Hey guys! Hope you’re all doing well. Mission life is weird. I’ve almost been out 6 months which is wild. The world just keeps on moving. All my siblings are getting big too. I’m going to come back to literally a different family. I was talking to my old pal Peter on the phone, the youngest of my siblings who is almost two. I didn’t even know the kid could speak english, but upon asking him how he was doing he responded with “go away”. Ouch. Not only am I getting rejected by the people we’re teaching but my own family doesn’t want to see me. Haha just kidding. But yea our mission schedule has been goin kinda nutso lately and I don’t understand why we’re having so many Tuesday P-days but yea.
Angry/Insecure Couple
Crazy Party!!!
Tweakers
Benediction
Angry/Insecure Couple
I never thought this day would come but I’m officially starting to lose motivation in putting effort into these emails haha. They told me that 6 months in it would get hard and I didn’t believe them but yea it’s tough. But yea some interesting stuff went down this week. I was doing some facebook finding and this chick completely raged at me for literally just sending “hi” to her and she said her boyfriend is super mad at me too. This lady looked like she was in her 50’s and her and her boyfriend got all mad at me for saying “hi” and offering service. Anyways she started swearing at me and going off about how I was harassing her so I was just like “sorry hope you have a good day” and ignored her. Then I got a text from her boyfriend over facebook raging at me for messaging his girlfriend. Like bruh I’m not cushin’ on your woman. She’s not even cute. I’m 18 and she’s gotta be like 50. Plus I’m a missionary. Anyways, that was kind of annoying. That’s got to be a super unstable relationship if this dude literally flips at me reaching out and saying hi. Then it got even more intense because our bishop texted us and was like “hey do you (whatserbucket)?”. So apparently this chick was still rage full at me messaging her and was complaining to one of her co-workers or something who’s a member who told the bishop. Anyways it was all just pretty dumb. Some people haha.
Crazy Church Party!!!
Also this week we had a fantastic idea. We decided we’d do a “movie night” at the church and invite everybody we’re teaching to watch a spiritual church movie. We didn’t want to totally specify that it was a church movie so we just said “we’re watching a church movie”. Anyways one dude was like “what movie is it”, and I said “The Wondrous Adventures of Elders Wride and Powell: the sequel”. That actually got him excited and he was like “okay sweet what time” and then I was like “Jk it’s a movie about Jesus” and he ghosted us after that. We invited like 20 or so people and got popcorn and stuff. Well, guess what? Nobody showed up! It was heartbreaking but also funny. I wasn’t surprised. Anyways so I took a picture of our empty church room with all the empty chairs and sent it to a group chat with some people we’re teaching and was like “hey we ended up having a few extra seats! Feel free to stop by!”. Even with my charming sense of humor nobody came. Anyways a super bomb member named Brother Shaffer came to watch it with us and we watched “the Testaments” with him. So that was cool.
