October 29, 2007

Dear Irvine Family,

The fires are raging around here! Several days the smoke covered the entire valley and it became so humid! It's not going so well on some fronts with the fires...but they did put some out apparently.

I'm kidding, I'm just fine. The fires are up toward the desert (Canyon Country off highway 14) and other parts of the valley, just not Panorama City (where I live) and Pacoima or Arleta (where we proselyte). It's crazy though, it's all over the newspapers that we find in the streets (titles like FIRES RAGING, COMING OUT OF THE ASHES, etc). And the smoke was everywhere...

It was rather ironic because all of a sudden everyone sent me a letter this week. I have to write 5 letters! Crazy! Auntie Sung wrote me one via DearElder, how nice! But I know that families are forever, it's just rough when you e-mail the family once a week and you have a bad week without anything to cheer you up. Such is the mission. The majority of missionaries out over a year have almost no mail, but that's the mission life!

Yes I've gotten super mad at Sandoval, but he has a tendency to do that with everyone he meets. He told me that I have no desire to work, no desire to do this or that...and I told President Goodrich in the interviews this past week. We're going to be split up, finally! It's not that it doesn't impede the work (miraculously), it's just that when he does something or says something curt or rude, my patience evaporates. But, I've been patient this week, I've taken the advice of Preach My Gospel and my wonderful district-mate Elder Villa (he has one transfer left I think) and have continued to love and support my companion. Without love, without the Spirit, we are absolutely nothing. Elder Sandoval's remarks aren't going to make me drive the Spirit away, because contention is of the devil. I love the work too much to let things get in the way, even though they do offend me greatly. I don't know if I'm staying or going...as usual...but I hope I stay at least one more transfer to see two baptisms through!

This week was great! Except that yesterday not one investigator came to church. No one is perfect, but they should be. We had great lessons with our progressing investigator, Miguel Rosas, and we are starting to see the great potential in Maira Saenz. Miguel really appreciates our friendship, and he is praying to know whether the Word of Wisdom is the word of God and that baptism is the right decision for him. It's wonderful to see him receive that strength and comfort from the Spirit and from prayer. It's rough being alone in a foreign land without any family...but we are his family here because we love him so much! Maira asked amazing questions when we went out with Hno. Moreno, and I think she's ready for baptism (well she does have a baptismal date...). We just have to find them in the house and get in contact with her daily, as Preach My Gospel says. They are ready, they just need some time. We set the baptismal date for November 18th, for both of them. I can only pray to see these baptisms through.

The members are the best! I think out of all the wards in the valley, that Arleta has the most willing members to work with us. Elders Villa and Raleigh had 11 member present lessons a week ago, and almost equaled that this week too. That is freakish in nature! We're still working on it, it's tough getting members to drive to meet us at the appointments, we only have 4 active members or so in our proselyting area (and their work schedules don't correlate with our appointments). Hno. Moreno sacrificed so much to come out with us. He's the Elders Quorum President, and he is amazing! He sells cards for a living, like advertising cards, and he earns enough to support him and his wife in this expensive area. He stops going around to find clients and straight up comes with us on a moment's notice. His testimony can rock any non-member's foundation in their church. As for Hno. Ruiz, who went from inactivity for 2 plus years to baptizing his daughter about a month ago. The testimonies of members in lessons is so valuable that I doubt that gold can rival it. It is that important.

It was Elder Sandoval's birthday this past week, and our investigators and members spoiled him (like they did to Elder Villa). Birthday cakes and happy birthday songs and even gifts...you name it! He was very appreciative of it all, because he doesn't have much money and he knows that the members and investigators aren't blessed with riches. The Saenz's bought him a cake and sang him happy birthday. The Saenz's don't even have enough money to pay their phone bill and they bought him a cake! The Garcia's gave him a cake too. The Pelayo's wished him happy birthday, as did Miguel Rosas. It was humbling for him, to see the love that they have for him. He's going through a hard time, since some people back in Monterrey are treating his family terribly. Some guy rear-ended his mom's car, then robbed her of her purse and dislocated her shoulder in the process. Tough times for him. I understand why he's so mean sometimes, he just can't trust people enough. But, I love him as my trainer and companion.

Our less actives are causing us a lot of pain. Time and time again, I'll go to church and renew my baptismal covenants- yeah right! They are on the path that leads to hell, and we are doing our very best to get them back onto the path of the Lord. They don't want to change, and they don't want to make sacrifices either. We have more less actives than investigators, and they are wasting our time! We are trying to find the elect, but how can we find the elect if our members are less active and don't support us? If half the members were active in our area, we'd be spending more time teaching lessons and not calling them to repentance. It is frustrating, but I love each and every one of them. They just need an awakening, a jolt, to shake them from their slumber. It is really painful to know that their blessings are being wasted, that they aren't receiving any because of their desire to be in the world and be of it when they had promised to be Christ's literal sons and daughters. Ah!

Yesterday was good...and bad. Stake conference was amazing! Great talks, great musical numbers by the elders in El Camino Real ward...I loved it! We ate at a member's house and shared a thought about forgiveness of other members that offend us, and we were able to somewhat fix that situation. Some person offended a member and she was almost livid about it. Thank goodness someone tipped us off about that problem this past week. All is well now, phew! We spent our time trying to find an investigator that was referred to us by Elders Villa and Raleigh, but no luck. We ended up getting a hold of him and got him to go with us to the fireside with President Goodrich. We found out he wasn't interested, he just wanted to bash with us. That was really awkward when he kept on bashing, other elders kept on trying to be kind, and then President Goodrich closed the meeting (thank goodness). And, President Goodrich took him home! That is really Christlike. I walked out of there thinking 'oh my gosh I destroyed that meeting because I didn't know my potential investigator was a basher', to which Elder Swann of Texas (ZL in Burbank) said 'so your investigator was trying to destroy the church?'. Pretty much. The mission pretty much teaches and shows one everything about life. Wow.

P-days are crazy! Not relaxing at all! E-mail, laundry, shopping, washing the car, zone activities, doctor's appointments for Sandoval's back....not very fun after all. I can't wait to go into a bike area, so I don't have to wash a darn car every few weeks! It is not a relaxing day for me at all...

As for a bike, I still don't have one and I'm way worried about it! I might get moved to a bike area, who knows? I don't know if I should withdraw more cash to buy from a missionary (I can't find one that's leaving this transfer) or buy a cheap new bike? I'm still weighing it out, and I don't know what to do! Didn't help that when I rode a bike a few weeks back, I badly sprained my ankle (it's better now, don't worry Mom). Also, I have to pay for my glasses tomorrow (I haven't had the chance to go down and pick it up the last few weeks)...ahhh!

The work is slowly progressing, and I'm starting to feel a bit better about the work. I can't believe that I'm going to be in the field for 4 months next transfer! I have to work harder more than ever! Gosh I'll miss this district and area...if I go...

I hope that all is well at home! I love you all! Thank you for the prayers and love that you have for the work!

With love,
Elder Irvine

P.S. Halloween is going to be nuts! We have a 7:30 pm curfew to avoid the crazy people! Some people's decorations really worry me...realistic graves, hanging Santa Muerte (Saint Death)...gives me the creeps! In the world, but not of it!