Locals?

In our increasing attempt to mingle with the locals we decided that we had lived here long enough to venture walking across the iconic Golden Gate bridge. Ironically, I don't think locals ever walk on the bridge--it's more for tourists and folks who wish to end their life by falling to their deaths into the churning waters of the bay(I know, gruesome image). At any rate, I found the experience to be highly overrated. While we were surrounded by breath-taking views. I found that the exhuast from the thousands of vehicles passing was also "taking my breath away" in a very literal sense. Also, what I imagined to be a very relaxing stroll on a Sunday afternoon had me anxious with children getting too close to the railing and traffic so loud that I felt like I was at heavy metal concert. Perhaps there are some things in this world just left to romantic imaginations and movies.

According to Wikipedia: The Golden Gate Bridge is the most popular place to commit suicide in the United States and is one of the most popular in the world. The deck is approximately 245 feet above the water. After a fall of approximately four seconds, jumpers hit the water at some 86 miles per hour, which can be fatal. Some of those who survive the impact drown or die of hypothermia in the cold water.
There is no accurate figure on the number of suicides or successful jumps since 1937, because many were not witnessed. People have been known to travel to San Francisco specifically to jump off the bridge, and may take a bus or cab to the site; police sometimes find abandoned rental cars in the parking lot. Currents beneath the bridge are very strong, and some jumpers have undoubtedly been washed out to sea without ever being seen.

The official color of the bridge is "international orange", but I still don't think it is as brilliant as Adam's hair!

Gregory

So, you might notice a theme here. I like writing about people. People are what make our lives worth living. Especially since moving we have had many interesting characters cross our path. We have been enlightened, enriched, and generally entertained. Cue Greg. We have come to know Greg pretty well by picking him up for church each Sunday. Any attempt at describing him in this post will not do him justice. He is just one of those people that you have to meet to truly appreciate. He is an 18-year-old trapped in a 48-year-old's body. His spirit is contagious. He doesn't drive so we offered to take him with us to the Oakland temple several days ago. His anticipation for the planned trip rivaled that of a child on Christmas eve. At the end of the session he found Adam and me in the Celestial room and raised his fists over his head and said, "I made it, I made it!" I just thought those would be my sentiments exactly at the end of this life. His loyalty and faithfulness to the gospel are matched only by his love of the Golden State Warriors. So when Greg's father gave him courtside seats to the Warriors vs. Suns game, Greg invited Adam(mostly, because he needed a ride) and Adam was happy to oblige and sit in the perspiration splash-zone among the likes of Steve Nash, Grant Hill, and Shaq. Here's a little taste of the action...

Irene

So a few weeks ago I was called to be 2nd counselor in the RS. I'm not really trying to make an announcement about it, but I just want to set the scene for the following events. The Sunday after new years day, I guess the presidency thought they would break me in(perhaps the same concept as ripping a band-aid off quickly so there is less pain). They all went out of town, including the secretary, and I was left to go to ward correlation meeting, conduct RS, and teach the lesson all by myself. I was suddenly feeling the great responsibility of the RS in a family ward(my previous RS experience was only in a singles ward, which only offered a glimpse into what the organization entails). However, I was up to the task and I represented as well as I could. Believe you me(I don't even know what that means), teaching a room full of ladies is much easier than facing 35 cynical teenagers 5 times a day teaching high school.

So after the lesson was over and everyone was dismissed, a lady approached the table where I am packing up my things and tells me that she needs to give me her name and phone number. I ask her if she is a new member trying to transfer her records. She says no, she is not a member at all she just found our church and would like to start coming and learning more about it.

Now I don't know how many of you have been missionaries, but this is what we like to call a "golden contact". As most of you know, I served as a missionary in the Canary Islands of Spain and I can count on NO fingers the number people that I saw through to baptism. It was a very difficult mission(right Michelle?) and although I feel that I worked as hard as I could to offer those people every opportunity to accept God's plan, it is very discouraging and oft times heart breaking when people I came to care deeply for did not choose those things that would bring them true peace and happiness.

Then there is Irene. She has a desire to know the truth. She not only desires to know the truth, but she intends to be obedient to that truth once she is sure of it. I have accompanied the Elders twice to her home and have been amazed by what she has taught me. On our first visit, she told us a little bit about how she comes from a reformed Jewish background and doesn't practice a religion currently. She visited Utah twice in the past year, once during Christmas to see the lights on temple square. She purchased herself a giant-sized triple combination and has been reading the book of Mormon furiously the past couple of months. She has marked some of her favorite passages, one of which is Alma 32. She loved how faith can begin as a desire and be planted as a seed in your heart and through study and action she hoped she might have that tree that Alma spoke of one day. She asked amazing questions that may have appeared to have simple surface answers, but showed how deeply she was thinking about everything she was learning and studying. She asked: Does God continue to progress? Are Martin Luther and Joan of Arc considered prophets? How does repenting work? Does God hear your prayers when you are just starting out or do you need to practice? Can you pray for people to help them make it to the Celestial Kingdom?

When we are there teaching her it is like we are just reminding her about everything she already knew before she came to this earth. It has been an amazing experience so far and I feel very blessed to have the opportunity to be witness to her journey.