Week 18

Hope that you had a good thanksgiving holiday. So we got news about transfers on Friday night and I'm staying in Reedley again with Elder Malo. Wasn't really expecting to stay another transfer here, especially with Elder Malo, but will be here for at least another month and a half. So I have yet to experience what getting transferred feels like and what a different area is like. The good news though is that we have a lot of planned baptisms that I thought I wouldn't be at that I will now. This upcoming Sunday we have Josefinas baptism, she asked that either Elder Malo or I baptize her and the other do the confirmation. I don't really want to be the one baptizing her because she is a bigger lady and she is pretty afraid of drowning so it's a one shot deal with her and I take a couple times to baptize them. So this week I need to learn how to confirm someone in Spanish! On Thursday we went to play at the turkey bowl and that was a lot of fun we had 7v7 and we played for two hours, but I have never been so sore in my life, I'm still feeling the effects of it! At 1 we went to a families for dinner and then we had another dinner at 5 and 7 so we got fed really well. Also got to watch 17 miracles, it was really good but I think that I liked it because I haven't seen a movie in so long. So, still a little surprised that I'm staying in Reedley another transfer but were going to make it a white Christmas (of baptisms!!).
I heard about the Ravens game cuz I was getting trash talked all week about how the 49ers were going to kill the ravens but everyone is quiet now that they lost.

Week 17

Great to hear from you, sounds like your getting ready for the holiday season. My week was good! We are starting to teach a lot of new investigators and are teaching a lot more lessons each week. I feel like this week has been the turning point for my Spanish, it's gotten a lot better recently because I refuse to speak English anymore, it's hard but it will be worth it. This past Saturday we had our ward thanksgiving dinner and it was really good, they were a lot of people (a lot more than at church) and we got three investigators there. Josefina is looking good for the 4th of December which we are excited about. Diego was also there but he kept on asking where all the young people were, we are still struggling to find a friend in the ward for him, I don't think he's going to progress unless we get someone young to fellowship him. Last night we got a surprise visit from President, when we got dropped off he appeared out of the woodworks and ambushed us. He was doing a BYD for our ward and he came after that. So from 9-11 last night we were talking about the area and then he interviewed us individually, it was good to talk to him about some things, my interview with him lasted a little over an hour but I got some really good instruction and advice. This week is going to be a lot of fun. We have some promising investigators to teach and then on thanksgiving we have the turkey bowl in the morning and then we have three families feeding us on thanksgiving so were set. That's cool that you watched the movie 17 miracles, it's funny because thats the one were allowed to watch for thanksgiving. We can't go out on thanksgiving unless we are at a members so we will just be eating all day which will be fun. On Saturday we have transfer calls so will be finding out if I am leaving. I think that I'm leaving so it's sad to leave because I love the members and our investigators but at the same time I think I need a change of scenery as I have been here for 4 1/2 months. Well, thats about it for this week! Well thanks for all the emails and support that you give me. Hope that you have a good thanksgiving and black Friday. Love you and look forward to hearing from you next week and talking to you in a month! Miss you all.

Week 16

Great to hear everything is going well back home. Things are going good with me. On Tuesday, I went on an exchange to Selma with Elder Cruz which was really fun but it was super cold. They are in an all bike area so we were just biking all day. I didn't think that California got cold, but it unfortunately does not just have palm trees and beaches! On Saturday we had an emergency exchange because there is an elder in our district who hates his companion and is considering going home so he came to Reedley with me. I get along with him but he is lazy so that would be frustrating dealing with that all day. On Sunday we had a couple of investigators at church. Breise was there again, so that is 5 straight weeks of coming to church but our lesson the other night backfired on us. We told her to pray for a date to be baptized and we were thinking she would say next week or in two weeks but she said January 8 so that was kind of depressing because shes set on that date now. Now I know in the future to never try that again, it sucks because we've been working with her so long and I probably won't be in this area in January. We also had our other baptismal date for December 4 come to church so she's looking solid for that day. Besides from that we've just been talking to everyone we see and teaching our other investigators.

Week 15

So the weeks are really starting to blend together and I forgot all that has happened this week but last Monday we weren't able to to missionary stuff so we went out of town with Diego to a really good Mexican restaurant. It was a lot of fun and he was excited to take us because he was bored since his wife was stuck in Connecticut because of the snow storm. On Tuesday, we had an exchange and I stayed in Reedley with Elder Castillo who I've already been on exchange with twice before so it was awesome. We committed two people to be baptized for the 27th of this month so hopefully they are ready for then. The weather has really cooled down and its jacket weather, I didn't think California got cold, so that was a surprise to me. All I had was my rain jacket so a member gave me a really nice jacket so hopefully he doesn't ask for it back. We biked during the days this week and we talk to everyone but its been really tough because we have had no luck with that at all. So its been a bit discouraging considering we've talked to about 100 people and not one has even shown a bit of interest. On Saturday, we went to the funeral for the sister in our ward that passed away, it was the first funeral I have ever went to so that was interesting. On Sunday, we only got one investigator to church but she went up and bore her testimony and said that she is no longer waiting for her dad and wants to be baptized. We went over last night and she prayed about a date to be baptized and she told us to come back tonight so I'm excited to see what she says. I hope its before November 30 because I think that I will be transferred at the end of this transfer and I want to be at the baptism. That's about it for last week.

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.