My thoughts:
Another Sunday, some more mission journal entries. Well, missionaries go through some tough times. They can be for many reasons. My second companion was difficult. Don’t let this ruin your view of LDS missionaries. Most of them are the most awesome people you will ever meet.
Sept 15, 1995
My companion talks about sex, about every girl, swears all day long and gets very pissy if he doesn’t have food in his stomach. I don’t fit in too well with these missionaries.
We saw the swat team all assemble next to the Cypress Hills projects, ready to (or prepping to) make a drug bust. But they waited for the ambulance to pull up first. Wow, expecting casualties, that is nuts.
Sept 18, 1995
My comp is making things very hard on me. His profanity and talking about sexual things constantly. It’s trippy. Then I guess because I’m not too bright I’m looked down upon by him. He started talking about how he wished he had smoked pot so he could add it to his list of things he had done. I’m like what? Then I’m talking about it trying to reason with him and he says, “don’t you use that resolving concerns crap with me”. And starts saying it’s for low-life scum out here not to be used putting him down.
Sept 20, 1995
Yesterday we had the coolest experience talking to Leanard Wilkins. It was awesome to teach him a fourth discussion. We shared the Eternal Family with him and Temple Work. It was crazy. But things got crazy. Somehow, we triggered him to talk about his family and he told us about his two sons that died. One went in for a circumcision at three years old and they operated for a hernia. He never came out from the anesthesia. His 16 year old boy was shot point blank in the face by someone for no reason on his birthday. It was sad. He cried, and we choked up. Hard. It was truly emotional.
Sept 22, 1995
Well, first of all, I did my laundry on Monday last week, then missed Wednesday because (my companion) wanted to go out and play. Crazy. So, today is Friday and I only have 7 pairs of garments. Guess what I’ve been doing? So, today the landlord let us use their washing machine and I put my clothes on the line outside and it rained all day. The wood clips bleed all over my shirts. It has looked like it would rain so many times and didn’t, why today?
(I had those bleed marks on some of my white shirts and garments the rest of my mission, all right on the shoulders)
I learned today that missionaries were praying to see people glow. The ones they should fearless, and they found people glowing. But, some missionaries are so hard, their faith is lacking and they just poke fun. Don’t throw your pearls before the swine, and especially don’t throw them before a missionary…. So, I’m now going to look for people who glow. I’ve seen it before with Kimmy. And I know it can be so again.
My thoughts:
Most of you know I had fallen pretty hard in my youth. After turning my life around, I found myself at the LDS Institute at UVU. I was a bit reclusive. I didn’t fit in with anyone. I was desperately trying to find a friend or friend group that would accept me for who I was and not judge me because of my past.
One day I was standing in the hall, waiting for the current class to leave the room, so I could go into my class. As all the kids exited the room a girl exited the room. She was glowing with the most brilliant light. I had never seen anything like it before in my life. This happened a few times and I felt drawn to her, but of course in my state of mind that wasn’t going anywhere.
A short time later I was introduced to her, and she became one of my dearest lifelong friends.
I guess my point is, the spirit can truly make people glow.