3/19/2018 I live in the Capital of Puerto Rico!

Hola!

Finally made it to another area! And it's a doozee! It has a really different feel, and everything from the apartment to the people is completely different (weather is still very not fun a d hot and wet and sad and etc.). The new area I'm in is called Kissimmee (pronounced kiss-sim-me), and it is commonly referred to throughout Florida as the capital of Puerto Rico, and I have seen why. Literally 2/3 people here are from Puerto Rico, and there are more Puerto Rican flags here then American, it's awesome. The other city we cover (and live in) was voted "The Most Boring City in Florida" last year, it's called Poinciana, but we do have a Walmart, which is nice. That's about it though. It's really funny, also half of my area is uninhabitable swamp, which is really cool in my opinion. Most of the roads go through them, so it feels like we are in Jurassic Park, 10/10.

I don't want to write an essay for yall to read, so I'm going to try and keep the Friends section short, so I can explain a little more about this amazing land. If yall remember Lisa, these two first people are essentially Jamaican Lisa, and Other Lisa. Jamaican Lisa is named Sybil (si-bull), and hails from the land of dreadlocks and steel drums. She really likes the Book of Mormon, and is super sweet. Other Lisa is named Susan and is basically just Lisa without the huge family and money problems. Really nice, really likes missionaries, loves the church, just having a hard time coming and being willing to be baptized. I love them both so much already though! Last one I'll mention is Carla, she is AMAZING! She has come from a very difficult background, but is fighting everything like a champ! She really wants to change her life, and has seen that she can do that through Christ! She is around 25, and is honestly super inspiring. Her testimony is becoming immensely strong, and she is preparing to be baptized on April 7th!

It's been an awesome week just getting to know the new area, the new companion, the new ward, and the new Investigators! I'm positive I'm going to love this area as much as I did the past, and I'm stoked to meet the people that he put me here to meet! I've already fallen in love with the ones I have, it's crazy just how much the Lord leads His church! Don't have a ton of time to write much else (let time get away from me today, sorry yall), but something I wanna talk about again is the purpose of the Lord's church. Something I feel like a lot of people forget is that the purpose of His church and of life in general is not to do something, but to become something! We are here to try again after every mistake to learn and grow! A quote that I love from the recently deceased Prophet Monson is "one of the most incredible gifts God has given us is the chance to try again, for no failure ever need be final!" It doesn't matter who you are, what religion you associate with, how you live your life, what you focus on, or anything else, we are all going to make mistakes. It's a fact, no-one is perfect (of course, except Christ), but that's the point! If we were perfect, there would be no point to anything we do. We would have no reason to even live, we are made to grow, improve, and get back up! Sadly, that means we need to put ourselves in situations where we can fall because there is no growth in comfort. So if you really want to feel happier and see the purpose for your life, get uncomfortable! Its hard, but it's always gonna be worth it! I love this Gospel, I love the chance to try again, I love the Savior and his Atonement, I love my Heavenly Father, and I love all of you! Have an awesome week, and never stop getting back up!

<3 Elder Fox