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"

December 26, 2016

Hello everyone! Merry Christmas 🎄🎁⭐️🎉 I hope your Christmas was
incredible and you all had the opportunity to stuff your faces with
candy and delicious other food!

Well where shall we start? Well, let's just start with my week

Monday: Preparation Day! Was very good, and we spent most of our day
thinking of ideas for our skit for the Christmas Devotional. Oh. Also,
we got Chinese food. It was pretty dang good! Not as good as Happiness
Garden but not bad. The pork fried rice was really good though. That
is kinda the normal think to get here. And it doesn't have peas or
carrots or any of that stuff no one should like. Nah. It has pork, and
that's pretty much it. It's great😊

Tuesday: Normal stuff. District meeting, look ups, etc. But here is
one funny story. We got to the chapel, and Sisters Provard and Rokes
had ordered Chinese food. Weeeell the Zone Leader saw that and wanted
some so they ordered. Then when they were eating, we decided we wanted
some. Now understand. This Chinese place only has one delivery man. So
he came and left 3 times in a row! To the exact same place! I feel
kinda bad for him haha 😂

Wednesday: It was good! We did the normal service routine, laying
cobblestones again too. That was good, but the dirt was frozen solid!
Like, we had to use a pick axe to chip it away! It was super hard
(Heh. Puns) but still okay. But it made my hands sore for the rest of
the week. So that hurt. They swelled up like crazy. Best part of the
day though? I tried something delicious. It was an Arizona drink. The
flavor was Mango Lime Rickey. It was to die for. My new favorite
drink. Mm so good.

Thursday: we practiced our skit, and then had to head out to the
mission office so we can figure out what to do for Elder Brown, cause
he is trying to fly straight to Orem, but they said he needs to go
home to Tonga. His flight is gonna be so long. I feel sorry for him.
NY to San Fran to NZ to Tonga. With a 2 day layover in NZ. So yeah,
going to the office took all day.

Friday! It was awesome! We had the Christmas Devotional at the mission
office!!!! It was so funny! The skits were great and we just had a
great time! We had some cool musical numbers and all that, so it was
way good! Some of the skits were.... very poorly executed. So that was
great. Even the Bermuda 🇧🇲 Zone participated! They made a parody of
the song (I think it's called Kokomo? You know.... 🎵Bermuda, Bahamas,
come on pretty mama🎵) anyways. They made it all about missionary life
on Bermuda. All I can say now is that I hope I get to go there. But
literally every missionary says that. But I can dream!!! 😊

And now comes..... the 24th?!?!? 🎵1 day to Christmas, 1 day to
Christmas, not enough time to do your Christmas shopping 🎵 (it's from
She Loves Me in case any of you were wondering. Get educated!😊) The
opportunity to sing that only comes 1 time a year! Had to do that. It
was such a good day!!!! We went to the Buckner's for
dinner!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The Buckner's are my favorite! We met them at the
Hill Cumorah Pageant. They have incredible views, and Denzel
Washington lives in the building next to theirs. 😂 it was awesome. We
had a Christmas devotional and all that fun stuff. The food was
incredible, and the Pelo Family was there too!! A perfect way to spend
Christmas Eve.

Christmas! Skype time! We had church, and all that fun stuff. We went
out to the Bushwick chapel, so we didn't have to time to travel there,
back, there and back (for dinner later) so we just chilled there, some
Skyped their families, and just waited until 4. Then we headed to the
Schull's house. He is the Brooklyn Stake President. So we had dinner
and all that delicious stuff, and I Skyped my family! It was so weird
to be the one on a mission this time. But really cool still! We had a
great time😊 I love my family! It was great. Then I headed back down,
we played games, and then we were about to go home, when the Zone
Leaders begged us to go to another dinner with them, because they told
her that 9 missionaries were coming and some had cancelled. So we went
to that. It was Mama Cherry! (But not Elder Cherry's mom, dangit😒)
she is a really funny Jamaican lady! She taught us a fun word, but I
will not repeat it in order to not offend people. She also made good
food, but we were all so full that we could barely eat. It was rough.
But the meat was good (but also reallllly spicy. Welcome to Jamaica
🇯🇲)

Well, I really can't think of much to say. I told my family everything
last night, so my brain is drained of all that. The language is
progressing... yeah. I don't even know. I love you all. Have a great
week and a happy New Year! 🎊🎆

Elder Wright
"History has its eyes on you"

A picture of me and President Buckner!!!😄

The inside of the Buckner's beautiful home

The view looking down on Columbus Circle (the picture doesn't show the
true beauty)

The view of the rest of Manhattan (once again. Can't even describe)

A cool little market in Central Park that happens every year

December 19, 2016

Hello everybody!
It was an interesting week. But overall, not super bad.

