Take in Five

Peeps,

5 minutes.  Improv, improv....  Let's see....

First, right before district meeting, Mom's friends and Sister Horning delivered a package for me.  They are magnificent.

Next, I went on exchange in Spanish with Elder Sumsion.

On Saturday, Elder Hunt and I used his mom's $50 gift card to eat big and contact at Longhorn Steakhouse.  Mmm....  Stuffed mushrooms and Mexican corn cob.  And our waitress's name was Selena, but not Gomez.  She took our number.  Hoo-rah.

This morning, we DROVE to Morristown to drop off the departing missionaries.  Then Elder Spack-daddy and I DROVE to bowling, where we were treated by the Haleys.  Then we ate at Wendy's.

We are waaay more than out of miles.  We have to drive all the way back to Morristown later today.  Darn departing missionaries!  But on the way back from there to emailing, however, Elder Spackman and I drove to Newark and talked with the elders there.  Then we drove through Irvington.  Oh, how I miss the hood and their stoops.

I'm starting to get the hang of this whole district leader thing.  At first it was stressful.  Now I'm stressed, but with love!  I love Elder Hunt, Hermana Schwendiman, Hermana Jarman, Elder Sumsion, and Elder Lopez so flippin much!  They are good missionaries.  You know what else is good?  Mangoes.  Mango Hi-chews are the best.  Grape is fine, however.  Rob the Freemason ate most of the grape ones.  Hi-chews well replace brushing your teeth this morning and talking to the mission president and his wife with morning breath.  Wanna know what's not fine?  Steak.  The best steaks are the thicker steaks.  I've been in the Scotch Plains Stake for my entire mission so far.  Thick is the opposite of fine.  Relatively sound logic for 30 seconds left.  You know what else is thick?  My love for my district.  They are fabulous.

And I love you too, with a love that has unmeasurable girth.  Girthy love.  Pictures next time.

Love,

Elder deJesus

Less-active to Investigator

Wuzz good?

Life here in Avenel, Iselin, Colonia, Fords, Edison, Metuchen, Keasbey, Perth Amboy, Hope Lawn, Sewaren, Woodbridge, Port Reading, and Carteret by Staten Island is good.

We finally helped a less-active member become an investigator of the Church!  She had thought her entire life that she was baptized when she was young.  I guess she was too young to remember that she was actually not.  Her records are nowhere to be found, neither the witnesses to the baptism.  She will be baptized in August, hopefully more than just because she likes the elders!

Elder Hunt is a sickly fellow.  He has vomited around four times this past week, received a bloody nose twice, and stayed at the apartment to nap 7 times.  His body is rebelling.

My district is awesome.  Hermana Schwendiman and Hermana Jarman enjoy being companions to one another.  Los Elderes Sumsion and Lopez are as well.  They have tough areas in Short Hills, where not many Hispanics reside, but they work diligently.

Our zone had the privilege of meeting President and Sister Taggart personally today during interviews, and they are awesome.  They are definitely green still, meaning that they are adjusting to missionary life.  But what a wonderful couple!  They do things differently from the Jeppsons.  Their main focus will be using the media to find new investigators.

Also, the missionaries in our zone performed musical numbers and skits for the Primary in the Scotch Plains Stake.  Those kids are cute.  They are ready to go on missions.

I went on a couple of exchanges to the Scotch Plains First Ward, and bonded with their ward mission leader.  They just baptized Diego yesterday!  The Holy Ghost's influence penetrated my heart as he was immersed in the water and his nonmember mom smiled and cried.  Then he bore his testimony and everyone but me cried.  Actually, I was the only one crying.  But don't tell anyone.

That's pretty much it.  I apologize for not writing you more often.  Preparation days here are busy.

Take luck, good care.  See you in two.

Love,

Elder deJesus

Elder Tang

A,

In under 5 minutes I will describe that, in this transfer, I stayed in the rich Woodbridge area, the land of Indians.  I will also describe that we received a new mission president and wife, the Taggarts.  I will describe that my new companion, Elder Hunt, likes anime and swords such as katanas, and therefore looks Asian, though gringo.  In fact, he has acquired the nickname "Elder Tang" from a member in a previous area.  I was also called a district leader, working with Elder Tang, Hermanas Schwendiman and Jarman (sister training leaders), and los Elderes Sumsion and Lopez.  They all speak espanol.  In fact, Elder Lopez speaks "Mexican," as many Utahns politically incorrectly call it.  Elder Hunt and Hermana Scwendiman are going home after this transfer and Elder Lopez just got started.  I will describe how more deets are coming soon.  I will describe these things in under 5 minutes.  Hopefully, tihs will be the only spelling error.

