Serving in Birmingham

Hola!

Man I am so jealous of y’all being in Hawaii right now it’s not even funny. Those pictures look heavenly and it’s so stinking hot here right now. I’ve been sweating like cu-razy lately. All of Birmingham is hills and more hills. It’s so fun though, I love it. Allison emailed me and said your visit up there was pretty short but you were able to have a good time while you were there. When is the Estefan DVD supposed to be coming out? I might have to get me one of those so I can watch it when I get home. And how is Hawaii?? I’ve been daydreaming about that place lately and I want to go to church there and the Temple. That would be so fun, and by the way, as a missionary, I miss swimming so much I can’t even explain it. So thinking that dad went snorkeling and saw octopus and stuff lets me have a little fantasy in my head and pretend like I’m the one doing all of that haha. Did you plan to see the Harrison’s there again or did it just work out like that again? Either way I’m glad y’all are having fun and enjoying yourselves. Remember to be safe and enjoy the spam-fried rice at Hanarra’s for me. I miss that place too.

What all are you sending me in the package haha. I barely have room for anything anymore haha. I am so pumped to get those family pictures. I live in a huge apartment complex and I live with the Spanish Elders and it’s really fun. But yeah, Birmingham is great and the people here are crazy haha. But I have so much in common with these people here it’s not even funny. People from Long Beach everywhere! And an elder in one of the wards I cover, Vestavia Hills Ward, got his mission call to the Long Beach Mission, English speaking. So he might be in our ward in about a month!! And I also cover a branch called the Cahaba Heights Branch. The branch is about the same size as the Tuscaloosa Ward and the Vestavia Hills Ward is huge. A ton of Mormons out here in B’ham.

The new companion is pretty cool, Elder Coleman from Mesa Arizona. He has been out 13 months and he was a Zone Leader last transfer too. We are the youngest Zone Leaders haha. I feel kind of inadequate but I know I’ll be able to do it, no biggie. We had a Zone Leaders council at president’s house last Friday and it was so fun! Got Chik-fil-a for lunch and just sat and discussed the mission for like 6 hours as he taught us. I loved it because it’s pretty personal with president and you learn a bunch and you get to be involved a lot.

Elder Starley, who came out with me, is the Tupelo Zone Leader, Elder Taggart is the Huntsville Zone Leader. So I do know some of the other Zone Leaders and I’m really enjoying it. A lot of calling missionaries and seeing how they’re doing and having conference calls with the Zone Leaders and the Zone to teach them and learn. It’s going to be pushing me to become better and get out of my comfort zone. I will be going on 1 to 2 exchanges a week and I’ll be serving in every area of the stake. So I’m excited for that! I'll be able to go on an exchange with Elder Gebert!! Haven’t served around him since the Mission Training Center. So everything is going good and I’m trying to get to know everything.

Its weird going from Tuscaloosa where I knew everything to here where I don’t know a thing haha. I’m lost 24/7 and I forget people’s names left and right, and it doesn’t help that I have 2 huge congregations to get to know. But it will all work out perfectly. :)

Do you have any more questions? Haha I feel like I’m just rambling as usual. I’m doing great, busy, busy, busy and I haven’t even been able to unpack all of my stuff. Tomorrow I get to be interviewed by President Holzapfel, then the next night I go to Locust Fork, Alabama on exchanges with the District Leader there and his companion. Tell Jackie that is where the missionary that used to be in her ward is from. Elder Johnson or something like that. I forgot his name but we ate dinner with him do you remember?? So I might see his parents or something haha. Then the next day I go to Gadsden Alabama for another exchange with that District Leader. Elder Gebert is in Gadsden so that will be fun.  And we have a baptism this weekend and 2-4 more lined up. One of the people I met this week is a downhill skater and has the board I wanted when I was back home! So I talked to him about that for a while, his roommate is a less active member who plays rugby! Same position as I played. So I was pumped haha. I’ve been making connections like that with everyone here. It’s kind of funny.

And oh, for Mother’s Day, we need to set a time up right now. Sunday at like 3:00 here. AKA like 1:00 back home. Would that be good? I'll call you that day and make sure it’s good. We will definitely be able to Skype because everyone in the ward here is filthy rich haha. But yeah I’m excited to talk to you guys! It feels like I just did though a week or two ago. I can’t believe that was almost 5 months ago. How does Lauren feel as a college graduate?? Is she relieved or stressed to start working and all of that? Also, do you have a dog yet? I saw the biggest head I’ve ever seen on a dog yesterday. It was at least 1/3 the size of the dog’s body. It was the weirdest looking thing I’ve ever seen. If anyone offers me a dog, I’m going to take it and send that thing home....just saying, you can’t deny destiny. Shoot. Time be flying. I hope you continue to enjoy your vacation activities and soak up as much of that beautiful Hawaiian sun as possible. I feel like I haven’t said much but that’s all that’s on my mind. I will talk to you later!

Love you tan beauties,

Elder Oppenlander...BTW some drunk guy told me I need a Nazi SS uniform to match my name ;) hahahaha got to love Birmingham.