I just have to say I'm so grateful to be here in Gainesville right now. I've never had so much adversity, anti, and obstacles to overcome with our investigators. I feel like if we can overcome it here and endure it well, we can do it anywhere.
Yesterday in a meeting our Bishop pulled all six of the missionaries into his office and asked us to be straight up with him about how we feel about the area. Comments went out like, there is a huge cultural difference, half the ward, 110, are children under 12 so Sacrament Meeting is filled with screaming, crying, kids. Black Couples make it to church but feel uncomfortable because they are the only whites there! Half the ward is doing Residency for Doctors, Dentists, and Surgeons and so every two years the ward changes completely. The lists goes on.... Long story short our Bishop wants us to knock doors like crazy in the rich neighborhoods to build up the Kingdom and ditch the rest of our area which includes ghetto, welfare assisted, and apartment complexes filled with students going to UF. We will somewhat give him what he wants but at the same time Christ told his Apostles to share the gospel to EVERY living soul.
We're still holding our Scripture Study class each week. We intrigue a lot of people when we tell them we dive deep into the Scriptures comparing the Bible and the Book of Mormon. We also hit a home run when we got a less active brother to perform on the organ for everyone after the class. We discussed the spirit and receiving personal revelation. We then led everyone into the chapel, with pen and paper in hand, to listen to Bruce play, feel the spirit, and write the impressions they receive to answer their individual questions. It went very well! A few people were crying afterwards because the spirit was so strong haha.
We got an Iranian couple to church! They don't have the best English, we have to speak very slow and simple for them so when the Bishop and a member of the Stake Presidency got up to speak, they went in depth of the Plan of Salvation and Family History. Using words like celestial, exaltation, salvation, spirit of Elijah. They hardly understood anything....... But they read the pamphlets during the meeting and had a bunch of questions so that was good.
They told us before they came to the US they expected it to be perfect. No poor people, not a corrupt government, easy to get a job and insurance. Once they got here they were placed in the ghetto, we rode our bikes past their house one day and saw a man get pushed into a cop car right outside of their house. Their neighbors are super disrespectful and were pretty sure their "Drug" dealers. Haha. He got a job at the most ghetto gas station ever, where there has been shootings and everyone pays in large amounts of cash. :) You know what that means! Haha.
We've built up our teaching pool once again which is great! 12 new investigators! We met a real Southern Christian couple. Ended up chasing us down after we left from the discussion and invited us back to each fresh Cod they had caught themselves that morning, Hushpuppies, and Cheese Grits. Talk about Delicious!!! The best fish I've ever had. We talked to them about eternal marriage and committed them to read and pray about the Book of Mormon. They also got super pumped to come to our Scripture Study class.
We set 3 baptismal dates for June 14th and June 21st. Time to bring in more black people into the ward!
Were trying to step out of the box and try new ideas. We're hitting hard on Family History right now. With our iPads were able to help people set up their accounts and show them our own family tree, stories and pictures right there on their door step! We are going to put up a stand outside of the local grocery store and library and pass out family cards and pamphlets. We're also working with active members to set up block parties to invite their nonmember friends to. Then we will help work the grill and just socialize, leave a good impression and have the MEMBERS invite their friends to listen to the 4 basic discussions we share. We're also thinking of holding a weekly arts and crafts activity at the church, during the day, for the woman to invite their nonmember friends while their husbands are at work.
Lots of thoughts and ideas, let's make it happen!!
E.G.
Hanging with the elders!
Elder Greenlaw During Zone Conference May 2014
Spending time with Elder Andersen again!
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