Searcy, Arkansas!

Waddup Family!,

Hey so Bishop let me use his laptop so I am going to just write you right now!! Arkansas is where its at! I love it here. Its so green and there is trees everywhere. My companion is Elder Tate from Utah and he is a stud. He works hard, he's black, he is a baller on the court and knows the gospel really well! He has been out for about 5 months, not 6 weeks like I said earlier. Bishop Mcgrath, the bike city guy, is awesome too! He is the spitting image of Steve Martin! In looks and personality. He is so into missionary work and does everything he can to help us out. I have had so many awesome experiences this last week. Funny Story: A couple of days ago we went to our investigators house to check up on him and his a this big black dude. Anyways we walk up and he is running into his door and trying to knock it down because he got locked out and at this point he is pretty close to knocking the door out. So he took a break for a minute and I just walked up to the door and turned the knob and it opened! My companion and I could not stop laughing! we told him it was the power of the spirit. Spiritual Story: 2 days ago we knocked on this one ladies door and started talking to her about the restoration. She went off about how she had already been baptized and her dad is a preacher and stuff like that and she was not listening to us. Anyways her daughter needed help with something for a second so she left and Elder Tate and I said a prayer together that her heart would be softened. (And then we said about 50 more prayers in our heads) When she came back it was like she was a completely different person. After talking a little more I asked when she found out the the Book of Mormon was the word of God if she would be baptized by the proper authority and she said yes!! Miracles. Anyways I am starting to find out that the stereotypes of Arkansas are the truth!! The lack of teeth in this area is pretty spectacular. ha ha So for P day this morning Elder Tate and I woke up at 4 45 and went fishing at this members pond!! I caught like 7 bass. It was sweet. I love it here. The people are so nice. They feed us almost every night. Even the non members are nice for the most part because they recognize we are representatives of Jesus Christ and they always tell us they appreciate what were doing. The south is legit.  Hey also there is a person in my ward related to the Sherwoods that knows Larry and goes to the Sherwood reunion in Eagar all the time! there is also a guy that is related to Charlie Foote and knows him pretty well! I'm in Searcy!!! Its the coolest place ever!! that's where the bike city bishop is!! Funny story: the first door I knocked on out in the field was a members house but i didn't know that. My companion set it up that way. When I knocked on the door the guy came out with a machete and was like "get away from me you bicycle bishop!" it scared the crap out of me!! but then I figured out it was a member and him and my comp planned the whole thing!! it was totally believable though because he just looked like a redneck dude and he didn't have hardly any teeth.  I got to go Mom but I love you so much. Thanks for all you did to help me get out here. I know it will change my life and others. You're the most amazing mom ever. and I miss our family too. Tell them all I miss them. remember to write me. I will send you the address later.

Elder Udall