August 21, 2008

Dear Family,
Greetings from Northeast Philadelphia "where the Russians reject and the hindu's give hope." This week we have encountered nearly every imaginable culture from the european and asian continent. It really is quite ridiculous. I nor anyone else in the mission has ever seen anything like this. I believe that we are the most unique area in the entire mission.
Me and my old pal elder Moorehead were on an exchange this week. It was great fun to be reunited with him. It has been seven months since I taught with him. Our exchange was a blast. If I ever went to BYU he would definately be my roomate.
After a few active member lessons there was time for Elder Moorehead and I to go tracting. We both prayed and felt that we should go to an apartment complex right accross the street. We began to knock and much to our liking there was someone behind each door who opened and welcomed us in. There was one problem. They were all immigrants from Hindu immigrants from India or Trinidad. Their culture is so very different from ours and we really had no idea how to talk to them. We really had no clue how to invite them to come unto christ. Whenever we brought up Jesus Christ they said that they believed in him and that he was a face of God. They also believed in Muhammed, Chrischna and many other religious icons. It was quite difficult to teach them anything so if any one has an idea of how to talk to Hindus please let me know so I can figure out how to invite them to come unto christ.
Despite all of this we do have quite a few Hindu investigators that we are working with and they have also been gracious enough to feed us. The Hindu's from Trinadad are alot less strict to their code of eating and the belief of reincarnation. One family gave us chicken Gizzard. I enjoyed it. Chicken gizzard really has become one of my favorite things to eat. Its slightly dirtlike taste and its chewy texture allows and individual to truly enjoy their meal. If you put some habanero hot sauce on it this delicicasy it hightens the taste and deepens the enjoyment.
That is about all that happened to me this week. It really wasn't a week of excitement. I have come to the conclusion, after much prayer and revelation, that I want to and feel prompted to become a writer. So when i get home I will try my hardest at RCC and see if I can go to one of the top writing schools in the Nation. Northwestern, Penn, Brown, or UCLA would be my top choices. I dont even know if UCLA has a writing school, but I really love that place. I am also struggling with the idea of getting married when I get home. Part of me wants to but another part of me wants to have fun with my friends for at least four years. I suppose I will know what to do when I get home. If I want to get married when I get home my guess is that I will end up at BYU.
I am glad to hear that Jeff and Cara are together. I really hope they get hitched and then Mom and I can go on a double dates with them. It will be oodles of fun. However, I am not happy to hear that Austin has gone back to that siren, that heartbreaking trick, that individual who has a beautiful blond haired blue eyed outside shell but behind that facade lies an ogre a monster of sorts. Mom I hope that you don't give write that to Austin until she drops him again. But when that time comes be sure to do so. I don't have my camera on me right now but I will be sure to send you some pictures next week.