Got a new car, did exchanges, ate broccoli and had a tornado warning

    We went to the McInnis family for dinner today and they fed us a spaghetti dinner with toast it was way good.  We've had spaghetti alot since I've been here, 7 times I think.  They gave us a referral and we went but it wasn't a good time.   His wife was busy with the new baby but he wants us to come back.
     We got a new car on Tuesday, a Chevy Malibu.  It's a downgrade from our Mazda 3 but it's still cool.  The Mazda got better gas mileage.  Lily Artman took us out to dinner at a Mexican Restaurant called "San Marcos".  Had some of the best Mexcian food ever, a chicken quesadilla and rice and beans. 
     I did exchanges on Wednesday with Elder Dietz.  My first exchanges with the Hattiesburg Zone Leader.  Awesome guy, pretty funny in a weird kind of way.  He's going home in one more transfer.  Sadly we didn't get much done because we were in the worst rainstorm I've ever been in with a tornado warning going on.  We were stuck indoors but he give me a hair cut and showed me how a Rubik's cube works.  He gave me some good advice too.  He said to make the mission fun so I'm going to do that.
     We did our first service project on Friday.  We painted the Reinfields house.  My first time painting a house.  I really enjoyed it.  And I almost tried some Sushi but I didn't.
     So today we walked around the Bonita Lakes for a 4 mile hike.  We did some additional invites and I'm definitely getting better with talking to people.  We got 6 new investigators and gave away 4 more Book of Mormons.  It was a really successful day and I'm hoping we get a solid investigator by doing this.
     You will be proud of me today, I ate broccoli and to tell you the truth it wasn't that bad. 
     I'm getting better with the consecrating oil.  We gave the ward mission leaders wife a blessing today and it felt so powerful.  I did the oil and brother Snow gave the blessing.  It was so awesome!  
     Oh, and I also learned how to open a locked door with a card today.  So here's the story.  We got back from church and I noticed the key is kind of bent but I didn't think much of it.  I put it in the lock and it breaks.  The key breaks in the lock.  Here's the funny part when we moved into this apartment we were told not to make any new keys at Walmart so what do they give us but a key from Walmart.  So we eventually opened the door with a library card.
     I'm way excited for Conference.  We'll be watching all 4 sessions and the Priesthood session at our ward building.  I can't wait to listen to the prophet I've never been so excited to watch conference.   
     Sadly I haven't received the Line of Authority you sent yet.  The mail has been really weird but I'm sure it'll get here soon.  Transfers happen on the 3rd of April but I most likely won't get transferred yet but I'll let you know next Monday for sure.
    I'm glad you got my pictures.  I'm always worried when I send it that it won't get there.  Well I'll end.  I love you and miss you a ton.




One of my last days at the MTC.  I'm in the center.

                                                       

                                                                 Elder Bloomquist

Meridian is only about 20 miles from the Alabama border.



There's an actual town named Whynot.



My new bike.

                                                                   





                                                

This week was kinda crazy.

Dear Parents,
    So this week was kinda crazy. We've spent most of the week packing and moving.  We had to move everything and we only had a small Honda Ridgeline truck to do it with. Our new apartment is smaller but much better.  It actually has air conditioning and is by some lakes called Bonita Lakes. They are man made but really nice. The lakes have a track that my companion and I are running around. I'm excited about that!
The only bad thing about it is that it's pretty far out there and it kinda uses up all of our miles like crazy.  But overall it's really nice and cozy.
     I should be sending the memory card off today.  There are plenty of pictures with my companion because we had a lot of fun with the package you sent me.  We loved it!  And yes we did wear our ties on St. Patrick's Day. 
     I have learned a lot and totally understand this gospel way better than I did before and it makes so much sense.  It's amazing!  Especially what we learned Sunday in Priesthood.  We were discussing the Priesthood and how amazing it is to have.  Did you know that only about .025 percent of the world holds the Priesthood?  I'm so grateful to be a part of this percentage.  I love this Gospel so much and I'm trying to do better everyday.
     Those 3 investigators you asked about seem to really love the Gospel and want to be baptized but one thing that's not so good out here is that people seem lazy when it comes to times and appointments. 
     I got my first door slammed in my face. 
     I am loving it out here.  General Conference will be my 2 month mark, already.  That's insane!  I'm sure this mission is going to go by like crazy.
     Everyone here is talking about the Hunger Games.  Are you guys going to see the movie?  My companion read the books and he's freaking out because he won't be able to see it.  That is something I really miss, movies.
     We are planning to have a really good week this week so hopefully that works out. 

