June 29, 2015, Fire and Ice

Hi Mom

This week was super fun. We had a lot of meetings and not much happened when you look at the numbers, but it was a fantastic week, full of learning and growth.

Monday, we got a call from the hermanas in our branch (Hermanas Bedell and Salazar) about a less active member in the ward who needed a blessing. We had planned to do some other things, but we figured that we'd best give the blessing. There wasn't a man there, so we called Hermano Lazaro Vargas. He's a recent convert of Elder Tyus that lives in the part of the area that was added on to ours. We were going to run by that night, but instead he came so we could give the blessing to the hermana. It went well and we talked to a few interested people who we never would have found if we didn't have to run to the hermana's house to give a blessing. Proof that the Lord goes before your face and puts people in your path.

Tuesday we did district meeting and a few lessons, nothing devastating or that stands out.

Wednesday we did service at the Gibbons Center for an hour, but then we saw smoke, and a lot of it, so we called off service and went to drop off the other elders at there apartment on the other side of the Santa Clarita Valley. When we got to there apartment, it became really clear that the fire was in New Hall (where the other elders live and where the mission office is). Basically, to escape the fire, we drove towards it. We left and then kind of stayed in the apartment while Elder Tyus tried to make sure that everyone in the district was fine. We then went to work for a little bit and then ran to the church for a couple of meetings with President Hall and President Mendez. The meeting with President Mendez was moved to next week, but the one with President Hall was super cool. We talked about numbers and statistics and I learned a lot from that meeting on just how to handle numbers and reports. It was also President Halls last week in the mission, so it was cool to see him one more time. Fun fact; the fire started right behind the mission home (where President and Sister Hall stayed for there three years of service) and moved to behind the Croket Home (where President and Sister Hall were staying during the renovations of the mission home in preparation for President and Sister Henrie).

Thursday we did Weekly Planning and then Elder Tyus had to run and give a Baptismal Interview. It went well. I'd received the himnos for Sunday during Planning, so I spent the time learning the notes and pattern for them. We then went to the Family History Center to learn how to do it in preparation for a huge activity we want to do as to find more people. Basically we're inviting everyone to come to the Family History Center to learn how to do Family History.

Friday we had exchanges with Elder Elder and Elder Gonzalez. Elder Tyus went into their area with Elder Elder and Elder Deyholos and I stayed here with  Elder Gonzalez. It was a super sweet exchange. We had a hand off lesson with the YSA Sisters for O* and J* and is went pretty well. We also invited Hermano L* V* and his wife to the Family History activity.

On Saturday we received a bomb in the mail. Not really. We were doing companionship studies (Watching some District videos and we hear a loud thunk, followed by our doorbell. I open the door and a package is on our front step. It was my Birthday Package. I have absolutely no will power, because I opened it right then... Ok, I opened it because it had medicine I needed (thanks mom). We then ended the exchange and Elder Tyus was super excited to have Twinkies (He says "Thanks mom" too) I really like the watch. We also had a lesson with Hermana B* and it went really well. She said she was going to come to church and we invited them the the Family History Activity as well. She said she'd try.

Sunday was really fun. We had a lot of meetings before church, so we didn't find anytime to do studies. The meetings were good and it was nice to learn how we can work closer with the branch. I also hadn't had the opportunity to practice the hymns for sacrament, so I was kind of freaking out. I knew what they should sound like and the pattern and sequence of the notes, but I'd never played one of them, so I didn't know if I could do it. I wanted to find time during church and a free room to practice, but we couldn't do it during Gospel Principals and Elder Tyus was asked (last minute) to teach Priesthood, so I sat in the back of the class, really focusing on memorizing the hymns for sacrament. I had a few minutes between Sacrament and priesthood to practice, but we walked around a greeted people, so I only got to  play through two hymns and then we had to start church. With the amount of practice I had, I did pretty good. Less mistakes then last time and I was able to hide and recover quicker. Proof that God really can build and use people beyond their own ability. Hermana B* also came to church, just in time to partake of the Sacrament. After church, we went out with the priesthood brethren on Home Teaching Visits. It was cool, but it also took up the rest of the day, until we had to leave for the Baptism. The Baptism was soooo sweet. It was two kids and they have the most presiosos testimonies. We then went to President Rodrigezes house (he's the Elder's quorum president) to pick up dinner and then we ran to the apartment so Elder Tyus could do his duties as District Leader.

Return and Report

weight loss 185 lbs

days of Spanish 4/7

Birthday wish that can be sent via E-mail.

I want a letter full of advice or words of comfort from all of you. Anyone is allowed to contribute. A name with the advice would be nice, but I just want something with personal advice from all my friends and family.

Love

Elder Michael Blanding

Called to Serve My King

June 22, 2015, Car Crash and 3 Days at the Hospital

Hi Mom,

Just some humor, I'm fine, explain more latter.

This week was a really fun, crazy week. Monday through Thursday were according to schedule. We had two exchanges during that time, one with the Zone Leaders and one with the Assistants. They were really good and we saw a lot of cool miracles on them.

Thursday we had Zone Conference down in the Van Nuys. All the missionaries in the Spanish side of the mission were there and we sang "I'll never no never no never forsake" as a farewell to President and Sister Hall. It's a cool story. So this was Presidents last Zone Conference (they leave next Monday) and there's this song called "fear not" and the last verse of the song is the seventh verse of "How Firm a Foundation" so a district sang all of "Fear Not" and on a signal from one of the singers, we all stood and sung the last verse with them. It was pretty cool. After that we had lunch and then testimonies from all the departing missionaries and President and Sister Hall.

Friday's when things started getting interested. Before I go on, I want to reassure you that I am fine. No broken bones, no cuts, not even a head ache. One-hundred-percent fine. Now about the car crash. I was driving... not. They actually won't let me drive. So what happened is Elder Deyholos, Elder Tyus, and I are doing weekly planning (because we had to move it from Thursday do Friday for Zone Conference) and we get a call from Hermana Bedell and Hermana Salazar (they're the other missionaries in our branch). Elder Tyus answers the phone and starts a normal conversation. "Hi how are you" "I'm fine" sort of a thing, and Hermana Salazar is on the other end of the phone in a very normal, unstressed voice and says something like "Well.. we just had a car crash." We immediately drop our planning and grab the bare necessities, First aid kit, badge, camera, and run out the door, literally. The only hold up was praying for safety as we drove and going back once or twice for things we forgot in our rush. We get to the accident scene and the hermanas are just sitting there on the side of the road with all their stuff outside of the car. Elder Tyus takes immediate control over the situation., He tells Elder Deyholos to take pictures of the scene and I start working on the paper work for the church. Hermana Bedell got a little banged up, so he had Hermana Salazar do some first aid. My job probably took the longest and I kept having to interrupt conversations to get the information I needed. We'd also called 911 to get an ambulance and a cop on the scene, and that just added to the chaos. What had happened is the Hermanas were coming back from service at the Gibbons Center. They were driving down the road and were almost at the apartment when a Toyota van decided to turn Right onto their street without checking to see if it was clear (that seems to be a thing here). So the van T-boned them and another car was waiting to make a left and thought she could make it, but the hermanas flew across the road and the car rear ended them and pulled off a tire. After we got the accident scene figured out, we ran to the hospital to check on the hermanas. They were fine, but they asked us to give them blessings. They only allow two people to visit in the ER, so Elder Tyus and I gave the blessings. It was super spiritual. Later, the Sister Training Leaders (Hemanas Lopez and Jensen) and nosotros went to Food 4 Less to buy the hemanas some emergency supplies (oh, here's where we gave away half of the cocoa powder) and then we ended the day with the rest of Planamiento Semenal, or what of it we could do. During Companionship Inventory, I learned that I can't give feedback to save my life, so I'm going to work on that this week. Also, while we were at the Hospital, we met this English member who was visiting her grandpa (she lives in Utah). She asked us if we could give him a blessing, but he wasn't awake so we gave her our number just in case.

Saturday, we started by going to the house of President Mendez to do some service, but part way through the Hermanas texted us to see if we could get them an egg Mc-Muffin, so we left to fill that order and got them two shakes. We then went back to president's house to finish, but we didn't have much left to do, so we finished out and then they fed us lunch. It was really good. We then went straight to proselyting and ended the day with two new investigators.

Sunday was stressful. Elder Villanueva taught me how to learn a melody line on the piano and I still know how to play it with my fingers. The Branch found this out when I played for Elder Villanueva and asked me to play the piano for Sacrament last week. I told them I needed the hymns at least a week in advance and it took tell Saturday at lunch for me to get them. So I had 24 hours to learn and practice the hymns. on top of that the English sister form the hospital called us and asked if we could come to the hospital to give a blessing. So we took part of our pre-church preparation time to go to the hospital. When we got there we called her and she said that her husband was there with another priesthood holder, so we ran back to church to give the Sunday school lesson, which we only found out we were doing that day, luckily the teacher showed up and we had some free time to practice the hymns. I also spent all of the second hour, Priesthood, practicing and learning the hymns. Finally Sacrament came and I was so nervous. I didn't know what I was doing. I managed the first hymn pretty well, The spirit kept reminding me what to do. The second one was "I Stand All Amazed". I know this one. I played it for Elder Villanueva. This will be easy. Nope, I bumbled and fumbled my way through it. I then started looking at the hymns and playing them, in my head, while looking at the piano. Trying very hard to imagine where to put my fingers and what it would look like as I struck the note. I did alright with the next two. NOTE: PRACTICE PIANO NOW, NOT ON STAGE OR ON THE STAND AT SACRAMENT. It really would have helped if I'd know what I was doing. after sacrament, actually, during the last hymn (I know because I had the phone in my pocket and it was distracting) we got a couple hundred texts from the English sister asking us to come to the hospital one more time to give a blessing. Apparently they didn't get the chance before and so we ran back and gave the blessing. It was cool. We then went to dinner and called it a night.

Oh and Elder Tyus flooded the kitchen with soap doing dishes some day before Thursday (I don't remember which)

Love Elder Michael Blanding

Called to Serve my King

P.S. YES HE IS.