Lets start the weekly rundown!
Monday: This was a good day! Preparation day obviously. So we went to
go play basketball with some of the Haitian Creole Elders (Not Elder
Watson though. Bummer. He is out in Jamaica, not Brooklyn. But I have
seen him around a couple of times) We went to Pier 2 in Brooklyn. This
is not a typical pier (or maybe it is. I've never been to another pier
though.) because it is actually a outdoor rec center! It has
basketball, shuffleboard, roller skating, wall ball, and all that
jazz. It is super well cared for too. So that was really fun! I got a
ton of cool pictures. So that was successful. It was probably one of
the coolest views I've ever seen in my life. I tried to put in a picture and failed, so sorry!

Check it out! So cool. I couldn't put the panorama in, but out to the left, you have the Statue of Liberty, and to the right Brooklyn Bridge, so that was spectacular. And out behind us we have "The Watchtower" (JW headquarters) and a ton of ridiculously expensive apartments. Like no joke. Easily over 30,000$ a month. So yeah, when I'm all rich and famous, you know where you can find me hahahaha prolly not in my lifetime. It was way cool. Unfortunately I am not super good at basketball (I can play defense, but really can't shoot) so that wasn't the best part. But hey, I made a basket. Go me.

Tuesday was transfers! that marks the end of my first transfer! (Disclaimer: I've only been in the field for 4 weeks at that point, so I have not actually served a full transfer. But my first transfer is done ✅.) It was a bummer to see all the missionaries that fshed 🐠🐟 their mission leaving. (For those who don't know ASL, when you sign the sign for finish, you say *fsh* So that is a funny thing that we make jokes with.) Elder Garcia headed home, which was a bummer because he was such an awesome missionary, and a nice guy. Ah well. 

Wednesday: Wednesdays are prolly our least busiest days. We go do service in the afternoon after studies, and then by the time we get home there isn't really enough time due to travel time to go see someone or go do lookups because we have to go teach Talvin at 7 and then we interpret for him at institute. Which brings up a story! It was my turn to interpret! Yay. I thought it was going okay, but then after awhile, after everything I said, Talvin would look over to Elder Larson to interpret because he couldn't understand what I was saying, so that was a little heartbreaking, but hey. I can use this as a experience in the future to improve myself. So I'm not to devastated by it anymore. But man, that night was a rough night for me. True-biz.

Thursday: All afternoon that day was spent heading out to the mission office (like a 1 1/2 hour trip there.) so that Elder Brown could resolve some issues with his passport because he isn't going home to Tonga after his mission, but is going to Orem to go to UVU and play rugby for them. So we had to fix issues with that. Then on our way back we tried to look up Jaqueline to see if we could teach her a lesson. I don't know if I told you about her. She is someone we found when we were doing a lookup. We went to go look up someone and she pretty much just shooed us away and was like "Get out go away" that sorta thing. So as we were looking down that hallway to the elevator, down the opposite side of the hallway we saw a Deaf doorbell, and went up and rang it, and met Jaqueline! she is super nice and friendly. Unfortunately we are going to give her as a referral to the Sisters, so that is a bummer to me, because we still haven't had one lesson with an investigator or nonmember my entire time in the field. So that is a bummer. I just want to teach the restoration to someone for once. But oh well. This time when we went to look her up she was too busy cooking dinner for her and her husband, so we headed out to go have dinner with Elder Merkley and Elder Faucett. But they were super late, so we ended up just eating at Popeyes, and then going to their apartment for a few minutes, so that was a complete waste of an evening. So that was not fun. But hey, I had a fun experience with a crazy guy named Twin! He talked to us for like 20 minutes while we were waiting for the other Elders in a Deli. He would stop talking to us, and then walk back up and start talking to us again. He told us that he didn't care about Jesus, and then later said that Jesus has already saved him. Oh, he also told us about how he killed someone or something (It was hard to tell) and went to jail for 20 years. Oh! He also said he could order us up a prostitute for 25 dollars if we wanted, and it was like ummmm no thanks lol. But he kept saying that everybody know he is, and if we asked people if they knew Twin, they would say "oh yeah! I know him" But I sorta doubt it because, in order to prove his point, he went to the guy at the register and started talking to him, and the guy basically yelled at him and said "I told you, I won't sell you anything! Go away!" So that was a fun day.

