7 months no it couldn't be

Wow that fast,

Well this week was our interviews with president and it turned more into what my purpose in being in Danville was. So he told me about how the last missionary here didn't work at all so he basically white washed me here, (Which usually means they start completely over in the area with two new missionaries and it is always tough) because Elder Clawson has been here only one transfer but he never did any work because of his last companion. I'm getting more used to Elder Clawson it is still a struggle because he does have some disabilities that make it really hard for him to even speak. But President told me about how this ward has kind of lost all trust with missionaries for the most part so he said that he is putting the responsibility to get the trust back from the members on my shoulders. Crazy how much president can think of me so soon. So it is taking a lot of tracting and slowly getting to know the members here. I will probably have Elder Clawson for another transfer and I don't think this is the right area to start a new missionary quite yet. He said he knew it might take some time but said that I was the right missionary at this time. It has been the toughest transfer yet so far and it is dragging kinda slow but I figure it should start picking up here soon. We just need to find that one family that is ready to be baptized then the ward will get excited. We have been trying to find some of the less actives to try and see why they don't come anymore and most of them go to a different church now and don't even realize they are on the church records it is the weirdest thing. This area is a majority of Baptist that is for sure. One thing we do each week is actually teach an institute class here to some members once a week. We are in the old testament and this week was on the tabernacle and all of its symbolism. It is very interesting to see just how symbolic things really were and still are with all of our temples now days as well.

Sounds like everyone is pretty busy and doing well. good to hear about Aaron and Chris that's pretty funny about the dream ha. I had forgotten that they were in the same ward. Syracuse is going to take it this year that's how my bracket will play out. I think it will be funny to do a bracket after not watching a single game this season. I did get the package from the grandparents this morning, peanut butter fingers yum! I have enough candy and junk food to last me until Christmas at this point. How do you expect me to stay fit if all I ever receive is candy.

Well I love you all and hope all continues to stay well

love ya bye
Elder Moorhouse

weekly letter

Well the library is open here in Danville and from what it sounds like it almost never closes which I think is crazy because in New Albany it would have been closed for sure today. Well I did get your package but I had to get it Tuesday because UPS requires a signature in order to leave it so I missed them on Monday. Maybe USPS would be better for packages but if it is more expensive than don't worry about it I'll just leave my signature on the notice they leave and then I'll just get the package the next day. Well this week included a lot more tracting for sure. We met with the bishop yesterday finally he has been gone the last few weeks and we discussed what to do to help this ward and we came up with us visiting at least five members on the roster each day. So now we have another option other than tracting finally. The ward out here is very different and some of the things that go on you would never see out west but I guess that's just how it is. Well Valentines was good and nothing really special happened but I didn't really expect anything special since I'm on my mish. It was a tough week and it seemed like almost every return appointment had fallen through. This next week should be better we do have interviews on Friday which should be good. We have a few professors in our ward that teach at Centre College here in Danville and they each speak like 5 languages which is crazy. We also have Kentucky's School for the Deaf here, so we run into a lot of deaf but we can't really teach them. We have also ran into a few Spanish speakers so I get to practice the tiny amount of Spanish I know ha.

Well as far as something in a next package maybe a jump rope. We don't have much to work out with here and Elder Clawson doesn't want to go run in the mornings so I thought I could just jump rope for cardio and legs. And CD's music is awesome and Talks are always good I've actually gotten a few talks out here which I really like to listen to. my Camera card isn't very full so give it a little while then I'll probably send it home. I will be sending a card home this week so hopefully you get it.

