September 8, 2014
Dear Family:
Last week I wrote about Monday already so I will just jump
straight to Tuesday!
Tuesday we had a slow day because all of the stuff and
places we had to go. We went to Riverside to sort some stuff out at the mission
office so that took the first good chunk of the day. We were out there already
so I figured we might as well have Elder Cook come and go to lunch with us. He
is doing good. He is in his last transfer so he only has two more weeks. We
taught David O'Flynn that night. Other than that we just e-mailed cuz we
couldn't on Labor Day and tried to visit some other people.
Birthday Cake in the Face Photos
Wednesday I went on exchanges into Elder Taylor's area. He
is a Spanish Missionary. Elder Thurman kept me up all night the night before
talking to me though so I was super tired all day. Instead of me trying really
hard to figure out what they were saying I would just block it out. Then ended
up being a bad thing because then I would start dozing a little bit and it was
really hard to stay awake. I don't think they noticed, but during Elder Taylor
giving the thought at dinner I may have fell asleep a few times for a split
second. We had a cool experience were a lady approached us and wanted to be
taught and baptized. She said she knows that our church is true. The only
reason she isn't a member is because of her husband. Unfortunately she wasn't
in my area, and she didn't speak Spanish so we had to pass it as a referral.
The other thing I was super excited about was Elder Larson's exchange. He went
with Elder Caples, who has only been out as long as Elder Larson, but is very
behind where Elder Larson is. So pretty much Elder Larson was on his own! I
remember that happening to me in my first area. Elder Kelley came into my area in my second transfer
though. They did an awesome job! Elder Larson taught a word of wisdom lesson to
David. I thought that was super impressive because we haven't covered it yet,
so he did it without ever seeing it done before. I wouldn't have done that as a
greeny. I think I leaned on my trainer too much.
Thursday we had a ton of meetings. Weekly planning for the
first half of the day. Ward MCM tor the middle part (our ward mission leader
talks a lot hahaha). We saw David. We went to the Saunders for dinner. They are
the coolest family in the ward! Plus super missionary oriented! They have a
great relationship with all of their kid’s friends. DJ, the one I told you
about last week, is like part of their family. He eats there at least once a
week. Comes over when he needs to get away from his home situation. Bro and Sis
Saunders talk to him about life and give him advice. He is like a brother to
all the siblings. Anyways I didn't know all of that until Sunday. I just
thought they were really good friends with him like they are everybody else,
but DJ is much more a part of their family it seems. That made me a little
nervous though realizing how much trust they were putting in me and my
companion. I know they have had lots of other people taught in their home
before, I don't know why DJ wasn't one of them. I guess I should ask haha.
Anyways pray for us on that one, we are trying to figure out to get things
rolling with DJ. We ate dinner with him again at the Saunder's and had a lesson
outside. Sister Saunders suggested we just have sort of a casual conversation
and let things roll into it. The conversation was good, but didn't develop as
much as I had hoped. I think that is the way that was the best though. I'm not
sure if it was more focused on DJ that he would feel a lot of pressure. I want
to meet with him on his own to gauge where he is at. We called and texted him
today to set something up but no reply yet. They are trying to get things set
up so we teach another one of their friends. Their daughter Amy has a friend a
few of the Elders keep running into named Joe. He is super busy because of
college football and stuff but it sounds like he is interested. The only thing
that kinda sucks is Amy is leaving to Rexburg for college, so that might slow
it down a little. The parents seem to have a good enough relationship with him
though so it should still work. If things happen those would be the two coolest
investigators!
Friday we had ZDM. I was so happy I’m not a zone leader
anymore haha. I was awesome to sit back and just be there. We taught David
Vollini (the investigator) the law of chastity. That was the most awkward law
of chastity lesson I have ever had haha. That is his only hold up. That and he
didn't come to church!! We called him at 10 to make sure he was up. If he
didn't answer we were going to bike down there but he did and said he would be
there so we trusted him. When he didn't come he said he didn't have enough time
to get ready even though we called him an hour before. He will come next week
though. We ate dinner with the Mitchell family. It is the part member family I
talked about last week. Dinner was awesome, Sister Mitchell really likes us I
think. Like we thought the only hold up is the husband, when we asked if we
could go through the lessons with them, he is the one who protested. The kids
really wanted it and so did his wife. I think if we can figure out what to do
with Bro Mitchell his wife will get baptized.
Saturday was more of the same I am just short on time so I
won't say much. I remembered a story that happened to Brett on his mission
because a similar thing happened to me. If I remember right once Brett and his
companion were asked if they were the strippers that were coming to that party
or something like that. Anyways we went to visit a referral from the Spanish
sisters. When we knocked on the door we could hear a bunch of girls laughing
saying something about "The Mormons". Turns out they were all getting
ready for a big party haha. They said right now wasn't a good time, but
that we could come back for the party! We didn't go, but she did say she wanted
to come to church next week. But not that week because she was going to be
"busy" ha.
Sunday Jr. and his family came from Lake Elsinore to eat
dinner with us at a member’s house here in Corona. They
used to be in this ward. Jr. got his mission call for New York, New York South.
Well gotta go!! Love ya bye!!!! Elder
Wood
