Week 8

Monday

Woke up 

Laundry

Starbucks to start email

Shopping didn't wreck this time

Went to rugby 

Lunch at subway

Zone activity didn't really do anything the zone doesn't like to do activities. So we ended up burning a few CDs. 

Dinner at members house

Went out tracting met a few people that we are going to try to see again

Tuesday

Studies

Lunch 

I pad training

Then did some finding 

Went to dinner at members house 

Walked out of dinner and the sisters looked up at the sky so we did. We thought it was a shooting star shooting across the sky. We then looked a little closer and it was a plane that was on fire. Did really see a lot after that.

Tried to see this guy that was interested in us teaching him. He was leaving as we arrived. We set up another appointment.

Tried to see some more people.

Then went back to apartment to get bag packed for exchanges with Elder Gentry in his area. 

Wednesday 

Woke up 

Went to the Christmas devotional 

Lunch 

Left the meeting

Saw some people in Elder Gentry's area

Went to dinner at a members house with Elder Lawyer/Pruitt 

Went caroling with our district in Elder Gentry's area 

Finished the night, exchanged back

Thursday 

Christmas Eve 

Woke up had personal studies.

Went to district meeting it was in obedience and virtue.

After we had a zone white elephant exchange. I ended up with wasabi peas from one of the Vietnamese Elders. 

We got lunch at subway and brought it back to the building

Went to mission office 

Went to dinner at the bishops house. After dinner we read the story of christs birth out of the scriptures and a few others. 

Then went caroling with the district again in our area

Friday 

Christmas 

We woke up slept in a little. We ate breakfast opened gifts that we received. We got ready and went to members house for brunch. The whole family is crazy and it was interesting. We then went to the church were my companion got his Skype account set up. We went to a members house were we both skyped our families. They left before we were done so we had some snacks after we were done skyping. We then met up with the sisters at a families house for dinner they gave us ornaments with a name of Christ on them. After dinner we visited people that the Bishop wanted us to visit. 

Saturday 

We had our studies and we did our weekly planning. Elder Pruitt and Lawyer were in our area so they stopped by our apartment. We then met up with the sisters to finish the list of people the bishop wanted us to see. We then split and saw Rocky to see how he is doing. We got to see his gun that he bought. After that we went to dinner at home town buffet. Then visited more people with the sisters. Then did a little tracting talked to these Jehovah witnesses for a long time. Headed back to the apartment my companion got transfer calls, since he is the district leader. 

Sunday 

Went to church

I confirmed Rocky in sacrament meeting.

Finished with all the meetings. 

Lunch

Dinner at a members house. We shared what we learned this year. Then booked it to the baptism. 

The baptism was for the sisters investigator Kim. We have been teaching her with the sisters. It has been a long road to her baptism cause she would always have something come up like being in the hospital.

It was a nice baptism. 

Something funny after 

I was standing there watching my companion fill out a baptismal record. Then sister Taggart walks up and is talking to Kim and is leaning on me. So I'm leaning away as much as I could. Then sister Taggart looks at me and realized I was not president Taggart. Everyone got a nice laugh at that one. 

Finished the night doing some tracting met a nice guy that we will try to see again. 

                                                          Christmas Day Skype

                                                 Elder Caleb and Comp Elder Purnell Christmas Brunch

                                                         Sisters at Christmas Brunch

                                             Brother and Sister Merrill Garden Grove 4th ward Christmas Brunch

                                                         Kim's Baptism Sunday 27 Dec 2015

                                                              Visiting Rocky

                                                                Comp Elder Purnell visiting Rocky

Week 7

Monday 12/14/15

Woke up 

Did laundry 

Left to go grocery shopping

This is where the fun begins 

We are just driving along towards an intersection. I don't know what happened my companion must have zoned out. I said dude what are you doing as he kept going straight for an intersection with a red light. There were cars crossing the intersection and I knew what was going to happen. I sat back in my seat and waited for the impact. Bam! 

We set there for a second kind of shocked about what happened. The tiwi (the car monitoring system) said aggressive driving and that we should seek emergency assistance. The car was filled with smoke from the air bags it smelled terrible. The car was also talking and trying to connect to a phone via Bluetooth to call 911. I sat there for a second then got out of the car. Looked around then got back in the car just kind of confused. After a while we decided to push the car out of the way of the intersection. We then started the, what to do if you are in a accident packet. The cops eventually got there someone called them. We did all that stuff with reports and information. The other car only had one driver he didn't go to the hospital. The cops called a tow truck driver he hooked up the car. He was going to take it to the mission office but his transmission was shot. So we got the senior missionaries tow company to pick it up. We went to the mission office and did the more in depth report with Elder Anderson. Elder Anderson is the vehicle coordinator. He took us to lunch, we dropped our stuff off at our apartment and he took us to zone activity. We played some games and emailed some. Then got a ride back to our apartment. We got a phone call from the Aps. They have another car for us we will be walking for a day. My companion is not going to be able to drive because of the severity of the accident. So I'm going to be driving from now on I guess. 

