What a place! I didn’t realize how much of Arizona is just straight desert and yet it’s still beautiful in it’s own way. It’s nice to finally be here!

To start from the beginning, things began with our travel group meeting the mission president and his wife, President and Sister Law, at the airport. They’re both fantastic,  and I look forward to serving with them as our leaders. 

As a quick rundown of the rest of that night, we traveled to the mission office with the assistants to the president, got to know everyone who serves there, ate some delicious food, and then the elders spent the night at a hotel. The following day I finally met my trainer, who’s name also happens to be Elder Smith, and we travel to my first area: South Mountain! 

South Mountain is in the southern part of Phoenix and has nice weather this time of year. It has lots of different shades of brown and bland green, but it’s still pretty nonetheless. My companion and I are on bikes which is a little challenging with it literally being a mountain and all, but we have fun regardless. Elder Smith is a really great guy and our housemates, the Zone Leaders, are really fun to live with so I feel blessed! Between member meals every night, multiple contacts and lessons every day, and filling our time as much as possible with sharing the gospel, I’ve learned to love the people, the area and those I serve alongside.

I’m still settling in and learning a lot, but I know that God will provide and my family and I will be blessed for it! I love and miss you all!

Sincerely,
Elder Whitchurch
1 Nephi 3:7

(P.S. Sorry if this email seems a bit scattered, it was written in a short amount of time.)

Funny Story:
The Zone Leaders, Elder Barrow and Elder Hansen, are some of the funniest people I’ve met. The funny story is that they quote Nacho Libre almost every day and in the most random moments. They’re favorite quote is “Come on Baby!”