Another day

Hey y'all last week was crazy busy so I didn't get to send out an email but I'll try my best to talk about my last two weeks. First we got to baptize Imare last week and it was pretty sweet! I only got to teach her two of the lessons though because I just got here but it was still cool to witness. We've been knocking doors a lot and I keep having to learn not to laugh out loud when people shut the door in our face mid sentence. But other than that we've had some success and I've met some really nice people who have been inviting us to come back and teach them more.

One funny thing that's happened is when we were eating at a mexican restaurant and I got up to go to the bathroom and my companion told the workers it was my birthday even though my birthdays not even until next month. So I came out of the bathroom and the whole restaurant started singing to me and a sombrero got slapped on the top of my head and I was so confused what was going on. But the fried ice cream was real good so it was worth the confusion.

I've had so many good spiritual experiences these past weeks that I don't even know what to say or how to explain them. But one thing I've learned is that when hard times come it really just means that great times are right around the corner, and that theres always a light at the end of the tunnel no matter where we are in life. I'm not trying to sound like Bob Ross or anything but a good way to put it is that life is an empty canvas and if we just be patient and let the lord help us paint it, we can create something amazing out of it no matter how little materials we have, as long as we live with the hope that everything will be alright.

Richmond

Hey y'all I didn't get to email you guys last week because I was traveling. But that week was my last week in the MTC and I was actually very sad to leave surprisingly. I got really close to everyone in my district within 3 weeks and it was bitter sweet to see everyone branch out to different parts of the country for 2 years. When I got to virginia, I met my mission president and his family and they're some really caring people. I also first noticed how many trees there are out here in virginia lol. But anyways I met my new companion elder Lamont (which is a cool dude). We went to Walmart first thing and as I was getting my cart some dude with a mini afro walks in and says "d*mn I bet y'all pull a lotta b***hes with them white shirts!!" and laughed and walked off lol. So that was fun😂

I wont get into huge detail about my days but I love the ward I'm in and they love missionaries so we've been eating at members houses everynight. It makes me feel less homesick when we go to the members houses because they make us feel like home when we're visiting them. We've done tracting and all the people so far have been really polite, which kinda threw me off because I expected people to be mean to us. But I'm not gonna jinx myself because my companion Lamont told me a few stories that ended up with a gun pointed right at his face😂 We scared the crap out of one lady who was walking out of her front door as we were walking up to knock on her door and she screamed and also scared the crap out of us too but it was pretty funny lol. We also talked to a guy who basically told us he's doing crack and that he's plotting something no good, but told us not to worry because we're safe which is pretty sketchy. He also told us he doesn't need the lord rn and that he's mad at him but that he respects us and wants us to keep coming over to talk on his porch. So me and my comp agreed to just keep checking in on him every now and then bc we can tell he's a great guy who's just going through some things and just needs people to talk to. On the bright side, we already have a baptism coming up this Saturdayand me and my comp are hyped about that.

I've had my ups and downs throughout the week, but overall I'm really glad to be here. I'm already starting to grow as a person being independent and I like the area I'm in. Everyone has an accent here so I wouldn't be surprised If I start slowly picking it up anytime soon and came back with it. But yeah most the members here are sweet and they all have the same sarcastic sense of humor as me so I get along with them all really well haha. I cant wait to get to know more people out here.

I'm sorry if I sound very blunt when I talk in these emails, but it's very hard to cram everything that happens in a week inside of one email, but I'm working on my enthusiasm😂 I want you all to know once again, that you are all loved and that theres somebody out there who will always be there for you no matter what you do, and that if you reach out to him he will listen to you and give you answers that you need. I hope you guys are all enjoying life over there and also feel free to send me messages throughout the week! I'll try to reply to them today or the next Monday.

Live Maas

2nd week down

Hey ya'll it's already my last week in the MTC before i go out into the field. It's been a pretty decent week overall except for the few times i've gotten stressed. Me and my district get along really well and it sucks that I already have to leave them in a week. My district has some of the nicest guys I've ever met including my companion. He's a really patient and humble guy and he's put up with me pretty well so far lol. Last week I was feeling really stressed one night and I asked him for a priesthood blessing and he gave me one. I couldn't explain how, but I went to bad that night sleeping like a baby feeling a lot less worried. And ever since I've gotten that blessing, I haven't felt near as worried as I was. I'm glad I have access to recieve blessings in my life.

I've already learned a lot while i've been here at the MTC. Like I said last week, I've been gaining a lot of social skills but I've also learned that I'm gaining a better tolerance of dealing with people and bad  situations. Well, I don't really know what else to say for this week. It's mostly just been the same routine for me everyday and I've just been having fun with my roommates and district. I'm sure I'll have a lot more to say in the next email when I fly out to virginia. But for now I want all of you to know that you're very loved and I wish you guys the best this week.

Live Maas

First week down

First week downnn

Hey y'all I'm not sure what to say for my first email out lol, But it's for sure been a week of ups and downs. I got paired with the best district so we all like to mess around and get work done at the same time. I'm already good friends with all of them and its only been about a week, I'm kinda sad that I already have to leave to the east coast in 2 weeks because I actually surprisingly like being here. I've been so busy that time has just flown by, it felt like I arrived here two days ago lol. 

The classes here are mostly interactive so I've gotten really used to talking to people all day and just talking to random people whenever I want, rather than being shy like I normally am. The food here Is also surprisingly good versus what I was told by people before I got here, yesterday i had chicken waffles and I ended up eating like 3 of them lol. But anyways its pretty cool being in an area surrounded by people who are going through the same thing and being able to relate with them.

Sorry there's been so many things that have happened this week I cant write them all down at once in an email! I promise I'll try to talk more in the next ones.

Live maas

Also there's a random cat that randomly shows up to our door sometimes so here's some pictures of that😂