So, some more mission stories. I must say. I’m not going to justify my actions. I realize growing up, it took me a while to really clue into life. Once I clued in, I realized I wasn’t naturally born with leadership skills. I’m grateful for these experiences. But from what I’m reading about myself, I kind of feel like I was more an expletive than a leader. I know some people wouldn’t acknowledge their faults quite like this, but I admit I have them.
April 18, 1996
Things went better with my comp today. I’m trying not to hound him. He’s trying to fall instep. Today he said he hated jaywalking so I started using crosswalks and he like it so much. I told him if you act like you like it, I’m not going to do it. So he stopped acting like it and so I didn’t jaywalk. Then he acted like it so I started jaywalking again. I went across the street and a couple missionaries came up and spooked us. We were going off about how we stop cops to jaywalk in front of them and one of the zone leaders was saying he jaywalked with a cop once. I think my comp got the hint that jaywalking in New York is just how it is. It’s not really against the law.
April 19, 1996
Today was a zone meeting and we all went on splits. It was a good experience. The zone meeting was good. We’re stacked and our zone leaders are way cool. Elder Doyle shared a funny story. He was in a prayer circle and started laughing in the middle of the prayer and the lady got mad and so he said it was such a good prayer all he could do was laugh so she told him he was filled with the “Holy Laugh”. He was like wow, is there really a Holy Laugh? She said you preach the word, and you don’t even know what you’re preaching.
On my split we went up into an area of town we don’t usually go to. We walked around aimlessly, fealressed a way cool lady then made our way out. It was tough, there just weren’t very many Spanish in the neighborhood. As we were making our way out I saw a little boy and thought I should ask him if he was Spanish. He said, no. So we kept walking. After we got a house or two further he yelled, stop. So we went back and he said, yes. 2 houses down might be Spanish. So we were off. The boy was inspired by the holy ghost. I went to the side door instead of the front and we found a Spanish family. We got a referral. Then we tried the front door and it was good too. There was a girl and her mother who were so cool. We taught them and it was very good. A very good experience for me. I do believe God works through children.
April 20, 1996
Well, today I think we’re finally getting somewhere. I was actually patient.
As for my comp, he just needs to keep it simple. We got fed a lot today. My comp just talks about whatever I would have busted out of there if he wasn’t sharing the most spiritual experience of his life. His testimonies go on for days and days. I get so bored. Then his testimony goes into more talk then even more testimony. God help me.