I Invite you to Act, I am!

• So not to much to report on from this past week hahaha!!!
• Work is going great so it is super fun. 
• Always good to be staying busy. 
• Uhm, what else, companion is going good
• Got the stuff thank you for the clothes. What was up with the towel? haha I love it just surprising hahaha!
• Anyways not really too much to report on...
• Members of the ward are awesome and love helping us out, so it will be fun to continue working here. 
• Teaching, tracting and praying thats my life!
• Jacob 5  I invite you to read it this week.
• Temple trip was awesome I will tell you about it in more detail in a tape.
• I invite you to Act this week using one of the following ideas.... Links are attached for your reference. 

Quotes for the day and times -  Scripture, Written, Video and Audio cuz thats how I roll!

• There is so much to be done, so many people depending on me, and I always let them down. If you are feeling discouraged and inadequate remember life happens to all of us, but when these feelings become a way of life, or even frequent visitors, they're signs of trouble. Be aware, especially if they become clinical state of depression. ... The quote is exactly said in this talk - https://www.lds.org/ensign/1978/08/awake-my-soul-dealing-firmly-with-depression?lang=eng 
• sadly some youth ignore things as they really are...and sacrifice relationships I offer 2 questions for you to consider  -  https://www.lds.org/youth/video/things-as-they-really-are?lang=en
• I wont forget, I want to live everyday of my life with honor, I want to know the choices I've made dont leave me wishing I could make them over again, I want to have no regrets  -  https://www.lds.org/youth/music?cid=YS-F-musicteaser&lang=eng
• FAITH ORGANIZE ARISE PRAY- https://www.lds.org/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/88?lang=eng

That is all. We are going to bounce!

Love you bye

"Fourth Floor Last Door"

Elder Amric Zane Sobczak

California, Carlsbad, USA

January 2013-June 2013

California, Irvine, USA

July 2013-December 2014

Connections

Hello everyone!!!   so for this week, let's see what to update you all on? ...

Saturday I had an interview with President Orgill, it went really well, love talking to him and getting advice and counsel. He told me that we could start working with members in the ward on facebook, so I was like sweet! and later that day went and added 10 members as friends, and then Sunday morning he texted and said "actually though in pondering and prayer keep doing facebook without the members as 'facebook friend'". hahaha!!! I replied awkwardly; "we are already friends with some and have mentioned it to others"  President was like "okay, I guess it is okay with the people you have already mentioned it to". So that was fun!  Social Media contact program is going well. You just never know how or when that connection will be made!  In other news...We got dropped by both of our investigators this week. One of them said they would "call us" when they wanted to talk to us and to not stop by anymore or have communication with them.

 So that is sad, it is a lot different when someone tells you they are done instead of you praying and fasting about if you should drop them and then drop them. It is a lot like dating I guess!!!  easier to get over if you are the one that ended it. So we are back to square one.

Anyways, I love it here in the ward still. We have a volleyball tournament today for the whole mission so I will have pictures for that later in the week. 

I love you all so much and thank you for the prayers and love and the sacrifice being made for me being out here, it is much appreciated. Keep up the good work and keep doing all you do. Love you so much, sorry the letter is short, I never know what to say but if we were in person i would tell lots more stories.

 Love you :)

-- 

"Fourth Floor Last Door"

Elder Amric Zane Sobczak

California, Carlsbad, USA

January 2013-June 2013

California, Irvine, USA

July 2013-December 2014

Life is like a Map...

Sorry for the late in the day email, these comps I have are pretty ridiculous but it is all good...

So serving here in the Newport Beach First Ward has been very interesting to say the least...lots of money EVERYWHERE it can get pretty annoying pretty quick. But hey, as you can see from the picture i have attached of my area I am right on the ocean, more than in Dana Point which I did not think could happen. Interesting thing about the ward is that it is a family ward as well as the Mid-Singles ward which covers the whole stake...so what does that mean?  ...I can go anywhere in the Newport Beach Stake/Mission (with permission) to go visit members of the ward. It is awesome. Not being held down to such a small area has been really nice. I think I have one more area in me after this, which is weird to say so I am for sure as always putting all I can into this ward to make sure to get everything going where it needs to. Cool thing being 10 minutes from the Temple, that seems weird, but really really nice.

We are teaching a 9 year old!  

