Dannnng

 

12-19

Merry Christmas

Oh boy I dunno where to even start.

What an absolute week.

One cool thing was we went and visited a disabled member. He was so happy to have some company. It was such a warm visit. He started talking about the 49ers and how much he loves them. It was getting to the point like. . .ok- we gadda go brother.

But! It was actually divine! We were supposed to be there for the exact amount of time we were there for.

Heres why- as were walking out of the disabled members apartments we see a woman walking her 2 dogs.

I turn to elder white and mutter "lets go ask her if she wants to be baptized"

So we walk over and i say the " hey were the missionaries in the area. . . ."

And she looks up and starts MOVING HER HANDS AND FINGERS AROUND HER FACE.

Im like hol up…why she signing…oh…she just signed " im deaf" in ASL

Me and elder white drop everything we're holding and start signing back " WERE ASL ELDERS! WE KNOW ASL! " 

She gets mega excited and is just so happy to have somebody to sign with. We invited her to church, got her VP number. It was epic.

The next day we were walking around a gated community trying to find a way in (happens alot here lol) and we see a car drive towards the gate so its like "yes! A way in!"

But the car slows down and stops right by us.

The window rolls down

"Elder..i think we in trouble"

But nope she looks at us in shock and has tears in her eyes "are you the missionaries?!"

We say ya and she explains she's going through the hardest time ever in her life and hasn't been to church in over 10 years. She explained how she was gonna go to the liquor store and then she saw us!

We said a beautiful prayer for her and we'll go back over later this week.

Then elder simien went home to do a service mission…im in a trio now. The 3 of us cover the entire mission a big chunk above, below and to the side. If there's a deaf person we teach them. 

Trio life is tuff. Elder white and rigby already are really close and im kinda just…there.

Last night we did mega language study. They made me teach the restoration in ASL. If I didn't know how to, then I had to fingerspell what I knew.

I was fine for the first bit but after a few mistakes and frustrations I was on the verge of tears. I was so angry and ready to straight up call president Smith and tell him " get me outta here! I hate this!" 

I turned away for a few seconds, said a prayer in my head and then turned back.

We made it to the end and I bore my testimony of the restoration and book of mormon. I was overwhelmed with burning peace. The room felt warmer and brighter. 

Suddenly I didn't see my comps as mean for correcting me so much but loving. 

Now I was holding back tears for a different reason. I realized this was my first time feeling the spirit "in ASL" or from ASL communicating.

They felt it too. It was beautiful and wonderful.

Anyways. 

Have a good christmas. Plz pray for us to find more deaf people to teach. We need them so much and even more than we need them- they need the gospel. They need the Book of mormon. They need to know about the peace and joy that can come from the atonement of Jesus Christ. The hearing people need it too, so you can pray for them too i guess.

Luv you all.