So far my area is pretty dead in the water right now. All of our investigators have flaked out on us. I blame it on the summertime. Everybody just wants to play, which I don't blame them. I want to play with the new summer movies! Even though it seems like my work here is declining, I'm ok. I always look for the bright side of things. Missionary work is no all "Skittles and Root Beer." Hey, making movies isn't either. There's always going to be problem that define us! This is coming from a kid who always laughs at serious situations! My life is a comedy, and after my mission it'll be a romantic comedy. The prophets really do want you to marry when missionaries return. It shocks me. I always though you have to gain a career before you get married! I tell you what, my wife would have to be crazy if she's going to put up with me!
Most of my missionary work is tracting now. I don't mind tracting, but trying to find an area to tract in is what I don't really like! It's like "Where do you want to tract?" "I don't know, where do you want to tract?" So I just pick a random area (close to the apartments). When we get done, Elder Young goes, "I think I already did this area." Hey, if you keep asking, maybe they'll end up saying yes, come in and teach.
It was interesting to see an article in the Church LDS newspaper that there is a black kid, 6'9" from Chicago who is LDS on the over of Sports Illustrated Magazine saying that his faith is more important than his potential NBA career. The SI reporter doing the story is LDS too. The article in the magazine is perfect for people to get to know our church better. I was also excited to hear he is the best high school basketball player since LaBron James! And that he is a Mormon! Mormons are getting famous! Ya! Or at least noticeable. Now all they need is a big time Hollywood director Mormon!
There are definitely a lot of bugs and wildlife over here, more so than Utah. I have to use Bug Off constantly. Work has been a little slow, and we haven't been involved with the ward members lately either. We missed our weekly dinners with the three families we always eat at for two weeks now, but we got to go to a birthday party of a three year old the other day. They were members.
There's an awesome guy here who has been a blessing to the missionaries for 8 years now. He does a lot of service for us out here. He gets us into the public and always talks very highly of us. He makes missionaries look good to the town and shoots down any negative rumors about us as well. He works at the post office so he knows the whole town. He gives us connections, He is a very powerful ally.
Love, Elder Chan Michael Staheli
