Fonts and Floods

So I'm doing this from the local Library in Vidor, the place where the KKK used to be. They say I
have 30 minutes but if no one is waiting in line behind me I have 2 hours.

So it's sort of harder out here than at the MTC like I don't have a district/family I get to talk
to like we had before. My trainer and I have started out in an area that's new to both of us and we only cover one ward, there's four and we got the 3rd one, but usually when trainers train, they train in the area they already know and have been in for a while. Ours is hard because we don't know anyone and we're trying to pick up whatever the last missionaries had going on.

Tuesday I met my companion and we drove out from the mission home to Vidor for about 1.5 hours. I haven't found my helmet and don't have any idea where it got sent to. We went on exchanges and met some really nice people getting ready for baptism.

Wednesday we did another exchange.

So by Thursday I actually got to work with my companion.

I can't remember what dates exactly but we've taught a lot of lessons, met so many people in the ward, we had a baptism in our ward last Saturday, we committed someone to baptism last Saturday, someone else in our boundaries is getting baptized February something. So there's a lot going on.

At the baptism my companionship was in charge of the font. We tried to fill it with warm
water but the hot water never came so it was a really cold baptism. And on top of that we were told it was okay to let the water run for as long as we like because there was a pipe that would drain any extra water at a certain height. In the middle of the beginning part of the baptism we were sitting towards the back. I heard some kid talking in the hall and he was like "mom the boys bathroom is flooded and there's water coming out from the door." I thought it would be a good idea to check back on the font since the water was still running. We went to check on it and sure enough there was water starting to creep towards the second door (the door to the hall way but still in the bathroom). I thought this scene was hilarious and stressful, my companion couldn't laugh, he was stressed. So we turned off the water, got some towels and pushed the water in the bathroom towards the drain, all of this was done before the beginning part of the baptism was done! We got scolded from our zone
leaders that we forgot to heat the water but really that wasn't our fault or even the biggest problem. So we told them and they were pretty chill after.

The ward here is kind of small but that's okay it's still a lot of people to meet. Everyone says here
that once you've been to Vidor you'll eventually live here. The Walmart is as big as like 2 Walgreens.

I haven't asked my president about the voice recorder but I'll be doing that in the email after these.

I did get my greenie package and that was really really helpful because our apartment barely had any
food when we came into it and we haven't been able to go shopping till today, we will go shopping today.

I'm barely getting to know my companion today actually. He's kind of quieter. I've definitely had to come out of my shell because of this like when we're around investigators and members. But we do like the same music related to Motab for sure.

I miss all you guys a lot.

I'm sure it'll get better here.

But there's a lot of work to be done and I'm happy to be a missionary!

Elder Rice

Ward Member Email!!

Guess what?  This missionary is full of surprises. First we get no mail.  Then we get double mail. Then we get no mail again. Then we get email on a changed P-day. Then he calls for 2 minutes. Then he calls back and talks for an hour.

THEN. Then tonight we get an email from the family that is hosting him.  With a picture!! We weren't expecting to hear anything until Monday!! 

Ready? Go:

Hello Rice Family!

We are SO excited to have your wonderful son serving in our ward! He has been assigned to the W. III Ward in X. (There are a total of four wards here.) He has a fantastic trainer, Elder H, and they are working very well together. Once again, I see the Lord’s hand in the missionary work because they are a great team and He surely inspired this companionship!
I’m so sorry I didn’t get a picture to you earlier but these boys have honestly been working so hard this week that I haven’t even had a chance to get a picture. I feel certain that our fabulous mission president and / or his wife sent you a picture earlier in the week but more pictures rarely hurt anything. :) We are privileged to have the missionaries live in an apartment in our backyard and know they are truly dedicated.
Please feel free to contact us if there is anything we can do to help. I know that Elder Rice has had a wonderful and exciting week and will have lots to share in his email Monday. I appreciate all you have done to raise such a wonderful young man. He has already blessed lives and will continue to change eternities. Thanks for sharing him with us!

All my love,
Sister M

Pictures!

 We received an SD card from Benson of pictures from his time at the MTC.  Here are some highlights~

Elders in class.  His companion, Elder L. is on the right.

Elder Rice on his way to class.

Elder L., his companion from Idaho.

Elder K. from Washington, on of his roomates. At the MTC laundry.

View out the residence window.

Studying in the residence.

Gotta do the missionary point to your assignment photo! Texas, here he comes!

On the way up to the Provo Temple.

Provo Temple self portrait.

District photo at the temple.

 

In the MTC cafeteria with Elder B.

Hangin out with Elder B.

District photo.

Companion Elder L. studying.

He loved his experience at the MTC. I'm so glad he thought to take some pictures!! Hopefully this is the first of many!

By the way, I've started another missionary blog/website that might actually work better than this blog. I'm trying both out for now to see which one I like better. If you have a second and could give me your opinion between the two I'd appreciate it!
You can find the other site at www.missionsite.net/elderbensonrice
Thanks!