There really is not to much else to add. Mission is going great, As always crazy to see how fast time goes and all of that..never really seems like it is moving fast until I look at my calendar and see all of the days that have passed by.  

Looking at life in 6 week segments really changes the perspective you have.

Thank you again for all you do for me. The mission is going great. Again sorry for such a short email today.

Can't help myself, from sometimes thinking about the future!

Interesting thought I was reading in my studies this morning in Alma 39:14 which says "^aSeek not after riches nor the vain things of this world; for behold, you cannot carry them with you."

The thought that came into my head was that of a career again...I thought I need to not look at going into something solely to make money, I need to first find what I love to do, than find a job in that that is in somewhat demand and will allow me to provide for my family in a place I could handle living in. So it was interesting and opened my eyes as to what I want to look into for a career/where to go to school. I wrote down the order of schools I am going to apply to 1 Byu Provo 2 Byu Hawaii 3 WWU 4 SUU 5 UNO

So we shall see what the Lord has in store for my future. 

Hope your week goes well and cannot wait to hear from all of you. Love you all so much, thank you again for all you do!!!! LOVE YOU!!

--

"Fourth Floor Last Door"

Elder Amric Zane Sobczak

California, Carlsbad, USA

January 2013-June 2013

California, Irvine, USA

July 2013-December 2014

You Never Know who's ready... listen to the Spirit it will Guide YOU!

Hey hey there family, how is everything going for you this week?

A general Skate Board!

For me this week was actually a pretty good one. We actually got to teach some investigators which was really nice as we had not taught an investigator in about 2 weeks I would say. It started on an exchange on Friday and Saturday with my Zone Leader Elder Mackey. We were stopping by some LA members in an apartment complex and ran into this guy, Michael who was out skateboarding through the complex. We stopped him and started talking to him about what he was up to and how his holiday season was going. We asked about his religious background in which he stated he goes to the church his GF's uncle is over just a tiny little Christian Church, then he asked what we teach and believe in. We shared about God being our Father and the Love he has for us which is what we need to remember this time of year. We set up a time to go and teach a lesson to him on Sunday which ended up being awesome. We went Sunday around 12:00 and taught him outside his apartment on the main balcony walkway between his and someone else's apartment. We shared the first lesson emphasizing that because we have a Heavenly Father who loves us we need to show our love for him by following the example of Christ as fully as we can. Shared the Joseph Smith Story which as always was a powerful moment in the lesson. My companion then extended the baptismal invite to Michael. He responded with ... he had already been baptized which we then taught about Priesthood Authority going back to Jesus Christ which he seemed to start to understand. We gave him a Book of Mormon and he said he would start reading from the beginning. Set up a lesson for next Friday at 8:00 PM but sadly he is 20...and single...which means to follow the Order of the church we had to pass him over to the YSA elders. Kind of a bummer but hey, it's the same church still a son of God, doesn't matter who "Baptizes" him, just that he gets baptized.

 

A guide to the Word of Wisdom

On Sunday as well we taught the Gonzalez family who is so ready to get baptized. We taught them the Word of Wisdom and committed them to live it. It was a lot easier than I thought it would be especially since she drinks coffee all the time. She said though if that is what it takes to be baptized then I will stop drinking it! We are going to be setting a date with them next week around the last week of January beginning of February which is awesome. It is so cool to see someone who has just been prepared and is ready to make this step. So keep them in your prayers that they will stay strong and keep the desire to be baptized so they can be sealed as a family. They are already wanting to be sealed and married in the temple and yesterday were asking about how long they had to wait before they could go, so that is there ultimate goal which is awesome to see.

San Diego Temple

As far as christmas goes plan probably around 11:00 11:30 California time to be on. Depends on when the Baptism is that day. But yeah Google Hangout should work going over to a  members that has a computer and ipads and laptops sou it should be easy. Be thinking of questions and stuff to talk about.

Our Christmas Tree

Thank you for all you do for me I really appreciate it so much :) Dad if you mail the package to the mission office as long as it gets there before Tuesday the 24th at 11:00 I should get it by Christmas. Mail it and just to be safe probably have it arrive Friday or Saturday. Love you all so much thank you for all that you do and cannot wait to see and talk to you\
:) You are the best keep up the good work!! :)

-- 

"Fourth Floor Last Door"

Elder Amric Zane Sobczak

California, Carlsbad, USA

January 2013-June 2013

California, Irvine, USA

July 2013-December 2014

Crashing, Teaching, Serving, Partying = MISSION!

