You know, there's not many places in the world like LA. In fact, I would daresay it is like its own little world. I can't even describe how many different types of people there are in this city. And I get the privelege of talking to a lot of them! It's pretty awesome.
I talked last week about my ward. This week I was able to get to know a lot of them more. I'm serious when I say I have never been in such a financially diverse ward! Ever. It's pretty amazing. I really am being humbled more and more every single day.
LA is awesome you know why? It's a melting pot of the world. We have Dr.90210 coming in to the VC yesterday (literally. He's a member... brought his family in. I think his suit was a million dollars) and then we have Latinos who have hardly anything coming in. Speaking of Latinos, I gave my first
Spanish tour yesterday. Believe it or not, I really am learning Spanish. I love it. Of course I'm sort of retarded sometimes, but I am told I am picking it up quite well... We'll see in a year and a half or so if I am fluent. You bet your bottom dollar I will be. Anyways.
It's amazing how many different people there are in this city. I tracted into a woman this week who grew up in foster homes, her teeth were sitting on her coffee table, her kids are both pregnant and one wants to abort, and she had a huge bowl filled with ashes on her table. OH and she had frogs EVERYWHERE. Not real ones, statues and such. It was really awesome when I said "Do you like frogs?" to get in the door. If you're wondering if it worked, it did. She was really against the church and said she hadn't prayed since she was a kid and that God has forgotten her. Broke my heart! I asked if we could pray. She agreed. It was a neat experience. It's really amazing to realize that God loves all of his children so much. It's US that forget HIM. Never the other way around.
A woman came into the VC this week who had no hair. Of course I asked if she was on chemo. She wasn't. She had a hair-pulling disorder. She had pulled most of her hair out. We had a really good talk about beauty and what it really means. This woman was BEAUTIFUL. And Bald. And wore it with
confidence. She said she used to wear a wig, but that her grandkids didn't like it because "It didn't look like Grandma". Touching story.
I gave a tour to a man who is from Greece. He is 23 brothers and sisters, the oldest one being 108 years old. True story. I couldn't understand a word the man was saying, so it was a good thing his wife was there to translate. Can you imagine?! 23 BROTHERS AND SISTERS! What in the world?!
I had a really sweet experience with a spanish family a couple days ago. I gave them a tour in spanish with the help of another sister. We watched "God's Plan for His Family" together and then talked about it afterwards. The man, who is the bishop of his ward, was talking to Sister Cass and I and he kept motioning to me and was very emotional. Later, Sister Cass told me that he said that "even though she only knows a little spanish, i knew everything she was trying to say through the spirit." Ladies and gentleman, the gift of tongues. No but really, it was such a testimony builder to me that the Spirit can communicate WAY better than we can. It's such an amazing gift we are blessed with.
Funny story. I took an african american man on a tour last week who wasn't a member but was way interested in the history of the church and stuff. We watched the Joseph Smith movie and, even though I had taught him beforehand all about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon for about an hour, he leaned back to me during it and said "true story?". Wow. He wants the missionaries over now, so I guess something was working cause apparently what I was saying wasn't quite hitting it.
I tracted into a woman who was driving Michael Jackson's old range rover. We had a really good discussion about religion and then I sang "I am a child of god" for her and her son. It was a neat experience. I told all the other missionaries that "we practically rode in Michael Jacksons old car." Nothing wrong with embellishing from time to time :)
We have an investigator named Daniel. We have a couple who all live in sober living and they are so awesome. Daniel is really progressing and it has been such an honor to teach him. These people have seen so much heartache, and it's mostly because of the choices they have made in their lives. Danielwent to church for the first time yesterday and he "liked it". Ha. He's a 20 year old kid but he is really trying to find God. It's so amazing to see someone with so much hardness slowly become soft.
Well those are my stories for the week. I think this week I really learned that every single person has something to offer. In the christus presentation, Christ says (as well as in the scriptures) "My father has many mansions... I go to prepare a place for you" and today I was thinking about how that promise applies to EVERYONE! All walks of life, people with problems, hard times... everyone can have eternal life if they want it. Christ's arms are always open for us, we just have to receive his offering. I'm so grateful that I get to learn and grow through teaching other people what I know is true. I love the Gospel of Jesus Christ and I know he is my Savior. Con Dios, Nada es imposible! (That's my favorite phrase right now. Mostly applying to me learning espanol). I love you all! Keep the letters coming :)
Sista Brink
No comments:
Post a Comment