No way, tell Lizzie I’m proud of her for making cheerleading! And tell her she needs
to learn how to do a standing back tuck before I get back that would be sick! I
bet Adeline will be on Broadway one day, no question. haha.
Since I’ve been back in Murrieta, having been on a few
exchanges, talking with members and such, it’s been hard to find out that a lot
has changed since I’ve been gone. A vast
majority of the recent converts I was able to work with while I was serving in
Murrieta a year and a half ago have become less active, some completely
inactive and some just falling off the map altogether and no one knows where
they’re at. Sadly a few awesome active families I knew as well (I won’t go into
too much detail). I was able to go by a few of the families I heard didn’t want
to be a part of the church anymore while I was on exchanges. They were happy to
see me and surprised that I am back in town serving here, but they absolutely don’t
want anything to do with the church. It is so sad. I’m sad especially for their
young kids who probably won’t grow up in the gospel. It hurts my heart and it
sucks, it kills me to see such awesome family’s just give up like that. It
takes me back to the talk that was given in conference. After all you can do we
just have to love, watch, and wait.
I was able to go on exchanges with Elders Mather and Fuller
this week. Both were in my MTC district. It’s so awesome to see how much both
of them have changed in the past two years from when we all first started this
journey.
In YSA we were able to teach Ben and Taylor together on
Monday before Institute. We were able to read a chapter in Alma with them.
Right now were trying to help them both have experiences that will help them
feel the spirit. That’s what they really need. They know it’s true, they just
need confirmation. They’re practically members of the YSA branch. They’ve been
coming regularly and everybody know them. We also taught Liz a super powerful
lesson on the Restoration and were able to set a goal with her to be baptized
at the end of the month! In the Las Brisas ward we were able to teach Aaron. He
actually took us out to dinner this week to which was awesome, we got to know
him personally a little bit better. The best way to describe Aaron is he looks
like Captain America hahaha. He is a weightlifting coach at one of the high
schools here and he used to play for the Kansas City Chiefs. He’s a big dude,
haha. He is the epitome of a stud, physically and spiritually. He has already
read in the Book of Mormon all the way to Mosiah and we’ve only been teaching
him for a few weeks. He does the commitments we leave him and then gives
himself more homework to do and he came to church on Sunday for all three
hours. Talk about golden investigator. We actually went on splits on Sunday
because we had investigators in both wards. One reason why he is so solid is
there is a girl involved, but I know that that is not everything. He sincerely
just wants to know the truth and to do what is right.
Another thing that is cool/weird about being back in
Murrieta is seeing all the RMs get back. When I served here last year all their
missionary plaques were on the wall, but know I have actually met all of them
in person. Weird to think that will be me soon.
Something that is different/new about having the assignment
as a Zone Leader is being able to work closely with the stake and the stake
leaders and seeing how the church runs. Yesterday we were able to meet with the
stake president and other leaders in the stake to talk about service projects
for the missionaries in the zone. We came up with lots of good ideas that we
will be setting into action shortly.
I hope you all had a rad week!
I love you all, -Elder Daniel
Long Story
exchanges with Elder Fuller
P-day
-you have got to be kitten me right meow..
-Assistant/Zone Leader exchanges with my MTC comp Elder Mather.
-An old friend came back to visit last week, (Elder) Micah Hanneman.
