It was a good week in the infamous TSAM.
Yesterday was a really cool Sunday because a daughter of the "R" family asked that I confirm her into the church - first time! Her family is doing awesome, they look happier. You can tell the difference between someone who is living the commandments and keeping covenants by their eyes and countenance. Their eyes have love and their countenances are bright. I like going into homes after having visited a few times and being able to feel the spirit in a place where it once didn't abide. I love seeing people's faces after they start living the gospel because they literally look brighter. The "R" family smiles more.
Unfortunately, it wasn't all good feelings at church yesterday. The "R" daughter's mom came to watch the ordinance and told me after she still loved her daughter but was so disappointed she had left the mother Catholic church. Her grandma won't speak to her. After I spoke with her for a few minutes her mom consented to letting the missionaries in her area sit down with her. I hope that meeting goes well.
On Christmas morning, Mom and Dad sent me a package and among various goodies there was some gum. We don't chew gum as missionaries because it looks unprofessional. When I was on the way to throw it out I asked a girl walking to her car if she wanted a few packs of gum. She asked me why, and for the life of me I could not think of a reason why I couldn't have that gum. I really didn't want to sound creepy, and I felt like me offering her gum without any reason on a foggy morning was really coming across creepy so I said, "I can't eat it... I'm allergic." So she goes, "Oh really, what will happen if you eat it?" (That's a little bit of a prying question don't you think?) I also had not prepared for that question so I said, "I'll die."... Smooth. She consented to take the gum and we chatted for a little and then parted after giving her our phone number. I few weeks later we bumped into her again and after getting to know her a little more we set up a time to share our message. She's a really cool ghoul, like 21 years old, she'd just gotten her priorities a little skewed. ANYWAYS, she was doing great and was progressing toward baptism and then we realized she had to go the YSA ward! Gah! So we had an exchange lesson with her this week with ourselves, the sister missionaries in the YSA ward and a member from that ward. It went well, she's still progressing as I hear it.
Not long after the exchange lesson we were invited to a surprise birthday party for a man in the Spanish ward. The members said it would be a great finding opportunity betwixt his non-member friends. We showed up and it was pretty much a ward get-together. The man throwing the party is easily the wealthiest guy on the South Side of San Antonio and lives in a castle like structure surrounded by a big fence in the middle of a ghetto. The point i'd like to make from this advent comes from the dancing that broke out during the party. These Spanish couples all just instinctively knew how to dance - really well. The men all had this hip movement down i've never seen a white man pull off (aside from my own father who kills it on just dance). I appreciate the Mexican Culture because they make amazing tortillas and they dance really well.
We've been waking up at 5 every day to go to Gold's Gym. Elder Reasch used to lift a ton before the mission so he makes me feel like a little girl. Today was my first legs day. I'm already starting to feel sore.
Sometimes living the gospel is tough. Zecharia 13:9 we will be refined as silver and tried as gold. Silver endures blazing temperatures before it is molten down and purified. I suppose we can expect nothing less in order to fully sanctify ourselves, but then never forget the promised reward for repenting. Alma 36:20 "and oh, what joy, and what marvelous light I did behold; yea my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain!"
I love you and I miss you,
Live Salty,
Elder Tyler Meidell
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