week 14

Happy Halloween!! So this week has been pretty good. On Wednesday we had Elder Kolliker of the Seventy come visit us and it was pretty good, he basically taught that we need to have our investigators at the temple a week after they are baptized and that we need to kneel with our investigators and if we do that our baptisms will double. Thats a great promise so we have been kneeling with our investigators needless to say. The rest of the week we have been trying to find new people that will progress so we have been biking a lot but has not paid much dividends so far. My legs are killing but it makes the day go by faster. On Sunday we had two investigators at church, we had Breise who we just started teaching and she can get baptized this month so were excited about her and then we had Carly who is 11 and were going to baptize her too. Diego didn't come to church this week because his wife was in Connecticut with her sister but he said he wants to be baptized but doesn't want to cause tension in his family because his family are JW's. I gave a talk this Sunday about general conference so that was cool ( I didn't use any notes for the first time). We had a linger longer after church but it was a full on meal so that was different compared to the usual snacks that we have. Today we went to Sequoia National Park and that was so cool, we finally did something on preparation day. We saw the biggest tree in the world and the third biggest tree in the world today, the trees are beyond big. I'll send some pictures next week. A member took us and we invited four other missionaries so we had a good time but I'm tired now. So tonight we aren't allowed to go out since it is Halloween, we either have to stay in our apartments or go to a members but we can't move the car or go out on our bikes so we will go to someones and play some games or go out to dinner so that should be fun. This week there is nothing really happening so were just going to try and find new investigators.
Thanks for sending the packages, the food is appreciated. That's good to hear that Jeff is going on a mission. Sorry I can't respond to much but I don't have much time, we got back late from the park and we have to go to our apartment now because it's nearly 6 but sounds like everyone is keeping busy and having a good time. Appreciate how good our ward is and how many people we have because it is so much more fun and is a more enjoyable experience going to church. Well got to go but look forward to talking to you next week. Love and miss you

Week 13

It feels like a long time since I last wrote and I'm now trying to remember all that has happened. So two Sundays ago, we only had one investigator at church and ten people said they were coming so that was disappointing, but the one person that did come was Diego!! I've been working with Diego for three months now and were finally starting to see some progress so despite every not showing up besides him, I was extremely excited. After church that Sunday, we were invited to Diegos for a bbq with all his in-laws family (who are members) and that was a really good time and really good food. I'm learning how to make a lot of Mexican dishes from all the Spanish ladies in the ward so Elder Malo and I made some Mexican food for lunch the other day and it was really good surprisingly. On Monday we went over to bishops and he gave each of us three big steaks so I guess bishop isn't sick of me yet. Also on Monday, transfers happened and Elder Flores, who is in the area next to Reedley left which its sad because we got along so well. So this week has been a week of physical labor and bad news. So on Wednesday, we went to a members to do service and when we got there we found a tower of 96 hay bails to be moved. I never want to move hay ever again, each one weighed between 100-120 pounds so that was defiantly not fun but was a good work out and we got taken out to lunch so it's all good. Then on Thursday another member wanted service so we went over and cut his palm trees and that took a good 4 hours. So I don't know if I have told you already but Reedley is a super old ward, there are 0 nursery age kids and 5 in primary and for the 3 months that I have been in Reedley I have only ate at someones under the age of 60 once, and we get fed every day!! It's a old ward but it's awesome. So a sister died this week from cancer and then a brother in the ward got diagnosed with pancreatic cancer yesterday and every else is suffering from something or another so the ward is shrinking. So the work is slowing down a little as were struggling to find people who are serious, but this week we committed Vivian (Glorias niece) to be baptized on Nov. 27 so hopefully she will make that date. Besides from that we have Diego who we are going to commit. On Sunday we had stake conference and it was good but no investigators came because it was too far away. And then this morning we went to Bishops as usual but we also picked pomegranites (that's not how it's spelled) so I was up in the tree picking those and then we squeezed them to make pomegranite juice so that was a cool experience. Elder Malo and I get along great but he's not really interested in being obedient but I'm just going to do all I can and encourage him but it's not worth getting in a fight over so I'm just going to let him decide for himself, it's just a shame because he doesn't feel like a missionary with the way he acts and doesn't really teach with the spirit. This week we have the seventy coming on Wednesday and that is all day so that should be good and then going on exchange with the zone leaders. Should be a good week as people have said that their going to be at church so hopefully this is the week we can have ten at church!!

Sounds like you guys are all constantly on the run!! That's good but I'm glad that your not investigators because you would never have time. That is something that we have been struggling with the past couple weeks, no one is ever home or are too busy! Sounds like Laura is getting used to normal life although she is going out with the sisters. I didn't know we still had sisters. Also I won't need money because the 135 is enough for the whole month. Thanks for sending the blessing and also the package, I'll probably send a package home when I get transferred so I have less stuff to haul around.

Oh one more thing, I read the book you sent me, Joseph Smith, A Rough Stone Rolling...wow what a great book, I have never read a better book in my life. What a testimony builder, there was so much stuff in there that answered so many questions that I had that weren't answered anywhere else and so much interesting stuff.

Week 12

This letter won't be too long since this is the second time your hearing from me this week. We got transfer calls on Thursday night and I'm staying in Reedley with Elder Malo so no big changes for me this transfer. I'm glad that I'm able to stay because we are seeing a lot of progression with our investigators and we should have over ten investigators at church tomorrow. If they all show up! We are working really hard and were finding a lot of new people to teach despite the town being a ghost town during the day because everyone is working. Were teaching a lot of people but no one has a baptism date right now because they all have some excuse, but that's what were going to work on this week.

