Hollywood has the concept of Hell all wrong. Completely wrong. It is not a fiery burning torturous place. It is probably covered in 3 feet of snow with lots of wind and constant snowing.
Needless to say, the weather has been one of those fun things for the week. It's been pretty much snowing for the full week with the temperature from 10-25 degrees. We got excited when we saw that it warmed up to 24 degrees.
New York or at least Buffalo does not really have a good concept of plowing the roads. They plow half of them and leave an 3 inches of snow that turn into some great lovely slush. And then throw all the snow up on the sidewalks. We have about 8 inches or something all around and snow piles from 2ft to 4.5ft. So we do a lot of trudging through snow. I've been wearing 2 layers of socks all week.
I have survived about 3 snowstorms this week and the rest of the time it was just lightly snowing while we were walking around. Sadly, people take pity on us when it's 12 degrees and a snowstorm but not enough to let us in the house to teach them. They just think we are crazy for being outside. Which is probably true but what can you do? Gotta spread that Gospel.
It was one of those weeks where Satan was throwing those curveballs. I'm sure I will figure out the significance of everything later but at the time it was quite frustrating. We had the most interesting exchange where Elder Semadeni and I were in their area last Tuesday. Which was kind of a dumb idea since we were both new to the area. We had a great plan until he got sick and we spent the morning twiddling our thumbs. The other two took the truck and went out and about. But later that evening we had a dinner appointment. Well, all the buses were completely off schedule so we ended up walking a couple miles in a snowstorm to a dinner appointment that was actually extremely awkwardly for the other Elders. Oops. So we walked to the nearby Library. Which was closed on Tuesdays (random day to be closed). Then we took the bus to go back to the apartment which actually only took us half way but neither of us knew that. So we got stuck at a Tim Hortons (coffee/donut shop) and called the other elders and just begged to be picked up because it was still snowing and 16 degrees. They picked us up an hour later...
On Monday night we went on a nice double date with the sister missionaries. That was quite funny. It was a dinner appointment with this senior lady but she wasn't feeling well so she had her senior guy friend take us to this buffet, pay for us and leave. We were like "ummm... I guess we just hurry and eat..." But it was like 2 Elders and 2 sisters so we just laughed about how it seemed like we were just really awkwardly dressed up for some double date. I figured that was a good story for the future years.
Another night we were bus-ing/walking down the ghetto main street to the Hospital for an appointment with a guy in the Pysch ward. We ran into a drunk guy who was asking us for money so that he could "Buy a Sammich" because he hadn't eaten in an hour. Poor guy. He addressed our American heritage for sympathy.
We are currently planning an Asian wedding for our local chapel. It is quite interesting. GouJian is getting married to his fiancee who flies in on Dec 24 and the wedding is that Saturday. He is quite... nervous and clueless of what to do. So between the missionaries and Relief Society, we should be able to get this planned out for him. Plus he is having it at the chapel. It is just a really funny situation altogether. GuoJian also very much fits the stereotype of Asian drivers.... He gave us a ride home and if it was 14 degrees outside, I would have walked. haha It was quite scary.
Stephen continues to blow us away. He just keeps telling us about certain doctrine that he has come to the conclusion through his studies of religion must be correct. Which happens to be our Doctrine. And we happen to be the only ones that believe that. He was definitely prepared. It's cool to see how someone who studied all these different types of religions to find out what has to be correct, finds our doctrine. He is either spot on with our doctrine or it's something that no one has even really thought of and there is no actually doctrine on it. He is a smart guy for sure. Definitely prepared to hear the message. His kids are continually entertaining. We sit with them at Sacrament meeting and they draw things for us and stuff. I feel bad when they aren't quiet but they aren't my kids so I don't know when to ask them to be quiet and such! haha it's just funny.
Andrea (asian investigator) is hilarious. We continue to send her scriptures via text as she is on "vacation" now but she is still writing her last final paper which I think was due today. So hopefully she got that in! She also fits the stereotype with Asian studying. 24/7. Hardcore. She is too funny though!
Everyone but me has been sick in our apartment complex. Elder Allen (my companion) got sick on Monday, Elder Semadeni (ZL) got sick on Tuesday during our transfer, and "Brown" Allen (E. Semadeni's companion) got sick on Thursday. But my fortress of immunity so far keeps me going. Well, I haven't been sick enough to stop going.
Last night we had to go downtown to meet with our new Ward Mission Leader to go through his binder full of things and explain things. It was just Elder "White" Allen (my companion) and me. We took the subway downtown and it turns out that the phone fell out of E. Allen's pocket in a member's car on the way home from Church. So we had no communication or way to find out bus schedules (Sunday has different schedules). Needless to say, our adventure home really sucked as we were still dressed for church (Hadn't been home to the apartment yet) and it was windy and cold. Plus we had no way of calling for a ride. So we got a fun little walk in the cold and were lucky to hop a bus for a portion of the way until we randomly dropped in on a member and asked for a ride. Which he was very willing to give (Eternal blessings for him.)
On the spiritual note, when we were at the psych ward at the hospital we were talking to our biopolar investigator who was in there because his medicine got messed up so they had to put him under surveillance until they know that his medicine is back in order. Nice guy. A little odd. But he just randomly opens up the book of Mormon for us to read with him. Just happens to be exactly what I needed to hear right then. Scriptures do that for ya.
Elder Allen is from AZ. He attended Utah State. Is going back there after his mission. He is going for Political Science/Economy degree or something along those lines. He is crazy smart and just absorbs things. Plus he can tell you exactly where every scripture is all the time. He is middle child with an older sister and a younger sister. His family currently lives in Wyoming. His mom also teaches and we have a similar backstory with that. We currently live in a two person apartment but the other elders are in the same complex just at the other end so Elder Allen likes to go over there and bug them at night so it's KIND OF still a 4 person apartment set up. Kind of.
The ward is awesome. Everyone is just young and with young little families. Big primary. Cute kids. I think there is like 4 youth in the ward. If that. There is 8 missionaries in the ward because it is huge geographically and has over 700 members. Only 150 weekly attendance. Lots of problems with people falling through the cracks. But they are doing a huge push to try to fix and reduce that. Everyone here also wants us to call them by their first name. Because they thing that "Brother Taylor" is their dad so just call him Levi. Which is pretty much what they all say. Which makes figuring out who is who a lot harder as I'm bad enough with names. Now I have to know first and last names ha.
Other than that all is well. It's freezing cold. I'm moving to St. George or anything farther South when I get home. Anywhere warm. It wouldn't be tooo bad if it weren't for the constant falling snow and the wind that picks up and flings snow and cold at your face. Goes right through you. So far I haven't lost a toe yet. No promises though. I'm looking forward to tracting in the 0 degree weather.... haha!
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