April 21, 2014

Hey family,

This week has been one to remember, to start the week we had transfers on Tuesday.... and well I got a new companion, but on top of that I am keeping my old comp. We are now the first trio in 6 years..... the reason for that is because Elder Hill still has to finish my training. We all are getting a long, and we are having a ton of fun. Wednesday came, and we had one lesson then hit the streets, we did like over 50 contacts... and only got 2 addresses... this area is so hard, we also walked all the way home after and that is an hour walk. Thursday we had a bunch of lesson and it was a good day

Friday was just a normal day until we went to dinner. The member we were going to lives in a very very poor part of town... so we went there. We walked inside this two bedroom house, the walls made of cardboard and wood, with holes everywhere, and a tin roof, that was not really doing anything because I could see the stars most of the time. We came in and sat in the dirt because they had no table. The mother put out so much food.... like a ton and I didn't know how she paid for it, but it was all there... we started eating, when I noticed that the kids were not eating.. (3 kids) and the mother was not. I asked Elder Hill why they were not... and then he told me this.. he said that the mother doesn't eat lunch for three weeks and the kids don't eat dinner for about a week or more so that she can feed us... I sat there and started to cry. Here I am, I have money, and I cannot eat for one meal, there's food tomorrow, but they don't eat so that we can eat. The look in the kids eyes, of hunger and just sitting there.... I almost couldn't eat more, but the mother made us eat all of it... she said that the blessing she gets from feeding us, is worth all the time going without food. I stop... this was unreal, I tried to give them money but she said she wants the blessing of the Lord, by serving his servants the missionaries... after we were leaving I had some chocolate with me, and I asked the mother if I could give it the kids, and she said yes, and the kids loved it... after we went outside I walked for a little bit and then stopped.... and cried. I am not sure I can do this.... that family went without food so I would be full... I cried.... it was unreal....

After we walked some more, we passed a party that was happening in the area... and when they saw us and they yelled at us.. swearing and stuff and then they threw food and eggs at us.... it was bad... three missionaries in white shirts covered in rotten fruit and eggs, all different colors... and the eggs... holy smoke I swear they froze them.... I have tons of welts now.... it took more three hours to scrub out the tomatoes.... but that day was a change for me... I didn't care that we had food thrown at us... or that I have welts that hurt like crazy, but that a family has that much faith in us the missionaries, the kids loved us, and the food was the best I have ever had. but at a cost, that breaks my heart. The rest of the week was good, lots of work and lots of fun but this week is one to remember