Buenas Tardes!
One week in the Bronx and I'm still alive! The first night I was there a
guy rolled down his window at an intersection and said "Be careful, there's a
guy back there with a machete." and I just was thinking to myself "Welcome to
the Bronx..." Haha but it's been good, I haven't felt threatened at any point.
Elder Topham survived the same area and we're pretty similar sizes, so I should
be good to go. The Bronx is definitely a lot different than Manhattan. People
are in a lot more of a rush and on the go in Manhattan, buildings are a lot
tighter and closer together, the streets have a different layout and the people
are a little different. I love Manhattan for the physical layout and things you
can do, but as far as the people go, I really am loving the Bronx! I've had
more success trying to talk to people on the bus and train here, people seem to
be a little more friendly and I've just been able to connect with ward members
here a little better. So the Bronx is great! But I think I said in my last
email that my new area is only one train stop away from the station that we used
near our apartment in Harlem, so I can still see buildings from my last area.
There's even a place where we can see the apartment building in which I stayed
back in Harlem, so that's kind of crazy.
Today we got to go back to my old area to go to a doctor for Elder
Longmore (more of the Upper East Side part of things where we did very little
work) so it's been good! We're planning on going down to the World Trade Center
site for a tour and just check out some stuff in South Manhattan, so we're
pretty excited! Hopefully we don't get lost down there...
Like I said, things are going great! I don't have a lot of time to write
so I'm just going to include a little of what I wrote to President
Morgan...
Things are going so well! I'm getting settled and adjusted to the new
area, new companion and everything, but we're moving forward. I've been told
many times since I got here that Elder Longmore and me have a hard area. That's
been kind of discouraging, but I think the Lord prepared me for such comments as
I've recently been looking more for the positive in everything. With that, Elder
Longmore and I have determined to forget that mindset (of having a hard area),
set our eyes on the Standards of Excellence and get to work. As I said there has
been a lot of opposition in us trying to work, but to me it's only a testimony
of what I felt coming into this cycle- as we work and try to be the best that we
can be, we're going to see some great things. Yesterday was an example of that.
We finished our studies and went out to work. We were guided by the Lord to
share the messages that were meant to share, see the people we were meant to see
and just do the things that we were meant to do. By the end of the day we had
taught five lessons (half of what is usually taught in this area in a week),
extended a baptismal date (during the first lesson with a new investigator),
received and contacted a referral, and met all of our goals that we had set the
night before. We came home very satisfied and happy, looking forward to the
upcoming days rather than not being sure of what to do. We've got another eight
or nine appointments scheduled for the rest of the week, and I'm sure we'll be
able to make even more in the next couple of days. We're also trying to get
better at talking to people on buses, trains, elevators and the like to make
sure we're living to the fullest of our calling. I know that the Lord is
blessing us and that without Him such great things wouldn't be happening. We're
excited to continue to dedicate all of our time to the Lord, live according to
His guidelines and improve ourselves everyday. This is going to be a great
cycle!
Things have been tough at times and the adversary has really tried to
rattle both Elder Longmore and myself, but we know who we are and what we're
supposed to do, and so we press on! Whenever anybody tries to do anything good,
there is always going to be opposition to a degree. Handling that opposition
isn't always easy, but it pays off, if not soon, at the very least in the long
run. I know that God loves us and provides us with means to learn and grow and
that everything that we experience is ultimately for our well being. The Lord
is great and I know He's always looking out for us, even if it is in a way that
we don't understand.
Thanks for all the support and love from back home. I hope everyone has a
great week!
Elder Griffiths
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