April 14, 1997, Monday
[…] Cindy got baptized yesterday. I dragged her to church to the English branch. We had to wait for her to shower, change, and the works. Man, but she loved it. We went to a Zone Leader’s getaway at President Bailey’s home with 40 ZLs and APs. […] We listened to the APs give dirt on a lot of [us] including me that they got from our parents. […] Had a malta night. [I’m going to leave that there. If you know, you know]
April 15, 1997, Tuesday
We listened to a few talks then President Bailey talked and let us ask him questions. He was pretty chill. [P]eople just wanted to know about the end of the world and the masons, but finally [someone asked] about chicks [and] about interracial marriages. […] Anyhow, we got home and went and saw Brenda and read with her. She is still pumped for Sunday. She is so awesome. I’m pumped for her. […] And we baked a cake for Janira and took it to her. Last time it felt like they were falling. But this time they climbed, they’re going to do it this Sunday. Wow, hopefully, I‘m crossing my fingers. I felt bad as she related a story of abuse to us that she received from a man. The man attacked and nobody did anything. I didn’t do anything when this guy was beating his wife [in the middle of the street, back in Brownsville]. I felt like crap. Oh well. I do think the cake helped with them. I might go to Dyker [Height] tomorrow.
April 16, 1997, Wednesday
Well, we did have the privilege to go to Dyker [Heights] for an hour […] I saw Toni and Marianna and Carolina and also […]
April 17, 1997, Thursday
It rained. Need I say more?
April 18, 1997, Friday
Well, we held a zone meeting and after ate. Then some of the missionaries […] took another 4 hours off, going out to eat again. So we all got pissed at them. Realizing we were pissed, [they] didn’t care. We just may need a zone inventory.
April 19, 1997, Saturday
Well, we feel good. Things are looking good for us to break the record. Ya. Lots of commitments. I made a big deal about being believing and having faith and I hope it all works out. We saw some good people today and got good frealresses. You know for the first time on my mission I saw a girl and almost lost it […]. I fell apart mentally and physically. […]
April 20, 1997, Sunday.
Well, we had 3 baptisms [and] our area had 4 others. We’re now at 32. […] We still have 1 ½ weeks left. A lot of time. [At Jamira’s baptism] I felt she needed to say a few words like a testimony and so when all was said and done, I invited those who were baptized to say a few words. Everyone refused. But just as I was about to stand up and end [the meeting], she stood up and said, “Just a minute, I would like to just really fast thank these two young men. I am so grateful for them.” as tears rolled down her cheek. Wow […]
NOTES
I saw a lot of abuse on my mission. Some areas were worse than others. I don’t want to detail all of it. Some things you just don’t need to know about.
I have never been the courageous hero type. I think back to the dude beating his wife or girlfriend in the middle of the street. It would take a lot of courage to go take the beating for her. We surely could have intervened and tried to de-escalate the situation and I didn’t. It is a major regret of mine.
The girl. Hummm… I guess it’s not unreasonable that at some point you meet the most beautiful woman in the world and she has an effect on you. It’s whether you dwell on it. As a missionary, I tried to keep my heart locked. That doesn’t mean I never noticed someone strikingly beautiful.