From October 3

Family!

Hows it going? This week was a short one, especially with Conference taking two days out of the few and another I was out of my area with Elder H. on exchanges, and a lot of the other time we have been planning/prepping the zone goal for october, and we actually presented it today, and it.  was.  epic!  I will start off by telling you about that, and then answer questions...

So this month we decided to go for a Halloween theme and the name is Metro Fear Factor.  The goal focuses on raising a key indicator each week, based on which one was lowest for the week before...it is their districts "fear factor", and district leaders set goals for them to reach and overcome their fear as a district.  As key indicators consistently improve, baptisms will follow.  September went well, our baptismal goal was 11 and we pulled 10, but getting missionaries to baptize monthly is our overall vision.  So, on a personal level, each missionary will come up with something that is their fear factor, or something that scares them about missionary work, it could be knocking doors, talking to everyone, inviting people to be baptized, or speaking the language, or a number of things, but they will be striving to overcome that fear as they go throughout the month.  

So monthly personal goal, and district weekly goal.  As each missionary rises to a higher plain and overcomes their fears, we will all rise to a new level and all be blessed as we progress together.  Holy cow there is a lady yelling in Spanish at this little boy and I am laughing inside jajajaja...ok sorry, easily distracted.  So its called fear factor and we have these sweet cards that say fear factor on them and they put them in their planners and move them day to day, and there is Psalms 27:1 written on there too...look it up :)  

So the name, obviously inspired by the show, is what we played on to present it.  We had everyone walk up onto the stage, and there was an eerie red light on, and a fog machine running, and everyone sat down, and we had a black light and a ton of stuff written in highlighter so it really popped and we had three scriptures chosen from the Old Testament that introduced three different challenges that three contestants from each district had to participate in.  For example there was a scripture about the power of the tongue and it translated into a Sister Missionary wheeling out a boiled cow tongue, super nastified and the three people had to eat it.  There was a scripture about bowels gushing out, and boiled cold pig intestine followed, and worms eating flesh was the third, and we had them eat these weird korean silkworm cocoon thingys...it was so cool!  

We were like the hosts and the black light and the fog and the missionaries were lovin it and cheering and egging each other on, and I am fairly confident that the excitement will carry the goal through the rest of the month.  It was so fun to plan and throw together having limited resources and lots of restrictions obviously being a missionary.  It was definitely something I will never forget.  We wheeled the tongue out on a cutting board with a big knife sticking out of it, death to the chef style and yeah...I don't know if you can tell but I am still excited about it haha.  We timed the contestants and the district that ate their stuff the fastest won.

As far as your questions?...I really loved Conference, it was great and it is really different trying to listen to it for yourself, and trying to listen for someone else too, like Oh man I hope Sister E. heard that, or I hope Brother U. is paying attention (he actually went to Utah with his in-laws to see it so we're hoping he really liked it).  I think the themes were for sure the Book of Mormon, and the scriptures in general, and how to better my teaching abilities and relationship with God. I liked the talks about prayer, and about how there is nothing too small for the Lord to answer if I just have faith...like President Monson and the guy coming in to speak that was way funny.  I really liked his talk too about how the ten commandments are still in effect, and even thouh people think religion is outdated, it is our job to be in the world not of the world.  Always weird when people refer to their missions in talks for like 20 seconds, like my mission was great and I learned a lot...as a missionary it feels like they need to really explain all that goes into it...third period art could be great and you could learn a lot, but it is hardly the same!  Just kinda funny.

 

The new training program doesnt really affecet me, except for things we need to plan because we have two trainers that are on different schedules than the rest of us.  They study in comp study for two solid hours with a strict curriculum, and it pretty much brings the mtc into the field for a little while...12 weeks :)  In the mtc now they focus primarily on teaching skills and here they focus on the doctrine of the lessons and the trainer trains during comp study on a few different subjects.  So far it is still in the pilot stages, but as far as we can see, it is going well. 