June 15, 2015, Fast Week with a Surprise Ending

Really, that sums up the week

Hi mom,

This week was so much fun. We started with the temple trip on Tuesday. It was so cool. We always lean so much in the Temple. That's really all I can say. After the temple, we ran to a few investigators, but nothing much happened.

Wednesday we had district meeting and then we spent all day in service pretty much, We did a little bit of proselyting, but we had a meeting with President Mendez that night, so we didn't get much done. Elder Tyus also had a meeting with Pestilent Hall and the stake mission leader, but we didn't know about it, so it was rescheduled for the end of the month.

Thursday we did weekly planning and had a lesson with Hermana B*. She's a member who is less active and has lost her records, so we are teaching her as an investigator and trying to prepare her for re-baptism. She'd read in the Book of Mormon, but is having troubles understanding, so we invited her to reread it and we'd talk more about it next time.

Friday was 1 week follow up for Elder Deyholos, so we didn't get much done that day in terms of lessons, but we did have some good training.

Saturday we had a blitz in the area of the Hermanas Lopez and Jensen. So we did some studies and then ran to the blitz. During the blitz we went on exchanges. Elder Tyus went with Elder Gonzalez and Elder Elder came with Elder Deyholos and me. We ran by a bunch of antiguos in the area and we had a miracle right off the bat. We ran by this one hermana who'd just gotten out of the hospital and didn't believe in miracles. She didn't have a lot of interest when we started talking, but as we talked she started to become more interested. As she got more interested and we started sharing scriptures with her, it started to get louder. At the beginning there was no sound at all, but come the end trucks where driving by and her phone was going nuts. This is a miracle because of what Elder Deyholos said as we got in the car to drive away. He said that he could see Satan fighting our message by all that noise. We even have a return appointment set from that conversation. We then ran to a branch activity where we watched "meet the mormons." (You better have that movie when I get back, It's so good)

Sunday we did church and then ran by some potentials. After church, when we were walking out, we bumped into Hermano Perez-Villanueva. Yes, the companion I'd just sent home. He's in the mission visiting for the next little bit, it was so weird.

That's really it.

Return and Report

weight loss 185 lbs, up 5

Spanish, didn't count :(

Love you all

Elder Michael Blanding

Called to Serve/

June 8, 2015, Trio Life!!!!! It's so Fun. Adventures Outside of a Car

Hi mom.

This week has been a blast. My new companions are (Drum Role Please) Elder Tuys (The District Leader) and... (Drum Role restarts and gets louder) Elder Deyholos. Trio life is a blast. We spent two nights with out a third bed, so Elder Tyus opted to sleep on the couch. We called the Sanders as soon as possible and Thursday we took some time to put together a bunk bed a de-junk the apartment, which consisted of throwing out the couch and moving a t.v. dresser stand thing. It was where we needed to put the couch. Santa Clarita is very different form San Fernando. There if you want to get rid of a couch just put it on the side of the road, eventually it will be gone. That was only the beginning of the fun in the Trio.

Elder Tyus is a hoot to be around. He's from Colorado and has the best descriptions for anything and everything. He also quotes Star Wars or some other movie every five minutes, so it's always fun to hang around with him. We've been on exchanges before, and he's just as fun if not better as a companion. I can also tell that he truly wants to help out his district.

Elder Deyholos is a brand new missionary straight out of the MTC. I'm training him and it's a lot of pressure to have his training on my shoulders. He's from Canada, Alberta (tell Jessie that's where they film "Heart Land"). He's supper dedicated to his mission. Spanish could still use some work, but he's doing good. He's having a really hard time with the heat down here. One day he turned on our AC and left it running all day, when we came back the apartment was soo cool, but the next day we found out we'd used up all the coolant, so the AC didn't work for the next few days. the nights were SOOO HOT. He's also been teaching me how to speak with a Canadian ancient, I hope to come home speaking Canadian and espanol and nothing else, That be pretty decent, Eh! Oh and he's the supper tall one in the photo I'm sending, 6'5"

We actually started the companionship off with a supper cool miracle. We ran by a investigator on Wednesday, and he was there, but didn't really want to listen right then. Elder Villanueva had found this man through knocking the week before and picked him up on his door step. As we were talking about a day we could come back his nephew came up to us and asked "Are you men of God?" We told him yes, and then he started quoting the Bible and we offered to teach him a little. He said he was interested, so we cam in and taught him part of the Restoration. At the end we felt inspired to invite him to be baptized on the 5th of July. HE ACCEPTED THE FECHA!!!!! It was so cool. The sad news is that he's only 10 so we had to get mom's permission, and she said "NO" so he doesn't have a fecha :(. He still wants to get baptized. Actually when his mom was telling us he couldn't be baptized, C* (the 10-year-old kid) said "I'll have to find some other way to get baptized" while tapping his fingers together in a very mischievous, I'm up to no good/something sneaky way.

We talked about who we could use as a friend for him on Saturday, when we finished weekly planning (because we put a bed in and cleaned the apartment on Thursday, Yes mom I clean, you can stop "fainting" now;) te amo), and we thought that M* Bernal, the 10-year-old son of Hermano Bernal (our branch mission leader) would be perfect, so we invited him and his dad to a drop by lesson with C*. It didn't work out as planned. I'd been in that area before, but we'd only ever gotten there by car. I thought it was within walking distance of Hermano Bernal's, so to save miles and gas I said let's walk it. It didn't actually work out. We had to take a detour down a dry stream bed to avoid hopping a fence, which we did in the end anyway. In the end, he wasn't even home, so we walked back (by way of the road) and I talked to Hermano Bernal while Elder Tyus and Elder Deyholos walked with M*. We had M* do a few Finding Opportunities with us and he was so good. He's going to make a really good missionary. I need to get a picture of this family so you can know who I'm talking about. Dinner at their house is like going home for an hour. Big family, little kids, lots of fun.

That's about it. They asked me to play piano in sacrament, but I told them I needed a week's notice with the hymns in order to do that, but I'd love to help out if I can.

RETURN AND REPORT

Weight Maintenance. (I've stopped focusing on losing weight and now just want to stay with in 175 to 180 lbs) right now I have 183. We haven't had time to workout in the mornings all week.

Spanish; I don't know, I fell behind in counting it so I'll say 6/7. It's really hard with Elder Deyholos and he's not as focused on learning the language as he is on teaching the gospel, so I can't force anything.

That should be it. I do want to know what happened to the medicine I mentioned on Mother's Day skype call. I still don't have it and now I need the shower cream too. also, I'm thinking about my Birthday package, It's only a month and a day away (That's so weird.) and could you send me a chocolate cake dry mix. I'm going to make your cake for my birthday, if you could through in the marshmallows too, that'd be great. I can't wait for next week to write again, but I will do it. other things, Could I get the sheet music to "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing" and a song called "Glorious". I want to try and learn them on the Piano.

Other thing. I'm going to be sending home some things. It's not that I don't want them, it's I don't need them or have room or a place for them. Please keep them safe and if you feel a need to buy me things like them (Thor's hammer, A TARDIS desk toy, ect.) Go ahead, send me a picture, and put them in a box for when I get home. Not time or space for them on a mission (see what I did there?)

Love

Elder Michael Blanding

June 1, 2015, Week in 30 minutes or less....I hope

Hi mom,

I don't have much time right now, Elder Villanueva has to pack today so he can go home, so I'll just hit the highlights in any order that works.

1. We found 4 new friends this week (I've started calling investigators Amigos)
2. they were all miracles, 2 we knocked into, one we found on exchanges (I wasn't here) and the other I can't remember how we found him. (share more latter).
3. we got transfer calls, Elder Villanueva is leaving and I'm going to be in a trio! (Spanish can be so much better then English some times). I'm pretty sure (99.99%) that Elder Tyus (who got called as district leader!) will be one of my companions (it's ether that or he's companioned with Hermana Badell) and the other is going to be a brand new missionary. Yep, I'm training. Just a little service here.
4. lots of exchanges.
5. Piano playing

That's all. We went on exchanges over the weekend because Elder Range and Elder Villanueva had the departing temple trip and so I went with Elder Tyus in there area for the day and after that we had the last exchange with Elder Gonzalez and Elder Elder, so I went there with Elder Gonzalez. (the last one is the one where we found the other amigo.)

Miracle. You know all those stories of "just one more door and then we'll be done."? well we had one of those. Elder Villanueva and I were tracting on Saturday before our dinner and we had just one more line of apartments left, but only 30 minutes to dinner, which meant only 15 minutes of finding time and 15 minutes of travel time. we decided that we were going to finish the line, like five trailers, and then head to dinner, so we did. on the second to last door it opened and M* came out. She's an older woman and needed to hear a message about the love of God. She's going through some personal trials, so Elder Villanueva shared a really good scripture with her, I wish I could remember what one, and then bared really strong testimony. We'd given her a Restoration Pamphlet, but she needed Gospel of Jesus Christ, so we taught her that instead and then ran to dinner.

On Sunday, Elder Villanueva wanted to share his testimony with the rama, and he really wanted to leave them with a song from his heart, so he roped me into playing the piano for him. Ok I volunteered, sort of, and so I played a little in sacrament meeting and I might just do it some more, because the Presidents counselor said he didn't know I could play, I told him I can't, but I don't think he believed me. I really only know the one song I played "I Stand All Amazed".

That's really about it for the highlights. did I miss anything? I think just

RETURN AND REPORT

weight, back at 180:( I blame Elder Tyus for buying us a pizza on Wednesday, and I also got lax in my watching of what I eat

Spanish 2/7 Same problem, after eating pizza all I wanted to do was speak Italian, and I didn't watch it to good

Also. I had a weird thought about what I'm going to study in college on Sunday. I know I'm a missionary and I should be focused, but I didn't ask for this it just came, I think the spirit spoke to me as I listed to Elder Villanueva practice. The thought was to Major in Communications, minor in Foreign Languages and (if what Elder Villanueva told me is true and this exists at BYU-Idaho) I'm going to cluster in preforming arts, focusing on the musical side, Piano, Singing, Dancing, ext. maybe pick up another instrument. The order that I study them (like major, minor, cluster) might change, but I like the topics that I've chosen and they open me up to better options in future careers.

