Ever heard of missionaries getting arrested?

 Week two in the field guys! It's been alright but I'll keep this short and highlight a couple parts of the week.

So on Tuesday we had splits with the zone leaders, Elder Peterson and Elder Lawrence. Both Elders are awesome and so fun! I was with Elder Lawrence and Elder Neilson that night and we went to a little pocket that was just FULL of Guatemalans. We seriously talked to over 30 Guatemalans that night by street contacting. We were talking with this guy and then there was a neighbor I could see in like a separate neighborhood but he was just filming us for a while and I just waved over at him and then he got on the phone and I was like whelp he's calling the cops hahah. About twenty minutes later we were across the street talking to another guy and then I see two cop cars driving down the street and then two min later we see the lights behind us. Well we ignored it and just kept focusing on the lesson we were teaching this guy and then the cops came up and said they were getting complaints and then Elder Neilson started talking back to them and started getting kind of aggressive and Lawrence and I tried to calm him down but they ended up trying to cuff Nielson and he started resisting so they tried to take him down but since he's a big guy they had to start tazing him!! Elder Lawrence and I were like we gotta help our companion so we started getting involved and anyway we all got cuffed and brought us in and we had to get bailed out by our mission president, but while we were there we ended up converting everyone that was there that was in a cell with us. Nah I'm just playing that didn't happen😂just had to see who is actually reading these emails! The cops actually really didn't care they were more just annoyed the person who called and said we were fine and then left. But anyways we ended up giving the dude a Book of Mormon and he said he would read it. He didn't speak any English so he was probably super confused why the police were talking with us 😂(I just learned how to use emojis on here it makes me so happy). We ended up finding 6 new people that night, which means that we taught them a lesson, gave them a commitment and scheduled a time to visit again. So it was a good night.

Okay then this Saturday we had an area blitz! Basically our entire zone for the whole day went proselyting in one area to help kick start it. In the morning I went out with the 2 other new missionaries in the zone and we went out knocking in this neighborhood that apparently had a lot of spanish speakers. We only saw a couple but it was good we were able to hold conversations and everything and understand. We also got a couple references for the English speaking missionaries. Then we had a member pull up and give us a whole pizza so that was sick. Then in the night i went out with Elder Peterson and Elder Gunnell who is my favorite. Him and I have a similar personality and just relate well together so it made it for a fun night, we found a guy from Argentina and were able to pray with him and scheduled another time to come by and he seemed interested. The blitz was fun and we helped a lot with the area to get more people and it was much needed for me because I needed a change since this week really dragged ngl, so I would call it a success. 

And to finish off the week after church a member gave us a full rack of ribs!!!! So we ate that and then went to a members house to do a quick lesson and visit with them because they haven't been coming to church as much. They are from Honduras and man I could hardly understand a single word. And the mom loves to rant so the whole time I would just smile and nod, and then she would a me a question and it would always catch me off guard😂she would also start randomly laughing and I guess it was at me because she knew i wasn't understanding a word and was just smiling and nodding. Anyways super kind family and they fed us a ton, I was trying tk be careful about finishing my plate too quick because everytike I got close she would refill it😂 but it was fine the food was really good. 

But yeah not much went on this week so I'll leave it there, and my thumbs are tired from typing this out 😂so enjoy a couple pictures 

1. Zone Blitz

2. More PUPUSAS!!!!!

3. Jurassic Park Jeep

Mi Primera Semana en el Campo

 Hola Amigos!!! I made it to DC this Monday and man was it hot and humid coming out of the airport!!!! The flight was actually only 3 hours so it wasn't terrible. It was sad leaving my district since we all became super close. We then ate dinner at the mission home and met President and Sister Crankshaw. They are super nice but the mission rules are by far one of the strictest, but I'm lowkey grateful for it cause I need it. 

I ended up getting not only one companion, but two!!! I guess it's going to take two to really break me hahahha. It's pretty fun being in a trio but it's kind of hard to force myself to really speak spanish because the other two are pretty good and take over a lot.. It's funny when we're knocking doors cause it's kinda scary having a bunch of men show up at your door, the first door door knocked we scared a kid who answered the door, but the mom thought it was funny and we had a nice talk with her.

I'm not too sure what my area is but we cover lot of Chantilly, Herndon, South Riding, part of Fairfax, Centerville, and right up to manassas, etc. Hahahha it's a large area! And we have a car thank goodness don't worry.  

