April 30, 2013 - "week 4 letter" (I'm not sure what he meant by that, maybe month 4?)

Hey,

I am sorry, but I am mentally exhausted. I will try to write a decent letter, but I have been going crazy for the past week.

In case you are following my mission letters, I have an update on the Marcus story. I told that same story to my new companion, and he thought it would be a good idea to make a comment to Marcus about doing 'Evil deeds' this is a summary of how that went.

Marcus walked past us, and gave us both hand shakes and said whats up, he kept walk past us, and Elder Fultz decided to say "Hey Marcus, have you been up to any Evil Deeds lately??"

my hand immediately cover my face in unbelief. 

Marcus turned around and started cursing up a storm, of slurs and threats.

I apologized to him for my new companions mistake, and he told me to teach him how to deal with people properly. (or he would have to teach him too)

so for the last 4 days or so Elder Fultz has been scared to death, it has been quite fun actually haha. I know Marcus is a good man, and is actually cleaned up, and helps at a NA and AA class at a local christian church. But Elder Fultz didn't know that. So I have been freaking him out and having fun with it for the last few days. 

yesterday we saw Marcus up on his balcony lifting weights with his shirt off, so it was pretty intimidating for Elder Fultz, I greeted him and he said "hold on, I'm comin down!" 

I kept saying, "oh man, get ready Elder" haha he told me I better protect him, and he actually seemed very scared. I told him it wasn't my business and I didn't want to get shot so he was on his own. 

Marcus came down and I gave him one of those hand shake, shoulder bumps and then he just stared at Elder Fultz haha. He told Elder Fultz that he was sorry for responding in such a hostile way, but Elder Fultz should think before he speaks, especially because he is a "Vessel of the Lord" and represented the church. He then stated that ELder Fultz wasn't worth going to prison for. haha

Elder Fultz Apologized, and then we walked around the complex with Marcus for about and hour, talking. He gave us a lot of advice on how to read other people and taught us techniques that should help us "spread the good news". He wanted to make sure we weren't judgmental to people. he told us the 12 step program needed to be revised because Marijuana is a medicine in California, not a drug. and then he asked some insightful questions about the church. 

He shared his respect for the church, and said he would let anybody try to tell him bad things about Mormons, and that he would come to missionaries for the questions he had, if he had any more. then he asked me if I thought he should by an Audi A7 or a BMW 7 series. I told him he should get out of our crappy apartment complex before he spent money on a nice car. haha he told me he owned a 3 bedroom place in crown valley, but stayed in the complex for the women haha.

other than that, we are doing the typical mission thing; finding, teaching baptizing. what an amazing life :)

Godspeed SpiderMan

-Elder Strong