Well glad to hear everyone is still good. Go Cherry Lane ha.

love ya
Elder Moorhouse

Weekly Letter

well week two down here!

this week consisted of me knocking and knocking and knocking. We finally met with the ward council and set up a ward mission plan which they didn't have. And we are trying to see who in the ward we can even contact since I guess half of the roster is do not contact. This ward is unlike any other I have ever been too. The roster has about three hundred names but only about 80 people come each week, there is like 5 youth in the ward that come and the primaries are combined because of the small number. The ward is old and it is like those that are active only a few even would allow you to come over. We haven't had dinner at a members home yet so a lot of cooking for us and eating out, but that is ok because I was smart with my money back in New Albany where I did get fed now and then so I top out each month on my mission card so funds are good for now. Well President and Sister Woodbury actually spoke in our ward this week and I'm hoping that it will awaken the ward to some degree. I talked to him for a few seconds and his comments insisted that he sent me here to have more of a leadership role. I'll talk to him more next week when we have our interviews. Elder Clawson is just so quiet around people and he struggles with saying what he wants to say so it has made me talk a lot more and basically made me the senior comp. The weather here has been frigid and the wind is my biggest enemy. It was about 16 degrees on Friday and Saturday and just about every house we knocked on told us to "stay warm" but basically no one let us in. The teaching pool here virtually nothing but we are working to fix that. It was another long week and we will see what comes this week.

Cd's are good just ask me in an email before you send them and I will tell you if they are approved or not. I look forward to receiving the package today, I figured I was going to be here a while so I'd just give you my address so you won't have to deal with the mission office delay each time. As far as soap and those kinds of things I'm doing good on them and I'll let you know when I'm starting to run a lil low.

The pictures attached are of Elder J. Tolman and I at transfer meeting and then Elder Clawson after I took it to him in Disney Monopoly ha.

I'm still working out and would like to go running in the morning but it is frozen and Elder Clawson isn't to big on the idea of running. We have a little bit of weights and I make due with what we have. My meals are pretty healthy I guess. I cook a lot of eggs, and bake muffins weekly ha I work for cheap and it works out. I'm getting plenty to eat so you don't have to worry about that I'm a big boy.

Sounds like all is well there and that everyone seems to be having a good time. well love ya,

Elder Moorhouse

Danville Kentucky aka "old people"

Hello there I actually have a lot to say today.

Well I'm now in Danville Kentucky which basically stands for old people. The average age in the ward is about 70 yrs old it is crazy. There are only two active young men in the entire ward so we do the sacrament every week. We cover Lincoln, Boyle, Mercer and Garrard Couties. The towns here were founded before america was officially america. Old places and old people. We had to knock a lot of doors last week because the missionary that was here before me was kind of apostate and didn't do anything so there is nothing really here We have to start from scratch. Which is frustrating because we did that my last area and I left right as it began to see the fruits. My new companion is named Elder Clawson from Sandy, Utah. we are co-senior comps even though he has been out a transfer longer than I have. He is a little slow i guess you would say. I found out that I have to do all the talking or else we sit there in silence. He has a great heart but I can already tell this transfer is going to be a long one. One thing he has said is that his legs hurt each night I guess I'm working him more than he is used too so there's a start. Well I guess its time for me to officially buckle down more than I'm used too and push it hard because I'm tired of tracting and this ward needs a kick in the pants to get them excited to do missionary work. I'm getting to places where the accents are really heavy and it was hard for me to understand some people. Also Everyone and their dogs smoke out here.(and everyone owns dogs multiple) Word of wisdom will be a fun lesson to teach. We have our own place its a duplex so it is pretty nice.

glad to hear that everyone is doing well. I didn't really mean anything by what are you hiding i was just askin. it was a bummer to hear about the super bowl. surprisingly no body that was watching the game answered their door so I didn't hear anything about it. Hopefully Syracuse can pull it out this year. can't wait for baseball season i miss sports and now I'm in a district that is too far apart to do anything together on p-day and our church only has a tiny carpet half court so basketball might not happen for a while. and I really want to play catch with a baseball but oh well. I'm kind of sad I won't be near Louisville for the derby this year I'll miss thunder over Louisville only like the 3rd biggest firework show in America so I've been told. Well hope all is well let me know if you need anything.

love ya bye

Elder Moorhouse