Week 83

 

 

 

 

Well the last week of the transfer finished off strong! We taught 5 member present lessons, and had lots of people at church. I'll get to the big news with transfers, and then do a review of the week. In the Crescent City Zone (really a district) Elder Yepez is the only one leaving! Replacing him will none other than Elder Peine. I'm sure you guys remember Elder Payne from previous emails. He is one transfer ahead of me, meaning he goes home in 2 more transfers. We served in the same branch and district in my first two transfers in Napa, and for one transfer in Vallejo. Me and him have pretty much the exact same personality, which means that we butt heads, but it's in a good way, you know? I love him a ton, and I know he and I are going to do work! He also has a holographic Ninetales card that I want really, really, really, really bad. Our new zone leader is my other close friend Elder Ashton!!! Even though it doesn't matter since I'll see him only twice this next transfer. He and I lived together my last transfer in Vallejo and we ran 2 miles every morning together. I lost 10 pounds with that kid! Another cool thing is that Elder Evans from Cottonwood High School is opening up an area in Hoopa. That is an Indian Reservation and it's a pretty risky move, so hopefully he won't get killed. For realsies though. He might die there.

Last P Day we did P Day exchanges. I went with Elder Mortenson and Elder Hastings. We went to a trail called the Boy Scout Trail. It's 3 miles in, 3 miles out. It was a pretty intense hike, probably not something that Dad could do with his leg. It was beautiful though, massive trees and it ends at a little waterfall. We saw tons of banana slugs and cool birds. We got in and out in 90 minutes. I mean we FLEW. But it was way fun. 

When Monday was over and we got to our apartment I got a card addressed to me, and the stamp was from a post office in Arizona. For the life of me I couldn't think of who would send me a card from Arizona. So we finished up nightly planning and I opened it up and what was it? The wedding invitation from Josh Hansen and Jasmine Kimzey (aka Elder Hansen or Elly Handsome and Sister Kimzey). I will send a picture of my "oh hi, I'm in Crescent City while my mission mom is about to get married" face. 

We also went on exchanges this last week. It was probably the longest exchange of my life! Now I don't mean to sound mean, but I'll put it this way. Thank you guys for sending me to public school, thank you for teaching me how to talk to people. I'm glad you guys allowed me to watch movies that weren't only Disney and Pixar, and that I was taught how to appreciate good music. The World is a bad, bad place. But even Jesus sent the apostles into the World and told them not to be of the world. But by the same token, I don't know what kind of revelation that family received, but I am grateful for the way you guys raised me. If you ain't first you're last. 

Speaking of movies, last night we had dinner with the Covington family, and they did this weird fun activity where instead of eating with normal silverware and plates we ate with an odd assortment. I got a banana bread pan, a rice fluffer/ server, and a pudding bowl to drink from. Needless to say, it was hard. A family from 1st Ward was also there. During the dinner,my he conversation turned to movies, more specifically, John Candy. I couldn't remember who was John Candy! And so they said that he was is Uncle Buck, to which I replied "Is that the John Hughes movie, or am I thinking of a different movie?" They all got a good laugh that I couldn't remember who John Candy was, but I knew the director. Also, sister Covington at one point said "it's the leaning tower of cheeees-ah" and I said "that's from Extremely Goofie Movie!" They all laughed. I've seen too many movies. And Dad passed on that useless encyclopedia brain where nothing in here is worth any scholarly value, I only know about music and movies. 

On Wednesday it rained pretty hard, and it was cool because on the Jetty you could see the waves splashing up like 15 feet. We had to drive to Eureka to do a baptismal interview in Spanish. We are the only Spanish Elders in a reasonable distance that could do it. It was sweet because the drive is along the ocean and the waves were huge. I mean like 10-15 foot waves. It was way cool. We also saw lots of elk, there was a herd walking in a lagoon! They were huge. Well it's funny, I'm not a district leader anymore, so when it came time to sign the paper, I didn't know what to put for my title! So I wrote down "Emeritus District Leader" I don't know about you guys, but I thought that it was hilarious.

