07/17/2017
What a week.
I don't want to forget writing about this so I'll just tell
the story now. The story of how Elder Edwards found out his ethnicity.
This week we decided to do something a little different. So
we went to the Synagogue down the street. Elder Edwards' mom is Jewish so this
was going to be not only a cool thing for me but a visitation of his heritage
for him. We go in and every one looks at us confused and every person we talked
to asks "Are you Jewish?" And every time I answer no and Elder
Edwards answers half Jew. We talk to the secretary lady and she tells my
companion that if his mother is a full Jew, then he is counted as a full Jew.
Elder Edwards had his mind blown. He said "My whole life I thought that I
was only half Jew, but now I know that I am full Jew." We took a short tour
of the Synagogue and saw some interesting things. But the best part is yet to
come. We motioned that we were interested in buying a Torah (The Jewish book of
scripture - Five Books of Moses) and then she took us back down stairs. She had
us wait for a little bit while she went into an office to talk with someone.
Then she came out and had us go in. This is where we met Yoseph. This guy is
the exact image I have in my mind when I think of anything from Fiddler on the
Roof. He spoke English really well but with a pretty heavy accent and
everything just made me think of that musical. Yoseph tried so hard to get
Elder Edwards to join his Synagogue and was using every word in the book. His
main things that he was wanting Elder Edwards to do was to try on
"Tefillin". Tefillin is what the Jew put on to connect with God.
Yoseph pulled up on Google Images tefillin to show him because hi didn't know
what it was and he got kind of freaked out. Yoseph was pulling out all kids of
things trying to convince him. Things like "You're a Jew . . . it's in
your blood, you can't take it out." "You and me, we are the same
(Then addresses me "No offence") "Don't you want to connect with
him (pointing up)" "I was sent here in 1995 and have always wondered
why there was one spot empty in our congregation, but now I know. Come home
Bryson." " You think that you just by chance walked into the
Synagogue? That doesn't happen. He (Pointing up) has a plan". Elder
Edwards is a pretty intense guy and knows how to stick to his guns. But he said
afterward that he was pretty intimidated by Yoseph. After we
"talked" with Yoseph for a few minutes they sold a Torah to Elder
Edwards but claimed that they didn't have any more. But I am pretty sure that
they just didn't want to sell one to me, a gentile. So that was a fun
experience. Elder Edwards found out that he is a Jew and Elder Edwards sold me
his Torah that he bought.
Other than that not much happened this week. But things have
seemed to be going a little better this week than previous weeks. Many more
people are a lot more open to talk with us and we had a couple of lessons with
non-members.
The Nikaliev Elders came down this week and we had an
awesome exchange with them.
This week we actually didn't need to go to Odessa so we were
here the whole time.
Church was great this week. Elder Edwards spoke and it was
awesome. After Sacrament meeting our First counselor gave the lesson and it
went great. And he did a good job at helping the non-members there feel a part
of the branch.
We were out on the streets quite a bit this week and I
actually took pictures with my own camera. I apologize that I can't send them.
We can't use usb or other things like that on the computers here. But at the
first chance I get I will send them.
Yeah so things are pretty good here. it's going to be
interesting to find out on Saturday how President Kumferman is going to do
transfers.
Also, I hit my year mark. woo hoo.
Старейшина Класон /Elder Clawson
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