El Paso

Week 1 in a nutshell:  I've been chased down by a prostitute, sworn at by a drunk old man and a sweet-looking old lady (who yelled obscenities at us while we walked away), helped a different drunk guy lay on the ground while we waited for the EMT's to get there, cause he had passed out while in his wheelchair (or he fell down or something, I don't even know), got to baptize an investigator named David, have walked through the most ghetto part of town (called the Devil's Triangle, where we met the prostitute), and walked to the Mexican border.

So, from what I've been told, this is just another week in El Paso. XD

This next part, Merinda, you'll love. The ward that I go to, just so happens to be in the OLDEST chapel in Texas. Literally.  It has a plaque and everything about how it's the oldest church building in Texas.   And, in the ward I'm in, I met our fourth cousin- on the Dial side!  We're related through Samuel Dial, (Grandpa's grandpa) and her grandpa's grandpa is Samuel's brother!  Her name is Gabrielle Cheney (Hey yo, Chris, you related to her??) and she's also big into family history!

So the ward is great here, we get fed every night (that's something my companion makes sure of) and last night we had BAKED POTATOES. It was fantastic that I had the opportunity to have a taste of home, but I didn't get to bring up Spud Day, so that was a little sad, but I'm over it. 

Holly, you would love the apartment I live in because A) the hot water doesn't run out. Ever. The cold water runs out.  If I wash my hands in cold water, then I have to brush my teeth with warm water, and that is not something that I like to do, but whatever.  The longer you're in the shower, the hotter it gets. I came out of the shower today, and I was steaming for 5 minutes.  It's like I was Captain America or something. XD  B) it has the best view of the sunrise. OF. MY. LIFE. We live on a little bit of a mountain, and most of El Paso is east of us, so the sunrise (which happens at around 6:45, 7 ish) has most of the city in it.  It's sweet.  I'll take a picture when I get the SD card.

My Spanish is very limited, I can now say that "We're the missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints" and that's it.  That's all my companion knows, so that's all he's taught me. XD

Sarah, Nate, congrats on the house and the job, that's awesome! Have fun moving everything before Christmas!! l:) ;)

So, a couple more details, my area is a driving mission, but in order to talk to more people, my comp and I ride the bus and walk most everywhere, depending on where we're going.  David, the guy who I baptized, was super prepared (I guess that he had read the Book of Mormon multiple times prior to meeting the missionaries) and I got to baptize him because the guy that he wanted found out the night before that he couldn't make it, so Elder Proctor told me that I could do it!  

We've met some people who are absolutely prepared to accept the gospel, one who's name is Juan (haha, stop laughing, "one Juan") and he doesn't believe in Christ, but he really wants to change his life around, so he's taking the lessons!  He even said that he would be baptized- and we're going to teach an actual lesson for the first time on Thursday, when he gets back from California.

The work goes on, even though I want to rest sometimes (it's really hard for me to stay awake during personal study but hey, I'm getting better).  And even though I miss you people, I know this is where I'm supposed to be, working and (believe it or not) talking to people!  Keep the faith!!

Te whanaunga mo ake tonu!!

--

Elder Eli James Dial

PS If you want to send snail mail, send it to the mission office, I don't know the address, but it's on the blog that my sisters made for me.  If you don't know what or where it is, someone send it to me and I'll include it in the next email next week. :)