Mud Season

Hello friends and family:
It has been sort of a long week but it has been ok. 

This week me and Elder Palmer were able to get a member or investigator dinner meeting scheduled

for every day so the week was happily devoid of micro-wave noodles and pasta. All the members and our investigators are very welcoming and they are all very talented with food so needless to say that the work has been going well. Hopefully within the next few weeks I'll be able to send pics if a potential baptism we have but you never really know

It seems like that weather is warming up which is nice because I am getting tired of wearing a heavy coat all day just to have to take it off when I get to hot due to the many hills that we have to climb here in the valley.

Yesterday I received the large package form the family and I can truthfully say that I am very pleased with its contents. although I do regret that it cost so much to get up here. I guess at least we are still technically within the same country. I love the quilt and all those that put so much time and effort into it. I can say that I do sleep very warm. I am very excited to make some muffins although I don't think that we have any pans within the apartment for them. Maybe pancakes instead.

I have heard that Utah has gotten alot of snow later in the winter? how much is alot? we have snow but its not super high and most of it that falls usually melts around noon. I have been informed that here in the northeast there is an addition season commonly known as mud season. It lasts about 6 weeks in the transition between winter and spring. I can say that I haven't minded the snow and wet that much because it means that I get to wear my boots and I don't have to shine my shoes all the time.

This last Friday and Saturday I went on exchanges with the Zone leaders in Laconia, They have a really nice area but with its different challenges. I got to work with 3 other elders and they were all super cool. Its nice to get to know the mission a bit better when we are sort of out here in the middle of nowhere.

Tell Cabe and Corrine and whomever mom will allow to go to the YoungTheGiant concert. I want to hear how it is. Cabe's excuses are lame so you should probably just make him go and take people with him. They don't come that way of the country that often and I know that It would be tons of fun.

I hope that all is going well with all of you and I apologize to the people that I missed last week. They don't give us a ton of time to email and its hard when I have to write a whole bunch of people.\

I would like to request a larger list of emails from family members and maybe friends that would like to get this very long winded email that is meant for everyone. That way my mom doesn't have to forward it to everyone that wants it. Although I can't imagine that its that many so maybe not. its up to you really.

Good Luck and know that I love you all

until next week

-Elder Starr

First Week

It has felt like forever since I was last able to send mail. It was only about 10 days but that seems like weeks ago.

I arrived at the New Hampshire/ Boston airport on monday afternoon, after we got all of our bags loaded, we immediately went to the mission office which is a Church building about 30 min away. Once we got there, we met a bunch of other missionaries and we all introduced ourselves. After that, one of the other new missionaries and I went with an experienced elder to go and to teach a lesson. The lesson went fine and after that we just did street contacts for a few minutes until we headed back to the mission office for dinner.

That night we slept at president and sister Blair's house and the following morning we got up and met our new trainers, My trainer's name is Elder Palmer from Ogden Utah. he has been here about 14 months now.

 Elder Palmer and I were assigned to serve in the Randolf New Hampshire area. there are about 4 small cities within our area and a small branch with about 45 active members here. Due to the distance between places, our companionship was given a car to use which is nice.

Since our primary investigators were either busy or out of town, they couldn't meet with us. That means that we got to do alot of "Finding" which is basically a fancy word for walking all over the place and talking to strangers. We did that primarily this week and logged about 25 miles by Sunday.

The members here are super kind and we have lots of dinner appointments with them next week which is nice because all the food that I have has to be prepared in under 30 min due to the scheduling and that means most of it is microwavable and less than great.

So far I have worn my boots more than I have my shoes. It hasn't been warmer that 40 degrees all week and NH uses sand instead of salt so there is wet sand and dirty snow everywhere you go.

I hope that you all are doing well and I am sorry that I didn't get the photos right the first time, I will try again with a few more.

As for mail, the address is 13 Exchange St, Apt 2 Gorham NH 03581
and I am pretty sure that you have to use USPS for one reason or another.​

Here are those photos that I missed, try to respond within an hour if they still don't work.
They are both with the two teachers that we had within the MTC.

Well anyways, I love you guys and can't wait to hear from you. sorry that I haven't set up a mailing list but I haven't had time to figure out how to do it.

Love you guys

-Elder Starr

President and Sister Blair

President and Sister Blair 

Too much to process....

Wowzers Connor.  Tired much?

Welcome to Manchester!

Connor was one of 18 missionaries who arrived in Manchester New Hampshire.

