Wow I feel like I have 10000 things to say in my email but I don't want to bombard you all with a bunch of information. Oh well I'm gonna do it anyways.
My week started at 2:25 on Tuesday morning. After quickly getting dressed and repacking my suitcases, we left the residence hall in the MTC for the last time. We got to the travel office at 3AM, checked in and loaded our stuff on the bus for an hour long bus ride to the SLC airport. We checked into the airport with no problems and pretty much had to load right onto the plane. We had a layover in Dallas and it was only like 15 minutes long so we pretty much walked right into the plane headed to Wichita. I somehow got really lucky and had the MOST leg room on the plane. When we landed we got picked up by the Mission President, his wife and the AP's. It was a crazy afternoon, we took pictures at a famous landmark in Wichita called the "Keeper of the Plains" and then went to the mission office. There, we met some other missionaries and went on splits to teach real people. It was super humid and hot and it was awesome. I went with Elder Sperry, and we rode our bike until we found someone we thought was Hispanic. We started to talk to her and she ended up not knowing any Spanish (bummer). We taught her the first lesson and she loved it she committed right away to go to church and I extended an invitation to be baptized. She accepted and is scheduled to be baptized on the 10th of September. Guys I'm a missionary.... She's considered a golden investigator and the whole zone is talking about her, we can't teach her the rest of the lessons because she isn't a Spanish speaker, so we had to refer her to English speaking missionaries. She was the very first person I taught in Kansas... Still kinda blows my mind.
That night we slept at the office missionaries apartment because we hadn't gotten out companions yet and we didn't know where we were going to be serving. The next day we woke up and went back to the mission office, and got out companions. I got Elder Sperry! The same missionary I went out with the day before. It was super awesome and we got assigned to the Wichita area!! Everyone else went super far away and everyone I knew from the MTC is scattered around the state, with some not even in the state.
Elder barker is in Liberal (the home of Wizard of Oz)
Elder Davies is in Lawrence
Hermana Levitre is in Junction City
Hermana Goss is in Guymon Oklahoma (super funny because she was the most excited to be in Kansas)
Sister Cox (I knew her from EFY) is in Colorado.
Man I miss them all!!
I'm not gonna say everything that happened this week because that would take forever, but we have 9 progressing investigators, had 2 baptisms on Sunday, taught a ton of lessons, been yelled at, sworn at, called the cops on a guy beating his wife, and had doors slammed in my face. But I've also met some of the most genuine and caring and loving people I've ever met in my life. We do a lot of work in the ghetto areas of Wichita, so most of the people are petty humble.
It's crazy how time flies when you're so busy working. And let me tell you, we've been working hard. Initially I don't think I realized how hard being a missionary in the field would be. I mean this in the least racist way, but white people suck. They never want to talk to missionaries and when they do it's usually to swear at us or to tell us how wrong we are. Of course we just take it with a smile , say "Have a good day!" And walk away. It even harder because as a Spanish missionary we have such a larger area, and way less members. It's difficult getting referrals and our branch doesn't have many active men. This leads to a lot of ineffective tracking or writing down addresses we pass that have "Mexican looking houses" to return to when we are back in that area. None the less, I love it. There is nothing better than calling others to come unto Christ. I love working hard and I love that it's a challenge. It gives me the opportunity to grow and be uncomfortable and struggle. Often times the greatest opposition comes when the greatest blessings are in store.
It reminds me of an experience I had surfing before my mission. We had just gotten to the beach and we were excited to ride the waves all day. We had been looking forward to this for a couple months now and couldn't wait to get in the water. We ran in and began to paddle out. To our amazement we had gotten nowhere, despite putting all our might into it for 45 minutes. We had fought, and battled, and been pushed back over and over by the continuous waves. Saltwater was in our eyes and our mouths and the occasional wave would knock us off, sending us tumbling 10-15 yards in the opposite direction we wanted to go. It was exhausting, and yet we kept pushing forward because we had such a desire to surf. Eventually after over and hour we made it to a point that we could catch a wave back. The sensation we got riding a big one back to shore was indescribable.
After a rough day of rejection I remembered this experience I had, and thought of the phrase "You have to fight to waves, to ride the waves.". Missionary work a lot of times is the same way. You have to battle, and fight, and paddle your heart out and sometimes you just get no where. Sometimes you even get pushed back from the direction you want to go. But when you finally get that "wave" or that investor, or that family, or that kid that's just a beacon of Gods love, it's all worth it. Every single wave of opposition, or door that gets slammed in our faces, or person that yells at us. It's all worth it.
I have loved every second since I've gotten here. There is not a single place in the world I'd rather be, and I've come to realize that Heavenly Father truly does know his children. Kansas is where I belong. I'm so thankful for my trainer Elder Sperry and his guidance, he has helped me and taught me how to truly be a missionary. His enthusiasm for the work and his desire to serve motives me to be the best missionary I can be each day. I cannot wait to see all the miracles the lord has in store for us!
Elder Murphy
President and Sister McCuistian (at Keeper of the Plains)
Elder Sperry, my trainer
My church building
Study room
My room, Elder Sperry passed out
My apartment has weights!! If we are close to a gym we can workout there, but there isn't one near our apartment so this will have to suffice for now.
The kitchen, we sign the flag when we leave.
Maria got baptized
Pedro got baptized. HIs parents should be the 17th.
My study table
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