Sugarland.

This week's email from Eldrew was devoted entirely to answering the family's questions about his new companion, area, and assignment.

For starters, Eldrew is working in a city named Sugarland, Texas. You can read about the area in this Wiki article: Wikipedia: Sugarland, Texas.

Here are summaries of the answers to our questions:

What is the new ward like (demographics, neighborhoods, etc)?
 Eldrew seems happy to be there and likes the area and the members. As for what it is like, he reports that the area is fairly affluent with large homes. Most of the people he is meeting are engineers, vice presidents, attorneys, etc. He reports that he is going to gain weight because people are having the missionaries over to dinner almost every night.

What is your companion like?
Elder Bellomy really likes and respects his new companion. He is 23  years old. Eldrew compares Elder Peterson to one of his best friends who is on a mission. He describes him as being a great leader, sober, reverent, and with a strong will. Eldrew confirmed that as a companionship they are the Assistants to the President.

What is his routine like? (Missionary work and assignments)
Eldrew reports that a lot of time the companionship's time is taken up with administrative responsibilities. However, they still set goals to meet all of the standard missionary goals. It is hard, but Elder Bellomy thinks meeting their goals is "doable."

How is the work going in your area?
He reports that it is a little slow...but going. He and his companion don't tract. (Mormon speak: Tracting is what missionaries call visiting door-to-door and handing out LDS tracts (pamphlets) Instead, they go to public places and talk to people on the street. It is more productive than walking around and knocking on doors. They also get 'referrals' from the members of the Church that invite them to dinner.

What is it like to work with President Saylin?
Eldrew had this to say: "He [President Saylin] is an attorney so he likes to hear lots of ideas and then he likes to almost debate the ideas to get a feel for which one is best.  So in meetings with just my companion and me he'll ask..."Elder Bellomy, what do you think?" and I'll normally respond... "uhhhh,... ummm... uhhhh...well, I...uhh  think..."   Ha! That was just the first meeting but now I'm not afraid to give my 2 cents.  He told me the first day that he doesn't need or want a yes man.  He wants to hear all the opinions."

How is the old zone doing? (With Eldrew moving out and all new district leaders, they have had a complete change of missionary leaders.)
Elderw says: "Yeah...they are all new district leaders but the zone is tearing it up!!!  They are doing great... The new Zone Leader is Elder McKinney.  I was in his first district.  He's one transfer behind me.  He was serving as a district leader when I became a zone leader and he is just amazing."

One minor newsie thing.
Elder Jared Peterson's parents (a family Eldrew knows here in hometown Centerville, Utah) asked if they could have Eldrew's email address so their son who is serving in one of the other Houston Missions could write to Eldrew. Eldrew said no emails...just letters. However, he did report that he saw Elder Jared Peterson at the Elder Costa tri-mission meeting..."Ha. I gave Jared a hug at the Elder Costa thing. It was cool."

That is about all the news and reports from Eldrews letter. More next week.

Mormon corner.
For this week, I thought I'd share a video of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir singing a hymn that makes us think of Eldrew, Our hopes for God's protection over him, and our longing to see him again. Enjoy!