Greetings from Wilmington "where the sky is grey, the people are homeless, and the Duponts rule the world." However, dirty the people and the city may be I am beginning to learn how to enjoy Wilmingtons inner beauty. I love seeing the people that I serve overcome their environment and rise to something more than a drug dealer or a crack addict. It is these few people who give the little they have that inspire me to give the all of what I have. To what people here overcome, all that I can ever hope to do, all that I have trancended--- my ADD, my depression, and my dyslexia--- is meaningless and pales in comparison to what some individuals do. I have learned so much this week. Elder Hernandez and I have been working extensively with the ward members and less active members to home teach. I am greatful for their dedication. This week has also rendered many oppurtunities to work with members who are not of my culture. Elder Hernandez has a gift and a real connection with West Africans; especially those from Liberia. Sister Gbaye (a Liberian convert) has named me Chandhe, which means to learn. When I asked why she named me that she said that I needed to learn how to teach better. Im just joking but she wouldn't tell me why she named me that. We also tracted into another West African family named the Miracoys. We taught them a first and they were very kind and nice; however we could tell that they did not feel connected to us. However, because it is West African tradition to feed anyone who enters your house the graciously seated us and gave us their finnest china. There was a bowl of mysteriously colored soup in front of me. I began to play use my spoon to look further into what the soup contained. Suddenly I looked into my bowl again and there was a fishes head smiling right back at me. There was also the foot of a pig and the intestine of a cow. I saw Elder HErnandez go right ahead and eat on up and then I realized taht I would have to follow suit. When finished the meal the whole atmosphere of the room had shifted from one of akwardness to one of love and compassion. The father of the home looked up at us and proclaimed that we were true men of God because we were willing to eat his food without hestitation. This small act and sacrifice has led to hours of success with the miracoy family. I love them and I also love their food.

April 7, 2008

Dear Family,
Greetings from Wilmington "America's Drugground." Once again my companion has been emergency transferred. Elder Toolson was so needed in the office that President Murray had to steal him mid transfer. He really is an increadible missionary and an exceptionally talented individual. If this trend continues, by the time I will be off my mission I will have had one fourth of all the missionaries in the Philadelphia Pennsylvania Mission as companions. I can only hope that I will have as many baptisms as I have as companions. My new companion is Elder Hernandez. He is a quirky and eccentric individual who has a great deal of charity. I learned how to work hard and be obedient from Elder Toolson and I am sure I will learn how to love the people from Elder Hernandez. The problem I had with Elder Toolson was that we could not talk about anything but missionary work with him. The problem I have with Elder Hernandez is that he does not talk about missionary work. My experience with both of these companions bears truth to the old saying "the grass is always greener on the other side." Regardless of this fact this week has been a great learning experience for me. Elder Toolson was not transferred until Saturday, but I wasn't with him for the entire week. He was on exchanges with other missionaries in our district and then to the mission office to fix something. As a result of Elder Toolson's abscence the burden of being the senior companion was now on my shoulders. At first I had little faith in myself. However, statistically, this week has been the best week since I have been in the mission. We have been reactivating a recovering crack addict by the name of Dorris Eubanks for the past week. On Monday night we went over to her house and mopped her floors. After that we had a short lesson with her. I then asked for refferals from her and she gave me twenty eight names of friends and family members that I should talk to. I have called some of these individuals and so far non of them have any idea about who Dorris Eubanks is. I my guess is that she has been feeding us random names from the phone book.