Week Sixteen - Awesome Dinners and The Play!

David's amigos in downtown Dallas!

David in the "BIG" sign!

Future missionary transportation!

David and Elder Munday!

More future missionary transportation - if David could have his way!

Lakewood missionaries at 'The Book of Mormon' play.

David skating on water!

David walking on water - wow!!

bueno BuEnO BUENO!!! 

Como han estado mi familia??!!??  I had a pretty exciting week this week, but first about yours:  sounds like you guys are taking some of the Texas heat!   Apparently this has been a very mild summer for Dallas and not as hot as usual.  That worries me, because I find it to be intensely hot here!  Football has started up again already?!  Mi amigo Andrew emailed me and said he has front row seats in the MUSS this year and he was at the U game.  What an exciting time of year.  For some.  But I'm happy to hear you got to enjoy a day off yesterday and all is todavia bien!  I'm super excited for Christopher!  He's going to love this whole mission thing.  Elder Crockett's mom emailed him and said something about her child her friend that knows me, and I'm guessing that was Joan.  Que bueno! 

Now about my week....  first off, I managed to stay on my bike all week without getting hurt.  However I did get a nail through my tire, of course.   So we had a long walk home that night, and the next day we had a long walk to the bike shop to get a new tube, and then a long walk back.  Turns out I got the wrong kind of tube, so then we had to go back to the bike shop, but that time we got a ride from the English elders thank goodness!  It really would be nice if I had a single clue about anything when it comes to bikes!   But I've learned a little bit. 

Dinners in this ward have been awesome.  Tuesday we had dinner with Bro Dastrupp. His wife was at work, so he came and picked us up, took us to his apartment in dt Dallas, on the 11th floor.  Super nice place and we had Stauffer's lasagna and ice cream and Twinkies.  The best part is that he served in the Provo mission.  It was so neat to hear about all his experiences in places like Moab, St George, and the point of the mountain, places that I have been!  Serving in Utah would be something else!  Later in the week we had dinner with Sister Castro, a less active.  She is the personal assistant/nanny for this crazy rich dude that is apparently building a DisneyWorld in Dallas.  He was out of town so we got to eat at his place haha!  He lives on 12 acres of land and we got a tour in those four wheeler things.  He has a small lake and a river running through his property, tons of nice cars, and a segway!!!  It was a great time.  Makes me want to go into business or something.  I just want money!  but i gotta put that on hold for a while.  We also had dinner with the Romney's, and Bro Romney is an ex mission president that recently got back from serving in the Monterrey Mexico mission.  That was a little intimidating, but they are a super nice family and always so willing to help us out.  On the day we were walking back from the bike shop, we passed this nice taco restaurant and this guy insisted on buying us dinner.  We told him we had an appointment to get to, but he made us take something to go.  He is a part owner of the place and he was super nice, and the only reason why he stopped us was because he recently saw the Book of Mormon play written by the southpark guys and he said he has lots of respect for what we do.  I love meeting people like.  We don't meet them nearly enough, but boy it sure turns my day around. 

Now about that play:  I don't know how much y'all know about it, but it has been here in Dallas for the past week.  Brother Romney got permission from President Durrant for us to go downtown at 10:30 p.m. right when the play gets out to talk to people about what they thought, answer questions, and get some contacts.  We did it like three times.  Boy was that an experience!  So many people, all rich and beautiful, it was very nerve-racking, but it was a good opportunity to practice getting out of my comfort zone.  Some people  just laughed, some made fun, some wanted to argue, some even told us good job because they thought we were in the play, but most wanted nothing to do with us.  It was somewhat of an emotional and mental beat down just getting laughed at and rejected, but they were a select few that were genuinely interested and we got a few peeps info that will hopefully make it all worth it.  Not only that but it gave us a better idea of what the Savior went through when he was rejected nearly his whole life.  Overall I thought it was exciting and kind of fun, but Elder Crockett absolutely hated it.  The picture of the 4 of us Elders in front of the red building is us outside the theater right before the play ended. 