Friday was a complete waste of a day. Our lesson with Jose Pagan fell through (no surprise. Its not really his fault though. His wife Layla is super against the church. And crazy. She ripped out their videophone so we couldn't contact him.) so we just ended up sitting in our apartment until 2:30. Then we went to go take the Sisters something at the church. That was something we were just gonna do on the way, but then Elder Larson realized he forgot our phone at the apartment, and we needed to call someone to let us into the East New York chapel, so because of that Freddie "cancelled on us" In other words, because we were 45 minutes late to the lesson, he got sick of waiting, but Elder Larson just said he cancelled on us. And all of you may know I hate being late (thanks for that Dad :)) I especially hate being late when it is a meeting or an appointment. And its great for me, because we are literally late to every appointment. So i guess patience is something I need to learn. But I don't think I want to learn it to that extreme. The only good thing that came out of friday is we got to go to the Spanish Branches Christmas party, and the food was incredible. Homemade Horchata and Jamaica juice. I was delicious. But then I couldn't get Elder Larson and Elder Brown to leave fast, so we got home at 10:50, and I was really really upset about that. So Friday was pretty much miserable.

Saturday was good! We had the Branch party all day! wooooo! 2 til 7! When Deaf people party, they party for a long time, that's for sure. It was a lot of fun! I had a great time :)

Sunday was good mostly We had church, which was good of course. I am getting a lot more confident in talking to people, so that's good. I still can't understand a lot of what they are saying, but hey. Its a work in progress. After church we came home and had dinner and did phonegames, which was good. We planted seeds and stuff like that, so that was awesome. Until we ended. After we finished, we got a callback, so we answered it. I was a guy, who actually ended up being a baptist preacher! He was super nice and told us he doesn't have anything against Mormons!! And then he put his wife on the phone. She started asking us questions and bashing. Normally, what are we supposed to do? Testify and not participate in bashing, right? Haha not with Elder Brown and Elder Larson apparently. They fully engaged. At a certain point I could feel the Spirit go out of the room. So I kept telling Elder Larson (who was off screen) that we needed to turn it off, but he kept ignoring me, and then eventually just told me to shut up, so that was great. I at one point almost ended the conversation and got out of there, but then after I said "Have an awesome day tomorrow" She kept asking questions. So because of this, we missed planning. So that was not a good time for me. Needless to say, I was upset. Then there was arguing, and then I went to bed. So it was a rough night for me. Don't argue with people about the Gospel, people. It only takes the Spirit away, and then you are just two humans having an argument. Just simply testify. Its all you can do, and a testimony is more powerful than any questions you can ask, or any scripture you can show. So that is my word of advice today.

Wow, this is a very long email. (Sorry, not sorry haha) I love you all. Have a good week, stay safe, choose the right, and BE STRONG! The Lord is with you and will help you. I hope you all actually read my letter, even though it is long. Either way, I still love you all. Make it a good week.  
Pictures:  1. Us heading to Brooklyn Bridge
2. A snazzy picture I took at the pier we went to play basketball at.
3. The beautiful sunset over Manhattan
4. Manhattan at night!
5. This one I saw on Facebook. It made me laugh, because I always
either play old men or racist people. So that is fun :D
6. Picture of Lady Liberty with the sunset in the back. We got some
good pictures that day obviously.

December 12, 2016

December 12, 2016

Hello everybody!

Wow. This week went by craaaazy fast. Time sorta just melted away. It was crazy. So lets do a daily rundown!! Yay

Tuesday: Lets start with a spiritual experience, shall we? My studies were really good on Tuesday. I was reading in the Isaiah chapters of 2 Nephi (you know, the place where we all get stuck, don't read for awhile, then go back to the beginning? Yeah) and here is the good part! I was actually understanding everything! It was awesome! I attribute this to the fact that I was marking a certain topic the whole time. In the MTC talk "The Character of Christ" (you can't watch it outside of the MTC. Sorry:)) Elder Bednar gives a suggestion. He says to go get a paperback copy of the Book of Mormon, choose a certain topic or Christlike attribute, and then mark it every time it comes up. Then when you finish that, start again with a different question/topic. By the time you're 70 you should have at least 50 (one for each year, but you can read faster if you want) on a shelf somewhere in your house. So that is what I've been doing! For this one, I have just been marking every time it says a name of Christ. (Only the name, because if I marked it with too much detail, every page would be completely red.) Those people who say we're not Christian have never read the Book of Mormon, because the Book of Mormon says a name of Christ literally every page. In fact, I don't think there isn't a page so far that has not said it. I really am getting such a love for the Book of Mormon. It is so amazing! Every time I read it I am just blown away by amazingness.

