One Hot Cold

Taylor Gemperline	1:09 PM (58 minutes ago)
to me, Andrew, Allison, Daniel, Heather, Hanna, Lorene, sam, Sharlie

Well this week was another busy good week. We meet with almost every one of our investigators which doesn't ever really happen since most of them are so busy! The greatest thing is I wasn't even there for half of them. I had planned an exchange for Wednesday to Thursday and during that exchange Elder V was able to take lead in 3 Lessons with investigators without me there. It was great and he handled it like a champion so I was proud and know that now we are done with his training it is time for me to leave and him to step up to the responsibility. It will be fun to see.

During a Zone Conference on Wednesday in which we got to see President Orgill Teach for the first time to us I began to really get a headache. It grew to the point where I began to get dizzy and since the meeting is 7 hours long almost by the end of it I could tell it was too late for Emergen-c and I was sick. Just a common cold I'm sure but I've been about sniffing and swallowing funny in the middle of a heat streak. Its really just been an annoyance and I've continued to work just as hard. Sunday I couldn't speak much cause my voice has been going but today Ill get some good rest and see if it helps. 

When I got home from the exchange with Elder Chlarson from Kanosh UT I came into the presence of an excited  Elder VanQ. Haha I guess he was trying to find a male over the age 16 to come with us to the appointment. It was an important one cause this is the family who came from Mexico who is really ready to hear the gospel. Well the reason he couldn't get anyone he explains to me was because it was Mutual night. As soon as he told me this the phone rang and a member of the ward explains to Elder VanQ that he should just take the investigators to mutual instead because they have the 13 yr old daughter who needs to meet the girls.  We got the Webber father and twins to come with us and we picked up the family from the apartments and walked to the church all together. We did our best to make sure the family was comfortable and as we got to the church tension became pretty tangible. Especially when we walked into the room oh combined young women. There was this awkward 15 seconds of silence and me saying hi to people while everyone just stared at us until Dear Sister Elliot ran across the room and just gave them a big hug and then it was all over. We got some Lego's for their 9 yr old son and played with him while the mother and daughter were engrossed in the activity and message of the young women. We walked away having showed them the church and establishing new friendships. She never stopped thanking us as we walked home and it was honestly one of the sweetest success of my mission for some reason. I just hadn't heard a sincere thank you for my efforts in a loonnnnggg time from someone I've been trying to help. 

Other than that I'm just realizing my time in this ward is far spent and there is little remaining. Getting permission from President Soon to look and see if I need to do anything to keep my schooling in order online. Applications for Fall semester when I'm home are coming up. Time is just flying way too fast sometimes isn't it? These are things I pondered as last P-day I made the impulsive decision to buy a new suit from H&M. I love it so much. It fits nice and snug and is gray instead of black and basically I can now say I'm one step closer to Californian.

 Stay cool everyone. 

Just Leave NOW!

2 Nephi 28:16   Wo unto them that turn aside the just for a thing of naught and revile against that which is good, and say that it is of no worth?  For the day shall come that the Lord God will speedily visit the inhabitants of the earth: and in that day that they are fully ripe in iniquity they shall perish." "Knocking out my Best Two Years" "Lets Get out of Here, Elder"	Aug 5 2013)

Well this week we had a fun experience with a member of the Las FLores HOA. Saturday night we were tracting a street up the hill near our bishops home and for some reason everyone was just being super friendly. Lots of good smiles and I was just loving to talk to everyone. Then we came across a lady as we knocked on her door who came out and just scowled at us. We greet her and she stays silent for a few seconds and says "You can leave" just under her breath. We say that is fine have a nice day, smile and turn around to walk away. We make it a few steps and she says the same thing just a little louder. I turn around and say "Excuse me, mam?" 

"I told you, you can leave, we are all born-again christians here so don't waste your time and get out of our neighborhood."

"Mam, There may be someone on this street who is having a really hard time right now and they may just need to see someone smile and there is nothing you can say that is going to stop me from trying to find that person so I can let them know someone cares"

As this is happening there are 4 little girls playing in the street and another neighbor gets up and walks over and ushers them away, thank goodness! You don't need to do this in front of the kids. 

"You cultists! You disturbers of all that is right! Get out of our neighborhood and take your evil ideas with you! You don't follow Christ!" 

We promptly left it at that and walked away, continuing down the road to knock doors. 10 minutes later we have finished the street and we begin walking to the next appointment when we contact a lady. She explains to us that she is actually meeting with Mormon Missionaries that night! We ask where she lives and she points to a house across the way and it clues in that some other missionaries were trying to teach people in OUR area. Well we quickly get her information and the info on the Elders that were coming so we can figure it out. We say our goodbye and began to keep walking when the inevitable happens.  A car pulls up and there sits the lady who we met earlier who looks much like the lady on "Over the Hedge."

"We pay 1.3 million dollars each for our homes with an additional 1500 dollars a year to the HOA to live in this neighborhood so that we don't have to deal with satanist, cultist scum like you. When I tell you that you need to leave the neighborhood you better do it because I'm on a neighborhood watch program and my neighbors are...."

"SEE YA LATER MAM!" We say mid sentence and begin to walk away. We instantly hear this piercing scream and the call of vulgarities proceed from the car as she began to curse us in every way imaginable. We quickly had members pick us up and drive us to safety. Best part is, those other elders are going to let us teach the person they were going to steal. Its so fun to be a missionary sometimes :D!

Well love you all! 

Elder Gemperline

P.S. to Mother - I promise I'm totally safe and there was never any cause for alarm. Sticks and stones can break my bones but names can never hurt me and there were plenty of people around to defend us if something physical came up. 

Makes you wonder what i ACTUALLY leave out in emails doesn't it? Uh oh. I might get in trouble for that comment. 

--Elder Gemperline