Tuesday 

We did our studies. We got a phone call from the Aps they got us a car they told us to get to the mission office as soon as we could. We got a ride to the mission office from Elder Thomas/Gentry. It was the Aps car they took the brand new car that Elder Dube was driving for the mission tour. We got the key and went to lunch at subway. After lunch we went to iPad training. Then visited a member and gave her a blessing because she is sick. We then went to our appointment with Rocky and taught him. He supersede us again, trying to jump to a lesson that we are going to teach in a few days. We then went out and did some tracting and visited a member. One of the last doors we knocked on was the best door approach we had ever done as a companionship. We both thought the worst when we first saw him. As we shared the video and taught him more, it fell into place. He told us he has never had someone for a religion talk to him like us. He really felt the spirit and he invited himself to church. We finish the night with an exchange I dropped off my companion and I'm now with elder lawyer.  

Wednesday 

Woke up and it was interesting in the morning. Elder lawyer is deaf and has  cocealar (not spelled right) implants. He did not put them on until we began to study. We did our studies then went to English class. After that we did some tracting until we had an appointment. We had our investigator follow us to the mission home to go to the sharing closet to get some dress clothes. Then went back to the church and taught him a short lesson. When we were done we went back the apartment and had dinner. We then went out to do more tracting and finished the night doing that. We went back to the apartment Elder lawyer got his stuff. We then exchanged back.

Thursday 

Had our studies cut companion study short to go to district meeting. Went to district meeting. The topic was on knowledge we also talked about what we learned at the meeting with Elder Dube. We also did some role plays with the other companionships investigators. After the meeting the district went to lunch at a place called Terry's cafe. We then left to go see a potential investigator. We knocked on the door and her husband was there he told us she was not home. So we shared the A Savior is born video with him. We talked to him about it he really enjoyed it. He said that he practices Catholicism but doesn't agree with everything they believe. He also hasn't liked some of the other churches he has been to. So he is interested in meeting with us again. We set up and appointment and he wants us to teach him so he can see if he wants his family to learn. We then went to dinner at the hometown buffet. Our ward mission leader brought us and the sisters there. We met him back at the church after dinner to get Rocky ready for his baptism on Sunday. He decided that I'm going to be the one confirming him the following Sunday after his baptism. We finished the night visiting a recent convert and taught him. 

Friday

Woke up exercised and did our personal studies. We had a short comp study. Then got ready to got to the first twelve weeks follow up. After that we went to lunch at this place called Cali tacos with Elder Gentry/Thomas. They have good food and for a good price. The burritos had French fries and a bunch of other stuff in them. They also had this amazing sauce. So we finished and we were hurting after the burritos were pretty big. So we went back and saw a guy we have been trying to work with. We tried to keep him but we had to drop him because he will just not listen to what we teach. When then went to meet Rocky at the church for his baptismal interview. One of the zone leaders interviewed him. While he was getting interviewed the other Vietnamese Elders stared a game. The game was trying to get ping pong balls into a jar in the middle of the gym it is pretty much impossible. After that we went to dinner, a family brought us to this great Italian place Cortinas. After that we went to English class and we had a Christmas potluck. The Koreans brought their Korean food I'm not really a fan. We finished the night teaching one of our other investigators.  

Saturday

We finished our studies and a short weekly planning session. Then went to teach a lady that is on date with the sisters. We talked more about baptism and set up her baptismal program. We then went to see a lady that we have been trying to teach. She is old and has seemed to have lost her capacity so we probably will not be going back. After that we went to teach Rocky and we taught him with a member. Then we went to dinner at a members house. We then went to a less active family and taught them a lesson. After the district met at the church and we went caroling in the sisters area.  

Sunday 

Woke up early to go to missionary correlation meeting. The less active family we have been working with came. We also sang in the ward choir in sacrament meeting. The members gave us a lot of gifts and treats. After church we went to the apartment had lunch and did some studying. Then we picked up Elder Pruitt/Lawyer at their home apartment and went to the stake center for Rocky's baptism. We had the baptism it was a great program. We went to a members house for dinner. Did some tracting then went caroling with the district in Elder Pruitt/Lawyers area. 

It was cool to see Rocky get baptized. Hard to believe we met him just three weeks before. 

                                  The other car

                          Our car

                                   Our car

                                     The other car

                                              Our car

                                   Our car

                                             Our car

                                            Rocky's Baptism

                                                Caleb and Rocky

Rocky and Elder Purnell

Week 6

Tuesday 12/8/2015

P Day

Did laundry 

Started emails at the Starbucks

Went shopping

Went to the members house that we hung Christmas lights at a few days ago. We had to put up a new strand since it went out. 

