06 December 11--Third Rock from the Sun

Today (p-day) all of the missionaries played soccer. I've never seen a field in this country with grass. This was no exception, but it did have deep, muddy puddles all over it. Let me just say this; If someone wasn't covered in mud by the end of the game it's only because they weren't really playing. It was fun. My team lost of course, but I think we had more personality than the other missionary teams, i.e.: "Off sides? What does that mean?" or " This team's tricky, they're using "rules" against us, what's that all about?" Anyway, yeah, it was fun, but now I'm aching and tired and I have no idea what to write about........

Every two months, we have transfers, and that means that I am going to a new area on Thursday called Soixante-Sept (67) which is apparently the dirtiest part of town. But I'm excited because I hear the area is going well, and the branch is great (I've been there once, and I know they sing good and loud, which is not what I have found to be typical of members here.) This transfer with Elder Rock has gone great. Last week, we had 3 baptisms and confirmations, and were starting to get some great investigators as well.

We do have one crazy investigator that I'm not sure what we should do with. His name is Kelly. One of our biggest problems here is trying to get people to come to church. But the first time we met Kelly was at church, and we thought he was a member. Then we found out he wasn't and that he wanted to learn and that he was in our area. He's a really nice guy, but he was trying to do kung fu moves in the entrance of the church and may have scared some of our other investigators away.

Anyway, we set up an appointment, and he was there ( which usually doesn't happen.) We had a good discussion, and by the end we couldn't decide whether he was certifiably insane or just crazy happy, because he answered all the questions better than most people. His house, however, was a long way away, and we decided that the only way we would keep teaching was if he kept coming to church. He’s come to church every week. Now, I don’t know quite how to describe how many times we have tried to get some of our favorite investigators to come to church, and they have never, not once, come. The last thing we would think of doing would be to tell someone to STOP coming to church, but yesterday, and some other events leading up to it, confirmed our fears. Kelly, in all seriousness, told us that he is from another planet. He also said that he could speak every language fluently (however he refused to speak English) , and then started speaking gibberish—“speaking in tongues.” Then he stared and the sun for a really long time saying that on his planet he could stare at the sun all day and be just fine. We’re still trying to figure out what we should do about him.

I mention this to illustrate some of the different problems we encounter in this mission. Because this is a 3rd world country, you are more likely to meet a certifiably insane person just walking down the street here than you would in another country, because most people would get professional help in other places.

This is sometimes a problem for missionary work because, in this area alone, I know of a few inactive members that we have consistently gone to every week that need professional help. And it’s difficult to determine how to help them. Sometimes it’s difficult because it is apparent that they don’t want us there, or they tell us how they are destitute, and beg us for money.

We really do want to help, but we can't give money, in part because it's against the rules, and in part because even if we did give money, we would run out quick and what then? They more than likely wouldn't be helped. It's sad because they reject exactly what we can give them; they don't believe us when we say the gospel will help them more than money ever could.

I know it's difficult for these people. Poverty is real and terrible. I heard a statistic from a member from America that works for the Embassy here. He said if this country had a 5% increase economically every year for the next 20 years ( which is apparently completely unheard of) they would catch up to some of the poorest countries in Africa. I don't know how true that statistic is, but I've seen the living conditions for some of these people, and I don't need statistics to see that poverty is a big problem here.

Well, it's great to hear from you, My goal this week is to take Dad's suggestion about writing the E-mail during the week and that way my thoughts will be more clear and articulate ( maybe:) and if not that, at least they'll be longer.

OK. Well, I love you all, Merry Christmas by the way ( I got to teach all the primary kids "Jingle Bells" and "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" in English yesterday at church, it was fun, and a bit of a challenge because they can't for the life of them pronounce " TH" or the English "R" so I ended up singing with them " ..... jingle all vu way" ) OK Veloma! for reals this time.

Elder Draper