8 June 2015

​So, this week we finally actually have some fun things to report!! So we went downtown a few times so we could just contact some random peeps, and BOY was that an adventure. I've never really done street contacting before, so I was a little nervous. We were walking down the street and I was sorta telling this to Battenfield, and he was like ok, I can contact the first person. who do you want me to do? So I looked ahead, and saw this random dude sitting on a bench (I also learn eventually that they're usually crazy), and I was like that guy. So we walk up to him, and sorta try and talk with him, and he's like no, sorry, I'm not interested. He had an accent, and so we asked him where he's from, and he was from El Salvador!!! But still, he said "I'm catholic, I don't need help. People like that *pointing to a hobo* are the ones who really need help." So we're like oh sweet, well thanks. So we went to talk to the hobo, and he was pretty nice!! even a little bashy, which I wasn't really expecting. At one point, we tried to offer him a BOM, and he like stopped, looked down, sat quiet for a second, then looked up and said "no, I think I'm good. If god wanted me to have it, then I think he would have told me." We suspect that he like said a quick prayer and decided no. Haha! but hey, I ain't gonna question my testimony because some crazy hobo said that Heavenly Father didn't answer his prayer. haha! Then later on the bus, there was this black looking guy with a Hispanic looking lady, so I just figured they were a random couple. However, we heard them speaking SPANISH to each other!!! So we asked them "De donde son ustedes?" (where are you guys from?) and they said Colombia!! So we talked with them and found out that they totally have seen people like us in Colombia, and they're like "yeah, I think they were called missionaries." And we were like hey, that's what we are!" (of course that was all in Spanish) But yeah, they were super cool. And what was funny, was when we told them we are trying to learn how to speak Spanish, they were like "no, no estan aprendiendo espanol. Hablan espanol!" (which is no, you aren't learning Spanish. You speak Spanish!) They said our accents sound really natural, which was SICK!! And THEN, later when we were walking down a sidewalk, there were some people looking down at the sidewalk because there was names written in the bricks, and Battenfield heard one of them say piedras (bricks), and the I heard one of them say "testigos" ( which means witness, or jehovas witness in in reference to us), and I was like "um, lo siento, pero no somos testigos" (sorry, we're not 'witnesses'). And they just went off in Spanish just like oh sorry, we didn't think you were, we thought you were.. umm, what's the other one? So we told them the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. But so yeah, the reason I didn't think they spoke Spanish at first is because theier accents sounded very European. However, turns out they were from SPAIN!!!! So that was the first time I've met Spanish people from spain. They had CRAZY accents, which was super sick So like yeah, we found more Spanish in one day of downtown contacting than I basically have EVER outside of church (except that soccer game we found last transfer)!! Oh, and one more sketchy thing that happened there, actually yesterday.. So we were walking around downtown, and we were like HECKA thirsty, so we were gonna go into a McDonalds to use the water fountain. Well we went in, and there was like nothing. So as we were walking out, there was this semi crazy looking bro in front of us, and as we were going out the door, he turned around and like grabbed my arm and "what's up fellas??" Quite loudly. then he just turned around and kept walking. So I like INSTANTLY checked all my pockets and my bag and stuff to make sure he didn't take anything.... all good. But for like the next 3 or 4 blocks, he just went between our side of the street and the other, just like right next to us. And when we turned down one street to get back to the train, HE CAME TOO!!! We were waiting at the train stop for the train to get there, and he was like back against the building chillin there leaning on the wall. I was like "elder, I think I'm gonna end up having to bust someone's face if they try to mug me." (We both had already noticed him following us and talked about it a bit). And Battenfield replies "well elder, you really shouldn't do that. We could get in trouble. I'm totally willing to give him whatever. Do you have anything valuable?" yeah, my money, wallet with cards, license, etc., and a few other things. But I guarantee that if he even tries, it isn't gonna happen. But Battenfield was like yeah, but you know, we REALLY shouldn't. We're told to just give whatever over" Like BRUH, if I can help it, I'm gonna do it. So fortunately for the crazy guy, he eventually turned around and walked back down the street from the way we came. No harm done!! So, not a ton to report on. Kinda picking up the pace. Downtown is always pretty interesting. LOTS of crazy people and peeps asking for my doe. Haven't been pick pocketed yet, which is good. And weSTILL don't really have any investigators, but we're working on making a beautiful area book, which will be VERY helpful. We also walk and use the train and buses a lot now since we had our monthly clicks cut because it's summer time. It's always... fun to hear the wonderful things people yell at us. But I LOVE the mission, and am sooooooo happy I didn't join the Navy over this :) can't wait to hear from all of you guys. Got more mail this week :) Until next week!! Love, Elder Levi Windham