Well this week was a rough week with not to much to report on.

We spent a lot of the week in a new development called Baker Ranch. A really nice community that had about 100 new families move in in the past 2-3 months, so we decided to go door to door and offer a Book of Mormon to everyone who answered the door and wanted one, we ended up placing about 10 to the roughly 30-40 housesthat had someone answer the door, so a pretty good ratio.

Afterward we found out Last night that the Aliso Creek ward (a ward in our stake ) split and with the split took Baker Ranch (even though the stake said nothing from our ward boundary would be affected). So that is super frustrating mainly because that was our biggest hopes of new ground that no body as a missionary had been on before, so thats a bummer.

The calendar we pass around got zero sign ups for dinner or lessons so we are on our own this week ( excluding Wednesday and Thursday ). So we shall see how that goes...

In our WC meeting yesterday we talked for 20-30 minutes about how the members need to have the missionaries over in their homes once a month, what happens, no body from WC signed up to have us over in the next month with the exception of our RSP, Bishop, and WML. So again, frustrated with the work, myself, and the ward. We shall see how the coming weeks go. Dont want to complain to much though, really at all, I have no reason to so I shall move on. 

We went with the sister last night to a LA / PM family named the Ogden's. We had a fun time. The dad is a Non-Member and he and I hit it off pretty great, he loved that I love sports and we talked a little about how I handled watching sports and having to go to church on Sunday when I was home. So I told him how and he thought about it, told me that he and I are on the same page but that I needed to stay there cause I was starting to "float up a little bit." 

Conference is this week though and I am super excited as always for that!!I

t is always fun to see how the members react to the "Call to do missionary work." We are doing a missionary miracle week this week. We started with a stake fast yesterday and are ending on Sunday by having a testimony meeting sharing the miracles we had seen this week. So hopefully we have miracles to share, just have to look deep I guess. 

Challenge for this week from atonement study:

Memorize "Gethsemane" by Ella Wheeler Wilcox (posted below). Contemplate the "purpose of Gethsemane" in your life. Write down something that you can do to better submit your will to Heavenly Father. Do "in the garden" scripture chain.

Quotes from 

The Atonement of Jesus Christ

BY ELDER JEFFREY R. HOLLAND

"every other principle, commandment, and virtue of the restored gospel draws its significance from this pivotal event (Garden of Gethsemane/ Atonement)."

"This infinite Atonement of Christ was possible because;

 (1) He was the only sinless man ever to live on this earth and therefore was not subject to the 

spiritual death resulting from sin, 

(2) He was the Only Begotten of the Father and therefore possessed the attributes of godhood that 

gave Him power over physical death, ⁶  and 

(3) He was apparently the only one sufficiently humble and willing in the premortal council to before

ordained to that service. ^7 "

ALSO

“In a manner to us in comprehensible and inexplicable, 

He bore the weight of the sins of the whole world; not only of Adam, but of his posterity;

and in doing that, opened the kingdom of heaven, not only to all believers and all who obeyed the law of God, but to more than one-half of the human family who die before they come to years of maturity, 

as well as to [those] who… [die] without [the] law.” ^28 "

Gethsemane

by Ella Wheeler Wilcox

In golden youth when seems the earth
A Summer-land of singing mirth,
When souls are glad and hearts are light,
And not a shadow lurks in sight,
We do not know it, but there lies
Somewhere veiled under evening skies
A garden which we all must see --
The garden of Gethsemane.

With joyous steps we go our ways,
Love lends a halo to our days;
Light sorrows sail like clouds afar,
We laugh and say how strong we are.
We hurry on; and hurrying, go
Close to the border-land of woe,
That waits for you, and waits for me --
For ever waits Gethsemane.

Down shadowy lanes, across strange streams,
Bridged over by our broken dreams;
Behind the misty caps of years,
Beyond the great salt fount of tears,
The garden lies. Strive as you may,
You cannot miss it in your way.
All paths that have been, or shall be,
Pass somewhere through Gethsemane.

All those who journey, soon or late,
Must pass within the garden's gate;
Must kneel alone in darkness there,
And battle with some fierce despair.
God pity those who cannot say,
Not mine but thine, who only pray,
Let this cup pass, and cannot see
The purpose in Gethsemane.

and from The Infinite Atonement...

