New Haven, Connecticut

email 10/13/09
Greetings from New England! It is so incredibly pretty here--I can't even begin to describe. Even in the city and downtown there are more huge, beautiful trees than in all of Utah. So many trees... it makes me so happy. I'm serving in New Haven, which is on the southern coast of Connecticut. We are very near the coast, and so most days I can feel and smell the water and look out into the bay.
I live downtown, in the ghetto--it's totally awesome. I almost feel like I'm in a foreign country because missionaries are the only white people here, and everyone is speaking different languages. It is such a cultural melting pot here. I am beginning to learn to differentiate between the MANY different styles of Spanish that are spoken here--by Puerto Ricans, Cubans, Dominicans, Uruguayans, Mexicans, etc... All of them speak Spanish very differently. It's rather frustrating for me, because I can't hardly understand anything they're saying to me anyway even when I run into someone who speaks very clear Spanish. I am going to learn this language though.
My airplane ride here was fun--I was all by myself. I had no companion, no guide--just me. It was easy in SLC airport because all of the employees would see me and ask, "Hey Elder! Where are you headed?..." In Cincinnati, I was totally lost. I ended up running into a branch president at the MTC who happened to be there on business the same time I was there--that was divine intervention. He helped me find my terminal. My mission president is a wonderful man, and I spent that first day at the mission home getting to know him and his wife, and geting acquainted with the area.
My companion, Elder Taylor, is a great missionary, and I have a great feeling about him. I can only imagine how hard it must be for him to be training me in Spanish and missionary work while being a new district leader at the same time--he's doing a great job.
Mondays are my preparation days, so from now on you better have emails ready by Monday. My first P-Day was fantastic! We drove to "Gillete Castle" which is the home of William Gillete--the man who played Sherlock Holmes and ended up writing the plays and novels for the character. You can probably look it up online. I took some really great pictures so you can all see--I thought it was pretty awesome.
Well, Connecticut is a beautiful place, and I'm so happy to be here. I have bright faith and a burning testimony, and I've already taught some good lessons and had some powerful experiences. As soon as I know more about what I'm doing and where I'm going and who my investigators are I'll let you know. Just know that I'm happy, strong, and in love with missionary work.
I love you all so much!