Teaching the Gospel is a Miracle happening...

Hey family hope all is going well for you this week and that you had a wonderful Sunday experience yesterday!! :) This week ended up being really good for us and we had a lot of fun and saw of cool things come about. 

http://meetthemormons.com/post/99500117644/meet-the-mormons-new-movie?cid=HPWE100814481

We spent the first few days of the week going through and sharing the flyers for the Meet the Mormons movie to the members in the ward, it was really fun to see how excited a lot of the members were for this movie to come out and how excited they were to share it with their friends, it turned out being an awesome experience and one that I am sure will help bring a lot of people into the church at least give a better understanding.

https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2013-08-013-daily-bread-experience?category=mormon-messages/mormon-messages-2013&lang=eng

Friday we had a cool experience stopping by former investigators.

• We stopped by and he was super excited to see us and ask us to come in to his home. We sat and talked for a little bit got to know each other and he said he would love to have us over for lessons, so we set up that appointment I am grateful and super excited to discuss the gospel of Jesus Christ with him. He was raised Roman Catholic and in his religious journey, he has come back to this faith as his true religion and in that religion it is written down the apostasy didn't happen and is having a hard time accepting that it truly happened, so we shall see. 
• The other cool experience was this former member. We stopped by her house and she was super excited to see us too.  She still remembered the missionaries that started teaching her like 5 years ago, so that is impressive. She told us that she wanted to have us over and set up an appointment for a lesson.
  

The ward is going good, we are working hard and doing all we can to work our butts off to show the ward we are working and doing the things necessary to bring our own people to church and into the waters of baptism. So, hopefully as we pick up our own work the ward will start to come out to play too and help us, but we wont be waiting for them, we are just going to go and see great things happen I know it!!!

https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2010-07-128-obeying-spiritual-promptings?lang=eng

Example of giving a priesthood blessing to someone who is sick

• Last night we had this awesome experience, we were walking around at about 7:30 and as we were going back to the car a thought ran through my mind lets go see someone and the name was specific.  It is night time on a Sunday good criteria for at least a "hello!" - we have not been able to catch this guy for 2 months almost. While we are walking around we come across a man with 2 kids walking around and so we go and talk to him, and offer him a Restoration pamphlet which he takes and we continue on our way. We see the door to this guys house that we have been prompted to go see and it is open, we knock with no answer, we then ring the door bell and about 25 seconds later (we usually leave at 30) a girl comes to the door. She's like elders how are you? we are like oh hey we are looking for so and so. She is like "Oh yeah he is my Father-in-law, he is out walking my 2 kids (remember the pamphlet guy, that was him) but you have the right house." Thank you for coming and She goes on to say "My husband has been really sick all day and I have been asking to get a blessing but he hasn't accepted, but now that you are here could you give him one?" We of course respond; we can, so we go in, give him the blessing, after we are done he says to his wife, How did you get a hold of the missionaries? She says honestly I didn't,  they just stopped by looking for your dad. So he said "elders tell your families thank you for supporting you because you are answering prayers and helping a lot of people." It was a really cool experience especially after a testimony meeting talking about following promptings, it was just so awesome to see it all play out and to look back on all the things that had to happen to get us to where we were at that time. 

Anyways not to much else to report on for the week. Miracles are going to happen I just know it!! You FAMILY are the best and I know Heavenly Father has a work for me to do as I close up my mission. Have a great week and know how much I appreciate all you do for me!!

-- 

"Fourth Floor Last Door"

Elder Amric Zane Sobczak

California, Carlsbad, USA

January 2013-June 2013

California, Irvine, USA

July 2013-December 2014

Let Christ Be that Friend...

I learned the powerful effects of using the Atonement of Jesus Christ and how we can be made clean yesterday while at a painting project. So I went to go clean the paint bin and brushes, I forgot however to notice that we were using an Oil based paint, so when the paint hit the sink (and my hands) it was there to stay. I scrubbed and soaked and clean for probably a good 30-40 minutes, making sure to not let any one see the disaster that had been done. But then, when someone came to help, another person gave the appropriate tools to clean (Goo be Gone) within minutes and following the proper process the sink was back and shining brighter than before the paint had spilled on it. The lesson: sometimes, even doing all we can to get clean is not good enough, we must ask for help, use the proper tools and proper process, and then continue working just as hard to get clean. Then we must do all we can to stay clean. Let Christ be that friend who helps you become clean and shows you the way to become "white as wool" (Isaiah 1:18)

New Area New Campanion

Well, this has been a fun week for sure. 