I think that's all for this week

Love

Elder Michael Blanding

Called to Serve My King.

May 27, 2015, Sorry I'm Late, Got Stuck at Work

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

May 18, 2015, Piano Lessons, Fun in the Rain and more Baptisms!!!!

Hi Mom,

This key board is really annoying, it doesn't like to back space and is super stiff, so if a few words get spelled wrong, blame the keyboard.

This week was so much fun. We didn't get many big numbers, but that's totally ok. We did however do a lot of work and talked with absolutely everyone who walked by. It's rather fun to talk to everything and everyone that moves and breaths. Some times we were literally talking to the dog more then the master.

I'd go through the week, but not much happened. We started by doing a normal preparation day. I bought some more stuff at Costco that should last for two to three months.

On Tuesday it was district meeting, I made some cookies for the district, and nearly no one partook, so I ended up eating more then I wanted to. We also had a lesson with familia V*-R*. They're two of our investigators. They aren't married, so we are working with them on that. It was my first lesson with them, so I was just trying to get to know them a little better. We've talked about them, but that's about it. Elder Villanueva had made them a cheese cake, and they insisted on sharing with us. (I really am not a fan of Cheese cake and truly want to lose weight, so I wasn't too excited about eating the cake).

On Wednesday, we had an exchange planned with Elders Tyus and Rangel, but Elder Villanueva wasn't feeling to good, so we canceled and had a pretty normal day. We had a dinner planned, but it got canceled. So we had to eat in the apartment. Elder Villanueva made me a Mexican dish. It was sooooo RICA (Delicious (literal translation, rich)). I also found out that I ran out of MSF fund this week. OPPS.

Thursday we did weekly planning. We took most of the day to do it, but we broke it up and for one of our little breaks Elder Villanueva taught me how to play the melody line of all the hymns in the hymn book. Well, actually, he taught me how to teach myself how to play the melody to all the hymns in the hymn book. It's a super cool method, and I'll share it with you when I get home. It really speeds up the learning to sight read process. My six years of piano actually helped speed up the process because I knew a little already and could play a basic melody on the piano. After planning, we ran to a lesson with Familia V*. They're menos activos (less actives) we're working with. The lesson was on the restoration and went so well. We had dinner after with them, but we should have left because we had a lesson with Hermana del C*, an investigator we're teaching. We had a member lined up to help with it, but we went like, 30 minutes over and only had 30 minutes until the end of our day. So we ran by Hermana del C* and apologized and called the member to apologize to him as well.

Friday was a super trying day for me, and the trial of my faith is still going on right now. Elder Elder and Elder Gonzalez needed transportation to a pharmacy, so we drove out there to help. While they were getting the prescription filled, Elder Villanueva and I did some shopping in the snack isle, well, Elder Villanueva shopped, I looked at stuff (like pop-corn) and thought "That's just death in a wrapper". To make things really hard. Elder Villanueva bought a bag of Cheetos (which I hate to death), a pack of Oreos (which are the best cookies (except for grandmas) on the face of the planet) and a thing of Ghirardelli, mint chocolate squares (which I love almost as much as Oreos). That's not all, When we got back in the car. Elder Villanueva opened the bags and began sharing the Oreos, Cheetos and Ghirardelli with everyone. I took a very firm stand of "NO" which only started all the Elders in the car to tempt me with all the sweets. I managed to not eat a single piece of candy, but it wasn't easy. We then had a baptismal interview that night, the hermanas in the other Rama had a baptism on Sunday (more on that latter). Obviously the Hermana passed, but when we got there, they were all eating Doritos with Hot Sauce and everyone kept offering me them, and it wasn't even a stupid flavor of Dorito, it was the good normal Nacho Cheese flavor. I said no, and then to top it off, we didn't have a dinner, so we ate in the apartment again. This time I ate some ground turlky and rice and Elder Villanueva baught a thing of Cheesy bread from Little Caesars. I've actually wanted to try that for a long time, but after all the work I put into not eating junk food, I couldn't say yes.

On Saturday, I saw the fruit of my labor. A whole pound dropped!!! I was hopping for more, but one pound was good. We spent most of the day running around to appointments that either dropped or were with the hermanas to practice a special musical number for Sunday. That was the day. We didn't do much of anything else.

Sunday was really slow for us. We had Church. For the sacrament Talks, we listened to two gringos give talks in English while Elder Rangel and Hermano Skyles (He's a gringo in our rama who served in Florida speaking Spanish and is married to a Hispanic woman) translated. It was really cool to listen to the talks and hear how they are translated differently. After Church we had a little time before "Dinner" with the familia Bernal, So we ran into the primary and Elder Villanueva practiced for the musical number and then I practiced the one song that I actually know, "I stand all amazed". It's super cool to be able to play the piano. We then had dinner and then went to the baptism. It was so pretty and the Hermana was so excited to be baptized. After there was some free food in the kitchen, so we stopped by and had a bite to eat. Lunch was not enough to end the day. We then went home and ended the day with some studies.

RETUNR AND REPORT.

Trial number one, after all that work to NOT EAT junk food I have 182 lbs this morning.

I did 6/7 days in Spanish

Sources of mint found I think 11 but I don't remember

love

Elder Michael Blanding

OH, sorry. it rained really hard on Thursday right when we left for dinner. That really was it.

May 11, 2015, This Week was Long, but rewarding

Hi mom,

This was such a long week, but it just flew right by.

It's funny, but I actually said in my first few transfers in Van Nuys I'd come to Santa Clarita next and be fed everyday while in car... Prophesy? probably not, just weird coincidence.

Anyway, back to the week. We didn't really have much happen, just a lot of talking. Tuesday we had an exchange with Elder Elder and Elder Gonzalez. I was in their area with Elder Elder and Elder Gonzalez came here with Elder Villanueva. It was super cool. Elder Elder is a recent convert to the church and shared with me his conversion story, which I won't share here but it is really powerful and really strengthened my testimony of God and the Plan of Redemption. We had a few lessons and a cena set up (only the cena actually happened) and we also taught an English class, but we forgot the lesson plan, so we read from the Book of Mormon, it was weird to do that in English. Elder Elder taught me how to find Mint, but I'm either really bad at it or we don't have any in our area:( to bad, it's really good when you add it to a protein shake :D

After that we really just ran around and talked with everyone about the restored Gospel and the Book of Mormon. We only taught 2 lessons and they were to the same familia, so we taught the Restoration to them a little, trying to help the husband understand, and invited them to be baptized when they know it's true. Hermana Ortega (the wife) was all for it, but Hermano Ortega is a Little hesitant.

FUN MIRACLE STORY!!!!!!!!

Last night we ran by a menos activo familia to give the mom a Mother's Day flower from the ward and then just went touching the doors down the street. The last door we knocked didn't open, so we just started to walk a way. We'd barely made it to the street when we heard "Who is it?" I called back, "The Missionaries" which was received by, "OH, Goody" or something like that. We still had close 30 minutos before we had to leave and go home, but she started talking to us and it turns out she's a member. We talked for the whole time and she shared with us her conversion story and how all she wants to do is learn of Jesus Christ. She's an English member, but she knows and teaches (she's a little kid school teacher) in Spanish. I asked if she could help me learn the language. She did and I was actually surprised by how much what she said helped. That's the Miracle of the week, and she totally understands the Sabbath and what it's for.

RETURN AND REPORT

Weight Loose: 179 lbs

Dias de espanol; 7/7

Love for the work; CAN'T BE MEASURED

LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH
Elder Michael Blanding

May 4, 2015, Baptism!!!!! Everything else really is... well... not as cool.

Hi Mom, and I guess everyone else.

This week was full of a lot of work here in Santa Clarita, California.

As a district, we focused a lot on finding, and in particular on talking with EVERYONE AND THEIR DOG!! (sometimes we actually were talking to the dog more then the person).

We had three exchanges this week. Being District Leader Buddy comes with some perks after all. The first one was with Elder Rangel and Elder Tyus. I went with Elder Rangel in our area and Elder Villanueva left with Elder Tyus to work their area. We talked to EVERYONE. Next we had a split with Elder Elder and Elder Gonzalez (yes I was companions with him and his new companions name really is Elder Elder). I went with Elder Gonzalez and we talked with everyone once again. Then we did a day exchange with the Zone Leaders on Friday and I went with Elder Page to there area while Elder Houmand and Elder Villanueva staid in our area for the day.

By the end of the week the District had talked to well over 600 people (that's more then 100 people per companionship) and found nearly 26 new investigators!!!!! This is a week of work up in Santa Clarita.

My favorite day of this week had to be on Sunday. We had the chance to go and see S* get baptized!! Normally, you can't do that, but we had a few investigators who said they'd come down, so we left and were able to watch it happen. Elder Joyner had the pleasure of baptizing S* and had to do it twice. Just like S*. I think the second time was really just to be sure that she was baptized. We didn't have time to take pictures, so I only have a picture of S* and Elder Joyner together, S* has one with all three of us, if she sent it to you, please send it my way.

I don't have much more time, but I'm going to e-mail again later today, so if you want more information send me another letter.

Love

Elder Blanding

P.s. Yes Mom, I got the letter with the jury summons and the Costco card, Thanks they both came in handy. And I might be able to email you time for Skype, we're going to try and set that up today, but right now we've got to go bowling.

We just came from bowling. It was a blast! wasn't to expensive either. We have a pretty full schedual and all I really have left to do is

RETURN AND REPORT

weight 181 lbs,

Spanish 7/7 which gives me a WHOLE MONTH OF SPANISH!!!!!!

That's really all I have to say. That was Easy.

April 27, 2015, Gringos!? en nuestro capia!!?

Hi mom.

This week was a little... different.

