To the loving people of the Thunderbird Ward:
Howdy!
My dad probably will have a hard time reading this due to my handwirting . . . but that is his problem!
Washington is . . . well, it's wet - go figure! The people here are crazy but I like them.
So for you all who haven't read my blog I'll give you a brief summary of my experiences.
I've:
*met 5-10 instance of psychotic people (yet to really teach any though)
*been defended by a drunk guy
*have seen 3 nude people
*had a break down
*baptized an ex-communist
*been a chili cook-off judge
*been a therapist
*helped plan a wedding
*been stranded at a church
*lost seven comrades to the Federal Way Mission plus some to temptation and another because
of a surgery.
*watched guys change into good men
*had companions turn into supervisors
*seen people change 180 degrees and some people stay the same
*given a companion a breakdown due to him trying to fix my problems
*been a senior companion in Tacoma (Stadium)
I'm sure I have missed lots of things but I can't remember them all right now.
So, I've been meaning to write this letter for awhile but due to being busy and rules I haven't had much of a chance. It has been 9 months - holy cow!
I guess I've wanted to say how much I miss you all. I've seen a lot of wards due to constantly being transferred. I've never stayed in an area for more than 9 weeks, but I think I'm here in Tacoma (Stadium area) for a while. I've seen some great wards with amazing programs and I've seen wards that were pretty distant. It's made me realize (well, technically I already knew) and further appreciate how wonderful the Thunderbird Ward is.
I've received several letters from you all, off hand a special shoutout to the Nilsens, Brother Case, Sister Sneddon that seem to write me frequently. There are several others but again my mind doesn't always work and I am sure I'll remember after I write this letter and it will be late to thank you personally. Just know that your letters give me the strength to continue and help me to feel loved. I think about you all, all the time. I miss seeing your faces, I miss Autry and drinking Jones' soda pop from him. I miss Bro. Nilsen, I bet he is still working as hard as ever! I miss Bishop Jorgensen - I'm sure he is still driving around in his Jag, delivering pies to my family. Sometimes it feels like I will never be back home again, but I know logically I'll be back again. If I didn't personally thank you for letters you've sent, I apologize, I'm trying to remember everyone and my mind is a blank, which is kind of normal for me, ha ha ha.
Being a missionary and doing this work is a challenge of a lifetime. I hope that I will be able to continue to help others during my time here. I hope to introduce them to the blessings of the Gospel.
Love,
Elder J Smart
Tuesday, November 26, 2013
Thursday, November 21, 2013
Letter #31
Let's start off with the fact we lost a missionary.... elder duchess.... okay I can't actually spell his name its like dudcheslkajvlfj
but it sounds like (DOO-CHES)... transfer before last (when I was in Lakewood) he went home for back surgery and came back the last one.... at the end he stood up and gave his final testimony, it was a shock because I didn't know he was going home... he came out with us... he LOVED being out here.... I told him I wished we coulda traded bodies, so he could be BIG and I could be small (as far as doing the work.)... we were all pretty bummed.
Elder Sabian went home! my mind was actually kinda blown.... only me and Anderson are left.... major (went home) died forever ago and now sabain. its crazy.
he gave his final testimony, and I could tell he had changed, unlike several of the other missionaries who faked like they had been obedient, he was open and gave his testimony of the atonement and gave warning to others not to follow in his mistakes... I was moved, I plan on emailing him pretty soon.
so.... we have a lot of people we are working with, some of their situations are very sketchy, but know that they are being worked with, however ALOT of it has been messing with my anxiety BIG time. so we visited sister dicjose, she absolutely LOVES playing skipbo, she's a friggin card shark! my favorite experience so far with her was we were playing and I played a card that made it so that Tomlinson could play his (which is a bad thing) and she points that out and I being sheepish say "I had to get to 5 SOMEHOW" so we keep playing, then tomlison plays a bunch of cards... or maybe it was sister dicjose... anyway I'm like "naaaaaw -facedesk-" and she looks up at me and says. "well he had to get to eleven SOMEHOW" it took me a moment to realize it, but then I laughed she's a clever ol' gal! she always says that skipbo is a great stress releaver.
so the other day we came by to visit. (she thought we had both switched out, she only really remembered Williams.) But we went over and she said she had a question but she didn't think she could ask it and looked away rather coyly.