I had the opportunity this week to go to the hospital to give a young boy with appendicitis a blessing.  That was the second time we have been to the hospital to give a blessing, but this time I actually gave the blessing.  It was only my second time ever giving a blessing, the first time being a couple weeks ago.  Neither one of them were really the super strong spiritual experience that I had hoped for.  You hear people tell stories of the Holy Ghost filling their mouths with words and it comes so easily without even having to think.  That wasn't the case for me.  Words didn't "just come" to me.  I didn't feel like there was much power behind the blessings.  But both Elder Crockett and the member we were with said they felt the Spirit very strongly and I did good.  I am thankful for those experiences, because I've gotta learn sooner or later!  I think the biggest things when it comes to blessings are just experience and confidence.  I didn't have either of those, but I'm sure it will come.  It feels really good when people ask us for blessings.  Makes us feel needed.  And we are needed.  I love being able to help and bring comfort to families with a blessing. 

-Spanish is alright.  That's one thing that makes Spanish so easy to learn, because you pronounce every word exactly the way it sounds.  Almost.  But Honestly, I haven't really learned a lot of new Spanish this transfer, just gotten a lot more comfortable saying what I already knew how to say.  It's so easy to become satisfied with what you know and stop expanding your vocabulary and language.  So many missionaries in this mission go home still only knowing subpar Spanish.  I don't want to be one of those elders, but if I keep going the way I am that's what's going to happen!  I have learned this transfer that the senior companion has a HUGE impact on the companionship as a whole. Whoever is in charge definitely sets the tone, and there aren't a lot of junior companions that are strong enough to refrain from following in their senior companion's footsteps.  I learned an interesting statistic from Elder Sheffer a while back:  10% of missionaries are just terrible, no matter who their companion is, they will bring down the companionship.  20% of missionaries are just awesome and will work their buns off no matter who their companion is.  70% of missionaries fall in the middle and conform to whatever their companion does.  My goal is to be in that 20%.  I'd be lying to you if I told you I was right now.  Elder Crockett and I work pretty hard, but every missionary has their own opinion of what obedience is, or exact obedience, and some missionaries spend their entire mission trying to find that line between an exactly obedient missionary and an overly obedient self righteous missionary.  Because there is a fine line.  Nobody likes the self righteously obedient missionaries.  Elder Crockett and I have a different opinion on obedience.  It has made this transfer kind of difficult, and I kinda just wish I could be in charge!  I know I can't make excuses. It may sound like I am blaming him, but I know it's on me, he just makes it a little more difficult.  I've still got a long way to go to be the missionary I want to be. 

-Here in the Texas Dallas Mission we are encouraged to try to do about 10 hours of service a week.  In GP we volunteered at a food pantry and went a few times a week.  Here we serve at a food pantry as well, usually during the early hours of the day when peeps are usually at work.  Every once in a while other service opportunities come up, but that's what we usually do.

-I have not spoken in sacrament meeting yet.  I almost bore my testimony yesterday, but too many members bore testimony and there was no time.  Elder Munday bore his testimony and showed off his British pride by saying that the way he speaks(English accent) is the way we are going to speak in the Celestial Kingdom.  Most people laughed but I wouldn't be surprised if lots were offended.  Haha! 

-We still go to the city a couple times a week, but usually to only one part so there is still lots I haven't seen yet. 

-Riding a bike really isn't too bad.  Yeah I fall a lot, I've had a couple broken tires, but it's okay.  The only hard part is the heat!  I think I would prefer to stay on a bike in the fall/early winter.  It's probably quite enjoyable then. 

-We don't see nearly as many kids here, so I couldn't do much with toys here. 

-Nothing comes to mind other than a journal for the package.  Or maybe some differin face stuff.  But other than that You can surprise me!  But transfers are on the 17th, and I do have a chance of leaving that day, so just be aware of that!  You can get it to me before or after that date, either one.  I have been enjoying grandmas package and already I'm almost done with it!  But thanks again Grandma! 

-We are supposed to be in our apts by 9, or 9:30 if we have a late lesson.  Why do you ask? 

-I will be expecting a call from Dave soon. 

-PICTURES!  I hope your happy!  Just kidding but sorry I haven't been sending pics.  Technology just frustrates me so much I don't even want to bother!  but enjoy : )

Mom, you will never bore me with what is going on at home and family always takes priority over mis amigos!  August was honestly the fastest month of my life.  I can't believe it's September now!  I have come up with an analogy of time in the mission that I will share with you guys next week.  But this seems like it's a long one!   Miss y'all tons.  Love y'all tons.  Thanks for all y'all do and stay righteous! 

con mucho amor,

          Elder D.C. Williams