We had the last district meeting of the transfer on tuesday. Awwww tender. Actually, I wasn't super sad about it because most of our district is ASL missionaries who are definitely not being transferred, so it was like "See ya in a week" But it is very possible Sister Wuthrich will be transferred, so that is a bummer. 

Wednesday: Okay, I've decided my favorite days on the mission are Service Days. I love doing service so much. Our service days are Wednesday and Thursday, and it is awesome! This week we raised a cobblestone side walk. We had to bring like 20 wheelbarrows of sand up from the bottom of a big hill, so that was hard. But when you make it a race, it makes it way better! True-biz. Anyways, we worked really hard. It was awesome! Then we went to Institute to teach and interpret for Talvin. So Wednesday really isn't crazy. Oh I forgot! The best part of service is we always go get 2 Bros and drinks from 7-11 after! Best pizza in the world, hands down. I love it.

Thursday: Not much happened on thursday. We had service, then went to Buffalo Wild Wingz because it was Elder Garcia's last Service day. He goes home Monday, so that was sad. I like him. He is a fun guy, and a good missionary.

Friday: We went to a store called V.I.M to do Christmas shopping. This was kinda frustrating to me, because I thought we should've done this on our P-day, but we put it off, so we went today because we need time to send it home before Christmas. Then we went to go visit Karen and Byron, and Talvin was there too. We are really working on getting them sealed, so that is what we've been pushing. The only problem is that Karen works most Sundays, and its really hard for her to change her schedule. So that is frustrating for me, because Eternal Life totally trumps work in my opinion haha. But she has her agency. So we just need to be patient. It shall happen. We were at Karen and Byrons way to late,so we missed a lesson with Pedro. So that was frustrating. 

Another frustrating thing is that, because we have to skype most of our lessons, usually Elder Brown just does the lesson without me and Elder Larson. Or Elder Larson does it without me and Elder Brown. So I am getting frustrated with that because I want to participate, but I don't have oppurtunities, and Elder Brown is always telling me to practice whenever I can to learn the language, but then won't let me practice. So that is really really frustrating. So needless to say, Friday was not a very good day.

Saturday: Saturday was good. We had Zone Training Meeting, which was super spiritual. It was so good. Elder Garcia and Elder Hull gave their departing testimonies and stuff, so that was good. We also did a Mannequin Challenge (look at us being hip and trendy) And we had really really good workshops. So that was way awesome. Elder Garcia had us look at the story of Enos and the look back to our hardest wrestle with God, and then think of the good that came when it was over. It was awesome!

One frustrating thing. At Zone Training Meeting we had Accountability, which is when we look at our numbers from the transfer, and we were waaaaay below the belt on two of the three numbers. It was awful. So it kinda made me feel inadequate and stuff. So that was frustrating.

Sunday was Awesome! I was really really happy all day. I can't really explain why, but I was! It was so awesome. And Church was really good, and I talked with a bunch of the members, and I was just really happy! So that was awesome! Then after church (because we go to church in Manhattan) we went to go take a peek of the Rockefeller Christmas tree, so that was fun. The streets were sooooooooooo packed! It was insane! We basically had to crowd surf to get anywhere! But it was still fun. And it was snowing, and there was the christmas tree, so it was super magical! Also the Rockefeller center was lit up bright, so that was cool.

So yeah! that was my week! 

Language: The language is coming! I am getting a lot better at expressing my thoughts and saying what I want to say. Its hard because sometimes I literally just don't know how to say what I want to say. So that is frustrating. But I am getting a lot of encouragement from the members and other missionaries. So that is really good. Soon I'll be a pro! In a few months... but still!

Pitied is the hand that sins. Envied is the hand that paints. Honored is the hand that builds. Appreciated is the hand that helps. Respected is the hand that serves. Adored is the hand that saves--even the hand of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Redeemer of all mankind."  -Thomas S. Monson (Hands, October 1972)

There is my quote for the day! It is a good one! Actually, that whole talk is really good. Go read it! Be the hands that build, not the hands that tear down. Remember the hands that were pierced and bled for us. I love you all. Have a good week. Be safe, and remember that Christ lives. Amen.

Elder Wright

"History has its eyes on you"

December 5, 2016  

Hey everyone! 

