Fore!

Best.

Preparation.

Day.

Ever. 

Usually they can almost be a burden, but today was different and super relaxing. I don't know if I've mentioned it before, but the missionaries here live on a golf course. It's pretty...po-dunk and only 9 holes, but hey, it's a golf course and it only costs us 6 bucks for a round. Some previous elders must have bought a set of old clubs, so this morning we hit the green like champs.

About 46 strokes and four holes later, Elder Aubry and I had to head back up to the pro shop to buy some more balls. Luckily they have 50 cent balls that they dig up from the water. We decided that 9 balls was a good idea, and headed back out, still feeling like champs.

We were both really terrible, and there were a few times we were worried that we were going to break windows, but it was so much fun. I don't think I've ever enjoyed playing a sport more in my life. Both Elder Aubry and I had some amazing strokes too. I hit one over the pond, which landed juuuuust on the other side, bounced on the rocks about twice, and then popped back up just by the fence. Elder Aubry hit one that went waaay far, but also over the fence, and then into a tree for about two seconds, and then bounced out again into the course. That's what happens when Missionaries play golf.

The past week has been really good as well. Things are starting to click with Elder Aubry, and we should be up to par by the end of this week! Adjusting to a new companion is weird, I find myself not trusting what he says and wanting to take over the whole lesson. Then I realize he probably thinks the same thing, and Elder Beddes probably thought the same thing too, so I've been working on really trying to make sure he's involved in the lessons. Planning is important in that, and we've found that it helps a lot.

We're trying really hard to find new people to teach, which is difficult around here. People are really friendly, but they're terrible listeners. I think they just kind of tune you out, and then talk about what they want to. I mean, yeah, we're missionaries, but come on, at least try and listen to what we're saying. My favorite thing though is,

"Mhm, yeah that's a good scripture about Christ! I like that!"

"Well we'd love to give you a copy of the Book of Mormon! It's another testament of Jesus Christ, and just like you were talking about, our Heavenly Father will answer our prayers and I promise that if you read the Book of Mormon and pray about it, you'll receive and answer that it is true!"

"No no no! Don't give me anything to read! I don't want anything from you!"

It just doesn't make sense, and it's kind of sad really. I'm firm enough in my faith to pick up a Jehova's Witness tract and read it. It's from another faith, but it's about God, it's uplifting, and it has a good message to it centered on Christ. Why wouldn't you read something that is Christ-centered if you were really firm in your faith? The way I see it is if the Book of Mormon isn't true, whether or not you believe that God answers prayers, if you read it you'll just be ground firmer in your faith. If the Book of Mormon is true, then God does answer prayers, there's a prophet here on the earth today, Christ's church has been established, and you just rejected the word of God. People are just silly. There is nothing wrong with saying no to a missionary, but if you haven't checked it out, it's like a little kid that's never had ice cream saying no to a bowl of ice cream.

"No thank you, I can see that that food is not something I have had before. I am just fine with my steamed okra, thank you. I was raised on it and I'll never eat anything but steamed okra because I know that it is my favorite and I don't want to try anything else because steamed okra is the way to go and if you like anything more than steamed okra then you are just wrong."

All in all, I'm grateful that my church teaches me to love and respect all people and their tastes. I'm glad that we're not taught to be xenophobic! I love how the prophets always emphasize the importance of learning new things! "If there is anything virtuous, lovely, of good report, or praise-worthy, we seek after these things!" To me, that means anything that lifts us up, and if nothing lifts me up than a testimony of Christ, whether it's from a Baptist, a Jehova's Witness, a Catholic, or a Mormon. If you've got a testimony of Christ, (or really anything Christ-like) I am all ears and I would love to learn more about your religion when I am not so devoted to preaching mine.

I love you all, and I hope that you have a good week!

Elder Christopher Drake