Year 1 - Letter 15 - New Orleans, LA

Hey everyone!

I finally made it here!  This week has been crazy.  First off, both of the planes i flew on where quite small, and that was new for me.  I happened to be seated right next to a plane engine on the first flight at five in the morning, so i got a little sleep, but not really anything solid.  Next we went on a plane that there was only one row of three.  It was tiny, and you could feel every movement of the plane.  Well, enough of that.

We landed safely in the tiny Baton Rouge airport.  I made it down the escalator, and there was President and Sister Wall.  They are awesome!  I can't wait to get to know them more!  We got all of our bags, loaded them into a trailer, (except my bag with insulin), and went off to the mission home.  If you want to know what the mission home looks like, it is gorgeous!  Just picture a nice southern home that has a big porch in the front.  It is awesome.  Our first dinner in the field was rice, turkey, beans, and some Cajun powder with green salsa.  It was good.  Then i had my interview with President Wall.  He asked me how i was doing, and about what i had done in the referral center, and a few other questions.  Then he told me my first area was to be New Orleans.  My house is right next to downtown, and all of New Orleans, except for the east part on the other side of the Canal, and Jefferson.  He said they don't usually train people here, because New Orleans is pretty much as worldly as it gets.  He told me i was there to be with my companion, whom, by the way, is awesome!  Well, we spent the night in the mission home, and then it was off to transfer meeting.  We all came into the chapel, sat on the rows on the side, and then President started to call out companionships, with a lot of funny in between stuff.  President is awesome.  My first companion is Elder Gillett.  We are so much alike, and that really makes it easy.  We are both quite laid back, and just want to work.  I have already learned so much from being his companion.  He is from Salt Lake City, He has been here a year, and we jumped right into the work.

In some ways it feels like we are starting a new.  They haven't seen anyone for a week, since the hurricane hit, and they have been doing service in La Place (pronounced Laplaz).  The first person i talked with was Virginio.  He is from Cuba, and i hardly understood a word he said.  You learn as much Spanish as you can in the MTC, but nothing can really prepare you for speaking with natives.  He was nice and helped me out though, as most of the Hispanics do.

A lot of what we are doing right now is getting in contact with people in the area again.  Seeing how they are doing, how they did with the Hurricane, and if we can help them in any way.  We did find a nice little family in Jefferson, which is east of New Orleans.  We taught them the Plan of Salvation yesterday.  They seem really interested, and i can't wait to teach them more!

In my scripture study the other day, i was reading in Alma 31.  in verse 5, it says " And now, as the preaching of the word had a great tendency to lead the people to do that which was just—yea, it had had more powerful effect upon the minds of the people than the sword, or anything else, which had happened unto them—therefore Alma thought it was expedient that they should try the virtue of the word of God"  This scripture is awesome. I know that the power of the scriptures is incredible, and if we will read them and study them, we will be ready for whatever comes our way.  I know i don't know the language very well, but i do know that this church is true, and that the Book of Mormon has what people need to hear.

The language is coming along, i can kinda say what i want to, and i understand a little now, but all of that comes with time.  Well, gotta go!  Love you all!

Sincerely,

Elder Scott Turner Andrews

OH!  Almost forgot!  My first sunday in the ward, they made me introduce myself, and bear my testimony.  That, i can do in spanish!  It was awesome!  Well, gotta go!

Elder Andrews