2 months ago to this day, I went into the MTC! What? This is my ninth week! What?! I feel like I've been gone forever! I wonder how its going to be when I am about to come home! Haha y'all prolly won't even recognize me. 

Wow. What a week! Lots and lots of crazy stuff happened. But also some of the coolest things happened too! So lets talk about them!

Exchanges: I went on my first missionary exchange! President wanted me to get out and experience real missionary work, cause my companions are lazy and sometimes we just don't go work, which is really frustrating. So President arranged the exchanges with the Zone Leaders. I was paired up with Elder Fowles. It was awesome! We went to try to contact some people in the projects, but that didn't work out. The lady we wanted to see wasn't home, so that's a bummer. And then we knocked on a door, and the lady looked through the peep hole. Yeah, we could totally tell she was there. So Elder Fowles calls out "Its the missionaries!" And all we here is "No... Hablo... Ingles." So Elder Fowles right off the bat says "Son los misionaros!" Silence.... Haha that's what you get for trying to say you don't know English. It was funny. So we left and went to go to the Tadros family's FHE. It was good! They are a less active family, and their son Mike is getting the Aaronic priesthood soon! So we talked about that and shared a video. It was really cool normally Mike doesn't even participate in the lessons, and really doesn't care. But this time he participated, and seemed to realize how important this all is. It was awesome. So we were walking home from that, and there was a lady walking by us, and we passed her, so it would be kinda awkward to stop and talk to her. Besides, it was dark, two strange men... Yeah, I'd be scared. But Elder Fowles stopped, turned to her, and said "Hi, we're missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and I just wanted to give you this card." So he hand her the card, she looks down at it, looks up, and says "How can I learn more?" WHAT?!?!?! It was so awesome!!! Her name is Feteye (Feh-tee-yay), and she is from Turkey. She doesn't have a religion, but wants to learn more about our church. She is so nice and kind! She has been here for five months, and is going to school here. A lot of foreigners come here and are super nice, but then become Americanized and are no longer open to us. But she is still so very nice! So Elder Fowles and Elder Garcia are met with her on Saturday, so updates will be coming about her soon! Such a cool experience! We celebrated with Honey Buns and Mountain Dew. So awesome :)

Carols on Columbus: Okay, this was like one of my favorite things my entire mission. So the guy who normally interprets the concert is in Utah this weekend, so he asked the missionaries to interpret, and the North Missionaries were too busy, so Sister Provard and Elder Larson got to do it! So we had spend the whole day on friday and saturday there. So that was boring for the rest of us. But it was still good! The music is incredible! The temple is actually right across the street form Juliard... So the entire YSA ward in Manhattan is ridiculously talented. So the music was so so so good. But that wasn't the only good part!! Background info time!!!! Some of you may have heard me talk about the Hill Comoran Pageant (Honestly, I'd be surprised if you haven't heard me talk about it. I kinda never shut up about it. Aaaanyway.) So there are like 4 families on the island of Manhattan I know from the pageant, and I saw every single one of them at the concert!!!!! The Buckners, the Ortons, the Belnaps, the Pelos! I ran into President Buckner, a man who has inspired me greatly and cared for me in hard times, and that was such a blessing. I am so grateful to know so many great people. I can't even explain it. I felt so blessed. This weekend was incredible. I am so grateful for the opportunity I had to be there. It was amazing.

Language: Its coming. It is super hard though. I feel so pressured to learn this language, but I feel like I'm not learning as fast as I should be. But its helpful that everyone is patient with me. The members completely understand and are totally willing to help me, so I am really thankful.  I am doing what I can, and praying for the Gift of Tongues.

One thing I have learned on my mission: The hard times are always followed with blessings and better times.

And to finish up, here is a quote from Abraham Lincoln! (Again.)

"I can see how it might be possible for a man to look down upon the earth and be an atheist, but I cannot conceive how he could look up into the heavens and say there is no God.”  -Abraham Lincoln

I love you all! Have an awesome week! And remember to #LIGHTtheWORLD

Elder Wright

"History has its eyes on you"

December 2, 2016 Picture sent from NYC

Mom here:  I got a text at 9:00 in the morning with a picture from Sister Buckner and her letting me know about the day of the missionaries in NYC. Apparently the church members do a big concert (two times in a row to fit everyone in).  Anyway, later that evening we got this picture from Bro. Belnap with Joey in a crown of pageant friends.  I was so excited to see him encircled by so many loving people.  What a great day it must have been!!!  Very excited to hear about it on Monday from Elder Wright.

November 28, 2016

The subway is empty. 