So before I write my weekly update I wanted to first start off by explaining the situation my companion and I got in on Saturday afternoon...

So we had just finished getting ready for the day after a morning full of service. We go out to leave our apartment complex and are at the stop line. It has been/is raining for the past few hours and so we were waiting for the right time to go, when all of a sudden Elder Madsen starts yelling to "back the car up", I was confused and looked left and guess what I see...an AT&T Service Truck has slipped across three lanes of traffic and is gaining speed heading right towards us. He jumps the curb, almost hits a brick wall but instead slams the right front of his truck into a palm tree at 45+ MPH which flips him, he does a full barrel roll in the air over the sidewalk and lands on all fours (Or should I say Three seeing as how the palm ripped off his front right tire) landed five feet from the car we were in. HOLY CRAP! Seriously seeing the aftermath of a accident is one thing, seeing it actually happen is SO different. The guy who was driving jumped out before I could even back up and turn the car off. I felt like I was watching a movie, car driving straight at us, the flip glass, car parts, fire truck, cop cars. It was insane. Afterwards the cop who was taking down witness information asked me what my birthday was and I told him and he was like "oh happy birthday, that was a close one you almost didn't make it". Seriously though, if the guy had missed the tree or the tree wasn't there he would have hit us dead on at 45+ MPH. 

Hi there family glad to hear that all is going well in Zion wherever that may be for you at this present time. The week went well, Elder Madsen are doing good working together and trying to get the ward on board still to meet with us so it is a work in progress. Other than the whole truck experience there is not to much to update on for the week. I mean heck we taught a total of 9 lessons this week so that sucks. 

Anyways, Friday we had the ward Christmas party which ended up being a really good time. Lots of people came and a lot of the members brought their friends with them so we got to meet a lot of different people that night. The ward did these sweet shirts with Elder/Sister and the last name for all of the missionaries serving from the ward and everyone signed them and then the family sent them out to them. They also did that for us, the missionaries serving in the ward which was awesome. I will just be sending the shirt home so it will be coming and you will get to see it so don't worry. It was an awesome way to remember the ward after I get home and a fun shirt to wear during Christmas time.

The family we are teaching, man is that just being a hit and miss. The non member wife and kids have been out of town for three weeks and we were supposed to meet with them yesterday, sadly though the parents came but all of the kids had strep throat so we could not meet with and they moved the lesson to next week which will hopefully work out.

Yesterday was a good day. We went over to the Souths house for dinner and had this sweet Swiss dish (They lived in Switzerland for I think 15 years and Sister South's bday was yesterday as well). It is called Riclete I think. You cook meat on top of this grill in the middle of the table and underneath you melt this slice of cheese from France that has garlic/onions/tomatoes whatever you want on it. You melt it then scrap it onto potatoes and eat it with the meat. OH MAN So good!!! So we did that and then the kids had to a choir practice so we came back like about 2 hours later and had a party. A couple members came and they even got me stuff haha . A bunch of swiss milk chocolate a cool multiple color pen, Chapstick and are going to pay to have my suit and a couple shirts dry cleaned. So don't worry parents all is good here in Mission Viejo.

The mail system is screwy so I probably will get all of your packages this week, but that is okay, I am taking the Apryl approach; it is my birthday all month long :)

There is not to much else to report on so I hope this week goes well and that you see lots of miracles. Parents, stop feeding the missionaries dessert with dinner haha anyone who feeds the elders stop haha. We get it every night and it causes weight gain :) 

Again I love you all and hope you all have a great week filled with the Spirit of Christmas as this is the season for service and charity Moroni 7:43-48. I love you all God Bless! :)

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

The Mission has Started up!!! and I am moving FORWARD....

Hey hey Family of mine, and the rest of you...:)

So the work out here in Foothill Ranch is moving right along. It has (in the past) had a string of misisonaries not working the area with the numbers to show!   We are picking up and moving forward though through the good graces of the Lord. This last week has seen some funny things happen and some amazing things at the same time which has made this week fly by.

Start off with the cool stuff...

