WHAT'S UP SUCKAHS?

Life is so, so good.

All right. This has been a crazy week. The summary will be extremely lackluster in comparison.

And the spell checker thing is broke so don’t judge me....

First and foremost thanks to all of you. Mom, Dad, Kate, and Jacob. You all are the best. The rest of you are great too. Thanks Grandpa for the shoes and thanks Grandma for writing me so much. It’s easy to give everything I've got to the Lord when you all are building me up so well.

Alrighty, so I'll try to write quick bc I don’t have too much time and my journal entries have sucked bc I’ve been so busy. My personal studies have completely changed. I used to be teaching doctrines to myself and now I am spending them to prepare to train other missionaries, funny thing is - I know that I learn 10 times as much as they do. 

Monday! We did a lot of driving of the other elders in the zone around. But it’s good to help out. I don’t have stuff to do so it’s a pleasure to help others out with what they have to get done. EJ didn’t like that very much. We were with Elder Bradley for most of the day. Idk if ya’ll remember him, he's the one going to Peru -- well now he's in Peru! Good Luck E Bradley! He flew out Tuesday morning so he got to spend the last day with us before leaving. He's a really good guy and a great elder. Trying real hard to do what’s right and learn what he can. I learned from him about humility. We had a funny visit with a non member today where we all thought she was a member until at the end of the visit she told us she was an investigator. AWkkkkkward. But no biggy. Just another person to try to teach! We also went and visited our investigators from Peru and they talked with E Bradley all about Peru which was good for him. 

Tuesday! We had a visit with an investigator and her son where we talked about baptism. She thinks it’s good but doesn’t want to do it... Then we drove up the mountain to a guarded gate, got a pass, drove for another 10 minutes, went through a gate locked with a code until we got to a members house. It had a courtyard. It was insanely huge. But they were sooo nice. The grandmother shared her testimony with us and it was awesome. Then we drove forever away to dinner. It was kind of a sad experience. The family is struggling a lot and one of the children has really bad mental issues where he hears voices telling him that everyone wants to hurt him and that he needs to run. So he tries to run away all the time and he will get these random paranoia attacks. It's tough. Then we visited Carolina, our super solid investigator. She's so awesome. She's read, she's prayed, and she knows the church is true. At first b4 I got there she didn't care. She didn't want the missionaries to come by. But she softened up a little and as soon as she started reading The Book of Mormon to find out if it’s true. Boom. She got her answer. It just takes a little bit of desire and a little bit of faith. I love the BofM. I love people with real intent. Those who are searching for ways to improve their lives and they look to God for how to do it. 

Wednesday was a great day too. We visited an investigator and then a LA [less active]. He was awesome. He had us sit down and pray for him and then we read a scripture about prayer and he asked how he can have better family prayers with his wife and daughter. So dope. He was soo excited for us to be there. He has real intent too. What a blessing. That night we tried to see another investigator but she was sick so we talked with her LA sister. Also super awesome. She's trying super hard to come back to church and get active because she’s felt the blessings she's missing. I started an exchange with my ZL, Elder Clawson, Wednesday night. He taught me soo much just in that night.

Thursday! It was cool. It was the exchange day with Elder Clawson and district meeting as well. This week I trained on using the Book of Mormon as the keystone of our teaching. Teach the lessons from it, and use it as the primary tool for conversion. When people really know by the power of the Holy Ghost that the BofM is true, they aren’t gonna fall away as easy. So that's our job, to lead them to that point, to invite them to try to see if it’s true. I could have done better. Everyone liked it and it was very spiritual.  Elder Clawson gave me a lot of good suggestions and critiques to make the next one even better. I had a good day. We talked to a lot of people and Elder Clawson taught me so much. I think I bugged him though. I asked for a ridic amount of suggestions and ways to improve. He gave them to me. Which is good. Before corrections and suggestions were hard for me, but now that I'm really truly doing everything I can to be better, BRING EM ON! It's not about me anyway. I'm just a tool. Or trying to be. 

We got a call in the morning from a member saying a family friend just called and wants to be baptized!

Friday! It was a good day. We planned and worked on organizing the area. We talked to a man who preached that miracles are the true source of faith. Main thing of the day - we met Ethan. I don’t have time to tell the whole story, but I will in like 2 years when I get home. We were walking and he called out to us: 

Elders! Hey how are you? Elders, I'm not doing so well. I'm so weighed down by the things of this world. It all hurts so bad, can I walk with you?

Sure! Sure. We're sorry to hear that you are in pain like this. What’s your name?

Ethan

Are you a member, Ethan?

I'm an old member. (He said that kind of weird.) All right let’s walk. (After a few steps he stopped.)  Before I tell you anything I want you to look at these marks on my feet. 

We looked and saw two weird marks on his feet.

Ethan, what happened?

A long time ago some bad people did some bad things to me. They put a stake in me. 

(So we walked and he told us vaguely about all these problems.)

Ethan, have you been praying?

I talk to Heavenly Father every day. I just don’t feel like he's there anymore. This world is so empty.

When was the last time you read The Book of Mormon?

Open it and read to me. (So I did.) I remember when the angel wrote that.  (Then he turns and starts walking. We catch up.) If you want to really know the power of The Book of Mormon read it in the moon light. That’s when God can make the miracles come to life because the moon is out. When its night everything is dark but God still gave us the moon to know that he is there and can always make his power shown.

The dude spoke super poetically and laced with scripture especially Isaiah stuff. It was weird.

kk I’ll finish the story when I get home. Punch line -------------- afhilafhioafiohafiohahilfe jjjjj He thinks he's Jesus. The story is way better in person. I’ll tell it then. It’s too long to type.

Then Friday night we started exchanges with me in Elder Smith’s area. I love him. He is such a stud. He wants to be good so bad. He treated me like I treated Elder Clawson - all respect and all ears. It made me feel good to have him tell me he looks up to me. I look up to him!

Saturday! I was in his English area - we talked a lot and learned a lot from each other about how to do better. A woman tried to seduce us in a street contact outside her house. She told us where she worked and then invited us inside her house. We biked off.  We had a good, good day.

Sunday! Church rocked. A RM [returned missionary] gave a talk about obedience which was stellar. I was happy to have investigators there. We visited some member’s real quick at night. Great day. Great week.

Miracles are real. I've seen them. It just takes a little faith.

I wish I could talk more about them. 

Okay y’all

I love you all so much

Maybe one of these days I’ll get a good email to you wonderful supporters.

Love, 

Sam