April 6, 2009

Well hello,

Thanks for your messages as you know it’s been a couple weeks since I've been able to email. New York is awesome. It's sooo much better than the MTC. The first second we got off the plane we went to a place called Jamaica. You could imagine who lives there, Jamaicans. They’re all black and it’s in Queens, pretty ghetto. We started contacting in Spanish and it was so fun. We slept at the president’s house last Monday and then Tuesday had some meetings.My companions name is Elder Childs and He is from Nevada. He is Awesome, My prayers were answered ha-ha I just wanted a companion I wouldn’t want to kill and he is a cool guy and is 5 foot six instead of 6 ft. 6 like my last companion so I'm happy. He’s been out for 7 months and his Spanish is really good. He does magic tricks to entertain the kids and so they love us. I’ve learned a few already its kinda fun. The first night we went out and “fearlessed” which means just talked to people on the street. We had all these appointments but of course nobody lets us in. I thought dad walked fast, but my companion walks faster. We basically run everywhere it’s awesome. We get fed so much by the members. The church is SOO weak here but the members even if they’re less active which almost all are, will feed us a lot. The branch president doesn’t even show up to priesthood. There were maybe 10 members total at conference and that’s from 2 branches. Shows you how weak the church is here. Theyre from Equador, Mexico, and everywhere you could think of.My companion is white and we live with the zone leaders. Everyone is chill. I am in an area called Ridgewood in Brooklyn. There are no houses. Just all 4 story apartments. We live on a third story. They’re pretty crappy inside but we have hot water and were living as good as everyone else. There’s nothing but shops and apartment buildings with graffiti all over the roofs. There are churches everywhere. Every religion you can think of is in New York. There are tons of Jews and they have crazy hair and look funny, there is so much adversity it’s ridiculous. We have mice but its fun to kill them. There is no such thing as germs anymore ha-ha; we all use the same dishes. I’m learning how to cook too. The Elders I live with like to cook. We’re right across the river from Manhattan so we see the city everyday. It looks so cool but we don’t get to go there. We walk almost everywhere but we ride the train a lot which is cool cuz it’s above the roads. Me and my companion teach English classes on Thursday nights for free at the church. We share spiritual thoughts after and that’s how my companion baptized his last person. We talk to people EVERYWHERE we go. We have a lot of investigators but the thing about Spanish people is they tell you they’re interested and so you get their address and make an appointment. When you show up they NEVER answer ha. Its so frustrating cuz we spend so much time walking to their house and it’s a waste of time. We have a few people that are interested and I’m hoping we can get a baptism in the next month. They have to go to church 3 times before getting baptized but we don’t really have anyone too interested.I thought I could understand Spanish until I got here. I don’t understand hardly anything ha-ha. The Puerto Ricans are speaking a different language. I catch bits and pieces and just bear my testimony. I’m getting better. I love it here though. It’s so fun. My and my companion run every other morning and do other exercises the other mornings, I don’t want to get fat. The food from the members isn’t great but I eat whatever they give me cuz living off 40 bucks a week is rough so I take what I can get. They mostly feed us rice and chicken so it’s all good. Some of the stuff is interesting but whatever. We try to work with the less actives a lot and the hardest thing is getting into houses. Spanish people aren’t very good at keeping appointments. They just make an appointment to make you feel good and then don’t care about the rest. We had 2 really good lessons last night though. Conference was Awesome. We had a lady show up with us who hasn’t been to church in 30 years so it was awesome to see her there. Its crazy how much more appreciative I am of conference and of talks from general authorities since I’ve been on a mission. My perspective on life is totally different. I’ve learned so much and my testimony is so strong. The field is so much better than the MTC in every way ha-ha I love it. It rains a lot and is pretty ghetto where we are but it’s so fun. We're confirming someone this Sunday who my companion baptized a week ago. I wish you could all see what area I’m in its pretty sweet; nobody likes to talk to you. We basically run after people on the sidewalks to talk to them ha-ha and all the white people won’t look at you or say hi when you say hello; I just crack up. We don’t knock doors cuz there are no doors to knock. All the Apartment buildings are locked and can only be opened if you call someone on the door and they open it for you and nobody does, so we walk the streets which are full of people. It’s a whole different world here. I can’t really explain how unhappy people are and how lost they are. No matter how many people reject us or don’t let us in, its still fine because the more we show heavenly father were trying and we keep our faith up well be blessed.I’m not gonna lie, it’s hard out here but I think that’s why I love it so much. It really is all about attitude. It doesn’t get easier to wake up and at night were so tired we pass out. WE walk miles a day and are working as hard as possible. We don’t have a lunch but have PAD time from 3-5 each day which is prep time for appointments and dinner/lunch. Apartments are called Pads’ in New York. You don’t call them apartments. My Spanish is terrible, and I’m not forced to speak it so it’s hard to learn. Everyone is pretty understanding cuz they’re all learning English so they know what its like. I try to speak and if I mess up the people help out so it’s not bad. Everyone speaks a little different cuz there are so many countries so you have to learn to say certain things to people from different countries. Hopefully ill learn quickly. There is not enough time in a day to learn. Personal study, companion, and language study isn’t long enough. We only have an hour for each. We leave the pad at 11 everyday and have to be in at 9. Don’t ever send packages to our pad. They get stolen. My companion had a package sent to our pad and the landlord saw someone walking away with it and had to chase him down. Were in New York, packages on the sidewalk will be gone it 2 seconds. Always send packages to the mission home. The zone leaders will pick them up and bring them to us every week or two so try not to send food that goes bad fast but please do send food. By the way THANKS FOR THE PACKAGE. It saved me so much money and my companion and the zone leaders love you. We needed all that stuff and thanks so much. It was hard getting it to our pad from the mission home on trains and buses but it was worth it. Give names to the missionaries always, Members are the best way to find people. Always be thinking of someone that can benefit from the gospel which is EVERYONE so ALWAYS give names to the missionaries. It’s so important. I hope everything is well at home. Everything is great here. I’m loving it. It is frustrating and hard but I’m learning a lot of patience ha-ha that’s why I was sent to New York. I just let things roll of my back now. You have to learn to just keep going with a good attitude or you get stuck in the past. The mission office address is 85-69 60th drive. Elmhurst, New York 11373. Send packages there please. And send cash randomly please not on credit card cuz lots of places only take cash. Thanks for your support, love, and prayers. I love you all. Let me know if I forgot to say anything or if you have any questions ha-ha sorry for all the randomness but there’s so much to write.

Love, Elder Breinholt