First off, thanks for all the letters and everything! It is really helpful to hear from everybody so often! And secondly, I'M SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THE HOUSE! I can't believe it! We're going to be Dry-Forkians! Nature! Wooooooo! If I weren't in a library I would probably jump for joy! That is really really good news. Plus, we will be close to the Larsen family! Wooooo! I know the Lord has heard our prayers.
This past week was full of really really good stuff hahaha! Elder Cruz had a little encounter with a car the other day! Haha! We were riding in a parking lot, and Elder Cruz turned around to tell me something, and right as he turned around a car pulled in front of him and he hit it straight on! Hahahaha! I didn't even have time to tell him to watch out! I just said WOAH, then he smacked into it, and it knocked him off his bike! He hit his head on the car (luckily he had a helmet on), and his handlebars got twisted. The man got out of his car and asked him if he was OK, and while he was doing that, I looked at the car and saw that the car was worse off than Elder Cruz hahaha! It had a nice dent in the front left fender and a few scratches. Elder Cruz was fine though. He straightened his handlebars, and we were off doing missionary work.
We just barely got back from the woman's house. She is a less-active woman who the Bishop asked us to go see. We first met with her about two weeks ago, and we found out that she had lost her job and had to move because she couldn't pay the rent. We've been meeting with her lately because things have been really hard for her, and she has been coming to church again. She will be moving up to Utah in the near future to look for a job. She hardly has any money at all. It is just her and her son who live in the house. They barely have any food at all, and most of their furniture is gone. But she is really nice, and she really wanted to feed us. So she, with her daughter's help, prepared a nice lunch for us today. It was amazing to see a woman with so little, prepare such a great meal for a couple of missionaries. We sat in the living room, with boxes as tables, and she fed us really good carne asada that she cooked outside on a little grill. The people here are very humble and loving.
The other day we were at (our recent convert), and we were sitting at the table eating bread and hot chocolate (it's super good the way they make it). And there was a bug on the table, and she started telling us that the bug was called chapolin, and her son Bryan picked it up and ate it!!!!! AH! She told us that in Oaxaca, Mexico, they eat these chapolin bugs. Chapolin is Spanish for grasshopper!!!! Haha! Her mother sent a whole bag of them from Mexico because they don't sell them here. So the brought out the bag and asked us if we wanted any. I TRIED ONE! It was kind of salty and weird, but not too bad. It was just kind of gross because we were eating hot chocolate and sweet-bread. Grasshopper. That, so far, is the weirdest thing I've eaten on my mission....so far.
Oh yeah, just to settle the argument: Yes, I did whitewash the "U". Emily, mom is always right. It's not even worth fighting it any more.
On Sunday we had a really good experience! Elder Cruz, our ward mission leader, and a bunch of us other missionaries have been organizing a fireside about missionary work! We have been working on it for a few weeks. We got together four special musical numbers and three speakers and it was amazing! I got to sing in 3 of the musical numbers! And an Elder and a Sister sang an awesome duet for the other one! Elder Cruz was one of the speakers, and he gave a really good talk. And we had a returned missionary speak, and a member of the stake presidency. It was a really awesome meeting. I got to play the organ for the opening and closing hymns too! Wooo! It was really uplifting and we had a good turnout too!
Sunday was also stake conference. There were soooo many people there! It went way back to the stage!
This past week we had an interesting situation with a man. He is the guy that got married a little while back so he could get baptized. His probation ends next month, so we are really excited for his baptism. But last week he was having some serious financial/work issues. We were working in our area, and I had the idea to call. So I called him and asked how he was doing, and he gave a really sad "not too good" answer. So we went straight home and made some cookies really fast, then we took them over to their house. When we showed up, he was standing outside their apartment, on the verge of tears. Things weren't looking too good for his family, and they were going to have to move because they wouldn't be able to pay the rent. So we came back a couple days later and he had gotten a job at another place! It was a miracle! He seemed 100% happier. We explained that the Lord blesses us when we keep His commandments. Their family hadn't been coming to church, and he hadn't been reading his scriptures or praying. So we comitted them to start reading, praying, and coming to church. They seem to be doing much better now!
I'm glad to hear that things are going so well at home! It's weird to think of all the changes that are happening while I am over here. Going home will be a whole new adventure, but that's forever away! haha. Mom, you asked if there is anything I want for Christmas. Well, I would like an 8 foot tall pine tree. Preferably short needles. And ornaments. Not a fake tree. Live. That is all.
How is school and work going? Is Emily the Homecoming Queen?? If not, she is still the same awesome sister that I love! I'm really happy to hear about the house! That will be a really fun change! We might need to equip our cars with brushguards so we can protect them from all those deer who play frogger on the roads up there.
I love all so much! I am very glad for this gospel in our lives! I know that we have been blessed a lot. This restored gospel is true. Nobody could persuade me otherwise. I know that Jesus is the Christ. I love you all! Have an awesome week!
Love,
Elder Ross Watkins
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