Ello chaps,

I am in my new mission area! Its in Norwich, England. About as far north in my mission as you can go... It took four hours from the mission home to this area. Two and a half to get out of London. I have sooooo many things to tell you and I don't know if I'll be able to get them all out. My address is 1A Trafalgar Street, Norwich, England. You can probably send letters there for three weeks, but after that just send them to the mission home because transfers are every six weeks and i don't know where I'll be. I have been here since Wednesday night.. and it has been very difficult. Difficult in a good way! I am learning so much... and growing everyday. First before I forget... one of my goal out here was hakuna matata. It is interesting because we can go to one Broadway showing of the Lion King here. We can also go to one professional Futbol game :) I wont be doing any of that in Norwich. That's for sure.

I love it here... It is very green and most of the people are english. That can be a good thing and a very bad thing. My companion is english and his name is Elder Young. All the new London Missionaries were singing Called to Serve and our trainers walked into the room and stood next to us during the second verse. Giving hugs and handshakes. I was alone because my trainer couldn't find me... and that explains him pretty well :) I love him. He is 25. He has the best spirit and testimony though and that is the most very important thing in this work. He has only been in this area for six weeks but its more like three because we have two wards, and two areas. The Norwich (pronounced nor-rich) Ward which is where we live and the Dereham Ward which is about a 45 min bus ride. It makes is soooo very difficult. We have to switch areas every day and go to church in a ward only twice a month. It makes it hard to coordinate everything and meet people. Investigators don't want to come to church because we aren't going to be there... thats why we need to get members to the lessons with us. We don't know many people help us though. I love the challenge though, it continually forces me to stretch my brain and legs (no bikes or car).

When i get to an area with one ward, its going to be a piece of cake. It really makes us have to plan tons... and i like planning and having a set structure. The mission is not like tracting in the MTC. We have about 2 investigators in each area and one of them we found on the bus ride home. His name is Tobe and he's a great big black african :) He's my baby though. He calls me Krebs and it reminds me of my guys on my BYU floor. He seems interested in the Gospel and thats the way we like it. We live next door to the Zone Leaders and My companion is the District Leader... President Patch was really worried about me. 

Obedience is key. I can't say anything though because I've been out four days. I just have to continue to recommit myself to living all mission rules even though it seems like no one else does. Hmph. I feel like this letter has a negative tone to it and I've kinda been complaining, I don't want it to seem that way. I love it here!!! My companion and I get along really well and he does want to keep the rules and work. He says I'm the most enthusiastic companion he's had. I dont think thats a good thing, i believe he wants to kill me because i'm always antzy and want to knock on doors or call people or talk to people in the street. We have great conversations though and I enjoy living with Elder Young. The flat is a mess and I've made a list of 12 things the apartment needs and we are going to buy them today. Cleaning supplies and so forth. I figured out that i get OCD and clean when its not my mess and it grosses me out, but when its my mess i dont really care much. We ate with a family from the states last night! Her parents are from kentucky and his parents are from arizona! It felt so good to talk about american things and eat tacos and burritos (with FIRE SAUCE from TacoBell!!!), it also feels good to ask them for referrals and get some people to teach :) 

This is a wonderful work I have jumped into and there is nothing else in the entire world I'd rather be doing. I miss everything sooo much... the family, BYU, and friend, I mean friends. I had one super bad case of homesickness, i about started crying in the apartment. It was terrible. I figure out it was because we had just done service and a 3 hour weekly planning session. I hadnt shared my testimony with anyone and i felt like we had wasted a lot of time. When I'm working my hardest and never wasting time I do not get homesick and the work progresses. Its brilliant! What a novel concept. I'm trying so hard to forget myself. Forget if i'm scared about talking the men that have muscles bigger than mine (very few and far between, i must say). Everyone needs to hear this perfect, beautiful gospel. They all have concerns and the gospel solves everyone of those concerns. The atonement can heal anyone. The Saviour has given everything to succor us. He loves his spiritually begotten children. If I want to become more like Him, I need to show my love for them as well. 

I am so happy right now. When I think about doing this full on for two years I get giddy and smiley. It is only going to get better from here. Once Elder Young and I get our heads around our two areas, the work is going to start spreading like fire. We will teach and the members fellowship. We can baptise thousands and that is only through our faith in Jesus Christ. Its the first principle of the Gospel and if we have more of it... everything seems to began to fall into place. The Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ through Joseph Smith sets us apart from all other religions and the Book of Mormon written by Prophets of old is the proof. We can not force people to believe anything, we only invite them to take a leap of faith and ask with a sincere heart and with real intent if the Book of Mormon is true. The Holy Ghost will answer them every time! I know it. I love every single one of you.

Love,

Elder Krebs

P.S.

Sideways snowman forevers.