Book of Mormons for the clowns

This week was a really good week. It’s been fun figuring out the dynamics of the trio. It’s been really enjoyable so far. They are both from Texas and laugh like it. They remind me of the two old guys on the Sponge Bob movie who laugh at jokes and laugh really hard. I love it because whenever I make a good joke, they laugh really loud and really hard for a long time. It’s awesome. I love being a zone leader and I am super excited to see Elder Cook! Ah! That’s going to be so so so cool! I am way excited! It’s been a really good week. We had 7 nonmembers come to church. That’s a lot for p2. One of them was Max the crazy guy who saw the huge corn cob in the sky and thought it was God. He loved it and is coming back next week! 

Funny: Elder Moesser came in when we had two really funny contacts. It was really awesome. It was 8:50 and we were getting gas for the car and all of the sudden, who pulls up but two clowns. Full gear and get up with the shoes and the red nose and everything. They were Mexican clowns named Oscar and Eric. We talked to them and ended up giving Oscar a Book of Mormon. Needless to say it was a very funny contact. haha 

Spiritual: This week we went over to the Metante family just to check up on them. The prior Elders dropped them a while ago so we went over just to see how they were doing. When we got there Sister Metante was in a bad state. Her father-in-law had just passed away due to a preventable cause. Moral of the story, he shouldn’t have died and she was really cut up about it. Her husband was taking it really really hard as well. It was really sad to see. The rest of the family was fighting over his possessions and it was destroying them. We were so happy. It was a perfect opportunity to share the Plan of Salvation. It was a really cool lesson. As we testified of where we go after we die and the fact that God loves his children and gave them a plan to make them happy, a change came over this tough construction worker. His features changed from hopeless to hopeful, from fearing to faithful. It was amazing. The eternal perspective that the gospel gives is priceless. The blessing that comes from knowing that there is more to life than death manifests itself in joy. I know that the scriptures are true when they say that we go to a ''state of rest.'' Not only is it amazing that we don’t just disappear, but we live again and have the opportunity to become better than we are through the atonement of Jesus Christ. I know He lives and loves us. He wants us to become like Him and has given us a way to do so. This makes me happy! 

 Where I am at: Pleasanton is awesome right now. We are teaching a lot of new people from Anthony, and Angelina, to Max and the Metantes. It’s awesome being here right now. There was a huge stake emergency meeting with all the leadership in the stake and the challenge was issued to have your own personal ministry. This includes recording your missionary efforts throughout the week and then being accountable to your priesthood leader to report to them how it went. This is going to change the face of missionary work in Pleasanton. Every ward leader is now sending an email every Sunday night to the person who is their priesthood leader. For example Bishop sends Stake President an email of all the times he has tried to share the gospel this week. It’s amazing. Every missionary’s dream! I love you all so much and am so grateful for your prayers and support. 

And then there were three...

This week was definitely a surprise. I am in a tripanionship now with Elder Baumert and Elder Moesser. Wow. Didn't see that one coming! I love this area so much but I think this will be my last transfer here. Sad day.

Spiritual: We had a lesson with a less active member and a really strong member, Sister Buckholtz. She is the stereotypical "Black lady from Oakland." Funny, bold and black. She shared her conversion story with us. It’s amazing the trials some people go through and still manage to keep their faith strong. She told us about being married to an abusive husband who left her without a thing in her apartment. She said she was sitting on the bare floor with just a few friends playing Skip Bo and trying not to worry. She had nothing left in her apartment and then this husband walked in. Raided the fridge and left just like that. She should have had every right to hate her then husband and mope around about feeling bad about herself but she didn’t. She was sitting on the floor and just thought to herself that the Lord would take care of her. She put her faith totally and completely in the Lord and then proceeded to press forward. She now has a wonderful apartment with lots of matching furniture and lots of food. It made me think of what faith really its. Faith is believing, without any hesitation or self-pity that somehow, sometime, something will work out because the Lord is the Lord and even though we can’t see Him, He lives. He Loves Us. He knows what will make us happy and He knows what sorrows weigh us down. Don’t lose faith in the Lord. If we are obedient to His specific commandments and have faith in Him, all will turn out well.

Funny: Story #2 of the Adventures of Rosco. For dinner we went to the same house with the "leeky" dog. They had gotten a new puppy in addition to Rosco and they had given it the name of Chewie. Short for Chewbacca. Rosco though was under the impression that “Chewie” was an action not just a name and so as soon as we entered Rosco ran for and succeeded in Chewing the Chewie. It was the theme of the night with kids holding the Chewie above their head while the large and seemingly unfazed golden retriever Rosco did all he could to get ahold of his new chew toy. I hope it all works out okay. Poor dog. haha

Where I am at: Transfers were crazy. There is not a single companionship in our zone that did not change in some regard. It’s insane! Every companionship got a transfer call. Except us! We just got a number three. Things are going well. The Ragoza family still has baptismal dates set for Feb. 8 and we are super excited for them! Our ward is so on fire and we love being here. Things are going really well. I love love love Pleasanton! I love you all so much. January is a little rough here. Everyone is grouchy because of the holidays but things are starting to shape up great. I love you all so much!

