Weird Week (I Promise, I am NOT a Cop)

I find one of the biggest challenges for missionary work in this part

of the world is that when people see us knocking on their doors

(especially at night), their first reaction is to turn off all of the

lights and deadbolt their doors (if they weren't bolted already).

Alternatively, if they do answer the doors and we ask if "so-and-so"

is home, they will either claim that the person does not live there or

that they aren't home and don't know when they'll be back. Sometimes

when we then explain that we are missionaries and invite them to hear

the message of the gospel, they will tell us that they actually ARE

"so-and-so" and that they lied because they thought that we were cops,

ICE operatives, or there to evict them... fun stuff!

The above example happened many a time this week. One time, there were

a bunch of kids that came up to us and kept asking if we were cops and

if we were going to evict people (apparently Talbot looks like a Cop

and I look like a detective. Hmmm...). We were eventually able to

convince them otherwise.

Greetings everyone! I hope y'all had a fantastic week! Mine was

interesting to say the least (much of that being because of the

paragraphs above). We have been continuing to try and contact the

great multitude of referrals that are in our Area Book (along with

contacting a few member referrals that we received as well) to varying

degrees of success. We got in contact with a few of them and have set

appointments to meet, only to have them cancel on us last minute due

to family emergencies or family members ending up in the hospital

(this happened a few times, Satan truly works hard to try and stop

people from receiving the Gospel. It must be because it's true or

something). So hopefully THIS week, we will have greater success with

that!

Something super awesome that happened yesterday at church was that I

was able to see Lucie and Ismael again (they weren't at church last

week so I didn't see them then), which was super awesome! I am so glad

to see that they are both doing well and are both still active and

very involved in the church (Ismael was even passing the Sacrament! It

was super awesome!)! Great joy truly does come from the Gospel and

helping others come unto Christ! I know that to be true!

Sunday was also my 19 month mark, which is crazy! I can't believe it's

already March!

I love you all! Have a fantabulous week!

Sincerely,

Elder Sam Williams

8301 Ashford Blvd #606

Laurel, MD, 20707