Yesterday we started talking to a group of people and they were just asking us what we were and why we don't have girlfriends, and then them offering two girls for us to be our girlfriends... that was weird... has happened more than once though haha! As we were talking to them more people start to gather around us. They walk up to the group and just have a blank stare with their jaw dropped. It is a little weird but I'm used to it by now. So after about five minutes of talking to these people we have a big enough group that it starts to block some of the path that we are on! So we decided to leave because they weren't really interested in the "gospel" part of us just the "white person" part. Which sadly happens a lot, but it does help us sometimes get new investigators.
I don't want to call it a problem because that makes it sound all around bad but it is a kind of problem. A ton of people want to talk to us, and we literally can talk to anyone about the gospel and usually get a time with them. But that doesn't mean that they will have the will to change or come to church or even be at their house when they said. Gospel is a big part of peoples' life here, if you don't go to church then you are just a weird person. So when we say to people: we share and teach the gospel of Jesus Christ, how it was lost before and now restored, they actually hear: we teach about the Bible. So people are always very accepting and invite us to teach them. But when we get into their home we go through the first lesson and get to Joseph Smith, they get kind of... weird. I don't know how to put it. Sometimes it goes well but sometimes they are surprised because they didn't really listen when we first talked with them. And then they don't want to learn from us anymore. So we have to really go around and look at the type of person. First we go to men, who usually look like fathers. Second we go for more nicer looking people, meaning nice clothes and such. Then we look for people who call out to us (literally) or who look like they want to learn. And then moms with children and then somewhat younger looking men/boys (16-25 yrs. old). So if we look right then we can actually get promising investigators.
Well I guess I'll tell about Sunday again because that seems to be the only day that amazing things happen. Or maybe that is just the only day that I can remember stuff... Anyway, the theme for the day seemed to be Love/Charity. That happens sometimes, we teach someone about a subject and then feel like we need to teach someone else about the same thing. Of course it is not the exact same scriptures or the order we say things but they are similar. We also sang Love at Home in each time with the families. The first time we taught about love was a mom with her son and daughter. The twelve year old daughter is the only one baptized. And there seems to be contention with all three of them all the time. But hopefully their bond with each other will grow over time as they apply the principles of the gospel.
The second time we taught about love is the one that really affected me the most. It is this family: father, mother, daughter and son. The father is Protestant, who doesn't go to church and just plays soccer all the time, the mother a devout Catholic who is loving and actually might come around to our church, and the 9 year old daughter who loves going to church with the other members that live by, and the 5 year old or something son. We got word from a member that this family is going to split up, the father doesn't do anything to help around the house. From what we have seen he is very, how do I put it, "stoic". He doesn't show his emotions and just comes home to eat. The mother gets annoyed about how much he doesn't do and is fed up with it. The mother is going to move out with the two kids at the end of July and the father is going to move into the same house as his next girlfriend/wife. We found this all out about ten minutes before we went in to teach them. There are about three members that live in the same lot and are kind of "family" come in with us to be present in the lesson. Again teaching about love and charity we were really trying to express that we need the gospel of Jesus Christ to be happy. We need to express love and receive love in order to be eternally happy. Well I started talking about family, and as I always do I started to get emotional. I said that I know that my family is sealed for eternity and that I will see them again after this life. And then I said that sometimes other people can get annoying, especially family. I told them that I always fought with my little sister, because she was so super annoying! But as we grew up and matured a little I decided to humble myself and try not to get into fights. And said that the gospel of Jesus Christ helped with me and my little sister. And now we are the best of friends. And you know what?! It's not fair that I'm an offspring of two big criers! That just makes me an even bigger one!!! So yes, I cried. Smith had to take over and finish the lesson. ANYWAY, the reason why I am sharing this story is not to show that I'm a cry baby or show my sensitive side to the ladies. The reason why, is that at the end the mother was crying a little and the father might have been tearing up a bit also. Along with everyone else besides the 5 yr. old son (but he wasn't listening anyways.) The gospel of Jesus Christ is powerful and infinite. It is literally the source of happiness and joy. It binds forever, which means I am eternally thankful.
Even though we might not show our love for our Heavenly Father all the time through our complete obedience in keeping the commandments, we can through trying. So don't give up and also don't underestimate the power of the atonement. Jesus lives and just like him, we will rise again to live with our Father in Heaven forever.
Love,
Elder Walker
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