Hi mom.
Sorry this is so late, I got stuck at work. Yesterday was busy and today we have a lot planned as well (mostly planning because tomorrow it Elder Villanueva's departing temple trip). I'm not going to share to much with you about what happened yesterday, because that's for next time.
I LOVE YOU TOO. I needed to hear that, thank you.
I'm not as focused as you think I am on the food. I'm trying to eat healthy and work hard and I've seen little triumphs with food involved that build faith in that God can change people, but I mostly worry about my investigators and members that I serve, it helps me to focus on what's most important and it's something I have control over... for the most part. It's also hard to talk about miracles that happen in others lives without going into too much detail about their personal lives. Thank you for letting me know that I need to look at what my letters sound like some times.
This week was packed. We had three exchanges, almost in a row, and I spent four days straight working outside my designated area.
The first exchange was with Elder Tyus and Elder Rangel. I was with Elder Tyus in their area and he can freaking talk to everyone. We'd be walking down one side of the street and he'd see someone on the other side and just have to talk to them, so we'd run over there and start a conversation. We must have talked to like 300 people in one hour, and he still was going strong. It's amazing how many people God will put in your way when you are willing to talk to them. We also had a miracle member present lesson with their fecha. We were teaching him at the church building in Saugus (I don't really know where that is) and we wanted a member to help, but we didn't have anyone planned. One of the English wards that attends there was having mutual and we asked a brother if he'd help. He said yea and we taught a lesson on obedience and the Sabbath day. It was really good. They'd just been on exchanges with the Zone Leaders the day before, so I didn't get a chance to practice the lesson and it wasn't made by his missionaries, and the member was one that we just pulled out of his car at the last minute, but it was so well done and the lesson went smoothly. What was really cool was that the member was Latino, but he had really broken Spanish and wasn't all that comfortable speaking it, but he did amazing and I realized just how much the gift of tongues has helped me with the language. Also he works for Nickelodeon as a cartoonist and he drew SpongeBob in Elder Tyus's planner (I need to get a picture of that, and no he doesn't do SpongeBob on Nickelodeon). This was on Wednesday.
The day after, Thursday, was interviews, but they had a lesson planned with an investigator that morning at a member's house, so we went to that and exchanged back after breakfast. We, Elder Villanueva and I, then went home, had a quick lunch and then ran to our interviews with President Hall. It was so much fun. I made President Hall a batch of Grandma's cookies for him and his family, (finally got rid of all the cookie dough that was sitting in the fridge). We also got to talk with the nurse about health. It was Sister Anderson (the one that knows you mom) and we talked about healthy foods and how candy really only tastes good and kills you slowly. After interviews we did a little of weakly planning and then we went to a member dinner where we eat very Hispanic food.
Next was Friday. We had another exchange, this time with the Zone Leaders. It was fun, I was with Elder Houmand in their area and we got to work a lot. They actually had exchanges planned the next day with the assistance and so we had a window of exactly an hour to exchange back. We didn't see many cool miracles on this exchange, but we did learn that not only does one of their investigators speak English, he lived in Provo, Utah,for a time, which is super close to where Elder Houmand's family lives.
After we exchanged back on Saturday, I stole a quick lunch (a bowl of oats) and then we went to an exchange with Elder Gonzalez and Elder Elder, this time I went with Elder Gonzalez in their area for a couple of hours. During this time we taught an antiguo in their area and found four new miracle investigators with a member present. It was supper cool. They had a lesson planned with an investigator and a member at four, but it fell through and so we went by the back ups, but they also fell through. This member is freaking consecrated. His name is Pedro Flores and he just walked with us to another apartment building to knock the place. We knocked the first door and a man answered and said, "Oh I don't live here" but he was cool to come out and talk with us. We gave him a card and were explaining it when the door opened again and a girl poked her head out and said "I want to listen too" so we're invited in and we taught the girl, the brother (who works with Hermano Flores), and the man who opened the door, who happens to be the brother's friend. As we're teaching the restoration they're asking a lot of good questions about what happens after this life, so we switch gears for a second and talk about the plan of salvation and say we'll go in to deeper detail later. As we're closing the lesson, the door opens and a man walks in, another friend of the brother. We ask the brother to explain what we've taught and he does it flawlessly. We then got to close and ask Hermano Flores to share his testimony. Up to now I think he only speaks Spanish and the whole lessons been in English, but he shares his testimony in English and leave with super solid investigators for the area. It was such a powerful exchange and taught so much about how God's hand is in his work.
That's really about it. just
RETUN AND REPORT
weight (as of Monday) 176lbs. It's still the same, but I just ate a pizza, so it'll probably be 180 Tomorrow
Spanish 7/7
Follow up, did you read the scriptures I left you with about the Sabbath day?
if so, what did you learn?
Love
Elder Michael Blanding