From July 13

Family!

It has been 9 days since I was last able to talk to you, so there is no way I will be able to go day by day and explain, but I will do my best to relate the happenings of the past week and a half to you all.  It was actually a really good week and I know at the end of every single night as I report on my work for the day to the Lord, he is happy with my efforts.  It is really an amazing feeling to know that Heavenly Father and his son approve of a day's efforts...helps you sleep a lot better thats for sure.

Those steps are the rainbow steps in watts where all these different taggers from all these different gangs have tagged over the years, making it look completely rainbow and that other sign about the homies in the hood is quite real haha there is a little memorial thing there I guess to remember all the homies that have been killed...not in the best part of town, was kinda scared to take my camera out to snag the shot, but it turned out just fine :)  

So last Monday on the 4th of July was actually a really good day, despite the odd schedule.  It consisted of a few finding hours which was good because people were home and with family.  It also consisted of the most illegal fireworks being blown up that I have ever seen! haha it was awesome!!  Little latin kids just running around with things flaming and exploding out of their hands, one extra large firework falling over as they lit it was the highlight.  We stood up on our balcony area and watched the explosions and this one tipped over, sending a crowd of at least 30 people yelling in spanish scattering and diving out of the way as it rocketed down the street and exploded leaving a puff of smoke in its wake.  Pretty hilarious.  

Then we looked up and literally 15 feet above our complex the big fireworks were exploding, closest I have ever been to them for sure.  It was a 4th of July to never forget, definitely felt like I literally was in battle LA haha.  And, after planning we stood at the window overlooking south central and watched tons and tons of fireworks being shot off by families and friends and on my iPod played America the Beautiful really loud, and I felt such gratitude and pride to be an American.  We really are so lucky.  After going through boyscouts, I have this odd sense of patriotism I guess, I don't know, it was a sobering experience to be surrounded by people from other countries but celebrating the birth of my own.  

Tuesday was ZLC and it lived up to its expectations for sure.  President talked a lot about how our mission organization is set up in the same way as the other organizations fo the Church like it states in the white handbook, and how we are to function in the same way that other church organizations function-by delegated authority.  So president has the keys, but he delegates authority to us as Zone Leaders and gives us charge over a certain part of his stewardship.  I am not explaining it as well as he did, but it was awesome.  Helped us understand that we are in our areas and zones to bless the missionaries and people living there, and we have the delegated authority to know how to do it.  Really helped us to realize the magnitude of our assignment and the trust the Lord has in us as well as the huge responsibility it is.  

He also announced something epic...portable DVD players for every missionary apartment in the United States to watch the Preach My Gospel DVDs to help us hone our skills...so now I see Chris and hear him talk on a daily basis haha its kinda weird but cool at the same time.  He is teaching me a ton...hey Chris will you sign my PMG!?  Just kidding I know he loves when people ask him that though :)  

This past week I have gone on international exchanges which was cool.  Meaning two days out of the past week, I was on exchanges, both times in my area, once with a missionary from England named Elder T. and the other is this missionary from El Salvador named Elder H.  He is the man, I have really become good friends with him here over the last few months.  So, both days on splits went really well and I was able to learn a lot from them  and have a lot of fun.  Sometimes it is just nice to have a change of scenery...and because your comp is by you 24-7 he is part of the scenery haha.  

This week I really noticed a difference in myself.  I don't know what the catalyst was, but its like I have no barriers now.  Let me explain myself.  Like before I would talk to everyone and do all the good missionary stuff and such, but now it feels different...like the past 14 months have gotten me to this point in my personality and boldness, and understanding of the work, etc and I am going stronger than ever before.  Like momentum I guess, I can feel it coursing through me, pushing me to be better, work harder, put myself in situations that are outside my comfort zone.  Like I am on the verge of finally having become the missionary Heavenly Father has needed me to be and that right now in this area, this zone with the delegated authority that I have been given I cannot be stopped.  

No, I dont feel like I have arrived or I am all that, or I have nothing left to learn, but it is just this feeling I get when I pray about it or think about it or reflect.  It feels so good to be transforming in the hollow of his hand, letting His hands mold me into the man and missionary servant he needs.  I hope you understand, its an awesome feeling.

This week we have worked a lot with members and have gotten some pretty good referrals/people to teach, and we had 5 at church on Sunday...finally!  It felt good to watch these people I have come to love and know use their agency how God wants them to use it and come to church!  Brother O. came, and he is really progressing well, Brother U. wasn't able to make it again, but we had a really good lesson with him yesterday and I know that he will be baptized this month.   The zone has 4 on the month with 3 sundays left, so we are still hopeful and optimistic.

Like I said before, I feel the spirit working through me, coursing through my body, just waiting to be let out and testify to someone about the truthfulness of the message that I bare.  God Lives. Jesus is the Christ, this is His church, and this is His work.  I am having the time of my life battling LA and giving it everything I have got to be like Captain Moroni who is...well...the man...he and Patrick Marleau haha.  I love you guys so much and hope you are all doing well and are ready to enjoy the rest of summer. Thanks for all you guys do for me, I can definitely feel the prayers :)  Peace be the Journey

 

Love,

Elder Molinaro

From July 4

Hey Family!!

So today is the 4th, and I am emailing from an internet cafe by our apartment and it feels nothing like the fourth haha.  For example...the music is supera ranchera/mexican rap...then the song Duke of Earl came on and I thought of Dad singing it, but then it turned into a weird ranchera rap duke of earl remix english spanish CRAZY!  haha and quite entertaining if I do say so myself. 

