Week 7 - in the field

Hola!

   I'm sure you are all wondering where I am and what is going on... I am serving in the Liberty 2nd ward in Liberty Missouri. We live in apartments about 2-3 miles form the Jail, but it is out of our area; however, we have our weekly missionary correlation there and we are allowed to take investigators there to watch "Meet the Mormons" whenever we want so that's really nice! My companion is Elder Valdez, he was born in Honduras, moved to Mexico, then moved to Salt Lake when he was about 12, so he knows perfect English and perfect Spanish (he's a Spanish speaking Elder). He has been out for 20 months now and is training me, and is the District leader, his first time doing both so he feels a little overwhelmed. Anyways, So Wednesday I flew from Mexico to Atlanta, then to Kansas City... being the only missionary in the CCM going to Independence I didn't expect there to be many missionaries here but there were 3 other Elders and 6 sisters I think, I don't know, I never see them anyways. but funny story, they forgot me at the airport. They usually wait for you outside of security but they weren't there (I found this out later) and I got my luggage an sister vest walked up to me said "there you are, we have been looking for you" turns out, everyone had already made it in (they were all coming from Provo) and had been picked up and they thought I just hadn't made it or had gone home or something, then they found out my flight was different from what they thought and had to race back to get me haha, but it was fine... Wednesday was a day full of tours of the Jail and visitors center, then we went to the mission home, and slept for the night after being lectured on a bunch of things... it felt like the first day at the MTC a lot of info to take in, but I knew it wasn't going to be as bad as they made it seem... Thursday we met our companions and went to the house, I unpacked a little and we started visiting people. We visited with a less active sister and I talked about the atonement at the end, my companion was shocked that I actually spoke because he said the old comp didn't like to and new missionaries usually stay quite! We ate dinner at Firehouse subs, a member took us there, then we had our correlation meeting at the Jail. Friday was a day full of studies... because im new, we have to do something called the "12 week program" for an hour every day, so that combined with personal, companion, language study, then lunch puts us outside at 1 every day. We went around and visited people Friday, and I learned that missionary work doesn't work without the members help! I also learned that its not all about the baptisms, but its a lot about the reactivation as well. and through efforts to reactivate we can find other people to teach. Also on Friday we had our first dinner at a members house, the Bivins,they were super nice. Saturday my companion wasn't feeling well so we stayed in until the evening, our dinner appointment fell through but we were able to run to Walmart earlier that day because my comp needed an eye exam so I grabbed a little food.... it was so nice being able to cook. Then Sunday, we did our studies, went to church and once again Valdez wasn't feeling well so we went home and he slept, He actually is pretty sick with a running nose and throwing up... church was at 1 so at 4 we came home. I gave him a blessing to get better so I hope that helps him out... but nothing else really happened this week... the craziest thing about being out here is how much people look at us, I just want to be like IM A NORMAL PERSON JUST LIKE YOU!!! they just look at us with disgust or see the tag and refuse to make eye contact... its really frustrating but its nothing too bad haha love you all, have a great week and I will keep you in my prayers

    Con amor,

      Elder Hinrichsen