.. I then asked her if she wanted to play a game of skipbo to which she lit up and quickly agreed. you shoulda seen her, she's been really lonely and being over there (especially with this whole betty thing) has been a GREAT stress reliever, which is why we went back several days later which made her just as happy)
I've beene struggling really hard with the anxiety and boarderline depression I've been under, BUT for the first time ever I forgot about P-day I'd been so consumed trying to help Betty that I forgot all about it.
it has been the craziest of my life... so remember that referral the A.P.'s gave me? Rosa? ... they gave me another one.
Her name is Betty Sorensen... she is in a very very BAD situation...
she lives in a rough part of town. She fell off a balcony four stories and now is full of 7 pounds of titanium.... that was years ago and her body is STILL messed up... but that's not the bad part... the bad part I have spent trying to help and fix with everything that I have and can as a missionary. At first after hearing her situation we feared she may have been trying to con us or that she was freakishly paranoid.. but she's too smart to be crazy, (her house decorating skills are FREAKISHLY nice) and we had brother torrella come by and he clarified her sanity.... so since then... we have had kinda a spooky experience with her so far... but she needs help, and if me and my companion can help it we will help her, THANKFULLY the ward is trying to help her the best they can, I've had to tell her to NOT do somethings (like let any of these horrible people into her house.) and there is lots of hope because she is reading the book of Mormon... I cannot even begin to tell you what this experience is like....
I love and miss all of you, I hope Christmas will be okay.. and I hope I can help Betty.
OH! I forgot to talk about Tomlinson!!! he's okay, everyone kept telling me he's Australian and that he's funny and energetic, LIES! ALL LIES!!!... okay so YES TECHINCALLY he's from Australia but he's only lived there for six years, he ORIGINALLY Lived in whenamucka Nevada! and... we'll he's been kinda bummed about leaving port townsmen, he is kinda restless too, so far during my time being lead, I've had us knock in the wrong area, got caught double knocking the centrylink guys and have dragged him into a crazy service job. he's alright I'll make sure to get a picture of him sometime. I missed getting a picture of jones, I'll have to find him on facebook - well you all will have to! I don't do facebook... you know that! well that's all I got for now I love and miss you guys.
Love,
Elder J Smart
Letter to Joshua's Dad:
Dad, your a little late, first off, I MADE OUR GOAL OF TEN THIS WEEK!!!!! no.. no I didn't we did ONE MORE THAN THAT!!! we have a good couple of people we work with... actually things have gotten CRAZY!!!!!
we have one investigator whom has taken a WHOLE LOT of her time... her situation is really bad, you'll hear about it a bit in the blog letter, we also have other people who have to be on hold kinda due to their circumstances...
I hope I can help betty out.... there is ALOT of pressure I've had to hold up it kinda feel like on my own sometimes, but Tomlinson is WAAAAY more helpful, my studies are still kinda lame but I'm working as hard as I can to get things going, I get nervous a lot and my anxiety is waaay off the charts... but I'm still pulling through, the ward is helping with her hopefully we will only need to worry about teaching her and getting her friends in the church to help her and support her... wow, this has all been so crazy X.X... I'm actually kinda starting to like Tacoma! its crazy and messed up and dark... .but maybe I'll pull through, I'll be honest though I think home will be WAAAY more comfortable than this..... and hopefully thhings will get better in other areas too.
thanks for the love dad, I gotta write the blog letter now- OH! I also sent a letter to the ward! that will be fun ^^,
hopefully I can try all that WITHOUT a car but I'll see what happens... I actually like your advice waaaay better than what other missionaries give. I'm tired of the whole "watac" baptism obsession, but I'm working on relaxing and trying the best I can.
thanks again, by the way you should call bishop luther - he's a funny guy.
Love you dad
elder J smart.
but it sounds like (DOO-CHES)... transfer before last (when I was in Lakewood) he went home for back surgery and came back the last one.... at the end he stood up and gave his final testimony, it was a shock because I didn't know he was going home... he came out with us... he LOVED being out here.... I told him I wished we coulda traded bodies, so he could be BIG and I could be small (as far as doing the work.)... we were all pretty bummed.
