First Christmas On The Mission

Monday: Played volleyball as a district, and that was really fun! Then me, Elder Anderson, and Elder Walsman played 21, that was way fun! Then that night we went to our ward mission leaders house and ate with them. 

Tuesday: knocked on a bunch of doors and talked to a bunch of different people and didn't have a whole lot of success, but talked to a bunch of cool people! Didn't have district council because of zone conference on Thursday! 

Wednesday: Went to seminary and was part of a grinch skit, where we taught the Grinch the gospel and so he was happier! Then we were able to help Bishop Terry build a wall for his pool, and that was so fun, and he took us out to breakfast so that was a plus! Had a good lesson with our friend David! 

Thursday: Zone Conference was awesome! Each district talked about a part of Christ's life(Premortal, mortal, His teachings, atonement, resurrection, restoration of the Gospel, millennial Christ) felt the Spirit so strong throughout it all! Then had a delicious lunch! After that we just had a normal missionary day, and worked on our Christmas video. 

Friday: Really fun day, ended it off with caroling in Oxnard with our district on a really popular Christmas street. Half of us sang, the other half passed out pass along cards and hot cocoa! It was amazing to see the joy that Christmas songs being to others! 

Saturday: Made some delicious hamburgers by cooking them in a frying pan!! Went to find someone named Terry, and found Doug who Terry is renting part of the house from. Talked to Dough, he told us about his pioneer ancestors but how he's not a member. Talked a lot about how we are God's Children and set up another day to meet with him and Terry! Then had an amazing dinner with Bishop Terry, he had sushi, Salmon, spicy tuna, and crab for poke bowls and I enjoyed it!!! 

Sunday: Christmas day was awesome!! Woke up and opened presents with the Pleasant Valley Elders, then went to church. Had an amazing lunch, that was breakfast food with the Evans. Talked to my fam, finally finished our Christmas Video, and then did some Facebook work. Then opened up presents from ward members and matching PJ's from home!! 

Love you all and hope you had the best Christmas!!! 

Pics: 

 Sunrise on the way to seminary On the way to zone conference 

 Caroling Christmas morning Making Burgers 

 Christmas at the Terry's  Christmas at the Evans  Matching PJ's 

Christmas Day Call

 

My Week

Monday: For our preparation day activity as a district we had a cereal bar and played basketball, and it was way fun! Did 4v4v4 and just had a good time! That night we went and gave a member a blessing, then went and visited the Carey's!

Tuesday: District council was great! Talked about having faith to find through our own efforts, and serving those in our areas! Went to Bob Kildee park for a comp study and someone was sitting where we usually do, but we went over anyway and she started talking to us, and we eventually got her info and sent it over to the Westlake YSA, so hopefully that goes somewhere! Went to Candy Cane Lane and met 2 boys named Nathan, which was crazy! Met with the Lovstedt's and that was great! 

Wednesday: Had district exercise and played a game called gatorball that is super fun. Then cleaned our apartment because we had building inspections Sister Sanchez was so nice and gave us some Rice Pudding(arroz con leche) and that was pretty good. Had a visit with Carlos a returning member and he brought us pizza! That went super well and then we went to work on Facebook! 

Thursday: Had fun asking people to be a part of a Christmas video we're making and had quite a bit of people do it! Had a great impromptu visit with the Kanogata'a family and they are super sweet! Had a couple of lessons fall through which was a little sad. But we stopped by the Evans to see how they've been, and she gave us some really good chocolate and gingerbread. 

Friday: Did lots of finding and didn't have a whole lot of success. Talked to a lot of people, but not a lot of people were interested in the gospel... We did talk to a guy named Bib who is super chill and loves to talk with us. We got there just as he needed some service so we were able to help him out with that! I had never met him before Friday, but were going to stop back by becuase he is interested in learning. 

Saturday: Did some service for someone that is moving out of our ward, and then went contacting up by her and talked to a couple of nice people! Went and visited an older member and she gave us some really good peanut brittle as well as some hot fudge to put on icecream! Then we had our ward party and that was really good, and really fun! After that we went and did some Facebook work! Went biking all over the place, but it was a fun day! 

Sunday: Had church, then was able to attend a review of a Elder Holland fireside that was last week, and learned a lot from that! Had a great visit with the Mackay family. Had the opporunity to go Christmas Carroling which was really fun! Had a great visit with the Tuimaualuga family! 

