9-6-11

To whom it may concern;
 Well I am in Valdosta Georgia. It's pretty great here. The people are all friendly. Funny thing, everyone loves to pray. At least the ones we have talked to. But they don't pray like us. During the prayer the love to say "Thank you Jesus" or " Praise Jesus" Right in the middle of the prayer or whenever they feel like it. Which always makes me smile and chuckle to myself. I find it just so funny. Plus, they love to hold hands while we pray. It was different at first but now it's not so bad.
 There is a new study for companion study that all the new missionaries get to do for the first 12 weeks of their missions. They study for 2 hours with their trainer and go through the fundamentals like Revelation through the Holy Ghost, and Scriptures and stuff like that. It's pretty interesting, and we do a lot of role playing still. Which it good cause it's a good way to learn. I made it to the mission home Tuesday evening and spent the night there with everyone else that was on the plane. Wednesday a couple of us had the chance to do missionary work while we waited for the transport van to come back for us. I went out with my new companion Elder Nielson, and also Elder Tialino. Our very first lesson was with a part member couple, and the missionaries have been trying to get the guy to be baptized but he has always said he just hasn't felt like he should and that stuff. But Elder Tialino is a champion and through an amazing testimony of his was able to get Jose to say that he would be baptized. It was awesome, so my very first lesson we got a baptism commitment. On Friday Elder Nielson and I went tracking and that was a cool experience. Met a lot of people. One in particular is a guy named Kenneth Poer. We met him while he was out working on his roof. We started talking to him about the church and gave him a Book of Mormon with a return appointment on the following day. We met Saturday with him and since we didn't leave a specific chapter for him to read he just opened up and read 2 Nephi 29. Random chapter to open up to but cool thing happened. He was confused on why churches only focused on one set of scripture when there is so much out there and that chapter talked about it. Crazy huh. Anyway his wife really wanted to meet with us too cause she had an experience with the Sister missionaries like 7 months ago but she was sick so she couldn't come. We told them we could come back later that night and give them a tour of the church and they accepted. So we did and taught them the first lesson in the Relief Society room. They loved it and said the would come to church, and they did. They really liked church and said they'll come back next week too. I really like talking to them and teaching them cause they are super ready to receive the messages.
 The ward here is super great and the members are really nice, and ready and willing to help out in any way they can. Since both of us are new to the area we've been spending the days trying to find our way around and just visiting the recent converts or ones that are just about to be baptized. The Jackson family and Brown family are ones that i really like to visit, I was laughing and cracking jokes at the Brown family a lot. The dad use to be a preacher and loves to talk and have a good time. So we didn't do much talking but a lot of listening and laughing. Brother Jackson really cares about us and gave us some pretty solid advice. He said don't go anywhere near the south side of town after dark cause that is a sketchy area to be in even in the day time and it only gets worse as the night goes on. I'm plan on following that advice to the letter cause it can be pretty scary in places.
 Anyway, I really love being on my mission and doing the Lord's work. It's hard at times and I'm having a way hard time staying awake through all of personal study cause my body is still 2 hours behind. But I'm working through it and I'll get use to it eventually. And cool thing, when I get transferred whenever that will be I'll most likely gain an hour so that's neat. Well I just want to share with whoever is reading my random ramblings my testimony of the restored gospel. I know that Jesus came down to this earth and finished the atonement for mankind and that by him is the only way we can be saved. I have learned a lot and have heard a lot of cool quotes about that. One I really like is " Why should returning to Heavenly Father be easy for us, when Jesus Christ, the son of God had to bleed from every pore." It really puts it into perspective for me. I know I have my weaknesses like talking to people and sometimes I don't want to talk to someone cause they look scary or I don't know what to say. But Jesus knows how I feel and he is there to help my and i have to be willing to do a little sacrifice so that I may return to live with Him one day. I love this gospel, and I love all of you. May God bless you continually and never be afraid to say what you know to be true.
Love,
Elder Matt Klingler