Elder Jepsen - Mission Entry 62 - Traffic Violations and a Lesson on Repentance

Once again we had quite the week! Our baptism last weekend went great! The people attending were overwhelmed by the good spirit there and it was an all together pleasant experience for all. Our meeting ended and then the event took a turn that I had never before imagined. The activity hall was right next to where we had the baptism and suddenly a basketball made its spontaneous appearance. Before long we were all busy having a round of hoops with the whole family. Soon a member of the bishopric showed up and joined us for a short while - it was like taken right out of a musical. We all had a great time and it was an unforgetable baptism.

Bicycle rules here in the States are quite different than home in Denmark. People bicycle on the sidewalk and this is all legal and an acceptable practice. Well aware that in Denmark such behaviour would make enemies of the police and become an expensive prank I have had to seriously redefine my boundaries and that almost always has the potential of trouble. If bicycling on the sidewalk is acceptable, then (it seemed) there is a lot less holding back our creativity when rushing to another appointment accross town and getting through congested downtown traffic.

Just the other day we met a police officer when stopping at a traffic light (also on a bicycle) who had tried to catch up to us for three whole blocks (Police bicycles are apparently not equipped with sirens). I should have known it was too good to be true that having this much fun on our bikes was legal. It turned out that bicycling on the sidewalk really wasn't a problem but, pretty much all the other stuff was. He soon began to list our many traffic violations within just three blocks and totalled it up to a ninety dollar fine!!! After having sufficiently scared us into repentance, he thankfully let us go and it WORKED. I have been repenting ever since and perpetually paranoid since that day. I can now say that I am and have been a good law-abiding citizen. No worries Mom... I learned my lesson! ;)

The weather has been impossibly hot and muggy the last few days, it's terrible and almost like Denmark at its worst (or best depending on point of view) and I'm quickly getting myself a good and healthy missionary tan!

Thank you for all your prayers. Love y'all

Elder Jepsen