December 24, 2007

Querida y Amorosa Familia Irvine:

Elder Neira couldn't believe that you sent a package to him, it was sweet! And the coat helps a lot, it's freezing out here! It's going up and down degrees-wise and it's a bit confusing for me. I can't wait to talk to all of you so soon! The thing is that I probably won't be able to get a phone card so just call either at 8 or after...we'll talk soon so we can figure it out. Oh yeah, Pres. Goodrich and his wife are inspecting all the apartments in this zone this week. I'm so nervous! This apartment has been trashed for the last who knows how long...it's some serious deep cleaning today! And I will give them the present you sent. Thank you so much Mom!

This week has been interesting to say the least. Our new district companion, Elder Humpherys, is way trunky. He's in his 9th transfer, so about a year out, and is itching to get home. They had a total of 6 lessons this week. At least double digits please! I'm afraid he's going to kill our greenie Elder Price, who has 1 transfer out. They spend all day at home and go out to work for a bit, then back home at 8 or so to go to bed early at 9 or 9:30 pm (when they should be getting back then planning then go to bed). I'm a bit frustrated and it's sad to see my friend Price get stuck with a trunky kid. He's a bit strange too, what a character. He uses MSF to buy Legos so he has no food. Not good at all. And we did get a greenie Hermana (sister missionary) Sister Frisby from Sandy, Utah. She's really cool. Her trainer is the best anyways. I'm so happy to be stuck with Elder Neira, because we work so hard and get so much done. This past week, 5 member presents and 20 other lessons with 8 progressing investigators. That's the most I've ever had in the mission so far, and I'm so tired! Every night we get back, plan, I nearly fall asleep in planning and then I just hit the sack after comp prayer. My comp drives so much, I don't know how he does it. I have trouble staying awake and I'm the passenger! But we are receiving blessings, so many that I am humbled to know that the Lord wants to help the work progress.

This golden family we found about a few weeks ago is the best ever! We were visiting with them, and taught a little bit about the Book of Mormon, read the Beattitudes from the Book of Mormon, then the 'wife' (girlfriend) just let loose with her testimony. Neira asked, did you receive and answer? She said, I know you were sent from God. For the 6 years that we've been married- living together, he's (her 'husband'-boyfriend) never shown interest in religion that much. But, he's liking everything that he's hearing. She was crying, I was crying, I think her man and my comp were crying too. It was really spiritual and emotional. Then Neira decided to share our story of how we found them, in third person of course. But he did slip up at one point, but finished the story. Two young men decided to pray to find people ready to receive the Gospel. They prayed, and went to a park to find these people they prayed to find. No one was there, one of them said, 'let's go home it's cold and windy', and the other said, 'no, let's wait a bit.' Then, they found a couple and shared a message, and knew that God sent them there. It was the Cardenas-Gil, that wonderful family we were teaching. It was funny, since Hna. Gil said they had a feeling to go all the way to Saugus (like 20 minute drive to Central Park) because they hadn't gone in a while. That same day, we prayed to find the elect there. So there you go, God blessed us. And, they've come 2 straight Sundays. The only thing is, we have to continue teaching them, converting through the Spirit and get them married! I think, I believe, that we can do this before this transfer ends! That would be amazing! I love them so much! I can see them in their whites being baptized, and even better being sealed in the holy temple in a year...as Elder Holland said in a talk, 'Oh Lord, it is enough.' I just love this work! Pres. Hinckley's dad as well as Pres. Benson had it right- work work work, there is no substitute for work to cure homesickness.

And, we have a great part-member family. Our buds Filli and Price went knocking with us, and they found them! The mother Emma is a member, father Jesus isn't a member. They have kids- all daughters- Emily (13), Lesley (9), and...a baby girl. But, 'Kika' or Lesley, is so awesome! We're teaching her so she can be baptized, and we're going to baptize her (hopefully) next week if all goes well. And, we want to extend a commitment to her dad soon after, because it's the best opportunity to do that. She was hilarious though! She's like Joseph Smith made his church and Christ made his. NO! I mean, well...Smith was the instrument to bring Christ's church to the earth again. And then she said that one time she went to a forest to pray like Joseph Smith did to receive an answer. Wow. That was cool. She did make us laugh a lot with all that she said...it was my first time teaching a kid so it was really interesting. In English too.

We didn't even have a chance to visit our golden investigators the Jaimes, but they came to church! We didn't even visit them, just called them, and they came! Man, this is amazing! We had another great moment contacting, praying to God to bless us with an elect. It was raining really hard in the desert area of Castaic/Val Verde, middle of nowhere. We get to the park, where we planned to contact, no one was there. The rain had just let up, and it was all wet and muddy. Then, right when we got there and waited around, a man walks up. My comp said, 'we're waiting for you.' He's like, 'what?' 'Yeah, God sent you to talk to us.' He had to go to the bathroom so he went to use it, came out, we taught a short message of Christ. The thing is, he had english classes in the building next to the park, but decided to go to the park to use the bathroom there. When we went to visit him, we saw that he had been reading the pamphlet we gave him. It was sitting on a table next to a window, just open. We couldn't find him since we went to the wrong place to meet him (his house when he wanted us to meet him at the park again). But, we did call him and we have another appointment with him. The windows of heaven are opening to us, and I see 8 baptisms this coming transfer. Or more.

Another investigator, 'Billy' Joel. Everyone calls him Billy, but his real name is Joel. He's a good friend of an english member in Stevenson Ranch, Brother Birchal, and Birchal wants us to teach him. We went to teach him, and man, he's one heckuva guy. He understands everything, he just has to ask God. He wants to come to church, possibly be baptized, and loves our services. He's a great guy! It helps that his friend, Brother Birchal, has great command of Spanish and teaches clearly and powerfully. He had to have been an AP or something, he's amazing! We took him down to the Mission President's Fireside in the Valley, and he liked it. He's progressing too, and I can't say how grateful I am to be here right now!

And, we found an old investigator. No one had visited them in a year, and the other elders didn't say anything about them on the record. We stop by, taught the wife Hna. Vinagre like a month ago. We stop by again, and teach her husband Hno. Camas. He wants to learn. He's honest, wants to learn, likes our lessons, and I think the Lord is slowly preparing him to be taught and to change. The blessings are coming! It's like a flood!

The work is progressing, and I can just see the vision of Pres. Hinckley of doubling convert baptisms. I can see double digit baptisms this transfer, easy, if we are obedient and bring the Spirit in every lesson we teach. Wow, I love this work!

I can't wait to talk to all of you! I'll talk to you later today Mom, can't wait! I'll be waiting at 3 pm.

I love you all! Merry Christmas!

Love,
Elder Irvine