The best thing about being a zone leader is being so busy all the time and really getting to be in a position where I can think about the welfare and progression fo so many of God's servants.  The busier I am, the more I feel like I am doing for the Lord, and there comes a greater satisfaction.  For example, today was my 7th zone goal that I have had to plan and present and execute in Metro...that seems like a lot!  And every month we think of something, and we always say man what on earth will we do next month, but when we wait on the Lord, the revelation comes in the moments of need.  

I love getting to get to know so many missionaries and care for them personally and on so many levels.  It is a lot of added responsibility and a lot of extra prayer, but it is worth every minute of it.  The hardest thing is correcting people that I have grown close to.  I become friends with those in my zone, but then they make some dumb choice, and it is my responsibility to correct and guide...that means I can't be doing anything wrong because they watch our every move...talk about pressure!  Now of course there are times when we mess up, and make a dumb choice, but I guess the most important thing is the next choice I make after that.  

My investigators are doing well, Sister E. came to Conference and the Visitor's Center yesterday and loved it, and she is preparing for baptism.  My chin doesn't go down to my chest anymore haha mom I know how you feel...guess I carry stress in my shoulders too, but it is all good. I am absolutely loving my mission and have no doubt that it is the best two years for my life too :)  Love you guys so much!

 

Love,

Elder Molinaro

September Clean Apartment Awards

September Zone Leader Council

September Zone Conference

August Zone Leadership Council

Temple P Day

July Zone Leadership Council

From September 28

Hey guys!

So, this week has been a long one because today we went to the temple, but it was a really good week.  Really good.  Brother O, Sister H. and Sister R. got confirmed, and we are still working with them, making sure they are keeping all their covenants and continuing their daily reading and study.  We have gone over there so much we just feel like part of the family, but its good...in fact, now that I think about it, everyone that I have helped to baptize just feels like family.  They are just people that I love so much and get really close to, so it isn't ever oh this person is getting baptized or this person didn't read, but its more like my best friend is getting baptized, or what can I do to help my friend understand the importance of these things...change of perspective kinda.  

I don't even know what to say about what happened this past week...you guys gotta ask questions because honestly everything feels like its the same and I have no idea of what might interest you...you should have some questions from people in the family for me to answer every week!?  That would be way easier.  While it is hard to put my finger on one specific thing that has happened, I can think of a couple general things.  

Well first off, we were teaching Brother O. and Sister H. and while we were teaching them, they watched their Chihuahua get smashed by a car!  It definitely drove the spirit away, and they were all bawling and screaming, especially Sister R, it was the first pet she had ever had...there is no scripture that says that all dogs go to heaven...we didn't know what to say, so that was really tough to see the people I love so much suffering.  Also, we have new investigators coming out of the woodwork. Since last monday we have found at least 20, and all of which are starting to progress, we are just super pumped and working harder than I have ever worked in my life/mission.  And the greatest thing is that the people we are finding aren't like one here one there, but we are finding families who want to learn and we are teaching boldly and simply so they know what we expect of them and then they do it! 

October gearing up to be a sweet month, can't wait!  Well guys it has been great to chat with all of you, I love this email thing haha can't wait for Conference, please keep Sister E. in your prayers, she will be baptized any Sunday now!  Love you guys so much :)  Can you have some questions for me on Monday?  Thanks!

Love,

Elder Molinaro

From September 19

Dear Family,

I...have not been transferred, and neither has Elder H.  My eleventh transfer in the mission and still in just my second area haha I wasn't disappointed at all to tell you the truth.  I like staying in an area for a long time because then I really get to build relationships with members and investigators and you really end up internalizing the area book and keeping formers and referrals and stuff in your head...kinda cool.  It is also easy to tell when people are lying when they say oh yeah I have already talked to missionaries...then I ask how long ago and they say oh about 4 or 5 months...gotcha!  I have never seen you before in my life and I was here 4 or 5 months ago! You end up making friends with the homeless people at the different stop lights and the dumpster divers looking for recycling, especially when you see them out there and run them out a few plastic bottles.  

