Who are you?, What are you doing here?, and What is that?

Dear People,

Well it has been an exciting week. Let us begin with What is that? So we had our Africa wide Mormon Helping Hands day and we were cleaning the streets and making things look nice and getting the name of the church out there. But the streets were very dirty but in the drainage gutter things was the worst. It was a very large hole with what looked like garbage in thick sewage..... and guess who was the one using a rake to fish out the garbage?????? ME!!! The worst part was the smell but other than that it was only mildly unpleasant..... But it was a huge success. A lot of members came and they were participating but the young people were just standing around watching the older people work... is that good? But it is even the same in Utah. So I guess I should have expected it. But I hope no one was reading this while eating!

Next, What are you doing here? So we found this family this last week who had met the missionaries before and they didn't understand the Restoration so we went over it again and they were understanding and making progress and everything. Then the return visit we come and we see their grandfather. He was old and he was childish. Making slanderous comments and being contentious. It was really quite sad, he was an old man who supposedly had much wisdom and knowledge but all I saw was a child throwing mud and ruining the foundation we laid. I kept thinking, what are you doing here????? I wanted to give him fire but I didn't. I very much wanted to, but I thought it would be a bad idea. But the good news is, the mom came to church and she really enjoyed and she had a question about Temples which we explained and she was very receptive. Imagine if I had given fire!!! I could have ruined everything! But I didn't and it wasn't. Woot!

Another experience we had was when one of our investigators said he found anti-mormon stuff on the net and even said that he found stuff that said we were racist. Background: At the very moment he was telling us this I had given the only chair to our ward missionary and I was crouching against a wall on the balls of my feet..... He said he could see we weren't racist at all. Victory! But he said he is going to pray and ask God if the church is true because he knows people always talk. Woot!

And finally, Who are you?! So we had some of our investigators at church. But then during our Gospel Principles class we saw two women walk in and they looked very comfortable except the fact that they were just standing there. Then the Bishop brought them over and they were participating but I had no idea who they were!!! Then they went to Relief Society and then in the aftermath they somehow got passed us and they were gone!!! So we ran out and chased them down! Hahaha a bit awkward but definitely worth it. We went to their home and I am still in awe. They are so prepared it isn't even funny. They said they have been praying to know which church to go to.

So they asked one of their friends, who is a member, and he said they should join Latter-day Saints. They said no! But after talking she said alright I want to know some background of the church. So the friend gave them Teachings of the President's Joseph Smith and they read the whole thing! They said after they read the next step was to come to church and so they asked around and came to the church yesterday. They explained the life of Joseph Smith very well and they even talked about Emma and their children and how he was martyred and they said they have been praying and they know the Latter-day Saints is the right church and they wanted to know how soon they could be baptized. They asked if they could be baptized that very Saturday or if they had to wait so we explained and they will be baptized this Saturday and we will meet them everyday to prepare them! The Lord is really preparing people, huh? They are really something else. They are so excited for their baptism that they are a bit disappointed they have to wait until Saturday. Incredible.

Can you believe it?? I am not sure if I do yet. But we are going to have a Family Home Evening with them today. They are already members.

Oh something funny/bizarre. We got to the primary school where we meet for church and some people were there and had set the place up for a wedding. A gotty temporal wedding! And they had commandeered our chairs!!!!! So we took our chairs and met in one of the larger classrooms but it wasn't really big enough for our ward..... Here I am walking up expecting to have our PEC meeting and I see workers and people setting up there worldly marriage where our Sacrament was supposed to be partaken. But all worked out and we had a very good time at church.

Go on mission!!!!!

ELDER GAY