So the new area is kind of on the other side of the mission. I just went from the farthest south you can get and still be in the Great San Fernando Mission to the farthest north you can get. The city I live in now is called Santa Clarita, (if that name sounds familiar it's because that's were the mission office/home is) There's a lot more English speakers then Spanish speakers up here (seriously, everyone's rich and white and there's no trash just thrown on the ground or shopping carts in the middle of the street. I'm not sure I like it) as a result I'm now in a rama, or branch. It's super cool. We meet in the same building as all the gringos that live around here, we even meet with them for primary and the beginning of priesthood, it's super weird. To make it even more weird, my old district from Van Nuys is up here, Elders Gonzales, Rangel, Tyus, and Hermana Woods.

My new Companion is Elder Perez-Villanueva. He likes Villanueva more then Perez, but he sometimes has to where the tag that says Perez, so he'll introduce him self as Elder Perez-Villanueva (that doesn't actually fit on one placard) He's super fun. I've sent some pictures of him at the wheel. He's also District Leader, so I've been able to see the numbers on a daily bases. It's weird, even with all the white people up here, I've found more easily and been fed more then my whole time in Van Nuys (I miss it, but Cena every night with members is going to save me a lot on MSF, good thing to because I'm out this week). He was born in Mexico but moved, actually here, or near by, when he was younger. Right now he lives in Texas with his family but he's attending BYU-Idaho (I think I'm going to have to talk to him about school at some point). He also plays the piano and sings. I'm hoping he'll teach me a little (kind of like a refresher/improvement) piano before he goes back to the real world at the end of this transfer. Yes Spanish is his first language, but he doesn't have any problems with English.

The address to my apartment is (drum roll please) 18341 Oakmont Drv. #716, Santa Clarita, Ca, 91387. It's super nice, We have a gym, a real gym, but we have to walk to it, andour own washer and dryer.

CAR IS KILLING MY WEIGHT LOSS!!!!!! Even with the gym I've gained 3 pounds this week (the computer wanted to say 23) and member cenas aren't helping one bit, but they are muy rico. I'm going to ask for eating tips from the nurses so I can get down to 160 by my birthday. Good news, we're almost out of miles for the month, so the car's staying in the garage, Weight loss here I come... hopefully.

So far on my mission (I'm not counting MTC where I was 210) I've lost just a little less then 30 lbs, I want to have a total of 50 before I start really building the muscle.

Idea for name of the work outs Small and Simple Things.

RETURN AND REPORT.

Weight loss if you did the math you'd know I have 183 right now

Dias de espanol: 7/7 last week and I'll have a whole month of Spanish!!! WHOOT WHOOT

That's really it. I got your "package". Thank you. I've started over so I can mark it all.

Please keep praying for my weight loss, It's going to be a lucha in this area.

Love
Elder Michael Blanding

April 20, 2015, Transfer Calls, S*'s Baptism, Sitting Around the Apartment And A*

Hi Mom,

Saturday we got Transfer Calls, I'm leaving (mixed emotions about that). And what's more, I'm going car (Yes I'm going to be in a car, and again mixed emotions). I don't know where. We don't find out until the Tuesday of transfers when we find out who's our new companion.

Other than that, this weeks was pretty unpacked. Elder Joyner was sick, all week, so we were in the apartment for most of the time. When we weren't in that apartment, we had meetings or lessons, so I don't have to many stories from this week.

As for S*, she has a Baptism...le fecha!!!! Yes it's the like the fifth one she's had, but I'm pretty sure she'll make it this time. It's for May 3rd, the only sad part is I'm not going to be here to watch it. She's kind-of bummed I can't do it, but all I can say is you should have done it sooner (not really, be ready before the plunge.) She's taking us out to eat tonight (Elder Garcia, We're going to the same place she took us to) and I think she's also buying me some new cloths (which I don't really need right now, but hay, who am I to say no.

As for A*, WE FOUND HIM LAST NIGHT!!! We ran by as a back up to something else and E* answered the door. We talked to them for a little bit and E* said he's reading in the Book of Mormon again and wants to come to church, ON HIS OWN IF NECESSARY!!!! I told him to bring A* along and made them both promise to read the Book of Mormon during my last two days here. They're going to move to Palm Dale soon, and they're not taking B*, (V*'s Boyfriend) so it's looking really good for them.

That's really about everything. No I didn't get the package yet.

Tip's and Tricks... Just do it like you do Long Beach, (or as much as you can) treat it like a Camp-out and have fun. If you have fun (safely) the kids will follow you and have fun to. Also, go to the dance on Saturday or Friday and show the kids how it's done... old school. (Yes Dad, that means you have to dance).

Return and Report.

180 lbs. Car's going to kill the weight loss, Pray for me.

Days of Spanish 7/7!!! one more day and It's a Transfer!!!!!

Love,

Elder Michael Blanding

April 13, 2015, One Short Transfer

Hi Mom,

Time's flying by on the mission. I can't believe I've been out for 9 months now. Yes, I'm probably being transferred this round, a missionary staying longer then four is rarely heard of, and I've been here for five now. I'll know for sure on Saturday.

Other things, before I forget (Again) I've bought a membership at Costco (that's so much easier to say in English) and I think I'm sending the card to the mission, but the home address I've given is the one in Washington, so it might go there. If it does send it along. I also made you the second card holder, as a back up, so either it will go there, or I'm writing home the old-fashioned way soon. As for test clients, you have two. Me and Elder Joyner. We've been doing them together and he really likes them. He's asked me to send them his way, and I'm more then happy to oblige (if that's ok by you).

On to the week. Yours was long, my was quick. It feels like the Transfer just started to be honest. Not much happened this week. We just spent the whole time Talking with Everyone and hoping to find the diamond in the rough. We only taught S*, all our other investigators have successfully fallen off the face of the earth. We did have three cenas with members, and have five set up for next week. WE HAVE FOOD LEFT OVER FROM LAST WEEK AND ONLY NEED LIKE 3 MORE MEALS!!!

Got to make this quicker then I'd like, Elder Joyner has to get his bike fixed.

Miracle!!! S* has accepted the RESTORED GOSPLE of JESUCRISTO!!!! We had a lesson with her at a member's house and after the lesson, we were walking her to her car and she told us (Translation of a paraphrase) "I believe that Thomas S. Monson's a prophet, I'm just worried that I'm going to fall after baptism." !!!!!!! :D :D :D NOT ENOUGH EMOTOCONS TO EXPRES MY EXCITMENT. The only sad part of this news, She's looking at May for her baptism, and I will likely leave next Tuesday, so I probably won't see her baptism :(. BUT WHO FREAKIN CARES!!!! SHE'S MADE IT!!!!! ONE YEAR FROM MAY I'M GONING TO THE TEMPLE!!!!

Just about out of time now. That's about all I had to say. Just

RETURN AND REPORT

Weight; 157 lbs (Member cenas, what can I say)

Dias de espanol; 7/7!!! (one more week and I've hit a transfer)

Love

Elder Blanding

P.s. Thanks for the work outs. 

April 6, 2015, GENERAL CONFERENCE ('nough said)

Hi Mom,

Thank you SOOOO much for sharing that Post with me.

[personal stuff] You are the best mom in the whole wide world. Dad is the best Dad in the whole wide word. The prophets promise us things but God can't make us do what He asks us to. It's his greatest blessing and gift to his children. It's the same gift that he asks us to give (and you have) to our children. I wish I could be home right now to help with Chris and Matt and Kray and Jason and Jessie (if I was, I'd challenge them all to work out with us to see if they could beat me and you, hint, they can't) but more than that, I want to be out here serving the Lord with all my heart might mind and strength. I know that #becausehelives (#graciasaqueElvive) I can see my Grandma again, I can be forgiven of sin, I can work miracles and be healed. Most important, I know he loves me and will never leave me.

I really do LOVE YOU ALL. I LOVE MY SAVIOR AND REDEEMER, JESUCRISTO. I'm out here doing his errand and he will fulfill all his promises. I will have the strength I need to be out here and he will never let me fail.

A quick experience I had on Easter Sunday, Elder Joyner (My companion) and I were walking down a road that, normally, we never are on to a destination so far that, normally, we'd have biked there. We were walking because Elder Joyner's bike had gotten a flat at conference (just being locked up) and as such, we didn't have bikes. As we walked a little puppy (Not as cute as Roxy but almost as cute as Alex) started following us. The puppy had escaped from his yard and a concerned neighbor (who normally works on Sundays) was trying to chase him down to put him back. The Puppy eventually escaped back into the yard, but he allowed us a chance to talk to this young woman about the Sabbath day (thankfully Elder Russell M. Nelson had just talked about it to end the Conference session, and conference for that matter) (Side note, I think you all could study this a bit and I'd like to hear what you all learn, from each and every one of you by your own e-mail. I will be following up on Monday). We talked to her about the importance of the Sabbath Day and for part of it I was impressed to share this with her, and I think it applies well to any principle of the Gospel when it comes to obedience. (I don't remember my exact words, but here goes) "Following God can be scary, that's why we need to have faith. God gives us commandments and asks that we follow him. When we do we have his promise that he will protect and guide us. He will always do his part, but he may leave us to wander on our own for a bit. He want's to see if we will be faithful to him." (Italics added) HE WILL ALWAYS COME THROUGH IF WE FOLLOW HIM. (New saying for you, Mom (or maybe it's old and I just remembered it) "Obedience is an act of Love" (#believeinmiracles)

As for more conference topics that you should look at again, for Jason maybe the talk by the sister in Saturday morning would be good. Mom, your one of the selfless servants spoken of by Elder Michael T Ringwood. The four main topics, or things I thought where most important for me to learn and do from the fist day (SAT and Priesthood) where 1) Cacarme (ask Jason for translation, I don't know how to spell it) and Family are the most important things to this plan of happiness. 2) Teach by and follow the spirit of Reverence, Children (or investigators/members) learn by your example 3) Consecration is the same as conversion, we need to live our religion in our daily lives. 4) DO YOUR DUTY... ENOUGH SAID.

