The week we had
here was fantastic as we worked with our island friends of Sacramento. I have
already grown to love the Tongan and Marshallese people, and the the culture
they have. We have been spending a lot of time going to all of the different
ward members in the area to get to know them better. We are building trust with
them because Elder Tait and I are both pretty new to the area. We are teaching
a few young Marshallese boys that should be baptized in the next few weeks. We
have been drinking lots of Tongan Otia. It is the best drink ever.
We went and helped
the Sacramento Food Bank hand out food to the homeless. What an eye opening
experience that was. Many of them were people who immigrated here from Russia
hoping to have a better life, and they just ended up living in the streets of
sac. I felt bad for all the older ladies. It once again made me so grateful for
the amazing family I was blessed with, and how blessed I have been to be raised
in Alpine with the gospel in my life. We drove through downtown Sacramento in
our way home from our service project. I've been here for 2 years and that was
the first time I have been to downtown. It was pretty cool.
Saturday was an
amazing day. I had the opportunity to go back to Elk Grove and baptize Tony. He
is the guy that had major smoking problems and alcohol problems. We worked with
him so much to work through those, and now he is a completely changed man. It
is awesome to watch the gospel shape people right before your eyes. The spirit
was hitting me so hard the whole time, testifying to me that that moment is
what missionary work is all about. All of the hard word paid off as we were
able to see one of God's children change his life and come back to him. It was
amazing standing in the font with Tony, staring him in the face with my arm to
the square, and immersing him into the water. He was so happy as he got out of
the font. Man, I love being a missionary and witnessing things like this.
That night we went
to a Marshallese 1 yr birthday party. Last week I talked about how big these
parties are. We were asked to sit at the front table with our Branch President
as honored guests representing the LDS church. There were 2 other pastors of
different faiths at the table with us as well. As we sat down President Ueno
told us that they would treat us like kings because of the respect they have
for those people that share the gospel. We ate a bunch of Marshallese food that
I thought for sure was going to destroy my insides. I was fine though. Then all
the sudden they asked we to stand up and speak. I have no idea what I said.
They clapped after though. That's good I guess. They spent the rest of the
night dancing and singing in their Marshallese way. It was a very cool
experience that I never would have had anywhere else.
Sunday was cool
again. Sacrament meeting with the islanders is powerful because of the unique
stories they all have of joining the church on the islands and making their way
here. It sounds like missionaries over there are more popular than One
Direction is over here. Unless there is a new boy band sensation that has
captured the hearts of all the American girls. I wouldn't know. Either way,
missionaries on the islands are cooler than all the boy bands put together. On
Sunday night the youth from the Tongan ward did a musical fireside that
everyone invited their non member friends to. I'm pretty sure that even a brick
could have felt the spirit that was brought into the room as they sang. It's
crazy how ever Polynesian is incredible at singing. The last song they did was
the EFY medley of As Sisters In Zion and We'll Bring The World His Truth. Elder
Black started tearing up. That song gets me every time. Especially when it is
coming from the voice boxes of those youth here in the ward. It was powerful.
That is about all
for this week. I am just enjoying every second I have left of being a
missionary. I love this work and will be so sad to leave it. If you want to
feel the spirit from the Book of Mormon, read the chapters in 3 Nephi when
Christ is teaching the people in the Americas. That is where I am at right now
and am always able to feel the overwhelming feeling of the spirit as I read
it.
Lots of Love,
Elder Black.
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