25 March 2009

Hi family! Things are great. We too had stake conference and Elder Robbins of the seventy came to speak to us. We had a great New member/LA/Investigator meeting before it. Missionary work is great here. Yesterday we had the opportunity of helping Javier install floorboards in the house and then we found out he got a job offer in Montana, and he's driving up there today to check it out. We may not get to finish teaching him, but he will get baptized, he's so ready for it and we're excited. As for the bikes, my new bike is a conversion bike, a mix between a mountain and road bike, and it has 28" wheels, so it moves pretty fast... I really liked the old one, but this one probably moves more quickly, because the tires are suited for pavement. We on a lazy day will bike about ten miles, so we really do a lot of it. So when does dad start at the Dental School?? If you move, you should get a house with a pool! :) So the weather here is sooo weird! One day its 25 and the next day its 70. We're expecting snow tomorrow night and Friday. :( Oh well. I got to go on exchanges with the Zone Leaders and District Leaders the past week, and it was awesome to see the difference in drive and energy and passion for the work. It made me work harder since. I am exhausted!

Weird Story:
So last week we were shopping at Wal-Mart. This old lady pulls up next to us in a electric scooter. We hear this screechy voice from below "Are you LDS missionaries?" We say, "Yes ma'am we are." She tells us that she'd like us to give her a blessing, and of course we tell her we'd love to! She then proceeds to say, "Follow me..." We're confused, as I'm holding my planner to get her address. She gets to the dressing rooms, and we're thinking uh-oh this isn't looking good. She then proceeds to say, "I need a private room so me and these boys can do something private." We have the piercing stares of 10 Wal-Mart workers staring right through us and we both instinctually shrug our shoulders. We then tell her, Ma'am, I don't think this is the best place to give you a blessing. She says, maybe you're right and zooms out into the main aisle, she says, "I know, how about the family restroom." Oh my. I say, "I'm sorry ma'am, we can't give you a blessing inside Wal-Mart. Where do you live? Can we come and give you a blessing at your house." She says, "All I want is a blessing, I'm sorry you can't help, I'll just call my home teacher or something, Thanks for nothing." That has to be the single most awkward situation I have ever been in in my life!

I love the people out here though. They are so willing to help out with missionary work. We went out to dinner with a Recent Convert on Monday, and he took us to Chili's and before we could say anything, he had three appetizers on the way. We had a wonderful dinner, and afterwards, he took us to Dairy Queen and I got a Mint Oreo Blizzard. He is a pretty well off single guy and he would do anything for the missionaries. After we got new bikes, he had heard about the situation, didnt know we got new bikes yet, and offered to pay out of his pocket for them. It's way humbling to see these people, and their love for the gospel and their gratitude, and love for the missionaries. He says next time we're going to Olive Garden.

Well I love you guys! I miss talking to you every night, but I know I'm doing a great thing, and I am really growing to love this city. (They call it a larger city out here, but its really not big at all... lol) Well I have to go and write my letter to the president.

Love ya,
Tom