With the end being conference, the rest of the week was pretty dull. We had a lot of meetings this week, so we didn't do much in terms of talking and teaching, mostly just spiritual learning, and a lot of it. S* went to conference again!!! I stayed in English this time to understand better, (last time I only watched the last session in Spanish) but I feel like I could do a pretty good job understanding it in Spanish. I kept being distracted when the Spanish speaking General Authorities would speak in Spanish because I could hear a little under the translation and the translation wasn't perfect. I think S* got a big dose of the spirit right after conference. We had a lesson at 8 and to end she gave a super humble prayer. We're pushing for the fecha a little harder now.

Less spiritual side of things, I need more workouts. I'm doing the last round this week for the month. the amount of equipment used is just fine, I'm sure I can find weight some in every apartment.  As well, could I sign up for a Costco membership online or do I have to go to the store? I'm thinking of getting one if President Hall gives the "Go-A-Head"

Return and Report

Weight 175!!!!! I dropped three all week!!!! I really did give away the bar, I have a picture of him eating it I'll send your way when the website starts working again. All the Hemana's are asking me for weight loss tips, I wish I had good advice for them, but I don't really know how I did it other then Elder Garcia and I really study La Palabra de Sabaduria for S* and latter I studied it a second time.

Spanish 7/7!!!!

Love Elder Blanding

March 31, 2015, Bike Problems, Conferencia General, Service, Exchanges...did I miss anything?

Hi Mom

Sorry, yesterday was a holiday that I didn't know existed (I still don't even know what it's called or what was celebrated).

This week was super fun. To start, we had a lesson with N* and K*, and they accepted a Fecha for the 3rd of mayo! That was Monday.

On Tuesday we had district meeting, nothing much happened there except Elder Houmand promised us Slurpees if we could get 15 investigators to church... I'll tell you how we did when I get to Sunday. We then started going to lessons, but at like 3:50 S* texted us asking if we could come by at 4:30 for lunch and to teach her daughter, G*. We said "of course," (after we heard about lunch;) (not really)), so we ran there and had a quick lunch. At the end, G* joined us and S* brought out cookies. Luckily G* wanted them, so we just sat there this time while she ate and tried to figure out if she's actually interested, I don't think so. After that we just talked some more, we had plans but they all fell through.

Wednesday we started with service at city hall. It was cool, because the mayor was there making a broadcast, so we cleaned the front steps and then got as far away as possible to keep the noise down and not disrupt the broadcast. After the service, we had exchanges with the Zone Leaders. I stayed with elder Kimball and Elder Joyner left with Elder Houmand. We ran by S* and taught about the importance of Church and the blessings we get from going to church. After S*, we ran to F*, an investigator, but he wasn't there, so we talked in the street on the way to a members house for dinner. The member was an Hermana, and her son wasn't home yet, so we took the food to the church and ate it before coordination meeting that night. Coordination was pretty normal. After we ran by a recent Convert in the new area, but it was late and I knew who's house it was, so we ran to a referral, talking to people on the way. We talked to a woman from Puebla, but she wasn't ready, and the referral wasn't there, so we biked home. On the way home, we stopped for one last opportunity to find, and it was really funny. It was a couple of brothers and (I assume) their dates. When we pulled up the oldest brother freaked out and made a brake for it. Everyone started cracking up and we explained that we weren't cops. Long story short (to late) they weren't interested but it was a fun conversation.

Thursday we ended the exchange, had the apartment inspected (guess what mom, I clean up good;)) and planned for the next week. After that we had another lesson with N* and K* and they said they were coming to Church. We then taught S* and then ran to L* and B*. That was pretty much it, normal day. We did invite L* and B* to fast for the Divorce this week.

Friday's were it gets fun. We had service for the city that day on a street that was crazy far from the apartment. So we bike out there and clean up the street and all that fun stuff. All the elders in our district where there, so we talked about home and what we did before the mission, a few plans were made for surprise turn-ups at home-comings, all that fun stuff. At the end of the service, the woman in charge went to get us all pizza. This wouldn't have been as big of a problem if we'd have known it was going to happen before we made and at lunch before service. I ate like a whole pizza on my own and then we started biking home. On the way home, by back tire got a flat, se we started walking and called the zone leaders for a ride (because we'd barely left the service when this happened). I decided to fix the tire on Monday, so we walked for the rest of the week. We also had a dinner with Hermano Jerez, and I was still so full from the pizza that I could barely finish a plate, usually when we eat at Hermano Jerez's I eat seconds. We shared Because He Lives (in Spanish it's Gracias a que El (accent over the 'e') vive) and then we walked to V*, who wasn't there, so we went home and called it a night.

Saturday was a bit of a let down. We wanted to take L* and B* to the temple, but they canceled on us Friday. We did have a lunch from Hermana R* C* (she's the grandma of R*, our dry member) (yes, she's a member) She gave us some really good sandwiches and a cheese cake for desert. We took the cheese cake home and it's right now sitting in the fridge. We then started looking for members and investigators. We didn't have much luck here, but we saw S* and she said she was going to Conference that night! We spent the rest of the day talking to people and trying to find an investigator, but nothing panned out, so we walked home and called it a night.

Sunday was Church. We almost didn't even have time for studies, but we called the appointments and they either canceled or didn't want to talk, so we just walked home after church and did studies. After studies we ran to S* and had dinner with her and a quick lesson, mostly we just shared Gracias a que El vive and tried to point her to the things that will help her receive her answer.

That's about it for the week. Oh, yah. We didn't quite hit 15 at church as a district. we had 11 investigators at church as a district and of those 11 Elder Joyner and I had six!

RETURN AND REPORT.

Dias de espanol 7/7

Peso (on Monday) 178lbs (now it's 175)

Other things, thanks to LYTTS for the package, but did you really have to send the Symphony Bar? I'm giving it to Elder Jensen tomorrow so I don't have to eat it. If you want to send me snacks, Protein Bars, granola Bars, and Pop-Corn are always accepted. Candy... only on my birthday and Christmas, please. This dieting is hard enough with the members (and S*) feeding me everything, I don't need it from home.

Love

Elder Michael Blanding

March 23, 2015, Hard week, Big Numbers, Cool Miracles Sad end

Hi Mom.,

This was a fun week. I worked really hard and we got to see a lot of success.

Monday's are normally rather boring, just sports and shopping, so I'll skip this one. Just know, you are an evil genius with your workouts.

Tuesday, we started with a District meeting about how to work better with the members. Part of district meeting is Role Playing, and for this Elder Joyner and I taught "S*" a lesson on the importance of the Book of Mormon in conversion. It went really well. We hadn't finished teaching her the lesson from the Liahona quite yet, so we finished that that night and planned on teaching the Book of Mormon lesson to her on Thursday. We also found the most prepared family in the history of prepared families. They're a couple that just got together, freshly starting out on their own. They aren't married (Why are all the families here unmarried!? I don't get it), but they have the cutest little girl ever. They also have all the right questions. When we started the lesson we asked, basically, "Why do you want to meet with us?" and their response was "How can we know which church is true?" I'm not even joking. They have the very same question that 14-year-old Joseph Smith had. We taught them the restoration and they set up three days for us to come by steadily at a set time. We normally have to fight for one or two regular days, but they gave us three in a row. Oh, and icing on the cake, the girlfriends name is N*. Part of the reason she's listening to us is that she grew up Jehovah's Witness, didn't like it, and felt the spirit when she talked with the English Elders and then with us last Wednesday! BAPTISM COMMING UP!!!

Wednesday, we did service (I sent you a picture with most of the missionaries that where there and a member who just happened to be there). After service we had a few things lined up, but nothing really happened until six. We were supposed to go by N* and her boyfriend  (K*) again, but they had a doctors appointment for their baby, so we went finding for a bit and then ran to a lesson with L* and F*. They're new investigators who aren't really interested, but their son is, so we're going to keep going by for him and hope that the parents get interested. We then had coordination and a appointment with L* and B*, but the appointment fell through, so we ran home and ended the day after coordination.

Thursday was fun. We planed to do Weekly Planning, but Elder Joyner forgot that when he lost his wallet, he lost his temple recommend, so we called the Zone Leaders and I went finding with Elder Houmand while Elder Kimball and Elder Joyner went to Santa Clarita to get a new recommend. While we were finding we talked to this one sister who was really distraught that she didn't know what to do. We actually almost didn't talk to her. She was sitting at a bus stop and we stopped to talk, but very quickly got blown off. I gave her a card, directions to a homeless shelter (or as best as I could without actually knowing where one is) and then started to leave. Before we'd actually left I remembered that I didn't share anything on the card with her. I'd forgotten what card I'd given to her, so I just invited her to visit the website that all cards have on them and learn how to find the truth. She opened up after that. We walked with her a little and talked with her, during which time she started crying and almost having a panic attack. Elder Houmand talked to her very calmly and taught her how we pray and then gave a quick prayer to calm her down. We then started teaching her the restoration right there and we gave her an English Book of Mormon and the address to the English building. Hopefully she went there on Sunday and asked for "Elder". Other then that it was pretty normal. We didn't do Planning, but we talked and taught some more. N* canceled again, but we set one up for Friday, We taught S* the lesson we did in District Meeting, and I think she's finally starting to get it. L* and B* also canceled that night, they also canceled on the temple Saturday, but we moved it for next one, so hopefully we'll be taking them there soon.

Friday we did Planning for the week it went well. We had a lesson planned in the middle of planning, so we paused, found out he'd lied to us and knocked his apartment complex. We picked up a couple of potentials, but other then that, we didn't see much success, so we went home and finished planning. After planning, we had a dinner with Hermana Lorinza Herrara. She's a widowed member who lives in a little rundown apartment. (She was the dinner on thanksgiving where I threw up). A* was there too (he's the member who got us lost when we went to the temple for Elder Garcia's birthday so I couldn't write you a real letter) and he told us his plans. FYI - I don't think he understands, "Stand ye in holy places." He likes to go to night clubs. N* canceled on us again so we ended up only teaching S*. Her daughters are in town, G* flew in on Saturday night and E* arrived the day before, and I'm curious to know if G*got baptized.

