Welcome to the Sassy Old Men club

Oh. My. Toes. This week was something special. Except it wasn't. It was basically like every other missionary week, but this time I am dead tired. Probably because I'm battling a sinus infection. Oh well. Nobody cares, what else? (That last sentence is not a pessimistic outlook at life, it is a quotation of the mission's favorite Mexican zone leader.)

 Down to business.

At some point this week we started working with a refugee family from Iraq. They've had some rough times. They've been in Az for about five years now and "love the Mormons." Or so they tell us every time we come over. The kids are hilarious, I've never met brighter children in my whole life. They have so much energy and so much love for Jesus. We went from talking about prophets to having a planking competition in the span of 30 seconds I swear. The littlest one (they call her Fu Fu, she's 8 and the smallest child on earth) refers to my companion and I as Elsa and Anna. I love them.

 In other news, my companion and I have formed a sassy old men club. Because we seem to become best friends with all of the sassy old men in this area. I don't really know why, we just do. The other day we knocked on the door of a sassy old man who had at one point gotten in contact with the church with the desire to be baptized. He did not actually get baptized, so we figured we stop on by and see what was up with him. No joke, he opened the door, and I almost peed.

Picture this. We ride through a clearly rich neighborhood, up to a very large house, and knock on a very tall door, that is swung open by a rather tall, rather sassy old man.

 He loomed over us and said, "Did the bishop send you??"

GULP. I peed myself.  (I didn't actually pee myself, he wasn't that scary.)  

Then we got to talking; now we're all buddies. He thinks I'm a "hoot."

 The spiritual thought for the week goes back to the latter-day roots of this church. We were in Sunday school, talking about the First Vision when a man said something that completely changed the way I view a lot of things.

 You see, we're not interested in Joseph Smith because he saw a vision. The First Vision, this Church, our faith, it's not about Joseph Smith having a vision of God the Father and Jesus Christ.

 It's not about Joseph Smith; it's about Jesus Christ. 

Jesus Christ literally came to the earth once more. The resurrected, Perfect Being, came to this earth, with words to say and a gospel to restore. That's what this is all about.

 It's why I'm on a mission, why you say your prayers, why thousands join the Church every year, why Joseph Smith had a vision. It is ALL about Jesus Christ.

 So make this week a little bit more about Jesus Christ.

 I wish you luck, and I love you a lot!

 Love, Sister Barlow