Dart gun wars at the church.  Ouch.

The trees are taking over! Hehehehe it ate a brick! You see this often in NYC

Hello everyone!!! 

What a week. What a week. Lots of stuff happened. A crazy week. But first off, HAPPY THANKSGIVING 🦃 I hope it was good for everyone and everyone stuffed their faces full. Actually, I really wasn't looking forward to thanksgiving this week. As ASL Elders, we don't get fed. Ever. Elder Larson, in 16 months of being out, has had 1 dinner appointment in the ASL program. So that is fun. But hey! That way I stay slim! Still under 200! But also, I realized something. I really don't know how to cook. At all. #cerealeveryday However, thanksgiving wasn't too bad. We had a lot to do that day. We had a turkey bowl at 8 with some of the Elders and a couple of members and investigators. And one random kid joined us. It was fun! I got a lot of exercise, and scored two TDs. Go me. After Turkey Bowl, we went to the church for our Zone Activity! It was so fun! We had dart wars. PVC pipe makes really good dart blowers. We had a great time, and I got some nice welts on the face. It was good 😊. Then we had to rush back and get changed for our branch party. Okay. So Deaf parties are awesome!!! Every party lasts for like 6 hours. It's so cool, and they always have food. This one went from 12:45 to 6 (well, really 6:30 because Deaf people don't really leave on time.) I have to explain this a bit. Deaf people loooooove parties. "Why is that?" you may ask. Because everyone needs people to socialize with, someone to talk to. There are not a lot of Deaf people, so when they get together, it is a blessing, and they talk a lot! So it is really easy to get non members to a party. We literally call random people and invite them, and they are like, "sweeeet". All you have to say is that there is a party with free food. They will come. 😊 Unfortunately due to travel time we didn't get there til like 4. So that was a bummer. All the North Mission Elders were gone at that point. But it was still good, and we had a little bit of food!

Our Zone Leader wanted to make sure everyone had a place to go for dinner. So when he found out we didn't really have a place to go, he invited us to Mama Myers apartment. Oh my goodness. It was the best part of the day! She is the nicest lady ever!!!! She loves all missionaries, and always feeds them when they come by. She cooks really really good. It was awesome. Also, she just talked to me. It was really nice. She is incredible. I felt so blessed to be there. 

Friday was a crazy day, but at the same time ineffective. We went out to Far Rockaway to go see Jose Pagan. We knocked on the door... no answer. Ugh. Jose!!! I've been thinking about him a bit. I just wish he had the desire to come to church. But oh well. Then we walked a mile or two to go contact a referral. But alas, no answer. It's possible he moved. Or was just gone. Or the sisters gave us he wrong address. Luckily we have his VP number so we will try to get in contact with him and get the right address. 

Friday night we went and visited Karen and Byron. They are members in Brownsville Brooklyn. We are trying to get them to the temple to be sealed. But they haven't been coming to church lately because Karen works sundays and Byron isn't really motivated to come without her cause their two kids are craaaazy. But he and the two kids came on Sunday! Oh man. The two kids are my favorite!! They are CODA (children of Deaf adults) so they are soooo loud and kinda crazy. But their parents don't hear it, so they keep it up. But they are so funny. Byron Jr. is six, and Brett is 2. They are my favorite! So adorable. 

Yeah. Kinda a crazy week. Meetings, interviews with the President, traveling, lots of stuff. But I still feel like we're not working as hard as we could be. We have a lot of free time that I know we shouldn't have. So that's something I'm trying to fix. 

The language is getting better every day! I am starting to be able to follow conversation, and also make conversation. Interesting thing. When I talk with members, I sign better than when I'm talking with Elder Larson and Elder Brown. It's possible it's because I am intimidated or feel I need to be better when I am with my comps, rather than just signing and not worrying what they think. So I will keep working. So pray for me! 

I love you all. Remember to share the #LIGHTtheWORLD video, and do good to others! One of the quotes I heard this week really blessed my life. "No one can fall further than the Light of Christ shines"  -Elder Jeffery R. Holland. This means a lot to me. No matter how hard or how far you've fallen, you can't escape the light of Christ, and the blessings of the Atonement. He will always be there for you! That's a promise. 

Read this talk. What Is A Friend? by Marvin J. Ashton in the October 1972 conference. It is so good! And here is a quote from Abraham Lincoln, my all time favorite president! "Am I not destroying my enemies when I make them my friends?"

I love all of you! Have a great week!

Elder Wright

"History has its eyes on you"