I love this place. Hahah I don't even know where I am on the map of Louisiana but I'm pretty sure I am in the middle of nowhere. The closest missionaries to Elder Simmons and I are 35 minutes away. So this is definitely something I haven't experienced yet, but I am down in the boonies as they say! But I love it down here.Morgan City and this small little town on the side of a river. I would say it reminds of them classic chick flicks and stuff but I've never seen any of those...Haha kinda like the notebook... All those bayous everywhere and just this small olden style country town. It's awesome I love it!!
So I'll start out with a little about Elder Simmons! He is from a little town in Utah and lives on a dairy farm of about 250 Cows. He loves his cows and horses, and there's not really a word to describe him but Cowboy. He has this little PVC Bull that he made himself that he likes to practice his lasso and roping during free times. It's pretty funny. He is a cool guy and has been out about 10 months. We always just make fun of each other back and forwards and its just a good time. I am way excited for this transfer. It's gonna be good.
Ok we started out the week with P-Day and this was back in the westbank. There is a member that's owns this trampoline place so he hooks up the missionaries. It is called Sector 6. It's pretty cool. Well on the way I noticed that the gas light was on and the tank was pretty low. My comp had been driving and didn't realize. Well we kept going because the gas station was a little further. I started joking with them by pressing on the brakes and pretending like the gas was out. I tricked them all and it was way funny but then I told them I was joking. But less than ten seconds later it for real happened. The power steering went out and the air conditioning stopped and I told them "Yo we are for real out of gas" They all laughed and told me I was stupid and that I was lying... That was when they saw me pushing my foot all the way down and nothing was happening. We somehow rolled for another mile and the car stopped about 100ft from the gas station. It was super funny, we had to make a turn through traffic, so like 5 elders got out and started pushing me into the gas station! It was just a funny experience!
Wednesday was transfers and I was put with Elder Simmons. Like I said, I'm pumped. It is super cool down here. A little about the branch. We have around 30 to 40 come each week and it really is a funny ward. One thing I love down here is that the wards and branches are honestly just big dysfunctional families. Someone will be teaching a lesson and then it'll turn into someone making a comment which offends someone and then it'll just be a fight between the members. It's hilarious being there and just sitting back and watching and then stepping in to fix all the problems! So Since I am Salt/Pepper with Elder Simmons, meaning that I speak Spanish and he is English, I have to do a lot of translating. This first week, I think I have spoken more Spanish than any other area. I don't know why this area is Salt/Pepper but obviously there is a reason that President has. The Spanish here is awesome and I'm excited to find some more people to teach.
On Sunday I translated for sacrament meeting. I was pretty calm until I realized that it was fast and testimony meeting. For those of you that have been to a fast testimony meeting in Louisiana knows that some crazy stuff Is said.. Sometimes hard to understand in English, let alone Spanish.
Well I was sitting there translating and things were going good. Opening prayer, announcements, Sacrament, all going good. First few speakers get up and I am going really good.. And things kept going well.. After about 30 minutes, I started thinking in my head "Wow I have some awesome Spanish, I got this". As soon as I thought that every single little piece of knowledge of Spanish that I had disappeared. It was bad. I quickly said a prayer and apologized and asked that I would be able to speak again and things began to pick up. It was just a neat little learning experience I had! We are nothing without the blessings that we have received. Especially the spirit!! It was a cool little experience!!
So this past week there has been this huge festival here called the Shrimp and Petroleum festival. It's the biggest thing I think that happens in Morgan City. It's super funny! It is exactly what it sounds like a festival about shrimp and petroleum..... Honestly just another reason for some people to drink and party down here. There was a parade that our branch President took us too and we got some classic quotes thrown at us like "Oh. It's the moooormons." and "Like a good neighbor, State farm is here" and then this one guy runs by and is like "Sweettt Outfit duuuude, I'm digging it." Hahah This place is funny. It reminds me of Opelousas but on the edge of a river!!
Love y'all! Have a dope week!
So I'll start out with a little about Elder Simmons! He is from a little town in Utah and lives on a dairy farm of about 250 Cows. He loves his cows and horses, and there's not really a word to describe him but Cowboy. He has this little PVC Bull that he made himself that he likes to practice his lasso and roping during free times. It's pretty funny. He is a cool guy and has been out about 10 months. We always just make fun of each other back and forwards and its just a good time. I am way excited for this transfer. It's gonna be good.
Ok we started out the week with P-Day and this was back in the westbank. There is a member that's owns this trampoline place so he hooks up the missionaries. It is called Sector 6. It's pretty cool. Well on the way I noticed that the gas light was on and the tank was pretty low. My comp had been driving and didn't realize. Well we kept going because the gas station was a little further. I started joking with them by pressing on the brakes and pretending like the gas was out. I tricked them all and it was way funny but then I told them I was joking. But less than ten seconds later it for real happened. The power steering went out and the air conditioning stopped and I told them "Yo we are for real out of gas" They all laughed and told me I was stupid and that I was lying... That was when they saw me pushing my foot all the way down and nothing was happening. We somehow rolled for another mile and the car stopped about 100ft from the gas station. It was super funny, we had to make a turn through traffic, so like 5 elders got out and started pushing me into the gas station! It was just a funny experience!
Wednesday was transfers and I was put with Elder Simmons. Like I said, I'm pumped. It is super cool down here. A little about the branch. We have around 30 to 40 come each week and it really is a funny ward. One thing I love down here is that the wards and branches are honestly just big dysfunctional families. Someone will be teaching a lesson and then it'll turn into someone making a comment which offends someone and then it'll just be a fight between the members. It's hilarious being there and just sitting back and watching and then stepping in to fix all the problems! So Since I am Salt/Pepper with Elder Simmons, meaning that I speak Spanish and he is English, I have to do a lot of translating. This first week, I think I have spoken more Spanish than any other area. I don't know why this area is Salt/Pepper but obviously there is a reason that President has. The Spanish here is awesome and I'm excited to find some more people to teach.
On Sunday I translated for sacrament meeting. I was pretty calm until I realized that it was fast and testimony meeting. For those of you that have been to a fast testimony meeting in Louisiana knows that some crazy stuff Is said.. Sometimes hard to understand in English, let alone Spanish.
Well I was sitting there translating and things were going good. Opening prayer, announcements, Sacrament, all going good. First few speakers get up and I am going really good.. And things kept going well.. After about 30 minutes, I started thinking in my head "Wow I have some awesome Spanish, I got this". As soon as I thought that every single little piece of knowledge of Spanish that I had disappeared. It was bad. I quickly said a prayer and apologized and asked that I would be able to speak again and things began to pick up. It was just a neat little learning experience I had! We are nothing without the blessings that we have received. Especially the spirit!! It was a cool little experience!!
So this past week there has been this huge festival here called the Shrimp and Petroleum festival. It's the biggest thing I think that happens in Morgan City. It's super funny! It is exactly what it sounds like a festival about shrimp and petroleum..... Honestly just another reason for some people to drink and party down here. There was a parade that our branch President took us too and we got some classic quotes thrown at us like "Oh. It's the moooormons." and "Like a good neighbor, State farm is here" and then this one guy runs by and is like "Sweettt Outfit duuuude, I'm digging it." Hahah This place is funny. It reminds me of Opelousas but on the edge of a river!!
Love y'all! Have a dope week!