WEEK -48 -Pot cakes

So, I'll go ahead and spill right now. This week was busy, and exciting, but there isn't anything totally stand-outish to share. So, I figure I'll share a bit about the food and people and geography about the area! Partly because I think it will be fun, and partly because my mom has been asking me about that.

So, first of all, the Geography. I am officially INSIDE the beltway here in Annandale, so the fast pace I used to talk about? Faster. It's INSANE here! Everybody seems to work 12+ hours a day, so we have to really haul in the evenings after a full day of work. It's always exciting having that huge rush after the day! It makes you really ready for bed once you hit the pillow.

Annandale is home to Annandale high, which is where Mark Hamil graduated. You might know Mark Hamil for his role as Luke Skywalker in Star Wars.

Annandale is also home to a huge population of natives from Korea and Sierra Leone. There is also a large Spanish population, which means I now know a few phrases in Spanish so I can effectively gage interest and collect contact information for the Spanish Elders.

Another funny thing is people out here seem to love chrome (real chrome, not the internet browser). It's all over people's cars! haha

Food in Annandale is pretty much as you'd expect. Some American, some Korean, and a nice mix of everything since we're here in the D.C. area. Then there's the missionary's favorite haunt: Cafe Rio. The hope every time we go is that we're there the same time as a member, They like to support the cause  J

Food in the apartment, however, is an adventure...! Most of my companions have had a few favorite meals that we eat a lot of, but two of my companions in particular have been eating adventures. The first was Elder N in Vienna. We decided to save money and not shop for a few weeks so we could clean out the cluttered shelves in the apartment. We made some creative stuff! Including, but not limited to many various types of pasta, a dinner pie (like a chicken pot pie) and handfulls of dried apples.

Now, I'm with Elder P, and we're just getting creative for the sake of getting creative. Elder P and I pretty much had the exact same childhood. Just change the name of some of our friends and the dates of events and you're set. We're like the exact same person almost haha. We look a little different though. If you'd like to see a picture of Elder P, watch the first bit of "UP" and you got it. He's been given nicknames such as "Elder Up" and "Mr. Fredrickson." when he's young though ;) haha not the old guy.... he's a great companion

As we cook together, we've made some crazy stuff. The two weirdest were a Mac & Cheese/Pork & Beans Burrito... and Potcakes... Potcakes are pancakes, but made in a pot and without a spatula. It was a total adventure!

As important as food is though, it's spiritual food that we're on missions for, and in addition to gorging our faces, we also serve as a chef for others, and in D.C. South, we've been cooking! We got an email from President Riggs this week with lots of info on all the miracles and conversion that is going on out here. The Work is picking up, and it's amazing to see and be a part of. :)

Love you all! Talk to you next week.

-Matthew