Elder Sabian went home! my mind was actually kinda blown.... only me and Anderson are left.... major (went home) died forever ago and now sabain. its crazy.
he gave his final testimony, and I could tell he had changed, unlike several of the other missionaries who faked like they had been obedient, he was open and gave his testimony of the atonement and gave warning to others not to follow in his mistakes... I was moved, I plan on emailing him pretty soon.
so.... we have a lot of people we are working with, some of their situations are very sketchy, but know that they are being worked with, however ALOT of it has been messing with my anxiety BIG time. so we visited sister dicjose, she absolutely LOVES playing skipbo, she's a friggin card shark! my favorite experience so far with her was we were playing and I played a card that made it so that Tomlinson could play his (which is a bad thing) and she points that out and I being sheepish say "I had to get to 5 SOMEHOW" so we keep playing, then tomlison plays a bunch of cards... or maybe it was sister dicjose... anyway I'm like "naaaaaw -facedesk-" and she looks up at me and says. "well he had to get to eleven SOMEHOW" it took me a moment to realize it, but then I laughed she's a clever ol' gal! she always says that skipbo is a great stress releaver.
so the other day we came by to visit. (she thought we had both switched out, she only really remembered Williams.) But we went over and she said she had a question but she didn't think she could ask it and looked away rather coyly.
.. I then asked her if she wanted to play a game of skipbo to which she lit up and quickly agreed. you shoulda seen her, she's been really lonely and being over there (especially with this whole betty thing) has been a GREAT stress reliever, which is why we went back several days later which made her just as happy)
I've beene struggling really hard with the anxiety and boarderline depression I've been under, BUT for the first time ever I forgot about P-day I'd been so consumed trying to help Betty that I forgot all about it.
it has been the craziest of my life... so remember that referral the A.P.'s gave me? Rosa? ... they gave me another one.
Her name is Betty Sorensen... she is in a very very BAD situation...
she lives in a rough part of town. She fell off a balcony four stories and now is full of 7 pounds of titanium.... that was years ago and her body is STILL messed up... but that's not the bad part... the bad part I have spent trying to help and fix with everything that I have and can as a missionary. At first after hearing her situation we feared she may have been trying to con us or that she was freakishly paranoid.. but she's too smart to be crazy, (her house decorating skills are FREAKISHLY nice) and we had brother torrella come by and he clarified her sanity.... so since then... we have had kinda a spooky experience with her so far... but she needs help, and if me and my companion can help it we will help her, THANKFULLY the ward is trying to help her the best they can, I've had to tell her to NOT do somethings (like let any of these horrible people into her house.) and there is lots of hope because she is reading the book of Mormon... I cannot even begin to tell you what this experience is like....
I love and miss all of you, I hope Christmas will be okay.. and I hope I can help Betty.
OH! I forgot to talk about Tomlinson!!! he's okay, everyone kept telling me he's Australian and that he's funny and energetic, LIES! ALL LIES!!!... okay so YES TECHINCALLY he's from Australia but he's only lived there for six years, he ORIGINALLY Lived in whenamucka Nevada! and... we'll he's been kinda bummed about leaving port townsmen, he is kinda restless too, so far during my time being lead, I've had us knock in the wrong area, got caught double knocking the centrylink guys and have dragged him into a crazy service job. he's alright I'll make sure to get a picture of him sometime. I missed getting a picture of jones, I'll have to find him on facebook - well you all will have to! I don't do facebook... you know that! well that's all I got for now I love and miss you guys.
Love,
Elder J Smart
Letter to Joshua's Dad:
Dad, your a little late, first off, I MADE OUR GOAL OF TEN THIS WEEK!!!!! no.. no I didn't we did ONE MORE THAN THAT!!! we have a good couple of people we work with... actually things have gotten CRAZY!!!!!
we have one investigator whom has taken a WHOLE LOT of her time... her situation is really bad, you'll hear about it a bit in the blog letter, we also have other people who have to be on hold kinda due to their circumstances...
