July 19, Bellevue

 Hey brothers and sisters! I'm sorry that this email will be pretty short (but that's probably a good thing for my audience...) 

Well, we had a couple of fun calls this week. We had some elders in Illinois send us a referral for a spanish speaking man in Baja California and it was a hoot trying to figure it out.

Some elders in our area called us. Our area is called Bellevue 1st, but as they were going through their contacts, their phone had it in as 'Belly Uno.' 

We got a phone call from them and we knew the contact so I said Hola and let out a quick stream of Spanish. They hung up on us and then in our zone chat told the Spanish speakers to call us. Well, my companion and I didn't realize that they didn't realize that we weren't actually Belly Uno, a Spanish speaker, so we called them again and I couldn't help letting off a stream of Spanish as they struggled to reply. For those of you who know me well, I'm a terrible Spanish speaker and can't speak it to save my life. Luckily, neither could these elders.

Also, one of the members of the ward gave us black cherry rootbeer icecream and it might have been the most disgusting flavor of icecream I've ever had the misfortune of receiving. 

We met with a woman this week who felt abandoned by the ward and like no one reached out, even though countless people have told us that they have tried. I wonder how you can help someone who is insistent on drowning.

A very confused new member told us that she was going to be abstaining from all sexual relationships until she was married in the Mormon temple. I told her that it was fine to have sexual relations when you were legally married to someone of the opposite gender. Her reply was:

"Well, we aren't legally legally legally married."

I asked her what that meant, because I was a little confused. 

"I'm not sure if we married. It was such a long time ago."

"Gotcha." I replied, because though marriages are often events that I feel most people remember, I didn't want to make her feel bad.

"It happened when I was like 16 but I'm not sure if we're still married."

"Well, do you know if he's been baptized or not so we can move his records over?" For clarification, Sister Pace and I have no idea who this woman's husband is. She's told us that he's on fox news occasionally and a cop and in the army? She has pictures of him, and she's pretty normal so he's probably legit? But I'm wondering if he's fictional because she won't tell us his last name either because she doesn't know it or she doesn't want us to know it becuase we're women and she's very protective over her husband. Also, he might be in active duty/secret service so she doesn't get to see him alot? 

"I don't know. He's so secretive." Now, I'd call that a red flag, but I nodded.

"Gotcha." 

"And my boyfriend, well, we called it quits because he brought in a black woman into the relationship and I liked his wife, but this girl? I don't have anything against black women, but I'm just not sure about them and especially her..." 

Wait. 

I detected several problems with that.

"Your boyfriend? Who has a wife and another girl and you? And you just had a child with the boyfriend?" She nodded. Apparently the husband was ok with it? 

Also, she had something against people of color but she was black?

I want to tell you guys about the most important thing in the world. 

It's not gold. It's not nothing so complex as a degree or a nice car. 

It's faith in Jesus Christ. Trust that he existed. That he taught us all the way we need to live. That he suffered for all of our struggles and sins so he could know how to love us in our happiest and darkest moments. Belief that he died for us. And faith that he rose again, showing us that he can fulfill all of his promises. 

If you don't have this faith, read Enos. Do as he directs and read the scriptures. Allow the words to sink deep into your heart as you ponder the questions of your soul until you are starving for answers and then pour out your soul to Him in prayer.

Just like Enos, as we cry out to our Savior, we will find answers. 

I love you all!

Don't forget: there's nothing you could do that would make your Heavenly Father love you any less. But he loves you too much to let you stay where you are at. 

Love, Sister Brice