Samuel the Lamanite

So the other day, we were walking down Vyse Ave to look up an
investigator who's been on vacation. We passed by some kids that had
opened up a fire hydrant (a common summertime practice here that the
cops usually choose to ignore) and were messing around with tons of
water balloons. The investigator was still on vacation (so said her
j-dub husband) so we headed back up towards Ruby's building. As we
passed these kids again, this time on the other side of the street,
somehow I just knew what was coming. All of a sudden, water balloons
were bursting on the sidewalk and the walls all around us. We didn't
flinch once, just kept walking. We walked down the whole block being
surrounded by watery bursts, but not a single drop touched either of
us. When we got to the corner, the attack had subsided, so I turned
around and gave the Bronxite kids a gesture to compliment there aim.
This, of course, provoked another volley, but still we remained
unscathed.... So now I know how Samuel the Lamanite felt, I am brought
to remember the honorable title Grandpa Burton always called me by.

Later, I made the mistake of standing too close to the bus stop after
a cloudburst and I ended up getting gutter water all up my side. Eh,
I'm sure Samuel the Lamanite had his off days too.

We found a GOLDEN investigator this week. We looked up a less active
member named Heather in the point, and found out that her husband and
she have been praying and talking and have determined that God wants
the husband to be baptized, wants her to come back to church, and
wants them and their kids to all be sealed in the temple. The next
day, we showed up! He's been taught by missionaries before, and the
Watermans (one of the senior couples) know both of them really well
already. Apparently they kind of fell off the face of the earth when
their little baby W* was born several months ago, but now D*
(that's the husband) is more motivated than ever to get to be sealed
to his family. They came to Family Home Evening at the Watermans'
house. They came to church with their son, baby W*, and
nephew/adopted son, a T*. D*'s already met with us three times
now to prepare for his baptism on August 8th! They're soooooo solid!
We're more worried about their nephew/adopted son T*.

DJ's been far too busy to meet up lately because of the death of his
friend. The funeral was last Sunday, so he wasn't at church, and he
had been running back and forth between here and Queens all week
making the arrangements for it. I hope we don't have to reschedule his
baptismal date again, but we might. He still seems to be coping with
his friend's death very well though. I can tell he's got the new, Plan
of Salvation perspective on it.

We had our first interviews with President Smith this week. He wanted
long interviews with every missionary to really get to know them.
Sister Smith tagged along so she could get to know the missionaries
while they wait in the foyer. They are both sooooo cool! I love them!
This is going to be a good second half to my mission.

There are a lot more people to talk about, but I've covered our most
chief investigators and I've got to get going to a Zone Activity. So
again, thank you all for the love and support! Tune in next time, when
Elder Unice leads an army of two thousand stripling missionaries like
Helaman!

-Elder Samuel "the Lamanite" Burton


Pictures: 1. ties! (We all had the same brand on, so...)  2. The most
famous subway stop in the mission.  3. Brother Ford, looking spiffy in
his bow tie!  4. You know you have a cool mission president when...
(Sister Smith airdropped that one to me)