On Saturday we were busy all day long putting up siding on a two story 60x40 workshop. It was for Darryl B, and lots of people from the Ward were there. It was way fun. Darryl is really, really into Barbeque, so he made us ribs. Now I don't mean to blaspheme, however those ribs were the best I've ever had, after the Salt Lick in Austin. And I mean they were GOOD. Gavin is a member from our Ward, he's 16. His dad is Russ O, the funniest man alive. Well I was sitting across from Russ, and Gavin was sitting next to me. Darryl's 17 year old daughter came in, and that definitely caught the attention of Gavin. Well he started to try to flirt, and it was disastrous. I mean he was just digging a hole with bare hands. Russ had this big smirk on his face and at one point Gavin said something really really silly, and Russ just looks at me with that smirk, shakes his head, and looks down at his plate to keep from laughing. The next day at church Russ asks me if instead of teaching his son to be a missionary I could teach him how to talk to girls. Unfortunately, I told him I couldn't, that was his responsibility. Sister B also makes soap, and she gave us some for the service! It smells awesome. Hopefully she didn't make it like they do in Fight Club. Also after service we played basketball for 30 minutes with Spencer, who is Darryl's nonmember son, and Elliott, Gavin's brother. It was way fun, and way cool for Spencer to see that we are just normal people. We aced them, but that was probably due to the fact that I'm 5 years older than them, and Elder Yepez is 10 years older. But still, we played well! Yesterday night Lindsey thanked us for playing basketball with Spencer, she was grateful that he got to see that Mormons are normal people, too. So that was awesome.

Here's what's going on with Grace. Since her biological dad has custody on the weekends, we need his written permission for Grace to be baptized, and right now it doesn't look like he wants to sign it. We are obviously not trying to drive a wedge into family problems. Right now Lindsey, Grace, and us have done all that we can do in our power to help Grace get baptized. Now all we can do is put it into the hands of the Lord. We are fasting for Grace this Sunday. We means Elder Payne and I, Elder Yepez and his family, Lindsey and Grace, and all of Lindsey's family members that are active in the church. I want you guys to fast with us, too! This Sunday, so that Grace's dad's heart can be softened and she can be baptized on the 18th. 

At church we had 8 investigators in Sacrament Meeting! I think that that is the most I've ever had. Sophie even came, too! She said therapy is stupid, she's trying to convert the counselor. 

I also made talk notebook. It is called "The Journal of Discourses: as compiled by Mufosta" I figured I had so many talks all over the place that I had might as well organize them. Some of the hits are "The Purifying Power of Gethsemane" by Bruce R, "His Grace is Sufficient" by Brad Wilcox, and "Feed My Sheep" by Jeffrey R Holland. And unlike the actual journal of discourses, these talks actually contain true doctrine, and nothing about people living on the dark side of the moon. 

The wildlife here is awesome, I finally saw a fox! It was a gray one, just staring at us, it was really pretty. We also saw a river otter! However there have been lots of mountain lion spotting a in the places we go to tract. Basically my biggest fears in Crescent City are mountain lions, bears, and the Mexican Mafia. The last one is particularly scary since Pelican Bay is where most of the head guys are, and there is lots of forested land and so there are lots of special gardens. But don't be worried, I've seen the Godfather, I know what to do. Make offers you can't refuse and go to the leaders on wedding nights. 

Also, I wanted to finish with one last story from the New Testament. Esteban was preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the people who didn't believe about him, like the Chief Priest, about the people that believed in the Prophets of the Old Testament. Well, I really liked it, because, after recounting the stories of the Israelites and how the Prophets were rejected, he said "Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.

Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers"

Of course those that were there truly believed that they would have listened to Moses had they been there, but of course they didn't listen to the ones that God sent in their time. So don't be Pharisees, don't be like the Chief Priests! Watch conference, all the sessions, too!  

Well, I love you guys! Have a great week!