27 Jun 2016

This week was good. On Monday we played basketball and we watched the movie Risen. It was ok, I wasn't very impressed. I don't know if I just didn't like it or I've been on my mission so long that my opinion on movies has changed. I enjoyed playing basketball more than the movie.

On Tuesday we taught Diana the rest of everything. Then we set a time for her baptism. Then we went to the mission office to pick up a bunch of stuff for the Sisters. After that we taught the Vigils. They are an older Catholic couple. They are really nice and they like us, but they aren't progressing very fast at all. We talked about the Book of Mormon with them.

On Wednesday we had another lesson with Diana. We went over the baptismal interview questions with her and made the program for her baptism. She asked me to baptize her and she asked Elder Case to confirm her. After that lesson we had another one with Tommy Bean. He is back on date for July 9th. I hope he makes it. We taught him the Word of Wisdom. Then after dinner we had another lesson with brother Neff. We talked a lot about service. Brother Neff is an amazing guy.  He wants to go through the temple so bad. All of our lessons cancelled after that.

On Thursday we had Diana's baptismal interview. She passed with flying colors. While we were waiting for the interview to be done we were outside and I dropped my iPad on the concrete and it landed right on the top right corner. But it didn't crack the screen. It just left a little dent. I was so lucky. Then like 5 minutes later Elder Case dropped his and his screen cracked. So after that we went to lunch at Burger King and then went to weekly planning. The rest of the day was slow.

On Friday we had district meeting. I did an hour training. I didn't think that was possible. So I got up and told everyone to ponder about how much of their time and effort they are giving to the Lord. Then I told them to put that in a percentage and when they figured out their percentage to come to the front, write it on a price of paper and then throw it in the bucket. So after everyone did that I averaged all of the percents and wrote the average percent on the board. So our districts percent of time and effort we were giving to the Lord was 71%. Then I talked about that for a little bit. Then I wrote the grade we were. So in school a 71% is a C-. Then I gave everyone 10-15 minutes to go and find a room where you can pray by yourself and ask the Lord what you need to do to raise your percentage. Then we came back together and we set a goal of what percentage we wanted to be as a district for this next week. We set a goal of 80%. The rest of the day was contacting.

On Saturday we had the baptism! It was super spiritual. Diana just has an awesome spirit about her. That was the longest I've ever spent in a font. She can't use her left arm and her legs don't work very good so Elder Case help me baptize her. When we finally got her situated she told me that she couldn't bend her knees. I just remember thinking "aw crap." But it all worked out ok. She couldn't hold herself up in the water because she didn't have her cane. So I was supporting her all the way up until I gave the prayer. When I had my hand raised I could feel her slipping backwards, so I said the prayer really fast. Then I put her in the water and my wrist didn't even get wet, because she can get hurt so easily. So I didn't put her under very far. It took a long time to get her back out of the font and she had to go up the stairs backwards. But we did it and when we got her to the top she hugged me and said, You're my brother now." It was such a cool experience. Then that night we met with our Marshallese investigator Rose. We taught her the Plan of Salvation and she asked lots of good questions. We also committed her to come to church.

On Sunday we had Diana's confirmation. Elder Case did a really good job. Unfortunately Tommy Bean was the only investigator who came to church. During our last sacrament meeting at 1 we got a text from the Spanish Sisters that said, "We got robbed." So yeah, the Sisters and their landlord got robbed while they were at church. Not a whole lot got stolen, but everything got messed up. I was really worried about them until I could call them after Sacrament meeting. So yeah that was my week. It's so weird to think that I have less than 2 months left.

20 Jun 2016

This week was good. On Monday we played basketball, soccer, and spotlight. It was fun.

On Tuesday we taught Keven, the care center dude and then we taught Richard Thompson. Our lesso with Richard was really good. The lesson with Richard went really good. We talked about the Book of Mormon.

Then that night we went to teach Amber and pass her off to the YSA sisters, but she didn't show.

On Wednesday we had a mission tour with Elder Wilson of the 70. It was really good and I learned a lot. We had a fun time and we learned how to make the Book of Mormon sound fun to our investigators. After that we ate dinner at Golden Corral. Then we went and visited the McFarlanes and we had a fun time.

On Thursday we had weekly planning and then we were supposed to have a lesson with a family from Iraq, but they weren't there. On the way there Elder Case got a flat tire. So we had Elder Lambert from the office come and pick us up. After dinner the rest of the day was contacting.

On Friday we had district meeting as usual. It was pretty much just a follow up on the mission tour. I had everyone look for a cupcake in the Gym. Because I was talking about feasting on the words of Christ.
 

So they were plastic cupcakes that are hollow. They are pretty much those plastic Easter Eggs. So I had everyone find an egg open it and introduce the scripture to another companionship in a way that would make then excited to read it. So that was fun. After that we went and picked up little ceasers for lunch. Then we had a lesson with Diana and taught her the word of wisdom and the law of chastity. Then we taught Tommy bean about scripture study and prayer. Then we had dinner and our other lesson with Amber got canceled. So then we went and taught a lesson with a Marshallese lady named Rose. It was a really good lesson and the spirit was there and she agreed to meet with us again this week. Hopefully we will be able to put her on date and get her baptized.

