Dear family,
This week has been quite the week. A lot has gone on and I
have learned and grown so much. There seems to be a lot going on back home and
everywhere. I was really happy to hear about Tyler because I was wondering
about him and was going to write him a letter just yesterday, but things got really crazy
because all of the libraries were closed and then some other things happened. Obviously, you know that since you didn't get a letter until today. Tell him CONGRATS! Alex's and grandpa's birthdays are coming up soon, that is exciting.
I am doing
well health wise and everything. I love this area so much and I have no clue
what is going to happen for transfers. We have the calls this Saturday, but if
something is going to happen to me like training I would get a call soon
because the trainers' training is on Friday. Elder Cardenas and I are getting
along so well. He has been the companion that I have grown and learned more
with. We have a lot of good times and love our investigators so much.
This was
the week of sifting through the wheat and the tares. We dropped a lot of our
investigators to clear our teaching pool up which is good and are preparing 6
people for baptism right now. Last week we had 10 people with dates, but right
now we only have 5 and almost 1 with the dad of the Romero Family. He is "I must See to Believe" and his wife and daughters and so ready for their
baptisms. The Munoz family that we found last week dropped us the next day. We
weren't sure what happened because he was slightly drunk when he dropped us, but
when we dropped by the next day afterward it was official. We felt badly. More for
the members that had referred the family to us than actually losing them. They
just didn't want to give up the catholic church and make that change. It is
tough because they felt the spirit so strongly.
Monday ( October 7): Today was a good day We taught Alvaro's
mom Micealina. She is doing OK but we are having trouble with her reading. She
won't read. It is like what it says in the scriptures, "And they would
not.." Her son Alvaro is doing so well and is really excited and ready for
his baptism. That night we uhh..... failed. Last last week the Romero family came to
a family home evening. It was the monthly ward one. There were a lot of people and
food afterward etc. We told them that we wanted to have a family home evening
in their home next week and they were really excited. We tried to call a family
to come with us but no one was available that night. When we showed up we felt
so bad because they had all these chairs set up and she had made tostadas and
Abuelita hot chocolate and everything. We told them that we called as many
people as we could, but no one could on such a short notice. We felt really bad
but it turned out well because she had invited some of her work friends that
showed up. We taught the Word of Wisdom and invited them to live it and they
said yes. They are so amazing and are understanding everything we teach them.
The dad still won't accept a date date to be baptized but is working on
receiving an answer. Also the daughter Jacky told us that she told her boss she
is not coming to work next week so she can come to church! She is so awesome.
That night we had exchanges with The YSA Elders. I was with Elder Hill for the
next day.
Tuesday: We had a blast Elder Hill and I. What was most fun
was contacting and teaching people because we would say, "Hey how's it
going? My name is Elder Hill and this is my companion Elder Hill. " They
would then get confused and say, "The same name??" We get it enough
around here just with the "Elder" but to have the exact same name is
quite the coincidence. It was fun though. He is from West Jordan so we had some
things in common. We had a good exchange and I was able to really help him be
inspired about talking with everyone. We ate with a Tongan member that night
and we ate Frogs legs. First time, its true tastes like chicken for sure.
Wednesday: All our morning and afternoon appointments fell
through today. We were starting to consider dropping a lot of these
investigators because they just were not progressing at all. That afternoon
though we taught Alvaro and we taught him and his mom together. We read in the
Book of Mormon and she told us that she doesn't like or want to read. We are
stuck with her. We don't know what to do, so we are going to drop her soon.
That night we taught the
Romero family and we did the list for those that they wanted to invite to their
baptism. We had so much fun doing it! I pulled out a blank sheet of paper and
we started with their family members and the mom just went off on her brothers
and sisters and her other children and her cousins and uncles and aunts. We
filled up half of the page just with her family. It was a lot of fun doing it!
The daughters were showing us pictures of their family members too and the dad
was also involved. We explained that we are happy because we are sharing the
gospel and we want them to feel the same joy from missionary work. Jacky the
daughter said that she has noticed we are really happy and really wants that.
We filled up two pages with names of people they want to invite. We are going to
be having a lot of work to do in order to invite these people,but such a good
finding opportunity. We were so happy going home that night with that list and
seeing the Romero family grow so much. When we showed up to the lesson and
knocked the door they were sitting around the dinner table reading the book of
Mormon together. They are so good!
Thursday: We visited a less-active this morning and then
went to a new investigator lesson but they weren't home which was a bummer. We
are finding a lot of families lately and it is so exciting. We are working so
hard for these people, in planning, in the are book, studying for them. I am
the "Preach my gospel DVD missionary." We watch it in the morning at breakfast,
at lunch, during studies at night, at every free moment we have we are watching
those DVD's in order to improve. We are learning so much and are coming to
conclusions for our Zone training meeting.
