Comp reps Crips

HOLLER

What's up familiars and friends. This week has been an eventful one and lots of changes have happened that I'm excited about.

So last week was transfers but I wasn't really expecting anything to change because I'd only been with McInnis for 2 weeks and I'm a visa waiter but I got transferred! I am now serving in Midvale in the Union Park Stake. I am really loving this area.

So my new companion is named Elder Kulu. He is Tongan and he grew up in New Zealand, but he lived in Oakland for high school years. He is about 6'1'' and 250 and can bench 400 pounds. He's a beast hahah. He's also been to prison which is pretty thug. He's teaching me how to be more gangster. Everybody knows I'm the whitest person who ever lived so he's helping me with that. He is not a morning person though. He will not speak before 9 am. But that's when we start comp study so thats cool hahah. I keep getting these quiet companions. I think the Lord is teaching me patience because all I ever want to do is talk but I can't really talk to my companions thus far. But it's cool. I love Kulu. He also has only been in the field for 3 months. He just got done being trained and now they're having him train me. He is showing me a lot though and I feel like I'm improving. He works hard and that's all I care about. I love Midvale because we don't have a car so we walk everywhere and the weather is beautiful. I've got a sweet collar sun burn line. Trying to get a base tan before Mexico hahah

So this week I've just been getting acquainted with the area and meeting all the investigators that Kulu and his trainer had. They have been doing VERY good work around here. Tons of baptisms and the wards we work with can tell. They are super supportive. We have 5 people with baptismal dates for this month and the beginning of May. And a few other investigators who are very close.

7670 South is my new favorite street in the world. It is this randomly really ghetto street that is nestled into some nice neighborhoods, but 7670 looks more like the streets east of BHS in Vegas. Not like crazy ghetto but just furniture in people's front yards and kids running around while their parents are off doing who knows what and random crackheads sitting around, and that is why I love it. They have had tons of success on this street because people are just more humble, and all of the kids and people love the missionaries and I can see how the Church is making a difference in these people's lives. The focal point of the street is Dee's house. She is a recent convert who basically takes care of everybody's kids and there are always just people hanging around her house. I watched an African dude pluck chickens in her front yard a couple days ago. It's getting me excited for Mexico because everywhere will be like this but better and they'll be speaking Spanish. But yeah 7670 is notorious to all the missionaries who have served this area because its so cool and the people are so nice. We're teaching a couple of people on the street. You can find us sitting on the sidewalk teaching the Plan of Salvation to about five 9-13 year olds on any given afternoon hahah.

I'm loving it here in Midvale. It has been weird though because I ran into Riley Hodson on his way to one of his classes the other day. I'm sure you all have seen the picture by now. And then a couple days ago I saw Aunt Sue randomly. Now she and Rich know where we're at. I better not see people come looking for me hahah. Seeing family and friends weirds me out. But it was kinda cool I guess to see them. But still too weird.

This week I get to start going on splits with Spanish missionaries once a week so I won't lose my Spanish entirely. It is struggling a little bit though. I can still read it fine and speak it fine but I just never hear any so I'm worried about my comprehension a little bit.

SHOUT OUT TO MY BOY REED. Goin to Florida. Proud of you buddy. State Champs for life.

The scripture that's been running through my mind a lot this week is Alma 7:11-12. I love these verses about the Atonement because it mentions how not only did Christ suffer for our sins but also for every negative experience or emotion we feel.. It makes me so happy knowing that every time I'm feeling down (which happens, its a rollercoaster every day), Christ knows exactly how I feel. And every person we work with, no matter what their specific challenges are, Christ knows how they feel. And for all of you, no matter what pains or hardships happen, CHRIST KNOWS HOW YOU FEEL!

Its a wonderful comfort, because oftentimes we feel alone in our sadness. But Christ knows, because he felt it for us. He had to, in order to be able to have mercy on us and empathize with us. So just remember that Christ always knows how you feel.

So yeah, this week I ate African chicken food, dried my white shirts on a tree in our backyard, witnessed my companion whip out a blue bandana and rep Crips, and have had like 10 people give me the finger. And I'm just in Salt Lake hahaha.

Life's good, I love you all. I'm actually praying to stay here in Midvale for a while, good things are happening. I'll catch you all next week!

Paz y Gozo

Elder Jarman