Went to Zone activity played spike ball and finished emails

Went to dinner, the member has 140 nutcrackers give or take a few.

This is just a few

We put our investigator Mason on date for January 1st 

We finished the night visiting members and less active members and sharing the A Savior is born video.

Wednesday 

Went to English class had another lesson with Rocky he is still ready and excited to get baptized. We taught him about fasting and tithing. We had a pretty boring day today. We finished the night practicing for the Christmas party.

Thursday 

Went to Ipad training

Had lunch at chipotle 

Taught Rocky about keeping the sabbath day holy

Ate dinner 

Taught a recent covert the word of wisdom

Finished the night tracking 

Friday

Weekly planning - We spend most of the day planning

Went out and tried to visit some of our investigators. They were either not home or too busy.

Went to dinner 

Then tried to see a less active family but they were not home. So we went to English class. After English class we tried to visit some people we met on Monday.

Saturday 

Met with the ward mission leader for lunch. We updated him on all of the people that we are teaching. We then taught a lady that is getting ready to be baptized soon with the sisters. After we went out to try to visit some potential investigators and no good success. They all were too busy or not home. Then it was time for the ward Christmas party. The ward dressed in biblical attire. There was a play and musical performances we sang in the ward choir for a part of it. 

Sunday 

Church 

Two of our investigators came that was awesome. We sang with the ward choir in sacrament meeting. The song that we sang was Were you there on that Christmas night. A return missionary from another ward spoke. He went to the mission were his uncle went. His uncle died on his mission from a gas heater. While he was on his mission he was able to go to one of the areas his uncle was in. In that area he met a bishop that his uncle taught as a little boy. We went to gospel principles, the lesson was on honesty. After church we went to choir practice. We are going to sing in sacrament meeting next week. Then we went to ward council. We finished up and went back, ate lunch then went back to the church. We were supposed to meet a member but was a no show. We then went to go visit a guy we have been trying to teach and we taught him a little. It was then time for dinner we went to a members house and ate Mexican food. After that we went to the stake Christmas music performance. It was cool and they had a lot of people sing. We even got to see the Samoan ward choir sing angels we have heard on high in their language. After the program we went outside and it was raining. 

                                                               

                              His comp Elder Purnell

                             The Nutcrackers

Week 5

Monday 11/30/15

P day

Woke up did laundry

Went to Starbucks to start email

Did our shopping (I bought some sweaters because it gets cold here at night)

Then went to rugby

Had lunch at jack in the box (We got a coupon from a member for two free tacos)

Did some stuff at the apartment, like cleaning

Went to zone activity (We played wall ball and volley ball. I also worked on my music so we can have it in our car.)

Went to dinner, a member bought us subway.

Did some tracking and sharing of the A Savior is born video

-We found this funny Asian guy that was very loud and happy. We will probably try to see him again.

We finished the night at the church mapping out the ward on our iPads.

Then went back to the apartment and set up our tree a little bit.

Tuesday

Did service at a members house with the sisters. We hung Christmas lights and decorations. Member got us subway for lunch. We went to iPad training but there was no iPad training. We taught our gold referral again with a member. He is still ready for baptism. We ended the night tracking and showing members the A Savior is born video.

Wednesday

Got a call during companion study to go help at a blood drive. We got there to find out the blood drive is not till Friday. We then went to English class later. After we had lunch we went to see some members and share the A Savior is born video. Then we went to see a potential investigator said she would go to church on Sunday. We are hoping she will come to church. When we got to the car we had a voicemail telling us to call back for a dinner appointment. We went to hometown buffet . That was cool since it has been a few days since we had a dinner. After dinner we went to the church to set up the gym for a wedding. 

Thursday

Had zone meeting today our topic was being more Christlike. It was great, something that was good was don't stay in your comfort zone. That is a place the adversary would want you. We went to lunch at a place called pizza theory, not that great. We went to help a member set up at the church for a police party. We then went to dinner and had Mexican food. We ended the night with one of the priests finding and tracking.

Friday 

Woke up and exchanged with other district leaders companion, Elder Boman. The district leaders and the zone leaders went to a meeting with Elder Dube of the seventy. So we had to exchange in the morning so I could make my appointment. So we went to the address we had but wrong address it was a few miles off. We eventually found it we were a half hour late. The cardiologist said every thing looks good. We then went back and needed to change into proselyting clothes but Elder Bomans comp had the only key. So after a trip to the mission office and getting a wrong key we got through a unlocked window. So we visited some people and met back up with our comps. My comp and I went to the church to go to the police Christmas party. While we were there we got Charles Jr. Since that is who was catering. We then joined English class. After that we did our district exchanges and I'm with Elder Pruitt.  I also experienced tiw today I had to drive since Elder Boman can't. Tiwi is a driving monitor essentially and it can be a pretty big pain. I got three check your speeds and two aggressive driving warnings.

