Ello Mumsy,
Haha it sounds like you're more trunky than I am. I guess I could've assumed that.Other things that I did assume:
So, Leamington. AKA Royal Leamington Spa. Doesn't that just scream posh? Well, it does. And it is. There are about zero CHAVs, which is awesome. But I'll tell you why it isn't so awesome in just a moment.
Your questions:
Leamington is rich. And beautiful. And my flat is new and shiny, and only slightly smells like old lady. All of the buildings are very interesting and colorful and clean. I really love how clean it is here. It's not even that Tamworth was that dirty, but man is it clean here. So far.
I didn't know about this statue of Queen Victoria, it sounds like she has a pretty cool story, and we're kind of looking for things to do today, so I think I will go and view Her Royal Tiltedness. I'll take a picture if I do. For you, Mom, for you.
My companion. Like I said, the picture will be on its jolly old way as soon as I get this email sent. He is nineteen, like me. (Weird, right? I'm nineteen.) But his birthday is in March, so he's slightly older than me. He is also my mission-nephew. Elder Lewis is currently training for his third time. Elder Sun is his current boy, who unfortunately sounds like he's making Elder Lewis's life very hard right now, but that's another story, I was the middle child, and, like Brooke, the favorite. And about six months into Elder Lewis's mission he trained another missionary called Elder Wood. I've only met Elder Wood once in real life and it was the day I got to England, so I was not actually sane, but I've talked to him on the phone quite a bit, and I like him a lot. Well, the transfer after I came, so half way through my training, Elder Wood was called to be a trainer. His boy was.. wait for it.. Elder Houghton. So, Elder Houghton and I are family. Well, mission-family. But it's cool. He's been somewhat of a struggle, to be honest, not in a lazy or bad missionary kind of way, just in a somewhat less-than-personable kind of way. But I think I like him. And he's the right kind of companion to have right now. We have just about zero in common.. but I said that about Elder Okuonghae, and that turned out to be completely false. Elder Okuonghae and I will be bros forever. I love that guy. (and miss him a bit.) But, what can you do? Anyways, Elder Houghton is six foot, and trained in Stroud. It's near the south end of my mission. He liked it, but was glad to be transferred. (He and Elder Wood didn't get along.. that's why I was nervous I wouldn't get along.) I don't think he's said the name of the city he's from yet. He always says "near Yosemite, in the mountains." So if that helps.. then.. good. I'm not really sure where that is.
Yeah. Transfers are really fun, but when you're the one transferring, and you have to haul your luggage everywhere (and your companion's thousands of bags) it kind of stinks. We definitely were a safety hazard on the trains. Have I told you that I take trains a lot? I take trains. A lot. So much that I have a rail pass with my face on it. It's not a very good picture, cause they wouldn't let me smile, but it's not bad. Anyways, yeah. Travelling was a nightmare. We were supposed to have a coach (bus) to take us to the Coventry train station, but there wasn't enough room, because it was going to Nottingham and another place too... I forgot the other place. But we were closest, so we had to just take trains. Which really sucked. Luckily we got me luggage that has four wheels on the bottom, so one hand takes care of the two bags, and one hand takes care of the bike. Still a nightmare though.
I'm not sure about the suit Mom. I'd really like to get one, but I really just don't think I need one and my bags were packed as they were. I only wear the full suit twice a week.. to church and to district meeting (or zone meeting, or zone conference, depending on the week.) So, I really don't need one. I wear trousers, a white shirt and tie, and when it's hot, that's it, and when it's raining I have a rain jacket, and when it's cold, I have a coat that Elder Lewis gave me.. so another suit would throw some diversity into my meeting attire, but I just don't think it's worth it to get it right now.. In fact, not offense, but I feel like I have one million pairs of trousers. And they're all dry-clean only! That's hard to do! So, a lot of the time, I wear the trousers you sent to me in the mail. They're more durable, less baggy, (everything is tighter in England, especially the suits) and I can wash them. (In our washer/DRYER!!!!!) Sorry, I was really excited when I found out we had a dryer. Fresh warm underwear is about the nicest feeling ever. But really, I don't think I need another suit. I really really don't. I know I'm killing you right now. I'm sorry.
I'm much more rambly on these computers. I think it's because of the keyboards, they have the less sticky-outy keys as the old keyboards. Think old keyboard vs. basically the mac ones we have. These keyboards are much easier to type on.
So, I'm sending you a novel. Let me get on to my part of the email.
We got here on Wednesday, to find that the other set of missionaries over Warwick were on the other side of the area. We're in Leamington, they're in Warwick. So, we go into our new flat, got settled, went to ASDA (Walmart) that's just a short little walk from our house (Hallelujah.) Then, realized we had absolutely nothing to go off. So, the next day, Thursday, we decided to go take a visit to the other elder's place. Which turns out to be a house. Pretty cool. Until you go in. Elder McKechne, who is really funny and Scottish, is also a huge slob, same with the previous couple of missionaries. So their place is a trainwreck. It really is disgusting, and rumors are that there are rats. No thanks. I'll take old lady over rats any day. But we went and stole half their area book. While we were there, he informed us about coordination meeting with the Branch Mission Leader (a once a week meeting, we had it in Tamworth too, but I don't know if I ever talked about it.) So we went.
It was scary.
The BML seemed like a really cool guy, his name is Limhi (haaaaaa) and he's probably about thirty. He was very professional and it sounded like he really wanted to help us. Well.. here's the scary part. He pretty much just told us that Warwick was a crap area, and that it was dead, and that the previous missionaries here did absolutely nothing. (This was confirmed through pictures of them, and.. it's pretty obvious with Elder McKechne, unfortunately.) So the area is dead, the members don't trust us, and they were expecting sisters. Everyone is expecting sisters. England needs to get over it. But, that wasn't a real challenge, the other two parts most definitely were. We're coming to an area, as new (ish) missionaries, where we're going to have to absolutely prove ourselves, and show the ward that we're here to work, even if the other missionaries weren't. It'll be good, but it's going to be freakin hard. So, since then, we have been finding. And finding. And finding. And finding. No teaching. No nothing. But we'll get there. I have a trust in the Lord that we're going to find some one who has been prepared by God for the gospel. Until then, six hours of talking to people every day, with at most, so far, two people even seeming remotely interested. It's definitely a test to prove our diligence, but we'll get through it, and we'll be on the other side with the whole city of Leamington baptized in a few weeks. Cool. Til then, please pray your heart out for me, even more than your usual heart-felt prayer. We can use all the help we can get.
It'll be good for me.
I love you, and miss you, but I'm where I need to be, doing exactly what I need to be doing. So, fortunately, unfortunately, I will not see you for about fourteen more transfers. (One transfer = six weeks.) (I used parenthesis a lot this email.) (I like them.) (I love you.)
From the Lemmings with love,
Elder Smart
(Your little baby boohoo)
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