I hope I can help betty out.... there is ALOT of pressure I've had to hold up it kinda feel like on my own sometimes, but Tomlinson is WAAAAY more helpful, my studies are still kinda lame but I'm working as hard as I can to get things going, I get nervous a lot and my anxiety is waaay off the charts... but I'm still pulling through, the ward is helping with her hopefully we will only need to worry about teaching her and getting her friends in the church to help her and support her... wow, this has all been so crazy X.X... I'm actually kinda starting to like Tacoma! its crazy and messed up and dark... .but maybe I'll pull through, I'll be honest though I think home will be WAAAY more comfortable than this..... and hopefully thhings will get better in other areas too.
thanks for the love dad, I gotta write the blog letter now- OH! I also sent a letter to the ward! that will be fun ^^,
hopefully I can try all that WITHOUT a car but I'll see what happens... I actually like your advice waaaay better than what other missionaries give. I'm tired of the whole "watac" baptism obsession, but I'm working on relaxing and trying the best I can.
thanks again, by the way you should call bishop luther - he's a funny guy.
Love you dad
elder J smart.
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
Letter #30
Before I say anything, I know you already know I'm gonna say I'm tired and that I'm not having fun, whilst these are true.... I'm feeling better right now an I don't want to be a debbie downer!
I thought things were supposed to get EASIER after six-months?!?! whatever happened to that part? sure I'm USED to being out here but I'm still not a fan of how trippy things are. I still think dad would have been a better missionary that I am, we shoulda just traded places! he'd have whupped some of these guys instead of letting them be the way they are... I dunno how to let out some of this frustration, I'm not even a legitimate adult yet but I feel like I'm almost thirty, I still have time to be a kid!!!! just because I came out here doesn't mean I have to change... but I get UBER frustrated by things lately, me, the area, people, me, my thoughts, the scriptures, ME, the fact I can't imagine, ME.... did I mention Me?
crap... I can't remember anything that happened this week.... it was kinda dull, I haven't had too many opportunities to use the washing machines -.- Williams used to travel all the way to Lincoln but leaving the area is against the rules so I stopped doing it... well washing them there, it costs MONEY to use it and... well actually I have a ton of quarters now. so... that will be good.
by the way THANK YOU For the package! it was great I enjoyed the little gooey frankenstien head. I got a bit of goo on Williams thank you card by accident though so he got a tiny bit annoyed with me.
got darcies post card! that was fun. thank you for that, still haven't heard from orange though so I'm a little worried.
thank you dad for the letter! it was nice I greatly appreciate it - I'll hang up the water spigot..
OH WAIT! HA look at me, I'm a goof ball, so guess what folks, today is TRANSFER day!... Williams is leaving, it looks like my hopping around days are done for awhile.... kinda got mixed feelings about that. I'm gonna send home a package today hopefully ya'll will get it, as well as something special for someone.
people here are putting up Christmas lights, its only the beginning of November and they're ALREADY putting up lights, Christmas music is playing... like what the heck man!!! give thanksgiving a chance!
so I got a question, I read that bit that dad sent me and.... why is laughter a bad thing? maybe its just because I feel iffy all the time, but lately I have been getting angry and frustrated pretty much about EVERYTHING, is this what life is about? it jus doesn't seem right to me. (you can edit that part out if you want from the blog)
you'll read in my letter that I need a new watch, I want you to know a lot of that is said with comedy because for the past FOREVER I haven't been able to remember to ask for a new one!.
OH! and there have been some rule changes so MAYBE I'll FINALLY be able to write all of those I have missed! =D I have a list of people who need to hear from me and I'm working on catching up to you all!
Something I want for Christmas might be:
well one my sanity, and I would like new gloves, but I might see if I left them at a ladies house.
have santa get me somethings to stay home and you can all surprise me when I get back, things that I can use to recooperate after all of this, I've been so wound up in thoughts that I don't remember what it even means to be me or what that even means anymore.
as for me? send me what you think will make me happy.... I miss you guys a lot and I feel even weirder, I think my voice has changed and on top of that my eyebrows have gotten bushier! I wish I was normal again. send me memories... something to surprise me with. I would like to get some punching gloves so my knuckles don't get all messed up when I go at it on the punching bag.
