Week 61

Well it was good to get your letters and to hear how your doing. So this past week was the best number week I've had since I got here and we got a lot done but my new companion is making it hard on me. Every transfer, I think it will be easier and not as challenging but it just keeps getting harder on me with the companions I'm getting. I had the thought that's it me but all the other elders feel bad for me because I tell them my last couple companions and they just tell me how sorry they feel for me. My new companion is Elder White and he's from Colorado and he's just been out like 4 months now. He has ADHD and OCD and is a very interesting person, I'll leave it at that. I'm really happy that I stayed though because we are getting member referrals every week and the ward takes care of us. My companion is over bearing and has already offended a couple people so I need to do some damage control. Josie came to church again this week and she has a baptismal date for Oct. 5 so were getting her ready for that date., I just can't let my companions prevent me from being happy like I have with some of my other companions and it's going well so far. I'm trying to be patient with him. I think that in a couple weeks we will have got used to how we work and hopefully things will be better. This week we are going to do service in the community at a place that gives out food and clothing to the less well off and I've been organizing it the past couple weeks because I wanted to do some service once every week and get known in the community so this was something that worked out. I got some other elders in on it too so they are super happy to have us because they don't have many volunteers so it worked out perfect. We also are doing Mormon helping hands this Saturday in our ward so plenty of service to do this week. This ward is on top of their dinner calendar as we have October and November already filled so we eat good here. I was thinking about it the other day and there hasn't been one day on my mission where I haven't had dinner and I've yet to cook on my mission so I have been blessed in all my areas because a lot of areas don't get fed that much. That's about it for this upcoming week, just pray that I can be patient with my companion because that is going to be a big struggle for me this transfer.  Thanks for everything. Love you and miss you!

Week 60

It was transfers and I'm staying here in Turlock again but I'm getting a new companion, his name is Elder White but I know nothing about him so will update you next week on him. I'm glad to be staying because all the elders in the district are awesome and were all best friends so its exciting. The only downfall is that I'm not in a Spanish area but I'm happy here. The work is picking up, the ward is beginning to wake up and do missionary work. The biggest change I've made the last couple months is how I work with the ward and I will send some things to you dad so you can look over them and see if you want to use it. We are teaching a girl named Josie and she's progressing so fast, she will be baptized in the next couple weeks, we only found her a week ago but shes ready. It's been a tough transfer with my companion but I'm proud of myself for not getting in any fights with him or even raising my voice with him even though I had valid reasons to. I think that this is going to be a really good transfer and we will see success. We had Elder Golden visit us and it was amazing, no joke, he was better than the three apostles. He gave us some really good advice and things that we can actually apply to our areas and see results and measure them. I don't know if I told you that I signed up for a Costco membership so that's where I do all my shopping now. Well, I love you guys and look forward to getting your emails and see how your doing.

Week 59

 This past week has been great, we're found new investigators and we got eight referrals so things are looking up.  Were getting more busy which helps the days more enjoyable.  I've been feeling real good this past week, I've had real good personal studies and having fun while working hard.  The ward is starting to wake up, they weren't doing anything and now they are actively looking for people for us to teach.  I love this area so much, the ward has so much potential, the city has everything, even a Panera Bread so life is good!  We went to Costco today and I bought a membership, all the elders pitched in so it only cost me $15 and now I can save a bunch of money, by shopping there.  The only bad thing is that they don't have the cookie dough I like, I was so disappointed.

We have Elder Golden tomorrow at zone conference so will let you know how that goes.  Also transfer calls are this Saturday so will find out what happens.  Hoping that I stay.  Words can't describe how much I'm enjoying mission life, if only it could always be like this.

Look forward to reading your letters. 

Week 58

Not sure if I mentioned it in previous letter but went to the temple on Tuesday and saw a lot of people from Reedley ward because they all work a the temple so it was nice to see them.  On Saturday we had president interviews and had about 20 minutes to talk so that was nice. I feel like he just keeps making it harder on me with all these companions I keep getting, its exhausting.  So the work is very slow right now, for the first time on my mission, I've had zero people at church two weeks in a row so it's been tough to stay busy and staying positive.  I'm having good experiences though.  We're going to have a trizone acidity today and it’s a talent show so should be funny.  Hopefully we have a better week this week. 

Well I don’t have much time left to respond to your letter, but I love reading them and would respond if I had more time today.  Well, time keeps flying by and despite the bad, everything is good overall, I just need to take the long view when I have a tough companion, I feel like I'm going to be with him forever but when I look at the big picture, a couple weeks is nothing and I might as well make the most of it.  Thanks for the letters and all the support that I get.  I love you.