All in all, I am really enjoying my time in Metro, and I am glad I get to stay, but I highly doubt I will stay one more because Elder H. has one left after this, and I doubt they would flush us and pretty sure I won't stay 7...but its possible I suppose.  Only time will tell...speaking of time, where is it going!?  It is almost hockey season again!  This past week was good...actually I will say great, this past week was great.  Transfer day was crazy nuts with all the new stuff happening, but Metro officially has a new face...quite a few of them, and lets just say its gonna be interesting haha I am excited for the diversity and the comical stuff that I am positive will ensue.

We have three missionaries training brand new missionaries, and the MTC has officially changed their curriculum which affects stuff in the field, so there is a new training program called The First Twelve Weeks, and it is pretty cool/intense.  We got a crash course of it at MLT on saturday and it is in depth studying and a different schedule and pretty cool actually.  We got two new district leaders.  One its his second transfer as a DL and the other is brand spankin' new, so that will be fun to be able to help them improve and reach their potential.  

Investigators?  Sister E. is doing well, really strong desire to learn, and she wants to be baptized bad so that is a big step, but her 2 year old child is an F7 tornado and it is hard to get the spirit there for any extended period of time when we teach her...any ideas moms, grandmas and future moms?  Please?  haha he is a great test of patience, but she is doing really good.  Brother U. is starting to show more interest, still stuck between wanting to be a kid and realizing he has a wife and a kid now and he can't have both.  We have received a few really good referrals this past week too that show a lot of promise and I am so excited to be able to work with them.  

And...Brother O, Sister H, and Sister R. got baptized yesterday!!!!!  Yeah baby!  We were so thrilled!  Their baptismal service was right after Stake Conference, and the service went so well, went off without a hitch which is rare.  We invited a ton of people, and the ward gave good support, and the Young Women came together to sing a special musical number and really invite Rosa to do stuff, and the spirit was strong, and it was so good...so good...can't even really put it into words, but it was terrific, and I was/am so happy!  Thanks for all your prayers and fasting, etc, every little bit has helped and they are strong in the gospel and looking forward to learning more.  Hopefully the pictures I attach go through ok.  

What else happened this week?  Two more things.  After mail pick up at the temple, we are standing by our cars, waiting for some missionaries to come outside and this white Ford Explorer pulls up and we hear, "hi Elders," look over, and there is David...David Archuleta.  Turns out he was in LA for some meetings and was doing baptisms at the temple and he thought he would come and say hi and give us some referrals for friends he has in San Pedro...great guy, Sara I approve haha!  

Oh yeah haha last saturday we walked into our apartment complex to find a ton of people practicing dances and planning something.  One of our formers was there and told us about the quinceanera coming up for one of our neighbors...which ended up happening on Saturday night...or should I say Sunday morning?  Needless to say, we had a live mariachi band outside our window blaring on tubas and trumpets until 4 in the morning.  There were balloons, food, presents, and beer...so much beer, and probably about 200 people there to consume it all.  Lets just say it wasn't the best nights sleep of my mission with a live band, dancing, and 200 of my closest drunk latin friends.  What a combination, I can't wait to show you all videos of it haha it was pretty epic.  

Well guys thats pretty much the haps for this past week.  I am absolutely loving my mission and learning something new every single day.  I love the struggle of doing hard things, watching myself and testimonies grow, figuring things out, working with zone members, and most of all I love my Savior Jesus Christ and I have gotten to know him so well over the last little while.  Love you guys a ton and I pray for ya every day.  Peace be the Journey :)

Love,

Elder Molinaro

Elder H, Sister R, Sister H, Brother O and Elder Molinaro at their babtism

From September 12

Dear Family,

How is life back in the South?  Life here in Los Angeles is going really well actually...in fact the lady running this ghetto internet cafe is having a verbal war with this man and they are both trying so hard to speak english...kinda funny, actually really funny, they are pretty animated!  So transfers are this Wednesday and I have no idea what will happen...but the suspense is killing me!  Always does to tell ya the truth.  I think I will stay, but no one knows right now!  Ahhh!  This happens to me 16 times! 

