Well, Probably one of my newest most favorite saying from down here is "Ya heaaarrd me?"It goes like this. Someone is talking to you. They mention something in sort of a question form and they are looking for approval. They follow up with Ya Heeaarddd Me? You know what I'm saying??
That's how it goes. I love it.
This week was a pretty cool week. P-Day was good. We got to go to a trampoline park down here. There is a member that owns a few trampoline parks and he HOOKS the missionaries up. As missionaries you definitely do get access to some pretty cool hookups. It was combined zones and so I got to see a lot of the other missionaries that I hadn't seen in a little while. It was a good time.
The week went on and we seemed to have a lot of good successes. This week we were very successful in terms of less-actives. We were able to see many less-actives that we haven't seen in a good second. It was pretty cool seeing some of them. SO the main struggle we face here in La Place is that there are a Bunch of Spanish Speakers but little amounts of Spanish speakers in the ward. It is quite hard for Spanish speaking investigators to feel comfortable in a white ward. Especially when they can't speak there language. So that is kind of what we are trying to combat right now.
As for Spanish, It's definitely improving.. These past few months I have seen a growth and increase in my abilities that I can't help but thank God for all the growth. For real it is unreal how much it has increased. Knowing another language is such a sweet blessing. It will definitely help me out in years to come..
Ok So Story time..
Yesterday we had an investigator who told us she was sitting out the front of Walmart signing people up for free swim lessons. (The One who sends photos sometimes.) So she tells us to stop by. We went for a little and talked to her to see how she was doing. Well almost as soon as we arrived, this man from mexico came up to us and even as he was walking towards us I did not feel it was going to be good. He throws a flyer in my face and then starts throwing all these ideas at me and quoting scriptures in the bible..In Spanish remember... I just let him speak and then directed the conversation just back to him and his family and how he liked it here.. Just super basic things. Well he asks me the same.. You know, How old are you, Where are you from? Do I like it here... Well he asks me and then before I even answered he started throwing more things at me.. I just waited until he paused and told him that I was from Chihuahua Mexico. He just stares at me blankly and I then told him that I have only been here four years and actually just got my green card and I love it here.
He was quiet. I told him who we were and then he didn't say anything and left... It was pretty funny. I don't know which part he didn't believe.... that I was from Chihuahua Mexico, or that I just got my Green Card..
Minutes later this big black man shows up. he was my height and he just looked the NBA build. I saw his shirt said Jazz on it..It was a nice polo shirt and So I asked him. "You coach the Jazz don't you?"
He said "Yeah, I'm the assistant coach."
Well I asked about who he had played for back in the years. He told me Cavs, Pacers, Spurs, Suns... I was pumped.. Then He tells me his name is Mike Sanders.. Yep...He then asks me this..
"Sooo... What's your name young Blake.?"
Hahah It was a good time.
The other day something cool happened.. Well another missionary who is going home in the next few weeks brought me his bike. There is a man in our apartment complex who recently got out of jail in the past few weeks. He has no car, no job, and really no transportation. Well, I fixed up my bike a little bit and took it to his door.I knocked and he answered.
I put the bike in his hands and said, "You were looking for a bike weren't you??"
He said "Man, I've been praying that i'd have the money for a bike. I didn't think when I woke up today there would be one on my door."
He grabbed the bike and gave me a big hug. He had the biggest smile on his face. That was definitely one of the cooler experiences on my mission. Nothing is better than that true smile of happiness. He then expressed how he wants to do bible study with us and get back into the book. It was sweet!
Well, That's what I got for you this week!
Love y'all and hope all the best! Until Next Week Players.
Elder Whitmarsh
or... Elder Griffin as they say down here.