Week 3: Sterling, VA - "This week has definitely been the hardest of my life, no doubt!"

Hey everyone!

How's everything been? How has guard been? How school going for everyone? How's work and such??

First week in the field, and it's been...interesting. First, our flight from SLC was delayed so we missed our connecting flight in Detroit. Luckily we got on another flight that was only 2 hours later. So we got into DC at like 10pm and went to the mission home. I don't think I got to bed till like 1am that night... The next day, I met my trainer, Elder Jacobs. He's a pretty cool guy. He's from New Mexico, like 4 corners area. He sings a lot in the mornings and in the shower... Loudly!!! He did musical theater and marching band in high school and played trombone.

This week has definitely been the hardest of my life, no doubt! I was extremely nervous and ridiculously homesick, but I've been keeping myself busy. The work has been really slow out here! We have about 20 investigators, which is a lot for out here, but everyone is so busy out here that you can't meet with them very often. I've only met 6 of our investigators...

Northern Virginia is quite the place. It's not nearly as humid as I thought it would be. It was pretty hot the first 2 days, but then it clouded over and rained for 5 days. But it's warming up, so that's good. The people out here are very different! They are crazy busy people, so it's impossible to meet with anyone more than once or twice a month. Also, trying to check on less active or potential investigators before 6pm is impossible! They are all either at work, taking their kids to every after school program under the sun, or running around doing errands! People are busy busy busy. And it's so expensive to live here, that both parents work and husbands work really late so meeting in a home is extremely difficult. I never thought it would be harder to set up a lesson, than actually teach it!

The people here are busy, but some people are way rich!! Over by Trump golf course the houses are huge!! The nicest cars I've seen are a Mercedes S550, multiple Bentley SUV's, a Porsche Carrera GT3, and an Audi R8. I also see tons of Teslas and BMW's.

Anyway, it's been quite the week. P-day is normally Monday, but we got to go to the temple today! The D.C. temple is amazing and HUGE! Thank you for all the support and the awesome emails! They definitely help! Love you all and hope your week is amazing!

-Elder Duke