A Beautiful Day in Harlem

Hey Mom it is a beautiful day in Harlem! The weather is nice and everything is just perfect! The News about the Cardinals win was awesome! I wish I would have been there to see it! But everything is going good here! And yes the Harlem side of the city is pretty trashy! Every morning there is a ton of trash and debris on the ground from the night before! But I love it! It's home for now! Until I get transferred! I have been here a really long time! And I don't know if I will have another area on my mission where I will stay this long lol! So it's my home away from home! :)

That's sad Tony Larussa's retired! I did not know that end of the story!! I saw something on ESPN this morning while doing Laundry and it took everything out of me not to watch! Both LSU and THe Cardinals were the primary topics! Ahh so hard! Me and Elder Hellberg just ended up taking a walk while our Laundry dried because I did not want to watch lol! Missionary life is so weird! What other culture has to be around someone 24/7, can't watch tv, can't  call home, has to wake up at a certain time and go to bed at a certain time?? There is none! Lol! Its so weird now that I think about it! But it all comes down to agency ya know?? And I have seen the blessings from doing just the little things! But anyways keep me updated on the LSU game! And yeah I knew about the Saints... I was at the Munoz and it came on Spanish news for about 3 seconds and I saw enough to realize that they lost lol!

Oh and speaking about Greg and not knowing what he is going to do... I actually think I may have changed directions with what I want to do... Guys... I think I want to be a teacher?? I mean tell me what you think. But it just makes sense! And not just a teacher! I would really like to go into like administration so I can be over a school and make pretty good money. Here are my reasons! 1. I would get to help a ton of kids learn and grow and I would have a much higher impact in somebody's life than if I would be speaking on a TV talking about football all day. 2. I would have summers off to spend with my family. 3. Good retirement. 4. I could Coach! Something I have always wanted to do! I loved helping Todd! And I think I would be a lot better at it, then what I am an actual athlete! And I would still be around sports. and I could coach XC, LAcrosse, or Hockey.. IDK it just makes sense to me! 5. and I would be able to write like I have always wanted to do! It just made so much sense to me! I prayed about it and it just seems so right! And I could incorporate so many of the different things I am interested in into this career field. If I was an administrator i would still get to be a public speaker, I could still deal with Sports.. Tell me what you think! IT just makes so much sense with what I want to do with my life! So I pray that Greg can have the same kind of revelation I had! And yes I still want go to to LSU. Probably do a little more time at SCC though.

Crazy to think Tre is in the MTC! I am so happy for him! He is going to do great! I will have to find out who his teachers are! There are hundreds of them so I doubt they are the same! But I can hope! :) I miss that boy! Such A good kid! I remember how nervous I was before I went in! I was acting so awkward lol! Even Tre could see it! Ahh seems like so long ago! But at the same time just yesterday! Elder Huerta is in his mission boundries so I am going to have him go visit Tre when he goes home! 

I miss my little Mexican lol! He was so fun to be around! But now he is comps with Sorenson and living with Elder Kay! So he is going to have fun up there! Elder Hellberg only has like 5 weeks left in his mission! He is pretty trunky lol! But he is working hard so that is good! He is going to be the second person I will have killed off! He is a great kid and I love him a lot! He has taught me a lot of things! Patience being one of them lol! But no our apartment situation is not good! I miss Elder Stratton. 

So today I went to the Bronx zoo for the second time! Personally I prefer the St. Louis but It was still pretty fun! I was pretty bummed because I left my Camera! But other than that not really! Went to Central Park a couple weeks ago! When to Chinatown once. Also went to go shopping with Elder Hellberg in South Mann. Nothing too fun! Elder Hellberg has pretty much been taking charge on the P-Days the past couple weeks. Which I am fine with because he is going home soon! But yeah not too much really exciting. Most of the really fun NY stuff we will not have the opportunity to do as Missionaries. Well we do get to go to one Broadway play our last 2 cycles so until that.. eh. I will go see the Lion King for sure! :) I am excited for that! :) And the Snow was good! I bought some gloves and a hat! And my boots destroyed anything in my path lol! I felt like a tank! Elder Hellberg made fun of them but i think they are awesome! :P 

And the work is going good! We have not seen as many people the past couple weeks, but its all good! We are teaching a family of like 6! Belkis, German, Jason, and I forget the other ones names. They were only there for one lesson! They accepted Baptism! So we will talk about a date with them the next time we see them!  :) Also we are teaching Edgar, who is the Catholic Priest! We have not met with him in a couple weeks! But that is going good! He just remains really busy and his plans are always backed up! But we have had help from a member in our Ward who went to the Catholic Seminary for 4 years.  He is one of the smartest guys I have ever met! He works for the UN! Way nice guy and so knowlegeable! He pretty much just teaches us each time we go there! Even better than that! Edgar is a great person with a great heart! With a strong faith in Christ! And he just loves! Just loves everybody! :) And Wilson is still coming to church! Like I have said a thousand times.. Their situation is really interesting.. and it just got even more so.. And the two kids.. Ahh.. Their  mom won't take them to church! It's so frustrating! Such a nice lady! But Rogelio and Jazmine want to go..  But nice people! I just want to see them at church a little more often! The Sacrament is so important! I have grown a testimony of that while I have been on my mission!

Okay 3 more things! First.. So we were walking down the street yesterday and I had one of the most Random/Weird experiences of my life! This guy just calls out "Mormons" and I stop and talk to him! Then he goes and tells us how much he loves us, and I can just smell the stench of Alcohol on his breath! And then he grabs Elder Hellberg by the Head and pets him lol! Then he reaches over and strokes my hair as well! Haha remember all of this is happening in the middle of a crowded New York City sidewalk lol! Then we are just like "You have a great day sir" LoL! What a CRazy old man!! LOL! Haha! I love Harlem people! Just brightens my day! haha! there is always something new! haha then the day before that we are buying metro Cards and this guy just yells out from behind us "Look Everybody! White People!" " everybody @#$%^& look at the  @#$%^& White people" Then two tourists walk down who have no idea how to act and the man is like " More white people! I am in heaven! MAn White people I love you guys so much!" haha And I am sitting back trying not to laugh! Then he says "Oh they're not talking to me. The white people don't love me back. Jesus, Why don't the white people love me?" Haha and the 2 tourists look like they are going to poop themselves because they feel so awkward lol! So I just walk up to him and ask him his name and tells me Kelvin And I just told him I loved him! and it just looked like it made his day! haha it was so funny! He was a little crazy but haha just made my day! Haha, That's Harlem for you though! Bunch of crazy people that you can't help but love! 

 So we were teaching this man nambed Custodio. He is like 65 years old... Talk about a life changing/ Spiritual experience talking to this man.. He told us his life story. There was just something so different in his eyes! So much love! And so much faith! Mom, I can't even explain it! He is going to die. But he knows where he is going! He knows! I can see it in him! We walked into his room after he had switched hospitals, and the Book of Mormon is sitting right on his bed side! He tells us of his faith in Christ and wow... What a great guy, what a choice spirit of our Heavenly Father! He has seen the hand of God in his life! And through him I have seen it in mine! And I sure hope all of you are too! It is amazing! and it is life changing! If anyone ever lacks faith! Just get on your knees and pour your heart to him and he will answer you! He will hear you! He loves you! I promise that! And I promise he is there! Just look for him! 

I love you all so much! And I miss you! Just keep being the awesome people you are! To both my family and friends! I love you all and will talk to you soon! Take care and have a great week! 

Love you all!

Elder Mark Mattei! :)