                                                             Love ya and miss ya.

                                                                     Your Son

It looks like the "Tower of Terror".

Dear Family,
     Things are going great here in Mississippi!!!  It has been raining a lot at night but not so much in the day.  It's been between 58 and 65 degrees.  It's perfect, but the people here think it's cold.  We were tracting and almost every door we went to the people would ask us if we were cold.  We just told them we were from the West and they understood.  I'm not excited for the hot summer.  I got a taste of it about a week ago, it was 86 degrees with a lot of humidity.  It was really hot!  My companion said,  "This is nothing compared to the summer".  Apparently, you are able to see the humidity.
     Surprisingly, Dad, I haven't had any BBQ here yet.  Maybe Meridian isn't big on BBQ but we will see I should be in the area for about 10 more weeks.
     That's awesome that Milo Lefler is our new Stake President.  Honestly, I can see him becoming a General Authority in the future.
     So let me tell you a little bit more about Meridian.  Apparently, it was a very popular town back in the day.  I saw some pictures of it and it looked awesome but now it's really fell behind.  There is this really tall building right in the center of downtown, probably the tallest building in Meridian, and it's completely abandoned.  It's actually kind of creepy.  It looks like the  "Tower of Terror".
         The other day we went to a members house to have dinner and we conducted family home evening.  We had this soup that was good for the most part but I had to muscle my way through a lot of it and I did.  I think if it had just had the noodles and the meat it would have been the best soup I ever had.
     I got my bike.  It seems like a really nice one so far but we will see when I start riding it around.  It's a Genesis 29.  I think that's what it's called.
     Pretty much all of my homesickness is gone.  I still miss everyone back home but I have become very comfortable out here. I'd rather be doing the Lord's work more than anything else right now.  I hope I become more Christlike while I'm out here.
     Sometimes the work can be frustrating but I love it.  I'm still my quiet self with new people but I'm getting better.  I'm understanding the Gospel so much more.  It's amazing!  I love it and want everyone to have what I have.

                                                      Love you Dad, you're my Hero!

                                                                   Your son

Maps of Mississippi and the Mission Area (currently serving in Meridian)

March 8, 2012 Zone Conference in Hattiesburg

     Elder Kerr had his first Zone Conference on March 8, 2012.  They met in Hattiesburg which is the next major town south of Meridian. They met with two other zones for lunch, Gulport and Slidell.  Elder Kerr is pictured standing on the back row 5 in from the left.  View this link for more pics  http://presidenttucker.blogspot.com/

Three progressing investigators (No Tornadoes but lightning)

Dear family,
     Excuse my cursive, I decided to see how well I remember cursive.  Not that great I suppose.  The weather's been really nice here and it's winter.  So I'm kinda worried about the summer.  I'm NOT excited for it to get super hot.  I did hear about the tornadoes but we haven't had any intense weather here yet.  So I haven't heard the sirens.  When there is a siren we have a small compartment under our stairs that we will stay in until the sirens stop.  We'll be safe.  But a couple of nights ago it was raining pretty hard.  We were in bed when BAM!  Lightning struck right outside our window.  We jumped up and were like "Holy Crap"!!!!  It was so LOUD!!  And we didn't expect it at all! 
     Hurricane season starts in June and apparently we're due for another big one.  When those come around we're suppose to go to the church and stay there until it's over. 
     This coming July we are getting a new Mission President.  When I met the President and his wife they were so welcoming.  They took us straight in to eat lunch.  It was like a homemade Cafe Rio.  It was way good!  I've had a ton of good meals.  I haven't had one I haven't enjoyed yet.  I haven't talked to any of the missionaries I came out with but maybe I will at Zone Conference, it's on the 8th.
     Say happy birthday to Jenny, Shauna, Robin and Mason for me.  I'll try to email them but just in case I forget tell them for me and tell them that I love them.  I'm sending Megan a card.
     So we have 3 progressing investigators that loved our church when they came to church.  They absolutely loved it!  I can't wait, I'm hoping they stick with it because they did accept our invitation for baptism. 
     Oh, and my first Sunday here we had a couple of black investigators come to Sacrament and we had a musical number.  When it ended this lady jumped up clapping her hands, yelling and saying "AMEN"!  It was pretty funny.  She had no idea we didn't clap after a musical number.
     There are a lot of crazy christians out here.  The other day we were driving and saw two people carrying a cross like Christ did and it said something like "Repent, Jesus comes".  I took a picture and I'll send it when I send the memory card.  I can understand the southern accents fairly well but there are some people who are lazy with their talking.  And I can't understand them at all, it's frustrating, but my companion understands them somehow.  Everyone is really nice out here but you can tell we stick out because we get stared at a lot like they've never seen us before.  Then there are those who know we are Mormons and don't like us.  But they're nice about it.
     Well I get to say that I've been in Alabama now.  We went to the border.  There's also a town called "Why Not" kind of a strange name for a town.  Um, what else?  I know there's tons more I can tell you but I can't think of anything right now.  But I'm loving it!  I'm still a quiet kid and I still have so much to take in and remember.  But I'm still loving it.
     I love you so much mom give loves from me back home.
                                  Love your son

