Have you been saved?

Hey hey Family!!!

It is that time again, to email and catch you up on how the work is going.

This last week has been going pretty well. Lots going on lots to do, thats a very good thing because it helps time go by much quicker, but that also sucks at the same time. Lets see what has been going on this week...

Teaching has been going very well. He loves us and we have become close friends. We are all working together to make sure he is all set up out here in the states. He is going to do a musical at Dana Hills, taking 3 or 4 AP classes, and he is going to go out for basketball. It is cool to see how excited he is to do things at an American High School. It made me see how much I took for granted the little things, like all the clubs or different classes you could take. He had none of that back home and he is just so excited to go all in. At church on Sunday in RS the RSP Sister Tomlinson got up and said that as a RS they need to take him in under their wing. His mom is leaving and he needs a mom someone to take care of him and watch out for him. Another Sister, Sister Harline, said that he told her she reminds him of his Grandmother and asked her to be his American Grandma, and then asked if he could be her grandson. So Awesome!! The ward is really going in with him, he has come to church three weeks in a row, wants to join the choir and comes to sunday school and priesthood. Should be exciting:) I will continue to give you updates on how he is doing as the weeks go.

We are also teaching another person and it is set for baptism 2nd or 3rd week of October depending on when his grandfather can get a flight from provo to orange county. So that is fun to be a part of. We are going to be teaching him 2 days a week and hopefully his twin brother decides to follow his brother example, all in all it is a very exciting time right now in the Dana Point Ward. The Ward members are getting on board with sharing the Gospel and those we are teaching are progressing towards learning more about the Gospel. Very Very exciting.

For the rest of the updates...hmm..lets see

Week 6 of the Transfer has started (Last week, So crazy) Saturday we will find out if any of the 3 of us leave. Which could possibly happen.

Had a very interesting study on the word Salvation this morning. I loved the True to the Faith section on it and will be diving into that this week. It was so awesome. Basically helps you answer the questions "Have you been saved?" If you have time give it a read, it is amazing.

The mission is going great, yes there are trials every single day, you cannot get through a day without having them, it is the little 30-60 minutes of meeting with the people that truly love learning that make the rest of the tough times worth it. Keep strong in the faith and know that the Lord is with you in all things. You are all the best, keep up the awesome work and amazing things will happen. YOU ARE THE BEST!!! MISS AND LOVE YOU!!!:)

Sorry I do not write a lot. terrible memory without my journal and do not want to bring that to the library.

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"Fourth Floor Last Door"

Elder Amric Zane Sobczak

California, Carlsbad, USA

January 2013-June 2013

California, Irvine, USA

July 2013-December 2014

Service without thought

Hey hey family how is all going?

Not to much to report on from this week. We are progressively finding and teaching more of the people that have been prepared to be taught which is making the weeks go by faster and faster. We are teaching a kid who is Persian and has been living in the US for about 2 months and is really excited about learning about religion in the US. He is about 16 or 17 but looks like he is in mid 20's took me forever to believe he was actually his age. His parents still live in Iran and he will be living by himself for the school year which is INSANE. He likes talking with us and hearing our beliefs about life, God, etc. We are helping him get set up in his new place, he lives in our same complex, which is no coincidence. He has come to church the past 2 weeks and loves all the hymns that we sing, apparently he is a big fan of the Organ. So that is cool how much he has learned and gained since being here and meeting with us. Hope that all continues to go well with him.

It is weird to be reteaching people that I taught when I was first here. But hey they remember me so it makes it easier to get in the door and set stuff up. Dana Point is super good, the members are helping us out and keeping us taken care of so don't worry to much about me.

One of the members of our mission presidency, President Ellis came and talked with all of us yesterday for about an hour just about the mission and how everything is going which was awesome, a month and a half into this mission I have already met him like 4 or 5 times and now have had him in my apartment, so its nice seeing that he's personable and wants to come out and help us with our missionary work. 

