Aloha!   (Aloha?)                    9 July 2012

 This week has come and gone, and I continue to watch my mission flash before my eyes. It was a week full of trials and a lot of learning. There were many set backs from people not showing up to appointments, people just being completely rude, and many other things in general. This week was full of a lot of contacting. I felt like I was back in St. George just knocking doors, but here we went off of lists that we were given. We contacted so many people this week! I think the most frustrating part of it all is that we have wonderful contacts and the people seem really interested and want to learn, and then when we ask them if we can come back they say no. I have gotten more excuses on why they can't meet with us this week, then in any other week of my mission. I just don't understand why they can be so nice and cordial in the doorways or on the sidewalks, but they won't ever let us get past that point. 

We also had the 4th of July this week.  We were out in the public = we went to a parade in Huntington, and then we went to a little fair thing, people selling things in a park. We were out contacting people and we got a few referrals. We also had a "boxing match" in one of those inflatable rings. It was pretty funny; I know that we were really tried after it and because of all the smoke in the air. A few people got it on video, so maybe I can get a copy of it I will send it to you. The rest of the day we just visited with members and went from barbecue to barbecue.

This week we saw a really big blessing from the Lord. RAIN! There hasn't been measurable rain here in this valley since February. On Thursday, the heavens opened up and there was rain! I think they said there was about a half an inch. It is pretty substantial when you think how long it has been since there has been rain here. I say it is a blessing because last Sunday, there was actually a regional fast for rain in this area, and it obviously worked. We are just hoping that it can continue and we can get some more to help suppress the fires and to help the crops.

I was also able to go on exchanges with Elder Johnson. He is a brand new elder, but he is super prepared for his mission. These missionaries coming out now are much more prepared when they come on their missions. I know that I wasn't nearly as prepared as all these missionaries are now. 

This week was a big learning experience for me. I kind of had a spiritual intervention with myself. I feel that every time I start to get to the point where I want to be on my mission, I get knocked down a few steps. I felt like I was finally getting to the point where I needed to be, and then I crashed. I know can re-evaluate myself and see where I need to improve.  The main two were stress and frustration. I have been bogged down with a lot of stress lately, in my area, helping my companion out, etc. I also had the realization about coming home, and it wasn't that fun. I thought about all the big decisions that lay ahead of me and I got super overwhelmed. I have spent so much time becoming this missionary and in a few months it will all be gone.  I was just looking into everything to see how I could better myself or to change things to help the area. I eventually came to the conclusion to do something to purify myself and to finish my mission strong. I started something called the "40 Day Fast". Don't worry I am not going to really fast for 40 days like the Savior did, but I will be "fasting" from the things that would be keeping me from being completely the missionary that I want to be. I have already started to see the change in my outlook and I believe that this will help me be on the right track.  I will sprint to the finish of my mission and end where I want to be.

This week I haven’t talked much about our investigators, but they are still doing good. David is still progressing really well, but the biggest thing is that he doesn't know if he will get the time off of work to come back on the weekend for his baptism. So if you could please pray that he will be able to get the time off of work. Thank you!

I do want to talk about one experience this week. It was with a Mexican guy named Arturo. We drove by his house and I saw him outside, but I figured it is late and we need to start heading home.  I felt the distinct impression that I needed to go and talk with him. So I flipped the car around and we pulled up in front of his house. We started to talk and I asked him why he wasn't baptized with his daughters. (He has two daughters that were baptized about a year and a half ago.) He said that he just didn't feel it then and he didn't have a bunch of time. We started talking about how Jesus Christ set up one church and that there needed to be one true church on the earth.  He just looked at me funny and said, "You are right. But everyone comes and says that they have the truth. So I don't know which to choose." I testified to him about how God knows everything and that God loves him and wants him to know which is the true church on the earth.  I committed him to pray about the things we talked about and left him a pamphlet that it explained to him how to pray and he said he would do it. We have a return appointment with him on Tuesday.

I am so grateful that I followed the prompting of the Holy Ghost to go and talk with him. I know that the Holy Ghost was definitely there to help testify to his heart. I know because the Holy Ghost has testified to me that this is the true Church on the earth today and that Joseph Smith was a true prophet of God. I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior and has atoned for my sins as well as the sins of the world.

NEWS FROM HOME: Mom, I did get the essays Mom, and the transcripts. Thank you so much! I also received my license extension 2 weeks ago. So that is all taken care of. It is also good to hear that the treatments are basically scheduled (for Chad's father); just let me know when the actual dates are. Transfers are still not for another 3 weeks, so I don't know what will happen. I think I could stay or I could go, but it just depends on what the Lord wants. Well I am out of time, but I love you so much and am so grateful for your support. This is the Lord's Church, and I know that this is His work!

Live it, Love it, Preach it!    del misionero en Utah!

ELDER D