I might be here for awhile so that will be... new, APPARENTLY I'm getting an Australian companion his name is tomlyson... not sure how its spelt, but he should be nice... hopefully, I hope I can finally take a break from all the leading!!!!!
Sorry I didn't write more about people this week, it's been really slow and there wasn't much to write about.
well, that's all for me folks!
till next time, Love
Elder J Smart
I thought things were supposed to get EASIER after six-months?!?! whatever happened to that part? sure I'm USED to being out here but I'm still not a fan of how trippy things are. I still think dad would have been a better missionary that I am, we shoulda just traded places! he'd have whupped some of these guys instead of letting them be the way they are... I dunno how to let out some of this frustration, I'm not even a legitimate adult yet but I feel like I'm almost thirty, I still have time to be a kid!!!! just because I came out here doesn't mean I have to change... but I get UBER frustrated by things lately, me, the area, people, me, my thoughts, the scriptures, ME, the fact I can't imagine, ME.... did I mention Me?
crap... I can't remember anything that happened this week.... it was kinda dull, I haven't had too many opportunities to use the washing machines -.- Williams used to travel all the way to Lincoln but leaving the area is against the rules so I stopped doing it... well washing them there, it costs MONEY to use it and... well actually I have a ton of quarters now. so... that will be good.
by the way THANK YOU For the package! it was great I enjoyed the little gooey frankenstien head. I got a bit of goo on Williams thank you card by accident though so he got a tiny bit annoyed with me.
got darcies post card! that was fun. thank you for that, still haven't heard from orange though so I'm a little worried.
thank you dad for the letter! it was nice I greatly appreciate it - I'll hang up the water spigot..
OH WAIT! HA look at me, I'm a goof ball, so guess what folks, today is TRANSFER day!... Williams is leaving, it looks like my hopping around days are done for awhile.... kinda got mixed feelings about that. I'm gonna send home a package today hopefully ya'll will get it, as well as something special for someone.
people here are putting up Christmas lights, its only the beginning of November and they're ALREADY putting up lights, Christmas music is playing... like what the heck man!!! give thanksgiving a chance!
so I got a question, I read that bit that dad sent me and.... why is laughter a bad thing? maybe its just because I feel iffy all the time, but lately I have been getting angry and frustrated pretty much about EVERYTHING, is this what life is about? it jus doesn't seem right to me. (you can edit that part out if you want from the blog)
you'll read in my letter that I need a new watch, I want you to know a lot of that is said with comedy because for the past FOREVER I haven't been able to remember to ask for a new one!.
OH! and there have been some rule changes so MAYBE I'll FINALLY be able to write all of those I have missed! =D I have a list of people who need to hear from me and I'm working on catching up to you all!
Something I want for Christmas might be:
well one my sanity, and I would like new gloves, but I might see if I left them at a ladies house.
have santa get me somethings to stay home and you can all surprise me when I get back, things that I can use to recooperate after all of this, I've been so wound up in thoughts that I don't remember what it even means to be me or what that even means anymore.
as for me? send me what you think will make me happy.... I miss you guys a lot and I feel even weirder, I think my voice has changed and on top of that my eyebrows have gotten bushier! I wish I was normal again. send me memories... something to surprise me with. I would like to get some punching gloves so my knuckles don't get all messed up when I go at it on the punching bag.
I might be here for awhile so that will be... new, APPARENTLY I'm getting an Australian companion his name is tomlyson... not sure how its spelt, but he should be nice... hopefully, I hope I can finally take a break from all the leading!!!!!
Sorry I didn't write more about people this week, it's been really slow and there wasn't much to write about.
well, that's all for me folks!
till next time, Love
Elder J Smart
Questions I asked Joshua
Questions I asked Joshua and he sent back the reply:
1. For your 6th month mark did you burn or destroy anything? Like a tie . . .
You were right Mom, I didn't!
2. Are you till Studying Preach My Gospel?
Yes, but I'm not a good studier!
3. Are you still losing weight?
I'm at 210 (He was almost 240 when he went out)
4. What is your greatest strength on your mission?
Long suffering?? Aside from that, I honestly don't know.
5. Can you tell that you have grown as a man? Are their any positive things that
have happened that make you want to be an adult?
