Week #53 Letter

Hey,

So today is Tuesday and I'm sending the email today as I have my year anniversary temple trip today! I hit a year on Sept 30 though but still awesome to go to the temple! But as you saw in the subject, we had a week of service with 16 hours of service each for Elder Johnson and I. The only days we didn't do service were Monday and Thursday. 

8-29-16

"First rule of magic. Always be the smartest guy in the room." Our day was boring and then successful. We had studies and then emailed at Elder Roland's and Stoker's apartment until we went to the church for haircuts. Then we hung around the church until I was starving enough to go home and eat. I had no money to go eat out so we just went home and hung around and rested. Then after preparation day we went to visit a referral and they lived in a tight community. Everyone came up to us and asked who we were and the people guiding us were announcing to everyone who we were as well. Lots of seeds! And we got to the apartment and were able to teach the referral and set up a return appointment. Then we picked up brother Thompson to go visit brother Gurreck but we get there to find an annoyed landlord. Apparently brother Gurreck left with out any say or good bye. Packed his things and left. Ok then. So we dropped off brother Thompson and went to go see the Forbes. Were able to talk to their daughter thats in the navy for a bit then talk with Cruz and Candy. Then we headed home after that. Good day! 

8-30-16

"I know more about casino security than anyone. I invented it!" It was a good day. I liked today. We had service and we got to do insulation. I'm pretty sure I breathed in some as I was coughing uncontrollably for a while there but I'm good now. No worries. We had to go at noon to go to some lessons. We got cleaned up and ate lunch. But none of the lessons happened. Bummer. But we were able to talk to some people. Then we got ready and packed for our exchanges with the zone leaders later today. We then left and had to go to a house they were at in Richmond Hill to pick them up and then take them to their apartment to change and then to the church. I'm with Elder Wixom, my first District Leader. We went with the Young Men/Young Women for a bit to talk to them about talking to strangers on the street about the church. They have a mini mission this weekend and this was to help prepare them for it. Then we taught English class and had an audio skype lesson. Then headed home! Love exchanges:) 

8-31-16

"Drink your prune juice, grandma!" It was a fun exchange with the zone leaders! We had our studies in the morning and then had lunch. We got ready for service activities and went to the park. We trimmed some flowers and watered them. After that, we went to the church and got the car, went to their apartment and packed up our stuff into it. Then drove to another house to do yard work in. That was harder as it had thorns and crazy amounts of bugs going through it. But the best part was she gave us all Burger King for dinner. Then we took the zone leaders home and headed home our selves. We got changed at the church still smelling horrible but we went to a lesson but they lady had to cancel for tonight but is excited to talk to us about what she read in the Book of Mormon! That's cool to hear. Then visited Babatunde and he is doing better. He just got a job where he had to work last Sunday but normally he doesn't have to work Sundays. Visited the Dures and then got ice cream from Baskin Robins as it is the cheap day for the scoops. Headed home after that. 

9-1-16

"Wake me up when September ends." Well today was about average. It's how it goes every week on district meeting day. The only thing was it rained cats and dogs! We studied and got ready. We picked up Elder Roland and Stoker and went to a lesson first with them sitting in the car for a bit. We had a few minutes but not enough time for a formal lesson so we set up another time to go by. Then we went to district meeting. It was a good one and learned a few things. Then we ate lunch at home and went to a lesson with Iderle. It rained just as we pulled up so we walked through the Hudson river down the road and Lake Tahoe to get to her house. We were soaked after our 30 second journey from the car. But it was a good lesson. We got another date now for baptism. September 18. 2 days before transfers. Then we ate dinner and went to Inwood to go to a lesson but they weren't home so we knocked around for a bit and then went to the auto part store to get a new headlight for the car. Installed it and then went to the SIddoway's to see Thomas. We ended up giving him a blessing as he just broke his hand from football practice. Bummer. That ended our night. 

9-2-16

"This is not a game, no. Nobody can save you. Spent up all your change, and, now your turn is done." We are continuing the week of service with after our personal study and companionship study, we went to help Sister Siddoway paint her home. We got two walls done but the paint wasn't right or it was old. Something happened to the paint where it just ran down the walls and wiped right off after it was drying. So the sisters took the paint back and we left to go do missionary work and we went and did look ups and referral contacting of those that are only available on fridays. Then we went to Edwin's home for dinner but he forgot this time and so she ended up chatting and then going and getting Little Caesar's Pizza for dinner. Then we went to Inwood to knock but couldn't find a place I haven't knocked yet so we stopped by a potential investigators home for our lesson but she was resting. Then went and contacted by the church until the end of the night.  

9-3-16

"I hear, tell that you be looking for a crew, Jackie."

"Well if enough people keep saying it, it must be true." 

We are continuing on with our week of service. Most of this service this week wasn't planned for either. But today during studies we were trying to determine how we were going to help this lady next week that has been in contact with us to help her since the beginning of July so we didn't want to totally abandon her next week with our crazy schedule so we wanted to do it today. We went over with elders roland and stoker and we went through the house that has been sitting here since Hurricane Sandy. It's been a long time and smelled so bad at some points I had multiple gag reflexes. But we got most of it put in garbage bags as all of it gets thrown away since it so old. That made it nice. Then she gave us money to go out to eat for dinner. We went to this nice place she told us to go to and she gave us a lot of money so we spent most of what she gave us. The rest we will give back to her Wednesday when we go back and finish it. But the other big news for the day is we got a call from the assistants this morning about hurricane Hermine that hit Florida and is moving up the coast. They said to prepare for evacuation if it comes to that and to prepare the district. We also are to get plenty of food and water to last us. So we spent some of prime time preparing all of that as we are supposed to get hit tomorrow night through Tuesday. So that is our day in a nutshell. We also visited with Iderle at night. 

9-4-16

"Gus, don't be a gooy, chocolate chip cookie." We had church today! We got there and did the sacrament program and then sacrament started and we had 13 there at the beginning and ended with 21. We are getting lower by the week. But this was Labor Day weekend so hopefully next week will be better. After church, we did tithing and then took the sacrament to sister Harvey and studies until dinner. After dinner, we went knocking and looked up people from our previous knocking times to see if anyone is interested still or read the Book of Mormon but no luck. Then looked up a woman in Inwood but nothing. Then contacted by the church until the end of the night. Then made calls to the district. Super basic day.

Well we had 21 at sacrament but Iderle came to church so she is progressing again! Her baptismal date is Sept 18 now, so less than 2 weeks away and it may or may not be 2 days before I get transferred out. Transfers are the 20th so we want to get her baptized before I leave, if I do. I don't want to leave but this is my 4th transfer here. Babatunde also came to church for a bit which was good to see him there as well. It was just a nice day at church to see everyone there. But then again, not everyone as there was 21 people with 6 missionaries, 2 imports, and 2 investigators. So we had 11 members in total there. 

Here are the pictures:

Service of painting at the Siddoway's