• Sunday Tyler Feist a YM in the ward whose family are amazing missionaries went out with us to teach a lesson with a Former Investigator couple.   They love the missionaries and the sacrifice we make to come out and serve and just are interested in general with the church. We started talking with them just getting to know them and they led the conversation into how are we called as missionaries, who are our leaders, and how are they called?   We answered their questions well and they understood it. They got who apostles are, the revelation behind sending out missionaries and how a new Apostle/Prophet is called. They were pleased with our answers and then the Mrs. brought up a concern of her sons, which was "With all these Christian religions preaching Heaven Hell only in their doctrine". They know good people - and the question is; "just because they dont believe "The Right" way are they are going to hell?  It concerned them and thus presented us with the question. So we answered that from the scriptures with Tyler reading in Corinthians 15:11-13 about the degrees of Heaven. We even talked about JST (Joseph Smith Translation) and they accepted it and didn't bash with us at all. We ended the night with a prayer and set up a lesson for next Sunday at 8:00pm.  Yes we did!!!! -We had just picked up 2 new investigators! It was a really cool experience because looking back on it I can see the Spirit that was there leading the conversation, it wasn't any of us, it was the Spirit. 
  
• We have developed a solid relationship with a guy named Ethan who we found knocking on the wrong house of a referral we could not find. He liked us stopping by and told us to get a hold of him to set up a lesson in the future with him and his family. So that will be awesome if he becomes more interested. 
• Lastly, a member family we had dinner with gave us the name of their next door neighbor who are about as golden as can be. The mom has told them that she wants her and her children to be members. They come to all the activities, daughter is participating in Activity Days and they attened church when people they know are speaking. The problem is the dad is not as sold, which is always the case. I have come to realize on my mission as much as I hate to say it, Women are just way more in tune with the spiritual side of things then men. It is just a gift they have for some reason. So those are the cool stories. The ward is crazy, no bishopric in town on Sunday and everybody else it seems is out of town too. But hey it is July, we cant all be full time missionaries. 

6 months in the book! Easy as scoring a try from the 5 meter line. The mission is going quick and bringing miracles. I can tell everything is changing and only hope I can hold on and remember. The Irvine mission has started!!!

• OH I totally forgot one more cool thing:

We had a "Mission Kick-off" conference the other day where we got to meet the missionaries from Anaheim and President and Sister Orgill. They are so funny and completely different than President and Sister Cook.  This will take some adjusting!!!   They have that "Islander Swag" so to say. And I mean how could you not, after serving at the PCC (Pacific Cultural Center) for 12 years. The PCC Traveling dance promo team has made a deal with President Orgill that anytime they come to the states to do a promo tour they will always stop in his mission somewhere to do a show. So for the next 18 months I might get to see the PCC people a lot which i am super excited for and all the members are exstatic about. We told our members this and they were like "That will be perfect to get non members to!"




Deep Thought:
Does Faith precede hope?  hope precede faith?   or do they work in harmony in each other? through all my studies on Faith and Hope I cannot find a defining answer to settle this for me, only close one for me is Hebrews 11:1.... FEEDBACK and / or CONVERSATION is a good thing ?!?!?!


So there we go, another week in the books and in the memory. Time goes quickly when you stay invested and stay consecrated. I love you guys so much, thank you for all of the things you have done for me since starting the mission. We will all be blessed for this great sacrifice. 

Stay amazing and stay classy, the Lord is always there if you just ask:) Until next time!:) 

Love you all :) 

"Fourth Floor Last Door"

Elder Amric Zane Sobczak

California, Carlsbad, USA

January 2013-June 2013

California, Irvine, USA

July 2013-December 2014

Feb 26 The Work Moves on

Subject: It is February 26th?

Well well well, another week has gone by and my oh my it has been a fun and interesting one. 

Why does Omaha over react about all of their storms. Everytime they do that the weather is perfect. Its when they understate that becomes the issue.

Spiritualness...The investigators are starting to pick up little by little...

• Well except for last oh tuesday when we were going to have to split to hit two appointments one of the investigators told us basically I dont want Elder Sobczak to come teach me without elder Armstrong because I have been with him longer and I dont want to start anything new...So Yes...I got dumped on my mission never thought that would happen haha...
• K and her girls are still moving forward. The dad of the two younger girls has been reading Anti stuff, his girls told him to look at LDS.org which led to him being confused about what the real truth was and now wants to meet with us so he can sort everything out and see if he really wants to allow his girls to be be baptized. So that is real progress. 
• Another investigator PD is a completely solid guy and will one day be a bishop/stake president if he joins. He is an honest seeker of truth and is true and honest in all he says and asks. He has grown up all over the world, Air Force airplane load crew so he traveled a lot and just wants to know why God would allow all of his children to follow religions even when he knows  that religion wont allow them to come back. We asked the same question back after explaining a little bit and he said well i think this whole thing has to do with Agency...Yes thats awesome just wait until he starts hearing about the plan of salvation! 

