The lord prepares people to receive the gospel. He prepares them with the members of the ward talking to their friends and neighbors. So I am asking for some advice for all who read this to write me. I know the old Marysville 6th ward has done well with missionary work. I know that they have set goals in the stake for everyone to bring a member. Finding opportunities to invite non members. Thats what I want for this ward.
I'm so excited to do this work. I can't believe that this week I'll have already been gone a month. The time is going to go really fast. Please write to me though. I haven't gotten much post from anyone and I would love to here from people.


Elder Blaine Dudgeon