Wherein Landen Arrives in Dominica!

October 22, 2018

(Landen Basically responded to each of us from our family letter we wrote to him the night before, so I will include our questions in red, and his answers in black, so it makes more sense!)

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Hey there son, how was your flight or boat trip to the island? Did you get there by boat or by plane? Sadie is wondering if you rowed the whole way. Tell us all about the island and how you find things there. Do you have running water? Do you have a fridge? Are there enough members to feed you or do you make your own food? Do you have a computer to write emails or do you travel somewhere for that? Going forward, can you receive packages? And if so, give us your address.
Love, mom 
So yeah it was a flight, a couple of flights! It is too far for a boat ride, unless you're on a cruise. Like the flight is 1:45, so a boat would prolly take like 20 hours. It's actually like 100's of miles away from Puerto Rico, but its still part of the mission and its just me and my comp on the whole Island (well, were in a trio right now until the guy I am replacing goes back to Puerto Rico on Saturday).  Its like a really poor Island. There are only like 75,000 people who live on the whole Island. It is a super 3rd world country, (yes - it is its own country). There is just 1 branch on the whole Island (divided into 2 congregations) and about 30 out of the 140 members are active, but we are working on that! 

I'm with an Elder named Elder Mancilla. I lived in the same house with him my first two transfers of the mission forever ago, so we are already pretty tight. I do like the Island a lot though, its really cool and they talk pretty cool here. Its mostly English, but its got a really thick accent and they mix in some other languages and or dialects sometimes. Yes we have running water, but we have to filter it, and yes we have a fridge, about 50% of the time, so we're good. LOL about the food thing mom, I've been making my own food since I got back to Puerto Rico, but now instead of averaging 2-3 meals a week, we only ever get 1 a week.  There is a computer in the church that we are using, and no, I cannot get any packages or letters here, but I did sent you guys a package and letter this last week!  The letter you can open and read when it gets there. But the package you can just leave closed, its just some stuff that I've accumulated throughout my mission that I didn't want to throw away, but also didn't have any use for, so you can just throw it in the basement until I get home or something. 

     We are going to visit Puerto Rico for a conference on the 16th of November though, so if you want to send anything, I would be able to get it then. The conference is with Elder Christofferson, so I'll get to hang out with Brenda's father in law for a day or so prolly! ;)

This is from Sadie:
I had my City-county meet at Freeman. I got 30:03.
Then I had districts at Freeman. And I got 29:56.

Thats super dope  Sades, way proud of ya'... that's like super duper cool!

This is from Seth: 
I ran a 6:39 mile the other day, so that was pretty chill.
 School is pretty easy, calculus is fun.
Oh my friends are trying to get me to go to the haunted attractions and junk - it’s pretty terrible. 

Seth, don't go. It's not worth it. I repeat, it's not worth it!

This is from Lane: 
I would just like to say
I had a disc golf tournament and I got second place and i won 13 bucks.
I had a swim meet, and I did pretty good. I am not sure my exact placing because I didn’t go to the awards meeting. 
Do you like your new island?

Lane, the new Island is super cool! Every day here is super hot, probably unlike there right now. Thats really cool though about your disc Golf tournament! Way to go!

This is from Miles:
Tomorrow we are going to carve pumpkins with the Olson’s. I got first at my swim meet.
And if you didn’t know this, I have like six Nerf guns! I hope you like your new island.

miles your gonna have to share some of those Nerf guns with me later on and we can have a war with them, that'd be cool.

This is from Emerson:
Hey Landen! How are you doing? My pumpkin carving is going to be a pumpkin with a tiger face. If you like your new island, tell us! 

Emerson, that sounds super cool, tigers are awesome. I do like the new island!

This is from dad: 
I won seven dollars at the frisbee golf tournament in Blackfoot yesterday with Lane. I threw my first ace! Everyone was jumping up and down and giving me man hugs, just like on the hunting videos that we used to watch.

Dad, haha, Lane won more than you, jk, But like f'reals too. That ace sounds super awesome, did you par the rest and slay everyone else, or how strong was the competition?

Everything is cool here, Hope you all have a great week next week!

Love y'all,

Elder Bailey

The package he sent to himself which will remain unopened for 6 months or so! LOL
It actually arrived the same day as the email did!