Saturday 

Woke up did "service" by helping setup for wedding reception. Had our most progressing investigator attend a baptism. Also saw Mason a 12 year old investor and told we have a ride for him on Sunday. Then we met up with the zone leaders to get a pass off investigator. They were not home so we will setup another time. We then went to the wedding reception for dinner, everyone in our district was there except the sisters. We finished the night by visiting a less active family which was interesting. We then exchanged back to our companions. 

Sunday

Today we went church and our investigator Rocky, which we have on date came. The members really took him in and helped him. When church was over he went with the priests to go collect fast offerings. He then came to watch the Christmas devotional. We still can't believe how willing he is to do the right things. Mason also came to church and the members took care of him also. Finally the less active member we taught on Saturday night came which we did not think would happen at all. It was a good Sunday for people to come to church. Had a great testimony meeting.

Monday 

It was mission tour and Elder Dube of the seventy was there. He really has a great sense of humor. He taught about how to be a better disciple of Christ. One major thing they really emboldened was, waking up on time. That seems to be a issue in the mission. One other great thing he said was we have everything we need to succeed. After the meeting we had study time. We then went out did some tracting and showed a member A Savior is born. 

We found a toilet and took some pictures.

 Mission Conference with Elder Dube and his wife. Caleb is in the Third row back second in on the left when looking at the picture. 

                     Caleb being Caleb!

                His companion.

Week 4

Monday 11/23/15

Pday Woke up took our laundry to complex laundry room. We got a paper from the Apt. Manager they are going to give everyone a pie which is nice. We finished laundry and walked to Starbucks to use the wifi to start our emails. We did that then left to go to a park where my comp. played rugby with a lot of other missionaries. We went to lunch at subway. Then went to go pickup Elder Pruitt/Lawyer at the bike shop. On the way we saw them and Elder Pruitt wrecked his bike he screwed up his face pretty bad with road rash. While we where there we test rode this three wheel bike which had an electric booster that was cool to ride.Then went to district activity finished emails and played floor hockey. We got a referral and the said in quotes 'im from Utah Salt Lake City, I have been treated well by Mormons and I have always been interested in Mormonism or Latter Day Saints ; I want to convert and hope to be baptize soon.' We thought this was a fake referral from another Elder which seems to be a common thing here. We later met with him at night and it was a legit referral and he has been waiting to turn eighteen so he could be baptized. His family doesn't like Mormons and all we need to do is teach him the lessons. 

Tuesday 

Got our pie today. Then went to iPad training. Had dinner with family at place called Water Front Cafe they have a good San Franciscan burger it was on a cheese toast bun. That was pretty much it. My comp says he is going to need another journal because I give him a lot to write. We sometimes just start laughing at the most random stuff. We hate on California a lot. Some of the stuff is just not right.

Wednesday 

Went to English class today, that is where we go with the Korean Elders and the sisters to teach Koreans how to speak English. We also found a lady that has a lot of potential today. We also saw a inactive family we think we can get active again since the wife wants to go. We are going to teach them the lessons for practice.

Thursday Thanksgiving 

We had district meeting. Then went to a Korean French place not bad food everyone got smoothies. We then taught our golden referral and put him on date for December 19. We ate dinner at a Tahitian families house after we had a pre dinner at another families house. The Tahitian family had all the traditional dishes with crab, green bananas that were cooked, and some other stuff. They also go us and the sisters to eat raw fish it is pretty disgusting. Then we ended the night talking to a guy John for two hours wow he can talk my comp maybe said 10 words.

Friday 

Taught a less active family. The wife's brother was there and he was trying to pretty much throw our lesson off since he is against the church. He was reading stuff off google on his phone. We answered his questions and were able to have a good lesson still. Then we went to English class. His anti 

Saturday 

Did a lot of finding. Started passing out our A Savior is born pass along cards. We are waiting to get the video tomorrow. When we got to the apartment someone was parked in our stall. So we parked behind them and waited for them to knock on our door. A guy eventually did knock and we moved the car. 

Sunday

Church was good today. Learned about not passing judgement in sacrament meeting and keeping the sabbath day holy. Met again with our gold investigator he is really excited to get baptized. The A Savior is born video came out and we started showing people. We sang in choir today we are in the ward choir. We also had maybe the worst door approach ever so we knocked and they were Korean said we showed them the A Savior is born video in Korean. The video began and the voice was not what we expected and we started laughing uncontrollably. Probably a good thing they couldn't understand us. 

Elder Caleb S. Bailey