Our Favorite Southern Boy:

This Sunday we had lunch with the Perez family, and their son, Danny, was the only one there who spoke English --and y'all been knowin’ that I can't speak a lick of Spanish (yesterday I really wish I did though). Hermano Paez was there, too, and I am about 70% sure he was making fun of us for not being able to speak Spanish. I heard the words ‘Missionieros,’ and ‘no Espanol,’ with a bunch of other words all mixed in and then everyone was laughing but us... They asked us where we are from (the son Danny translated everything for us)  and when Elder Pruitt said, "Idaho" there was no translation needed! Brother Paez said with the thickest Mexican accent, "Ahhh.. I D A H O.. haha Mucho Potatoes!" I couldn’t help but laugh, because I always give Elder Pruitt grief about potatoes. I always make him pick out the potatoes we buy at the grocery store, because, after all, he is a veteran spud-harvester, so he should know better than I.

            A member of the ward gave us left-overs from the refreshments from his son's Eagle Scout Court of Honor on Saturday night, and in typical eastern North Carolina fashion, for refreshments they cooked a whole hog and tons of NC BBQ chicken, which is the best BBQ chicken I've had. I mean that is some serious “refreshments!” That is what I am talkin’ bout’-- let's cook a whole pig just for refreshments after the event! I like the way people think down here.

            We are supposed to teach our own neighbor's friend this week. She has being coming with our neighbor to church about every week and to all of the activities and everything. Our neighbor told us that her friend's parents told her, "You're spending so much time over there, you're going to get baptized and join their church... we are fine with that if you want." So hopefully, she will be a great person to teach. Watch though, I've been here for close to 7 months, and the day I leave, they'll start teaching her.

            This week we had Zone Conference in Kinston, which is out of our stake/zone/area, but is closer to us than where we have District meeting every Friday. At Zone Conference, during lunch time, Sister Weed, the Mission President's wife, gave a training on how to prepare and eat lunch in under 30 minutes (our lunch time has been limited to 30 minutes now). She gave the training in the form of a cooking show with audience participation, and even gave out some Crock Pots to a few lucky contestants! Then the mission nurse, who's hilarious, gave a presentation on eating healthy. She said, "Basically if it doesn’t grow out of the ground, have feathers, or swims--it's really not good for you."  I said to Elder Pruitt and Elder Pitts (and probably said it a little too loudly), "I don't know about that. I've definitely seen a cow swim." Well, at least I saw one the other week: neck-deep, crossing a farm pond, so I can't be sure that it was actually "swimming," --but still.  I'm pretty sure I could get a few other animals, that I like to eat, to swim, too.

            All-in-all, it was another great week full of interviews, lessons, funny old southern people, good food, and missionary work! It was good, as always. It's only a bad week if you decide it's bad.

            Until next time, I hope y'all have a blessed week!

    
            --Elder White