Duped

Well Elder Mitchell and I must be pretty strong cause we have experienced a lot of opposition this week. I say that because the scriptures tell us that we do not receive a trial that is harder than we can bear.

Among the missionary trials that exist there are many that are usual and common. We have had a week of those with little of the converse. However we have had added to that both the small and tall of, "wow, we just got the short stick..." From pube in the sandwich to the "give me a [effing] break!... get off my porch." The one that takes the cake however is as follows:

Two weeks ago Jeong and I found a guy at Dunkin’ Doughnuts who seemed to be a great potential and a little odd but very nice and cool. His name is Khan and he is Afghan. Well after a week of not being able to get a hold of him and not hearing anything from him we get a call. He was very buddy-buddy with us out of nowhere and he invited us to dinner. Well to make a very long story short (especially cause I'm running low on time right now) we met him at the Kabob King. He brought his friend. His friend told us he was Persian and that his name was Mike but we cannot be certain anything he said to us was truth. Basically after being a jerk to the waitresses and bus boys and telling us he worked on Wall Street and gets fat checks in the mail (so he would pay for dinner) he went out for a smoke break. Well, I thought it was odd that he didn't do that before he came, but we were trusting. He came back with Khan and they didn't smell like smoke... Khan was different after that and wouldn't look at us in the eyes. He even said a few things to Mike in their own language (also weird since mike said he was Persian) and Mike acted like Khan wanted to ask us something that seemed disrespectful. However we feel Khan was actually putting up a protest to what was about to happen. Well, just before the check came they went out for another smoke break (because we all know smokers like to smoke before and after a meal) but they never came back and Khan wouldn't answer his phone. Let’s just say I'm glad I had extra money this month and I'm glad the cashier took mercy on us and allowed us to have one item free and not pay tip. Mitchell gave me some money to back me up but the bill was a little over $75.

It just seems silly for a guy to go through all that trouble acting interested so that he could save $40. So we believe the friend just came up with that idea when he saw how trusting we were (mostly me, Mitchell didn't think Mike was sincere) when they went out for the first smoke break; basically that really discouraged us. The biggest issue however was not the money. But that is a much longer story that you would have to ask me about when I get home.

Elder Mitchell and I talked in church. They told Mitchell it only needed to be a testimony and they told me a 7 min talk well. I ended up having to give a 20 min talk because the first speaker forgot they had a talk. Mitchell gave an impromptu talk that helped me out. Unfortunately I didn't realize there was a speaker after me (no programs in our branch) so I thought I had to take up the rest of sacrament. I'm glad I left 10 min cause then the second councilor got up and talked for 25 min. Ha, wow, anyway.

I love you all. I know that if we will hearken unto the Lord’s council we will be blessed. I know trials are for our benefit and learning, and to help us rely on the lord. If we will focus on the basics and keep things simple we will be able to avoid confusion and know we are doing what the Lord wants us to do. OK, I got to go.

Love,
Elder Samuel Austin Morris