The days have been busy with a lot of service and driving around because sometimes it takes 30+ min to get to where we need to. We have been doing service at a medical center in Monasses (where there are a ton of spanish speakers and is definitely one of the more ghetto areas in the mission) and we translate for the doctors there. We also served at a couple different food donation centers. Then for when we go tracking I must be good luck because every door I knock we get an answer and the people are always so nice. They're hardly ever interested but we normally are able to leave a pass along card or even get their number if we're lucky. I haven't had anyone get mad at me or slam the door yet, so let's see how long I can keep that up hahaha.

We taught a few lessons this week but a ton fall through. Normally I would be happy but it actually makes me pretty sad when it happens. However we have had a few. Yesterday we had one with a lady and her son who aren't really active but we invited another couple to teach with us cause her husband wasn't home and taught a lesson and she fed us a ton after. Then earlier in the week I met an awesome family in our branch named the Rodriguez's. They are from Peru and they fed us soooo many snacks. They are so fun to talk to and are very willing to help me with my Spanish. Then we had a couple video call lessons this week. 

Okay now for couple  CRAZY/FUNNY/INTERESTING PEOPLE stories now!!! There were a ton but I'll only share two...

Okay so my second day we were out tracking on the streets and then as we were walking home we stopped by a gas station and then this guy comes up to us and just says "I'm soooo drunk!" And then we started talking to him for a bit. His name was Sammi and he was born in Iran and then grew up in cali. Super cool dude. Then like two min right after that this guy driving by yells out "Hey Mormons I got a question for yall!" And he pulls over in the McDonald's parking lot and we talk to him for maybe like an hour. I won't get too into it but I'll highlight the funny points. But he was talking about the latest conjuring movie and how instead of preaching the gospel we need to take the fight to Satan and his demons. He said we have a lot of power and need to all unite and harness it and completely obliterate Satan. For those of you who have seen the show Supernatural, he basically was telling us we needed to go out and fight demons and everything. And when he would ask us about a movie like the conjuring or a horror movie and we didn't know about it he would say, "You guys need to do your research!!!!" I believe there is some truth in horror movies and the idea behind it but yeah this guy thought it was literal doctrine so it was funny talking to him.

The other encounter was a good one and it was with a few of the nicest ladies I've ever met. We were at this nice soccer field studying and getting ready for a video call. Then we has a lady from Ethiopia and another from Sudan ask us if we wanted any food because they were having a picnic with some of their kids. For those of you who know me you know I never turn down food. So I went over and got a huge helping of food. Then they just kept pulling out more and more and it was so good but tbey wouldn't stop hahaha. They also gave us really good cake and some deserts. Then when we were leaving they insisted on giving us stuff to take home, so we came home with a huge case of waters, apple juice, pomegranates, bunch of chips, a brand new thing of peanuts and much more. It was seriously so nice of them and we told them a bit about about we believe and what we are doing out here and then I left then with a passion card with our number. Seriously the nicest ladies ever. With all the food I've been fed I'm sorry to say it ladies but I may be rocking a dad bod when I get back. Jk jk, I hope it's a joke

I also had my first Spanish sacrament meeting today. My Spanish is okay but so hard out here because there are so many different accents and then with the make on top of it i have a really hard time understanding. It makes my brain super tired so during the talks i kept going in and out of sleep and I guess a couple families including one we taught were laughing at me the entire time hahahah. They all say my Spanish is really good for how long i have been out which is encouraging but I still don't really have any idea what's going on except for picking up a few words here and there and sometimes I get the gist of what they are saying. Anyways I'm just constantly praying for the gift of tongues. 

Oh it was also Halloween! I was sad to find out that the Spanish wards and branches don't do trunk or treats:(((( but they have another thing they do but i just missed it so it made me really sad. We also couldn't be out past 4 yesterday and couldn't answer the door yesterday so basically called people to set up lessons and used Facebook to meet new people while we had kids banging on our door (I felt so bad that we couldn't answer kinda broke mi corazon) but now we have like 5 lessons scheduled! 

This is basically it hahaha. I'll add some pictures I don't have a ton because i forget forget take them but ya. Miss you guys a ton!!! We have a few more lessons this week that I am excited for and pray for us that they follow through and that we can find more people!  

Ps I don't reread these so hopefully it makes sense lo siento

1. Me and the Crankshaws.

2-3. Me with PURPUSAS (soooo goood) and some other elders in our district.

4. Me with some big boy weights (thank goodness we have at least something)

5. My at home proselyting outfit.

6. Me and my new comps

7. Me and Elder Jolley and Elder Memmott leaving for DC