Here in the Bradenton/Palmetto/Sarasota of Florida is just dandy. Things are slowing down a bit because everybody we had as progressing investigators is basically baptized! I mean that's a great thing, but now we're having to start all over and FIND everyone. This last week we did a lot of knocking and what're called Peace and Blessings. Heard of those before? Don't know if it's only this mission or others too, but it's where we go around and instead of knocking and introducing that we have a message to share, we say we've been sent by the Savior Jesus Christ to leave His peace and blessing with His people, it's through our priesthood authority and a prayer that we're able to do this (explain a little on that) and is that something you would like to receive today? That's basically all we do and then we do it, basically a blessing on the entire family that lives there and the house through the Melch. Priesthood (we do specific things for each specific person in the prayer so it's pretty long, but specific prayers get specific answers!) And then after the prayer we ask how they feel, explain the Spirit, and then introduce that we also teach about Christ and ask if they'd be interested to learn more. That's usually where they say yes or no. Most people accept the blessing, we've even had people accept it and we do it and they said that was pointless and deny our lessons...okay? A lot of times they say to come back when they have more time, which is usually never...but we try! But yeah peace and blessings, that's what we do.
Let's see what else.....Oh we had splits! Right! We only ended up doing one from Tuesday to Wednesday with the english kids in Sarasota. It was way fun! I was in my area with Elder Fisher. He's from Las Vegas. We knocked a lot that morning and got a few referrals for the English Bradenton elders and we got a few for spanish as well. There were only like a couple of Hispanic people home so I didn't talk that much in Spanish, but when I did it was only me because the other dude didn't know what was going on. I set up a meeting with a guy and told him about the BOM and such. Then this other guy, probably Argentinian because he looked white, answered. Elder Fisher goes on thinking he spoke english and explains peace and blessing and asks if he wants it. Finally he says he doesn't speak english, so I had to redo everything and explain it all again and he said he didn't want it. So I told him how we teach about Christ and stuff and asked if he believed in Christ, and he said something in spanish that doesn't correlate at all to the question. He said "igualmente" which is what you say when someone tells you to have a good day and you mean to say "you too". So that didn't make sense so I kept going and then he cut me off when I started to explain the BOM and he said something quiet so I lean in "como?". He says it again. He's atheist. AWKWARD. Didn't know what to do there. I was like oh so you don't want anything that we have, and he's all no not really I don't believe in God or Christ or anything you have. So I just sat there....well mucho gusto! Que tenga un buen dia! Good times...good times....Oh and with Casey the other day we were knocking and it was my turn to do it and a guy answered, he was back in the shadows and his skin was dark and we were in what we call "Little Mexico" so everyone is Hispanic. So I start speaking Spanish and he's just like "COME AGAIN??" He's a giant black man. You speak english! I said, Well yes what do you want, he said. We're missionaries for our church and we....WELL GOOD FOR YOU, NOT INTERESTED! BAM! Nice. Good times...good times....
Baptism at the beach!!! Awesome! The whole day on Saturday was rough because we were knocking and no lessons were happening and our ride to take us to the church forgot about us and we were running low on daylight! But then we got the the beach where we could find the least amount of people (still were quite a bit and they were taking pics and stuff it was silly) it was in one called coquina? Coquino Beach? No idea for sure. But something like that just straight out from us to the west like twenty minute drive. We got there basically right at sunset! Amazing and me and E Casey went out with the two girls and baptized them! With the waves being as tall as us at that time it was pretty hard ha ha. Casey did his on his first try but then the waves had carried us in and we didn't notice so I tried, didn't go all the way under. We have to wade out even more, waves are huge! We're basically already soaking wet from head to toe, and I messed up the prayer like three times because it was in english! I don't even know the darn thing in english! but then I finally got it and all is well! Whew it was crazy. And that water was nice and that beach was awesome! Beach baptisms RARELY happen out here so there were a bunch of other missionaries watching because they'd never seen one or been to one and it gave them an excuse to go on the sand. WAY COOL. And yesterday I confirmed the girl I didn't baptize and that was in english so it was way awesome. GOOD STUFF. And that's 8 baptisms since I've been here! First transfer! Casey says that doesn't happen and I just don't know how the normal is for people because I've only been seeing constant success. Oh by the way today's the first day of the transfer! ONE TRANSFER DOWN! Well technically two with the one in the MTC. Two down! Like 14 left! Nice. I'll be here for quite a while I'm thinking. But there's so many people coming out again this transfer! Mostly sisters. The threesome that's in my branch one is leaving this week and they're getting a greenie too! And they're still training the one that came out with me! Training early out here. We'll see what happens with me.
Spanish is still good. Something that I have a major problem with is I can understand so much when I just listen to people talk and such. But the second that a question is directed at me from a Hispanic person I have no idea what they said. It doesn't make sense! But Casey said that it happened to him too. No idea why. It bugs me because then they think that I can't understand anything just because I can't answer they're questions when they talk to me and then they don't pay attention to me for the rest of the time we talk because they assume I can't understand it. BUGS SO BAD. That's probably the worst part about it right now. And I don't know how to make it better. Working on it...somehow...eh.
Well I think that's mostly it! Good luck with all the crazy traveling and tests and jobs and speeches and such this week! Prayers for days! Oh and you should tell that Michael child to email me and stuff. Cool.
Live Hard,
Love Hard,
Laugh Hard,
Elder Bryson Davies
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