This week...what happened this week? You have no idea how hard it is as a missionary to remember stuff that happens because it all runs together, but I will take you through highlights of the week and highlights of investigators.  Tuesday was ZLC and it was SO good!  President trained about the atonement and we went way deep doctrine...like so deep...I can't think of an analogy but it was intense and terrific and amazing and I have said it before and I will say it again, but President Baker is such an amazing guy.  I love just having the chance to sit and listen to him and im pretty sure he will be a Seventy one day.  

We broke down three reasons for the atonement one to overcome physical and spiritual death, two to appease the demands of justice, and three to allow ourselves to be let back into the presence of God and become like him.  We took those three points and grabbed a shovel and dug even deeper into D&C and the Book of Mormon and the Bible and I just love the atonement.  It is the reason for everything in the church and the only way to utilize it is through baptism into our church and enduring to the end.  Otherwise, everyone only uses it as it scratches the surface or they use it basically to overcome physical death and spiritual death for a brief time while they are being judged.  Pretty cool huh?  We can fully access the atonement!  

We have had some really good lessons with Brother O. and Sisters H. and R. this past week, and we went over the baptismal interview questions with them last night and they are so ready!  Ended up having a lesson where we had to stimulate the conversation about marriage or separation, and they determined they weren't ready to get married but they were ready to get baptized so they separated!  They are still dating, but not living together!!  Score one for the good guys! haha it was probably the hardest lesson to teach of my mission because we love them all so much so obviously we wanted them to get married and Sister H. said ok but Brother O. had doubts and she was balling and the spirit was strong because they were fixing their law of chastity issues, but it was tough...I felt like Doctor Phil without the corny mustache.  They should all...fingers crossed...be baptized this coming Sunday!!  After stake conference.  

Really good lesson with Brother S. about the Book of Mormon, and Sister E's kids are getting interested and she will be baptized soon as well.  We got an awesome referral for this lady named Sister M. who went to church four times in Hollywood and wants to be baptized!  Brother U. is starting to show some promise, and we had a good finding week with 10 new investigators!  Our district's record to beat this week was 36 new investigators and as a district we found 47!  Record broken!  In fact, every district broke their records for this past week!  The Metro Book of Records is really starting to take off and people are getting pumped and into it and we leave epic messages for people about who is on top, and this past week Metro did the best Metro has done in a week in the two years Metro has existed!  

The Lord is blessing us so much, and the best part is that excitement is still up b/c everyone has a new focus this next week, and in district meeting we literally broke more records!  I know that as long as I keep working with everything I have got, the Lord will continue to bless us.  I feel like I am in the prime of my mission and we are bangin' on all cylinders now :)  Love you guys, have a great week!  Peace be the Journey.

Love,

Elder Molinaro

From September 5

Hey guys, stop wearing white!!!

No white after Labor Day right??  haha I think thats a rule??  Not really sure...anyway, that isn't gonna stop us from putting a few people into white this month!  We are excited for September to be here and are ready to rock and roll!  I guess I am kinda pumped...it could be the new zone goal, I will expound later.  

Well, this week was pretty good.  It is so hard to tell you what has happened though, because honestly it all runs together.  Like at the beginning of my mission I had plenty to write because everyday something new happened, but...that is not the case anymore...its more of the same.  Some people listen, some people don't, some people get your hopes up, and some people get your hopes down.  Some straight up lie to your face, and some send their kids to the door to tell us they aren't home...thats the worst though.  

Like the other day, this three year old comes to the door and says my mom isn't home...and we said well could you ask her when she will be home?  He said yes and ran to the back room and asked haha he came back and said she was showering!?  Its ridiculous, but estoy acostumbrado ya jaja poor kids. 

Investigator wise, Sister R. is doing well and has decided she wants to be baptized still after a really good lesson teaching about how the Holy Ghost works.  Turns out when she was happy she felt like getting baptized and when she got mad she didn't...duh haha but it was quite the battle to get that info out of her.  She is progressing well though, and I am not gonna tell you when her date to get baptized is but the Monday after it happens you will know...I think it jynxes it if I share.  

