Life in the Hood goes on

Mass Email from Sam September 21, 2009

Ok fools! jk. I love you. This is mine own mass message to all concerning the things of the week I just concluded.

I am sorry. I didn't get out the pictures like I said I would this last week. But I did end up making prints. some of them turned out dumb... I’m sorry, but I will be sending them this week sometime. I won't be sending Nate’s or Mclean’s pictures however until I receive a letter from them first. heh heh.

So... September 11th in Bushwick was weak status. If I had no idea what the significance of that day was, then I would have thought that it was just a regular day, because I saw no special memorials or events going on. No tee-shirts, no flags, no parades, no singing. people just did what they do everyday. pee in elevators, cuss and yell at each-other about race, and ride public transportation with their ipod in. so Alpine, Utah, 2000 miles away, did more to remember September 11th in a patriotic way than the people I saw in Brooklyn. The sad part is, a lot of people from Brooklyn had lots of connections to that event. the only two things I saw concerning 911 was a mural on a wall (that was here before I got here) and an add for an insurance company that helps people claim compensation for ailments still apparent in people that are supposedly caused from the 11th. For example wheezing and stomach aches could entitle you to compensation.

wow. I am sick of racism. Someone has either yelled to me that I was a racist or a cracker, brought up race in the middle of a lesson, or come up to talk to me about stuff in a drunken anger expelling frustrations based on color, every day this last week. It really sucks. the people who care so much about race are the racists. I don't care at all until they bring it up, and then it just makes me sad that they are limiting their success and their relationship with God based on some ridiculous thing. It’s so sad.

I saw something in big white letters this week on a fence, "Obama's Fed tax is killing our businesses!" it made me laugh a little bit. The reason why is because most of the people here voted for him because he was black. They all have pictures of him in their business windows... yet, he is making it harder for them to succeed in their businesses. Sad huh.

This week I met with a 47 year old man named Kelvin Sintron. He was born and raised and still lives in the same apartment his whole life. He left Brooklyn once to visit family in Puerto Rico with his mother when he was 19. He collects action figures and dolls and other similar memorabilia. Religion is a "new thing" to him. He studied with Catholics and Jehovah's witnesses in bible studies in his life a couple times though. he has a hard time praying, but he is working on it. He has learning disabilities, and I think he has Slight autism. Yet! he understands and comprehends better the lessons taught him and the things he reads in the book of Mormon better than any investigator I have taught yet. He came with us to both the Saturday and Sunday session of District conference and was "very impressed". I am excited for him. It’s going well.

This week Shakora Wood told us not to give up on her. She came to church finally!!!!!! It was the Sunday district conference! she was excited beyond belief and loved it. She told me she is so excited to get baptized. she cannot wait. I told her about how relief society is the largest women's organization and she was astounded! I hope this will motivate her to get married soon. I don't get how people can be doing everything a married couple is doing and not get married. It’s stupid. They could be saving money at least by claiming the benefits of a legal state marriage. Geez. I’m so excited for her though! :) she met Liz a member going to school in Manhattan who moved here from Nevada (who went on a mission to upstate New York) and they got along really well. Liz chastened us later for not inviting her to lessons with her. She was right; especially because they live on the same street.

Brittany Arner has been seeming to ignore us. She told us last night we could come over if she woke up in time to call us before she went to work. (shake head, no) we ended up having a media referral right next to her house. We debated and prayed weather or not to go over to see her (since she was supposedly sleeping). We walked that way asking the lord to give us a sign. We ran into her brother David shortly after passing her house and seeing her light was on. He told us she was out! we felt like "well that’s our answer, she is just trying to avoid us" about 2 min later we saw her walking toward us. She gave us an awkward hug and began excusing why she was not sleeping. We talked, goofed around; I did the jerk (a dumb dance move to a popular rap). Then we told her it was required that she get work off for general conference. Then this guy came up who smelled drunk, demanding we tell him about the definitions or words such as equality and justice. Then he told us how he had the full armor on. He kept asking if we had the full armor, while he pointed out that his full armor was a red shirt and hat. LOL. What a punk. He has blood armor on.... wow that is trusting in the arm of flesh for sure. I know I have armor. It’s the full armor of God. Brittany surprisingly stood up for us. Eventually he left. We have an appointment with Brittany tonight. I hope it works out.

Funny things that happened this week:
I saw many bearded women.
I learned about how my favorite cartoon when I was little was called "Wacky Races"! I was glad to hear it.
I heard a guy pushing a cart and it sounded just like the wood bin from stage crew! lol.
I saw the 60 year old black version of Ange. That was funny.
I saw a lady with such big dreads she looked like the Star Wars aliens that hang out with Jaba the Hut in the metal bikinis!
President Bangetter talked at conference and it made me feel at home!

I love you all
-Elder Morris