Man, what a great week Elder Barnett and I have had! So, along with Rico, who is on date to be baptized the 24th, we also have two polynesians on date for the 24th! Matt James is a Samoan who's wife is a member. He took all the lessons up in Alaska where he worked and really just needs us to baptize him. He's so set, no problems, understands everything, super nice, he's definitely one of the elite people I'm here to find. Second we have a boy named Sam. Sam's Tongan. He's 20 years old and is here from California playing football at Utah State (Like most Polys, Sam is a giant). His dad is die hard Catholic and told him when he came to Utah that "He better not join the Mormon Church." Well, Sam has come to church the past 3 weeks, and soaks up everything we're teaching him. We have great fellowshippers for him, the Putuau's, a Tongan family. Tomorrow we are all going to temple square to see the Joseph Smith movie, I'm sure he'll love it. He's telling his dad on Sunday that we wants to join the church, he's already set on being baptized! There's a few other investigators that are progressing, and I'm sure some of them will accept a baptismal date within the next week or so.
It's still super hot here, walking is indeed an all day workout, but I'm still in high spirits! Salt Lake, like I said in past emails, is not at all like I expected. I had another anti-mormon moment with a man, started yelling at us about the dead sea scrolls and all this historical stuff about the apostles that proves this and that and how mormon missionaries always say the same thing like they're brainwashed to say certain things. It was humorous. Walking away he said our church was "cowardice"...I almost turned around to go off on him about all the wonderful and huge projects and things our church does in the world, and how no other church comes even close to touching ours. I restrained though, I'll meet many more people like that, I can't let myself lose it, even though I know I'm right.
This past week we had new missionary training. I got to see all the Elders from my MTC district. I love all of them, I really hope I get to serve with some of them later in the mission. I see all the other Elders that know each other and I'm super excited to see where I'm at in a year or so and all the people I'll know and stories I'll have. Still no distractions or anything. Some of the other new Elders are still holding on to girlfriends and things like that, I'm sooooooo glad I don't have a girl writing me!
I'll try to have pictures next week, hopefully some at baptisms! I'm sure I'll take some with Sam at temple square. The next week will be crazy though. An Elder in our zone is going home due to serious health issues, and so the plan right now is to have his companion move in with us. Their companionship is also over an entire stake, so if we do merge the three of us will be over two stakes, ten wards! I'm actually really stoked about this, I hope it happens. It would be a huge responsibility being over two stakes, we'd have to get bikes, but I'm up for the challenge!
I love love love the Salt Lake City Mission! I'm just so happy right now, the days go by fast, the weeks so far have just wizzed (How in the world do you spell that?!?) by! It's so true, when you work your butt off, the time just flies! Another week and I've been out for two months!?! It's ridiculous! I love this gospel, I love teaching, and I love seeing the look on people's face when they feel what I feel. Sam the other night asked us, "Why are you always so happy? When you talk about your church you always get a big smile on your faces? In the catholic church no one is happy like you when they talk about their religion and beliefs. Why is that?" Oh man, our smiles grew even bigger. Moments like this one that I'll always remember!
In other news, the Justin Beiber concert was this week. He performed in the Maverick Center, which is in the Granger East Stake. I was on exchanges that night, and so was in the area. We had to drive through there a couple of times, and my goodness, I've never seen so many glitter shirts and neon colored signs before in my life! Beiber fever was in full affect! All the other Elders I was with have been out a while, and don't know who JB is, so I gladly informed them of the awesomeness that is Justin Beiber!
Hope everyone is great, I greatly appreciated the mail this week! Until next week!
Love,
Scotty
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