Old Women Think We're Cute

Here is Elder Hulme's most recent mailing address:
114 Crabapple Lane Apt. F
Birmingham, AL 35214

I'm in the city Ensley.  This place is cool.  There are billions of trees and other plants all over.  Humidity is tough, though.  In dry heat, sweat comes out of your skin, evaporates and cools you.  Here, sweat comes out of your skin only to find more water from the air.  The two sources of water join together and make me way hot and wet.

Ensley looks like it was once an awesome living city.  Then all the white people moved out and the black people with jobs seem to have left too.  So now there are lots of people living on welfare and food stamps.  Gang activity is mild, which is good, but there still is some.  Our branch is the same as the city - everyone leaves when they can.  It used to be a ward, but now there aren't a ton of members.

Elder Dansie (companion) is from Rupert, Idaho and he's 25.  Spent 6 years in the Navy.  His family is not LDS and he joined the church just 2 years ago.  He has only been out for 6 months.  It is such a relief to have a companion that is easy to get along with.  We are both a bit airheaded at times, scheduling tons of appointments or visits all at the same times as other stuff.  It's fine, though, because we get along and teach well together.

We have been teaching mostly old women, though.  I have the suspicion that they only talk to us because they think we're cute.  It makes for lots of lessons one way or the other.  It's tougher talking to real people.  More fun, but harder.  The women here hate bras as far as I can tell, and they love cleavage.  It's pretty gross.

Everyone here is Christian.  They love Jesus and love praying.  But they are so lazy!  It seems that they just sleep all day until they go to "Walmarks" to get some food.  We're lucky if anyone will open their screen doors.  They lock them and then yell at you through the door.  So when we can see the person's face, it is a pleasant change.

(Brent used Google Earth to capture this street image of his address)

Our apartment is sweet.  There are cockroaches all over and it's nice and big.  (Valene thinking, What, the cockroaches are nice and big?  Or is the apartment nice and big?  Probably both.  Xander must not mind the cockroaches.)

We don't spend too much time on bikes.  Our area used to have 16 missionaries in it, and now it's just us.  So we have lots of miles to cover and we end up driving more than riding.

I haven't met anyone who speaks Dutch yet.  Hopefully some day.  Well, I love you all.  Merry Christmas.
-Elder Hulme

Temporary Re-assignment

We found out today that Xander will be sent to the Alabama, Birmingham Mission until he gets a visa from Suriname. He finally gets to leave the MTC next Tuesday. I don't know how many people he will find in Alabama that will speak Dutch. He is excited to get out and talk to people in any language, do some teaching and maybe see some new surroundings.

Whatchoo talkin 'bout Xander?

Still no word on when Xander will get to leave the MTC.

He has now been there for two weeks longer than originally planned. He continues to learn Dutch and have additional responsibilities. He has an new companion that is a native Spanish speaker and learning Dutch now. Really, he seems to be anxious to get out and do some good. We can only hope that the authorities in Suriname get a little spring in their step and approve their Visas.

Photo: a brush with fame about 2 years ago. They sold him a bike.