Hi mom,
This week was very different from the others. We spent all week walking around the area and talking to everyone. When we totaled the number of people we invited to come unto Christ on the street it was 222, and I think we might have even talked to more, sometimes we forget someone here and there.
We didn't do much else. We only taught one man. He was an investigator so we didn't do anything other then try and learn where he was and help him recognize the Spirit, He was an investigator when we got here, but we'd never taught him again. He's pretty cool, but he wants to be 100% sure before he commits to baptism, so this could take awhile.
We also had a miracle Cena. We where walking around the area on Thursday, looking for futoros and referencias that we'd received/found earlier (fun fact, learned on Friday that all our referencias have already been dropped, so yah) and we got the literal edge of our zone. Our area shares two borders with differentdistricts and one's my old district in Van Nuys, which is a different Zone, and we walked to that exact corner. As we turned to keep working in our area, someone started calling to us and waving us over. It was a member from Tonga who wanted to get us food. The thing is, all the fast food restaurants are out side of our area. The one he wanted to take us to was actually in the other zone, so we said we couldn't go, so he said "stay there, I'll go buy it for you." and thus, we got a meal for free and saved a little money. I also learned how to make papusas, I just need to practice it.
We also had an exchange on Friday with the Zone Leaders (You might recognize the names) Elder Gutierrez and Elder Gamble-Thompson. It was really fun. The area is actually Elder Gamble-Thompson's old area so he came here with me and we learned more about what's around us and who we can stop trying by.
Sunday was rather disappointing. Even though we got a lesson on Sunday, we had 4 investigators say they were going to come to Church, but in the end, none showed. Three of them are the Familia T*, who's been supper solid, they even went to a baptism last week that we didn't go to. Every time we've knocked their door and they were home, they answered, except this last time. I don't know what happened, but we're going to find out and work more with them. I know they're ready, they just might not know that yet.
That's really about all. Just...
RETURN AND REPOT
Weight loss; 180
Spanish days: 6/7
Love,
Elder Michael Blanding
Called to serve my King
[this came about 30 minutes after the above]
I JUST HAD THE COOLEST MIRACLE EVER!!!!!
I had to go to the bathroom just now, and while I was there I started talking to an older man (a trick I picked up from Elder Tyus). It was a normal conversation in which I asked why he was here (in the library) and what was his work. He said he is retired and was here because he wanted to do some research on his union so he could get back to work. I asked him what he did and he said that he was an actor, which naturally got me soooooooooo excited with my dreams. We talked a little about the acting business and how I could get in, (he didn't tell me anything against what I'd already heard, so plans will probably stay the same for a while) and he said this about the acting business. "It's not the business I came out here to be a part of.... It's too vulgar now.... I can't even watch T.V. it's so bad." I was so excited, I felt, no, heard the Spirit say, "Talk to him about the Law of Chastity," so I shared a little and told him that I was a missionary (it hadn't [surfaced] yet in the conversation) and gave him a Mormon.org card and invited him to look at some of the videos we have. THIS WAS ONE OF THE BEST CONVERSATIONS I'VE EVER HAD!
I want to invite all of you to do something right now. This week, every day, I invite you to go out of your way to help someone. Do something that you normally wouldn't do for someone else. Maybe that means taking to someone, or taking out the trash with out being asked. Just one small act of kindness and then, if the situation presents itself, testify of Jesus to the person. As a missionary this is easy, because it's my job to testify, therefore I always have the opportunity to testify. As a member it's easy to, we just have to look and know that God wants to save everyone, we're all brothers and sisters and we love our family and want the best for them, that's why we share the truth that we have with our closest and dearest friends, because we love them. And if you make it clear that's why you're doing what you're doing, they'll love you all the more for it.
Elder Michael Blanding (back far left)