January 3, 2017

I saw this picture in the subway. "When diamonds aren't forever" well
guess what? They never are forever! Marriages can be though! 

Cool picture I took on Brooklyn Bridge

Some of the cool street art you can find here.

A fun little Deaf comic😁

Hello everyone! It was a pretty good week here! Not as good as it
could've been, but good. So lets start with how my week happened!

Tuesday: This was kinda a awesome/frustrating day. So we have this
member named Jamil that we usually go play basketball with often. But
this hasn't happened lately, like, the entire time I've been here. But
this time he texted us and told us we need to play basketball. Kinda
cussed at us actually haha. So we spent pretty much all of tuesday
doing that and district meeting (which was good. But not really
eventful.) So we headed up to queens around 3:00 and got to the church
they usually play at. One thing I didn't realize is how many people
will show up to this. But when we got there, there were 2 people
waiting for us, and I was like cool! So we changed, went and got
donuts and Subway (thanks for the gift card momma I love you) and as
we came back, there were like 12 people waiting to be let in! All
deaf! And the other two didn't see them, and if they didn't see them,
they definitely weren't hearing them. But it was good cause that way
we didn't have a bunch of unsupervised people running around in the
church. (We shouldn't have even let those first two in, but Elder
Larson seemed to think it was fine.) Anyways, in total we had 32 Deaf
people show up!!! Most non members!!!! It was so dang cool! A huge
finding oppurtunity, right? But we didn't really do any finding. So
that was frustrating. Because I am still too scared to open my mouth
on my own, and my comps weren't doing any finding. But I did introduce
myself to people, so that was good, right? Look at me improving 😑
Anyways, it was all fun and games, until two people start getting in
each other's faces. Then a fight broke out! Yay. And then it took the
most of the people there to pull them apart. So that was pretty crazy.
We kept playing, but it wasn't very fun for me after that. And it was
actually interesting to feel the spirit withdraw as soon and the fight
started. Literally just left right then. So that was awful. It makes
me sad. And then this guy named Freeway showed up. He was okay, until
we were finished and cleaning up. Apparently he had been fouled in the
final game, so he was mad at this other guy, and was (both ASL and
English) Cussing up a storm. In a church. So that made me really
upset, so I asked Elder Larson what we should do, and he said "there
is nothing we can do." After that the crazy guy left, so it was fine,
but I was still not happy at all. So that was a pretty bad night. I
just didn't know what to do in these situations, so I was really
bummed, especially cause I didn't do something about it. So yeah. Not
a good day.

Wednesday was awesome. We had interviews with the president, which I
totally love because I got a ton of support and comfort from my
mission president, so that always helps of course. Then that night we
taught Talvin about tithing, so that was good. In between and after
that, we really did nothing, so that was great....

Thursday was awesome! My morning studies have been incredible this
past week! I have been learning so much! I love it! It helps start the
day off on a good note. Then we went to service, and did more
cobblestone work, which was good. But it was raining the entire time,
so it was super muddy. And that made everyone else stop working,
except 3 of us. And some people would sometimes go get dirt. But hey!
I felt proud of myself for working. And we finished the cobblestones.
Sorta... They don't look the best. So I think we will be fine tuning
that later. Oh, and the ground there is ridiculously uneven. So that
makes it super hard. But I love service! After we went and got 2 Bros.
Of course, and the came home for dinner. And then we didn't really do
anything that whole night, cause I had to finish 12 weeks cause we
didn't do it in the morning, so that gave us the excuse to not do
anything apparently. ugh. Whatever though, cause then I had a super
good signing conversation with Elder Brown! I am learning a ton, and
my signing has improved so much! So I did really good with that! And
then my study that night was incredible! So that was a successful
night for me for sure!

Friday: 
 I want to share an awesome experience I had!!! A few weeks
ago on the subway, I talked to a guy named Akin. (Akeen? pronounced ah
keen) He was a super cool dude, and we had a good conversation, and
then I gave him a card. So I saw him in the subway again on Friday! So
I got up the nerve to talk to him (he hadn't really noticed me) and we
had another great time talking. I just talked to him like he was my
friend. Which he actually is. I like him! He is super nice and cool!
Unfortunately he hadn't looked up our website yet, but I told him to
do that. Then he got of the train. Maybe I should've gotten contact
info, but I was okay, because I was just happy I ran into him again! I
just really hope he looks into it. I just want him to be happy. So
that was a wonderful experience.

Saturday: Correlation, and then we had to be in at 6. We were gonna go
to another Elder's apartment, but that didn't happen so whatever! I
just studied and chilled. it was good.

Sunday: I was talking to people right and left! had good
conversations, and understood what was happening! So that is always a
huge plus! Then that night we did phonegames

Monday: Eh.... Lets just not. It was a dumb day. Had district meeting,
then sat around at the church forever and wasted the whole day.

So that was my week! Not the best it could've been, but definitely improving!

The language is going great! I have improved so much, and can
understand so much better. (For reals. D District, you would be proud.
I can't wait to sign with y'all when we all get home. Love you all.) I
still have a long way to go, but I know with prayer, fasting and
practice, I will soon be a pro! I am so excited for that day. It shall
be glorious beyond all description!

Things are definitely getting better here. Now the challenge is to
stop Elder Brown from becoming even more trunky these next 3 weeks.
Cause then he goes home. So send your prayers for me and him. I love
you all! Stay safe and remember to change someone's life!

Elder Wright
"History has its eyes on you"