Another Week Gone?

Time is truly ridiculous over here! I feel like I just emailed you all yesterday. Nevertheless, a week's worth of things have happened during the last 168 hours. I had an exchange to Turlock. Not a huge fan of the place... but that is probably due to the fact that it isn't my area. I personally feel that as a missionary, one comes to gain an appreciation and love for the area that he is serving in as he is able to fulfill his purpose no matter how sketchy the area. For instance, the other day (as in yesterday) someone was shot in Gustine. But I love Gustine. I mean, I wouldn't live there, but I haven't ever felt in anyway threatened in that area. Weird how that works.

I really liked your email Mom about going out with the missionaries. That was really funny about how you said Jiminy Crickett... =]

I think that missionary work is one of those things that, because it is so incredibly fulfilling for both parties (the giver as well as the receiver) Satan is hard at work to make it seem like it wouldn't be fun. That is a bald-faced lie.

I mean, how can helping someone else find immeasurable joy, happiness, and peace in this life be droll? ;) That doesn't make sense. In fact, it is quite the opposite. I would say that if you aren't having fun as a missionary, you're probably not doing it right. Now that isn't to say that there won't be hard times (i.e. ~ hard times with a companion, struggles with finding and teaching investigators, etc.) but the mission has a way of bringing one closer to God – by both the riding through the high altitudes of success as well as being dragged the dark and rocky mire of despair – which brings one to realize that they are absolutely helpless without God.

I am happy that I have come to that realization. It is really something quite special to me because in reality, the mission hasn't been easy. But it has been completely worth it.

So it turns out that we did hear about the rapture that was supposed to happen on Saturday. I was actually on an exchange that day in Turlock. It wasn't all that it was cracked up to be. No rioting in the streets, robbing of banks, or anything.

But yeah, it turned out being all in all, a pretty normal day.

Hmmm... 2 minutes left... what should I say?

OH!!! So this past Sunday, we got 5 Investigators to Church AGAIN! That's right people. 5. Not trying to set any records here... but just saying...

Love y'all!

Elder Ostler

Good Changes?

Dear family,

Something weird has happened this week. We were working and BOOM!!! All of a sudden, investigators began coming out of the woodwork. And it wasn't like, 1 or 2. It was more like - well, let me tell you the story.

So, we have a goal to baptize 3 people by the end of the month. Well, this last week, we had been working to get our investigators to church (like we do), and then it happened... finally. Here is a list of those that came to Church:

• Vivian (helped her move out of her house and then taught her a lesson Saturday and invited her to church - she went to all 3 hours!)
• The BOLTONS!!!! (They had gone inactive!!! Let me tell you, I could have cried when they came!)
• Lisa Rivera (She is basically a 'Dry-Mormon' - as in she would be baptized but there are issues with the husband - which we are working out)
• Justin Rosales (12 yr old kid that is crazy- he wants him to get baptized, but his Dad says, "When he tells me he is ready.")

That was just those that had come. There are several others that we would like to add to that list in the very near future. I'm telling ya - we're gonna have a baptism!

We are excited. We also just recently got a new Branch Mission Leader - Brother Bill Wharff. He is an amazing help to us! We are training him into the Superman of Branch Mission Leaders. It isn't easy but it is SO GOOD!

 

There have been some problems with our Inglish branch as far as communication between the Missionaries and the different Auxilliaries. This is due to the fact that we hadn't been going to PEC (Priesthood Excutive Council)! I felt terrible (I didn't know about it) that we hadn't gone, nevertheless, I know about it now and it is really pointless to worry about the past. All I can do is learn from it. Either way, yesterday I went to ours. When I walked into the Branch President's Office, there were all the Leaders of the different Auxilliaries. I was SOOOOO happy. We hadn't been invited to this (even though we are supposed to be going to this every time) but now we are. It was incredible. I am so happy that the Lord is working with us in this. I am so happy that we didn't have to institute that - because really, that would have been apain-in-the-pants.

 

To answer your question Dad, Yes, we did go over time quite a bit. I feel like I should apologize to all of you for that. I think that it ruins the whole fun of it when it begins to break the rules. It pretty much ruins the point.

 

Well, I love you all.

Even though I didn't get to talk to you

Mother's Day...

My dearest peeps,

It was so good to here your voices yesterday (ahem~ Rachel & Tina). So I remembered a question that was asked but I didn't directly answer was to some extent,"How fat am I?" I'm pretty sure that this was your question. To calm your preoccupied minds, I will tell you that I am not doing too bad... however, that isn't easy! It is a whole lot easier for me to control what I weigh when I can control what I eat (we eat at the homes of active/less-active members everyday)...(and they make us a ton of Mexican food/tacos at the taco trucks with pickled jalapenos). Not that I am complaining. I love them. I love it... but it is rather difficult. =) Nevertheless, I am persevering in my efforts.

 

As far as clothing, now that I think about it, I should be okay. Everything still fits. Todavia.

 

So I received the exchange between Rachel, Suzanne, and Dad today. That was exciting to read. Quite exciting actually. I even learned a few things (such as not talking to people while waiting in line to use the bathroom while in China).

 

It was quite nice to talk to you Mom... you have really pretty Spanish... the kind that is crystal clear and understandable rather than murky, dirty, and obscure. There are so many people here that speak all slangy. That is cool.

 

So the guy here next to me in the Library is Wicken... at least, I believe that is what he is trying to portray with his long black hair covering his face and the pentagram ring on his finger... so that is interesting.

 

My new companion is really nice... by the name of Elder (Christian) Boekweg (pronounced ~ Boe'kweg).

He is from a small town in Utah called Mt. Pleasant. Apparently, he was there when we had the game of "The World's Largest Game of Capture the Flag" at BYU. We were on opposing teams (they Cheated). We are really excited about the work that is going to happen in this area. We are going to kick it off. And yesterday while we were talking, I got a call from Bro. Bolton who invited us over to his house for the first time in a 'month-and-a-half' (*cough cough!). Huh... that's interesting as well.

We have this couple of investigators that we are teaching... they are awesome! Their names are Richard and Luisa (she is from Peru). Richard actually is a street contact that we had... he may be one of the most golden investigators I have ever met on my mission. We passed by their house the other day and he asked us, "So I have a question, it is really circumstantial and I'm sure it doesn't matter, but I hear Nephi talking about getting the plates from Laban which are made out of bronze or brass, but earlier in the part about the 3 Witnesses and 8 Witnesses, aren't they made of gold?" When we answered his question, he said, "Oh, thank you! And thank you for sharing the Book of Mormon with me. It is truly food for the soul." Where do these people come from?! Wow. I actually was on an exchange with one of my Zone Leaders (Elder Smith - my trainer) who told me that if he was not baptized, it would be entirely my fault! Haha...ha? So pray for them and for us. We are really excited in our goal to baptize three people this month.

 

I love all of you,

Love,

Elder Ostler

 

PS ~ FELIZ DIA DE LAS MADRES, MAMI!!!