Brother O. and Sister H. are dragging their feet about the whole marriage issue.  It is kind of frustrating, but it has given me a lot of time to study marriage and stuff and the more I study, the more I realize how different it is from what the world sees it as, and how unprepared to get married anytime soon I am.  I know I still have a lot more to learn, but it is so much more than just picking someone you think you will be happy with, or even someone thats a member of the church.  It is about finding someone that will be a teamate and help you as you help them make it to the Celestial Kingdom and the highest degree of the Celestial Kingdom.  No one can do it alone.  We are picking who we want to be Gods with essentially.  But, we don't exactly knock doors with that intro to the Gospel haha just something I have come to learn and understand on a whole new level.  

Tonight we have a good lesson planned for them...eh...its pretty much a throwdown ultimatum lesson.  With love and the spirit of course.  They are both super converted to the gospel, and participate at church, and buy us fruit and bread, and read and pray and are always so happy to see us and more importantly learn about the gospel.  I will keep you posted with them and you please keep them in your prayers.  

Sister E. is doing really good, super elect and prepared, and we taught her yesterday actually with her recently baptized daughter there from Long Beach which was neat.  She will be baptized, the question is when.  I swear it is tough to get on Heavenly Father's time table!  Patience is a virtue I need to work on.  I just want these people to be happy ASAP!  Is it such a crime??  

Brother U. is still MIA which is hard because he was so close, but there is nothing I can do...keep doing my part and pray I suppose.  This past week was pretty hectic with exchanges but I went on them twice with Elder M. and Elder W.  Both great Elders and district leaders, both really driven, and Elder W. gave me a quote that I loved, "What is not to be liked about missionary work? You get to ride your bike with your friend, looking for more friends, and every night is a sleepover." haha I liked that a lot.  

Honestly that sums up how I feel about my mission.  It is just so terriffic and fun and hard and awesome all at the same time that words don't really describe it.  So fun to struggle and learn and grow and stretch and see how much I can do.  I am loving every second.  So for zone goal we focused on something Elder Duncan said when he came about finding out maximums in the past as far as key indicators and make our maximums our new minimums.  It is called Metro Book of Records and talks about breaking records by district.  

Each district works to break a different record every week of the month, and the presentation was the best part because we bought actual records...you know the really big cds :) haha and we spray painted the middle gold and wrote the key indicator on one side and the number to beat on the other side and had each member of the district who was on board come up and break the "record" together, explaining that it would take all of them to beat it.  They all came up and shattered the record and everyone keeps a piece in their pocket throughout the week to remind them of their goal.  Kind of a fun play on words with breaking records.  The district that completes the highest percentage of their maximum for the week gets to all sign a full gold record (spray painted once again, but the whole thing) and it will be framed and hung in the zone leader apartment till the millineum!  haha 

Well that is my life right now, just working to rewrite the metro book of records and ZLC is tomorrow so I am pretty excited.  Love you all so much and hope you have a great day- the day school is supposed to start after...don't wear white!  Thats my investigator's job!  Peace be the Journey.

Love,

Elder Molinaro

From August 29

Hey Family!

This week has officially been a whirlwind and one filled with ups and downs and surprises and stress to the max, and everything that just characterizes the life of the mission haha.  It is ridiculously hot here!  My eyebrows have even started to turn blonde haha the sun is shining and actually it came out this past week in our area...meaning that we removed all of our cotton balls and then some.  

This past week we had 12 member present lessons and it resulted with 7 people at church which is something we were really excited about.  This week was actually really good, despite what may come to mind after reading the title of the email.  I don't know...it just fels like we get people so so close to getting in the font, and for some reason we just can't...how would mom say it?? Finish the job! Like with Brother U. for example.  Haven't had a lesson with him in like two weeks...he was right there on the threshold!  So close!  I know its not but it just feels like  a month and a half of planning and praying and pondering wasted because he wouldn't take that step.  He came to church yesterday though.  

Sister P. is messing around with our minds haha so she is on a visit less frequently list for sure. Brother O. and Sister H. are progressing well, kind of dragging their feet, but dragging them in the right direction-towards marriage and baptism.  Brother O. is just scared of commitment it seems like, but we have had some really good lessons with them this past week and they will get baptized the question is just when!?  

