Hi Mom,
Who knew that Knocking could be so much fun (THIS IS NOT SARCASM) I can only imagine the face of Elder Garcia as he reads this email. When I first came to the mission, I HATED knocking doors. I'd talk to people on the street in bad Spanish. I'd try to pay attention and help with lessons that made no sense to me, I'd even offer to read in a language I didn't understand and didn't have anything to do with Spanish (I swear, the MTC doesn't know Spanish), but I would freeze up any time we came near a door. Now I love walking up to strangers doors and knocking them. Some of the best ones are the ones that don't care so they sound like idiots, and the absolute best are when they say "Quieren entrar?" We've been knocking mostly white neighborhoods recently, because we're knocking all our area. We only have a little bit left to knock and then we'll be done with the area.
Sunday was sad. We only got to teach the T* once this week, so they're a lot farther behind in the lessons then we'd like them/they need to be. Their fecha is for the 11th, so we have a lot to teach them in just two weeks and they're really hard to get a hold of. They also can't miss another Sunday, or we'll have to postpone the baptism by another week. Brother T* got called into work all day yesterday, so they didn't go.
We also set a fecha with Brother G* (the antiguo of elder McKinney) but his wife didn't want to set one. She could be slower to get baptized because her mom is really trying to pull her away from the church. I wish sometimes that people would just take a stand for their beliefs. They both know it's true, but they haven't come to church because of family since we found them. We also have a Menos Activa/Conversa Reciente that is doing the same thing. She knows it's true, or at least wants her son to be in the church, but because of her family she doesn't come to church and we don't know how to help her (ideas for helping people como asi are welcome)
That was pretty much the whole week. Kind of frustrating, but also really fun. I did learn that God knows exactly who we are and what we need because he always puts that person in our path when we need to talk to them and never puts anyone in our path when we need to get somewhere quickly. Lesson from this, TALK TO EVERYONE and "let the Holy Spirit guide" when doing God's work. He's not only prepared people, but he's prepared the day so you can find those people. That's why as missionaries we plan our days and stick to what is planned. When we do this, we give God the knowledge of where we will be and He then shows us where we should be, who we should talk to, and how we should get there.
I know that God lives and loves us. He is our Heavenly Father and will guide us safely back home if we let Him. He sent His son, Jesus Christ, into the world to prepare and show us the way back to heaven. He (Jesus) is the Christ, or Messiah, or Savior of the world and He loves us. I know that He will come again and that He HAS restored His church on the earth with His authority. I know this because the Holy Ghost has born witness to my soul that it is true. He did it many times. At Grandma Ostler's and Grandpa Blanding's funerals, during Built on the Rock (both years) and the other amazing youth conferences I've had in Redmond, while I sang hymns in choirs, while I've listened to/read talks from general conference, while I've sought God through scripture study and prayer, and while I've listened to my companions bear fervent, honest, heartfelt testimony of this divine truth. The most important times I've felt the Holy Ghost bear witness of these truths where the quite ones, where I asked a simple Question and received a simple, but powerful response. If you don't know for yourself, or if you are struggling with what you do or don't know, I would urge (or "exhort" to use scripture words) you to think back on all your experiences, the good and the bad, and then "ask of God." I promise that as you do this, God will open the windows of heaven and you will feel His love and know that it is true. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Lots of Love
Elder Michael Blanding
Called to serve my King.