3 April 2012

Hello family!

I hope you're all doing great.

Elder Rupp survived Groundhog Day and will stay in Mission Viejo 6 more weeks.  I'm staying too, obviously.  But, we still have to trek down to Carlsbad for the transfer meeting because apparently zone leaders are important and need to be at meetings.  I've also been asked to play the piano again for the meeting, so that should be fun.  I hope I don't destroy the songs.  I'm not sure where these people get the idea that I'm a good piano player.  Next transfer meeting (since I'll probably play again) I'll probably play on the organ.  I've been working on learning the organ when we have free time.

General Conference was great!  I've enjoyed it on my mission even a little more than before.  We watch it at the stake center for each session, with the rest of the zone.  It's always refreshing to hear from the prophets and general leaders, and to receive instruction on how to improve our lives and relationships.  I'm a little upset that I missed singing with the Salt Lake Institute choir in Priesthood, but I'm sure another opportunity will come around in the future.  Among the talks I learned the most from (that I can remember off the top of my head) were President Hallstrom, President Rasband, Elder Christofferson, Elder Bednar, Elder Scott, and some others.  The Spirit is especially strong when President Monson speaks.  I always listen even more intently and learn more when he speaks.

We picked up two new investigators last week--Johnny, and Julio.  They are both YSA ward investigators.  Johnny lives in our family ward area, and Julio lives in a small, dense city called Ladera Ranch.  Ladera Ranch is a lot like Daybreak, Utah.  Lots and lots of young families and very quick growth.  The Ladera Ranch elders tell us that there are two nurseries in both the Ladera Ranch wards!  There are lots of "J" names we're working with and two "Johnny"s so we've called this Johnny "Johnny Lingo" until we figure out his real last name.  He is dating an inactive member that we've never heard of.  Johnny has wondered a lot about why there are so many churches, and wants to learn more about ours.  We read a lot out of the Book of Mormon last lesson, and we requested that tomorrow's lesson be out of the Old Testament.  So, we will!  I've learned that all of our lessons can be completely taught out of any of the sections of the standard works.  We're going to try to bend it back to the Book of Mormon though.  Julio has met with missionaries before and had a girlfriend who goes to Saddleback Church (the "great and abominable church" around Mission Viejo) feed him anti-Mormon info that gave him problems.  He's still open to learning though, and has set a baptism date for May 5, pending he has a witness of the truth by then.

We had another lesson with Alex and Angie that went great, about prophets.  We had Angie blindfolded and Alex was her guide (prophet) that led her to a present we gave them.  Then we taught about President Monson and other prophets.

I can't think of many other fun or funny stories from the week.  I know there were some, but I usually fail to write them down in my planner when I come to email on Tuesdays.

I'll send pictures of Carlsbad someday.  Hopefully within the next week or so.  We'll see what happens.

I hope y'all have a great day!

Love,

Elder La Follette