The Cleaning Text

Ammon's zone had apartment inspections last week and the following is what he wrote in his paper letter to us:
Today is P-Day. Panic Day. Either tomorrow or Wednesday, President is going to come and inspect our apartment. Oh dear. We are just a little stressed. I sent out a text to my district this morning that said "Hark all ye inhabitants of the earth! The day of judgement is close at hand! For behold the President cometh with fire and with his chariots like a whirlwind and the slain of the President shall be many. In this same day, President shall shave with a razor! That they will but purify their apartments shall stand at that great and terrible day. Watch therefore for ye know neither the day nor the hour that he cometh. Let all things be prepared lest sudden destruction shall come upon us! The great and terrible day is close at hand! Prepare ye the way (see D&C 133, 2 Nephi 17 and Isaiah 66). Happy preparing for Judgement Day!

It is good to know that Ammon is still Ammon.

January 13, 2014

Spiritual: The LORD ANSWERS PRAYERS. Last Sunday we had a companionship fast for new investigators to teach and remember how I said that last week was a real trial of faith? Well this week was definitely a blessing from faith!! On Tuesday we went to go visit some less actives at a retirement home for 55+ people. There was one person home so after chatting with him we were heading down to our car and a little tottery old lady stopped us and basically grabbed my hand and set me down and started talking to me. Completely out of the blue! We had in her words a delightful conversation and then we asked if we could have her address/room number and stop by some other time. She agreed! It was so cool! So the next Thursday came. We called her and made an appointment to go see her. We went by and taught her the restoration. The spirit was so strong and it was incredible to feel her start to believe the things we were telling her. That night we went to the Lanza home just on a whim. What did we find when we got there but TWO of the grandchildren that were currently living there were over 8 and super excited to hear the lessons! It was incredible! They accepted and we now have three new people to teach. The Lord really does answer prayers. It is so incredible. He loves us so much and He won’t just answer the prayers of the righteous, but he will answer the prayers of the repentant soul. It’s sometimes hard to pray when you know you are not being perfect and you know what the Lord expects of you, but no matter your circumstance and no matter the faults and imperfections of the past he still loves you. He still cares about you. He still wants to hear from you and bless you for your communication. He will not fail us nor forsake us. 

Funny: This week we had dinner with a super cool family who had just moved into a brand new house and who had just gotten a new dog. This young pup was very excited to see us and as such could not control his young puppy bladder. He ran into the room skidding and slipping on the floor and just got everything wet. Poor Elder Baumert had to wash his shoes when he got home. haha The dog after he was done with us ran to the little girl and lifted his leg. That’s when the parents lost it. That dog really was in the dog house for a long long long time. hahaha It was a funny dinner and it gave us something to talk about. Never name your dog Roscoe. He will act like one. haha

Where I am at: Things are going well here in Pleasanton. President said that I will probably stay for this next transfer. I sure hope so but it’s really weird to think that there is so much more of my mission left to go. I love Pleasanton. Elder Baumert and I get along really really well. I think we have figured out what makes each other tick and how to play off of each other’s strengths. I love you all so much and the prayers you are saying really do help. There have been real, definite miracles from the prayers of my family. I love you all so much! The work has been picking up lately and it’s sure nothing that I am doing. The Lord is truly blessing us. We work as hard as we can, but we rely on him for the success and the blessings. 

I love you all!

January 6, 2014

Spiritual: This week has been one where I have really seen how a ward is supposed to function. This week we had a discussion with the heads of all the auxiliaries and we were discussing our goals for 2014. There were some very smart, very powerful, very rich men in this discussion. I was blown away. The Spirit can enlighten the mind and bring new ideas into the heart by means of "pure intelligence." I had never understood what that exactly meant until this meeting. They were discussing the goals and how we achieve these goals and grow the ward. Last year the ward goal was 6 baptisms. The actual this year was 14 convert baptisms. The Goal this year for 2014 is 24 convert baptisms. While discussing not only how we find and teach these 24 new people the topic came up of how to retain these 14 people that we have already brought into the church. It is amazing how influential each person can be in the church if he/she does the best they can do in magnifying their calling and using all the talents and gifts that God has given them. Discussion came around to a deacon’s quorum president who saw that we had just baptized two new 13 year old hoodlums. He then planned an activity specifically designed for them to attend and enjoy. A nerf gun war was planned. He did this without any promptings from leaders or anyone else. He prayed, pondered, planned then presented his idea to the quorum. We then found the boys and made sure they came to this activity. The result was incredible. They loved loved loved it. They were so enthused about the whole idea of it and they felt totally fellowshiped and now a part of the ward. It does not matter about what calling you have or what your role is in the church. The Lord will bless us if we come to him in prayer and ask Him how to best perform our calling. He will inspire us and sustain us as we plan for ways to serve others in the church and even people not in the church. It was amazing. The Lord blesses us for our efforts. Every blessing we attain on this earth is due to our obedience, our initiative being within what the Lord requires, and our hard work. The Lord lives and Loves us. He will bless us for our righteous actions. It does not matter what title you hold. Only how much you involve the Lord in your calling. Be wary about seeking after the praises of man when it comes to these matters. We must have a pure heart when we serve. 

Funny: We need to have another lesson with our recent converts about Obeying honoring and sustaining the law. It is not okay to graffiti the church with love notes on the sidewalk. Sigh. They will get there sometime. 

Where I am at: With our ward council on board things are really going to start picking up around here. Things are going really well with the less actives and recent converts. We need more people to teach. The Lord will keep His end of the deal, but we have to keep ours. The ward here is so cool! I think it’s amazing how a body of saints can all be here together on such an individual yet personal journey. 

I love you all!

Elder Black