Some quick updates:

I am in the Lake Forest Ward Rancho Santa Margarita Stake

Foothill Ranch is in the district

• Dropped Elder Peterson off at Airport. It was really sad, I cried as he left, we were really close friends. Hard to see him go but excited to continue to serve as hard as he still wanted to. 
• Sadly after 1 year I have been released as a District Leader ( But it is nice because now I can put full effort into the ward without having to worry about problem missionaries/problem areas). 
• My companion is Elder Sawatzki (So the ward is going to have lots of fun with our names) He served a service mission and trial mission so with that time added together he will only serve 13, months in the field so he comes home with me, we are thinking we are going to be companions until we go home but working as if we are not. 
• President Orgill lives in my ward boundary
• I am super happy, happier than I have been in a long time and looking forward to serving here in this ward.
• Tender mercies if you want to call it in this area (live in brand new apartment, central heating and air, full-time car, washer/dryer in apartment, obedient hard working companion)
• This transfer is going to be a good one, really looking forward to it and looking forward to all of the miracles that will be in store for the two of us.
• Oh we share the ward with Sisters Sister Poulson (2nd Transfer Out) and Sister LaFleur(3rd Transfer Out)

Okay so that is the update for me, life is going good. This last week has been a really good one. Got to meet a lot of the ward members and everyone seems super nice and the missionary mindedness is picking up!  The Bishop is really pushing the missionary efforts, it is actually really nice and awesome to have the support from the ward. Our investigator dropped us yesterday.  It's always sad to see them reject the gospel in its fullness.

That is all. I had a cool study this morning read ing Doc&Cov 46 and 58?

https://www.lds.org/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/46?lang=eng

https://www.lds.org/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/58?lang=eng

I dont have my notes with me so not 100% sure but it reminded me that we can ask for things and if they are the will of the Lord they will happen if we do our part to fulfill them.

It just reminded me to be specific when asking for things if you want specific answers, if you are general and basic then you will get general and basic answers. 

• Ask Specific 
• Work Specific
• Receive Specific. 

It was just a cool thought that I had this morning and helped me realize what I needed to do to help the work progress and my own personal self progress. 

• Doctrine Understood Changes Behavior!

Thank you all for all you do looking forward to hearing from you, keep up the awesome work and stay happy and awesome!!!

"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

-- 

"Fourth Floor Last Door"

Elder Amric Zane Sobczak

California, Carlsbad, USA

January 2013-June 2013

California, Irvine, USA

July 2013-December 2014

Challenges brought with Miracles

So this week has been full of weird stories and miracles. 

Lets start with the weird stories and then we will move into the miracles that happened this week...

So weird story number one: 

We got a call Wednesday morning from the elders in Cardiff with this conversation happening
Elder Ouimette: You Elder are not going to get the car today
Elder Neal: What happened?
Elder Ouimette: Actually nobody is getting the car for a long time.
Elder Neal: ...What happened??
Elder Ouimette: Elder Moon rear ended a car in the Vons parking lot...the car is getting towed to the shop...
Yep your son has just been put on full time bike in Carmel Valley. At least the weather is perfect. The lame thing is that we had killed ourselves on the bike Tuesday and Monday, biking around 40-50 miles expecting the car to take a break, nope no break for us. So that has been fun to adjust to. 

Weird Story number two: 

We did a service moving some people ;)  they had no idea what they wanted or where things needed to go. Person is putting a wood floor upstairs so we had to move all the furniture out of the way. We would move it and they would be like no no not there, move it again, actually put it back! Or no no do not lift that its to heavy (nothing more than 100 pounds) And again thursday for the same amount of time. Moving everything back! 

Weird story three: 

This challenge came in a phone call at 5:00pm asking for a lesson at 7:30 so we grabbed Brother B. Went and showed up and started talking to her and she just unloads ... we ended up giving her a blessing of protection, comfort, counsel and more protection.  Super crazy time. Thats what the mission is for. We let her home teacher know (and that's what home teachers are for). 

Weird story number four: 

A lady we met with on friday I think it was saw us on the side of the road at 8:50 pm at night and started talking to us about how her husband  -- we she said he is high on prescription drugs and her daughter is taking a friend to planned parenthood and she was freaking out. She just kept saying pray for me and help me. We prayed with her on the side of the road at 9:00 at night and she asked us to go bless her home. So at 9:15 pm we stood outside her home and blessed it. Again another weird experince that makes a mission full of stories. 

Miracle: 

Short and to the point: #1 Sister Thanos (bless her <3),  this week she had a difficult time to get member meals to us, so she brought us food for thursday and friday! She made philly steak, onions mashed piotatoes, vegetables and gravy with hoggie rolls, she also brought homemade chicken alfredo like 3 or 4 pounds with homemade apple crisp and vanilla ice cream. So awesome!! it was so awesome to see there are those poeple out there :) #2 Oh and Brother Wilcox saw us walking on the street the day we found out we lost the car and took us out to lunch. So your son is getting taken car of.  #3 Met with Troy Small who is the most solid recent convert ever. Has a rock foundation Testimony.

The work out here is going super well, I am changing physically and spiritually. I know this Gospel and Church is true without a doubt in my mind. 

Hey Hey Look at you guys!  The house looks amazing, you guys are st
uds and hope all works out for you. Stay awesome stay classy and Remember I love you so very much.

Deep thought: 

Do we have the faith Nephi showed in 1st Nephi 17:8-9

http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/1-ne/17?lang=eng

Do you think Mormon Pioneers had what is
introduced in 1st Nephi 16:10?
http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/1-ne/16?lang=eng

Love you so much...Transfer calls are this saturday, a week early so next week we will know for final and certain if I am leaving or staying. Love you lots and that is all. Have a great week.

-- 

"Fourth Floor Last Door"

"That's What's Up"

Elder Amric Zane Sobczak

California, Carlsbad, USA

January 2013-January 2015