Ok
so this week was really good. I'll start off with new years, because
it was sweet. On new years everyone was busy, and so we mostly walked
around from house to house to see which of our investigators or
members would let us in so we could stop walking. It would be sweet
if we had bikes, but we can't have bikes or white girls in the
mission, because they would get stolen, so we just walked in the heat
all day. On the bright side, my forearms and part of my neck
(collared shirt) are tan now. So I heard that there was snow in
Temecula, I'm glad you guys got to enjoy that. I'm pretty jealous,
but then again people that live in the cold want the heat. And we've
got that here so maybe I'm the lucky one? So for news years here, the
people make dummies and fill them with explosives and stuff and then
at midnight they light them! It's so cool. And during the day on new
years, the put their dummy in the street, and block off the streets
and don't let the cars pass until they give them money.l AND (yes
there's more) they dress up as old widows while begging for money so
it's super funny. So we've got kids and teenagers, dressed up as old
women, roping off the streets and asking for change, to buy fireworks
to fill their life size dummy, so they can blow it up at midnight!
It's an awesome tradition if you ask me. The other tradition is that
everyone gets super drunk. Like waaaay drunk. so our neighbors
started drinking new years eve (everyone is in the street, no one's
inside) and they were still outside drinking at 12 pm the next day,
and at 3 and at 5 and then everyone was outside drinking again the
night of the first. A lot of people drank for like 24 hours straight
it was ridiculous. They must have amazing livers here. So, the 1st
had a lot of walking too. We had to go home early on the first so we
borrowed some board games from a member and bought some coke. Then we
sat on the balcony listening to the blasting music that was playing
in the street, and watched kids blow stuff up. It was cool.
So
this week I read an amazing talk by president Monson "see others
as they may become". It talks about how we need to remember the
potential that everyone has. We might only see they problems and
flaws when we look at people (or investigators or ward members) but
everyone has the ability to change. I've been trying hard this week
to not count people out because of the problems they currently have.
After having so many investigators not get baptized, I started seeing
the problems that some of these people have, and I would lose faith
in them. I would doubt that they would progress or make the necessary
changes. But thankfully, God didn't give up on me even though I was
making that mistake. He let me stay out here, and I learned and
changed. And everyone has the chance to learn and change and come
unto Christ. That's why it's so important that we are out here
teaching them how to do it. I've felt a difference ever since
changing that perspective, and I have faith that these people here
will progress and make the changes they need to come unto Christ. I'm
starting to see people as they may become, and I'm starting to love
them more and want to help them achieve their potential.
That's
all for our show, but tune in next week for a report on the war with
ants.
Love
you guys. Enjoy the cold for me,
Love
Elder Downing
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