A big Howdy from Texas!

i think i would live and die here if it weren't for the fact that you could stand on a tuna can and see the back of your head...ugh where are my mountains? good thing there wont be a temptation when winter rolls around, that and when the alarm clock screams at me every morning is about my only complaint so far.

The members are super good, my trainer has been working super hard to get everything rolling along since the missionaries here before him destroyed the area. We taught over 20 lessons from Tuesday til Sunday which is even a record for him. Pretty impressive since he claims about 40 baptisms. when we were setting goals on Thursday, i asked him to help me with my memory loss which occurs every 30 seconds since this is all a dream to me (reality slowly is creeping in). Also i told him that i demanded to be trained well enough to be the top baptizing missionary in Texas before he leaves. He said 'no problem' and the record is somewhere around 65.

My first week has felt like it has lasted about 6 months but i mean that in a good way, considering that i have done more in this week then i did for my last 6 months at home. the very first night we flew in to Dallas we went and got a picture with the president in front of the temple. After words we went and had BBQ at the mission home (ahhhh BBQ). we then bore our testimonies after dinner and i was probably the most pathetic missionary there because i was constantly blowing my nose and trying to suppress my embarrassing cough. Right as my turn came to give my testimony, i stood up and then as fate would have it, in walks sister Katie Barber. Don't worry, we got a picture before we all separated for our first night.

The first night here Elder Moli and I went out with the zone leaders as was our assignment, the goal was to commit a nice lady named Bobbie to baptism. yeah, not very intimidating at all. Needless to say she is going to get baptized this weekend. I think it was about a 2 hour meeting at her house.

My trainer is awesome, totally amazing. he was converted at 18 and his family has been accusing him of going to hell since then. He has been out 20 months and goes home in December but he definitely is a smart and hard worker. he has already taught me well. I feel like I am getting more and more into my element. we tracked out a nice Hispanic couple the other day and I went on my first split with a member to teach alone last night. I wasn't nervous but the adrenaline didn't help at all. So we knocked on the door and i was devastated there was no answer. i got stood up twice on my first night of teaching alone. lame. meanwhile my trainer was out committing people to baptism. Anyway the teaching is going well but i have a long ways to go.

President Uchtdorf was here yesterday and shook my hand by the way, I'm sure you can read more about it in sister barber's epistles since i have 7 minutes left to finish mine. He spoke for about 90 minutes and i took about 3 pages of notes. The fact of the matter is that the Gospel is simple and powerful. everyone and there dog needs to quit complicating it. its driving me insane to hear missionaries and members testifying that 'the church is true, the church is restored, the church blesses me and my family!'. OK, so its true in some sense but we are denying ourselves the purity of Jesus Christ. "The GOSPEL is restored in its fullness, The GOSPEL blesses families, the GOSPEL and its ordinances/principles will save us" not the church. The 5 principles of the GOSPEL are faith in Jesus Christ and his atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end. the church is an appendage to the last principle and the administration of the GOSPEL. that's it. Notice how all churches are pretty much the same (especially in Texas) when they preach Faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement and repentance but then at baptism where the AUTHORITY was lost 1600 years ago see so many different ways that people get baptized! So much corruption down here. There is a great and abominable church on every corner destroying the GOSPEL of Jesus Christ. OK I'm done preaching. I just thought that was something cool i would share. Anyway, President Uchtdorf really focused on giving that little extra everyday that you don't have to give then you will see miracles. Also, he stressed the values of companions (whether in my case or your married to them). and that love is central to everything you do or you will get no where. and yes mom, i saw sister barber at that meeting as well. It was in Arlington where Lance served but that mission definitely needs some work since Elder Starling left. That's all i better say!

Remember that God always will respect our free agency so we always have to ask. I forgot what else to say but we have 3 baptisms scheduled and have 5 as our goal this transfer. Let the games begin.

Love your #2 son,
Elder Metcalf