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

Good News Everyone

So, the transfer calls came and "Good News Everyone!" I am staying in Richmond Hill another transfer with Elder Lim. :) Sweet. Our Pad mates are staying the same with the acceptation of Elder Hatch who is leaving. We will miss him. :( Hopefully the new Spanish Elder is cool and has a good sense of humor. I need to laugh more (like sis Chev said). Life was real easy when I was crazy with Elder Ledbetter in the pad. Fortunately things are lightening up in the pad even though there is drama out side the pad.

Culture Clash. Basically, everything that we learn in Utah about being polite is exactly opposite for Dominicans and various other Hispanics. Just a good tip I'd like you all to know.

Well, the Kitchen and the Living room were (and are) being remolded. So for a few days we couldn't cook or go to the bathroom in our own apartment. ha-ha. and all our stuff from the family room was crammed into the rest of the apartment, eliminating space for working out in the morning and taking showers and making breakfast. So our whole schedule has been... off the last week.

When they tore up the carpet there was 5 other floors underneath! LOL and in between the original flooring and the oldest replacement floor there was............ PILES OF NEWS PAPERS FROM THE 50'S! 1953 to be specific. Crazy huh! I took lots of pics. It’s really funny how all the ads are basically the same. The stories were about the Yankees winning and a 12 year old having a kid and a lady lighting herself on fire, and the Korean War. It was pretty crazy. We also found out this week that our house was built in 1898! That explains why the paint layers are an half an inch thick! lol.

We had some great progress with Keaun this week. we will probably hang out with him today as well (cause he has school off today).

So, my mom told me people are wondering if I got packages for Christmas. I got one from Grandma and the Chevrier’s a few weeks before Christmas and one from my mom. I also got a package from The Barnett family which was a nice surprise. Then I got an awesome package from the Swenson’s just after Christmas that was super fun to open. Elder Lim and I took lots of pics. That’s the packages that I have received so if there are more, maybe I’ll get them today....

All right. Thank you all for your love and prayers and updates and letters and packages and good vibes, etc.

I love you all!
-Elder Morris