Yo ho yo ho a missionary life for me

It was another good week here in Fort Ord. The fast is still going strong and the miracles are still flowing like dead whale juice on the beach. (True story!) Things are progressing really well here and we are pleased at the progress that our investigators are making. It’s amazing to be here at a time when the work is progressing so well. I am really happy here! I have fallen in love with the military culture and the pace of the military life. I really love Fort Ord Ward! 

Spiritual: There were so many spiritual experiences that happened this past week. It’s been really amazing to be a part of this great experience. When I was on exchanges with Elder Jackson, we met a man by the name of Terry. He was a super good guy and we found out later that his daughter had met with the sisters before. Terry is about 45 and a very humble man. He is African American and is very smart. He works at a hospital and is a God fearing man. He has read the bible 14 times. When we met him he told us that he wanted to take us out to lunch. After being on my mission for a while, I have gotten maybe a little judgmental about people who have read the bible 14 times taking us out to lunch. That sends off the "bible basher" alarm bells inside my head. We couldn't refuse him so a few days later he told us to meet at his house and we were going to go out to lunch. Elder Barney and I were a little apprehensive about this particular appointment. Beforehand we prayed that we would know what to say to help him and that this appointment would go according to Gods will. When we went to lunch it was a totally different experience than we had expected. He sat us down and asked what we believed in. I handed him an articles of faith card and held my breath. He read it. Thought about it. Then turned to us and told us that due to the first thing on the card, We believe in God the Eternal Father and in His Son Jesus Christ and in the Holy Ghost, that we were Christian brothers and then the meeting turned around. He is such a humble man! He felt like his life was good. He had nothing going wrong for him in his life yet he chose to turn to the bible because he knew he should be doing better. Ever since he has had so many blessings come into his life because of that. Terry is a good example of being humble before God and changing your life on your own accord rather than being humbled and being changed. The meeting ended with us bearing our testimony about how our faith in Jesus Christ has blessed our lives and him bearing his witness of the same. We did end up leaving him with a commitment to read the Book of Mormon and pray to know if it’s the word of God. It was a humbling experience. A happy experience to know that there are still educated men about the word of God who are still humble and willing to learn. There is still good in the world! 

Funny: Talk like a pirate day was this Friday and Elder Barney and I had a great time talking with each other in our pirate phraseology. It was really fun because we had a lesson with an investigator who was a part member family that we have been working with for the entire time I have been here. We finally committed him to baptism and he was expressing his concern that he had a really bad problem with swearing. What was our solution? Replace swear words with pirate words. Just as many consonants to make it sound angry, but nothing really serious. Teach according to their needs! I was a little sad that he was in the air force and not the navy though. That would have been much better. 

Where I am at: This particular area pulls at my heart like nothing I have ever experienced before. It’s a totally new experience to be a missionary dressed in a white shirt and tie and board shorts standing on the beach with the sound of waves in the distance watching as the group next to you lights off about thirty Japanese lanterns and lets them go Tangled style. Surrounded by the people you have seriously grown to love and just as happy as a clam. It’s truly spectacular. I Love this area! So in other words the beach bonfire went really well! The members are starting to catch the vision and brought a few nonmember families as well! Yay! The theme of this ward is fliers and activities. That’s the key to Fort Ord. It feels good to have been in an area where you have figured some of the bigger things out like that. I love this area. This is the last week of the transfer and there is a good possibility that I could be transferred. Oh just break my heart and my leg and throw me in a ditch. That’s kinda the feeling. I am doing really well and things are going great here. I love you all