Hope you all have a wonderful Christmas next week, and I challenge you all to find something you can give to the Savior this Christmas! 

Love you all, Merry Christmas from sunny California! 

Pics: 

1. Big snowman by the Nathan's 

2. Candy Cane Lane house

3. Yummy 

4. Cool painting at our Ward Party 

5.Candy Cane Lane pt.2

Fun Times

Monday: Did the regular preparation day things, had a district exercise where we got together and went to the driving range which was super fun! Then that night we had a lesson with Gerby, then we met with the Zook family, and the Sonnenbergs! 

Tuesday: Had District Council, had a great visit with Sister Duncan who we're trying to get back to church, and had a great service project where we helped set up Christmas decorations. On the way back from that we stopped and talked to someone that Elder Anderson knew from Ventura and she was super nice! Then we had a great visit with the Malone family and visited with the Arellano family as well! 

Wednesday: Great day, lots of finding and not a lot of success. But we just keep working hard and I know that blessings and people will come! Had a good visit with Carlos who is a returning member and he is getting back on track! We had a great dinner with Bishop Terry and his family that was super good! 

Thursday: Started off by taking my old bike to the mission office, ,then we got back and asked the Greens(Awesome members) if they could pick up Gloria and take her to the church so that we could be out of the rain and have a lesson. Turns out Gloria is having a hard time, so we are going to give her a couple weeks and see how she is feeling then. We had a great dinner at the Marsh's home and biked all the way across our area to get there and it was sweet! 

Friday: Had a great lesson with David, we talked about the Plan of Salvation and he felt the Spirit so strong and really like the aspect of the Spirit World and how everyone will get a chance once they die. Had an amazing dinner with the Pyne family and a great visit with the Bradley family! 

Saturday: Walk day!! Spent most of the morning helping our ward set up for the Christmas concert in the park. Then I went to the parade and talked to quite a bit of people, asked them what their favorite part of Christmas is and that was really fun! 

Sunday: Pretty regular Sunday. Went to church and went finding, and knocked quite a bit of doors! Ate dinner with the Sullivan's, then had the Christmas Concert in the Park that was super cool. Then listened to the new missionaries' testimonies! 

Pics: 

1. Golfing 2. District 3. Cool sky 4. Cool picture spot 5. Concert in the park nativity 6. Goats 

Start of a New Transfer

Monday: Found out I would be staying in Camarillo, and get Elder Anderson. But there's 3 Elder Andersons in the mission, so I wasn't sure which one I was going to get. Then got a haircut at Sportsclips, which meant I got to watch a little bit of the Uruguay vs Portugal world cup game and that was nice. Played Volleyball for our district activity and then called fam. Had a visit with David fall through which was a little sad. 

Tuesday: Transfer day!!!! Woke up at 5:45am to get ready and leave by 6:30 to get to the mission office on time. Chilled there for a while, met Elder Anderson, and then went back to our apartment. Got him settled in then went out finding. Also had 3 visits that night with some way cool families in the ward. 

Wednesday: Had district exercise we played chair soccer which was way fun! Then we had district council and 2 discussions one about talking with everyone and the other about the power and authority of our calling. They both were super good! Had a crazy lesson with David, and that night we had a good visit with the Malan's. 

Thursday: Had a mission zoom about nutrition. Then went and visited Margaret, she told us she loves the spirit we carry, and the way we help her turn to Christ. But she won't come to church and isn't too Interested in changing so we just need to stay in touch. MIRACLE: on our way to a park for companion study my chain got jammed between the spokes and the gear. We tried for 30+ minutes to get it out,  said a prayer, then about 15 minutes later I tried again and somehow got it out. So we were able to still do work! Visited a less active family that's super cool and biked up a hill to visit the Terry's. 

Friday: Had interviews with President Carter and that went well. Then there was a discussion portion also and we talked about preparing someone for baptism which was pretty good! Went dot knocking and didn't have a lot of success... but it was fun!

Saturday: Did some service with the Pleasant Valley Elders and moved someone from our ward into theirs lol. Then called a lot of people and set up some good visits for next week!

Sunday: Fast Sunday was pretty good! Got a new bishopric so that was exciting! Then we biked around in the rain and knocked on some more doors. Then had a great lesson with Andrew!! 

Pics

1. Cool view 

2. Elder Anderson and me 

3. Cool sky