FIRST WEEK IN HINCKLEY!

Hi Everyone!

Sounds like it has been an exciting week back home!  And I'm happy you've been getting some snow there so you were able to crack out the snow blower and put it to use!  We are getting a little bit over here as well.  Our weather pattern right now is coming from Siberia apparently, and it is reeeeeaaaaalllllly cold.  Siberia can keep it's weather to itself!  It's been floating around freezing but it feels so much colder!  I don't like humidity.

The transfer went well enough.  There were a few stressful moments and some uncomfortable standing, but we made it.  I left from Hereford train station at 9:40 am with one of the Zone Leaders Tuesday morning and it was a close one.  Elder Dodds and I couldn't figure out how to pay for parking because the metre was really confusing and just as we figured it out the Zone Leader who wasn't leaving came running through the car park yelling, "Your train is about to leave!"  I managed to nest the big and medium sized suitcases and still fit everything so I only had two bags and the bike.  Elder Dodds took a bag, Elder Willis took a bag, I took the bike, and we ran!  We got all of my stuff on the train, the doors shut and then we left all within about 5 seconds!  A little too close for my comfort.  The ride to Birmingham was pretty uncomfortable as well as I had my bags and my bike in a standing area, but Birmingham New Street is one of the busiest stations in the country and people - lots of them! - got on at every stop.  The whole train was full of standing and sitting people.  There was no room at all.  One lady kept collapsing and swearing and it was just a really interesting train ride!  I only had to wait for about 20 minutes for my next train so I just stayed at the platform because moving with the suitcases and the bike is pretty tough.  The next stop was Hinckley so it all went well!  I had people help me get my stuff on and off the train so it wasn't too bad.  On the train was easy but moving from place to place was a challenge.  It all went pretty well overall though!

I've really liked my first week in Hinckley.   Elder Jones is great, we get on really well and he is a hard working missionary which is a great blessing.  He has been here in Hinckley for 3 months already so he knows everybody, which is nice.  He also knows the area which is really  nice!  And I quite like the area. The first few days were a little weird and meeting the members and introducing yourself all over again is all part of the experience.  The biking isn't too bad either, which is great.  The hills can be a challenge though. I'm really out of shape but I'm holding up better than I was expecting! Helmet hair is the worst part.

The members here are great but don't feed us as much as the Forest did, sadly.  There are 2 sets of Elders, us and one team in Nuneaton as well.  The Hinckley Elders (us) are a little neglected by the ward so we'll see what we can do about that!  The members I have met though have been great and the ward seems great as well!

One of the members here is the best gluten free baker I've ever met.  Elder Jones is gluten intolerant and so is she, so she made some gluten free cake and gave it to us and I honestly could almost not tell the difference.  I'll ask if I can get the recipe from her and send it for Dad because it was so good!

Have a great week everyone!

-Elder Lott

Sorry, not the best photo, but here I am

with Elder Jones.