Week Sixty Three

This week was full of lots and lots of finding. We had a couple of days planned out with lessons, but they decided to bail. We got to go on a more formal exchange with the Lawrence Elders. Last time we went on one with them, their city was on fire. (see here)

Also transfers rolled around and I'm staying in Revere another transfer with Elder Solo. So that makes my 2nd 3 transfer comp. Also Elder McCormick was training a visa waiter who got his visa and shipped out on Sunday. So we drove up to Manchester with them, dropped off his companion, and I got stuck into my 4th trio of the mission so far. The second one with Elder McCormick! (also known as Elder Spice)  So we've been having a blast the last couple of days. I've served around him for a loooooong time now. We've seen a lot happen on our missions, and we always have a good time reminiscing. 

I also had some food called garnachas for the first time this week, and my life has been changed. I thought papusas were life changing, but I was wrong. This Guatemalan lady from the Lynn ward just cheffed up 15 to each of us Elders. I thought it was wayyy too much at the beginning, but by the end I had to hold myself back from asking for more. 

Anyways I'm excited to stay for another transfer in Boston, and hope I never have to leave this place. I've learned a lot about people, and I'm very grateful for how good we have it out west where I live. Also fall is almost in full swing, and the trees are very pretty out here. I get distracted while I'm driving just looking at them. Just like those trees Satan will tempt you in the same way. Keep your eyes on the road (or the straight and narrow), and you won't fall off the road and have a car accident. 

Enjoy my words of wisdom, and have a good week! 

Week Sixty Two

This week was really awesome! 

We baptized Michael, and confirmed him yesterday. We're seeing many miracles out here in this blessed area. I'll share my favorite one from this area so far!

So we were in Lynn, and it was about 7:20, and we were walking around talking to as many people as we could. I was really hungry because we didn't have any dinner appointments, and since Elder Solomon is trying to cut some weight he didn't want to take a dinner hour. Well we were walking, and this guy happened to cross the street as we were walking straight, and I started a conversation with him and he spoke no English. So I asked him if he wanted a Book of Mormon in Spanish, and he was down. I didn't have a Spanish copy though so we asked if we could have some Spanish Elders deliver it to him. (This is all in broken Spanish btw.) We asked where his house was, and he tried telling us in Spanish, and we had no idea what he was saying. So he pointed way down the road and a cross the street to some white building. After a lot of confused Spanish talk he basically beckons us to follow him. So we walked with him kinda in silence for awhile. We got to his apartment building, and he knocked on his door, and his daughter opened it up. He walked in, and told us to come in. He pulled out some chairs, and literally in front of us there was the Dominican Republic classic dish. Some steak, beans, rice and a giant avocado. He told us to eat, and got us some plates. He told us his family had already finished dinner, but he hadn't had any yet, so he ate with us. Well, I got an idea to call the Spanish Elders. Luckily they picked up, and explained who we were, and taught him all about the Book of Mormon. He was all amazed. So we were showing him the pictures in the front while the Spanish Elders taught about it. They set up an appointment for the next day. We showed him a Mormon message in Spanish, and prayed with him. He walked us all the way out of the complex, gave us some bro hugs, and we were on our way. This strengthened my testimony that the Lord really does watch out for his people. The Spanish Elders went over yesterday, and he accepted a baptismal invitation too! At the end of the meeting the Elders said he stopped them, and with a gleam of hope in his eyes asked when us English elders were coming back😂😂 so we will probably pop in every once in a while with Spanish videos. Cool guy, I'll update you if anything awesome happens from it.

Anyways it was a good week, and I got to go on exchanges with Elder Spice. It brought back some good times serving up in the North woods. 

Have a good week y'all! 

Week Sixty One

There were a lot of random things that happened this week. 

I got chased by a Islamic dude in robes in the city of Lynn while on exchanges with an Elder from Billerica. It all started out when we were sitting in the car, and we saw him sitting on some steps. I was like "we should give a Book of Mormon to that dude", at this point we didn't really see his robes. So we walked out of the car, and up to him, and he started yelling at us saying something about how our nations are falling, and his will be Supreme. Then some random special Cambodian dude who was sitting next to him was like "Why are you wearing that hat?" to this guy, and the guy went off on some tangent about his hat when the Cambodian guy was like "Take off the stupid hat!" then they started arguing and we thought we could make a breakaway at that point. So we start walking and this dude runs and grabs a long coat to put over his long robe, and starts running after us. Then the chase ensued😂😂 We made it around the block and back to the car, but our key fob is broken so I had to unlock it manually, and get in, and unlock the other door, and by the time the other Elder got in the car the dude had grabbed his arm, but he slammed the car door shut, and I took off into some traffic. I got a pamphlet from him though.

Same night I gave some Buddhist guy an Asian banana and he gave me a candle from Salem that calls upon spirits. So I tossed that thing. It was a good exchange though. We got a lot of teaching and finding in! 