The work is going well and so is the mission. Elder Hair is adjusting and it is so cool to see the change he has gone through. And through that change he has gone through I have seen a change in Elder Belnap and myself also. See, through helping others we are helped. But only when we help without wanting just to help ourselves. Its all a part of being Selfless and humble. If you are not then it makes the "Missionary Work" that much harder. You have to trust that through studying, helping, teaching, etc it is all for others but you will be helped. It is a fine balance. 

Hope the trip went well and that Vaughan is all baptized and ready to go on with life. Just think,in exactly 10 years Vaughan will be on a mission just like me. That is weird to think about. 

President Ellis said that in a mission in Utah, I think Salt lake City West, they have rolled out Ipads and Iphones for the missionaries. He has the thought within the next month or two we will get them here but no guarantees. Anyways, That is all for me. No deep thoughts. I came up with a cool definition of charity being the "Pure Love of Christ". I will send a copy of the study to mom so that she can share it and show everyone. I forgot it when I came here so I cannot discourse. 

Love you all so much, keep up all the good work and hope everything goes well. Travel Safely and remember who you are! :)

Keep up all the work you are awesome!:)

--

"Fourth Floor Last Door"

Elder Amric Zane Sobczak

California, Carlsbad, USA

January 2013-June 2013

California, Irvine, USA

July 2013-December 2014

ENERGETIC, AMBITIOUS and CHEERFUL

as a Member of the Church, In your Missionary efforts

So not to much to report from this week. The weeks are starting to just run together so fast now I cant even remember what happens in depth what has happened. Main things that have happened that I can remember:

We picked up a new  investigator who is from Iran and is really interested in learning about the Gospel. He and his family have not even been here for a week and he has already met with us twice and come to sacrament meeting which is awesome. He loved it a lot, liked all of the pictures in the hallway and really loved the Organ music and hymns. He is in the spot where he wants to learn all he can about us because growing up he was never allowed to act on anything he learned about religion because if he converted in Iran he would be killed. Apparently that is a law, stated in the Quran, if you convert to another religion any other religion you can be killed if you go back to your home country. He wants peace and joy in  life and is looking and hoping to find it. More to come about him, hopefully lots more.

The companions are going good, hard to train the new missionary but he is learning and growing more and more everyday. Just difficult to get it all rolling.

Had a fireside last night with Clayton M Christinsen who is some Harvard Professor. He spoke on how to do member missionary work. Oh wait I forgot another meeting we had on Thursday. A RM Sister who served in Singapore and Malaysia came and spoke to the mission to introduce some kind of new "Missionary Strategy" You know we she did!  She told us to schedule in time to Tract and contact. Yes for an hour and a half we were told the most successful way to do missionary work was to set two to 3 hours aside everyday to tract and contact neighborhoods and shopping complexes. Cause thats going to work in Orange County? Anyways the fireside last night was all about doing member missionary work and having members get people into their home as being the most successful way to do work. So I will be following his advice.

Knowing our religion to be true we ought to be the most devoted people on the face of the earth to the cause we have embraced. Knowing as we do, or should know, that the gospel we have received promises all our hearts can wish or desire, if we are faithful, we ought to be very faithful, devoted, energetic and ambitious in carrying out the designs and wishes of the Lord as He reveals them from time to time through His servants. We ought not to be lukewarm or negligent in attending to our duties, but with all our might, strength and souls we should try to understand the spirit of our calling and the nature of the work in which we are engaged.  LSNOWLESSON15

 

That is all from me, thank you so much for everything you do. It is August 11th already how crazy is that!? Hope all goes well this week for travels and Baptism. Share Helaman 5:12 at Vaughans baptism if you can. Help people know that baptism is the first step in building our foundation in Christ. It is the only way to continue your foundation. Have a great week and tell everyone I love and miss them. LOVE YOU! :)

--

"Fourth Floor Last Door"

Elder Amric Zane Sobczak

California, Carlsbad, USA

January 2013-June 2013

California, Irvine, USA

July 2013-December 2014

The Life You Live is the Lesson You Teach...