For those few moments in the eternal spectrum called mortality the Savior yielded to the mortal plight; he submitted to the inhumanity of man; his body longed for sleep; he hungered; he felt the pains of sickness.  He was in all respects subject to every mortal failing experienced by the human family.  Not once did he raise the shield of godhood in order to soften the blows.  Not once did he don the bulletproof vest of divinity.  That he also had godly powers did not make his suffering any less excruciating, any less poignant, or any less real.  To the contrary, it is for this very reason that his suffering was more, not less, than his mortal counterparts could experience.  He took upon him infinite suffering, but chose to defend with only mortal faculties, with but one exception - his godhood was summoned to hold off unconsciousness and death that would otherwise overpower a mere mortal when he reached his threshold of pain.  For the Savior, however, there would be no such relief.  His divinity would be called upon, not to immunize him from pain, but to enlarge the receptacle that would hold it.  He simply brought a larger cup to hold the bitter drink.

Elder Tad R. Callister, The Infinite Atonement, 119

I invite you to tune into the General Broadcast of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints annual conference coming up this Sat Oct 4th and Sun Oct 5th streaming online (link attached) or on the BYU channel.  https://www.lds.org/general-conference/prepare-for?cid=HPFR100314460&lang=eng 

Anyways that is all and I will stop rambling, hope this week goes great for you, Thank you for all you do and I appreciate everything you do for me. Let me know if there is anything I can do for you!!

So, that is all for the week, not to much else to add, it had been slow one. 

With Much Love and Appreciation,

Elder Amric Sobczak

-- 

"Fourth Floor Last Door"

Elder Amric Zane Sobczak

California, Carlsbad, USA

January 2013-June 2013

California, Irvine, USA

July 2013-December 2014

Working Together to...

LISTEN * FIND * TEACH

Would you like to hear about a missionary who was prompted to make a wise choice? He was new in the work and was assigned to labor in the city of Oshawa, Ontario, Canada, with a veteran missionary as a companion. They called at the home of a family by the name of Pollard. They knocked, and Mr. Pollard let them in. He invited them to present their material. After he had heard their message, and after he had prayed with them, it seemed as though the spirit of the adversary came over him, and he became angry with the elders and told them to leave and never come back again. As he showed them to the door, he said, “You can’t tell me that you really believe Joseph Smith is a prophet of God, anyway.” The door slammed shut. The two dejected missionaries walked away.

This young missionary turned to his senior companion and said, “We didn’t answer Mr. Pollard’s question.”

The senior companion explained the futility of attempting to return. But the young elder said, “I’m going back. I won’t feel right until I do.”

They returned to Mr. Pollard’s door and knocked on it. He opened the door and said, “I thought I told you fellows to leave.”

The next decision took all the strength of character and all the fortitude that this young man could muster, for his senior companion did not give him much help. I heard Mr. Pollard himself describe the experience. He said, “That missionary looked me in the eye. He hesitated for a moment, and then said, ‘Mr. Pollard, as we left your home, you made a statement that we really didn’t believe Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. Mr. Pollard, I want you to know that I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God, and that this work is true.’”

After this declaration, the missionaries departed. Mr. Pollard later told me that all the rest of the day and that evening he kept hearing those words echoing through his ears: “I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. I know it. I know it. I know it.”

The next morning he telephoned the missionaries and asked them to come back. They returned to his home and taught him the gospel. They taught his wife the gospel. They taught his children the gospel. All became members of the Church. If you could have accompanied me to the district conference I attended a few years back and heard this man stand on his feet and thank his Heavenly Father for the choice that a young missionary made to return and to bear his witness, you, my brothers and sisters, would be forever anxious to “choose the right when a choice is placed before you.”

We need not feel that we must be without fault in order to receive the blessings of God. He will take us from where we now stand if we will come to him. He will build us up, spiritually, and he will build us up with confidence in ourselves.

I testify that when we choose to do that which is right, the results of our choices will bring joy and happiness to our souls, for the Lord has told us,

--Elder Monson April 1973 New Era

He is Always There...

So this week was for sure a fun one!

