MARDI GRAS!
(I think)
I'm not quite sure when it is as no one is really quite sure. The parades have been going on for some time. It apparently has something to do with the Catholic Lent but then we talked to an actual Catholic who claimed it had nothing to do with Catholism. We might be going to a parade tonight. I'll send you home some moon pies (For those of you who don't know what Mardi Gras is: Mardi Gras is a holiday that was reportedly started in Mobile. There are parades with floats and on these floats are people in costumes throwing beads, moon pies, commemorative plastic cups, oatmeal cream pies, and sometimes various other objects. Your job as a participant in this holiday is to put gold, green, and purple: the colors of mardi gras on your door and then attend one of the parades. At these parades you are expected to jump up and down as they shower you with the aforementioned gifts while trying not be knocked out by some of the faster and heavier flying objects. It's quite the holiday.)
Alright, enough commentary on the culture. On to this week. This week was kind of a tough one for me. We didn't get as much done as we would have liked and I was very tired for most of it. Particularly when we'd come home to plan. It was extremely difficult to stay awake and I would often by very cranky and unreasonable (poor Elder W). In fact, (quick story) we were planning and I was drifting off. Elder W was trying to get an answer out of me and asked a question. I thought about it and put my head down on the table. I answered the question and that's when my memory gets fuzzy. Apparently, after a few minutes of Elder W trying to coax a clearer answer out of me, I crawled under my desk and refused to come out. He had to finish planning as all I would do was "make grummly noises".
I hope you enjoyed the somewhat humorous picture.
We did have a pretty cool miracle this week. B is this really nice guy. He's in his 60's and has a big mustache. 6'5" or so and pretty skinny. He had kind of decided that we were all coming from different perspectives but getting to the same place (plus how many times the Book of Mormon says "and it came to pass" was driving him nuts). He had stopped reading the Book of Mormon (the first book he's read in many many years - he really felt prompted to read it when we gave it to him). He basically told us he wasn't all that interested and that we could still come by and talk but he was good. We went back and answered some of his questions as well as taught him about the spirit world. He thought it was the coolest thing. Then Elder W said something to the effect of "The Book of Mormon really helps us know all this cool stuff and ..." Then B threw up his hands and said "Alright alright. I'll start reading it again." It was amazing to see the Spirit just touch someone's heart. Going from not interested, not going to read it, here's your book back to alright, I'll read again. It was good.
I've been very tired lately. Please pray for me to help me have more energy. I would greatly appreciate it! (But don't pray too hard- I still want to be able to sleep. haha. Just kidding!)
I must not type slow or get distracted because I'm almost all out of time. =(
SCRIPTURE OF THE WEEK! Moroni 9:6 as well as Alma 5:6-13. I enjoy Moroni because of Mormon's determination to fulfill his responsibility and Alma because it asks many thought provoking questions as well as gives some good things to ponder. There's always something to work on.
(PS Bonus scripture! I just found this one a few hours ago during personal study. James 5:7- see if you can find where it talks about the restoration.)
I love you all! and miss you!
--
Elder Matthew Carlson
