Dear Family,
How are ya? I sure hope all of you are good, because I am doing good too. Summer here hasn’t really decided to hit yet, and we are kind of stuck in between temperatures and weather patterns. Everyone says usually mid way through June in Southern California its pretty hot, but 72 with a light breeze and no clouds is alright with me :)
I'm going to try something a little different this week and you guys can tell me which way you like better. I'm going to go day by day and tell you what happened as I have it recorded in my planner.
First day-Monday. I think I already told you guys about Sister J. who we taught and invited to be baptized in the morning at her father’s store, but other things that happened on Monday, besides ping pong and such at the USC institute, we had a lesson with a woman named Sister V. who really likes the church but she feels scared to keep talking to us because her husband is so against changing religion. We stopped by in the afternoon and she tried to drop us but we taught her a little bit and testified and bore testimony and now she said she will keep meeting with us and talk to her husband about it.
Then we went to a family of sisters, all who have little toddlers or babies, or both, and their brother. We found them talking to people on the street. In fact, it was a few weeks ago and I don’t know if I told you about them or not, but we saw this lady pushing her kid in a little car toy thing down the street and I really felt like we should go talk to her, so, we stopped dead in our tracks and turned a 180 and went power walking after her. Ok, fast-forward two weeks and its Monday afternoon, and actually a lot this week. They are good, trouble staying focused sometimes with so many youngens running around and making noise. haha They have a desire, seems like a weak one for now, but it is a desire.
Then we went to the T. family for dinner and it was great. They are this recent convert family that goes through so much and really needs the gospel and they have a bunch a little kids and bigger kids, and it was one of their birthday’s so they were having a small party with carne asada and it felt so good to be with a family again, kids, parents, laughing, remembering, it was great, there is definitely a different feel when we are really with a family that loves each other and the gospel, reminds me of you guys :)
Tuesday was...ok. We had ZLC in the morning and I love that meeting so much. President gave an amazing training on leadership and what it takes and how it is a chance to serve and nothing more. Serve with love, that was the gist, along with don’t aspire, because it honestly doesn’t matter. And honestly, it doesn’t. I could stay Zone leader or go junior companion for the rest of my mission and be perfectly happy, no complaints-I’ll do whatever the Lord wants and needs because that’s what I signed up for.
Christ was the most royal of men and he came to Earth in humble circumstances and he stayed that way until the moment He died, asking to forgive and help others. I love ZLC, it is the meeting that runs the mission and President Baker has taught me so much.
After that, we tried some people and everything ended up falling through, but we had fun looking for those that we know are out there. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, and sometimes it rains right? (or sometimes the puck comes off the boards wrong, ousting any hope of success...but we will leave that subject alone, it is still a touchy one to me :))
Wednesday we had another lesson with Sister B. and her family, and it went really well. Taught about the restoration, the first half of the actual lesson about prophets and dispensations, etc, and they seemed to understand pretty well, interest mounting with every visit. I decided that that is the hardest part, actually getting people to give us the time of day. Once they actually sit down and listen, the interest comes-angels, prophets, gold plates, apostles, who wouldn’t be interested! We’ve just got to have them put their wall down for a second-there is the struggle.
Wednesday, a lot of stuff fell through too, but we had a good correlation and hopefully the ward will be able to help us with those we are teaching.
Thursday was just great, in fact I love Thursdays. Thursday we go and meet up with the other Zone leaders and pick up mail and wish list (supplies-pamphlets, Book of Mormons, planners, brooms, etc) at the drop spot. Then, we go out to lunch at somewhere by USC, sometimes Freebirds, sometimes Taco Bell, sometimes Yogurt Land, Chipotle, just depends on our mood. We discuss what’s going on in the mission, our zones, bounce ideas around, discuss problems, its nice.
Then we went back to the apartment to plan our training that we did on Friday. It is more of the fundamentals trainings and sometimes it gets hard, sitting in a chair when I would rather be outside finding and teaching, but it helps other missionaries out and helps me focus on my lack of skills. Bright side I suppose. We went to a recent convert’s house that recently moved into our area and her name is Hermana M. and she is so cool. Like mid thirties and has a little two year old named...brace yourself-Kobe Bryant M. haha pretty funny huh.
We are trying to get to know the members better and she shared her conversion story and it was pretty cool. She was invited to church by a friend and knew it was true from the start and winded up getting divorced because her husband didn’t want anything to do with the church...so she didn’t want anything to do with him! That takes faith.
Had a good lesson with Brother T., the son of that family from Monday who is preparing to go on a mission. We help him learn and teach and see what the mission is really like because he isn’t going be able to go to the MTC because he doesn’t have papers so he can’t go to the airport. He is the man, does a lot for us. I need to take pictures with these people huh.
Friday we trained in Peninsula Zone, down by San Pedro and Palos Verdes Estates, super nice and pretty wealthy area, big switch from the ghetto, but the building where we had it was huge!! Two chapels, gyms, stages, etc, biggest church building I have ever seen aside from the temples and the conference center haha guess it has to be big, a Tongan ward meets there.
The training went pretty well I felt, lots of good input and participation and the spirit was really strong as this week we focused on we invite, they commit, we follow up and commitment patterns and different things like that along with promised blessings and testifying. Had some good lessons that night, including one with the C. family, Hermana M.-the couple that is waiting to get married. They are doing ok, just trying to sift through priorities. But, on the bright side she gave us the best salsa I have ever had! haha I’m going to get the recipe, you guys will love it! Pica mucho ;)
Sister O. and her family kind of dropped us and she said it was because she just didn’t have time right now but she will give us a call when she has time. Saturday was good, really good lesson with Sister B. and her family are doing well and excited to come to church.
Ate dinner with the P. family and they are doing well too. I am running out of time but yesterday was the departing missionary fireside where Elder W. shared his departing testimony and it was really good. Saw the C. family too, it was just terrific. Well I’ve got to go, don’t’ have any time left, but I will talk to you all next week! Make it a great one. Peace be the journey.
Love,
Elder Molinaro
No comments:
Post a Comment