"Get in, y'all are having supper with me."

I’m staying in Camden for another 6 weeks!!!! Looks like I’ll be serving here for 6 months for now haha. Who knows maybe longer, but it’s going to be a lot of fun. My Companion and I are going to be staying together again also. everything’s super great down here other than the rain, I’m not a big fan of it and we have been soaked about 4 times this week and it’s only going to rain more from what I hear so, it’s not too bad. It’s about the same as when we're outside in the summer anyway, we just get soaking wet in sweat so it’s not much different than how we feel normally. I’m really glad to hear that everyone is doing well. 

Um one thing I want to let y'all know about is how much respect I have for President Hanks. I feel like almost like a we are not super buddy buddy, but I don’t think there’s a person in the world I want to be under then President Hanks. He’s Very successful, he’s a very spiritually strong person, and he just gives you a great feeling of love. He gives us a TON of trust, as long as you do what is right, he’s one of the greatest friends you could have. On the other hand, I’ve also grown to see that he’s not someone who will let to walk over him. As much trust and love as he gives us, there's also a ton a power and just a presence that he carries. If there’s one person I never want to get on their bad side its President Hanks. I love that man so much, and I’m more than grateful to be able to serve with him. 

Camden’s doing good, by the end of this transfer I’ll be the longest serving missionary in Camden. I guess it’s the place for me, these last few weeks have been amazing, it’s crazy to see how much this place has changed in the last few months. I remember coming here like it was yesterday, the small town vibe was stronger than ever. No one really wanted anything to do with us. No one really even talked with us. It was just a really hard place to be, but as the weeks have gone to months I’ve really started to love this place sooo much. 

Something really amazing that happened this week, we were walking around town going to try and see a new family that had moved into the town. As we started walking over to their house it started to DUMP.... and we were soaked, but we just kept walking in the rain. Our bags are mostly water proof anyway and we were soaked so there was no point in looking for a place to hide from it. So we get to the door and we knock on it, ... and no one answers. After a few moments we decided just to hang out on the porch for a second till the rain stopped coming down hard and thought about what to do next. 

As we're walking home someone that we had seen a few days before at subway stopped us about a third of the way home and says, "Get in, y'all are having supper with me." so we got in his truck and he drove us a little yonder down the road to his house, where him and some buddies were BBQing some good ol chicken. He told us to make ourselves at home so we set down our bags, pulled up and camp chair and talked with him and his friends for the next hour or 2. They showed us their bee farm and we opened a honey box and looked into the bees and such. 

We ate supper a little bit later and talked till about 9 and they asked if we needed a ride & said we had a great time meeting you, you're welcome back anytime and took us home to our house. It was REALLY really nice to be with these people. I know because about 4 months ago I knocked on their doors and not a single one would even say no to us, they would look out the window make eye contact with us lock the door and walk away. And here I was 4 months later eating supper with them on Sunday. It’s just amazing to see how much our influence is here. 

Is anyone going to get baptized of them, no. have I met anyone that's even thought about baptism, no. From what I’ve seen these people will most likely never change, but they are my very close friends. I’ve survived the Heat with them. I’ve been soaked with them. I’ve been at the graduations, T-ball, football games. We know each other’s names. We might not baptize anyone here, but I’ll tell you what. I’ve never been closer to any people then these people down here. 

I love y'all keep us all in your prayers 

Elder Landon Aldana