                                       Elder Kerr

P.S.  I definitely want the black indexed compact bible.  You don't need to put my name on it my triple doesn't have my name on it.  It'll just be easier to carry around and it's a lot lighter.  That was awesome to hear about Casey Heslop's call.  When does he go into the MTC?
    

Pumped in Mississippi! Two Baptism dates set!

Dear family,
     Sorry that this letter has taken so long.  I'm beginning my 4th day in the field.  I ended up meeting my trainer around 7:30 on the 2nd day.  I was taken to my Stake area by the Mission Homes big Ford Van and trailer that had also picked us up at the airport. My companion was already there to take me to my actual area.  His name is Elder Blomquist and he's a pretty cool guy, he's from Montana and he's been out for about 7 months.  He's big time into music, graduated in '09 and he played football!
    A little about Meridian.  It's an old small town but our actual area is huge taking in a couple of other small towns.  And because there are only 4 missionaries here we have a car.  So I won't need to buy a bike yet.  There's lots of hills and trees and even bamboo!  There's tons of churches here that aren't LDS.  The people seem really nice here.  We get to eat lunch for free everyday at the hospital because the guy in charge is good friends with my companion and his previous companion.  
     So my 3rd day here was amazing 2/22/2012!  We got 4 new investigators, 3 of them seemed really excited about it.  I gave away 4 more Book of Mormon's.  Did some more tracting, met a girl named Caroline who was our 4th investigator.  It was awesome!  Got to meet the Bishop and his family.  They  have 3 daughters, one is about Megan's age, one is just older than Jared and the other one is in the 5th grade.  Pretty cool family.  I'm already loving it here.  I'm still a little nervous but it's only my 4th day in the field.  Tell you the truth I really can't believe it's Thursday already.
     2/27/2012 -Our ward here is awesome!  There's only 1 ward.  It sucks though because it has about 500 members but about 400 of them are inactive so we only have about 100 show up.  But guess what?!  We have two investigators with baptismal dates already and we could have 3 or 4 more soon.  I'm so excited that we are already going to have some baptisms in my first month here.  We are so pumped that everything is going so good for us! 
     I should be in Meridian for about 3 months.  There is a chance that I could be transfered in 6 weeks but I'll probably stay here for the 3 months getting trained. The members here love the missionaries.  I've already had a lot of awesome meals here in Mississippi and I haven't ran into a bad one yet.  I'm still a quiet guy but this area is pretty awesome!  I miss and love you guys a ton!

                                                              Love your son,

                                                                  Elder Kerr

P.S.  We are moving on the 15th of March to a different apartment so it might be safer to just send any mail to the Mission Office.  It only takes an extra day to get to me but if it gets sent to the wrong address I may not get it at all.  Make sure you don't send any packages Fedex or UPS to the Mission Office because they can't forward them.  They would have to hand deliver them and that could take up to 2 additional weeks.  It's best just to send it through the US Postal Service.  Just don't send it parcel post. Thank you! Love you guys!