06/30/2010 - Week 59

It is temple p-day today, I bet you already guessed. They don't give us much notice for things like this.

This week has been good. It is always a little bit harder when you have to wait a little longer for p-days. The week can just feel longer. We have done pretty good this week. We actually got a return appointment from knocking that was kept! He was nice but not really interested. It was still good to sit down with someone new. We have been visiting this kind, older lady, Peggy, weekly since Elder Gorrell. She is very active but her health is not too good. We haven't been able to come into her house and teach for this reason (weak immune system) and lack of having an adult male there. But, this week we dropped in with our ward mission leader, and we were finally able to teach her on her back porch. We taught the plan of salvation, and she really enjoyed it. She is so cool. She had been reading the Book of Mormon faithfully for 2 months out of commitment only. We never were able to fully explain and connect all the events of the restoration, until recently, but she still read a little every night and prayed about it. She will get an answer. We, also, met a former investigator who is in the process of writing a Divinchi Code type book centered on the old testiment exodus. He was really cool (we didn't really get an opportunity to teach, but he said we could next time). Just so you know, what I write in my emails is pretty comprehensive of the events of the week. If it happens, I probably will right about it. We haven't had any new contact with Diana or Bob, since last email.
I am ok at tennis. I haven't experimented with putting spins on it and stuff, but I can return the ball. We play pretty casual games; it is funner that way.

06/21/2010 - Week 58

Things are going well. Elder Bickmore and I get along amazing, but my unlucky streak continues. I can't keep things happening in missionary work. We do a lot of steet contacting, door knocking, and visiting people recorded in our area book from past missionaries, but don't have much sucess. However, I have prayed and I know that our Heavenly Father is pleased with my efforts.
I am kinda sad to see Rocky leave. On Tuesday he moved to Florida. It will be better for him there. His family lives there and he will have a car, so a job will be easier to get. Those 2 Sundays he came, a lot of people spoke about the church being the same everywhere. He will find it. He is pretty much ready to be baptised. Our ward mission leader will continue to encourage him via Facebook. Yes, facebook. Things will work out.
We taught Bob again this week. It is hard to know if he is sincere. He won't read the Book of Mormon. So yeah, we will see.
Preach My Gospel says... Our Purpose is: To invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receiving the restored gospel though faith in Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, enduring to the end. That is all we can do. Silly agency, always getting in the way :).

06/14/2010 - Week 57

"We just had your missionary over for dinner and thought you might like to see them. They were just put together yesterday and they seem to be getting along just fine. Thank you so much for your sacrifice; we appreciate it." - The Richardsons

Transfer day. We wanted to go a little early to email before transfers happen at noon. I think I might have beaten the mom email, oops. Well, Elder Gorrell is leaving me. I am going to be serving here with Elder Bickmore. I am not sure where he is from, yet. Once again, I am going to be the senior companion and driver. It is good. I never overide my companion's ideas. We just work together, and it has turned out well, so far. This has been one of the fastest transfers, yet! I can't believe it is over. This past transfer has been a really good one. Well, I am unsure what is going to happen with our investigator Rocky. He has developed good friends in the ward, we have taught him just about everything, he comes to church, and he is just about ready to be baptised Saturday, but he might have to move to Florida during this upcoming week. so... We will see. He hasn't been able to find work out here, and he will have more support in Florida where his family lives. We need to talk to him more about what is going on. This seems very spontanous. What ever the Gods will is, will happen. so yeah... Oh we, also, started teaching another guy, Bob. He is really cool. We taught him twice with the ward missionaries, and he is a really good listener. We are helping him resolve a very dificult concern, he feels like God has told him not to read any of the Book of Mormon. How can you know if something is good, if you won't even open it to find out, if you won't experiement on the seed of faith? He seems sincere, but I don't know. He will let us read from it to him. It seems kinda fishy and I don't want to be fooled, but you have to give people the benifit of the doubt. So, it as been a pretty good week. I pray that I will be able to keep the work moving, following this transfer. We have such a good ward mission leader and the most loving bishop I have ever met (besides you, dad).