On Saturday I went on exchanges with Elder Dolan in his area. All of our lessons cancelled so we spent the day finding and then at night we went to a Ward party. We also talked a lot about college. So I have a few ideas about college now.

On Sunday we went to church from 8:30am to 4:30 pm. It was a long day.

Then we got a bunch of Father's Day stuff from the Marshallese branch.

So that was our week.

13 Jun 2016

This week was good. On Monday for a zone activity we played basketball, volleyball, and a game called spotlight. It was really fun. We have a sister in our zone, she is actually one of the sister APs., who is really good at volleyball. My team stomped the other team. It was a really fun p-day! I also let Elder Coleman cut my hair, but he messed it up. He cut the top too short and shaved my part line. Then that night we started exchanges with the Zone Leaders.

On Tuesday we had a lesson with the Vigils. They are an old Catholic couple that we read the Book of Mormon with. Then we had a lesson with Keven. We taught him the Plan of Salvation. He was involved and asked some good questions. We are still trying to determine if he is all there mentally or not. After that we went and visited a man named Richard Thompson. For the rest of the night we went contacting. Elder Andersen and I had a lot of fun. Some dude gave us home made bread.

On Wednesday we taught a guy in the care center named Craig. He has been less active for probably over 40 years. He read the Book of Mormon half way through in the last couple of months. He pretty much taught us the restoration. He has a sincere desire to come back to church. At the end of the lesson he bore his testimony to use on the Book of Mormon. Then we taught Tommy Bean a really quick lesson. Then we had dinner. After that we visited the Neffs and the McFarlanes. 

On Thursday we had a pass off lesson with the Spanish Sisters. There was a woman who wanted Sisters but then later said she was fine with Elders. Her name is Diana and she is as golden as they come. We taught her tithing and she was numbed out that she only had to pay 10 percent. So then we had weekly planning. After dinner we went and visited Bill Tate. We read in the Book of Mormon with him and discussed it. We read 3 Nephi 11. We focus on how Christ let everyone touch him one by one. 

On Friday we had district meeting. I gave a training on resolving concerns. Then we had a senior couple bear their testimonies because they are finishing their mission. Afterwards we ate at Chick-fil-A and some lady paid for us. After lunch we had a lesson with the Flores family. Their two sons were baptized almost a month ago. Then we taught a girl named Amber the restoration and put her on date. We are going to pass her off to the YSA sisters though.

 On Saturday we played basketball with Elders Dolan and Hunt. After that we had studies and went to a lesson with Diana. We were answering some of her questions and we talked a lot about faith. She would get baptized right now if she could. Then we had a lesson with Keven and we taught him the gospel of Jesus Christ. We still aren't sure of his mental capacity. The rest of the night we went contacting.  

On Sunday only half of the people showed up that we thought would. It was sad. We weren't able to teach Bruno because he is out of town for a few weeks. So we went visit people the rest of the night.

6 Jun 2016

This week was good. Last Saturday we played basketball with Elders Hunt and Dolan. Then we went to a baptism for a girl I used to teach in the Granger Stake. It was good to see people from my old area. Then we met one of our investigators. His name is Tommy Bean. 

On Sunday it was filled with a lot of church. Then we had Bruno's lesson at temple square.  We finished up the last lesson with him.

On Monday we climbed up to the Living room. It's a mountain by the University of Utah. It's called the Living room because there is a bunch of furniture made out of rocks at the top. It was super fun. I was so tired on the way up and it was so hot and I was so sweaty. The way down was a lot more fun. Then we played basketball afterwards.

On Tuesday I went on exchanges with Elder Hunt and he came to my area. We played basketball in the morning with the zone leaders and then came back and showered and had studies. Then we had a meeting with the zone leaders about what our districts need. We talked a lot about how we can get the members to help us. Then we went finding for the rest of the day and then we had a lesson with Bill Tate and we met with this guy named Kevon. He is in the care center by the hospital. We shared a short message and set a return appointment.

On Wednesday we met with Kevon again and taught him the restoration. He is really excited to learn more. Then we met with Nelson Neff and the McFarlanes. We talked about the temple with Bro Neff and then we practiced the restoration with the McFarlanes.

On Thursday we went to the mission office to drop of my traveling home form and then went to lunch with Elders Hunt and Dolan. Then we did weekly planning and then went to a lesson. We taught Brian the restoration. And then went finding for the rest of the night. 

On Friday we had district meeting. We had trainings about getting the members excited about missionary work. And then I gave a training on how we can help ourselves be better missionaries. Then we went to Burger King for lunch. Then we went to a service project with the sisters. Then for the rest of the night we went finding.

On Saturday we played basketball with the other Elders. Then the rest of the day was filled with finding. The Sisters called us and asked if we could give their investigator a blessing. So we did.

Sunday was full of church, but Bruno was sick and couldn't make our lesson. So we went and visited members for the night. 

I am loving training, Elder Case is a super funny guy. He is on a two transfer mission because he has slight anxiety issues, but I can't tell at all. He could have gone straight out. But yeah that was my week.