Saturday we had a lot of lessons. An hermana wanted to give us food, early in the morning, so we went and got it, set up a second dinner with her and then returned to do studies. After studies we had a few appointments set up, but they all fell through, we did however teach a bunch of little kids about the gospel and I found 32 cents, so it wasn't a complete waste of time. We then ran by some less active families and a old investigator, but nothing came of it. 

Sunday we had a normal day, church followed by studies for the rest of the day. After studies we had a dinner with a member in the new area, Hermano Lopez. They are a cool family. He's a convert of five years and she's a life time member. The dinner was super good, and we got to talk about how we can help them. Hermano Lopez is the new elders quorum president, so we'll hopefully be getting more meals with him and working in unity to help the ward grow stronger. After him we had a lesson with S*. She needs to learn what diet means. She had a thing of Chips-a-Hoy and insisted not only on us eating them (with 2%milk) but on giving them to us. She thinks she's helping, but she's really not. All that she's doing is making my wallet a little heavier and my tummy a lot. Luckily after her we ran by V* and she has the monstritos that will eat anything, so we gave them the cookies and then we did the hardest thing I've ever had to do. We, in essence, dropped her. We can't actually stop going by, A* is a member, but we're only going by once a week now and if she doesn't start coming back to church and reading the Book of Mormon, we'll keep only coming by once a week. Worst part is E* lied to me. He said he slept through church, but really he just left with friends instead of going to church. This was the worst day ever. bright side, I now love and understand d&c 18:10-16. I can also say I know the pain of a parent who saw their child fall away.

RETURN AND REPORT

weight loss 177 libs, I blame S*'s cookies and member dinners without really working out for the weekend, I stretch on Saturdays and we don't work out on Sundays.

Spanish, 7/7!!!

Amor

Elder Michael Blanding

March 16, 2015, Transfers, Daleks, Disappointment, y una smeana de espanol!

Hi mom,

This week was super fun.

We started with a lesson on Monday with S*. It was kind of a good by Elder Gonzalez lesson. During the lesson she gave Elder Gonzalez a "Transfer Journal" (that's a book that the missionaries send around the district or zone before they leave the area, or after, so that every one can write little notes about the time they had together. It's kind of like a hard copy of Facebook). He already had one, but it was funny anyway.

We then left to go to Transfer meeting so I could get my new companion and Elder Gonzalez could learn where he's going. He went to the last place he wanted to go, Santa Clarita. It's all white and completely cut off from the San Fernando Valley, so a lot of Spanish missionaries just don't want to go there. Brightside, you have the mission office and home in Santa Clarita. I'm now with Elder Joyner (pronounced "Joiner"). He's really cool. He doesn't do very much inflection with his voice, but he's fun to be around and we've been speaking pretty much all Spanish. I hope that we can keep this up. The only day this week we didn't do all Spanish was Tuesday, because I had to give him the run down of the area. He's a convert himself. He converted when he was 14, via World of Warcraft (See mom video games are productive), but he didn't get baptized until he was 18 because his parents are hard set against the church. They even tried to force feed him their doctrine and anti-Mormon garbage.

Wednesday we finally got back in touch with L* and B*. We've been trying for a while, and it was a really cool day of miracle finding. First, we had this referral that Elder Gonzalez and I received but had never been able to teach, so we just dropped by and, they were there. We taught the first lesson and the wife talks too much and the husband doesn't get the chance to say or commit, or not, to anything because she does it for him. After that, the English elders that cover our area had a referral for us we ran to. She looks freaking like a miracle find, or (in San Fernando Mission slang) SHE'S SICK. After that we had the lesson with L* and B*. We've moved them to the end of the day on Wednesdays and Thursdays because we couldn't get in touch with them. L* has a twenty-year-old son who we've been thinking of inviting to listen to us, and we finally did. He sat down and so did the cousin of L*, who's 21, and the son's girlfriend. Oh, I got your package on Wednesday after district meeting, thanks for the bands, the Dalek (how ever that's spelled), the Mike Wazowski (he is far to fun to play with) and the Thin Mints (but I did ask not to get junk food (except grandma's cookies, Malanos, Brownies, and Mint Oreos) in packages).

Thursday was Weekly Planning. We had to split it up because I'm trying to go to the libraries on Thursdays to do e-learn. While I was doing e-learn I finally got around to printing off your work outs so I can do them. I've only have the first week right now, but I'm going to get more later. We also taught L* and B* that night. We were going to finish teaching Her son and cousin, but they weren't there, so we talked about the importance of the sacrament and invited them back to church and to the temple. We're going this Saturday, and THEY CAME TO CHURCH SUNDAY!!!

Friday we went exploring a little, trying to see what areas of the area haven't been touched. We didn't get much done because Elder Joyner lost his wallet coming back from or going to (we don't quite know which) service. So we had to cancel all the cards. I also started doing the workouts. HOLY CRAP MOM, ARE YOU TRING TO KILL ME. I'M STILL SORE FROM JUST THE FIRST DAY, AND I JUST DID ARMS AND ABS TODAY. (I can barely do it once through, how pathetic). We had a dinner that night with Hermano Jerez. While there we found out that his wife isn't a member. We were planning on teaching the Restoration anyway, so we did and she knows a lot, she just hasn't received that witness (sounds like someone else I know (Hint; the name starts with an S and ends with ---- ;)))

Saturday we did some more exploring, we also tried to get in touch with some members in the new area, but that didn't work out. We taught S* a little and just discussed the whole why prophets remind us over and over again about what we already know. Elder Joyner had a lot of examples of this from the Book of Mormon, specifically The first Book of Nephi. During the prayer to end the lesson, Elder Joyner's nose started to bleed like nuts. It was super funny, but S* insisted that we stay so she could take care of him. While she was doing that I talked with R*, her neighbor, about general conference and the such and why it's important that we listen to and obey prophets. I also learned that he was married and comes from a broken family, who'd a thunk? On the way back, we ran into Hermana R*. She's the grandmother of R* (an eternal investigator for the same reason as Elder Joyner was) and a super faithful member of the ward. We stopped to talk to her, and she told us that R* had left with her daughter (Hermana R*'s) who did drugs earlier that day and wasn't home yet. We made some calls and got her help to go pick up R*.

Sunday was nice. We got there a little early and Cookie Lady (an hermana in the ward that likes to give the missionaries cookies) rewarded us with a bag of cookies. By the time of Sunday School, only S* had shown up, but by Sacrament we saw L*, B*, and (here's the miracle) R*, all there. We were super glad she was okay and that L* and B* were back in church. After Church we didn't have time to do studies, we had nothing but appointments. but nothing really came of them, most fell though and one just wasn't interested, but the ward had an activity planned to get members involved in missionary work, and Elder Joyner needed to go to Santa Clarita to get some money for food today, so we still didn't have studies. I went on splits with Hermano Jerez during this time and visited a less active family. The hermano in the family was a 70 in Salvador, so it was sad to hear that he went inactive, but it just proved to me that you need to watch your testimony or anyone (even President Monson) can go inactive. We then got back together in our companionships and went to our respective appointments. We were early to S*, so we went finding. We only talked to one man, and he really like the conspiracy theories, so it was a fun conversation. We then taught a lesson to S*. MIRACLE REPORT; PRAYER WORKS, #believeinmiracles. Gospel Principles was on the priesthood and priesthood authority. This is the big doubt that we've been fighting recently with S*, and I started praying fervently that she'd receive a witness that this was true. She started the lesson that night saying that the lesson in church was just for her. I LOVED IT. We spent the rest of the night assessing what she knew and how to help her best. I thought on Saturday night that she could use a lesson on receiving an answer, and President Uchtdorf talked about that in last General Conference, so we're doing a lesson with her tonight using that talk. Side note- this was one of my best personal studies I've had on the mission.

Answers to what's not already been answered.

I think we are experiencing the heat wave, but I don't know. All I know is it feels like the middle of June or July here and it's only March. Summer's going to kill me. That's it.

RETURN AND REPORT.

Days in Spanish; 6/7!!! and they're supper solid days.

Weight for the week; 175 (I'm blaming the thin mints, FYI I eat what was left after Thursday (three sleeves) today during studies. get rid of temptation!!!)

love for the work; off the charts.
love for my investigators; higher then that for the work (The only reason I'm not going nuts right now)
love for my family; ignoring because it distract me more then I need.

Love

Elder Michael Blanding

March 9, 2015, TRANSFER CALLS, COSTCO and TALKING WITH EVERYONE!!!!

HI Mom.

It's been a long transfer here, or at least it felt that way. February took forever, but March is going pretty fast. I'll just get this out of the way.

Guess who has two thumbs and is getting transferred... (hint, usually you are transferred after three or four transfers in one area)... NOT THIS GUY. Yep, I'm still in the same area as where I was trained. Looks like I get six more weeks to teach and baptize S*.

This week was pretty slow on the lessons. We had two exchanges, one with Elder Rangel (who's leaving) and Elder Gutierrez (who's not), and another with Elder Houmand and Kimble (who are both staying). They were super fun. I stayed here for both and we just talked to everything that freaking moved. We also spent all week taking to everyone, so we ended up talking to 169 people!! We wanted to hit 170 on Sunday night (we set this when it became apparent that we weren't teaching anyone) and we could have done it, but we got stuck talking to this drunk man about how he knows cool Mormons (we didn't even stop him he was so obviously drunk) for like ten minutes, so we settled for 169.

Mike and his companion

We had exchanges with he district leader (Elder Rangel) on Tuesday. I went with Elder Gutierrez. It was fun. We didn't do much teaching. S* needed to hear about prayer, again, and we found out that V* (who's real name is J*) believes that Joseph Smith is a prophet, but she also believes that anyone in the world can be called of God.