(He as always said that he didn't want to be an adult because adults don't
have any fun!)
Not in the ways I wanted. I am still struggling with growing up, life is hard.
6. What is your favorite meal that you have learned to cook?
Chicken and Pork and Papa Murphy's Pizza
7. Have you eaten anything strange?
Seaweed
8. What is the best lesson you've learned to teach?
The restoration and the plan of salvation
9. Do you still have nerf gun wars?
Sometimes, but not lately. Sometimes we do, anderson likes to shoot us
but I get shot less since I have a bigger gun than them!
10. On a daily basis, are you usually happy. What can you do to continue to stay
happy no matter what happens around you.
I don't know about happy, I'm not sad though, I just survive till the end of
the day. I don't know, I just want things to feel normal and I get more and
more anxious as change happens, it really scares me. But there are some
good times too.
11. Has your testimony grown? Only answer this if you feel it has and not just
because you think it's something I want to hear?
I guess it really has - some things don't feel as special but I know a lot
more things.
1. For your 6th month mark did you burn or destroy anything? Like a tie . . .
You were right Mom, I didn't!
2. Are you till Studying Preach My Gospel?
Yes, but I'm not a good studier!
3. Are you still losing weight?
I'm at 210 (He was almost 240 when he went out)
4. What is your greatest strength on your mission?
Long suffering?? Aside from that, I honestly don't know.
5. Can you tell that you have grown as a man? Are their any positive things that
have happened that make you want to be an adult?
(He as always said that he didn't want to be an adult because adults don't
have any fun!)
Not in the ways I wanted. I am still struggling with growing up, life is hard.
6. What is your favorite meal that you have learned to cook?
Chicken and Pork and Papa Murphy's Pizza
7. Have you eaten anything strange?
Seaweed
8. What is the best lesson you've learned to teach?
The restoration and the plan of salvation
9. Do you still have nerf gun wars?
Sometimes, but not lately. Sometimes we do, anderson likes to shoot us
but I get shot less since I have a bigger gun than them!
10. On a daily basis, are you usually happy. What can you do to continue to stay
happy no matter what happens around you.
I don't know about happy, I'm not sad though, I just survive till the end of
the day. I don't know, I just want things to feel normal and I get more and
more anxious as change happens, it really scares me. But there are some
good times too.
11. Has your testimony grown? Only answer this if you feel it has and not just
because you think it's something I want to hear?
I guess it really has - some things don't feel as special but I know a lot
more things.
Thursday, November 7, 2013
Letter #29
hey momma!
... its weird I haven't heard anything from you this week.... odd. =/
WELL I have some pretty good news, I HAVE been doing better, ESPECIALLY last Tuesday, we started having loads of success, we ran into three people whom we have been trying to work with, my main target is mikey, a nice black dude who works at home. at the capri we gave an AWESOME lesson but aside from that he actually didn't show up to church this week like we had been hoping, we taught him the first lesson which seemed to spark a little interest in him but he didn't answer for his appointment after church either. Today we have a scheduled church tour for a guy named tomas Guy who actually met the guys back in Lakewood first! he's got some kids but he was divorced (in fact I think the guy who took over as his wifes spouse pulled a gun on him...) anyway he seemed pretty cool.
unfortunately we are sure we got dropped by a lady named Jen'e. we walked into her on Tuesday during knocking we talked too her.
I wish I was better at being a journal writer. I've been so out of it that by the end of the day I just lay down in bed and wait to start all over again. Also, I lost my gloves!!! I dunno where they went, the FIRST TIME I start wearing them they disappear! I was so P.o'ed!!!!
AND I've started working on boxing during our time in the YMCA, a guy taught me some cool stuff so I've been working at hitting hard... which brings me to my next statement... can you guys send me some punching gloves? not boxing gloves persay but those MMA ones maybe? I have a tendency of tearing my knuckles up also, my hair has been acting weird -.- I miss Ranee cutting it.
