029

6 February 2012

Dear Homefront,

Just in case my new address didn't make it out, here it is again,

4550 Jefferson Pointe Lane
Apt 8
Prince George VA 23875

The attached picture is of me and my new companions. Elders Johnson (on the left) and Roweberry (on the right).

Hopewell is amazing. I love it so much here. So far, the work is a little slow but that's nothing new to me so I'll keep working. I'm loving being able to work on base as well as my normal proselyting efforts. The spirit just feels so strong in this area, I feel like there's a vast amount of potential just waiting to be tapped.

Both of my companions are from California. Elder Johnson worked as a carny at Knotsberry Farm and Elder Roweberry is just a regular guy doing his best. We all have some similarities and some differences and we're able to get along fairly well.

So far on my mission, I've served in four areas, four districts, and four zones.
Mechanicsville, Mechanicsville District, Richmond Zone;
Salem A/Tidewater YSA, Kempsville District, Virginia Beach Zone;
Burkeville, Buckingham District, Midlothian Zone;
Hopewell, Colonial Heights District, Chesterfield Zone.

Lately, our work has consisted of working our way through the ward roster to try to get to know everybody. The result has been that most of the people we don't already know have moved. But some of the people that have moved in seem at least a little interested, so we'll keep working.

It's finally gotten cold around here. It's rare now that we'll leave the appartment without jackets. The warm winter was nice, but now we're paying for it.

I got a new set of scriptures and a new backpack (don't worry, the scriptures were free and the backpack was covered under some christmas money I received from some loving aunts, uncles, and other relations). The scriptures are a set of the military pocket sized ones that have the red cover. I'm currently working on building a small box (cardboard and duct tape) to keep them in so that they don't get crushed in my backpack. The backpack cost me $60 and I got it when some members at the military branch took us to the PX (on base store for anything that isn't food) and it's a black, military style backpack. It's very similar to the backpack I was looking at in the sporting goods store in VA Beach but for 1/4 the price. I'm happy.

I hope every one of you is well and safe. I love you.
-Elder John Y. Roberts