On Wednesday we went to Elder Rangel and Elder Gutierrez's pad to end the exchange and then go do service, but we got there an hour early, so we bought pizza (one for each of us) from a little pizzeria shop in there area. It was soooooo good. I need to get the number so I can do a cheat meal right (it's free delivery). We accidently took two hours, so service didn't happen, but the Pizza was muy rico. Elder Rangel did some personal interviews after that with us (at 8 that night) and told me some really good stuff about how to grow the most on my mission. He also told me that I study really good. He said something like "We can always count on Elder Blanding to study it out before he takes action." Who knew I could study?

other then that nothing really of note happened this week, kind of slow. Saturday was Transfer calls and everyone was surprised to hear that I'm staying for five. Kind of grates on my patience, you might say I'm going a little stir-crazy, and the joke is I'm here until S* gets baptized, so don't expect me home for another three years, but I'll learn a lot here, I already have.

Oh, something really cool (and spiritual) I noticed yesterday during studies. For part of my studies I read a Book of Diligence (a Book of Mormon I've set aside for studying diligence) and on Saturday I read 1 Nephi 16:14 and from the phrase, "Keeping in the most fertile parts of the wilderness" I got this revelation. God knows all and will preserve them that follow him by guiding them to places where, if they work, they will be fed and find success. This taught me that God can teach us a everything from just one scripture, all we have to do is come ready to learn.

RETERN AND REPORT.

Weight 175 lbs!!! I'm doing it slowly :D

Spanish 3/7, but they were really good three days of Spanish :D

Elder Michael Blanding

March 2, 2015, Week of Service, Week of Cenas (Dinners)

Hi Mom.

This week was a, well, a Week of Service. We literally spent ten hours this week giving service.

Monday was a normal Monday, almost. We did "Cheat meal" that day. Mine consisted of candy that S* (that's actually how her name is spelled) had given us over time and a bag of Doritos, because I really needed some of that cheesy goodness. We didn't get to go to sports that day (this is what's not normal) but it worked out because we needed to do some work in the apartment anyway.

Tuesday was District Meeting. It was really fun. Elders Rangel and Gutierrez were the only other missionaries there from our district, but the Spanish assistants joined us. After that, we didn't have any thing set, so we just went finding (what I call "conversating or "contacting" because I find it keeps my mind on finding Investigators not having contacts or conversations.)

Wednesday was completely un-normal. We normally do service at the government center on Wednesday from noon to two, but the zone had something else planned, and we only found out about it on Monday night. We all went to the armory to give service. We played with Gun's!!! NOT. That'd be against rule, probably on both sides of the work (mission and US armory). No instead we made little graduation packages for the poor schmucks that were graduating Boot Camp. A couple nights before Elder Gonzalez told me a little about boot camp, He has a friend that's a marine. Let's just say, I'm never joining the marines. Usually, they (the armory) don't have "assembly days", or days to put together the packages, for only one group, but they did it for just the missionaries this day. We had a lot of missionaries from both English and Spanish there, in total we were about100, and they said that with a group 5x as big, they normally only do 1000 boxes in the time we had, but they expected that we'd crank out about 2000 boxes. WE DESTROYED BOTH NUMBERS!!! We ended early, by like 30 minutes (we'd planed to be there from 9:00 to 1:00),  and by the end we had cranked out 4000 boxes! It was so cool. We were going really fast. I got to work on three fronts, Putting Kleenex into boxes (I was supposed to keep getting refilled but instead had to run for more supplies a lot of the time), organizing the boxes, and putting little medallions into the boxes right before they got sealed, (at this point I didn't even have time to pick up a new handful of medallions before I lost tack, let alone run for refills, I'm sure some got two medallions and others had none.) I got to be super apostate for a little bit (apostate is what we call it when we don't go by White Handbook rules). They played worldly music, and I danced a sang along to my hearts content. It was also fun to have "A Bug's Life" go through my brain a lot. At the beginning, the supervisor would say "Why are there gaps in the line" and I would think of Princess Anna "There's a gap in the line! There's a gap in the line!" I loved it and hope I get a chance to do it again on my mission. We also had a fun conversation with a drunk on the way home from S*'s. He asked us to talk to him about religion, so we stopped to talk. Before we said any thing he asked us for a dollar. We said we didn't have any money, at which point he informs us that we "have to pay [him] for his time." and that "I despise, what are you?" "Mormons" "I despise Mormons"

Next was Thursday. We literally spent all day planning, but this time it was super focused, spirit guided planning, we just need to shorten it to the suggested 3 hours now instead of 5.

Friday we also had service, the usual cleaning of the government center. Usually this is a District Service, but this week it was only elder Gonzalez and me. After that we went finding for a bit. Ran into talkative Joe (yes that's really his name, he had a badge and every thing) who loved to tell the same stories from his life and went from no swear words at all to apologizing for swearing and then dropping F-bombs all over the place, and Bible Bashing Julio, who started as a good contact, but near the end started making up scriptures from the bible about how we can't have the Book of Mormon. Which, as we analyses his argument that night, we discovered meant that we also can't have anything other then the four gospels (Mathew, Mark, Luck, John). We then had a dinner with Hermano Jerez (the consoler in the obispado) and went home.

Saturday was weird. We planed a really good day, but got interrupted during personal study by a service opportunity. I spent this personal study praying for revelation for our investigator. It was super cool. I made a list of names and prayed for everyone specifically. I literally counseled with the Lord about them, telling Him everything I knew and thought about them. Some of them the revelation was easy and came almost before I asked. Others I had to talk about them, think really hard, and then ask God if the choice I had made was right. Near the end of this experience, we got a text from the district leader saying that the Obispo needed help with a move in the ward. So we got changed (I didn't have jeans because mine ripped at the armory and I'd completely destroyed them after service on Friday. The bottom seem popped) and helped move Hermana C* (I only know her name because R* (the dry member we teach) always talks about her) (Pronunciation; think Cony Island in New York). We spent four hours moving her into a new apartment, Obispo Hernandez only showed up to help finish the move, and then they gave us a lunch of baked chicken and mashed potato's. Fun fact, if you want to eat Paisa (or Hispanic) just add tortillas. Seriously, every meal we have with members there's tortillas, WITHOUT FAIL. after this we did the rest of studies and then ran to Hermano P*'s house to have dinner. They had the worst thing for my weight loss, PIZZA. It was SOO GOOD. I pretty sure that this is the only meal that Paisas (or Hispanics) don't add tortillas to, because not once did I see a tortilla. We then tried to get in touch with V*, but couldn't, so we went home. We failed to teach her all week. IT SUCKED.

Tip for Fast Sundays. If you don't want to be hungry til dinner, CARBO LOAD. I gained like 4 pounds the night before, but I went until dinner at 6 without dying of hunger. We actually found out that the Investigator that we found last week is super solid. His name is M* and he tried earlier in the week to help us find a menos activa that lives in his apartment, but we couldn't find her. We'd had a lesson with him yesterday at five and he's super solid. He'd read the pamphlet and had a specific question that was completely understandable (he didn't know what apostasy meant, so we taught him that). We set up another appointment with him on Saturday and I hope that he will be able to come to church (I don't think we've asked him to do that yet). After this lesson we walked to S* (we didn't feel like taking the bikes out in the rain) (it's been raining every weekend here and I hope to be able to play in it today) to have dinner. On the way we thought about it and figured that the reason we didn't feel dead on our feet with hunger was because we'd carbo loaded the night before. Dinner was delicious. I've been learning how to enjoy fish (we bought some last week and it's not bad) and S* gave us fish, pasta with cheese and ground beef, and chicken and a burrito. It was so good. After the lesson, (we ate for an hour and taught for another), she drove us (with R* (her neighbor)) to V*'s, but they weren't home, so we went home and called it an early day. We haven't had to buy/make a meal since Thursday lunch, and we're going to I-hop for free pancakes for lunch today. 

Things to know Mom.

[personal stuff you don't need to read]

Also, I'm going to send a e-mail with a list of dates. They are the transfer dates so you don't have to keep asking (this week is transfers).

Weight 176 lbs. (I lost 4 pounds today after running for 15 minutes straight and doing 1100 Jumping Jacks).

Day's in Spanish: 1/7 But this week is the last of the transfer, so ALL WEEK LONG BABBY.

Last thing I love you and have no time to read any thing you may send me. Make the letter good. YOU FORGOT ME THIS WEEK!!!!:(

Love Elder Michael Blanding

OH, almost forgot. I was reading in 1 Nefi chapter 7 (this is when Lehi tells his children go get the family of Ismael so you can get married and have a family) and I thought that possibly what happened here is, after Lehi finished prophesying of his decedents he thought "My kids have no wives, no kids, and we don't know anything about where we're going. Ismail has daughters and is a righteous man. Go bring Ismail here." And so revelation can come just by thoughts and not by words of the spirit.

February 23, 2015, Week miracles and I WISH I WAS HOME ON WEDNESDAY

Hi Mom,

This week was really fun.

We started with a noche de hogar (FHE) with an Hermana on Monday. It felt a lot like teaching a lesson, but it wasn't nearly as long. We sheared a little of the atonement with them. It was really cool because one of the people there was one of our investigators, and he'd just gotten out of the hospital because he was shot (don't get scared, it didn't happen any where near my area). After we had a cena (Jason this is the word for DINNER, almuerzo is the word for LUNCH, just thought I'd help with your Spanish;)) It was an interesting concoction of Chocolate and chicken called mole. It might be good, but I don't think so. Elder Gonzalez had it before and said that they put way to much chocolate into it, and I happen to agree. It was weird. I'm just glad that Monday is my "cheat meal" day (today it's candy (supplied by S*) and chips (Doritos to be exact)) because we also had a really good member lunch as a district earlier that day. It was so good, the almuerzo, that I literally didn't feel like eating a dinner when we planed that day, I was so stuffed, but by the end of Noche de Hogar, I needed a little more food. I also had flash backs to Bed Time Treats (M&Ms) and I had a bag in the apartment. I was craving them so bad. I had them today while we were doing laundry.

After that we had Tuesday, which I spent mostly just e-mailing you.

We then had Wednesday. Man I got TRUNKY. All week I kept remembering that Jason was having his last ____, Last Preparation Day, Last Transfer Meeting (if he did that,) and finally, GOING HOME. We were in coordination meeting (a meeting with the ward mission leader to coordinate our efforts with the ward) when I noticed that it was passed 6:39 and Jason was home. (I LOVED THE STORY). It was such a weird realization. I noticed because I had to note something in my planner and I'd noted his return time. We then had a lesson with L, our super solid New Investigator who's getting baptized soon (we don't know when just that she's freaking prepared and SICK!!!)