That seems to be the question of my life right now. Guess I still need to work on getting on the Lord's time and stop thinking about my own.  It is a lot easier to type than it is to actually do.  Sometimes being a missionary is confusing.  They tell you to do this they tell you to do that, they tell you you're important and that without you the work of God couldn't progress then they tell you you don't matter, only your investigators.  They say set goals and push to reach them, then they say don't rush people, get on God's time...it gets confusing.  But, you just go forward, trying to figure it out, and I am thoroughly convinced that you never really do figure it out...just a constant mystery.  

We are trying to figure it out though, not just for us, but for thirty other missionaries too.  Sister R. didn't pass her baptismal interview this past friday.  She is close, but the interviewing elder said she needs to really understand how it all fits together, so that is our task for this week...at least we hope.  She pulled a stunt at church yesterday and tried to ditch the third hour of classes, but then got caught by her mom, and she left telling us that she didn't want to be baptized anymore.  I am praying so hard for her.  I think she is just trying to get attention since recently it feels like we have shifted our focus from her to her parents and helping them get married.  

I tell ya what, teaching whole families is the greatest and worst thing ever.  Good because you see them come together and morph and ridiculous because everyone requires so much individual follow up and teaching and then there are 14 year old girls that pull stunts like that haha maybe my eyebrows aren't going blonde, maybe they're turning white and gray!  

Got a sweet referral this past week from missionaries in Long Beach who have been teaching this girl and she is ready for baptism.  Turns out she got baptized in Long Beach yesterday, but her mom has been coming to church down there and listening to the lessons too and came to church in Huntington Park yesterday with her 4 kids!  Another family!!  The P. family is just the greatest.  They are a member family in my ward and I love them!  They give us so much help and the daughter, J. brought S. back to church and we taught him again. 

I don't know if you remember him, but me and Elder K. taught him a little.  It was one of the most powerful lessons of my mission, like the words that were coming out of my mouth weren't mine at all, but I testified to him that if I died this very instant I knew for certain where I would go and who I would be with.  It seemed to spark his interest and he is getting excited about learning again.  

Also found this guy talking to everyone.  He was way tatted up, sitting in his front yard in a lawn chair, smoking something illegal and we talked to him and he gave us major attitude when we asked his name, asking why we wanted to know and I just replied with this idiotic grin on my face and said well to get to know you...he started laughing and we started talking about soccer and now he is learning and progressing, and it was pretty funny.  

Almost as funny as the guy who chased us yelling at us to give him all our money or he would shoot...his "gun" was quite obviously his finger in his shirt.  I couldn't help but laugh when he demanded cash threatening us with his index finger and thumb haha I don't think that helped him calm down, but for his sake, I am glad he didn't get too close.  Well guys I've gotta run, but thanks for being great, I love you so much and know that the Lord is blessing me.  Please keep us in your prayers, we gotta come up with another zone goal this week!  Peace be the Journey :)

 

Love,

Elder Molinaro

From August 22

Hey Fam,

Yesterday I ate a fish that looked at me the whole time...along with an avocado and tomato salad and jalapeno salsa...just to give you an idea of how my eating has branched out.  Another one that happened this week for example.  We met this guy outside while tracting who was watering his garden and he was showing us his different plants and he was especially proud of his chili pepper plant, so he gave us some chilis which were bright red and said whatever you do, do not touch these then touch your eyes...or blindness would ensue.  So later in the week, I was making a sandwich and decided it would be a great idea to cook up a few of these blindness peppers and throw em on the sandwich.  By the way cooking them makes them even hotter.  They were so good but scorchingly hot!  My nose was running and my tongue felt like a bubbling volcano!  It was awesome!!