We had our mission conference on Friday and oh man it was insane. I felt like I was a Young Single Adult (YSA) Party the whole night! But you know we had lots of fun and were out of the world for the Fourth of July and so that was nice. We played like "Minute to win it" games, and president gave us permission to watch the movie Son of God. So good.

So it was a nice break from the norm, but I for sure realized how much time I wasted before my mission, just sitting and watching movies/television, something I want to somewhat change when I go home. 

We are going to start working with Tiffany and Sydney again. The people I found a few months ago and had to pass off.   Well I just took them back because the other elders hadn't met with them so we stopped by and she asked when i was going to come back and meet with them, so we set up a lesson for wednesday and are hoping to start teaching the both of them again. So that should be fun and exciting. 

Uhm...what else...

Oh we as a mission are hosting a concert this thursday and friday with the mormon group Nashville Tribute Band so that should be fun. President Lutz is having me run lights and manage the set building/ tech aspects on the two days and run lights for the show so that is going to be so much fun, so excited for doing that. Every time I think I am done with theatre stuff it always comes back around...  and I'm glad it does it's going to be fun!

READ THE BOOK OF MORMON

Uhm,   not to much else to report on from the week. I was reading in the Book of Mormon in Alma 29 verses 9 and 10, (it is on my facebook page) about Christ reaching His hand towards us always. And it hit me that it is so true. He is always there, it is just a matter of are we reaching for him or are we struggling to fix our problems ourselves. 

https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/alma/29?lang=eng

That is all for me this week. Thank you for all you do and hope this week goes great.

Here is a picture from the party on friday

 Yes most are with sisters - haha! dont judge me!  

Legacy of the Scriptures

https://www.lds.org/church/news/new-church-video-honors-scriptures-legacy?lang=eng

As Missionaries, as Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints  ...

we ^atalk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we ^bprophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our ^cchildren may know to what source they may look for a ^dremission of their sins.  2 Nephi 25:26 in the Book of Mormon

The Savior has promised, “He that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”² Followers of Christ pattern their lives after the Savior to walk in the light. Two characteristics can help us recognize to what extent we follow Him. First, followers of Christ are loving people. Second, followers of Christ make and keep covenants.  

see the talk by Walter F GONZÁLEZ

link;

 https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2011/04/followers-of-christ?lang=eng&query=of+christ

March 10th

Elder Bosley and Elder Davis

Floating dock of a members house where we had dinner last night - Super Awesome!

Well, this week has been a pretty good one I would have to say. It is starting to settle in that - hey I am living in Newport Beach California which is pretty awesome!!!!  This past week was even better because we had zone conference which was great!!

 

 

Had exchanges with my Zone Leader Elder Epperson, he was in the MTC with me so it was really fun to go out and work with him and learn from him. A lot different going on a exchange with someone who has been out the same amount of time as you so we had some good talks and learned a lot from each other as we went out and worked. 

We met with an RM who is in LA and is currently working on coming back to church. He served in the Tacoma Washington mission, knew where Elma was at and served in Shelton for his last area. So it was cool to talk with him and see his desire to draw closer to Christ and admit that he needs to get better at doing the basics. Always cool when people realize this for themselves. It was funny he was like look guys I served a mission I know what you are trying to do. The missionaries before already tried that and it turned me off, I know the doctrine and I know the church is true, I just want you to come over sit down and talk with me, go over some scriptures and answer any questions I may have.  It is always weird dealing with people who actually are aware of what you are trying to do so it should be pretty fun. 

Along with that we met with a lady who is Romanian. We went over the Book Of Mormon with her and asked her to read it from the beginning all the way through. It was so funny she saw the pictures at the front and was like  - "I didn't even know these were here, I guess thats what I get for only opening up to random pages and not at the beginning."   She is really excited and is looking forward to reading it.

 

Zone conference was good, had it on Thursday and basically we were RE-trained on a training we got about 6 weeks ago on how to more effectively teach, you know the church always trying to find that more effective way. So it was really good, President Orgill gave this awesome training on inviting the Forces of Darkness and Light into our lives. How we can be more obedient and more consecrated and what we need to do to have the forces of light in our lives to help us overcome sin and temptation .

 

Oh as well, President Orgill submitted my Ecclesiastical Endorsement to Provo, so I am just waiting on my high school counselor to send in her recommendation to the school. Anyways, hopefully I can get a hold of them today and get that straightened out. Good thing I have 6 months to get it in. Just need it done because summer is going to happen really quick then I have lost her.

