August 13th, 2012

Hey Everybody! I am super sorry about not emailing last week. I now have Insomina and only get a few hours of sleep a week. So after a week with about 8 hours of sleep I crashed on P-day and slept all day. I am talking to a lady about it and things are getting better for me. So thats why I missed last week. I am sorry:( Things these past two weeks have been CRAZY! I will give you the top 3 plays of the past weeks: Play #1: Elder Smith and I go to teach his Investigator Greg Weathers. Greg texted Elder Smith and told him that there lesson might be a little heated because his In-laws will be there and they hate Mormons. Elders Smiths companion is down because he hurt his ankle playing basketball and can not leave the apartment. So because of all of my previous encounters with Baptist Preachers in Lousivlle Elder Smith called me and asked for me to go with him. So we walk into gregs apartment and there are a few chairs set up in a circle. I felt like Wyatt Earp walking into the O.K. corral. The inlaws were there with a hot shot baptist preacher that is a big deal around here his name is Pastor Danny. We sat down and there was so much contention in the room I could hardly breathe. Pastor Danny tried to be all fake nice to us just like every pastor does. Pastor Danny asked us to share all of our Doctrine with him and then they would all decide for Greg if it was good for him to join our church. So we started with Jesus Christ and then we led into the Book of Mormon. After everything we said Pastor Danny would either agree with it or tell greg that it was not true, and that what we just said was a herecy. After about an hour Pastor Danny complimented us for being the most intelligent set of mormon missionaries he has ever talked to, and then hes said, "But its my turn now." He went off and started screaming and yelling telling Greg that we were both going to hell and how we don't understand who Jesus Christ even is. He was sitting next to me on the couch and I have NEVER wanted to hurt anyone more then i wanted to hurt him! I said a prayer and said, "I have had a real hard past few weeks and have tried hard so please help me deal with this guy." I Looked at Greg and said over the top of Pastor Danny. Greg I know that the Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ if I didn't I wouldn't sit here and take crap from this guy, and i know who Jesus Christ is because if I didn't there would have been a fight. I don't know why but the Holy Ghost told greg that the things I said were true. Elder Smith bore his testimony and greg asked pastor danny and his in laws to leave. It was awesome! best experience of my mission. Play # 2 We went street contacting in the hood, and it was getting late and we need 7 more contacts. We walked up to the b ball courts and there were a group of guys sitting around talking waiting to play a game. We approached them by telling them that we aren't cops so they didn't shoot us, and then I asked them if I could play a game with them. They all looked at me and laughed. So I took of my tie and un buttoned my shirt and started to play. The very first play I swated the guy that I was guarding on the 3 pt. line. I turned around right there and drained it. then I alley ooped this guy on my team and he threw it down! We kicked their trash and they were all calling me Jimmer. We gave them all some cards and a few Book of Mormons, and the guy that I lobed it to is now investigating the church in Louisville. Play #3: I went tracting out in the sticks with Elder Cox and I got some advice from a missionary at the start of my mission. he told me to never knock on a house that you can't see from the road. I forgot that advice and it made for an interesting night. We were at this house in the middle of no where and the had a distillery in there front yard to make moonshine. All of the sudden this huge german shepard came after us. He stopped like 5 feet in front of us and waited for us to make a move. I was freaking out because I knew this dog was for real. Elder cox tried to non chalantly (can't spell been in Ky, IN too long) and the dog laid his ears back and smiled at us. So I turned to walk the other way and the neighboors big dog was coming the other way. I was ready to take off, but when the German Shepard saw the other dog he ran and hid behind a truck so we took off, and that was only my second dog encounter on the mission. I have learned alot this week from going back to the basics and I would encourage all of you to read the Introduction of the Book of Mormon again and break it down. I realized a few things that I never had before. Let me know how it goes! Love, Elder Dye