Hey Mom! April
3, 2017
This week:
Hanging with John, mountain routes, back to city, and good
ole' Joe!
Well, hearing about Makayla's pregnancy didn't throw me for
a curve-ball as much as I thought it would. If anything, it was more like a
fast-ball.
When do you get to go to Ireland? That will be a fun trip,
glad you're getting some local tips from the senior RM's, but I'm certain you
and Brooke will have a great time! I guess Brooke always has connections of
some kind that get her places. I wonder where she, or you both, will go next?
Coulee Dam is holding up well. Which is good, otherwise
we're probably dead. But the work is going well too!
The past week was definitely amazing as far as action and
variety goes. On Tuesday we were doing some tracting in Nespelem, the Colville
reservation. For the overall feeling of the day, mixed with the clouds, things seemed
pretty dull. The folks we did talk too were kind and welcoming though, and at
one point we got to share a brief thought with an elderly man and his brother.
But what was funny was that while walking back down the street, we crossed
paths with a certain man named John, who was clearly blazed. Still, he was
about and started talking to us, and I guess he was the "tough" guy
of the town or something, because he said we could go with him around to see
some guys he knew. He also asked if we were thirsty or anything, and I said
water would be nice. So we walk up to a random door and he knocks once and then
enters, us trailing him. Turns out it was his sister's home, and while we were
talking to his sister, he came back with a beer-cup full of water. Meh, works.
While drinking it his aunt(?) came out from her room and scolded him for
letting us in with him, and also that he was allowing me to drink part of his
booze. We assured her it was just water, which still didn't calm her agitation.
That's when his cousin arrived and joined our group, and before leaving he
passed what looked like a couple grams of weed to his sister like it was a
grocery delivery.
Anyway, we tagged with him for only a few more doors, all or
which were family that he thought needed " a saving message." In the
end, we along with his cousin had a small freestyle-rap session with another
one of his bros, and for the first time in the whole mission I finally got to
drop a few rhymes for some street-cred. Thank you, CCSD, for teaching me how to
speak around friendly hoodlums. Don't worry I didn't condescend to their level
of language.
After that incident there wasn't too many other exciting
things going down. At one point Saitman and I decided we'd try by Keller, a
super small town that is only accessible by ferry or super small dirt roads.
Well, the ferry's out of commission, so we decided to go for a brief trail
ride. Only problem was 7 or so miles up into the hills later the signs
disappeared and the road started to fork. Classic. Eventually we got out by
backtracking, but one of these days I'd like to go back up there to see where
those old dirt roads lead to in the mountains! Or...maybe I don't. Either way,
when we got back to the Colville Indian Agency (a small town near the start of
the trails), we noticed a small housing community we never had seen before.
Knocked a few doors to not much avail. We decided to come back sometime.
Thursday's temple trip was amazing! It was the first small
temple I've ever been too, but a temple nonetheless. Turns out the temple
president was Greg's former mission president! Asked him if he knew a certain
Elder Cox, and he only had good things to say about him! The session was
lovely, and the spirit was very abundant. I had some good impressions that the
Temple is where I need to be when that time comes, so I think I'll start
spending more time serving there when I return. On the way back, for the first
time in 2 years, we got to go to Costco with the member who took us. Bro.
Foster only had to get a few doggy items, but I finally got to quench the great
soft-served-swirl drought that has been lingering for a while now. As a matter
of fact, like Tri-cities, going to Spokane was stepping back into a city. Which
was weird. Really weird. But nice as well!
General conference was great too! And yes, I loved the talk
that was pointed towards the investigators. I also loved Elder Renlunds and all
of Elder Eyring's addresses too! Grateful for prophets and apostles, what can I
say? Gospel's got to be revealed some way or another. Afterwards, we got to go
back to the housing development mentioned earlier, and while knocking doors, we
were able to set up a return appointment with a fellow interested in family
history, prayers will help! And then we knocked on a door, and a fellow named
Joe stepped out, and he was drunk. It was hard getting anything through to him,
but after he rambled for a little bit, he actually let us in! He was watching
the North Carolina and Oregon game, and after talking to him a little bit about
the game and the final four, he actually asked for stuff to read! So we gave
him a Book of Mormon with a Restoration pamphlet, and he said he'd leave them
for his Mom, who lives with him. Unconventional, but you know, the Lord has a
way of getting things across to people. I got a good hunch this will come to
something!
Yeah, it was a funny week. I guess another small little
moment of sentiment was having a dog tract with us whenever we went out. That
was nice! A lot of travel later, and here we are again. But I'm always happy to
hear from you guys every week. I do hope that you have a wonderful week, dear
Mom. Please congratulate Makayla and Wyatt (if she said yes) for me! Wow, feel
like Fiddler on the Roof already, time seems to pass super slowly but also super
quickly as well. Cool to see how the Gospel of Jesus Christ outlives it all. He
does live, and I'm super glad to represent Him now. I don't think there's any
other thing I'd be doing right now. I guess it's my calling after all, but it's
cool to see it be your life. Really changes a lot about you. I'll be doing a
better job trying to see people how Christ sees them.
Phew, long email! But it was a good week. Thanks again for
all you guys do and have done to help out. Love you all!
Michael
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