We Heard An AMAZING Story!

SO. Hi, Family!

We found a new investigator this week. Her name is Brenda.  She is really nice and has TONS of questions.  She already has a strong christian background and has seen many a miracles in her life.  I thought for sure she would read the BOM between our last appointment and our visit tonight.  But we called her this morning and she 1)cancelled because she's sick (she said she was going to the doctor's in a few minutes)  and 2) she hasn't read.  She prayed to know if she should read it, but the answer she got was kinda a lecture.  She said that God told her that he had given her so much already that why should she go and read and rely upon a whole new book.  I think we're going to have to work on answers to her prayers. Lol. Not really. We just didn't explain the BOM well enough last time, so we need to go over it again. Some of the things she was saying as reasons not to read were right in line with reasons why she should read. It's funny how that works.

We also heard an AMAZING story. Sorry if it doesn't flow too well. You know how scattered brains work. Lol. So. Get this:

One of our ward missionaries, Brother Seegmiller, comes to our weekly meeting and tells us that he got a phone call from a lady to set up an appointment to come and get pictures of two Indian boys for their missions. (Bro. Seegmiller owns a photography shop and does mission pictures for free).  So these two young men come in and and Bro. S is told this story about their lives.

These two young men were born into the lowest class in India.  They speak a language called Tamel (the upper class speaks Hindi) and as members of this class, they are looked down upon (basically for having bad Karma) by society. So the kids grow up basically in the slums, but then it gets worse.  One of the family members get Leprosy, so the whole family is banned to a leper colony. So now instead of just being "lower class-men", they have become the untouchables.  And for the rest of their life they are sentenced to basically catching rats for food and emptying chamber pots for a few coins.  Not much to aspire to.

So, their mom has no way to feed them and take care of them so she gives them up to the local orphanage.  Fortunately, the owner of the orphanage just so happens to be a member. The boys and the mom get baptized. Time passes. A woman in Mesa hears about them and feels inspired to sponsor them. She flys them to America, and for the past 5 years they've lived here and gotten an education. They turn 19 and 21 and decide to serve missions.

India has only 2 missions and only natives can proselyte. So each got called to different missions in India. However, the boys can't speak Tamel or the upper class-men won't listen or even acknowledge them.  But they can't speak Hindi either because they won't know it well enough even if they learned it as a second language because natives will be able to tell that it isn't their first language.  So what language can they speak without being rejected? ENGLISH!  WOOT! WOOT! In India, english is the sign of an educated person.  And the boys have just spent 5 years in America perfecting the language. Isn't that cool?! I think the boys definitely had some divine interference in their lives!

Ok. So yeah. Good story. 

Guess what?!?!  Today I got to see and handle an original copy of the Book of Mormon!  There is a lady in Mesa who owns an antique book store, and she has this copy of the BOM in a fire-safe box in her store. SO COOL! She is a convert of 50 years.  And we're hoping to be able to teach her sister (who know the BOM is true, but won't commit to baptism because she is an all or nothing kind of person and doesn't want to have a calling...) and so....yeah. She might be our Zeezrom, Eric.

Let's see...

Mom- I love you! I'm glad you are going to lessons with the sisters. Way to be a member missionary! 

Dad- I'm glad the DO BBQ went well!  I want to see the corn in your gardens.  I think it's kinda funny that you are growing corn in such a little space. hehehe...

Eric- Your essay was sooo GOOD!   Did you really sell your motorcycle?  I sure hope so. I mean, I know you looked good and everything, but our stake High counselor here over missionary work lost an eye motorcycling. He had a stick hit him in the face and... yeah... I like to think you are safe. Lol. I am happy you got to go on a writing retreat. How COOL!  Send me more of your writings when you have a few.  I love reading them. They are quite profound. Love you! oh and tell Lindsey Ker I said hi and that I can't remember whose turn it is to write. Lol. That's what happens after long breaks between letters.

Lynz- How are the softball games going? Is your ankle all better? Did you get my letter? Just so you know, I am expecting a letter from you this week. ;-P Write me a story or something if you can't think of anything to write.  I wrote one to my past roommate Mariah.  I didn't have anything to say, so I made something up. Lol. that way it's her turn to write to me. ;-D And don't forget about the memory card.

Ok. I am running out of things to say. All is well. I'm still falling asleep. As always. And faking it sometimes for amusement purposes (no worries, not during lessons. Just zone activities or other random occasions). What can I say?

Oh, Sister Jensen (my roommate in the MTC, who is home now) is getting married. Woot! Woot!  It makes me happy.

Love you!

Me.