Newport News news

Yesterday morning was pretty much consumed with getting Braeden's email.  You think I'm kidding?  He sent a brief one to Emma which I saw so I knew he was emailing so then I couldn't leave my computer.  When I finally got the email, I had to send it out to people on the list and then the list was messed up so I had to fix it.  Then, naturally, I had to write him back.  Immediately.  Because if I didn't do it right away nothing bad would happen but I still had to anyway.

All morning.

But it was a happy way to spend the morning.  He sounds happy.  He looks happy.  He lives in a scary part of town.  He told me not to worry.

Oh.

OK.

Glad he told me not to, otherwise I would have worried.

He sent this funny anecdote to Emma:

Something funny happened the other day.  One of my companions stopped a guy coming out of a store and offered him a pass along card.  The guy turned him down.  This is how it went:
Guy:  No thanks, I'm a devout Catholic.
Elder Garcia: (smiling sincerely)  Oh, OK.  Well I condemn your faith.
Guy:  (confused) ...what?
Elder Garcia:  (still smiling)  I condemn your faith.
Guy:  Um... OK bye.

Commend Elder Garcia.  Not condemn.  We looked up the definition of condemn later and it was all about "dooming to hell" and stuff like that.  Hahaha this is probably why people think we're a cult.

On the one hand, it's kind of a sad story, because I want to find the guy and explain.  He meant commend!  I promise!  On the other hand, it is incredibly sweet.  I picture these earnest young men, out trying to teach people about Christ and trying to connect with other people, innocently and unwittingly using the wrong words in the process.

A for effort, boys.

People of Newport News, they're trying.  And their mothers miss them, so please take care of our boys and don't judge them too harshly.

His mission president sent us this picture of Braeden with his companions.  They normally have groups of two but they live in such a rough area (!) that there are three of them.  Marianne pointed out they aren't small boys either.