Hi Mom.
This week was packed. After I e-mailed you, we started our exchange with Elder Buck and Elder Rongel. Elder Buck is the District leader and I had him for the Day. Elder Garcia got Elder Rongel. Elder Buck and I spent most of the day Finding. They had lessons but they all fell through. Elder Buck is soooooo cool. I hope to have him as a companion some time before he leave in six months. He's only a few days older then me and did Tech for Drama in high school. We talked far to long that night, but it was nice to have someone to talk to about Drama, Doctor Who, and Super Heroes.
After the exchange Elder Garcia told me that S*, one of our investigators with a Date, asked us to teach her every night. She likes to ask questions, so we're thinking we might have to move her to seven in order to get back to the apartment so we can have a member present with her the next night. We also took her to the LA temple Visitors Center. It was really cool. She brought her neighbor R*. Poor Hemanas at the Visitors Center weren't ready for R*. He tells you what he sees and knows and nothing else. Everyone keep's telling me that my Spanish is good. I'm not sure how much I can believe them.
This week was also interviews with the President. It was really nice and I learned a lot. It felt like I was conducting the Interview because I had a paper full of questions and he asked one or two. I love President Hall! Here is an exert from his e-mail to us this week. "We have the very best missionaries in the world in this mission! I have been so impressed with your courage, your faith, your dedication and your commitment. It is truly the missionaries the make The Great California San Fernando Mission the greatest mission in the world! I am so humbled and honored to be able to work shoulder to shoulder with each of you!"
We found two miracles from Peru. The first was only here for the week and we found him within his first two hours of coming here. He provided equipment for the church in Peru and wants to know more. The other is a cook who we didn't think was too solid but already knew a lot of what we have to teach. He offered to make us Peruvian food for the next lesson.
I'm losing weight! I have a goal of 1 lb. a week, but this week I lost nearly 4 lbs. Now to keep it only to one pound I need some help from you. If you could send me recipes for your Dutch Oven Triple Chocolate Cake and Sloppy Joe's that would be fantastic.
As for prayers in specific. S* needs help in reading the Book of Mormon. If you could pray for her to have a desire to do this and ask God if it is true, that would be a tremendous help. We also have a Family, Familia C*, that need the same desire and to come to church, they came last week, but this week they'd partied the night before.
Striving for Consecration
Love
Elder Michael Blanding
Elder Michael "The Boxer" Blanding
Elder Michael Blanding is far right.