 

I love you all!

Love,

Elder deJesus

Schmirthday

Dear All,

The Twelfth was the end of my twentieth life-year and also the anniversary of the independence of the Philippine Islands.  Happy Father's Day.

For my birthday, I enjoyed recovering from bronchitis.  We were also informed that there are three people now who contemplate or have completed receding from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  It has been a sobering week.  Members, please do be careful what you say or don't say.

Bad news aside, I went on exchange to the hood again!  Plainfield, West End!!!  We contacted an Irishman: "My name is Elder deJesus."  "I'm Elder Clow."  He said, "Who's yer PAH-sterr (pastor)?"  "Bishop So-and-so."  "Who's yer pahsterr's pahsterr?"  "What are you trying to say?"  "Jesus is my pahsterr.  You're wrong."  "We have His apostles and prophets."  "Oh."  I love contacting!

We went to the all-mission conference and said goodbye to our beloved President Jeppson and Sister Jeppson.  They will be replaced by President and Sister Taggart, who are bringing their 17-year-old daughter.  As if working with flirty YSA and young women weren't trouble enough!  But we are excited for this big change.  President and Sister Jeppson will be deeply missed.

I Skyped my family. 

Not much else going on in this part of the Vineyard.

I love you all.

Love,

Elder deJesus

Bronchitis

Fellows,

A lesson for the charitable-hearted: The sweetest grandma in our ward, Gramma Worschinski, contracted bronchitis last week and shared it with her family.  Elder Camper and I rushed to her aid and administered the sacrament and a blessing for the sick and afflicted.  We came home feeling good and charitable.

Elder Camper woke up feeling sinus-clogged and in pain.   A couple of days ago, I contracted the same illness.  Brethren, I have bronchitis.  Ain't nobody got time for that!

Anyway, the Work has been hindered.  We helped the ward's favorite family move their belongings into a large trailer.  We coughed over the phone to set appointments for next week (we did teach a lesson over the phone and now have a new investigator).  We watched, like, every Church movie there is, twice.  I studied for hours for the training I'm going to give tomorrow.  We hibernated all week, everyday.  We also went to our meetings yesterday morning and spread the disease.  Now the whole ward council will become zombies.

I am crying not because of the Spirit of God, but I am sneezing so much.  I can't even type wrighte.  wahtverr

I love you all.

Love,

Elder deJesus

New Jersey Diversity

Hilo,

This week, we taught a diverse group of people.  We taught a drug dealer, a paranoid schizophrenic, a porn-addicted Nigerian, gangsters, Deaf people, a secret agent, a guy with an eyepatch, a dog, and some white lady who wanted that dog to be blessed.  We helped move some Haitians, ate at a car-hopping place called Stewarts, sang in choir, and learned French from a guy in an Indian neighborhood.  The Memorial Day barbie was phenomenal.  The burgers were as tall as the ceiling.  We gave blessings galore to sick people.  Elder Camper is still 6'7".

The best part about this week was yesterday, Sunday. Remember the Melendezes from last week?  They came to church yesterday for the first time in 8 years.  And it was beautiful.  Elder Camper and I received the privilege of helping bless their babies, Justice and Mercy.  The testimony meeting was just fantastic, and many members commented on how that was the best meeting that they have ever attended.  The Melendezes enjoyed every second of church and are planning on coming back next week.

I now know that coming to church enlivens and strengthens faith.  It is just how God has designed His divine organization.  The Gospel of Jesus Christ is true!

I love you all.

Love,

Elder deJesus

More adjectives for my third area

Hallow,

I have been transferred from the hoods of Irvington to the opposite: Woodbridge and Perth Amboy, NJ, where everyone is rich and white and feeds us like Hispanics.  I am back in a driving area, so we can't contact anyone!  They're all indoors playing video games and going on Facebook and whatnot!  Anyway, these emails are pretty much useless because of the lack of details.  We have two upcoming baptisms..

Here's my testimony so far in my mission, if that balances things out.  I know that God hears prayers and James's promise in James 1:5 is true.  We invite all people we meet to ask God whether or not the Book of Mormon is true and promise them that He will tell them whether or not it is.  For 90 consecutive days, I have asked Him.  I know that the Book of Mormon and the Bible are both God's words.  Ezekiel prophesied of the Book of Mormon.  Isaiah prophesied of the Book of Mormon.  The coming forth of the Book of Mormon is the sign that the Lord is gathering Israel in these last days.  I am here to gather New Jersey.  I am a disciple of Jesus Christ.  I invite people to repent.  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teaches the Savior's Gospel completely and clearly!  I know that Heavenly Father loves you!

Anyway, I love you!

Love,

Elder deJesus