Week 47

Well, after 5 weeks of being here we finally had an investigator at church! It was awesome. Her name is Alicia. She's super cool. She's a pretty cool old lady. For the last few weeks she has been watching kids on Sundays, but her granddaughter just had a baby (so now she is a great grandma) and her granddaughter watches the kids on Sunday while she comes to church! She liked it a lot. I taught Gospel Principles as well. It was awesome. It was Branch Conference as well. 

We were super worried, we weren't sure if she was going to be able to come. She has a super good fellowshipper named Evangelina. She is a solid member with an awesome testimony and impressive knowledge of the doctrine. She comes with us to every lesson, and this last week she told Alicia that she was going to be able to give her a ride. The problem? She just got a new job and was scheduled to work Sunday. So we prayed and fasted with Evangelina that she would get work off, and she did! So it was an awesome Sunday. 

I also gave my first baptismal interview on Saturday to two sisters. They got baptized, and our branch is baptizing weekly now! Which is awesome, since in the last year they only had 6 convert baptisms. Alicia should be getting baptizes either the 25th of this month, or the next week. She will be ready. We are trying to bring Joel to lessons on with her so that she will pick him to baptize her (she is a large, large woman.). 

In addition to that, we began teaching the husband of a less active woman. When they got married, he made her pick him or the church, and she picked him. But, unlike most situations, she kept her testimony very strong. She still says her Mormon style prayers every night with her daughter, and studies from the Book of Mormon. We have to be pretty... unbold (if that's a word) with him, though. He does have potential though. 

However, we have begun to notice a problem in the branch... Everyone in the branch thinks that it's a sin to drink caffeine. I don't know where they are getting that belief, or what's going on, but just a strange thing that I haven't seen in any other branch that I've served in. 

Elder A and Elder Vwere at leadership training at Camp Liahona for 3 days, a long with 3 of the 4 sisters from the branch, so there was pretty much no one in the branch for a little while. We held it together pretty well, if I do say so myself. Except for Elder S was sick, so we did have to take it a little slow. 

All in all, a good week. Finding some new people, and teaching lots. It's about to be week 6 of the transfer. We will be baptizing in 2-3 weeks, and so far we have 3 less actives that are becoming active again. So a lot of success here in Woodland! 

Elder Foster 

Week 46

One more week down and into a new year! I can't believe that it is 2014 right now. It's super crazy. It feels like only a few weeks ago that I spent the New Years at a ska and cheese party. I can say that I celebrated like I did last year a little. Last year Jake and I bought some Lemonade and Honey Arizonas. This year, I bought a gallon of Lemonade and Honey Arizona, and I drank half a gallon (Diabetes, I know. It was a new years splurge.) . I can say that I didn't throw up, but I stayed up until about 11:30 urinating because I drank so much of it right at 9. It was a good day! 

Elder A and Elder V have both been sick, so they have been chilling at the apartment all week long, and this next week all of the Zone Leaders are going to MLC in Camp Liahona for 3 days, so Elder S and I have the apartment to ourselves for 3 days. It will be a little weird. 

We had a really succesful week as far as proselyting goes. We found quite a few new investigators, set a baptismal date in our area and a baptismal date for a lady in Mexico through Facebook! She is meeting with the missionaries down there currently. 

The bad thing about this week was pretty much the whole town of Woodland is sick. We had 2 investigators that were pretty solid to come to church yesterday. On Saturday night we went to visit them to see if there was anything we could do to help them attend. We walked into the first lady's home, and she told us that she was sick and couldn't go. You could tell that she was being serious. We watched a Mormon Message with her and got out so we didn't get sick. We then went to the second lady's house, and she was even more sick! I was so chapped because they need to come to church gosh dangit! So right now, I am taking 1,500% of the daily amount of Vitamin C just to be safe. But for real. Both of them sick?? Come on!!! 

But now for the good part- We had 8 less actives at church. One family, and two other guys came. It was sweet to see the results of our efforts. They really enjoyed it. 

Good thing #2- Old Spice is now making shampoo. I have said always that the only problem with Old Spice is that they don't make shampoo. But now they do. I am currently using Wolfthorn deoderant, body wash, and shampoo, and Old Spice pomade. Should I be an old Spice salesman??? 

