Well just
like the subject says. This is really a foreign country and the biggest melting
pot I have ever been a part of. I guess I should backtrack a little bit before I
get there... The week started off with us leaving the MTC at 2:30 in the morning
last Monday. I was super tired and slept the whole way to the airport. The
first plane ride was a blur as well as the second since I fell asleep
immediately. We had stayed up the whole night before until it was time to pack
up and leave. We were having one last deep moment with all 6 Elders in our room
before we headed out on our journey together here in Virginia. It was nice to
talk to the family on the phone for those short moments before the plane ride.
When we arrived at the DC airport we were greeted by President Huntsman and his
wife who are super amazing. I stepped out of the airport and felt the beautiful
humidity rush in, but I also saw the Washington monument in the distance and
the place felt like home. I guess I am home for what will be the next two years, but it
just brought back all the good memories of my trip with mom and dad to D.C 4
years earlier. We stopped by the mission President's house and had a short
introduction where he gave us two tips: work hard and be obedient. Sounds
simple enough. We had some amazing food (Cafe Rio), a slideshow about the Mish,
and interviews with President Huntsman. It was a good time! That night we slept
at a hotel with our MTC companions and then we would be official missionaries
in the field the next day!
The first day
of the mission was pretty crazy. We all were loaded into vans and we were taken
over to the stake center. We were in a room with all of the new missionaries
then brought into a bigger room where all the trainers were. They were sitting
on one half of the room while the other "green" trainees were sitting
on the other. It went quickly and they called up a new missionary to the
front of the room and then immediately their trainer. It went quick and once
your name was called you ran up to your new companion gave him a hug and got to
know him. My companion Elder Roper is super sweet and I lucked out for
trainers. He is from Preston, Idaho and has been out a little over 13 months. I
didn't know what to expect at first because he was a little quiet, but that
changed quickly and his gentle and hard working spirit got me going! The dude
is a Saint, he had pneumonia a week before (it's not contagious) and was still
going hard this whole week. He has been teaching me the ins and outs of things
here in the mission and I am more than happy to be working with him. If there
is ever a dull moment walking, we will just talk about video games, shows and
movies, and of course Naruto hahaha. He's a great guy and we just embrace our
inner nerd characteristics? I guess there's only one thing we disagree on....
And that is the thermostat. It's easily -20 in our apartment right
about now, but hey it adds to the experience. Our apartment is pretty small but
I like it a lot. Thankfully for the missionary box of clothing items left here
in the apartment, (basically clothes others didn't want or left behind), I got a sweet Virginia hoodie out of there and added to my collection to
keep me warm ;)
So I am
assigned to the Woodbridge area. Super super pumped to be here, I deep down was
hoping I would get this area first. Maybe just because it was a familiar name
and I had been somewhere around here before and had stayed at Uncle Mark's home
who lived in Woodbridge. I remember distinctly playing ball at one of the parks
around this area with Mikey (my father) and balling on some brothers out here.
My dad can't jump even a mere millimeter off the ground, but he can ball and do NOT
sleep on his mid-range jumper. Well I remember gaining the respect of the
brothers out here and playing some fun basketball in the heat. I look forward
to using basketball in some of the proselyting techniques here. One of the AP's
who was originally assigned to Richmond, Virginia (when Woodbridge was a part of
that mission) served there first then got reassigned to DC South with the
mission borders changing. Anyway, he said it was one of his favorite areas and
that got me pumped. One of the first things we did while driving to our
apartment was the traditional DC South game of "try to spot a white
person" I thought they were kidding but I was very wrong. Needless
to say... we couldn't see a white person or spot one on the drive and it was
awesome! The Woodbridge area is a biking mission. Luckily for me, a missionary
who finished his mission left his bike here and didn't try to sell it or
anything. He told my companion it was up for grabs whoever needed it. It is
super nice so I got to take his bike and helmet he left for me. It worked our
perfect since I didn't have one here. I was really looking forward to a biking
mission just to keep me in shape and all but I regret that thought as I am
writing this. I hope this isn't too much information for all of you, but my
butt/legs have never felt this sore in my life. It will be good for me and I
wanted the full "missionary" experience. Woodbridge has lots of
apartment complex's and some smaller houses scattered all throughout the area.
The area follows the main "Jefferson Davis Highway".
Well I guess
I should get to the subject of my email. This really is a foreign country here
in good old Woodbridge Virginia. I feel more as if I am serving in some country
in Africa, South America, or the Middle East. It is pretty dang sweet.
