The Corniest Road Trip

Hola! 

I've been able to speak more this week, and I'm really hoping I'm beginning to get somewhere. And I think it's also been a blessing to be able to actually interact with our investigators and members in lessons and much less google-translated texts. 

I had the chance to meet one of our investigators named Jose who had been in Mexico for a few weeks. He is a quieter man who works on a farm, and he brought a watermelon to the lesson. He reminds me a lot of Mathew Cuthbert from Anne of Green Gables. He loves the Book of Mormon and has gone to church a few times. I am so excited to be able to keep teaching him. 

A new member we've been watching out for is also named Jose. We've been messaging him for a while, and I loved being able to send scriptures I felt he would like and trying to help him as best we could. He stopped going to church because he lives so far away, and for other reasons we were less sure of. He had been responding, but then one day he sadly stopped. However, a day or so before we went on a road trip to the area where he lives, we tried calling him. And to our great surprise, he answered! We talked with him a little and found out that he had actually moved to a completely different state, but even more incredible, he was happy to help us move his records to his new ward. It was a small thing, but having that knowledge that he was still willing and still there was such a blessing. 

The morning before our road trip, we offered to help the people at the Methodist church across the street from our apartment with handing out groceries to people in need. I don't think I realized how much I missed just being able to just do good and help others without having to worry about their immortal souls. I loved being able to let myself and words go and just grab boxes of cereal and throw them into the piles.

Not long after, we were out on the road driving an hour or so north to visit as many people as we could. We drove by corn fields and the smallest town with the coolest little city center. We also accepted a dinner invitation and accidentally ended up at a Prepper's/Doomsdayer's meeting where we learned about the least expensive ways to stock our bunkers with propane tanks. Overall we didn’t get any return appointments, but I think we learned what a lot of movies, cartoon shows, songs, and pretty much any self-help book tries to teach us: the destination doesn't matter, but the journey is what counts. Or something like that. 

And that's a fine realization for a fun road trip through cornfields, but now it's getting to the point where the honeymoon phase of the start of my mission is kinda disappearing, and reality is setting in. 

In one situation, we found that even when we and the people we're talking to love Jesus, the Bible, and the scriptures we shared from the Book of Mormon, sometimes, it still isn't enough. And what makes it harder is that for some, it's not their choice. Even if their spiritual needs are great, they can't make the drive, their parents won't let them, they don't have the patience to hear us out, or it just isn't the right time.

Instead of simply enjoying the journey, I think what I need is to think in a different way or to take on a new perspective. I can't help everyone, especially not in the way I want, but I can always try to help them come closer to Christ. And when I try, my efforts might help them, even if I never actually find out. And that's okay, especially if I get to meet José Cuthberts along the way. 

Adios,

Hermanahhhh d'Eveñe

PS 

This is off topic, but we tried the mission fad of pulling over your car and trying to contact random people on the street, but the guy we yelled “Hey! Hola!” To started running after we got out of the car. 

Also off topic, but while we were eating in a park, a couple was arguing loudly about weed and who smoked whose pot, and for what reason for about 10 minutes, and when one of them got in their car and tried to drive away, they hit a parked car. It was chaotic, but intriguing.