WEEK 4 - I will not buy cowboy boots

I just want to start by saying something I want to say and I think some of you need to hear. It absolutely destroyed me when last Tuesday when I heard that Paxton passed away. He was such an amazing friend and we all need to try to be a little more like him everyday from here on out. I invite everyone to keep his family and your friends in your prayers because there are so many affected by this loss. But I know we can all see Paxton again, I know he is in the arms of our Savior. But pray for the people who need your prayers right now. Alright now I will talk about what happened this week. - Holy heavens I am out of the MTC, it felt so long but so short idk. That place was kinda like a prison but also fun. So idk i guess its kinda like a womens prison lol. I can literally only remember like one thing that happened last week at the MTC that wasn't depressing so I guess thats what your gonna get. - So basically I was in a room with like 10 or 15 california elders and sisters. They were all talking about like how exctied they were to go to california and preach to these amazing people and be in such an amazing place, so naturally I hit them with a joke about the homelessness crisis currently plaguing that state. Nobody thought it was funny. But me. I thought it was hilarious so I guess I actually don't regret that at all haha. - I said goodbye to a bunch of people on wednesday and thursday which was actually quite sad, then on friday at 4 am I woke up and left the MTC. It was so sad to say goodbye to my district, I hope they are all having a wonderous time wherever they are at. - I got to texas that morning and was picked up by my new companion, the mission president, and his wife. They were all great. My companion is like the most obedient person that has ever walked this earth. I don't even know if he has heard of sin yet, so maybe I will have to have the hard conversation with him and inform that it truly does exist. He is really kind and was very comforting when I was having a very hard time at the beginning. So I am very thankful for him. - I was welcomed by Texas with a nice brisk day of a humid 109. It's hot here, like really hot. So if I don't send an email next week just know that I have evaporated. - People in texas are either super nice or just insane. I firmly believe I have met the nicest person here on planet earth. She was a texan, so super nice, but on top of that she was a chick fil a employee and a grandma. She was like "well what can I get for you my sweet hunny bunches?" I was orignally thrown off with someone who was not my spouce calling me their sweet hunny bunches. But I soon learned that is kinda just normal here, everyone is so nice. I was like can I get a 12 count nugget with buffalo sauce and she started asking clarifying questions and in between her questions she would add statements like: "God bless!" "Aw man you are such a handsome young man" "Have such a blessed weekend." So either this employee was wanting to kidnap me or like she actually was the nicest person ever. Some of the other people are just so crazy though, like the other night I was playing soccer with the spanish ward, and mid game this dude pulled up with a BMX and a machete. And just kinda watched. I talked to him but i'm like 95% sure he had just partaken of some illegal substance so it didn't make a ton of sense. But I sure hope he had a blessed day. Also this one lady outside of walmart started charging at me like a bull moose and yelling profanities to all of the customers coming in, so I went in bought my stuff, and walked out to her being arrested so that was neat. - I saw the Texas Instruments campus (the calculator company) and I just couldn't help but think of my genius kinda nerd and kinda not brother Mckay. I bet that would've been a highlight for him. - My Chinese Branch is so nice. There are a good amount of members. I walked in and I was approached by like 7 older chinese women, so that was a little stressful. Then the 1st counselor came to me and said (in chinese) "hey I am gonna need you and your companion to bare your testimony today, like 10 minutes should be good." So I got on the stand and bore a powerful 3 minute testimony. The branch is so nice. We also got like 20 bags of just nice chinese food these people have cooked for us, so now my fridge has tons of dumplings, ramen, and other stuff that I have no idea what they are, and chicken pot pies for some reason idk. - We put our friend Crystal on baptismal date on sunday. It went well until the member we were with and Crystal suddenly started arguing over the late chinese communist leader Mao Ze Dong. I will never understand how that conversation started but it was funny. After they had given their final thoughts about the man we asked her if she wanted to be baptized and plot twist she did. So that felt good. October 7th. So excited for that. - Everyone keeps being like (in a thick texas accent) , "oh my goodness boy you NEED a cowboy hat, it's just, oh my goodness, they just look so darn good on the missionaries." Owning a cowboy hat is like a saving ordinance down here. The people don't understand missionaries who don't have cowboy boots or cowboy hats. Elder Shipp would do just fine here. - So much more happened this week but I always make these emails too long. I miss you guys more then anyone has ever missed anyone ever. I miss my family unlike anything ive ever missed. Please reach out to me. I am dying to hear from you. I love you guys, I will see you next week! I post way more pics on this if you want to join: https://photos.app.goo.gl/qwGY1QhS99ne5wGy8 Pictures: - John loves to cook - Moose (Elder Johnson) was completely out - Elder Chow now has every woman on earth pursuing him - Sister summers is the goat of taking pictures - Elder Jeffries is like a father figure to me