Tuesday, 4 September 2012

News from Devon

Two emails this week, the first the usual weekly email and the second a brief note to me.  He loves his new area!


Hey everybody,
firstly, apologies for sending this on a tuesday (It's not P-day but I have an excuse) yesterday we had to get ourselves library cards to use the computers here, and then found out that the whole system was down so we could not get on to email. We couldn't even send president's letter which is not cool. They were down this morning, so we spent the morning going around Brixham and Paignton trying to find an Internet cafe but non exist, but the system is back up and running now (Hence the email :P)
Anyways, I have now left my Greenie area, but am still half a Greenie as I am still with my trainer Elder Martin. I think it may be the first time in history that someone has left their first area before they left their first companion. Anyways, It was sad to leave Bristol, and quite sudden too, as I said in my last email, we only got a call on monday evening to say we were moving on thursday. So monday to wednesday was full of trying to visit people and say our farewells. It was really sad to leave everyone I had come to love there but I knew it would come sooner or later.
So Paignton, it is a beautiful place! My area covers at least Torquay, Paignton and (wait for it...) Brixham! Dad, finding out you served here in Brixham was amazing! I cannot believe I am serving in the same area you served! I found out you served here on Sunday actually, when I can't remember what her name is, but she remembers you serving here as a missionary when they had their Fish and Chip shop. But the area is a beautiful place, Lovely beaches, beautiful scenery, there are even palm trees here. PALM TREES!!! IN ENGLAND!!! I KNOW!! that's how hot it is. And just so you can get an idea of what kind of an area it is (if the palm trees didn't give you an idea) it is an area where they need sisters here during the summer... yeah when I found out that i was like uh oh! but its okay, I'll stay focused.
We have been working hard here though since thursday. The sisters here before us had left us loads of helpful notes as to who we should go see etc which was helpful, so we have been seeing Less-actives and trying to contact the people they were trying to work with before they left. We have also been trying to contact people on the street which has been tough and we have seen a lot of rejection but that is okay, because we have the odd success as well. We have actually found 3 potentials already since friday (one we found in Primark who's name is Daniel Martin something which is Elder Martins name). One of them their name is Andy, he has a wife and a 13 year old son, and we saw him saturday and gave him a book of mormon. He works 2 jobs though so has a busy schedule, we are seeing him next sunday.
Anyway, that has been my week basically. Anyway, sorry I don't have too much time to email and that this is a pretty short email. Hope you are all doing well. I love you all!!
Elder Mitchell

Elder Mitchell expanded a bit more in a second short email how he feels being in Paigmton:

Hey dad, just to let you know, I have met Sister Hancox briefly, she mentions about you serving in Brixham and you going to her fish n chip shop :)
Brixham is part of my area and is a beautiful place :) really hilly though...
It seems my mission so far has been a family history tour which is great, I have loved beening able to follow in your footsteps (literally as well as metaphorically), Being places on my mission where you also were on yours has helped me feel so close to you, even when I have been so far away. I am thankful for the example you set me by going on your mission and I hope me coming out here on mine can influence my future children to want to follow in both of our footsteps.
I love you so much Dad!
Pass my love onto everyone back home, I would email you all individually, but I only have an hour on the computers here and it is nearly up.
Love you all so much!
Elder Mitchell

Sis Hancox, or Ma Hancox as we called her, and her husband had a fish and chip shop.  It was a second home in many respects.  Her husband, Ali Hancox was the Ward Mission Leader.   I was in the Newton Abbot Ward which has grown and divided in the last 30 years and now Paignton is a ward.  All those years ago I had a real Cowboy and a real American Indian as Zone Leaders - Elders Corbett and Nez.  They were in Newton Abbot.  There were sisters in Torquay, the District Leader in Paignton and I was in Brixham, the southern most town in Torbay.  How times have changed!

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