11-11-13

Dear Family!

Holy Cow I am EXHAUSTED!!! hahaha I love this mission so much. I didn't think that I could ever get much more tired, but this week has proved me wrong. I don't think we had a day this past week that we didn't have some kind of a meeting that we had to go to, or an exchange with missionaries that we had to go on. It has been a week to remember though, and next week is actually going to be even more busy. We have this big training that we are going to be giving in Oakland this next week on going on exchanges with missionaries, so that should be a good time. I love to give trainings, cause it takes a lot of effort, but the product is always so spiritual and amazing! I love to do them with Elder Fajardo too, cause we seem to have a lot of the same ideas, so it usually comes out pretty unified, and fun. We gave a big zone training this past Saturday, and it was good to be with all of the missionaries in the zone in one room. Great experiences. 

This past week was a really neat week for me though. While I was on an exchange a little over a month ago, we found an investigator in the San Ramon and were able to set a baptismal date with her! She was this cute little 10 year old girl that was a part member family and had just started to go to church with her aunt and uncle. A few weeks ago I was on another exchange in that area and we were able to meet with her again and finalize all of the baptismal plans. So this past week on Saturday she was baptized! Her name is Ella, and she was sooo happy! Her cousin who is prepping for a mission was able to baptize her, and it was just an all around great experience! It was really fun to see an investigator that we found on an exchange go all the way through the process and then be baptized by her cousin! It was great! 

This past week Xian spoke for a big fireside in Oakland that is called why I believe! He lit up the crowd too! He was sooo nervous about it, but just did such a good job! He spoke about how he was completely against Christianity and was scared of it, but has since found the joy that comes from it and how great it has been to be apart of the YSA ward here. The people in the crowd were blown away by how good he was at speaking and how confident he was up there. I was really proud of him, cause we were the ones that talked him into doing it. We were a little nervous about how he would do, and that it may scare him so much that he would get embarrassed.. not enjoy the experience. He said after that he really felt the spirit up there. He bore a powerful witness of Christ and Joseph Smith! It was a testimony builder to me to watch a young man who really had no foundation, and then to take off like he did. It has been so cool to be apart of him! 

We also found this new investigator named Tyler Falls. He is a young guy who is dating a less active member of our ward who is working to get back to church. He is very very open to learning, and has been progressing very well. We have really been pushing for baptism, but his family is a split family between Jewish and Catholic. He is a little worried about getting baptized because of his family, but he is willing to keep learning and is just kinda waiting to get that undeniable spiritual impression. 

Well it is time to sign off, and do a few more things that I need to do on the computer before we head out to play some basketball. It's not a successful P-day, if we don't get to play at least an hour of ball! 

I love you all so much. It has just been an amazing opportunity to be in weekly contact with you all. I love sharing my testimony on my mission, and it has been a true pleasure to be able to share it with all of you! Thank you for the love and the guidance that you give me through email. I look forward to Monday's a lot, cause I get to share my experience with everyone! I have a testimony of this great work, and it makes me sad to think that this could be coming to an end soon.. It has been crazy to even think about what it's going to be like to be a normal member.. It will all work out though! It all has to come to an end at some point. I am so thankful for the Book of Mormon and how much it has changed my life! I am completely changed because of how much power it has put into my life! Thanks all for the love you share! I will talk to you all next week!

Picture: Elders Fijardo and Geilman