Literally the first night for dinner, an African lady in our ward brought us a
traditional Shrimp Scampi meal to have and she wanted to give us a taste of
African Food. There are a lot of people I have met here from Africa but
specifically Sierra Lione, (shout out to Garrett). One of the coolest people I
have met here is from Sierra Lionel-- his name is Samuel. He joined the
church a month ago and is super faithful. He has a sweet story, He had always
wanted to meet with the missionaries in Africa but didn't have time. He got a
student visa to come to a school here in Virginia. He went on to Mormon.Org and
requested to have missionaries come teach him. He was baptized three weeks
later. I've got to spend a lot of time with him since he helped us move some
members into the ward earlier this week. We taught him a lesson, spent all of
church with him and talked afterwards. We will also be visiting him later
today. I love him and feel like he is already my best friend. Sad part is
he is moving to Pennsylvania to gain some extra cash so he can move to BYU
Idaho and go to school there. Another sweet person we met yesterday was from
Sierra Lione, Freetown area. Elder roper and I helped him with some service
and he recognized us as missionaries and asked if we could teach him and his
wife. Super cool stuff. As said earlier, there is a huge Spanish speaking population
here in Woodbridge. I wish we had stayed at the MTC to learn Spanish as well. Even
if it was for 9 weeks and our digestive systems got messed up from the food
there. It would just be so effective to have that on hand rather than
calling strictly Spanish speaking missionaries. We contacted so many people on
the streets where they didn't really understand us in English. I can't be mad
though, I just have to realize I was called English speaking for a reason and
that they needed me here!
The people
here in the Woodbridge 1st ward are awesome. Our bishop has really helped us
and we have gotten super close with him. I already feel a connection with all
of them and they are always reaching out to the missionaries. One in particular
was the Bonyemachi family. We had dinner with them on Saturday. They
are from Nigeria and have a super sweet story. Brother Bonyemachi was converted
while going to High school in Nigeria. Went on a mission to a different state
in Nigeria, met his wife and converted her, became bishop, and eventually moved
here to start a family. We had an amazing cookout. It gave me a lot of
happiness having a good BBQ here in the Virginia summer with overcast skies. I
will never forget what he said about his mission and how important it is. He
was commending us for being there and just told us his life story and I found out how great a guy he is and his story about the gospel and how
important missionary work is.
A big thing I
need to learn out here on the mission is not getting so down about people not
being home or answering the door, I haven't been mad or let it affect me yet but
I could see how it could get to people. So many times this week we were walking
way far to an appointment that people specifically said they'd be home for. We would
get there and no one would answer. That happened a lot this week and it was
just hard taking those long walks/bike rides back but that is what a lot of
missionary work is. Elder Roper said if there is one thing he can teach me it is not to get down on myself or us as a companionship. One thing he said that
stuck out to me was that we made the appointment and did the work and are trying our best and the Lord knows that we are trying our best. It isn't worth
it to get down for people not answering after you did everything you could do.
It was an excellent piece of advice and it made sense how he has come so far.
The Woodbridge area needs a lot of cleaning up work to do. We have to clean up
the area book and sort out potential investigators to actual investigators and
get teaching them. We also need to find some new people that would be
interested in learning about the gospel. I look forward to the challenge and
look forward to cleaning this place up with my companion. I miss all of you and
love you so much.
BIG SHOUT-OUT
to Christian this week as he starts Chemo. I wish him the Best of luck and I am
praying hard for you every single day. I know you will be strong and push
through this thing as best as you possibly can. I am thinking about you and if
you can do Chemo I can easily work hard here in the mission. Thanks for your
example and strength, Love you brother!
I
believe I'm doing the things I should and seeking what's good. I hope I
can get other people over here in Woodbridge, Virginia to do the same. I am
enjoying this mission thing and will continue to work hard.
FYI: We
don't have wifi at the apartment building but the leasing office right next to
us does and we have to stop by there daily. Or if we ever stop by a church I
will have it. So I have wifi a lot and the same rules apply! I am allowed to
read emails throughout the week just not respond until P-day. So, thank
you for everyone who wrote me during the week. It was great to read your e-mails.
Also, if you
ever get an email from me that isn't on a Monday, it will be because I sent
the email Monday but lost wifi midway through the process. Which means it
will deliver next time I get wifi (which could happen to be the next
day). I am not breaking any rules I assure you. It just might happen if I
lose wifi and then sends next time I receive it! If you ever write me
letters or send packages they have to be sent to the mission office the address
is:
Washington DC South Mission
5242 Lyngate Ct
Burke, VA 22015
PICTURES: The
MTC haircut requires you to cut the hair before heading out. Looks like a new
skateboard ramp...lovely isn't it!? It seriously is so bad. Other pics of
Woodbridge, my companion and I, the homie Samuel, and other random stuff. (Note from Mom - he could only get a few photos to send from his I-pad)
If any of you
back home have a favorite picture of you and I, send it to me please! I am
hurting on photos and would love to have some saved on my tablet to look at
since I miss all of you.
Enjoy!
Love,
Elder Junk
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| Carson's new "skateboard" haircut from the MTC |
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Elder Junk and Elder Roper  Elder Carson Junk's first apartment - Woodbridge, Virginia       |
Sample of what a mission day looks like in the field
