Elder Robert Merrill Collins' Mission: Gallup, New Mexico: Elder Collins Mission Field Week 1

Hello,

I got to meet my mission president and spend the night at a member's home. They are very nice. Both me and President Batt have a lot in common. We both weld and he loves to do woodworking. Sister Batt is very nice; she loves to talk to people and cares for every one of us. There were over 25 new missionaries that flew in last week and more to come in 6 weeks.

I have been serving in Gallup, New Mexico. My trainer is Elder Pincock. He has only been out for 3 months, but he knows the area well. The area is moving really slow right now because the elder before us did not like to go tracting so we don't have very many new people, but we are trying to change that. I am living in a two bedroom apartment with another set of elders. They are the zone leaders, Elder Sanchez and Elder Openshaw. Our apartment is very small, but it's all good. Our apartment is close to the train tracks and whenever a train goes by for some reason they have to signal with their horn. After awhile you get used to it, but it's always going back and forth.

I think Gallup is considered one of the drunkest towns in the nation and it's true. I have talked to a lot of drunk people. The worst of it is that everyone gets paid at the end of the month and they go spend theur money on alcohol and they usually don't go back to work for a few days after that. It's actually kind of fun to listen to what they will say. We had one guy that told us he had just gotten out of prison after 10 years for attempted murder. He said that while he was in prison he read the bible but he wants to learn more so we will see what happens.

The Navajo people are very nice for the most part. A lot of them are very open to hearing about different religions. There are a lot of pawn shops and jewelry stores because a lot of the Navajo people will make jewelry in their houses and then go sell it to one of the stores. The culture is so different as well. They have Indian tribal dances in the town square every night for an hour. We went and saw one for five minutes; it's pretty cool. There is also a lot of poverty; a lot of the houses look like they need to be condemned. One place we went to was an old man that has heart problems; he has been a strong member his whole life. We go over there once and awhile because he likes the company and he likes us to read to him. His house is so small I hit my head on the rafters and a part of his house is blocked off because it's collapsed and it's full of trash. It's sad to see, but we try and make people like that feel loved.

Anyway, we are staying busy. We are usually knocking on doors most of the day finding a lot of investigators. We found three new investigators for the sisters out here and they said they have been pretty strong investigators so far. I am so far loving it down here; the people are great. We are getting a lot accomplished.

Sorry I couldn't write more; we don't have very much time.

Also if you want to send me something it has to be sent to the mission office and it has to be done through priority mail or it wont get to me until I go to the mission home and I wont be going there for a long time. If you need the mission address it is posted somewhere on Facebook.