Missionary Moment

It's the best of times, and the worst of times right now. The weather is FREEZING. It was -15 degrees with a 20 degree wind chill the other day. We were advised several times not to go outside which really puts a damper on things. But the work continues to move forward.
The only other person who braves the cold with us is the mail man. And we are grateful for that. Cedar Rapids is really starting to grow on me.

There's a variety of people that we run into out here: we have a ghetto, a middle-class area, and a classy part of town, so tracting is always interesting. So far my favorite area is the ghetto.
We are teaching several of the most humble people I've ever met. They are living in some of the worst circumstances I've ever seen, but still manage to keep a smile and their hopes high.
One lady we're teaching, Gloria, lives in a small 2-story house. She's a single mother with 5 children and doesn't have a job. She loves her children so much, she walks in the cold formiles just to get groceries and she hangs up all of their school awards around her small living room. She was at church last Sunday, and every time we meet with her she tells us how important the Lord has been in her life, and how important it has been to her to find a church that will bring her and her children peace in their lives.

After our first appointment with her, she offered the most sincere prayer I've ever heard in my life. And despite all her trials, she always manages to make us laugh. She's been a real source of inspiration to me and my companion, Elder Eberle. It really gives us a new perspective on things.

Elder Sonico