After that, we did weakly planning (on Thursday) and that was it. We only stopped planning because we had to run to a cena with Hermano J (the first counselor in the obispado (bishopric.)) We then ran by our investigators that we usually have at that time, but they weren't home, so we went home and FINISHED WEEKLY PLANNING. We're focusing on our focusing this week.

On Friday, it was pretty slow. We started with service at the government center with Elder Gutierrez and Elder Rangel. This was super fun. Elder Rangel asked us all a bunch of weird hypotheticals that were fun to answer. My favorite was "If you could pick the new mission car what would you pick?" my answer was "the Bat-mobile, and all the bike areas would get the bat-bike." They loved it. During the following argument over Bat-bike or Green Goblin Glider (Elder Gutierrez's idea) a very strange man showed up and asked (Word for word) "Have you heard that God loves you and has a plan for your salvation?" We answered yes, and then he began to quote scripture at us and said "If you want to be saved, just repeat back what I say with you heart and with your lips. Dear Lord Jesus." None of us said anything, so he repeated again. Again, silence. He re-explained this "Echo Prayer" as he called it and started up again. Here I told him "We don't do that," He finally caught on and asked us if we were Mormon, Elder Rangel said yes and that we don't do that. It was really funny because he just couldn't get Elder Rangel (he kept saying Ron-jel, it's Ran-hel) or my name right during his whole spiel. We then went finding and found a man who told us that "as soon as God shows up with money, I'll start believing in him." Elder Gonzalez picks up coins and collects them (he has $10.54 in just coins on his desk + a collection of quarters, I've started doing this to, I have like $.37) and so we thought maybe we should swing by with that and ask "do you believe now?" We found a really solid potential that day, but her esposo (husband) called us Saturday morning to cancel the appointment :(. We taught S that night and after had to use the bathroom, bad. We've been drinking a gallon+ of water daily (not all that hard) so we have to go to the bathroom a lot. We found some oatmeal that was pretty cheep (we were out) and Pop-Tarts. We broke and bought them. I felt so guilty. luckily they only lasted until lunch Saturday, really bad buy.

Saturday we spent the day finding people. We started by going by S* to teach U* (S*'s mom). After this we needed the bathroom again. We have what we call the Proselyting Bathroom. It's in the store John's that is right by S*. We went there because it was really bad. Right when we turn the corner and can see the bathroom, a man walks in. We wait for a little bit, but he's not coming out. Finally I brake and use the girl's bathroom (they're one man bathrooms where you lock the door behind you), and by the time I'm done with my business, wash my hands and am out the door, the man finally finishes and we waited a good ten minutes before finally just using the ladies bathroom. after that we talked with a menos activa (less active member) who reminded me of one of my teachers at BC. We didn't even know that she was a menos activa until we started talking to her. The way she talked made me think of Kray to be completely honest. She's not ready, but we gave her a Book of Mormon and our number and invited her to read it and call us if she wants to hear more. We actually talked to her for two reasons. 1. She looked like my teacher. 2. She had the cutest little dog. His name's Polar Baer, he's 11 years old, and he has diabetes. Kind of sad, but really good conversation.

Sunday was a super cool miracle. We planed to spend most the day in studies and at church, but Obispo Hernandez had different plans. After church (WHICH I UNDERSTOOD!!!) he wanted us to take out the members, so we went back and no one was there (this tends to happen a lot) so instead he gave us menos activos to go by in our areas. The one we had wasn't home, but one of her neighbors had their door open, so we went by to talk. At first he seamed like a bible basher, but he turned into a new investigator and had really good questions that the restoration will answer.

As for the car crash, it was his fault. It's a tradition here for drivers to not actually look where they are going. He was waiting to turn right, so he was looking left, at a street light. I had a green and was coming from his right. He found and opening, so he started to turn right, but still he hadn't looked  right, so I'm in front of a car, on a bike, that decides he's clear to go. CRASH. There was no damage done to me and the bike was an easy fix. Bad news, we didn't know what information to get (FYI treat it like a car crash, drivers license, license plate, and insurance card) so we only got his number, and it was fake (Why is everyone in the valley a lier?)

Transfers are next week, so not this Tuesday but next Tuesday, and I'm very likely to be transferred out, but you shouldn't worry about that because forwarding letters is as easy as giving it to the Zone leaders to take to the mission home.

Yes many people here speak both languages or just English, but for the most part they're actually all paisas (San Fernando Mission term for Hispanic) and speak only or better Spanish, so it's nice.

weight loss, down another 2 lbs. 172 today (before cheat meal).

Out of time now.

Love you.

Elder Michael Blanding

February 17, 2015, JASON IS HOME IN A DAY AND 6 HOURS!!!!! AGHHHHH!! WHERE DID THE TIME GOOOOO!

Hi mom,

JASON IS HOME IN A DAY AND A LITLE OVER SIX HOURS!!! THAT MEANS THA I'M OVER A 1/4 OF THE WAY DONE WITH MY MISSION!!!! THAT'S NOT COOL!!

I DO THIS WHOLE E-MAIL IN CAPS BUT IT'S A LOT OF WORK AND FRANKLY, I'M JUST TO LAzy.

I just want to start by saying that I'm doing just fine. My health is perfect, I haven't had any problems with health in any way. Now that I've established that I'm fine, no sickness, no hospital trip, no pain; and that the nurses here in the mission know what they're doing (the whole mission had meetings with them before interviews this week), you should probably take a break, do some deep breathing, read Doctrine and Covenants 84:88 (just some ideas) before you continue reading.

Ok, your completely relaxed. no aches, no pains, you want nothing more then to lie down and take a nap. Do so if you want, but when you wake up, go straight back to reading, and bring some tranquilizers.

Mom, I'm sitting you down in a chair, on the sofa, in your bed. I'm making you promise not to over react, because I wanted to break this news to you in a much, much, MUCH, meaner way. I got hit by a car last Monday (that's eight days ago). I'm totally fine, don't worry. The worst damage that came from the hit was to my bike, which was completely destroyed, NOT. It only had the chain/gears messed up, super easy fix. Maybe my camera was worse. The lines cap broke, so I have to take it to get it replaced when I can, but the camera still works so don't send me a new one.

I wanted to tell you that so differently. I really wanted to steal someone else's e-mail (like my companion's) and write, "Dear Sister Blanding, We regret to inform you that your son got hit by a car," or something like that, but Elder Gonzalez (my companion) was against it and I figured it was a little mean to do that to you. I told the mission nurse my idea and she thought it was cruel, but funny.

With a car crash as the starting point, the rest of the week was kind of... dull. We got the bike fixed on Tuesday, cost all of $45 with changing to a set of better peddles. We had interviews on Wednesday, (I keep thinking in terms of Spanish when I think of days of the week!!). I asked President Hall about how I can eat better, he had two suggestions that I thought were both strange and inspired. They were sayings. "Eat around the edges" (as in around the edges of a grocery store) and "eat out side the box" (as in pre-prepared food). Such and inspired man. Thursday we planned. Friday we had service and ate dinner with Hermano J, he's a member of the Obispado (Bishopric) and lives in the extinction of our area, so we have dinner with him every Friday. (Finally I get member dinners and I probably will leave this transfer). Saturday we went finding and taught a few lessons. Sunday was church and that was about it.

We got to meet the mom of S*. She's so cool, and a whole lot like S*. We taught her lesson one and read a little with her from the Book of Mormon. We had her say the prayer twice, and I don't think she gets the idea of saying a prayer out loud. We just sat there, heads bowed, arms closed, waiting for "Amen." The last time she did it, we sat there for a good six minutes and I was worried that she wasn't praying so we were all waiting for someone to say amen. Especially because we had a lesson at the church (a good 10-15 minute ride from S*'s) in 5-10 minutes. That was yesterday, so the church was being opened especially for us to teach. Good news, They both went to church on Sunday. Better news, S* could be ready. She often refers to listening to us (The missionaries) as "Studding with us" (including herself) or saying that what WE (again including herself) have to offer is very good. We plan on trying to set her fecha (date) for the Sunday before transfers.

It's L* and B*. They're doing great. They've been having problems getting to church, but we're working on it. She's also still working on her divorce, but it's happening.

We have one new investigator who looks really [promising]. Her name is L*. She's super solid. Not quite ready for a fecha, but willing for baptism. She also likes to meet in the church (she's the one who had the lesson on Monday) and asked us for a blessing the very first time I met her (Elder Gonzalez talked to her on exchanges with Elder Gutierrez (Sorry, I know that's another G*) and taught her on splits with Elder Rangel).

The only other investigators with any promise are E* and V* (the mom and brother of A* (the kid who got baptized). We had to drop B* (V*'s boyfriend) because he really wasn't interested. We think he only listened to us because V* was listening, and now that it looks like he's on his way out, he's not even participating any more. We did find out some fun news this week, V*'s real name is Jesus (pronounced He-sus) FUN. We've always thought it was V*.

As for a bad barber, yes, I did have a bad barber, myself. I tried to cut my hair a few weeks back and, well you see the results (add picture here if desired). It was fun. Good thing I got used to this hairstyle a long time ago. I am saving a lot on shampoo and gel.

Yes, that does mean membership card. There is a Costco in every Zone in the mission, which means that I could possibly live my mission off going to Costco, all I need is a membership. Instructions on how to get my own would be acceptable as well.

RE-TURN AND REPORT

weight: (as of Monday) 176!!! this was a huge success, last week I gained way more and I was so mad at myself.
Spanish: 5/7 still working for a full week, but Spanish is way easer now.

That's about it. Again I'm fine, really. Just a few scrapes and bruises. I love you mom.

Forward, Pressing Forward... Singing

Elder Michael Blanding... soon to only the only Elder Blanding. (Probably just keep signing off as Elder Michael Blanding though.)