So i do not have a lot of time to write an email today so I will explain in bullet points. Sorry, 

• Elders bailed on a service project (Of Course one on P-Day) so we have to cover for them. Takes out about three hours from the day So I shall be quick. 
• We had a mom come up to us on Sunday and tell us that...Her son Max who is 12 has decided he wants to get baptized and that his dad is on board so she wants to get it done by the end of the month!! No Specific date yet as he is deciding who he wants to baptize him and then make travel plans to fit. So that should be super awesome, hopefully we get to teach him a couple times this week to make sure all it well.
• Elder Belnap and I are having a relatively fun time with Elder Hair. Lots of service projects going on and helping our new-be find his feet in missionary work. 
• The District is going well. The missionaries seem to like me and I gave my first training the other day. 90 minutes of "me" giving a Gospel lesson, super intimidating, and that was with a weeks prep behind it! cannot imagine how hard it is for seminary teachers.
• Loving the mission, Dana Point is my second home. I love it here and know that I will want to come back here to visit and to bring the family.
• I am loving the mission and the work is picking up and going great.
• I will keep all of you in my prayers this week as it sounds like lots is going on. You are all the best and hope all goes well this week. 
• No mom I do not need anything :)

Love you all so much, keep the faith and stay strong :)Elder Sobczak
-- 

"Fourth Floor Last Door"

Elder Amric Zane Sobczak

California, Carlsbad, USA

January 2013-June 2013

California, Irvine, USA

July 2013-December 2014

You See what you Expect to see!

So here I am, P-Day has been switched to Monday now!  I actually kind of like it a little more. It makes reporting numbers Sunday night way easier then before easier to plan out the whole day.

So I am sure you are all wondering where I have been assigned to serve...Well I have the answer...

DANA POINT

Yes I am back in the Dana Point ward and it feels so good to be back, feel like I have come home! The members still remember me and seem to love having me back. I am companions with Elders Belnap (Who was also trained by Armstrong) and Hair (Like the stuff on your head). It is so much fun being back here and to be training a brand new missionary. A little weird that he graduated high school about three months ago!  

We had a couple miracles happen this first week of the transfer which made it even more awesome. 

• We met this one lady who came out and started talking to us and saying how a couple of years ago she sent in a request for missionaries but she must have done it wrong because no body came. Long story short She gave us her name address and phone number and told us to come to her home to teach her. 
• The another one was we were walking around looking for a street and ran into this lady and started talking to her. She started telling us how she is trying to overcome her addiction to alcohol and was asking God for help. We started sharing our purpose with her and she asked if we were messengers from God because we were exactly what she needed at that time. We asked if we could help her with anything and she said she needed prayers we told her we would and she asked if we could pray right there. So we prayed right there on the street. She was so happy that her prayer was answered and knew it was from God and so told us that because of us she wasn't going to go to buy her beer - she did not need it anymore. So she accepted a teaching visit for later this week and hopefully we will get to set up a time to visit. 

It is always cool seeing how the Lord works his answers into our lives. We are all merely tools that need to keep ourselves sharp so we can be used at anytime we are needed. By the way that is the thought for the week, keep yourself spiritually and mentally sharp so when called upon the Lord will be able to trust you with those he has prepared.

The work is going great. Always good to be a missionary and serve the people around me. More responsibility is killing me, a lot more paperwork but it is fulfilling.

When we stop by to visit members to say hello the church members who remember me, the first thing everybody says is; "You look way thinner" or "How much weight have you lost"!   That is super cool to actually hear the fact people notice. We had dinner at the Tomlinsons last night and Sister T said "Dont try hiding back there I know you are skinny but you cant hide from me" hahaha! oh Sister T always the jokester. :)

The mission is awesome I love it and it is staying amazing and great. Keep the faith in all you do and know that I love you all very much and miss you so much. Forgot my camera and so pictures will be coming next week. Stay amazing and stay classy! 

Love You

Elder Sobczak

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"Fourth Floor Last Door"

Elder Amric Zane Sobczak

California, Carlsbad, USA

January 2013-June 2013

California, Irvine, USA

July 2013-December 2014