I was thinking I should send a actual letter, but I don't know what to draw, so here is an email with random stuff

-There is no Free Parking anywhere remotely close to campus (California Irvine). There are so many people and so little space that even the streets are no parking, except a few after 7pm. The grocery stores have parking police who tow you, if you park and walk somewhere else. There are very few vistor parking locations and you can only park in them for 20 minutes, unless you have a resident put your license plate in their web site. We have to call up a member to do that almost everyday. Good stuff. We get to do some walking.
-Sometimes, we provide service for a recent convert lady with MS by walking her dog. That is interesting as a missionary
-University California Irvines mascot is the Anteater, very intimidating! The Irvine Eaters, they say, lol
-I ate at a really cool Korean Barbeque with Elder Gorrell. There is a grill in your table. You get to cook your own meat and then, eat it with any of a dozen sides they put on your table and rice. It was really good.
-interesting fact: only 5 companionships in the mission did not change this transfer
-Elder McEwan is training! Posterity!!! Elder Queen is also training. Another brother in the mission! The family grows. My Grandpa, Dad, Brother, and Son are all alive. It is good times in the Anaheim mission.
-I feel like I know people now at transfers! I have a dozen or so people I caught up with this morning

06/07/2010 - Week 56

We have a solid investigator! He is living with his mother in law, who is a less active member. He came to church and accepted a baptismal date for June 19th. His name is Rocky. He is 29 and a great guy! I will keep you up to date on the progress. We are really excited! We, also, had a young lady, who we were trying to meet with, come to mutual. We have had a hard time setting up apointments, but that is a great step in the right direction.

This ward is pretty funny. I guess, if you are from Utah this is where you vacation. So, all the Utah mormons come here and attend church at 11 by the temple of course! As a result, sacrament meeting is full way out into the gym and only half of the people are members of this ward. This past Sunday was fast Sunday, and half the speakers were vacationing here. Mormon culture is funny, bearing your testimony only when you are not in your normal ward, lol.

They all ask where I am from, hoping it is in Utah. This has been the only time in my mission where, someone was hoping I was from utah, lol

I think Eric's roommate, Jake, lives 2 streets out of my area, but I am not sure. I think it is his parents house. How small of a world would that be? I am pretty sure he didn't go on a mission so... maybe, I will bump into him.

Missionary Hazards

06/01/2010 - Week 55

Wow, it is looking like summer in Wisconsin. Not having any seasons is funny; you lose track of what time of the year is.

Anyways, we are still working hard, but this week it was kinda hard to see. We taught only one lesson this past week, but that one lesson was good. We taught a young family with a 2-year old. They are disillusioned/pessimistic about religion, but don't want their little one to have that same experience growing up. They like the church, were receptive to the lesson, committed to read/pray about the Book of Mormon, but wouldn't set up a return appointment. It doesn't matter, though. If they do what they said, they will develop a greater desire to make time for us. We just have to be patient. The rest of the week was spent checking up on people, talking to them in the streets, and knocking on their doors.

It is so exciting that you got to baptize a father. Someday, he will hold the priesthood and will be able to bless his family! Mom, you are too kind. Our great family is a result of Dad and your diligence in raising us up in righteousness. Thank you so much for being a great mom. Recent experience has taught me that it is hard to keep going when the days aren't always eventful; you have so much, yet so little to worry about; you can't always see the results of your efforts; you don't feel mentally stimulated all the time (brain feeling like it is turning to mush); and things seems never ending. Thank you for showing me how to keep going. Thank you for being a righteous and virtuous mother! Thank you. And, Curtis, thank you for being such a great friend and brother. We were so cool back in the day. What a dynamic duo! Rebecca, the example of diligence, hard work, and patience. You are definently my favorite sister. Matthew, Happy Birthday! I hope my card will get to you soon. Little buddy, you are the coolest! Next time, I will be there. What can I say, things just keep getting in the way of me coming to party with you.

Hey, I have been feeling kind of sorry for those poor missionaries in Wisconsin. Invite them over for dinner. Here is the ideal missionary dinner: BREAKFAST for DINNER. I just had it last night, so good... Sign up on their dinner calendar, and make them some pancakes, waffles, eggs, and bacon. They will be happy missionaries.

In other news, I think Lauren, the investigator I was teaching with Elder Queen, who got baptised in Riverside, is in the conference ensign. I am pretty sure. She is on pg 115. It might not be her though, because it is the young women's conference, and she is not a young woman. Either way...

Memorial day was a lazy day. We started to play some tennis, but ended up sitting in the shade. Then, we went to the members home where some of the other missionaries live and watched Joseph Smith Prophet of the Restoration movie. I am such a missionary, lol
Wow, that is a lot of writing. I think I will be done.