I can't think of anything that I need in my package which is sad but I'm amazed at how little I have compared to everyone else but I want to keep it that way. I'm going to send a package home with some stuff in it that I don't need or can't have. Well my emails are getting shorter and shorter every week since everything is pretty much the same. I'm really getting used to missionary life and the more I enjoy it. I hope that you have a good week and will talk to you in a week on Monday.

Week 12

This letter won't be too long since this is the second time your hearing from me this week. We got transfer calls on Thursday night and I'm staying in Reedley with Elder Malo so no big changes for me this transfer. I'm glad that I'm able to stay because we are seeing a lot of progression with our investigators and we should have over ten investigators at church tomorrow. If they all show up! We are working really hard and were finding a lot of new people to teach despite the town being a ghost town during the day because everyone is working. Were teaching a lot of people but no one has a baptism date right now because they all have some excuse, but that's what were going to work on this week.

I can't think of anything that I need in my package which is sad but I'm amazed at how little I have compared to everyone else but I want to keep it that way. I'm going to send a package home with some stuff in it that I don't need. Well my emails are getting shorter and shorter every week since everything is pretty much the same. I'm really getting used to missionary life and the more I enjoy it. I hope that you have a good week and will talk to you in a week on Monday.

Week 11

Good to get your emails this week. It has been a good week. Were starting to find more investigators to teach, Reedley is a ghost town in the day as everyone is in school or working in the fields so all of our investigators are through the members and investigators that we already have. We started teaching Glorias niece who lives with her and she is considering being baptized so we will set a date with her for early November. Church was kind of disappointing this week as we only had one investigator at church but two others said they were going to be there but never showed up. We have a pretty good teaching pool right now. This week was pretty usual but on Saturday we had interviews with President Gelwix which was really good. He asked me if I would be fine staying in Reedley next transfer and I told him that I would so he said that he would do all that is in his power to keep me here. He is a great motivator and always makes me want to do better. He also knew I was a Ravens fan and told me that Haloti Ngata is coming in March for a fireside and that he is going to let me call him to talk to him so that should be sweet. Haloti was a player for President Gelwix at Highland high (have you seen President Gelwixs mormon.org video?) So the meeting was really good and I just checked my email from him and he told me that I was one of his mission heroes and the whole email was really nice so I appreciated that. I love having three hours each day to study, I am learning so much from just reading the Book of Mormon every day and from Preach my Gospel. I feel like I'm growing spiritually just in the short time that I've been out. My Spanish is getting so much better but it's still a struggle since I'm teaching half English and half Spanish, I hope I go to an area where it is just 100% Spanish, I think that would help me out the most. Elder Malo is great but he's getting more disobedient each week so I'm constantly correcting him but we get along well enough. My next preparation day is Saturday because salt lake messed up the flights and instead of transfers next Wednesday its this Monday so I won't have a preparation day next week but I will get bishop to let you know if I'm getting transferred or if I'm staying here. I'm pretty sure I'm staying but things can always change. That's about it for this week, I can't believe that transfer time is here again, time is going by so fast!

Laura comes home tomorrow!! It's weird to think that she is home tomorrow and no longer a missionary. I hope that she makes a pretty quick adjustment. I heard that Steve Jobs died this week, that's so crazy, he was only 56! I imagine that their stock dropped big time. So someone told me that Bank of America is going to charge $5 a month just to have a debit card with them. Is this true? If it is then I need to change banks because by the time I get home the $200 that is in there will pretty much be gone. I haven't had to use any personal funds yet and don't think I will ever have to since I always have extra money at the end of each month. I stayed awake this week so maybe it was just a rough week.. Have a good week and enjoy Laura for the 3 weeks that you have her. Miss you and love you tons.

Week 10

Another week has passed quickly and the weeks now seem to blend together so can't really remember too much of this week because their all so similar. I had an exchange this week with an Elder who came to be with me in Reedley and it was so much fun, I wish I had him as a companion! We are both pretty new so our Spanish wasn't that great but that's the best way to learn is when both aren't really that good because it forces you to say stuff. This week has been my clergy week because all we've done pretty much is go and give people blessings. We gave 5 blessings because everyone is old or sick in this ward so that was cool, I gave two of them so that was interesting because I have never given one before but it went well. My first blessing was better than my first baptism, thats for sure! We also had conference so that took up a lot of time but in between each session bishop fed us so it was good. He's fed us like 4 times over the past couple days so I guess he's not getting sick of us and I heard he called you, he's awesome. We only had 4 other people in the building during all the sessions since everyone watches it at home these days and no ice cream social as there was only about 10 people at priesthood session, Our investigators are continuing to progress so hopefully we get a few people baptized before the end of the transfer which is in two weeks. I've been struggling this week with physical strength, I'm tired all the time, if I sit down anywhere, I'll fall asleep. I fell asleep in two lessons this week, I try and stay awake but physically I can't keep myself awake. I'm not sure there is much I can do about it since I have to wake up at 6:30 each day and can't go to bed until at least 10:30. I just wish I could stay awake because it's embarrassing that I go in and out of sleep during lessons. I need like an adrenaline needle that I can stick in me when I'm falling asleep! That's about all that happened this week, nothing too exciting. This week there is nothing big happening, just another exchange and we have transfer calls in less than two weeks and transfer calls are like Christmas, so I'm looking forward to what happens with that.