Tweakers
But yea you guys a ton of stuff went down this week but I don’t have the time or motivation to talk about all of it. I guess one more thing I can tell you about is “tweakers”. So “tweakers” are what people use to call “crackheads”. They are everywhere here in Paris. Anyways, for some reason, I have a deep fascination with tweakers haha. A good chunk of our teaching pool are tweakers. They are just so funny. So we talk to a lot of tweakers, and I think we may have just become super tight with the king tweaker. We were driving around the other day and I smile and wave at everybody I can, including all tweakers. Anyways so we were stopping by a lady we’re teachings place to say hi, and apparently this dope tweaker who I had waved at a while ago lives right above her. So he saw us and said he wanted to hear our message. When we talked to him he was like “yea man I saw you wave at me and I thought ‘nobody here smiles and waves at people...they must be the latter-day saints!’”. So that was cool! We were about to teach him the restoration but some other tweakers came up and he said we had to dip but we got his contact information. He also told us that he runs the hood around here and to let him know if anyone gives us any trouble. One of the other guys who came in saw us and was like “I know Joseph Smith!” and in my head I was like “ye whatever man” and then he was like “It was just his birthday!”, which was true! Joseph Smith’s birthday was on the 23rd of Dec.. But yea these guys are awesome. One of them gave me a hug on our way out. Man the gospel is so good! Anyways, it was great to talk to these guys. It’s honestly a lot easier in a lot of ways to teach those who have a lot of trials. They are humble and more willing to listen. And I’ve always just loved talking to people who are kinda odd I guess. I remember drivin around with Elder P before the mission and we saw this homeless dude with his thumb out asking for a ride and I was like “bruh lets give him a ride somewhere”. I just love talking to these interesting people. Sometimes it gets scary haha, but it’s always turned out good. When we were talking to this dude I was looking for the spirit to tell me if we should dip or not but I just felt peace. I know that he is a child of God, with divine potential. He just doesn’t know it yet. But hopefully we’ll help him get there. He also was telling us that there’s some portals around this town that lead to different dimensions and stuff and I was just like “yooo what!?” so he told us where one of the portals was. We stopped by there last night but have yet to see the portal. He also told us that he believes in a “Star God” who spits out stars. So that was cool! I was honestly super interested in his message. But yea we’re gonna see him again this week and talk more. I’m super excited for it.
Benediction
Aight now for something spiritual! So like I said last week it’s been a struggle lately. Just feel like I was called to serve and then I come out here and get wrecked and see nothing good come from it. But this week during lunch Elder Powell was watching a video on his phone. It’s a parable of this guy who God asks to go and push a giant rock. The guy every day goes out and pushes on the rock with all of his might. Long story short, after several months of pushing the rock all day, nothing happens. The rock doesn’t move. The guy complains to God, saying how he is a failure and how he has pushed the rock all day every day and nothing has happened. Then God tells him, “I asked you to push the rock. Not once did I ask you to move it. It is my job to move the rock.”. I had major spiritual vibes when I heard this, because it is literally me. God has asked me to come and push the rock, or invite others to come unto Christ. Nowhere in our purpose as missionaries does it say that our success is measured by baptisms. That is God’s job. Nothing I do will convert anyone. It’s the power of God and the Holy Ghost that converts people to the Gospel. I’m just the messenger. Anyways, hearing that really hit me. I have been called to push the rock, and God’s job is to move it. So yea I’m feeling a lot better about it know. If I go out and push the rock all day, I am fulfilling my purpose. It may never move, but I will become super strong from pushing it. I will become swol. Side note, I need some major motivation when it comes to working out if you guys wanna send some prayers in my behalf. Our scale here is broken so I haven’t checked my weight for a fat minute and I’m kind of terrified to. But yea I want to get swol but have no motivation. But yea there ya go.
One more spiritual thought: the Book of Mormon is true you guys! Go read it please. I remember reading some of my older brother Joe’s emails while he was on his mission and he’d be like “read the Book of Mormon!” and I’d be like “ye whatever bro” and I’d just play more on hooda math/poptropica. But now I have such a greater understanding of the importance of doing it. Please please please go read that blue book. It is true. It’s purpose is to make you happy, and heal your soul. Like it says in Jacob 2:8-
“And it supposeth me that they have come up hither to hear the pleasing word of God, yea, the word which healeth the wounded soul.”
The Book of Mormon will heal your soul. Why? Because it’s God’s word. Joseph Smith was a prophet. I honestly get teary eyed every time I think about that man. What a legend. He did so much for this Gospel and for all our personal benefit. Let’s not waste that sacrifice. And of course, more importantly, let’s not waste the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, the center of all things.
I hope you guys had a great Christmas and are able to see clearly how true this gospel really is. Everything about life points back to the savior! Everything!
Alright I’m done now. Go ahead and email me if you want. Sorry that I haven’t been the best at responding. I’ll go through right now and try to respond to people I forgot to haha.
Have a good week fellas! The church is true!
-Elder Wride
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