Lots of planning and preparing and then more planning and preparing...

Slowly but surely the Lord is allowing my mind to be opened to the deeper doctrine so I will teach better lessons and they will be more spirit filled.

This whole mission thing is really opening up my eyes to a lot of new found truth. Its really cool to see how eevrything works together and flows back and forth and supports each other. No matter how hard people try to they can never prove us wrong on any point of the Bible/Scriptures/Gospel because if they could we wouldnt be the True Church of Jesus Christ. We may not know for sure how to show them but through diligent heart felt study we can bear testimony of our knowledge and faith which for some will be all the proof they need. 

The time is at hand for men to prepare to meet God and his Son Jesus Christ. This time is when Jesus Christ WILL appear to the world, he will meet the invited ones at Adam-Ondi-Ahman and the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints WILL hand the keys of the church over to its rightful master. We are in the last days, but I KNOW through Faith in Jesus Christ we can be saved and through Him we can come to know how to return to our Father in Heaven. 1000 years of peace will come to all. Think of that. the time period of 1013-2013 is how long the millenium will be. Christ will reign...We Will know Him...We will prevail in the fight against evil...This is the true church that is the only one authorized to show and participate in the eternal life saving ordinances for mankind.

 Be prepared but dont be scared, if you are doing the True Right not the World Right you have nothing to fear. This is my Testimony...In the name of our Lord and Savior, even the Son of our Heavenly Father Jesus Christ 

Amen

--

"Fourth Floor Last Door"

"That's What's Up"

Elder Amric Zane Sobczak

California, Carlsbad, USA

January 2013-January 2015

Don't Worry I am Here...

Do not worry Amric is here...

Yesterday was Lincolns birthday so instead of just celebrating it on PRESIDENTS day California likes to split up the birthdays and Lincoln, Washington and all other presidents get their own day to be celebrated. Yes it is ridiculous i know :)

So, this week has been a tough but a good one at the same time. I wrote this in a letter I sent home at sometime but I loose track and can't remember when or even if i really did haha!   Life is tough out here. You get ready and arrive our here thinking you know all you need to know because everyone at home tells you "oh you're going to be great", "you'll be awesome",  "you know so much" and so on and so forth! It makes you "Puffed Up" So to speak. When you get out here and you realize you can't get by with the basics anymore. You have to gain a deeper understanding of the gospel not for your investigators, they are fine with the basics, but the depth is for you. When you come to a deeper understanding you know how everything connects so you can explain to the people you are teaching in a simple bold statement. When you give them that statement and they understand it - well, it makes the 2 or 3 hours of studying that one topic worth it haha...

When I get home you guys will not even know who I am!  One reason will be because I have completely changed my view on studying. I never knew how important it was or really how to "Study." I have a study journal with all my notes, scriptures, analogies, insights etc...are also connected into each principle of Preach My Gospel. My PMG is very colorful and I have not even gotten close to finshing my studies...dont think I will until maybe the plane ride on the way home hahaha....  I know now why the Missionary must be converted when they come out here or that they must become converted while they are out here before they can ever imagine of truly expecting to convert other people. 

Another way I have learned a little more is teaching seminary...The seminary teacher for the Dana Point/ San Juan Capistrano Wards is in the Dana Point ward and is busy with work because he does something with surgeries. So we have taught seminary probably 5 or 6 times in the four and a half weeks I have been in the mission field. I can feel for the kids because just a year ago i was in their shoes...6 in the morning some old person telling you something you already think you know asking why must i be here..   It helps understanding that and having compassion for them being able to relate to their "feelings"  because it helps me at least know how to teach ...  Mom I dont know how you did it for 17 years...Its so intense...

The people here in this area are awesome. The members are great and they love to take care of us. 

The days are pretty much the same everyday. I Wake up at 620 go run for half an hour get ready, study, seek people out or study, then eat repeat eat teach members/investigators return home plan, sleep repeat hahaha!