Williams and I have been working on staying sane. He talks about movies a lot so that's kinda what keeps the silence away, he says the plot of lost will last us a good couple of weeks.
we went and visited the naftels last night... not gonna say I enjoyed it much they watched the seahawks game... an I sat in there kitchen petting there dogs... who one of which has flee's I believe XP. I struggle with standing up and saying things, and I've been holding in a whole lot of frustration towards my... well mostly the other companionship... okay mostly holt. he has a tendency of getting on my nerves the most due to the fact he back bites and gets huffy and says mean things when he doesn't get what he wants... I don't exactly agree with a lot of his philosophies on the church either.
also about rough stone rolling, ask dad to read it so he can tell me whats true and whats not, I don't wanna read it cuz honestly I can only handle so much info at one time and I already have too much on my mind as it is.
OH! so I have some funny stories XD
first off we met MR. French, I've been working on talking to people on the street so when I saw this dude in a jacket and suspenders I was like 'alright!' so he was VERY eager to talk.... I originally thought it was for the sake of bashing... but I was WAAAAAY wrong. this guy talked about his injury that he was thrown from a car and had to be rehabilitated and left him with some issues that I won't share cuz they are kinda gruesome. but he cussed like a WHOLE LOT... I was actually kinda intimdated cuz he gave me most of the crazy looks... he reminded me a whole lot of what an EVIL person during the apocalypse would be like.... yeah. he was probably a nice guy with too many struggles. he punched himself HARD in the face like three times.... it was scary. but that's not the funny part, the FUNNY was when afterwards we were talking later (me and Williams) and he's like:
W:.... I kinda hoped he would have hit one of us... well . . . you, and that way I could get up and punch him.... is that bad?
Me: I was actually thinking about that!!!
so we got to laugh and talk about how crazy guys are normally a whole lot stronger that normal people.. but hopefully we still could have taken him !
on top of that this place is CREEPY!!!! at least at night!
We talk about stratagise about how not to get snuck up on and When people warn us about being careful at night I normally tell them.
Its alright! I have a pen... cuz so help me if something tries to eat me I'm gonna shank the ever living... you get the idea.
SO I'm gonna tell ya'll my story about the creepy lady.
SO we are knocking this creepy neighborhood... okay it was actually a really nice neighborhood but something about that night was just plain creepy, so we knock into the one house, the ONLY not nice house.. okay maybe the second, anyway, I see this cat run under the porch and I had already been thinking about how spooky and sketchy everything was so I had my pen ready, but being the ever determined and crazy elders that we are, we knock it.
the door opens and this wide eyed wild looking woman walks out and stares at us.
later Williams tells me the first thing he thought was that this woman was POSSESSED. and as we talked to her I was getting flash back of finy fin (Elder Finlayson) telling me about being cursed by a pagan woman, so before the door opens I had rested my hand on the railing ball thing on the fence using it for support, my pen in hand incase I needed to use it... for writing!
but we start talking to this lady and getting weirded out by her so as we're talking all that can be heard is this silent (click) as I cock my pen... just incase she lunged at us... or I needed to write down an address.
well I'll tell ya this has been fun week in someways... I wanna send a special thanks to the sampsons for their wonderful package I will be working on writing you all VERY SOON...
and one to my lovely savannah who I think is the most wonderfully lovely thing of sweetness I have the pleasure to know.
also to Aaron who I hope I will be able to see... sometime before the end of my life and to everyone else whom I will see sooner. ^^ also, has anyone heard from hayden? has he gone out? and someone tell micheal to send a letter, we all know each others email so he has no excuse.
Well that's all for now!
Love,
Elder J Smart
... its weird I haven't heard anything from you this week.... odd. =/
WELL I have some pretty good news, I HAVE been doing better, ESPECIALLY last Tuesday, we started having loads of success, we ran into three people whom we have been trying to work with, my main target is mikey, a nice black dude who works at home. at the capri we gave an AWESOME lesson but aside from that he actually didn't show up to church this week like we had been hoping, we taught him the first lesson which seemed to spark a little interest in him but he didn't answer for his appointment after church either. Today we have a scheduled church tour for a guy named tomas Guy who actually met the guys back in Lakewood first! he's got some kids but he was divorced (in fact I think the guy who took over as his wifes spouse pulled a gun on him...) anyway he seemed pretty cool.
unfortunately we are sure we got dropped by a lady named Jen'e. we walked into her on Tuesday during knocking we talked too her.