To answer your questions... 1. What's the most important thing you've learned so far on your mission?  These are all hard questions, but this one especially is difficult.  I honestly don't think I will be able to truly answer it until I can look back on my mission and analyze it all in retrospect, but to this day I think the most important thing that I have learned is love.  Love is the motive for everything.  Love for the Lord and family caused me to come on the mission, love for investigators is what helps me study and plan for and teach them as their battles become my battles, and their doubts my future studies and conversations with Heavenly Father.  Love helps me lead those in my zone and desire their true happiness and success. I would have to say love...charity :)  

2.  What is one vital thing you have learned from each of the companions you've had so far?  Each companion has taught me a lot and I could go on for hours on this subject, but Elder M. who went home this past week taught me how to laugh and keep things light which is crucial because often times with so much weight and pressure on my shoulders smiling and laughing isn't the first thing on my to do list, but it sure lightens the load.

Elder C. gave me confidence and taught me patience.  Confidence because I was pretty much flying solo for a while with him not knowing too much about mission life or the language, and patience because thats what it took to try to understand how he was feeling and not expecting him to be where I could see his potential but rather helping him take the little steps that could get him there.  Elder K. helped me see the importance of listening, whether while teaching or talking with missionaries in the zone.  He was really good at listening, and then using what was said at the beginning later at the end of the lesson to tie things together.  

Elder H. has taught me a lot about love, but mostly, without even trying, the meaning of tolerance and flexibility.  At the beginning I was being unfair and expected him to, I don't know, be like Elder K. and run the zone in the same way, but thats not how the Lord would have it done.  He brings a whole different skill set and perspective and experiences to draw from and we can use that as an advantage as long as I stay flexible and tolerant of differences.  Embrace the change right?  

3. In what ways have you grown the most?  Honestly!?  I don't even know...I can't really answer that because I honestly have no idea.  I have a few guesses, but it is hard to judge myself, easier for someone to tell me...like you guys, but I have grown closer to my Savior and my knowledge of the gospel by like 1000 percent, and as a result my testimony has gone from being a sprout to a rock solid redwood, it has shot straight up, reaching toward the Son :)  On the not so spiritual side, my ability to be with and work with people and share my opinion in meetings, speak in front of people, etc...more outgoing and less reserved I suppose.  

4. What's the best part of being a missionary?  The hardest part?  The best part of being a missionary is watching people change.  Giving them the tools they need, and watching them apply them to their own lives and truly transform.  The hardest part is seeing people's potential, giving them the tools they need to gain salvation, and watching them use their agency to be lazy and leave the tools unused and untouched in the shed.  It is so hard to truly help people understand the importance of what we share and see things like work or other priorities get in the way.  

5. What brings you the most joy as His servant?  What brings me the most joy other than watching people change and come to the realization fo the reality of the gospel on their own are the whisperings of the spirit.  The soft whisperings that come at night as I kneel before my Father in heaven and give him an accounting of my work in  my part of His vineyard with His children for the day.  Its like a hug from Heavenly Father and a pat on the back.  That, by far has brought me the most joy.

Good questions, hopefully those answers suffice, but as for this week, a lot of stuff fell through, but the highlight has definitely been our work with Brother O. and Sister R.  She came to church last Sunday, and last Monday we invited her to be baptized on August 28th and she accepted!!!  What got her interested in the gospel was seeing her mom change into a completely different person and become happy as she used the tools we gave her in her day to day life.  

We have gone over to teach Sister R. every day this past week, and she has read a chapter in the Book of Mormon every night and has been soaking it all up like a sponge!  She has changed so much in such a short amount of time!  Like before she wore all black and had piercings in her face, but after inviting her to be baptized, we came over the next day and she was in a white shirt and smiling and the piercings were gone and I hardly recognized her!  She loves the gospel and has seen it change her before her eyes.  The day after we taught her the word of wisdom, she found a bag of weed that she said before would have been difficult to pass up, but instead she threw it in the trash!  She is doing so good, and I have  grown to love her so much.  She still has a little way to go, but should be baptized Sunday :)  Also for temple service, we got to go to the roof of the temple and the guy let us climb the ladders up to 10 feet below Moroni!  It was sweet!!!  Love you guys, gtg :)

Love,

Elder Molinaro

View from the top of the temple