I love you mom.

Dear Family and mom,

Yeah, October is almost over already. It went by so fast! This whole last transfer went by fast. Thanks mom for the letter. I really have to say thanks for everything you did "push" me to do. Yes I probably didn't like it in the moment but now looking back I am really grateful that you did because I would have regretted it. I have learned so much and have had so many great experiences because of your help. Thanks mom for caring enough about me that you did push me. If you wouldn't have, I don't think I would be able to play the piano as well as I do or the organ or anything else like that. I really thank you for being my mom and helping me. Like you said a few letters back, you'll worry about my pacemaker and not me. You only want the best for us. Alex and Mckenzie will grow older and look back and be grateful for all that you did. All those hikes (not all of them :) or other things that we did were worth it and they will see it when they get to where I am and realize that I don't have you around. I have to cook for myself, clean up after myself along with a lot of other things. I really thank you mom for doing all that for me.

So this week has been good but also a rough week. I don't know what is going on, our area is doing well but our zone took a huge dip this last week. It is also transfers, but that shouldn't affect it. You know me, I stress over everything. I just want to do what's right and do my best. But sometimes I am not the best at doing so.

Monday: Monday night was really good. We had a family home evening at the Lopez's home and they invited 3 other member families and then the Romero Family our investigators. We were so grateful and happy that this member family did that family home evening. The Romero Family loved it and they are making such good friends with the ward members. The relief society president is super happy for this family and always tells us that she will do anything to help them. The food afterward was good also.

Tuesday: Today was weird. We had exchanges with the Pleasant Hill elders at 3 in the afternoon. It was the only time we could arrange to do it. I was in my area with Elder Craft a visa waiter going to Brazil. We had a good time. We taught Alvaro with Brother Mendonhal from the East Bay mid-singles ward. That went really well. We are seeing that Alvaro needs to be in this east bay mid-singles ward and so we brought the member and talked about his decision of where he wants to be baptized. Alvaro told us that he thinks he is already a member and asked us to look for his records. I started to put 2 to 2 together. He knew and was accepting things a lot as if he had already known it. We were super confused though and the member said, "Well that was easier than we thought." We got his information though and looked for his records through the mission office and they couldn't find his records so he is still good to be baptised.

We ate dinner with the Avalos family The relief society president. Afterward we sat down and talked about what we are going to do to help the Romero dad accept to be baptized. It was a really good member lesson because they saw things that we couldn't and it helped us a lot! That night we taught also Christian the 11 year old. Man Satan works. I feel bad because it didn't even cross our minds but he drank coffee after church on Sunday. He felt really bad but his mom said it was her fault, she knew better. it was kind of a call to repentance for the parents so that was good to help them come back. He lost his date though and we aren't going to set it again until his parents become active.

Wednesday: We ran by Alvaro this morning to support him in not drinking coffee. Ironic: they serve coffee at Alcoholics Anonymous. He is excited for his baptism and decided to be baptized in the East Bay singles ward. We had the worst district meeting ever today also. The district leader gave a half prepared meeting on a training that we gave him from the assistants. It was good, but also horrible because the Elder Macias the district leader had no clue how to give this training. I had to take over a bit but it just was the worst. We just all laughed the whole time at how bad it all was. The District Leader was laughing the most.

We then ended our exchanges with Pleasant Hill. When I got back with Elder Cardenas we visited some of our members that night and also the Romero's. Some of the members taught me how to make tacos chilangos. They are good and I have been making some myself. The Romero lesson went really well! We taught them the 10 commandments and then the Sabbath day. They were surprised about what we taught because they had never heard of it that way but accepted it. The members that were with us loved the appointment and got really excited for this family and for missionary work. Jackeline the Romero daughter also has been having trouble with her job and working on Sunday we she committed to talk to her boss tomorrow.

Thursday: We went to another district meeting of Elder Hill to help guide the training. It went well this time. We taught Alvaro again and taught him chastity. He is set for his baptism. We called the east bay sisters and told them that they have a baptism coming up and they got super excited. I was happy for them. That night we taught Christian again and really got down with him and the mom on Sabbath day and the word of wisdom which was really good. We also visited the Romero family and worked on their list some more of those that they want to invite to their baptism. It is a big list!

Friday: Weekly planning was super long and we had to go all the way to Oakland that morning to pick up the planners for the Zone. Their had been some complications earlier in the week on that. We also taught the Romero's that night and we had planned to teach them the law of Chastity but the mom got called into work so we read in 1 nephi 3-4 about Nephi and slaying Laban and related it to how Jacky needs to talk to her boss and follow the spirit to get work off. She thought it was funny but has the faith to ask him. We then started exchanges that night with our district leader. I was with Elder Macias.

Saturday: We had an awesome exchange today. This elder is from Mexico so we talked all Spanish! Today was super weird too. Our first appointment didn't want to let us in, but I got to hold their parrot on my arm and it walked all the way to my should and back. It bit my companion which was funny. That was quite the experience. 

We then visited one of our half investigators that is going back to Mexico next month. We had to visit her outside because the lady she rents from doesn't like her at all. That night we ate with the other elders at a members house that also had parrots and parakeets that were singing with us when we sang a hymn as we left. We were laughing so hard because the parrot sounded better than we did. 

We also visited Mica the mom of Alvaro and that went really well. We are going to be dropping her though because after setting our expectations she isn't willing to prepare for baptism. We also dropped by the Romeros really quickly just to followup with them for church. Right when we pulled up we ran into Jacky, the daughter, running out of the house to a car. We jumped out of the car and called her name and she was really happy to see us. She ran over and said, "Guess what!? My boss is letting my have Sundays off!" We were all jumping in the street super happy! It was awesome. We then got back into our car and she drove off with some guy. We then realized, oh no...We texted Jacky that we were going to be sharing about the law of chastity tomorrow and then said have a good night and be safe! I never felt so much love for someone and so much like "Nooooo don't do anything!" She texted back later and said thanks for letting her know and everything will be ok. We then had transfer calls.

Sunday was also a really good day. The romero family showed up late but finally got their and all the members swarmed them and they loved church. The ward mission leader gave them a copy of Preach my gospel and they were participating in all of the classes. It was soo good. After church we visited them that night and taught the law of chastity and everything is good! They are excited for their baptism. Jack and Kim the two sisters were asking really deep questions about being married in the temple. We are so happy for them. We are still working on the dad though.

Thanks family. I love you. All is welll!

Have a good week!

Elder Hill