Yo Ho Yo Ho a Rezy Life For Me

Hello! This week has been insane! I got to spend about half the week out on the rez getting chased by dogs. It was great. The people out there are so different than anything I had even imagined in the US.

Funny: Just because of the way this week worked we only had dinners twice, one on Monday and one on Sunday. So we have been living off of old pizza, cheese, and whatever else we can find. but on Sunday we ate so much food. It was with this Mexican lady and she really knew how to cook. I ate so much that I could not see straight. It was so funny because every time we cleared our plate she got us more. We must have eaten around 5 plates each!

Spiritual: On Monday I went out on the rez with the 4th ward elders. We were walking down the street when this old drunk dine'(Navajo) pulled up. He started cussing us out and demanding that we pray for him. I guess we took too long because he got out of the car and started to approach us like he's ready to fight. I was getting really excited and nervous because part of me wanted to fight but part of me also wanted to run. As we prayed I saw him get angrier and angrier. But the moment we said amen he changed. I saw the Spirit touch him. He started to apologies and just walked off with tears running down his cheeks. It was really a tender moment for me because I really saw the protection that we as missionaries have.

Where I am at: Life is good. We have a baptism on October 5 or 6 (depending on her work). Her name is Monica and she is so ready to join the church. We are very excited for her. We have zone conference next week so that is exciting. But other than that the work goes on as usual.

Elder Black

A couple of other sneaky photos

This are the photos we got when Jonah arrived in the mission.

This was that same cute group of boys a few hours after they arrived at the mission office:

My soul deligheth in fatness

Hello from Page AZ. it is fantastic here and everywhere you look is beautiful.

Funny: At church in the Page 3rd ward there was a young girl who was giving a talk about prayer she was explaining the steps of how to pray. Also about half of the ward is really old and fall asleep often. She was talking about how "when you close a prayer by saying in the name of Jesus Christ amen" when she said that about half of the congregation also said amen because they thought she was done. The man conducting the meeting even woke up and almost stood up to close the meeting.

Spiritual: We only got to teach one real lesson this week but we did give a lot of spiritual thoughts. one of which was to this old ex-polygamist guy in Big Water Utah. He was only partially drunk (which is better than most out there). and we actually got him to commit to read the Book of Mormon and pray about it. It really showed to me that where there is a desire then the Spirit will be there also.

Where I am at:I am in the Page 3rd ward and the Echo Cliffs Branch. The page 3rd ward goes from Page AZ. almost to Kanab, Utah. We go past the fancy hidden hotel Amangiri . It is about a 45 minute drive out that way. the Echo Cliff branch is a deep rez area of a little town called Bitter springs. In total our area takes about 2 and a half hours to drive the length of. we drive a 2017 Toyota Tacoma and it is a very very very nice truck. My companion Elder Barnard is the best but he is also doing a ton he is:

-training me

-training two 6 week elders

-zone leader

-white washing

Please pray for us! we are white washing which out here is tough because Page is a war zone. there are 12 other religions trying to get people and the town isn't that big so everyone has seen/talked to the missionaries. But all is well and I have gained 20-25 pounds already.

I love you all

Elder Black

I have decided that I am never going to come home

This week at the MTC has been an awesome trial, it has been like trying to swim through the hurricane that is in Texas right now.

Funny: All week my abs have been super sore. At first I was really concerned because there has been a sickness that has been going around. but then I realized that the reason my abs hurt was because I was laughing so much.

Spiritual: This week I have realized that the gospel is so simply complex. I barely understand it myself. I have tried to really dive deep into my studies and I have seen how the Lord give each of his servants what they need and that it is up to the servants to recognize what the Lord has given them and how to use it.

Where I am at: The mission is probably the least stressful time of my life. I have felt so many blessing and prayers. It is so nice to know that I honestly don't have to worry about anything but that the Lord is watching out and helping me.

Jonah will leave the MTC next Monday morning. Hopefully we will still have a photo to share of his new world.