4/1/13

(I'll spare you Elder Molnar's April Fool's joke!)

 

Hi Dad:

 

Easter Sunday was pretty dope. I'll write about Easter or holy week in my letter to mom. No one really knows what Easter is, just holy week. But yeah, we had a pretty good turn out. Last week was hard and only had 3 less actives came to church, and no investies. But I've been praying hard and we've been doing work. We had like 10 less actives come and 6 investies yesterday. My new comp is way dope! We're both pretty new in the mission and so we're not super good at the language and teaching yet, but I love it cause it forces us to do more and learn faster. It's the best having two white kids. We talk to everyone and everyone loves us so we've been finding a ton of new people to teach. So yeah, Taggy's coming along. but yeah thanks dad!

 

Hi Mom:

 

This week was way dope! Holy Week here is insane. So there are churches here that believe to be forgiven of your sins, you have to be crucified like Jesus.. Personally I prefer the Atonement.. But they put on kinda like a play of Christ's death, and so we stopped by to watch one. I saw this guy walking on his knees up this hill with a shirt over his head while whipping himself. His back was so jacked and bloody. I also saw this old guy get crucified, although they decided last minute to just tie him to the cross. I guess getting crucified is bad for your health?? But I guess the night before they had a guy get nailed to a cross. Also, it's a big honor for their families if they die doing it, so often people will hang themselves or do something like that. And the whole time there are sooooo many people, kids and families around taking pictures and stuff. Also, these people brought this girl in who was passed out and said her spirit was on a journey looking for Jesus. They did this weird stuff and started freaking out at people saying that demons can change bodies. After a while two other girls passed out, and we saw these priests try to cast demons out of these girls.. I hope you're all grateful for our church.

Hmm, what else before i change to a happier note? We were riding this jeepney and we hit this like 14 year old boy on a scooter who had a girl riding on the back. We smacked them way hard and the mirror of the jeepney dropped the kids way hard. The jeep driver was ticked cause his mirror broke and the kids were too young to drive. The kids managed to limp out of the street and the jeep driver made the kids pay him for his mirror, and we drove off. Yeah...it's a little different here.

We found this new crazy guy who lives by us. He talked to us forever about carrots. I can't remember if I said this already. He said how carrots are the only vegetable you can cook that turns into salami. Haha!  The other day we saw him walking in the middle of the highway talking to a block of ice like a phone. We gave him a Book of Mormon and asked him to read it, he said he would...blindfolded. Guess that's easier for him. Haha, but I guess he gave away the book to a cop. Oh well...

So, being two white kids walking around is the best. We talk to everyone and have found so many new people to teach. we just act like 2 stupid Americans who always get lost. Haha, works so well. But one lady we found is a less active. So, we went to teach her the other day and taught her husband who is our new investigator. He's way dope. He's a drummer for a band and wants to come to church soon, but their friend Don was there. I was talking to him and he said this guy in our ward gave him a Book of  Mormon and he has been reading it. So, I talked to the guy at church yesterday cause he mentioned a guy a while back who he wanted to give a Book of Mormon too. So he did, and then while me and my comp were out, we just happened to find this guy and start teaching him. Dope huh? I can't even tell you how many little experiences I've had lately where we just happen to be in the right place at the right time.

Also, just little thought from my personal study: This week, I've been studying the Christlike attribute of knowledge. Obviously we gain knowledge from studying the word of God. In 2 Nephi 32:1-5, I've read this a million times, but something else stood out to me this time, it mentions "why do ye ponder these things in your heart?" It got me thinking. Why do I study for 3 hours everyday? What's my intention? Is it 'cause it's a commandment, or because I don't wanna be a hypocrite when I tell the people I teach to read? Of course verse 3 mentions how the words of Christ will tell you all things what you should do. So I've been researching this since I have no idea what to do now for some stubborn investies and less actives we have. I've also connected this to hope which is basically trusting and expecting God to fulfill his promises. Keyword, "expecting." My branch counselor at the MTC once mentioned, "you will do more good for your family by serving a mission than you would if you were home trying to help them." And in D&C 1:30 I think, it mentions how the God's voice and the voice of his servants is the same. I guess my little thought that I want to get across is that that I've been working on is.. God will fulfill his promises if we do our part. But we need to really study and ponder the scriptures and the Lord will tell us all things that we should do. 

Looooove ya!