I had the opportunity to interview a man named Jesus for baptism. Somehow an hour and 20 minutes flew by. We talked about repentance, and the atonement, and he told me some great stories about his life. After we were through he really wanted me to come to his baptism this next week, but I told him the chances were pretty slim. I'll get the pics of it though, and send them next week.

Its been a good week. We've been using the phrase gird up your loins a lot recently for some reason. We said it at a members house, and he asked us if we even knew what it meant. I was like " yeah it means get to work" he told me I was correct but then he showed me a step by step picture on how to physically gird up your loins. So pretty much I wish we all proselyted in robes, so I could gird up my loins on the daily. Anyways, everyone gird up your loins and get to work! 

Zone Conference

Week Sixty

Well this week was going fantastic until the city of Lawrence decided to blow up! In our zone we have two companionships working down there, and when it happened we got a call from one of them telling us that it literally looked like Sodom and Gomorrah outside.  President Blair texted us and had us call him. He had us make plans for the Elders to stay with us, and another set. So the week got even better when we got to blitz our amazing area for the second half of it!! Both sets are fine, and they are back in their areas.

This week we put in some hard work. We did a lot of walking and a lot of talking. We saw some cool miracles this week, and ended up setting 3 dates for baptism. I'll film a video of one of the people we are teaching and let him tell you his story soon. This same investigator showed up to the church for a lesson at 8:30 and he brought a few friends with him. We were glad they came, but kinda confused. So we greeted them, and chatted for a bit. Long story short, our investigator Taylor thought he was getting baptized and brought his friends to come watch!  We had a lesson by the font and taught all of them the Restoration. It worked out great and he decided he wanted to be baptized in the ocean. So we will see what happens. 

Speaking of the ocean.... we had a really fun p day at Nahant Beach this week! We played a bunch of sports, and Elder Spice taught me how to play domino's. It was a great way to end an awesome week, and I'm excited for the next! 

 I found my brother Harambe. Gone but never forgotten.

This food truck is BOMB! 

 

Salem, MA

Week Fifty Nine

This week flew by, I can't believe its the second p day in September! 

The mission is doing great! This Wednesday it hit 100 degrees again, but yesterday the high was like 62. So my body doesn't know what to think of all this weather. It makes for great conversation starters on the street though. I love the people out here though. We've been doing a lot of work in Chelsea the past couple of nights, and we don't know any Spanish. I saw some guy with a sick cowboy hat, and I asked in spanglish if I could wear his Sombrero. It felt great. I showed him the picture of me in a Sombrero I keep in my wallet at all times, and he chuckled and ran inside to grab some waters for us. Anyways I just got sidetracked.

This week I went on exchanges with a brand spanking new missionary and showed him the ropes. Whenever I have a newer missionary with me I like to go crazy street contacting. Let's just say we ended up in a lot of interesting places. If you have read these consistently you'd know I always find myself in weird situations though. The highlight of the weird places we got into was a random Haitian Pentecostal church.

I don't have much else to report on, but we are seeing a lot of progression with our investigators. I taught the best law of chastity lesson on my mission so far with Elder Burger, the new missionary to a lil 70 year old dude. 

The mission is good, and life is good. 

Lynn is an artsy city now. 

Some pics at Nahant and Revere Beach.

Late night in Chelsea.

Week Fifty Eight

This week was a hot one. For some reason, I think there may be an unwritten law of the universe, but I believe that whenever it is very cold, or very hot, people I'm teaching decide to bail on appointments. So of course, because it was mucho hot this week, I had the privilege to walk the streets in the midst of the heat. I'm not complaining though, because I know it's about to get cold real quick. New England is awesome!

Looking back on the week I don't remember too much besides walking and teaching. While we were walking through the fire and brimstone of Lynn, we bumped into one of the most interesting dudes I've ever met. He said everyone called him the godfather. He was sitting in a black corvette, shirt off, smoking a cigar, and he was listening to that Andre guy that sings really good. We struck up a conversation, and we covered a lot of subjects. He's not interested in the gospel but took a Book of Mormon to compare it to the Bible.

We teach a lot of Africans, and last week we got invited to an African barbecue. Needless to say... It was a party. We knew a few of the people that showed up, and by the time we had to leave we had integrated ourselves into the African community. They had a dj, and like 5 grills going all at once. They were partying away listening to some music from the Congo. Shout out to Liberia though, out of all of the food there, the Liberian stuff was the best.

Anyways the work is going amazing out here, and we are looking forward to see what the rest of the month has to offer. We are working hard, and looking for people that are prepared to receive the gospel. In the city, it seems like there are people prepared around every corner. I'm glad I learned how to work hard in Colebrook, because I would hate to see an area with as much potential as this one be wasted. Good week though, and I'm looking forward to the next! 

Byeeee.

 A picture of a moon some random dude we talked to on the beach took a few nights ago.

 The Godfather

 Shout out to Rockland!

We found a Costco in our area, yes!