“I‘d like to thank my boy “Russell M.’ for putting me in a Rav4 today”

Quote of the week explanation

Something exciting happened in our mission this week. Something that has bolstered the very foundations of our testimonies. This event that I’m referring to is the joy that comes with being in a “test mission”. The church is using us as ginuea pigs, but I haven’t heard anyone complaining. The church, you see, is experimenting with letting missionaries drive larger vehicles (for safety reasons, I presume). Therefore, this last week we had dozens of shiny new 2020 hybrid RAV4s roll into the mission parking lot. We are missionaries making $244 a month, and yet we are in these vehicles. Naturally, there is much excitement in the air at this change. Our district leader being at the forefront of it. He was so giddy that, upon returning home Monday night (the day we received them), he kissed his car goodnight, ran up to his apartment, and called us to enlighten us on the numberless virtues which the vehicle possesses. He uttered the above quotation in that call. As we were driving away from the mission home, we were talking about how glad we were that we are not in one of those missions that uses hands instead of toilet paper...

Howdy ho!

Another crazy week has passed.

Therefore, without any further exercises in wasting time, I’ll get right into the meat.

We dropped Anthony this week. He had stopped progressing, and there really wasn’t much we could help him with unless he acted. He didn’t want to act, so we informed him that we would be “moving on”. It's kind of disappointing, but that’s the way it goes, eh?

We did have an insane thing happen this week, though. Technically, it was the week before, but I didn't want to wright about it then just so we could see where everything went. We found a new person. We were out tracting one night, and while we had spoken with a whole lot of nice people, we hadn’t had much success for the evening. We came to a street corner, looked this way and that, and decided to continue along a certain row of homes. However, after knocking one door, we turn around and see a man struggling to sweep up a big mess of random crap on the street in front of his driveway. We decide to go help him.

I know what you're thinking. We walked over, helped him out, shared a message with him and he's now baptized. 

WRONG!

He told us to go away. He rejected us. He was actually quite rude.

So, not discouraged in the least bit by that failed service attempt, we pressed on along his street, knocking more doors. We had an appointment for later that night, so we came to a house with a bright blue door and said that it would be our last one for the night. We knocked the door, and a few moments after knocking hear a gruff, female voice yell through: “Who is it?!” We introduced ourselves as missionaries, and hear a bit of shuffling going on inside the house before the door cracks open. “What makes you three come all the way over here and visit me?’” Says the woman who answers, in a much gentler voice. We explain what our purpose as missionaries is, and she told us that she literally wouldn't let anyone else in the world come into her house right now, not even her own daughter, but she was going to let us in. Upon entering her home we realize that she is a bit of a hoarder, with random newspapers and stuff crammed into every corner of the room, but she proceeds to tell us a story of how there have been multiple times in her life when she has had prayers directly answered through missionaries from “the Mormon church”, and she had just now been praying to God for help. For Him to show her the way. *Knock knock knock* Enter Elders Rivera, Kendrick and Watts. We have taught her multiple times now, and she is more excited about the Book of Mormon than literally anybody I've ever met in my life. Every time she sees us she tells us that we are perfect angels (she's an African American woman in her seventies) and we've been texting her pretty consistently and she always texts telling us what a blessing from God we are. She is pretty solid. Her name is Mae.

Joan is still on track to be baptized. Her school is crushing her with the workload, but she's still doing good. We will meet with her later tonight, actually. 

Transfers are coming up the week after next, and I genuinely hope that I will remain in this area. The next transfer is bursting with potential to be a special one. I would become... Irate if I had to leave. But, enough of that gab.

I think I will leave it at that. Let you folks get back to your increasingly hectic lives. I just want you to know that I, a dirt poor missionary living in one of the most expensive parts of the country, drive a nicer car than you. And I'm super humble.

-Beh

P.S. There was this one guy that got baptized today in one of the other wards. I’ve taught him a few times on exchanges, and based on what I saw then, I definitely did not think he would progress to baptism. So good for him.

P.P.S. I had a dream last night about eating tostadas and it made me sad when I woke up and I wasn’t actually eating tostadas.

P.P.P.S. I now know what the mystery verse in the Spanish version of “Battle Hymn of the Republic” says.