My 1st week in Arizona

So this week has been a lot to take in! So I left the MTC on Tuesday morning and flew into Phoenix and then we drove to Gilbert where we had a few orientations and such. Well the next day I received my companion, Elder Ralph! So my zone is right in Gilbert and we are covering two wards.We live in what we call the Honeysuckle Crib. It is like a true apartment area in the corner of probably a million dollar home (i kid you not) It is really nice. We share our apartment with another set of elders who have a car because they cover the singles ward in the area. So we do have access to a car for groceries and things like that. So right now we are in a biking section and it has been pretty fun so far. The hottest it has been so far is like 105 degrees but its not as bad as its sounds, i know its going take some getting used to, but i love it already! 

Oh and for more excitement my companion and I are "white washing" the area. This means that Elder Ralph and I have been sent to an area that we both have not served in, so that means that we kind of have to start from the bottom and go through all the records so we can find all the people who were previously meeting with the missionaries. So we are starting to build up the lists of people to teach! Elder Ralph is a stud though i know that we'll be able to build up our area and it will be awesome! Its all so new but the work is so great! We have been able to find some people to teach this past week though and some are looking really promising! Being in the field is so awesome. 

So yesterday we went to greet everybody at church to get to know the members around here. Members are so important in missionary work they have the "in" in all the wards and neighborhoods. There is some work to do here and i cant wait to find those people! The members feed us dinner every night, so they are so awesome and supportive of us! One of the highlights of the week was going to Freestone Park on Sunday night just to talk to people. Freestone Park is like a big complex with volleyball courts a skate park, soccer fields, baseball fields, and basketball courts. So everybody hangs out around there at night because everything is lit up. Anyways so my comp and I went over to some guys playing basketball on one of the courts and we starting play some "proselyting ball". So we got a game going with some of this guys and it was a pretty cool experience. Elder Ralph's team won but it was all good. After the game we talked to them about how important families are in the gospel. It was a unique experience and i am really looking forward to the rest of the mission. 

"Elder Kestner shared a great message with us and bore his testimony of eternal families" Bishop & Sister Turley

Anyways I love being here in Arizona. I know this is where i am supposed to be and it truly is a blessing to me. The Gospel is real and it can change us if we want it to and if we act in faith. I love you all and hope that all is well! 
Elder Kestner