June 25, 2008

Hey, so I forgot to tell you my comps dad is the cfo for Budwiser, he's a member though, he's just worked with them for a while. It's kinda funny. I had my first Chicago dog on monday, with everything but ketchup on it, after Zone meeting, at a little place called quick bite. I'd like to inform you that the next day, Yesterday, I was sicker than a dog. I woke up feeling a little nauseated and I went running anyway thinking it would help. I ended up with diahrea. I thought I could go and do missionary work at like 2 ish and I went out. We went to sis. Kampnor's to do service for her,(I don't know if I told you about her, she is the one that her house smells like dead animal and cat crap, she's about a foot tall and has a beard, oh and she's german and "ninety tree") She's a weird one. Anyway we went to her house, I had like no strength, and we took out her weeks worth of nasty trash, infested with cockroaches and then she told us to go home cuz I didn't look so well. She gave us our $5 anyway, we tried to tell her we'd work. On Sunday we also had our first investigator at Church from our area in like 5 or 6 weeks. His name is bill murry he's a little nerdy. He's a catholic, but he told us when we taught him that he was standing by the bus stop thinking about why he hadn't been to church in so long and then we came up to him and talked to him, and that is why he agreed to have us teach him. He said he knew his mom had a bom before she passed away and so he went home and tried to find it. He loves his star trek and he's the pres. of this rpg board game club. He loved church, and unlilke a lot of people we teach he reads the scriptures that we leave with him to read, not only that but he read them, started reading at the beginning of the bom and then started reading what we left him again. He's awesome. President stoddard told elder Purdie "Baptize HIM!!!"
We are also teaching Benny and Katie. Benny just got out of prison in sept. and they are going to be married in a month or so, she is 5 months pregnant. She is 18 and he is 20. They have been prepared for us to teach, he asks all the right questions, and we had a great lesson with them. Afterwards, they asked us to bless their home! The mom said ah let the rookie do it!! I was so nervous. We are teaching them again tonight. They could potentially be baptized also. Speaking of gangbangers. I saw my first gang fight about 10 yards away from me. Friday was my comps year mark so we went to a little burrito place in this spanish part of town to celebrate. When we came out and were standing with our bikes on the sidewalk, this green suburban screeched up and 3 or 4 mexicans jumped out with bats and chains with padlocks on the end of it. They ran at this kid were trying to hit him. The one kid took of his belt and whiled trying to run away tried to whip them with his belt. There were a lot of close calls with the bat almost hitting the one kids face. OH and this is all going on in the middle of traffic in the street with cars honking. The one with the bat finally cracked the kid on the collar bone but he kept fighting. The 3 ganging up on the one were kinda wooses I mean he only had a belt, I'm surprised he didn't get demonlished, he did pretty well. YEah then then talked there little gang talk and ran out of there. The cops were there in about two minutes and talked to Eld. Stratton, (ONe of the kids celebrating with us). So that's the streets of Chicago for ya, I love it here. For a minute there I thought I was in a 50 Cent music video, it was intense.
Sis. Januszewski is awesome, she is one of the few if not the only nice polish person. She feeds us every friday, and it is a good meal too, I think I told you about her, write me if I didn't. ALso here in Chicago you bike a lot and the traffic gets crazy sometimes. ELd. Purdie said that he or another missionary in another area saw a guy pull up to a red light, sniff a line of crack and then take off. That explains some of the drivers here. YOu have to have the speed, strength, and agility of a puma to survive. ONe lady pulled out in front of me and I skidded and then hit her bumper a little, people are messed. I hope you got my pictures last week. Last P day we went into the city. We went up the Hancock building to the 95th floor and ate lunch. I had the cheepest thing a huge $12 hamburger. The view is amazing, you definately have to do that. We walked around town, went to a 7 floor mall and then we had to go home. The L train was packed, we rode armpit to armpit all the way home. It was an awesome day, we might go downtown again today. I can now say "We are missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day saints" in spanish, and they understand me and I am able to get a referral so that the spanish missionaries can teach them. My comp says that I sound like a big time gringo. I'm working on some more, we are also going to learn how to say it in polish from one of the pres. assistants.. I had a guy answer the door in his blue briefs the other day, he was old too. There is also this huge missionary out here from tonga that played for the tongan national rugbee team his name is ELder Kalamafoni, He's awesome. Speaking of huge dogs hate me now and do all sorts of demented things when I see them. We went to one door and a Saint bernard came jumping at the door, I thought it was cool, but my comp said he messed himself. OK I''m not goint to lie this thing looked like a small bear, gigantic mouth too. My comp says that I start carrying the map now and figuring out where we are, it's going to be tough. We laugh so much here though. We also go to this big park, Portage park, and contact people on sat. There are a lot of baseball games going on, also a lot of people playing soccer- it's killing me. Occasionally I can get a kid to toss me the ball and i get a few touches in my sunday shoes. ahhhhh. Baseball is another one of the main religions along with catholisism. People alway wear there cubby and sox stuff, and will say things to each other if you are not wearing the right thing. ONe of the guys in the elders quorumn even said that he was greatful that the cubs beat the pants off the sox. I don't know it's a weird world here in chicago. I cook Chicken and ric a lot. My comp loves my seasoning ideas, and the fact that I know how to cook. The days go by so fast though holy cow. At first we didn't get a lot of dinner appt. but now we are getting a few now, maybe three week is really good. Bro. Mark will also come with us to some of our lessons and then he has taken us out to lunch once. He's really nice, he picks up the whole tab. We met a couple of atheists the other day, and we are now teaching some muslims. Pres stoddard says that we have to find out if muslims will be going home anytime soon and call him immediately cuz they will kill them if they go back home and find out they have talked to us or are members. Crazy people in this world. Well time's almost up sorry I don't have a scripture this week. Tell spence to keep on running 6 days a week for one more week. I think and pray for you all the time. I love you tons family write me back. See ya later Wish
Hey so we've had a couple of rain storms this week so I am going to buy a tail fender cuz my butt keeps geting soaked. Also send the bar for my pull up bar, you only sent part of it, I can't put it together without the long piece. Send some cheep hairclippers also that would make it easier, my companion and I wouldn't have to pay to cut our hair. Thank you for everything else that you sent though, the running shoes are amazing, and my skate shoes are much needed. The priesthood line of authority is cool too. I think I need another garment top though, today is laundry and I woke up and there was no more clean ones though I have to take it off not wear one and wash them. Also maybe send some of my old celexa pills just to help with some of the day to day stress, It's not bad, but I would rather not get too stressed out. I'm having the time of my life but I just want them for those tough days, when I get a thousand doors in the face. Thanks love ya tons mom.