My Hindi powers are growing

This week was pretty important. On Tuesday I got to go hang out with my brother Elder Holladay and learn Hindi for an hour and it was wonderful. I have learned alot about myself on the mission and recently one thing that I've learned is I get frustrated when I don't understand why I don't understand something. If there's a way to figure it out and I have a rough idea how to get there then I'm ok. But if not then it makes me pretty upset. And when I see a character In Hindi that I have never ever seen before- there's no way to even begin guessing what sound it makes. That made me kind of mad. 

Turns out they 'borrow characters from Sanskrit' sometimes…? 

But it's ok because now I know.

But the same thing is happening with driving and training and ASL and all sorts of stuff. So this week has been that kind of frustrating → but it's ok because that means I learned alot. 

I really want to be able to accept constructive criticism better and I want to be more meek. It would be so much easier to learn of I just already accepted that I don't know everything AND I WILL make mistakes. It makes sense here as I'm writing it but when it is actually time to apply it in real life its like- nope.

ANYWAYS

We picked up Elder Noah Searle. My man, what a legend. He knows a pretty good amount of ASL (prior to mtc he knew 0) → that shows how powerful the spirit is in helping us learn. He's pretty cool. He's from West Jordan and is the oldest of 4 brothers. He went to college for culinary arts- so he's a chef. He loves Indian food! Which is epic because there's Indians all over here. He also did not have a mtc comp! He had one Elder who he was sometimes assigned to be with from a different district but most of the time his companion was a trio of sisters! I'm really excited to become best friends with him.

The day after that we drove all over the place to visit Deaf friends so Elder Rigby could say bye. I learned that I actually know a whole lot more ASL than I thought I did. I was able to carry the conversation pretty well! I also learned the sign for dialysis. One of the members brought us to a pizza place and we ordered a margarita pizza- they told us they had no basil and asked if that would be ok my mind was like "duh- that's not ok. Then it wouldn't be a margarita pizza dude" but our member said yes so we had a cheese pizza with tomato slices on it. Luckily, we also got a MEAT-E-OR.

Sunday was good, all 3 of us Elders went up and shared our testimonies in ASL church. In English church. . . .oh guys it was so bad. 

Everybody bore their testimony on how America is true. It was like fine for a minute- but when you go 10 minutes without hearing about Jesus Christ and all you hear is people crying in red white and blue and the founding fathers and the secret combinations and eagles. . . .it's not ok.

The last one to go up started out surprisingly well (one of the only ones to actually mention the Book of Mormon being true) then he invited everybody to pray for him and come to a protest against drag queens with him. And he was loud and proud. Our poor wonderful bishop didn't know what to do. 

So

Ya

That was something. And THAT was Elder Searle's 1st Sunday here! 

Well. After church we had another Hindi lesson and man I love it so much. I am 100 percent going to India later on in my life. Maybe I'll go live there!

Monday was NOT PDAY.  because it's Wednesday now.

We had our zone and district council, held a funeral for Elder Rigby. It was tough. I've been with him since December. I love him so much and look up to him more than he'll ever know. He has taught me everything I know about ASL and has helped me become such a powerful missionary. He is literally the coolest ever and I really hope we continue to be friends. I am going to have a really tough time after he goes home. 

There's this thing he says often, "why you gonna let something stop you from having a good day?" Or something like that. And he is a living example of that. Every time something dumb or frustrating happens or every time we have a 'disagreement' I am in a bad mood for a bit, meanwhile he's smiling and making jokes and singing random songs. He just doesn't let anything stop him from having a good day. I'm really gonna miss his influence and power.

Well, then that night we brought our friend Pugal to the Oakland temple for a temple tour. The temple sisters never saw our appointment and luckily there were 2 that were still at the visitors center and they were willing to give a tour real quick. That was a miracle. It was incredibly powerful. There was one part where we were sitting in front of the Cristus statue and the sisters asked Pugal who Jesus Christ was to him.

He sat there for a few minutes and was nervous at first cause we were all watching him and then just started going off trying to express his love for the savior- but he couldn't. Words can't demonstrate what a relationship with Jesus is like plus, his English is still kind of a lower level. But that didn't matter. The spirit was there and made it very clear to all of us that Jesus Christ is our savior, He loves us, and Pugal loves and knows Him. 

We got to walk around the temple and the roof garden, could see all of the bay area from up there, and got some pictures. It was a beautiful, wonderful experience. 

Then yesterday we were knocking and contacting and we ended up meeting an epic Indian woman. She had शुभ and लाभ on her door and I explained I was learning Hindi and the read her door "shubh and laabh" she was freaking put and then I said "it means goodness and prosperity right?" Then she was freaking out even more.

Then I pulled out my favorite book, the Book of Mormon in Hindi and opened to Alma 7:11 and was like could you help me read this? 

Then! I read it! First time ever doing it in a contact! And she was freaking out so much there were only a few words that she had to help me with! 

My companions were watching like 'wow. I knew he was good but not THAT good' Elder Sealre actually had like no idea I was learning Hindi so he probably was pretty confused.

Anyways, I asked her to read verse 12 and then we kinda talked about it, she wants us to come back on Saturday! Oh, and get this- her husband plays cricket! 

So that was perhaps the most wonderful coolest thing ever.

So that's what's up with me. 

I invite you all to try and take Elder Rigbys advice and choose to not let things ruin your day. Sometimes that's pretty difficult and I understand that- but for the little things and maybe even medium things- just don't let it make you have a bad day. You all deserve to be happy. But it's up to you to be happy. I will be working on this with you all so lemme know how it goes.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/DYM8hzqfMfgxUFWZ7