Hey Fam!
So, I am pretty sure that today is the first day of the busiest week of my life to this point. Transfers are Wednesday and the board is not all figured out, and President is recently back in town so we definitely have some work to do, but I am excited to see what the Lord has in store. He has already thrown us quite a few curve balls.
So this past week, President B. was out of town at a Mission President's seminar for the western and northwestern regions and he and his wife were in Portland. So, Elder G., and Elder K. and I were holding down the fort, and of course things started to go wrong. It was like Satan knew that the brains of the operation was out of the picture for a while and problems started happening that I can't really talk about, but to say the least, we ended up with two other missionaries for a few days. We were babysitting until President got back. Sometimes it is hard to believe that 20 year old young men can act a certain way, but the problems got resolved and all is well right now.
It has been so much fun being here for the last week with my 3 companions. Three comps is only temporary because Elder K. (the referrals secretary from New Zealand who plays rugby for the country's All Blacks team) is headed out on Wednesday for New Zealand, and Elder G. is getting transferred. So our party of 4 will shortly turn into a group of 2 but we will still make sure it is a party.
As for your questions, I now live in Westwood in an apartment that is literally right next to the Temple which is cool. It feels weird not to fall asleep to the sound of sirens and the hope that cockroaches don't crawl on my face at night with ridiculously loud ranchera music like I had in Huntington Park, but it is going good so far.
My companion's name is Elder H. and he has two transfers left and goes home in January. Come to find out he is way funny and we are getting along great. He is from a farm in Springville, Utah and is a really good missionary.
Yes, we still have our studies, but we do them in our office...or is it a workspace? :) So for studies we can go on lds.org ormormon.org and of course read the scriptures and things, but it is cool to have resources. In fact, the other day I looked up Ash on Mormon.org and her page is way good! You should all do one!
We travel the mission for different things and meetings. For example, last night we had the departing missionary fireside where all the departing missionaries come and share their testimonies with all their recent converts/investigators/members from their missions and I was the one conducting this meeting. Holy nervous! There were easily 400 people there! But, I got to thinking about it and realized that if I messed up who cares!? I am learning, and it is just part of it, right? I ended up doing OK and I know the Lord helped me out in a big way. I could not have done that myself and especially not a year and a half ago. I am grateful for the skills I have been able to develop and fears I have been able to conquer.
As for my responsibilities, that is a great question. I am not quite sure on all of them, but right now it has consisted of transfers and more transfers. It is pretty fun, but you don't truly understand what goes into it until you have to do it. We have to figure out missionaries personalities matching, teaching skills meshing, what wards and stakes need, District and Zone composition, who gets what car and who is able to drive, who gets what apartment, who is ready to be District Leaders, Zone Leaders, senior companions, and trainers. There is a lot of prayer that goes into it, and it is amazing how President really cares about not just producing baptisms, but building the kind of men that the Lord will need for the future of the Church.
This week is big with transfers. We must drop off departing missionaries at the airport, pick up incoming missionaries, train Zone Leaders, District Leaders, trainers, and then pick trainers for all the incoming missionaries. I am a little nervous about driving a 12-passenger van in Los Angeles traffic, but it is a new challenge and those are always fun, right? haha.
We still have an area, but the office work takes priority over the area. Our area is called La Brea Park and it is by Korea Town and the Wilshire area. There are a lot of Jewish people and a lot of black people which is a big transition for me, along with the ward which is an English-speaking ward called the Wilshire Ward and we meet at the LA stake center every week. I am in the mission office a lot more, and I have my own office -- well, kinda -- it is shared with Elder H.
Fear Factor is still chugging along, but yesterday we helped President announce to all the Zone Leaders that we are switching from 7 zones to 9 zones. Still trying to figure out logistics and such, but it is going to be good.
Last night at the departing missionary fireside The P. family came, Hma I. was there, and Hma Is. came, too, along with some members from HP and Inglewood Second wards. It was so good to see them all, and so good to know that the Lord is continuing to take care of those I love so much. Hma Is. is still teaching Primary, and Hma I. is going to church with her sister. Hma E. and her daughter M. got confirmed, and Elder H. said Hma K. and Hmo H. should be baptized this next week, so hopefully I get permission to go to that.
I am loving my mission and am happier now than I have been in my whole life, I am pretty sure. I love you all so much and can't wait to live through this week and let you know how it went! Pray for me! haha
Good questions this week, excited for some more next week! Have the grandparents ask 'em, too. Like compile a list from everyone and I will try to answer as many as I can!
Thanks Guys for being who you are and for making me who I am. The Lord is really blessing me as He holds me in the hollow of His hand. I feel your prayers and am so grateful to be serving the Lord.
Love,
Elder Molinaro
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