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.

Week 35

Great to email you and this time I have plenty of time and not in a rush so thats nice. So not much to report on between when I emailed last Thursday and till now. We've been very busy every hour of the day and doing a lot of teaching, but no one is making steps to baptism right now so its a little frustrating. It seems as if every investigator we are teaching has a problem or issue with at least one thing, for one person it might be prophets, for another it might be law of chastity, but all our investigators have a problem right now that we need to work through. The weather is quickly turning to summer here and its getting me excited for when it gets real hot. I got my first signs of a tan so will do a lot more biking. We got a few member referrals this week that we have appointments at members homes so hopefully those go well, will let you know what happens with those next week. The priesthood meeting was great, we had tri-tip which is a type of meat, its really popular here in California but I had never heard of it before I came here. It's a lot better than the sloppy joes! The ward treats us so well, we get fed more than once a day here and they always are inviting us over and are very involved with the missionary work and the missionaries so I'm lucky to be in this area. I'm not sure if I told you but we have D. Todd Christofferson coming for stake conference on April 15th but we also found out this week that were having another all mission conference on the 14th with him so the mission is very excited about that. This week we are free of meetings so hopefully we will have a good week of finding and teaching. Also, looking forward to conference this upcoming weekend, feels like conference was just a month ago but that was 6 months ago already! We also have transfer calls this upcoming Saturday but with the new training program, it doesn't matter because I know that I'm staying here with Elder Villa Quevedo at least another transfer so don't have to worry about leaving for a while.

Well, I better get going but I love you all and miss you. Have a great week, and talk to you next week!

Week 34

Sorry its taken me so long to reply. I went to email on Monday and the libraries were closed and then the internet at the family history center was broken and then couldn't do it the past two days because I was in Fresno at a Leadership training for the past two days. So it took me til today to email so I will keep it short. Last week I had trainer trainee meeting in Fresno so that was fun, it's just that I've be going to a lot of meetings so it's a lot more sitting and a lot less missionary work. So that's pretty much what has been happening, the work has slowed down a lot because we haven't been able to work here for a while so we don't have many investigators so its slow right now. Tonight were going to the stake priesthood meeting and there is a dinner before so that should be fun. My companion is struggling right now, he doesn't really connect with anyone, none of the missionaries in the district really like him because he's kind of different and has nothing in common. I'm trying to help him but he won't open up and doesn't give me much to work with. He seems miserable a lot of the time and never smiles so that is something that I'm going to try and do...make him smile! So we've been working with sergio the past couple months and he has been going to church every week and he goes to mutual and all the other church activities but we asked his mom if he could be baptized but she said no so that was unfortunate. Were working with a few people but none of them are coming to church so we got to find those people that are actually looking for the truth. Well today is Thursday and I get to email you this Monday so won't be long til I email next.

Well I better get going but hope that everything is good and let you know that I love you all and miss you! Get to speak to you in less than two months, time is really flying!

Week 33

Thanks for the emails. So we had a great week this past week, we are extremely busy and the weeks are really starting to fly by. We had a lot of meetings this past week as we had L. Tom Perry and Elder Maynes. He talked about Mitt Romney surprisingly and how it gives us a great opportunity to share the gospel because so many people are wondering about the church. He talked about the priesthood and how the church is the only church that is organized. It was a long meeting, but it was good and the whole mission was together so it was fun to see everyone. Were struggling right now with people with a solid baptismal date so we need to find people who are actually interested. We are working with Sergio to get him baptized this weekend so pray for him to get permission from his parents. Besides from Sergio we don't have anyone who is really solid. This upcoming week we have trainer trainee meeting which is all day so that should be fun. Were just going to try new people to find this week. So last week we went to the Ramate, which is just a flea market, its like china town where there is a lot of cheap clothes and glasses.

Thats good that so many youth went to the youth trip, it sounds like the youth is really growing in the ward, more than just the 3 priests that we had when I was there. Sorry my emails are getting shorter it just seems the preparation days are getting shorter and shorter because were so busy on them but one of these days I will send some pictures. Well I gotta go but I love you and will talk to you next week.

Week 32

So today we went to the Remate and we just got back so don't have any time to email, but everything is good with me. We had an excellent week as we had 28 lessons taught and we normally only get about 20 and we were able to find 6 new investigators so we are doing really well. Alma was confirmed this Sunday and that was really special. This upcoming week we have L. Tom Perry coming to the all mission conference so looking forward to that.

Sorry my email is so small, next week won't be so crazy and will have more time to update you on life, but I'm loving everything right now so don't need to worry about me.