 

Hope all is well, the companions are going good. Still prideful and love to talk about themselves and have an experience for everything that is always better than your experience, always. So that is fun to deal with. Hope you have a great week and cannot wait to hear from you.

Love you all lots keep up the awesome work!!!:)

-- 

"Fourth Floor Last Door"

Elder Amric Zane Sobczak

California, Carlsbad, USA

January 2013-June 2013

California, Irvine, USA

July 2013-December 2014

SERVE, FOLLOW, WRITE - oh and LEAD! It's busy out here!

Oh man my family and friends ....  how crazy has this week been?????

So some quick updates for you from my life...I am training another missionary, starting today.

Elder Belnap and Elder Hair are getting transferred so I will be getting someone brand new from the MTC again in a couple of hours. Keep it in your prayers the rest of the day that it is someone who is ready to work and get going!  Other than that not anymore transfer news. I am staying District Leader here in Dana Point. So I will have 2 conferences in the same ward, I just think it is so crazy to be back here. The Combined total at the end of this transfer will be 6 months in Dana Point ward. Which will be really nice. 

I got all of your emails which was great. Thank you so much for your time and effort in sending those out. 

So this week brought about lots of craziness...first off this week brought about September!!! Say What?!!! What has happened???!!! This is going by so fast, 8 months out and it feels like a month or two. Cannot even imagine how fast it will feel at the end. But hey, staying busy and dedicated to the work - thats why it goes by so fast. Staying busy and focused on the work, not on the time that is what I have learned to do. 

We are meeting with a family who lives just down the street I taught she and her family when I was here before.  It is so great and she recognizes that everything happens for a reason.

Thanks for the email pops.! Always good to hear from you. I will keep you in my prayers for the work. Cool to here that the ward could potentially have 5-7 missionaries out at the same time. I will keep all of them in my thoughts and email them or write them if they reach out for help/questions/concerns. Keep up the good work you have done.

Deep thought;   Read Alma 8 focusing on verses 18-20. 

18 Now it came to pass that after Alma had received his message from the angel of the Lord he returned speedily to the land of Ammonihah. And he entered the city by another way, yea, by the way which is on the south of the city of Ammonihah.

 19 And as ^ahe entered the city he was an hungered, and he said to a man: Will ye give to an humble servant of God something to eat?

 20 And the man said unto him: I am a Nephite, and I know that thou art a holy prophet of God, for thou art the man whom an^aangel said in a vision: Thou shalt receive. Therefore, go with me into my house and I will impart unto thee of my ^bfood; and I know that thou wilt be a blessing unto me and my house.

It might be confusing, but if it is read the whole chapter, this is where Alma and Amulek become missionary companions or "Co-Workers", they find each other. As you read Answer the question "How does Alma run into Amulek and what does that signify? How can it help me in my life deal with those I work with?" 

Hope that helps, maybe there was a reason those verses jumped out at me. I know that everything happens for a reason.  Good luck with the sisters moving in. Everything has a purpose. Maybe one of them is suppose to marry me!!! hahaha!

Oh, teams to focus on= Seahawks, Mariners, College Football (Top 25 ) Thats ALL!!!

Ayris, not much help I can give you without being there, so sorry hahaha! 

I hope you get to watch television soon:)

Well, thank you for taking the time to read this email. The Gospel becomes more and more clear everyday. You all are great support to me. Thank you for being you and staying amazing. I know the job will work out. I had a confirmation that it will. Whatever the Lord sees. Before you get a call from FCNW watch the mormon message entitled "The Will of God" it is my favorite and will help all of us through this. 

Thank you for all you do. Remember, no matter what, it all goes back to Jesus Christ, no matter who you are, what you do, or what happens, all goes back to and is overcome through and by Jesus Christ. I love you so much and hope this week will be a great one. 

I do not have much to email today as we have to get packed and run final errands for transfers. Mom, Just so you know "Missionary Lingo" verbiage goes like this; Son = someone you train.   Father = the person who trained you.  Kill someone = you were the last companion before they went home.

 I will write more next week. Love you so much, have a great week :)