It's been awhile...

Nov 4

Hey hey family yet another week down out here In the mission field and man this actually was a pretty good week.

The fun did not really start until about Friday and then it went until last night so that is what I will give you a recap on to keep you updated. Fun thing about Friday was that my area got a full time car. Not to good for the weight loss aspect but my companions and I are dead set on not using the car that much and still walking around the streets so we can talk to people and be outside. Friday night we went to the Relief Society activity where they were having dinner and making arts and crafts. Felt a little out of place but hey, we got fed and got to hang out with the moms. Never something that I would think to be fun when I was back home but hey, out here on a mission, the moms in the ward are your best friends so you will drop anything to hang out with and become good friends.

So that was Friday.

 

 Saturday was an awesome experience because it was the baptism of Max and Jordan. Really cool, I will send the program to you so you can scrapbook it and make memories and all that Jazz!  Really spiritual experience and just cool because it was the first baptism on my mission I have been to that I actually had a connection with and taught the people being baptized. All of the other ones that I have been to are just simply to help investigators see them or because my companions knew the people. All very cool experiences but nothing compared to seeing it go from Day 1 to baptism!  Sunday I had the opportunity to go and stand in both of their circles to confirm them members of the church and confer the Aaronic Priesthood and ordain them to the office of Deacon. All very wonderful very humbling experiences, really big testimony builders! 

The rest of Saturday and Sunday other than that was pretty normal, drove over 140 miles on Saturday, was at 4 out of the 6 stake centers in the mission and drove in all 6 stakes of the mission! Driving people around for interviews with President and picking up/dropping off for the baptism.

So other than that my week was pretty low key. No real stories from investigators. I had some guy tell me his name was Bob B*****n on the street, so drunk out of his mind. He also told me that he "Transcended Reality with an Alaskan Malamut!

Stayed in the apartment from 7-9 (Mission rules) and cleaned and played board games with the companions.

Hope all is well for you out there in the real world. Heard Boston won the World Series!

Keep up the awesome work and do all you can to continually build your testimony in every way possible. The mission is going well and everything is getting worked out.

Have Confidence

Stay Focused

Practice Obedience

Something I have adapted for my mission.

Love you all so much and hope your week ahead goes great!:)

Oct 28

What is up my family man oh man has this been a fun and exciting week. I got all of your emails and loved hearing from you all. I want you to know that I am still dedicated and obedient to the work. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMw_38wWMw0

This week has been one filled with lots of walking, teaching members, and having some good wholesome fun. President Ellis approved us to go to an Elders Quorum activity where we did what??? We Watched the BYU-Boise State game on Friday night and my oh my was that fun.

Some LA members and Investigators came so it was a good opportunity for them to see us in a normal situation where we didn't focus on getting them in the water. So that was a fun break from the typical missionary work. Saturday what did we do?   ...  Oh ya - helped clean the church in the morning, had breakfast with the district at our Ward Mission Leader's house then walked around a lot. 

Later in the day we went to the Ward Trunk or treat party, which wasn't even a trunk or treat. It was in a park and people played table games. What the heck California?? That was fun though so again a great opportunity to meet people in a non threatening way.

What else?  on my way to my interview that I had with President last Wednesday I drove over a tire in the freeway in my mini van and cracked the plastic fender on the passenger side on the front so I had to fill out an accident report for that which is fun. California highway's! me and my mini van!!!!!

The mission is going good, not any investigators to give you and update on so that is about it. I am loving the work and am glad to be out here serving the Lord.Max and Jordan Raver are getting baptized and confirmed this weekend and I get to go so I will send pictures from that Hope all is going well and the adjustment to everything is going smoothly.

Oct. 15

Well hello family - my oh my has this been one crazy week down here in Dana Point California!!!! 
To start off with some sad news I am getting transferred again. The ward was pretty sad about it but had lots of people tell me to come back and visit for the holidays next year and to stay with them so that is nice. It was Weird to have come back and serve the same amount of time then leave again. I think I have figured out the reason why though - why I was sent back and it was a pretty good reason so it is all good. I am sad to leave but you know how the Lord works, he moves you where he needs you, exactly where he needs you.  Maybe that is why we move alot, we are willing to be moved?!??!!

So some updates from the week...

Elder Falabella came and visited us and we had a long zone conference with the San Clemente, Laguna Niguel, and Mission Viejo Zones and it was such a great time. Elder Falabella talked about how to best help us get more baptisms as a mission and reach our goals that we have set. He talked about the importance of being obedient to the rules and how that will help us go forward and see miracles. 

Saturday we did this awesome service project where we packaged food that is going to get sent to kids that need it.  So much fun to go and do that, met lots of non members who came to help and said that if we ever do this again to let them know because they will be more than willing to come and help out in anyway they can. 

Yesterday was a weird p-day without email or shopping because of holidays (Christopher Columbus ) and transfers so it went by pretty crazyily seeing as how I just packed the whole day. 

It's kinda been a hard last few days. Hope everything is going well in your lives and hope to hear you arrived safely back in Washington to "set up Home again"!

Deep Question:

Does God Know exactly what choices we are going to make and where we will end up or does he just know where we will end up and every possible way that could get us there but not know the exact path we will take? Question we have had a lot of debate and discussion on this lately and just wanted to see your thoughts (any of my friends and family that want to write - I'd love to hear from you!) 

the church is true. I know I am where I am suppose to be. Be kind, do service and share your testimony with someone today ;) peace out!  Stay classy and Remember who YOU are!