Hate Bikes!

January 24, 2011

Dear Family and Friends,

Soooooo this week was one with not too much happening- seems like I say that every week in Stourbridge, eh? There wasn't too much that happened except my bike tire getting a hole in it twice(on Tuesday and Saturday). Have I ever mentioned how much I hate bikes yet? We also went on exchange where I actually got to go to Harbourne (Birmingham) with an elder named Elder Brooke(from Bristol England). It was fun and very nice to get away from Stourbridge for a little bit. When I was in Stourbridge, it seemed we just mostly did service for people this week. We did some cleaning up a back garden(British word for backyard) and we did some sanding of furniture and yeah, that was about it. I guess it just seemed that we did more than that. There was one big thing that happened this week, but it was not an enjoyable one.

The big thing that happened this week was that our investigator Tahereh called us on Friday telling us that she didn't want us to come by anymore and that she has decided to become a Catholic because it is the oldest Christian church and the most well known. It was heart breaking, but we were able to drop by on Saturday to give her a gift, the movie "Finding Faith in Christ", and a card thanking her for the chance we had to teach her and for the food she fed to us. She took it well and we had a nice talk. She doesn't know too much about the Catholic church and was really just basing it off of those two things. She knows what she's doing though. She's just waiting to see if the Catholic church is the church that her heart feels is right. It makes sense to her for her mind, but she is now looking for a confirmation from her heart. It'll be interesting to see how her journey to find the correct church will be. We left on good terms and she told us that we could come by anytime. She is such a nice lady and is truly trying to find her way and making sure it is the correct way, which is good for her. I'm pretty sure she'll be back!

Other than that, not much has really happened in life. Elder Stokes and I just keep trucking along trying to figure out how to work this area more effectively since nobody really wants to talk to us here, let along say "hi". It's so crazy. We say hi and get no response or even acknowledgement lots of the time. They are all so sad looking, which makes no sense to me why they won't talk to us. Maybe they just want to wallow in their sadness, but I think the biggest part is that they don't know what they're missing by not talking to us. The message we bring is one of such great joy and happiness. It's just so foreign to me to see so many unhappy people. America seems to just have happier people in general and also I associated with lots of church members who for the most part are optimistic, happy people. The Gospel is one that just makes you happy, considering that is part of the purpose to life(2 Nephi 2:25). I just want to scream at them and tell them to be happier and listen to us. It is just such a gloomy sight. It's amazing when you can see the difference that the church/gospel can make in someones life. There is a recent convert here in Stourbridge named Tasha. She is 18 and she used to be a drinker and druggy and didn't really like people at all or life in general. She was into just horrors and serial killers and stuff like that. She just wasn't happy. But now she that she has been coming to church and we've been teaching her, she is just so awesome. She is happy, she actually smiles sometimes, she has turned away from the drugs and the drink, and she is just so awesome. And the best part is that she just keeps on changing for the good. It just seems to get better and better each time we go and see her. She is just so awesome(P.S whoever is controlling my facebook, could you accept her friend request?) and fun to be around. Her life isn't easy with her family just cracking on her for going to church and stuff(even though her mother is a member too, just not active), but she keeps going strong and not yielding to their banter. What a great representation of how the gospel can change lives and make them sooo much better.

This week for church, I was basically the show.....almost. I had to play the piano(for the 3rd time in the past 4) and I gave a 20 plus minute talk. Oh man was that stressful...... not fun. It ended up alright though, I guess. I gave my talk on the Book of Mormon and it's significance and importance. It went well. I much prefer speaking than playing the piano. Weird eh? It was good and very informative too. It was mainly just pointing out to people the importance of reading the Book of Mormon, pondering on it's words, praying about it's truthfulness, and then acting on it by continuing to learn more and to share it with others. The Book of Mormon really is the staple or "keystone" of our religion like Joseph Smith said: "Take away the Book of Mormon and revelation and where is our religion? We have none." It is so true, but so is his statement that can be found in the introduction of the Book of Mormon in which he said, when asked about the book, "I told the brethren that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book." I add my testimony to that. It is truly and inspired book and God's word. I encourage you to really truly read, study it, and pray about it so you can see how awesome it is!

I love you all so much and miss you. I'm sorry for those that I haven't written back to. I'm working on it!

Love,

Elder Hulet