News from Ashland

HI Mom!

thanks for you email. So last week i was told that i was going to be transferred to Medford at 1:30 on monday. that is the only information they gave me. they didnt tell me what was my area or who my companion is until i was on the transfer van half way to medford. while i was on the van they told me that i was being transferred to a town called Ashland and that my companion would be Elder Ratto. When i was told that i was being transferred to medford area i was actually super bummed but as soon as i was told i was actually going to Ashland (which is in the Medford zone) i got super stoked. i have heard a lot about Ashland and actually wanted to serve here at some point in my mission. i guess now is the time. I love it here. Ashland is probably one of my favorite areas. the town is incredible and the atmosphere is great. there are a ton of hippies though. When we go tracting we run into a lot of people that say no thanks because they have already found their "Zen". Ha so it makes it pretty interesting. Have you ever heard of a Zen Mormon? because i sure havent until i came down here and saw what they meant by that. they are some interesting people. this is definately a place that i think everyone needs to check out. and while you are down here you need to try this stuff called Lythia water. its pretty interesting and people swear that it can cure any desease you have. the first day i was here i tried it and lets just say that everyone who comes here has to do it. this town is acutally pretty awesome and i think it will be one of my favorite areas of my entire mission. for those that down know where Ashland is in the Oregon Eugene mission, here is a little geography lession. Ashland is the second farthest south missionaries will serve other than Yreka California. so there are only two missionaries further south then my companion and I.

Ashland is super awesome but it does have some interesting things that arent that great, but all the other super awesomeness makes up for it. one thing that is annoying about it is that basically everyone that is younger then 80 is an extreme liberal. and because of that they all love their toyota prius. it seems that every liberal town in oregon is infested with these rediculous cars! so that is another thing that is no bueno about Ashland. On another note our apartment is... well... super ghetto. i have seen some other missionaries apartments thoughout the mission and none of them have beat the one that i am staying in now. in fact some missionaries find it so gross that when we go on exchanges they refuse to take showers there. its funny but so, so true. the toilet doesnt flush like 75 percent of the time and the floor is peeling. there is black mold growing in the shower and the floor of the shower is yellow and brown. the carpet... oh the carpet... lets just say if a doctor told be that i will die from some sort of desease that i recieved from walking on that carpet barefoot i wouldnt doubt it. the only thing that we have for heat are these space heaters that are plugged in our living room and our bedroom. oh and the kitchen is basically completely falling apart. the cabinets are falling off and everything is breaking or is super disgusting.

My new companion is Elder Ratto. he is a pretty interesting guy. we conflict on a lot of things but i am trying to figure out how i can better work with him. he has had an interesting past and i think that because of time i will explain him more next week.

on a good note we commited someone to baptism! his name is flip and he is a super cool guy and is incredibly energetic. anyways i will explain more about him later also. but i have to go now. anyways love you and everyone else that is reading this!