Mormon Missionary & Cancer Survivor!: We Bought a Motor Home!

Subject:	We Bought a Motor Home!
Date:	Mon, 7 Aug 2017 15:27:17 -0500
From:	Brett Hogg

Hola Familia

This week we bought a motor home! We had this neighbor here in our apartments named Mohammed, here's from Baghdad, Iraq! Around the time of the Iraqi war he moved to Jordan, but it was still pretty dangerous I guess so he applied at a bunch embassies, but at the time, the US was the only western country taking in refugees, 3000 families and 2000 singles, so he applied and got in (he's single). Some refugee service paid for his $1700 plane ticket, and hes been paying it back $25 a month for like 7 years lol.

An American guy he knew helped him and his roommate find this apartment here, and they've lived there for 2 years, but now his roommate is moving out and he doesn't want to have to pay both sides of the rent. SO, we were commissioned to help him buy a house, or a mobile home or a "car" (by commissioned, I mean he kind of just told us that we could help him lol). Anyway, we had him meet us at the library so we could help him on craigslist to look for whatever it is he wanted, because he did NOT want to rent anymore.

First of all he brought us Dairy Queen chicken tenders to eat, at the library. They come with gravy to dip in, and when we were done eating he asked about the gravy and we said its good, and tried to explain what gravy is, then he just grabbed it and started drinking it, and we tried so hard not to laugh, didn't work out to well, we were not expecting that at all lol.

Anyway after 2 sessions at the library, we found a motor home (we figured out that's what he meant by car), in his price range, on craigslist, that he decided he will park at the Mexican Grocery store he works at, and live in it, so that he doesn't need to commute to work either, (we know he can't do that, but baby steps).

The only other problem is that is was in Fort Worth, so we found public transit route over there, its a 2.5 hour ride, in total. So we called the guy for him and set it all up, then sent him on his merry way.

Tbh it was little nerve-raking, we were expecting a call, in broken English, saying hes lost on the side of the road in Fort Worth, with no money (because we are pretty sure had nearly 8 grand in cash with him??) and hes kind of our responsibility now.

So we went on with our day and didn't hear anything, not even about how to get home, or how to drive a motor home (we think he assumes since we're white and speak English, we know how to do everything in America, hence, asking us to help him buy new living quarters). So the next morning we are studying and we hear someone moving outside so we peak out the blinds, and there it is!! A 28' 1999 Ford Shasta Sprite, right there before our eyes, and a little Iraqi man moving his things into it.

We were floored, we couldn't believe it, this is the same man that watches Spanish television, speaks ZERO Spanish, but its the only station he can find the news on lol. So this week we had to help him get a PO Box, transfer the title (originally we thought he needed to get it registered (long story short, he does, but after 2 hours on the phone at the DMV, we figured he just wanted to transfer the title, so he didn't need to)), then he came back because he needed a state inspection so we drove all over the place, looking for somewhere that could fit a 28' motor home into their shop, but eventually we went to a really sketchy tire shop were there was really cool Palestinian man (who spoke perfect English), that could communicate with Mohammad, and it got figured out (I think).

Anyway, he was able to figure out insurance on his own and, as we speak, he should be getting it registered and getting new plates. Its doesn't sound like a big deal, but this motor home has been a whole saga these last couple weeks. Long story short we saved an Iraqi man from homelessness.

That same day we got the inspection we lost both our phones (the area had 2, because when they combined the Spanish and English work, nobody asked if he had 2 phones). so that was its own ordeal. Otherwise I would send you a picture of his texts, here's an example: "Hallo Fren GEBS u ok?" GEBS btw, is Elder Gibson, who Mohammad said has hair like Trump lol. He was also sure to bring up Mel Gibson. Also every time we go to his house hes eating a bowl of lettuce with a lime, and for whatever reason never has the air conditioning on?

Hes a really nice guy though, he gave us Mexican candies and little sodas, and bought us pizza once. On pizza he said for "one year" he ate pizza thinking pepperoni was beef, but someone explained to him it was pork, and he doesn't eat pork, but he still eats it because he likes it.

He is in no way a practicing Muslim btw (they don't eat pork I don't think?), hes also a big fan of drinking and going to the club on Saturday nights. We asked him about praying and stuff and hes says hes not a hypocrite, so because he likes to drink and go to clubs and eat pepperoni he doesn't pray. He seems really indifferent about religion in general, but likes the little pass-along cards missionaries have given him so he keeps them in random places around his apartment (now motor home I guess?). We've found out that if it interferes with him drinking in anyway, he not interested lol.

Anyway other than that, we met a lady from Cameroon, and we are going to try to start teaching her, shes not a big fan of the idea of the Book of Mormon but she likes us, and were going to try to get a French one for her. There was also a Cameroonian guy in the Spanish branch this week! His wife is best friends with our Branch President's wife, and they blessed their baby, so that was cool. I love African accents btw, they're awesome, we have 2 African people in the English ward too (one from Ghana, hes a really cool high priest, and a recent convert from Nigeria). We also set a baptismal date with a 12 y/o member of an active family. He hasn't been baptized because his Dad is not a member and not super fond of the idea I guess, something like that. Anyway, missionaries have been trying to get him baptized for a while now, but it looks like its finally going to happen.

Thats about it this week,
Love yall!
Elder Hogg

P.S. Shout out to Grandma Debbie and Aunt Carrie!! Happy Birthday!!!

This section, Brett responds to my pictures from Debbie/Mason/Phoenix visiting and our State Fair pictures from the food competitions... (Mom/Sue)

Stop sending me pictures of all yalls' amazing food! We're trying not to spend money this week, and It was someone's birthday today and people brought a bunch of ice cream sandwiches, so that's all I've eaten today, we don't do member dinners on p-days.

It all looks amazing! Tell Pheonix I say congratulations! And congratulations to you too! I miss this time of year. The zoo looks awesome, did they change the Big Cat house?? Has it always been that cool? Its awesome that you caught them while they were all active!

Tell Scott he better win the bet, but I also kind of want to see him with a shaved head.

(Scott is betting his friend he'll have longer hair than she does at the end of the summer.. whoever loses has to shave their head.)

Tell everyone I miss them and i'll be home not too much longer after this time next to year!