I wish I was better at being a journal writer. I've been so out of it that by the end of the day I just lay down in bed and wait to start all over again. Also, I lost my gloves!!! I dunno where they went, the FIRST TIME I start wearing them they disappear! I was so P.o'ed!!!!
AND I've started working on boxing during our time in the YMCA, a guy taught me some cool stuff so I've been working at hitting hard... which brings me to my next statement... can you guys send me some punching gloves? not boxing gloves persay but those MMA ones maybe? I have a tendency of tearing my knuckles up also, my hair has been acting weird -.- I miss Ranee cutting it.
Williams and I have been working on staying sane. He talks about movies a lot so that's kinda what keeps the silence away, he says the plot of lost will last us a good couple of weeks.
we went and visited the naftels last night... not gonna say I enjoyed it much they watched the seahawks game... an I sat in there kitchen petting there dogs... who one of which has flee's I believe XP. I struggle with standing up and saying things, and I've been holding in a whole lot of frustration towards my... well mostly the other companionship... okay mostly holt. he has a tendency of getting on my nerves the most due to the fact he back bites and gets huffy and says mean things when he doesn't get what he wants... I don't exactly agree with a lot of his philosophies on the church either.
also about rough stone rolling, ask dad to read it so he can tell me whats true and whats not, I don't wanna read it cuz honestly I can only handle so much info at one time and I already have too much on my mind as it is.
OH! so I have some funny stories XD
first off we met MR. French, I've been working on talking to people on the street so when I saw this dude in a jacket and suspenders I was like 'alright!' so he was VERY eager to talk.... I originally thought it was for the sake of bashing... but I was WAAAAAY wrong. this guy talked about his injury that he was thrown from a car and had to be rehabilitated and left him with some issues that I won't share cuz they are kinda gruesome. but he cussed like a WHOLE LOT... I was actually kinda intimdated cuz he gave me most of the crazy looks... he reminded me a whole lot of what an EVIL person during the apocalypse would be like.... yeah. he was probably a nice guy with too many struggles. he punched himself HARD in the face like three times.... it was scary. but that's not the funny part, the FUNNY was when afterwards we were talking later (me and Williams) and he's like:
W:.... I kinda hoped he would have hit one of us... well . . . you, and that way I could get up and punch him.... is that bad?
Me: I was actually thinking about that!!!
so we got to laugh and talk about how crazy guys are normally a whole lot stronger that normal people.. but hopefully we still could have taken him !
on top of that this place is CREEPY!!!! at least at night!
We talk about stratagise about how not to get snuck up on and When people warn us about being careful at night I normally tell them.
Its alright! I have a pen... cuz so help me if something tries to eat me I'm gonna shank the ever living... you get the idea.
SO I'm gonna tell ya'll my story about the creepy lady.
SO we are knocking this creepy neighborhood... okay it was actually a really nice neighborhood but something about that night was just plain creepy, so we knock into the one house, the ONLY not nice house.. okay maybe the second, anyway, I see this cat run under the porch and I had already been thinking about how spooky and sketchy everything was so I had my pen ready, but being the ever determined and crazy elders that we are, we knock it.
the door opens and this wide eyed wild looking woman walks out and stares at us.
later Williams tells me the first thing he thought was that this woman was POSSESSED. and as we talked to her I was getting flash back of finy fin (Elder Finlayson) telling me about being cursed by a pagan woman, so before the door opens I had rested my hand on the railing ball thing on the fence using it for support, my pen in hand incase I needed to use it... for writing!
but we start talking to this lady and getting weirded out by her so as we're talking all that can be heard is this silent (click) as I cock my pen... just incase she lunged at us... or I needed to write down an address.
well I'll tell ya this has been fun week in someways... I wanna send a special thanks to the sampsons for their wonderful package I will be working on writing you all VERY SOON...
and one to my lovely savannah who I think is the most wonderfully lovely thing of sweetness I have the pleasure to know.
also to Aaron who I hope I will be able to see... sometime before the end of my life and to everyone else whom I will see sooner. ^^ also, has anyone heard from hayden? has he gone out? and someone tell micheal to send a letter, we all know each others email so he has no excuse.
Well that's all for now!
Love,
Elder J Smart
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