Dear Family & Friends,
We've decided to jettison our investigators who cancel appointments (when we ALWAYS call to remind them the day before). We've even walked with members to appointments. We taught 4 lessons for the whole of last week! A weekly goal for a companionship is usually 20 (which isn't always easy)! Our District Leader knows that we're not the kind of missionaries to hang out or nap. We're out from 11:00 am after study and working until (9:00pm) with one hour for lunch and another hour for dinner.
We pretty much called Uber after walking in the 'mad' humidity, and getting rejected by his rude friend, our purpose for arriving being that he had told us that he would be there for the lesson at 1:00, and said to him that when he finally has time he can give us a call.
We dropped Raul too. We may drop Esperanza.
Luis Rios cancelled on us for Sunday at 8:00 am and didn't arrive to attend church; Julian and Felipa are occupied with work in Queens, etc....
However, we fortunately have arranged appointments for next week with people we've 'fearlessed' on the street. 'Fearlessing' is when you contact people by talking to them about the Gospel. It certainly requires being fearless.
Fearlessing is usually done anywhere! In the Subway (classic) surrounded by people everywhere, on the bus, on the street, in apartment buildings, etc...
We fearlessed two familes. One of them, I fearlessed yesterday, and managed to obtain her number, address, etc... We have an appointment on Wednesday. The others, we have an appointment on Saturday.
It was completely different working in Long Island in contrast to not having a car and working in the city. Instead of being at appointments in 15 minutes with a car, in the city you must talk to people everywhere because it often takes 30 minutes to 45 minutes to reach appointments and literally thousands of people are available to you.
I couldn't fearless when I first arrived here in Brooklyn. It's one of the skills many city missionarieshave. I wasn't much of a city missionary then....but it took a lot of practice. I didn't mind at first knocking and talking to people! That was easy! The reason being, if you talk to somebody on the bus or on the train, people are staring at you and watching everything that you say!
It helps also to bear your testimony often and promise blessings....you will feel greater desire and will learn how to make promises to God....that your family can live together beyond the grave!
I can't say that I'm that good but I try to be very sincere.
People also become interested by the distribution of English Class fliers. We teach English classes for free on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday at 7:00 pm.
Our day to teach them is on Thursday. It's fun! I learn a lot and my Spanish has become much more fluent!
Raphael and Carmen are going to be married on July 2nd...then, Raphael will be baptized the next day!
I'm going to see if I can visit them for the baptism because I'd taught Raphael for a while. Elder Leal and I baptized their children.
I can't wait until they're married in the temple....in a year! It's difficult to believe that I'll still be on my mission. There's no doubt that I'll be there for that! It certainly would be a fulfillment of my mission.
This girl that Elder Leal and I also taught was baptized. Her name was GG.
Because both the District Leader, Elder Tyrell, and my companion, Elder Figgat, and Sister McEwen are all dying in the middle of next transfer....I'm probably going to be companions with Elder Davis and we'll probably have to split the area here in Brooklyn somehow. I don't know. I highly doubt that either Elder Davis or I would be transferred yet! I've been here for almost 6 months! I love the area though! I love it! I simply can't wait until we FINALLY baptize somebody here! We're trying really hard! President Nelson told me that he was proud of what I was doing. I'm glad! I hope that if anything, I can be trusted.
After here, I'd prefer to serve in the City still....although, I wouldn't mind returning back to the Island....but I certainly would prefer to go to Bushwick or Ridgewood(upper Brooklyn), Woodside, Rego Park, Richmond Hill, Jamaica, or Flushing (in Queens), or to Staten Island!
What am I talking about?!! I've still got lots of time!
Speaking of Staten Island! We took the Staten Island Ferry from Battery Park, Manhattan to Staten Island, passing by the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island! I want to go back soon! It was a blast!
There's this site on the tip of Staten Island that has Two gigantic stone envelopes pointing directly to the site of the World Trade Center (now the Freedom Tower-under construction). In between the envelopes are the names and PROFILES in stone of the firefighters, police and other workers who perished in the disaster in 9/11 who were from Staten Island. Very solemn and reverent memorial...especially when one can see their faces.
The Staten Island ferry is completely free and I would love you guys to come after the mission! Especially if I serve in Staten Island (my companion's previous area was Staten Island).
Also, we visited the New York Transit Museum gift shop! It's in the middle of this abandoned Subway! They have really neat shirts. I'll have to go back next week when I have money to buy one! Happy Father's Day!
Love you! I'll talk to you next week! Bye!
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