1st Month

Well, we have been in Ohio for just over a month now and so far we still love it here.   The grass is so green, the  flowers are up and the trees are budding out.    

The past 2 weeks has been busy and rainy.    I can't believe how much it has rained.   And when it rains it comes down in torrents at times.    Today we got snow also.   And Thursday it was so warm that I was not sure I was going to be able to deal with the heat and humidity.   Still worried about that, especially as it is only April.   What is June, July and August going to be like.   

We did a lot of service this week including spending 2 days helping to transplant tomatoe starts into the little containers that they will be sold in when they have gotten a bit bigger.   A family in the ward is starting a greenhouse business and were swamped all of a sudden with needing to get all their little seedlings transplanted so all the missionaries here were helping out.   It was enjoyable except for the 1st day when it was raining and blowing and so cold.

We lost 2 of our missionaries on Tuesday, Sister Axxxxx went home and Elder Wxxxx went to the other side of Ohio.   We got Elder Lxxxx from the Cleveland area and a brand new out of the MTC, 19 year old sister.   Sister Cxxxxx is a doll and so bubbly.   Has beautiful red hair.   She is so excited to be here and was really excited after her 1st day because she placed 2 Books of Mormon and got to see several Amish buggies as we drove around.   She had never seen any before.   We have spent a couple of days teaching with the sisters and that is so much more rewarding than driving around trying to contact inactives.   We do have several inactive people that we spend quite a bit of time with and we enjoy them a lot.   They are teaching quite a few people but it is slow getting them to baptism if they ever do.

I am still amazed at the many large beautiful homes out here.   Some new and some old.   They are on large lots for the most part.   I am hoping to get some pictures of some of them soon to send to you.   Also lots of ratty, falling apart ones and they might be next to a real nice one.   We asked someone what the main industry around here was and they said "Welfare".    Ashtabula is the largest county in Ohio and also the poorest so we have seen some pretty poor living conditions.   But it is also a place where a lot of retired people settle and so you have the big nice places too.

Miss everyone and would love to hear from you.

Love,     Elder and Sister Banks