Week #42 - "Don't worry. I'm not gonna kill ya."

 The BOIS - Elder Furphy, Elder Ure and Elder Morris!!

 Me and the LEGEND Elder Dowdle. Photo bombers: feet - Elder Olsen, and Elder Morris?

 Papi (Elder Wood) and ME

The lineage of Elder Wood (Me and Elder Baum)

Man oh man. What a WACK week. We probably avoided getting kidnapped, which is super good, cuz we got a lot of work to do.

Main blessing of this week was that we were able to find seven new people to teach and two of those people were SUPER solid. Elder Farley and I were on exchanges and we decided to go walking down a street to find a person, that had been previously taught. We did find him, but he was totally not interested. BUT, we found this sweet dude named Raúl. He said to come back in a couple of hours. So, we went and talked with lil' Sean and set up some new member lessons. THEN, we went back to Raúl's house and he and his son talked with us.  We had a super solid restoration lesson. They want us to come back in two weeks exactly and teach them more. So, there is some very good potential here. 

Elder Farley was SUPA tired

Here's the SUS part of the week though: 

We were biking around in the rain, on Saturday, cuz we can't drive our cars on Saturday, until 5pm. So we knock on a door and Joe answers it. 

He looks at us and says, "why you boys out in the rain? Geet inside."

So we walk inside and he says, " What are you boys doing outside?"

We reply, "We are going around sharing a message of Jesus Christ and we know it can bless everyone's lives." 

He then says, "Oh. I ALREADY know Jesus. It's wrong that you are riding in that weather. It's stupid."

I said, "Well, I just know that this message can bless everyone and I want to share it with everyone, no matter the conditions outside."

He then just kinda pushed that comment aside and told us to sit down and we said we didn't really want to (cuz we were wet), but he then said, "SIT DOWN"

So we promptly did and he asked us if we were hungry in which I replied, "yes."

He put some fish on the stove to fry and then came in to talk to us while it cooked. He started telling us how he was 65 and could tap dance and Elder Boam said,"Wow that's cool, good for you!" Right when he said that, Joe looked at Elder Boam and said, "you know what boy, you got a smart mouth." 

So he keeps talking with us and then goes and get us our food and that was some gooooood fried fish. He also gave us some Wonder bread, which was very tasty too. He then keeps talking about how hard his life was growing up and then he looks at me and says, "I like you, but you *pointing at Elder Boam* you have a smart mouth." 

Then he asks if we want seconds and i totally say yes. Elder Boam said, "I actually had a huge lunch but this was really good. thank you so much for it."  Joe then says, "I invite you into my house and you don't accept my hospitality? You disrespect me in MY house?" Elder Boam then replied, "I didn't mean any disrespect." Joe then starts to laugh and walks to get my fish, but as he walks away he says, "Don't worry, I'm not gunna kill ya." and he says that four more times and the more he says it, the less we believe him.   He gives me my fish which I totally eat real quick. 

But, then he stands up and hands Elder Boam a five dollar bill and Elder Boam kindly declines it and explains that we don't like to accept monetary donations and Joe yells, "TAKE THE DARN MONEY!" and so Elder Boam took it. He then proceeds to start swearing at Elder Boam and periodically pausing to say he likes me. 

Then, he starts telling us that his wife is in surgery, in Houston, and that she is suffering. He looks down and when he looks up, he crying big ol' tears. He says, "I'm 65 years old...." Then, he straight up lunges forward, and it spooked me pretty good, and he says, "BUT I CAN STILL TAP DANCE!" and starts laughing again and reassures us that he won't kill us again. 

Then, he says that he's done enough for us and gets us our coats and I shake his hand and say, "thanks Joe, the fish was good and I appreciate your hospitality."  Joe then says, "you remembered my name... you're a beautiful man. You can go."   He opens the door and as I step out, HE CLOSES THE DOOR and Elder Boam is stuck inside. All I see is Elder Boam shake his hand and they give each other a BIG ol' hug and then he lets Elder Boam out and we GEEEEET outta there. 

I later learned that Joe told Elder Boam that he had prejudice written all over his face, but that he loved him. SO yeah that happened. I was super worried that my son had just gotten kidnapped but it all worked out. 

So my spiritual thought for the week comes from..........................................................
THE BOOK OF MORMON

"YAAAAAAY!"

But! It is in the book of Helaman and it's in chapter 6 and in verse 5 it says, 

5 Yea, and many did preach with exceedingly great power and authority, unto the bringing down many of them into the depths of humility, to be the humble followers of God and the Lamb. 

And so that got me to thinking that all we can do as missionaries is present the gospel to people and testify as much as we can about it. But, the real conversion is with the spirit and being willing to follow it. The spirit is so cool and without it, I'd be a sad dood. 

 I like this pic a LOT

 My pepper plant Petey

My pepper plant Pete

Anywho, I hope y'all have a great week! 

Stay awesome y'all,
Elder Furphy