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.