July 24, 2011

Dear Friends and Family,



If you really want a good view of what I walk through daily: Take the Google Maps Street View to 8th Avenue (next to us....9th) and 58th Street. Actually.....if you want to experience a walk from the Church building to our building or appointments (because the Church building is located outside of our area...we barely live in our Area....our area is farther North) type in 828 60th St. Brooklyn....that's the church. Start there but turn west towards 8th Avenue (not 9th-doesn't have bus and not very many people or shops-mostly residences) and start walking North (turn right traveling to 8th Ave from Church) from 60th Street up! Do that by clicking on the arrows. Notice all the Chinese people! That's your homework! :) You don't have to go all the way to my apartment, only to 55th Street (5 streets). Please do it and you'll be astonished! Every neighborhood is different. Farther closer to where we live (at the very farthest South of our area) there are a LOT of Jews! Everywhere! If you turn towards 10th Ave, there are only JEWS. They don't talk very much with us. It's their loss! If you go towards 5th Ave, there are only Hispanic people! If you turn farther North towards Park Slope, only white people; Red Hook-Hispanic and Black-PROJECTS (that's why it's dangerous-a lot of drugs, crime, people live on the Government's welfare in the Projects)...also, it's worth it to drop Street view within Red Hook and explore. Then you can see precisely what I've seen.

The Church building in Dyker Heights isn't as cool as some of the others in Brooklyn (like Bensonhurst with a second floor also or Bushwick...that reminds me of a hospital because of it's narrow corridors and tile floor). Dyker Heights Chapel is as typical a Church Building as one you could find in Brooklyn....but it's mine.

Also, any of those stores would be nice....however, something's happened that devastated me! They're transferring me! I didn't think that they would because Elder Figgat's concluding his mission here...but they're going to give him another 'dying' companion and temporarily close down this area when they leave (they're leaving in the middle of the transfer).

We didn't want to worry you but a young Jewish boy named Leiby Kletzy was kidnapped. We heard about it the next morning when NYPD asked us to keep an eye out for him and gave us some fliers (they knew that we walked around much). Last seen at 10th Ave and 47th (around literally the corner from our Apartment).We continued through our work...of course aware and hoping that they would find the 8 year old boy. It shocked us when they discovered most of him in a dumpster.  It shocked us and I was so sad. I thought of my little sisters and it gave me bad feelings that the same could happen to them as they walk to school or play around. I wanted Sister Baum not to necessarily say what happened but communicate to you to not let them out of your sight. She was sleeping....so I called the next morning not so worried....and forgot exactly what I wanted her to say. President called and I explained everything to him that I was great now....not down....that I was only worried for you guys. I hope that you don't think that I'm 'down'....I was only worried that night after the news was told to us by a member.

I have to pack today. :( I despise packing and the sorrow that accompanies it! I've taken many photos with the ward members. They were astonished that I was leaving! They all want me to visit them today....I can't...I don't have time! We all have a place to stay whenever we want to visit Brooklyn after the Mission (they're probably be competition in it, haha). I've told them that I want them to meet my family after the Mission. They're so excited. Maybe I'll request to end my last Transfer here. :) If not, I'll be back!

Also, it's difficult to bid farewell to Sister McEwen....she's been in my District since the start of my mission (more than half of hers) and I followed her here to Dyker Heights. She's leaving this Tuesday and her parents have arrived!


P.S. I hope that my next area is sweet...and in the City; if not, after that one!



I'm perfectly fine with you mentioning the kidnapping.   I'm not traumatized at all....it was only weird that we were looking....and then two days later, he was killed! I think it's awful and it doesn't matter what race did it! Helicopters hovered nearby our neighborhood for a while. It's strange to think that it was primarily 'an accident'. Don't let any of the girls walk home alone! Everywhere you walked, there were posters and fliers with the boy's photo on it.

I'm in Ridgewood which is a small, humble Branch (my first Branch; my previous areas both had good-sized wards) that covers a geographically small area in the Brooklyn North District (there's the Brooklyn Stake....and then the Brooklyn District-smaller than a Stake). Ridgewood is very CITY. It's similar to Sunset Park, however, it's located within the 'man zone' because there are no Sister Missionaries here. The area strattles the border of Brooklyn with Queens and it's not quite as dangerous, however, as Bushwick or East New York (the other areas in the 'Man Zone'). I'm safe! Our area is relatively safe!

Also, I'm a Step-pops because it's my companion's 2nd transfer and I'm his 2nd companion. He's an extraordinary missionary and we're both really enthusiastic for this area. The other missionaries were blinded in (both missionaries were ejected and two brand new missionaries were introduced into the area with us last week) so we're a very 'new' District to the area. There are only 4 of us here. The Branch is small and many members attend other Branches because they prefer it to this Branch.

The people here are more talkative with us, however, and we have appointments with two separate individuals tomorrow! We're going to bring members.

The Branch President is really kind and has been a convert for two years now.