Getting Settled in Houston

Dear Mom, Dad & Catriel,

I've just entered the Houston South Mission.  Sorry I didn't have longer to talk to you at the airport.

 Waiting in lines at the airport to call home.

Texas is FLAT.  Not one hill anywhere.  We drove by some "mega-churches."  They're huge buildings where thousands of people go on Sundays.  Houston is a big city and it is very humid here.

The mission president and his wife are very nice.  They were at the airport waiting for us when we arrived and gave us all lunch.  I was glad they did, because the only thing I ate that day was a chocolate muffin and some water before jumping on the plane in Salt Lake. :P
 

I live in a little apartment near League City with three other Elders, including my companion, Elder Shuler.  He's a great guy; we get along fine.

My mailing address is:  602 Eldridge Rd Sugar Land TX, 77478.  That's the address of the mission office. My companion says I should have you send stuff there.

It's very humid down here, and there are more churches here than you'd ever believe. There are LOTS of mosquitoes. :P

We don't tract down here at all; we get all of our investigators by getting referrals from members. Everyone's pretty friendly down here.

These two pictures are from the home we stayed in before we moved into our apartment.

The little cat attacking my scriptures I met at a member's house here in Houston. she surprised me on the member's deck by pouncing on my ankle, and then she proceeded to fight my scriptures. Very cute.

The parakeet lives at a member's house where we were teaching.  Very friendly.

I went to a baptism this past Saturday; it was cool.  I haven't had to buy food at all since I've been here.  I liked all of the pictures you sent me! :) Glad you all had a good time with Jon and Hillary!

My daily schedule looks like this:

6:30 - get up and go for a walk

7:00 - shower and eat breakfast

8:00 - personal study time

9:00 - Companion study (we practice teaching all the lessons we're going to teach during the day)

11:00 - Study Portuguese

Noon till 6:00 - Proselyting plus meals.

7:00 till 9:00 - Proselyting.

9:00 - Planning for the next day

10:30 - bed.

At our apartment.  I found the cereal box in the apartment and thought it was funny.

That's pretty much my whole schedule---lol. I'm going to send you a few pics; I've only got 8 minutes left.  I love you! Talk to you all on Monday again! :)

love, Elder Ben-Daniel Duffin

Improvising decorations for Sister Brotherson's Birthday party in the MTC

Sister Brotherson's Birthday party in the MTC

Part of Sister Brotherson's birthday party decorations

This is Elder Archibald at our last Portuguese class

My shadow in Houston

Saying goodbye to the Pinho brothers---my Portuguese teachers

[These are the kids the Primary class BD taught in Bonney Lake.  They are holding inflatable globes with Brazil showing because that is where he'll be going when his visa comes in]