Last MTC Letter

Dear Family.

As my experience in the MTC comes to and end, I can truthfully say that it was an amazing experience. What used to be stressful has become fulfilling and fun. Most notably, on Tuesday I had the opportunity to sing "Nearer My God to Thee" with the MTC choir for the Tuesday night Devotional. Little known to me at the time is that the Devotional would be broadcast to all the MTC'S throughout the world and that Elder Neil L Anderson would be presiding and speaking at the meeting. It was an outstanding experience. Elder Anderson spoke to the missionaries saying: "if you don't know what to say, testify of Christ and his Atonement"

It was really moving and I am glad to have had this great opportunity.

I got the package that mom sent last Friday and it was a nice morale booster to have more clothes to wear. Other than that, not much else has happened since the last time. I am leaving to the field on Monday and I am not that excited. I don't want to leave the friendships and the safety of the MTC. In the MTC you can mess up your lessons and nobody cares. In the field it means more. In the MTC you have the opportunity to give discussions to paid BYU students as investigators. Most notably, me and my companion taught Isaiah Nacua from the BYU football team. He is a super nice guy and we had a great time teaching him.

I realize I haven't sent any photos so here is one of the entire district with our teacher brother Hilton on his last day with us.  I had been a great learning experience.

The next one needs some context, in the residence halls, the elders go a little crazy, we find stupid things to do for fun when we aren't studying. Anyways, for the last 5 districts in district 41, they have all kept all the cans of Cactus Cooler that they have ever drank and piled them into a glorious shrine on the top of the dresser. We also found a paper turkey named Will Freddo to be the guardian of this hideous soda shrine. The shrine, among other things, including but not limited to: the leg of a chair, a gallon of industrial drain cleaner, some Nerf guns, names written in the closet, and food of course. Are passed from one district to another as they arrive and leave the MTC. Needless to say building management isn't in love with us but it's all in good fun.

I hope you all are doing well. Right now it would be nice if Chloe or somebody could send pictures of the dogs and if I could get one of the Family that would be nice too.

I love you all and hope that you have a good week. The Lord loves you and blesses you as you follow his teachings

Love 

Elder Starr.

Note from Jana:

Ironic that the only picture he managed to send was of the soda shrine... dang it.  It also did not go unnoticed that he asked for a picture of the dogs before the family.

First Letter Home!!

Dear family- 

I am sorry that I have been unavailable to reply as this is the first Pday since I have been here. 

The first few days of the MTC were very difficult and seemed to last for months. The days were very long and stressful as we are on very tight schedules and the campus is rather complex. It felt hard to feel the spirit because it was so overwhelming.

When Sunday rolled around it was very relieving as we had a good amount of free time. The sacrament meeting we had was closed with one of the most powerful musical numbers I have ever heard. The spirit was so strong that most of the congregation left in tears. After that I had the opportunity to watch a recording of Elder Bednar speak to the MTC on Christmas day of 2012 or at least the last time Christmas was on a Sunday. The talk was called: The Character of Christ. I honestly find it regrettable that it isn't available to the general public because I can attest to all of you that God speaks through the mouths of his servants. It was really a remarkable experience.

On Tuesday the young women general president came and talked to us about missionary work. It was a good message and we discussed it as a district.

Speaking of, most of the members of my district are pretty cool and we have made a good bond here together. They can only substitute a family but they seem to do a decent job. My companions name is Elder Morris. He's from Sacramento California. He is fairly easy to get along with but he often has a hard time being obedient and remembering our purpose here. (Meaning It's not uncommon for me to want to strangle him).

Since its Pday I had the opportunity to attend a temple session. And it was fine.

It also means that I got to do laundry, which unfortunately I felt more grateful for.

I have seen a few people from school which is nice and I will be here until the 16th so I should be able to catch Landon Stewart for a few days before I leave. I feel anxious to enter the mission field especially because I feel that we do a lot of repetitive work here in the MTC. I know it will bless me but it's hard to think of that after hours 3 of study work.

On our way to the temple we saw a dog and it made me realize how much I miss my Dumb dogs.

If you guys are taking orders I could use more t-shirts for pajamas and whatnot and  a blanket. It would be nice to get snacks too because they are expensive here,  the address is the MTC address sent to box 102.

I love you guys and hope you best wishes, also, tell Cabe and all his friends to email me. It really does make my day to get new emails. And tell the VanOrmans that I got their letters today but have yet to open them.

Love you all talk to you again next week.

Elder Starr.