Week 39

Thanks for all your letters. This past week has been good, we've been doing a lot of tracting and seeing pretty good success with it, about 1 in every 8 or so doors gives us a return appointment so we've been doing that as thats the best use of time as not many people walk as they all have cars. Something that I've noticed recently with doing all this tracting is that most people are not interested in religious or spiritual things as we will be talking to people casually and then we eventually bring up the gospel and then they aren't interested and say that they are busy or got to get going. It just is something that I've noticed this week, people are more interested into the things of the world than in the gospel...I think that I need to work on making the gospel sound more appealing and make these people see how it can benefit them because most people are only going to do something that will better them. We had a good week as we had 5 investigators at church, were just struggling to get a baptism. It's hard because I'm being the best missionary I've been on my mission and yet I'm seeing less success than ever so it's hard so see the results go down when I'm putting in the most work. Yesterday morning we were asked to go to a funeral and dedicate the grave so we go there yesterday morning and it was just a small family thing so there was only 20 people there but when we got there she asked if we could give the eulogy too so my companion did the dedication of the grave and then I gave a 10 minute eulogy. It was hard as I've never met the guy who died but just talked about the plan of salvation so it was good, It was a good experience. We then went to go do service at a members and we had to take out three tree stumps and took like 4 hours and I forgot to wear sunscreen so needless to say I got burnt pretty good, I will add the picture on the email. We got to go to the temple today so that was awesome as we only go every 4 1/2 months, I wish we could go more but were doing the work for the living, not the dead. So tomorrow we have an appointment with the catholic priest in town so that should be a good experience, it took a while to meet with him so I'm excited we finally get to talk to him. I'll let you know how that goes. Also this week we have Mormon helping hands on Saturday and the night before we have a date night ward activity and were going to be the servers so no date for me!

Week 38

So had a great week. We've changed it up this week and doing a lot of tracting to find new investigators. We did pretty well and got some new investigators and a lot of people we need to follow up on. We had a great lesson with James this past week at the members house and committed him to baptism for the 29th of April so hopefully he is able to make his date. We also have a few other investigators that have some good potential. On Saturday morning we had an all mission conference in Fresno again and Elder Christofferson and Elder Bassett came to speak to us. Elder Bassett is a newly called seventy but he was amazing, he gave a great discourse and he knows the scriptures back and front, makes me want to get in the scriptures more. Elder Christofferson just opened it up to questions and it was really good also. We then went to the adult session and they both spoke again and it was really good, they both had a glow about them, it was incredible. Sunday morning, President Gelwix spoke and then the temple president and then those two spoke again. Elder Christofferson stressed on going to the temple and doing whatever it takes to get to the temple, he then said that nothing builds faith faster than paying tithing because it requires sacrifice. All the conferences were great and glad that I've had the opportunity to hear from two apostles in the last month. This week there is nothing too exciting happening, just having an exchange and going back to Reedley so that should be fun.

Hey, Im not sure if i sent you this website last month but we took another picture of the whole mission so the website http://photocpa.smugmug.com/FresnoMission. Could you download the pictures to my laptop so I have them when I get home? Oh yes I got your Easter money and card, thanks!!!

Well, I'm about to go play some basketball but I love you all and miss you.

Week 37

So we had a good week this past week. We had a great lesson this past Wednesday at a members home and there was a great spirit there. His wife has been inactive for 6 years and she wants to get back to church and he doesn't know much about the church but the anti stuff that he has been told but he wants to be baptized and he came to church this past Sunday. We also had 4 other investigators there so were starting to get some people to church. It's starting to warm up, its in the 80's already and I'm getting flash backs of last summer. Easter was a lot of fun, we went to the Bishops and ate dinner and then went to another family's for another dinner so it was a successful day. We are doing better with finding but still hard in the towns we are serving in, a lot of wealthy people so it's tough. This upcoming week we have a lot of appointments set so we should have a lot of good teaching appointments this week. Also, we have an All mission conference this week with Elder Christofferson and a newly called 70 so should be fun. I know it's rare to get two apostles your whole mission and were getting two in a month so its exciting. My companion is doing better and seems to be enjoying himself more so makes it better for me too.

Week 36

Thanks for the emails. Had a great week this past week and keeping busy. Were still struggling to find people that are prepared to receive the gospel so its been discouraging recently. We've been teaching a lot but these people aren't keeping their commitments so it's frustrating and sad because we want to keep coming over but we can't because they aren't progressing. We did find a couple other investigators this week so hopefully they will be promising. Was able to watch conference this weekend so that was great. One of the sessions, we went over to Diegos in Reedley and had a huge lunch which was amazing and then watched conference, he started to cry when he was watching Elder Hollands talk so hopefully he decides to get baptized soon. We had transfer calls and were getting two new elders in the district so it will be cool to get to know some new people. Hope that the rest of your Easter break goes well. Were going over to a awesome family in the ward this Sunday so it will be a great Easter for me.