A week to Remember.......That Can't be Expressed in Words

Email sent 1 November 2010

Snow! What is that? I've never heard of such a thing.

Ok so this week - Esta semana was probably the most stressful/busy week I have ever had in my life. We have found these two investigators that are huge druggies, well basically there is not a single commandment or any part of a commandment that the two of them are not breaking and breaking badly. And yet they seem to be looking to change. Their circumstances and the lives they have been brought up in make it hard to change because they know nothing different from "the streets" as they call it, but we know this is no excuse for it. I..... and R.... are 18 and 21, and never has "daily contact" been so important before. It is amazing to Sister Morrill and I how much trust they put in us from the moment we met them. On our second visit they were going on about telling us how if anyone ever tries to mess with us, or any other missionary, they will beat them up. While that was nice of them, we assured them there would be no beating-up going on. I..... always says that he hates it when we leave and wishes we could stay all day because he just feels so good when we are there. I think that he can recognize the spirit so strongly because of the stark difference it is from what he feels the rest of his days when he is breaking all the commandments and not living in a way pleasing to God. Because of their seemingly sincere desires to change we having a lesson every day has been possible. But every time we leave a lesson we feel like someone just needs to babysit them for the next 24 hours so they don't do something stupid. The minute we walk out Satan walks back in. The day these two get baptized will be the biggest miralce. We have faith that it can happen, but it is going to take so much work to have it brought to pass.

I wish I could explain to you all of the funny/sad/crazy things that happen with these two, but there is not enough time nor would you understand it all. But here are some quotes from our lessons:

the other night we drove down their street to visit with one of their neighbors. we see them walking across the street, book of mormon in hand. we asked them where they were coming from:

"we were just sitting at the canal, sharing verses, relieving stress."

us: do you know what a prophet is?

"yes, prophets are like.... they're god's soldiers."

talking about weed:

"i'm not addicted to it. i just have to have it every hour on the hour. i can stop it whenever i want."

us: are you both sober right now?

"yes."

5 minutes later:

"i'm sorry, i'm high."

"is it bad to have three girlfriends?"

"wait, you're going back to utah when this is all over? can we come with you?"

"if somebody gives you girls crap, we'll beat their @#$. you're our homies."

"i think that this bible, and the holy bible are the only ones i will ever read." (refering to the BOM)

"can i like.. give you a hug?" (Don't worry we said no)

"wait, we can't do any drugs? what about cocaine? what about chronic? what about xanax? what about virgin mary's?" (the list went on and on, but I didn't know what half the things were and so ya...they can not do them)

"@#$!" (never have I heard so many swear words in my life. But we are training them to stop)

"i feel like.. this big right now (holding his fingers really small). you just dominated me." (this coming from this big tuff streets homie to us 2 little mormon missionaries in dresses. we rock)

"my brother is the anti-christ."

"i just need someone to slap me around."

conversation, telling them not to fight people:

"wait... what about boxing and UFC fighting. is that okay?"

-yeah, you can box. go for it.

"cool, because there's this underground cagefighting that i want to do on weekends. you can get lots of money."

-wait.. is it illegal?

"yes."

-no you can't do it.

"i mean, you mormons are actually legit. walkin' around, rain or snow.. helpin' a thug in need. you don't see any other #$%#rs doing that."

after we made a quit smoking plan:

"can i sign it in blood?"

"i'm in a band now. rap. we flow. we're called mac-town thugs."

"i'm sober today!"

-good job! (high five) i'm so proud!!

"nobody's ever told me that before.."

So if you can see, we have a lot of fun teaching them but we have A LONG WAY to go. They need miracles. They also reaked havoc at the singles ward yesterday. Apparently they were clapping after the hymns and stuff and taking breaks to go outside and take a smoke. Prayer will be our friend. The gospel is the only thing that can change people and it's a good thing that's what we are preaching.

Sorry I didn't have time to tell more. P.S. we had a baptism yesterday. A nine year old named J..... It was beautiful. I love you all. Have fun in the snow. Send some to me.

Love,

Sister Petersen