Week 59 - It is a Faith Problem

Monday 12/12/2016 

In the morning we dropped off Elder Wrights laundry. We stopped by Ross and Deseret Book. We then traveled to Fullerton with the district to go bowling for Elder Wrights birthday. We grabbed Joe's after, then headed over to pday activity. We got everyone to play sock soccer, probably one of the best games. We had to leave as they started gatorball. We had a birthday dinner with the Walkers at Islands. We went to our appointment with a less active family in the ward. We discussed the Christmas initiative with them and service. They wanted us to come back before Christmas to teach there children who Christ is and the story of Christmas. We are looking forward to working with them and Brother Walker started some plans. We went back and I got ready for an exchange. I went to the Palmyra area with Elder Jones.

Tuesday 

In the morning after studies we went to my last apartment in Placentia. We met there with Elder Rubio/Clark. We got the apartment prepared for someone else to move in if some one has to move in, in the coming months. We cleared everything except mission furniture. So we threw away everything previous missionaries had left behind. We headed out then had lunch before we went out to do some finding. No good success in seeing people. We had a lesson with Herby, we taught the plan of salvation. He is a smart guy he studies a lot of philosophy and literature. Sister Anderson came to the lesson too, that was cool because she used to work in the mission office. Then we went to the family history center and got him started with family search. We had our dinner with the Redman family, pretty fun. They had a cool looking dog. After we did some finding before we got ready to exchange back. We waited at the church for a while with Elder Lee while Elder Hansen practiced a musical number. We then exchanged back. 

Wednesday 

In the morning after our studies we had a service for Brother Reyes. We helped clean up his backyard and landscape. We then went over to Deans to do some service for them helping them with yard work outside. We went back and had lunch. We saw Megan and taught her the Plan of Salvation she grasped it pretty well. After we stopped by the mission office to pick something up. We then went back for dinner. We went out to find for the night. We saw a few people including Nehra to setup an appointment for latter in the week. 

Thursday 

In the morning we had district meeting, the Taggarts came. We covered virtue a Christlike attribute in district meeting. We also focused on the safeguards for technology. We did a grab then gather for lunch. We went back and got ready then headed out, we didn't catch anyone before dinner. We went out and saw some less actives like Sister Neese. Sister Neese and her grandson fight like a old married couple, which is entertaining. Then we finished with the Wrights with Brother Walker. 

Friday 

We had service at Mary's kitchen after lunch. Elders Hansen/Pruitt,Philips/Thomas came. We finished up and then had a lesson with Nehra and the Larkins came. We taught her the restoration. It was pretty solid we recommitted her to commitments. We asked her if she was doing anything during the time church was and she said no so there is no reason for her not to be there. Our dinner was with the Ellis family, they had all kinds of nativity's from all of the world. Over fifty unique nativity's. One of the highlights of my favorite is from Jerusalem made of olive wood. The Sister did the dinner message with the Book of Mormon challenge. We got some possible names. We saw Linda and Pedro, talked with them and we got a bunch of names for the Book of Mormon challenge. We ended the night doing our coordination email with the sisters. 

Saturday 

We went to stop hunger after companionship studies. They have a bunch of extra supplies from an event that IBM threw, but didn't complete. We were able to get over 15000 meals completed in four hours. When we were finished the district and Elder Hansen/Lee were able to make it. We grabbed lunch. Then came back for dinner shortly after our late lunch. Then we weekly planned which took the rest of our night

Sunday

Ward council in the morning before we did some studies. Sacrament meeting was solid. Brother Larkin gave a talk about the Savior and Christmas. He mentioned how over the forty years that he has lived in his neighborhood he has seen a change. There used to be a few houses decorated with lights and everyone had a nativity or something relating to Christ. As time has gone on there has been a shift to where now there is only a few not decorated and non have anything about Christ. Gospel principles we learned about the Plan of Salvation as if it was a big football game taught by the sisters. After church we had dinner with the Walkers. We tried some people before the end of the night. 

It is a Faith Problem 

I was reading D&C 49 this week and there is something to be learned. There are those people that only accept a part of the gospel. Often these parts that they hold on to are just appendages. The problem is they are only accepting this one piece of the gospel missing the gospel in entirety. When people often have problems related to principles of the gospel they are faith problems. So they must start with the first principles of the gospel and build up their faith. There are great things that can be obtained through our  faith. Best wishes for everyone's Christmas 

Pictures 

My collection of taking pictures with people's pets continues.