 I am having a positive attitude about it all so I am getting better.  :) Yesterday on P-Day we went "thrifting". I hit three second hand stores big lots marshals and ross. I bought three ties (of the skinny variety) and a pair of vans which where a steal. We then ate at staks which is  a pancake place here in Dana Point. So good we will eat there when we return to visit. 

So thats my week really..sorry theres not much more but not a lot of crazy spiritual experiences are happening too.

Question to ponder: If there is oposition in all things even for those who have seen Jesus Christ in this dispensation, if they have seen perfection and light in the flesh (Christ) who else have they seen????

example: Adam and Ever Garden of Eden, JSH 1:15-16, "My soul was racked with torment,"  just a question i am throwing out there for people to think about. 

You'll be proud to know that I do know how to shop, buy, pay for and cook food for myself!  I cook lunch for myself everyday.  I'm learning to eat food out of my comfort zone like this week I had homemade tomato stew!  My comp put a half a head of lettuce down the garbage disposal so that was fun clogged it up bad.  Water and ground up lettuce everywhere, disgusting!

My comps are awesome one from Colorado one from Sandy I believe. We went to 5guys the other night after Stake Conference, that was nice.  We are teaching people and the members of the ward are AWESOME and VERY HELPFUL, I'll write about them in a letter.  Happy Birthday to Pax and Olaf, Hi to everyone, hugs and all that - REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE, CHURCHING IS TRUE!

Grab the Tissue!

 Well, well well....My how fast this past week has gone. It doesnt seem like its been 7 days since I last checked in. This has been a good week but it has been hard at the same time. 

We are teaching the "word" to the people of Dana Point and some are accepting of it...

   Im slowly but surely becoming a better teacher to the investigators and to the members. This family that we are teaching moving closer and closer to baptism as a family. Keli told us that if we ever needed a place to stop in to eat, say hello, or just talk her house was always opened  to us. She has her own business. She said after we are done with our missions to come back and she would teach us the basics of surfing. She's a total surfer chick.

   Well, we are part time bikes and I dont know if you have read anything about Orange County but the hills here are AWFUL. Really makes me appreciate having a car on the days we have it. I am becoming better at bike riding though and I can feel my legs toning up since we run for thirty minutes up and down hills everyday and we ride bikes every other day. Our mission area is huge.

Sunday we had a cool experience with a member family. We show up after stake conference to have lunch and this girl and guy are there...Assuming they are members we ask if they go to singles ward they laugh at the question say they should and that they are engaged. Cool cool all normal...well midway into lunch we start talking about how kids these days dont know the 'WHY' and that is what leads them to drink and smoke because they dont truly understand why they arent supposed to. At this point, the girl who was there says "Actually, I'm not a Mormon and I want to know why I cant have the occassional drink cause I dont think it is bad."  We were caught off guard because we thought she was a member. Turns out shes a non member renting a room from the family and she got engaged to a less active member of the church...
Well we answered her question helped her know how to talk to friends about her thoughts and then she asked "Why do you guys think you need a prophet?" We answered back with a question! We can come back and have more discussions with you. Long story short we got her number and picked up a new investigator. Pretty awesome how that happened.

My first Sunday in the ward I sang in the Ward Choir...Stake conference adult session I sang in the choir!  At our Zone Training meeting I was called to lead the music!  Some lady in another ward in our building said she wanted me and Elder Armstrong to sing a duet in her ward!  I think the Lord might be trying to send me a message that I need to pick up singing again!. Starting to get my singing voice back.  It is like the LORD taught if given a talent and it's not used - You'll have it taken away!

Thank you all so much for your letters. They are really inspiring and make the week better. There is talk my mission will reach the 250 missionaries by the end of the year...if that happens they will split the mission into two. So who knows I could  serve in 2 missions while i am gone for 2 years!  So keep that in mind.

I have the family picture on my desk and it keeps me going everyday. Im writing in my journal so that i will always remember these times. In my prayers I always - no matter where I am  ask - "Help us to always remember who we represent and who we are" (Grab the tissue box mom!). Ill send you more in a letter

I love you all so much. I have been out for six weeks already I know weird to think.

 Keep on Keeping on...Again I love you all so much

--

"Fourth Floor Last Door"

"That's What's Up"

Elder Amric Zane Sobczak

California, Carlsbad, USA