my new favorite desert, it’s called Banana pudding

It sounds like y'all are having a blast over there. I'll have to teach you guys how to make my new favorite desert, it’s called Banana pudding. It’s My Favorite for sure, I don't know if it’s just a southern thing or not but its super popular down here and super good. It’s super good to hear about chance. I’m happy for him, but I knew about chance a little bit ago. The missionary that left here from Camden is going to Brazil on his mission, so his family was showing us the pictures from our friend J.P. and I was looking at the picture and saw Elder Young sneaking in the picture. The world just gets smaller and smaller the more people that I've become friends with.

  We has been doing really good down here. It’s crazy to think that I've been here for as long as I have. To think I've spent over half my mission in this good ol town. Transfer calls are this week and it will be interesting to see what's going to happen. Time has gone by so fast down here. It’s crazy to think that it’s almost fall already, it doesn't feel like it but were leaving summer pretty fast.

  This week has been a really busy week. We have spent most of the week out of town because we had zone conference. Our mission President is the best mission President in the world.. Just saying, I love that big ol teddy bear. We were able to have some good training on being "human" it was a lot of fun. we have talked a lot about just being normal, I don't know if I talked about last time, but there’s been a huge push these last few months on just being yourself.

  We talk a lot about not being boring, we do a lot of roll plays, this week he had some missionary's do a door approach, the 2 Elders started with nothing too crazy just, "Hey we're Christian Missionaries could we come in and talk for a little bit." something like that. Our mission president then yells and puts his arms up in a X and is like BORING!!, we then went on and talked about nothing about that is wrong, but no one in the south is going to let you in that way, and for the most part its 100% true.

We then went on and talked a lot about door approaches and what door approaches everyone uses and such to try and be more creative. Me and Elder Whetton have been having a fun time just trying things. A fun one to always try down here is as they answer the door, your just kind of "Hey its super hot out here, could we sit down and talk for a little bit," or just whatever way works to get into someone's house or just anyway you can talk with people.

It’s been really good down here. I’ve been learning so much, one of the big things that we have also been working really hard on is being great teachers. We talk a ton about listening, observing, and being clear. It’s been really good trying to teaching different ways, using different ideas and points of view. Just both of us trying our hardest to send a clear message, Elder Bednar gave a good quote something along the lines of,

"If you try and teach to someone, and are not listening and discerning their needs, you’re just talking to yourself."

It’s going to be a great week, I hope y'all are staying safe. I love y'all, I’m so happy to hear from everyone and to hear that everyone is doing really good. I’m still in love with the fantastic place of Alabama.

Elder Landon Aldana