26 October 2010

Hi family!!

It's crazy how fast all of these weeks go. Next week I will be 1/8 done with my mission already. Crazy, isn't it? I am loving every moment of it.

Recently I've been studyin the 2nd coming of Christ. I encourage you all to read about it somewhere. It's going to be so cool! Armegeddon is going to be nuts. Just thought that'd be interesting for all y'all to study if you're bored.

This week has been okay, just average really. Except that we have no scheduled baptisms upcoming. Within 2-3 days, Marvin, Charles, Zeny, Kerry, and Rod's baptismal dates have all fallen. It's crazy. We are still visiting with Charles almost everyday. His testimony is strengthening quite a bit, and I don't think he'll have any problem getting baptized. He has officially quit smoking!!! The bishop met with him and said he'd write his part of the letter that will go to the First Presidency, petitioning for Charles to get baptized before his probation finishes in 6 months or so. After Charles and the bishop write their part, President Cook (mission president) will write his part, and we'll send it off! I bet it'll be on it's way to Salt Lake City by the end of next week.

Marvin is still waiting on getting his legal papers from his family in Tijuana. He has been trying to call them on members' phones, because he doesn't have enough money to pay his phone bill. Once he gets that, he can get married and baptized. His fiance, Rosa, came to church the other day for the first time and loved it. The Spanish speaking elders are teaching her, because she does not know English. She has been hardhearted the past several months, and she now wants to be baptized the same day as Marvin. It's so awesome!

Zeny was one lesson away from getting a baptismal interview, and getting baptized this week. But she recently learned that she'll have to give up gambling to be a member. She is the founder of a non profit group that helps poor people in the Phillipines that gets its funds from a local casino, that pays the group to bus the members of the group over to gamble for a night. She said she would pray about it, what she should do. She recently decided to not give up gambling, and indefinitely postponing or even cancelling her baptism. It is very sad, but we can't force anyone to do anything. Hopefully a miracle will occur.

Yesterday we were riding in on bikes to eat lunch at our apartment, when suddenly my bike stopped. I got off and looked, and somehow, some way my back wheel rim bent in a very odd shape, making it impossible to ride. It basically taco-ed. It was baffling how that happened, but I suppose everything happens for a reason. I'll have to get it fixed soon. Ugh

On Friday night we ran into a couple of serious bible bashers. Two guys had planned to meet us on the sidewalk one night (it worked out too perfectly to not be planned), and started trying to convince us that we weren't real Christians, that our Christ was different from the real Christ, and that our church, though with good intentions, was really Satanic in nature. One of them was a pastor from Orange County, and the other, I don't know. We talked to them for about 30 min, trying over and over to end the conversation. It was annoying, but oh well. We invited them to visit mormon.org and pray about it. It was entertaining, almost, to see how childish adults can be. There were a lot better things they could have done with their night. The downside with that is that it caused us to miss an appointment with a strong potential investigator. Oh well. That was interesting. We run into bashers a lot (usually JWs), but these guys were extra rough. Good times

Last week we started talking to a nice old man who let us in his home. We shared the story of the Restoration with him. In a very spiritual process, we explained how Joseph Smith knelt down to pray to God, and Elder Hinds shared a powerful account of the First Vision. When he finished, it was quiet, and we waited for his response. He finally said "gentlemen, it has been a pleasure to talk to you today. But, I'm afraid I have to poop now. Have a good day." When we got outside, we laughed and laughed and laughed. It was so funny

The weather here has been beautiful. We've had warm (not hot), breezy days with some clouds most of the time. This is not the October I'm used to! It's pretty neat! I am excited for winter, when it hovers around 50 degrees.

Well family, it is good to hear from all of you in emails and letters. I love you all so much and appreciate your support. You are in my prayers constantly.

I hope you all have an outstanding week!

Elder La Follette

PS-Mom, did you find my camera card? Do everything you can to find it! When you find it, send it down (after you put the pics on the computer), and I'll send the one I have up! Thanks!