Week 57

So just got back from the Temple and it took about all day because it's so far away,  but it was a good time.  Today is Tuesday.  Things have been decent over here, still super hot and sweaty, but it's my last summer here so l'll endure the last couple weeks of the heat.  We've been keeping busy so the weeks have gone by fast.  My companion is a struggle, not too sure he wants to be doing this because he'll find any excuse to do the easy thing instead of doing what we need to.  I've lost track of all the days last week, but we did find new investigators and are doing a lot of member lessons to build the faith of the members and change their view of missionary work.  I've changed pretty much everything since I got here, especially how we work with the Bishop and Ward Council.  All is doing well though,  were seeing signs of success and time keeps flying.  This upcoming week, we have President Interviews on Saturday so will be good to talk to him. 

Week 56

So it's been a good week, it has been so hot!  They say it's been over 100 degrees for the past two weeks and it doesn’t help I'm in an all bike area.  So needless to say I've been sweating like crazy and getting a lot darker.  I like not having a car the days go by quicker and I'm in better shape.  On Friday we had a zone conference, it was really long, from 8-6, and President is a good speaker.  Our area is in bad shape, everyone is asleep, they need to wake-up in terms of missionary work.  The missionaries before didn’t work with members so we have a lot of potential.  My companion is struggling; he wants to go home but he's hanging in there. In lessons he won't say a word so I have to teach the whole thing which isn’t ideal.  He won't take any suggestions to be better so I won't give him anymore because he's flipped out a couple times now so it's not worth it.  We get along so it's good for the most part.  Were struggling to teach, our goal this week is to teach 2x as many people as last week.  The ward is good, we get fed everyday and have a team-up so that nice.  I just don’t want to get attached to this area if I'm leaving after this transfer because it was hard to leave Merced.  I want to be in an area for a long time, but I'm not sure if I want to stay here because it's not Spanish.  I'm doing well and so life is good.

Week 55

So, I'm here in Turlock now after a short stay in Merced which is sad, but Turlock is awesome so I'm happy. Every letter says that Carter is a pretty chill baby so I'm taking it that he's very well behaved.  My new companion is Elder Tateoli who is Tongan, but from Las Vegas. We get along, but he's struggling pretty bad, I'm not sure if he'll be able to last two years.  He has potential to be good, but he doesn’t really care.  He won't talk in the lessons, he says he doesn't know them, so I have to teach the whole thing, I like teaching but it doesn’t feel good.  I wanted to help him and make him a good teacher, but he told me that he wasn't a little kid and didn't want help.  It will be a new challenge this transfer, but I'm up to it, so it's good.  Promising news is that we did a church tour with a girl called Kristy, who is 19 and the spirit was super strong and she committed to be baptized on August 25^th.  She came to church on Sunday also she's solid and progressing well.  Oh Cinthia, the 16 year old girl we were teaching in Merced got baptized on Saturday so that was exciting.

My new area is Turlock 4^th ward and this area has been struggling and is in pretty bad shape.  They have only baptized two people this year and none in the past four months.  It is an all bike area and we have no car so that is awesome because I've been driving most of my mission.  The only bad thing was that is was over 105 for the past six days so it has been super hot.  The apartment is the nicest one I've had yet and we have a washer and dryer in our apartment so I'm going to save about $30-$40 with not having to pay for laundry and washing the car.  The ward is missionary minded, we get fed dinner every night and quite a few lunches and team-ups, that’s the benefit of being in an English area, but I use my Spanish quite a bit.  I didn't think I could train Chad because I was in a Spanish branch, but now that I'm English area the possibility is still there.  That would be pretty funny if that happened so we will see.

I'm not sure if you remember Elder Bonner who served in our ward like two years ago,  but his family lives in my ward so everywhere I go find someone I know.  Elder Bonner came to our house a few times and I was in a class with him up at school. 

So this upcoming week we have a zone conference on Friday,  haven't had a big meeting  in two months so I'm excited for it.  I played basketball for the first time yesterday and I was didn’t do too bad for not playing for over two months.  I also thought my jump would have decreased, but I got way above the rim, so that was crazy.  Everyone asks why and how I jump so high and my secret is not working out and it’s the truth. 

That’s good to hear that your enjoying the Olympics, its sad to not see it, but Im glad that I wont miss the world cup.  Thanks for all the letters, always excited to get them.  Well better get going, but I love you and miss you.