#3- we ate dinner this week with the elders Quorom President. He is hilarious. His name is Joel R. He was converted at age 8, served a mission in Mexico, then came to the states a few years after. He is 34, speaks good but funny English. The dinner was pizza and juice, and I don't think I've ever laughed so hard. He told us things like "Sin el bautismo, you don't even can see the Celestial Kingdom. You don't even can see it!" or when telling us the story of how he met the lady to whom he is now engaged "La vi, y empece a mirarla como un fox!" I was dying the whole dinner. But he likes me a lot, and pretty much told me that whenever we need him for a lesson to call him. Score!!!! 

Well, it's been a good week. I miss you guys!!!! Hope all is well. 

Elder Foster 

Week 45

Christmas week! 

So I'm sure everyone wants to know how Christmas went! To start off, thank you for all of the presents. I'm a spoiled little kid ;) And I willl probably never have to buy shaving stuff again! I might actually be able to grow a full beard before this 2 years ends!



Skyping you guys was definitely one of the most positive experiences I've had on my mission. I miss you guys, and that gave me the strength I need to keep going and keep working! Even though I wasn't with you guys, I felt your love on Christmas.

After we Skyped, we went and visited some less actives who don't have families and gave them Christmas cards. One of the guys was really really thankful, and he came to church yesterday! So that felt really good. It felt nice to get out and spread some of the Savior's Love on Christmas Day.

After that we went to a park and played Ultimate Frisbee for about an hour and a half. It was really fun, good to get out in the sun (it was warm for the first time in a long time!!!) and play some sports.

 

Then we went to a member's house in Esparto. There were 10 missionaries! All of the spanish missionaries from the Woodland Spanish Branch, and then one companionship of Spanish sisters from Winters. It was crazy! In addition to us, the Branch President and his family came. It was awesome. We ate chicken, tortillas, tamales, carne asada, menudo, and pozole for dinner. After that we ate dessert, which consisted of flan, milk jello, and this weird sweet potatoe stuff  that is awesome. So it was a huge Mexican party, and it felt like family.

As far as the rest of the week goes, just normal work. It has been slow as far as teaching lessons with the holidays. but from 6PM-9PM tonight we have 4 lessons planned, and 2 with members coming. I don't know how that's all going to work, but it should be good! Finding has been good, we are contacting lots, but I like knocking doors, and Elder A and Elder S didn't do that as much, so we are going to start doing that more! We are finding lots of cool people though.

My district is really cool. I have the Hermanas from Dixon (one of which is from Spain, the other knows sammie, her name is Hermana L), the zone leaders, and Elder S. District Meetings are in Spanish, which is fun and a good challenge.

It's been a good week! Hopefully this next week will be an awesome one for you guys as well.

Elder Foster

Week 44

Sooooooo a lot of stuff happened this week.

To start off, we had the Christmas devotional! It was a wonderful, uplifting experience. I don't think the actual talking about Christmas had too much of an effect on me. It was touching and spiritual, but nothing incredible for me. And then!!! We had some special musical numbers. I can honestly say that I have never felt the spirit that strongly when I listen to music. It was wonderful to hear all the missionaries singing and praising the birth of Jesus. 

Then, we had the party. It was so great to see all of the missionaries that have made a difference to me on my mission. I saw Elder L (who I haven;t seen since he left), Hermana B and W, Hermana Ch Elder W,F, and S, Elder W, and just so many missionaries that have blessed and changed my life. If I had never decided to come on a mission, I never would have had the opportunity to meet these missionaries. I loved it.

 

Woodland is great. It is a large branch with many youth. We had a Christmas party with over 100 people show up. We had 10 people that we invited show up. It was so successful! And the tamales were great. I don't know why we can't be hispanic!!! We are mostly biking. The area is good. There was not a lot of finding done last transfer, so we are trying to build up the teaching pool! Elder S is awesome. A little republican, but I can deal with it. That's why we're on missions! But it did teach my that I would like my wife to be on my end of the spectrum. Darn politics. 

We have so many members willing to teach with us, and the branch is on board with missinionary work. I love it! 

I don't know what else to write about. I'm super excited for Christmas. I love you guys and hope all is well! 

Elder Foster