Chicago Letter #10

This photo is taken after taking cover from the rain...the wet hair is from the rain being blown in their cover area!

Hermana Hoer and her little friend! Spending time with kids...a highlight of the mission!

I want to write something important first. I always write the joking - well, true, but funny - things; but, then I'm always pressed for time writing what really matters. That's dumb. So, I'll prioritize today. Prioritizing correctly = Ten points for Leshelle.

There is a whole lot of garbage in the world. It sticks out. Actually, here in the city, it blends in to a certain extent. It's that prevalent. Everyday, I see poverty on an intense level. I didn't expect to confront so much of that, being in the US. It is a serious problem here. Though, I've seen poverty. I've seen people living in huts made of metal roofing material, with dirt floor. I've seen people beg. I see that here also; but, I see a poverty that is far worse. There is a moral, spiritual poverty here. There is a void of goodness and love. It is horrible. I go into homes and see how people treat their children. I see selfishness and pride come before love and service. I don't know how to correctly convey what I see and how it makes me feel. It gets me down, to put it lightly.

It is so easy to focus on all that is lacking, and to become depressed by it. To be saddened by the lack of quality in people's lives. I ask myself, so, what can I do?

I know that I cannot remove that poverty. I cannot change that. I am just one person. But, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, that I share with people, can change a lot. In nearly all situations, it will not change a family's financial status. It won't give everyone a job. It will not provide a nice house to live in. However, it will provide the means to create a peaceful home, no matter what type of dwelling they live in. It will provide means to cope with financial issues. It will give meaning to life which was dull before. It is all about who we are, not what we have.

Ether 3:5
"We know thou art able to show forth great power, which looks small unto the understanding of men"

The things the Gospel can offer people don't really look big, judging by the daily difficulties. But, what Heavenly Father has to offer us to improve our lives is so much greater than what the world has to offer us. Maybe it doesn't seem big; but, I guarantee it's huge.

STATS:
- Kisses: 2 (one was a four year old, and the other a grandfather of a man who kissed my forehead)
- average miles biked per day: 7.5
- most miles biked in one day: 16
- favorite activity this week: making s'mores in our kitchen
- marriage proposals: 2 (one was more of a demand, the other was quickly followed by advice to never marry...) Don't worry, I accepted neither.

A man, slightly intoxicated, informed me of why Chicago is better than California (he was trying to compare cities, and I didn't have the heart to tell him that California is not really a city). Why is Chicago the best city in the States??? Let me tell you what he told me: you can get EVERY kind of chocolate in chicago: kit kat, butterfinger, twix...yup, Chicago's got one up on everybody else...

SuperBike was pretty chill this week. No more monsoons. Though, traffic evasion equipment came in handy. There is some sort of Puerto Rican festivities that lasted over a week. No one can tell me what for, not even my Puerto Rican friend. She was not sure specifically, other than it's a celebration. It was so crazy around Humbold Park that there were traffic directors at ever light. But, SuperBike got me around all of it! I'm going to have a tough time when I have to drive a car someday...

Thanks for the prayers and love and letters! Keep them coming!!!