Elder Whitby arrived in Oregon on November 20th at about 10 am with the other greeny elders, 19 total. They had basic orientations and lunch, and by 2 were on their way with their trainer companions. Christian is in a town called Gresham, living in the extra room in the home of an older member couple. It's a bicycle mission, so Christian hopes he will be able to burn of the extra pounds he ate in the MTC, but maybe not since he reports the members feed them very well!
Christian says, "The ward we are in is very helpful with the missionaries, and we spend so much time teaching and contacting potential investigators that we've only had time for a couple hours of tracting this whole week."
His first holiday away from home didn't involve too much suffering, it seems. "[Thanksgiving] was a complete day off, meaning that we even got to sleep in. Because Elder Haynes gets us up at 5.15 to go to the gym in the mornings, even waking up at 6.30 is sleeping in, so I was thrilled to be able to sleep till almost 9. We went to the gym after that, and then watched Saints and Soldiers with our zone leaders, who came over for a bit.For dinner we ate with the stake patriarch and his family. It was a great meal (though of course not as good as the Thanksgiving feasts Mom makes), and we ate ourselves full. After that we went back to the house and just hung out there for the rest of the evening."
*Edit* As would any Elder missing friends and family for 2 years, Christian loves letters, mail, packages, and hellos. His mailing address is Oregon Portland Mission, 1400 Compton Road, Suite 205, Beaverton OR 97006. His email is christian.l.whitby.OPM @ myldsmail.net
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