Lately here its been pretty hot-mid 90s during the day and mid 70s at night, but the heat isn't a bad thing, summer finally came here I suppose. So our zone didn't change too much with the new boundaries, actually didn't change at all boundary wise, but I'm sure next transfer we will get a little scrambled, just trying to keep it interesting I guess.  Of course we got some new missionaries in the zone, but areas stayed the same.  

Our District leaders are stacked this transfer which makes it easier to sleep at night quite honestly.  When the district leaders know what they are doing everything runs smoothly, but when they are struggling, we feel it on our shoulders for sure.  Our Zone goal for July is SWEET!!  If I do say so myself.  It is called Battle: L.A.  Taking the name from the movie, but focused on one baptism per companionship in the month through doing a few different things.  We split the zone into battalions -districts- and talked about how we are fighting the same fight that satan started in the councils in heaven and that we are given charge over this area of the battle...L.A.  

The idea is to use our different weapons-the commandments, because that is what kills satan so to speak as people change and repent by living the commandments, they leave their old selves behind and join the ranks of our side-the side of Christ, the side of Righteousness.  So, to use our weapons we are teaching the commandments with the other lessons, or as we go through the restoration plan of salvation, and gospel of jesus christ because they are all connected, and we have found that missionaries generally save teaching the commandments for last, after the first three lessons.  This does not give them enough time to truly change and gain a testimony through experience.  

Also, teaching the commandments up front as we go helps us find out who is elect and ready to hear the gospel and who is not.  Rather than teaching someone for 3-4 weeks and then finding out they need to be married, or they are addicted to tobacco, we can find out and work with them early on and if they are ready to change, perfect, we can work with them on that as we teach the doctrine, but if they refuse, then they are not elect and we haven't wasted 4 weeks teaching someone who will not change.  

So those are our weapons, mission objective is baptism, and the target is the elect investigators.  When we presented it in District Meeting on Friday, we called the whole Zone together and did it in front of everyone and made it all intense with stuff written on the board and a sheet over it and we ripped the sheet off and there was the goal, it was pretty epic I must say.  Each district made a banner that represents them and their assigned area of duty, and we used some sweet scriptures from D&C about satan waging war against the church of the Lamb, and Michael the archangel leading his army against the adversary.  It got the blood pumping for sure.  To keep it going all month, we will all be reading Alma 43 through Helaman 3 -the war chapters to learn how this battle was fought anciently.  

Also, the month will include two debriefs or interviews with the district leaders to see how the weapons are being used and such, I'm really excited about Battle: L.A.  And the coolest part is the picture/symbol of it.  Its the picture Ashley made of Christ looking over LA-not the painted one but the other one and we edited it into sepia tones and typed Battle LA in the top right in the sky...it looks SICK!!  We printed it out and made it so it can be put in everyone's planners day to day so they see it and remember.  I am excited to present it at ZLC on Tuesday. 

Elder K's release date is the end of this transfer so August 3rd, and we are looking hard for new seekers, investigators, but it seems like none of them will come to church!  Pretty frustrating Sundays, but we kind of forecasted some weeding and disappointment while focusing on the elect.  This week consisted of a lot of planning for zone goal and presentations, and such and the only real highlight was friday night when president came out on exchanges with us for 5 hours.  We set two baptismal dates and found some new investigators, and we were able to use the teaching model pretty well, and I just love President Baker, and the opportunity I have to work with him so closely.  

He is a great teacher and inspiration and helps me to be better.  It was cool walking the streets of the ghetto with him too, kind of felt like we were with King Benjamin who labored among his people and at the same time I felt like Harry Potter going to work with Dumbledore haha I think that just came to my head because there are so many Harry Potter billboards/bus ads here, its nuts but I'm sure you're getting that in New York too.  President said that the church is spending a lot of money advertising these days and that their "I'm a Mormon" ads have already started in NYC so keep an eye out.  

Spoiler Alert!! The other day some Elders tracting in hollywood tracted into the producer of a new movie coming out called Mormon: Rise of a General and its about...well Mormon of course, but they are using the Book of Mormon as the story line and the producers are non members but evidently the screenplay and stuff is being reviewed by Elder D. Todd Christofferson to make sure it is accurate and not anti-Mormon stuff.  You guys see any of that stuff for that stupid play about us??  I have only heard about it, wondering how big it really is up there.

As far as how I am doing??  I'm doing thats for sure haha...pretty good I guess, a week like this week was kind of expected after so much success last week, just part of the roller coaster they call the mission.  I am loving being in the service of the Lord, and watching myself grow.  For example Sunday I confirmed Hermana C. in Sacrament meeting and I wasn't nervous at all.  Missionary moments started out being a stressful experience with worries about filling time and what to say, but we did another one yesterday and now I don't even get nervous, I just stand up there and talk, and it is an awesome feeling to know that a year ago I couldn't have done that in the same way.  

Or yesterday we tracted into this guy who was fairly verbally agressive and just wanted to bash doctrine but we kept our cool, confused him with his own words as he contradicted himself, gave him a card, bore testimony he couldn't argue with and headed on our way haha pretty awesome to trust in the promise that we will not be confounded before men.  

Well guys, I am so grateful to live in this wonderful country, the only country that the restoration of the priesthood and gospel could have possibly happened in.  Even though we're on opposite sides of the USA, I remember all the fun times we have had watching fireworks at the property, Disneyworld, downtown Atlanta, Philly, the lake in Fairfield, and so much more.  I love you guys so much.  Happy fourth of July.  Eat a hotdog for me and give some ooos aahhhhs and eees.  Peace be the Journey :)

 

Love,

Elder Molinaro