I remember an activity we did in the
MTC where we went outside and learned about an investigator's progression. I
told my companion about that he loved it and we decided to do a training on
"Preparing people for baptism" We have a lot of dates in our zone but
at the same time we are losing a lot. Every morning we go "Running." I
walk but at the BART station parking lot. Every morning this week as I walked I
used the parking lines and tried to figure out how this activity would work in this
situation. We have been really working on this training. I have been thinking
about it all the time.
We did find a new investigator that afternoon but by
that next day her husband said that she moved to Mexico.....so we dropped her.
We had dinner with an amazing Peruvian family and my companion Elder Cardenas
taught me how to make family mission plans with members. He is so good with members
and I have been learning so much from him. This Peruvian couple better put, are
about 70 years old but talk to everyone about the gospel. They are working on a
lot of people for us. Member work is the key to missionary work and it has been
exploding in this area. We taught Alvaro again quickly about the ten
commandments and then set up a VC appointment with him for that Sunday. He is
doing so well and is changing a lot. After him we taught Christian our other
baptismal date. He is doing well but we are having trouble with the parents not
being too active. We sat down with all of them and discussed what they wanted
for their son. The dad is a member but doesn't come to church because he smokes
and feels bad and can't stop. We got serious with him and made a plan with him
to stop smoking, he really wants to he just hasn't had any help.
We then had
all of our appointments fall through that night again. It happens :) We were in
a sketchy part of town though that night, but had a really sweet experience with
an African american family. The mom said that she really wanted to stop
drinking and help her 4 daughters that were right there. We contracted them and
then I offered to have a little prayer with them. Being baptist they all
grabbed our hands and we made a circle. I offered it and then afterward she
thanked us for the prayer and accepted missionaries. What a blessing!
Friday: Weekly planning. That took forever. That night we
had such an amazing lesson with the Romero Family. We invited one of the
strongest member families to the lesson. They are so awesome. They are the Chacons and everyone knows them by Chiwese. They are the young men and young
woman presidents. They absolutely fell in love with the Romero family. I can
tell that the Romero family is going to go far because all of their
fellow-shippers are super strong members, leaders in the ward. We taught the
plan of salvation and based it in the family proclamation. It was so powerful
because all of them (the Romeros) were asking super deep questions about their
family. It got really emotional when we came to the part of the celestial
kingdom and families being eternal. I shared my experience of having been
sealed with my family and the chacons shared theirs. The mom really wants an
eternal family. This family is doing so well!
Saturday: Today was zone training meeting. It went so well!
We ended up training on "How to prepare people for baptism" and used
the activity that I talked about and then we did a practice on inviting and setting
certain commandment expectations. It turned out really well! We all went
outside for the activity and split into two groups. We used the parking lot
lines to mark down the 6 week conversion process of a prepared investigator. We
then had papers that indicated all the lessons and commitments that needed to
be extended to help this investigators. The missionaries really liked it
because it was a powerful followup to the mission tour and the idea of seeing
the end from the beginning. Once we went through the weeks we got to the end
and then stepped back and looked at it all. You could see 6 lines down the end
from the beginning where we were. We then went back in and trained on
conversion calenders and on inviting and setting certain expectations. The
missionaries all said that they really needed that.
That night for dinner we
ate so much! It was a birthday party for one of the grandchildren of this
family so they had all sorts of food. I was so full. We taught Alvaro again and
got him decided on going to the "East bay singles ward" in Concord
this Sunday to try it out. He is really excited. We then have been dropping by
people to visit who have potential of being baptized in a matter of weeks. We
dropped by one part member family and got to the point with the son. He
committed to come to church that Sunday but was not to up on being taught or
baptized yet. We are understanding our purpose more and more though.
Sunday: Church went really well! The whole Romero family
came and loved it. It was the primary program today and it was all focused on
eternal families! They sang "Families can be together forever" and
the Romero family were all crying and enjoying it so much. The Primary program
really brings the spirit! We had so many members welcoming them and wanting to
sit with them and help them it was great!
So much member support for them. That
night we went to the VC with Alvaro and with the Romero's. Alvaro really liked
it. He went to the East bay singles ward and enjoyed it, said he felt like he
fit in better. Also at the VC we taught him about family history work. He is
really excited to start that as a hobby. The Romero's appointment was a whole
sorts of trouble. Satan is working so hard against them. They got lost, their
phone batteries died, their gps battery died, ended up being an hour late. The
VC appointment was amazing though. The Lopez family came with us and that
really helped the Romero feel better. We watched the Gods plan for the family
presentation and then went over the the temple display and learned more about
eternal families and then ended the visit off at the baptismal font in the ISC.
We all sat on the front row and we opened up the door and taught them about
baptism and then asked the mom and the two daughters why they wanted to be
baptized. Their testimonies were so powerful and the spirit was so strong. The
dad still said that he will do it after he sees that his daughters and wife
really do change. He is tough but we know he will be baptized with them. So
many wonderful things are going on.
Last night was amazing but I will put it
into next weeks letter.
THanks everyone. I love you! Talk to you soon.
Elder Hill.
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