Tracting the apartment buildings
Dear Family,
Thank you for the birthday stuff! I actually got the package on Wednesday morning at multi-zone conference. The office was nice enough to notice the happy birthday sticker and make special arrangements to have it brought to me. I really like everything you sent; thanks for getting 100% of what I requested! The backpack is wonderful: it doesn't hurt and holds books and pamphlets just right. Very nice. I'm taking the multivitamins every day now too. And eating the candy. Lisa, thanks for the birthday book, it's very cool. It's amazing how you did that.
On Tuesday night, Jimmy took us out for dinner for Pho. It was very good. The members here are very nice. After that, we had a lesson with the Sapiens neighbors and got the boyfriend, derek, to agree to come to church. And guess what, he actually did. And he really liked it. Then I went and taught Paco with my exchange; he's doing well. He told us that Lehi's dream really hit him, he felt like he had been in the mists of darkness and that he's found the iron rod and that's strengthening him. He's so sincere, it's great.
On Wednesday, we had our multizone conference with Elder Lance Wickman of the seventy. He gave us some good encouragement and there was a wonderful spirit in the meeting. He didn't really teach anything new, but helped us focus on the most important things - if an investigator isn't willing to keep their commitments and find out, you can't spend all your time with them. There are people prepared to hear the gospel that we need to find. Spending time with someone who's not going to progress may be denying somebody else the chance to hear it. It's a depressing thought, but it is true. We dropped several investigators this week, actually. The most heartbreaking was Emily; we went to her house and she told us to stop wasting our time. She's upset at God because she's been demanding a sign of her husband getting a job even though she's received a spiritual confirmation. Her faith was based almost entirely on how much she thought her husband was going to get a job here. We've tried to help her time and time again, but on Friday, we met with her and she's outright not willing to accept anything less than a sign. She gave her Book of Mormons and gospel principles books back. It was sad, but it had to be done.
On Thursday, some missionaries in Poway set up an appointment for us to teach a chinese person. His name is Mr. Wang and he's a Chinese medicine doctor. He agreed to hear about the church because he has friend patients who have shown amazing spiritual and mental strength in the face of cancer and other illness. We hope we can see him again. The lesson went very well.
On Friday, for lunch, we went to another Chinese members house where she made us Chinese bbq noodle soup and Chinese spring rolls. It was very good. Chinese food is much better in homes than at Chinese Potluck.
Last Sunday on exchanges with our ward missionary brother Bitton I went tracting in a certain complex. The reason we were going there is that a family in our ward met another family at the park who seemed to be interested in the church, but they didn't find out exactly where they live. So, something as trivial as a lack of address wasn't going to stop us from finding a potential investigator. Sure there are about 15 buildings of apartments, but that wasn't going to stop us. So brother Bitton and I tracted this area at night and with most doors had moderate success ( we gave out a few pass along cards). But at one door, we met this guy named Danny who we got talking to and eventually got in and shared a scripture with him and asked to come back to give him a Book of Mormon. He was interested in that, so brother Bitton dropped it by a few nights later ( but he wasn't home).
Well, in that couple days, we received a referral from HQ; somebody named Carl we had given a card to in that same neighborhood for a free bible had actually called the number. So the next night after Brother Bitton took the Book of Mormon over, Elder Gibbons and I went back into that neighborhood to check on Danny and deliver the bible to Carl.
So, we stopped by Danny's, and his girlfriend answered the door; he wasn't home from work yet. We taught her a first lesson on the porch, and she said she'd be interested in listening when we came back to talk to Danny. Then, as we finished, Danny walked up and invited us in, we shared a couple good scriptures and had a prayer then got going. Danny said "Joseph Smith could never have written this!" So, interestingly enough, we found a couple who were both independently prepared and they're letting us come share brief lessons with them. Two new investigators there. Then we stopped by Carl's house. Carl's girlfriend answered; Carl was in the shower, not available. We talked to her about the church, invited her to learn about it, and she gave us her address. And Carl said we could come back later. So even more promise there.
Last night we tracted a few more buildings of that neighborhood and found an inactive member that has felt the call to come back to the church so strongly that he read the Book of Mormon again in the last couple months and read a lot of church history. He said we can expect him at church next week (after conference) and said we can keep coming back. He definitely has a testimony, but it's so hard for them to have the courage to come back. So that's another fruit of tracting this particular complex. And we still haven't found that family that the members met in the park.
On Saturday, our English student Cici brought me Costco pizza for my birthday and I ate about 6 pieces. then we went to a party for one of the Chinese members sons, and I ate lots of Chinese food. Then another less active member had us for dinner that night. I was pretty much very stuffed on my birthday. Thanks again for the presents.
Well, that's about all that's been happening lately. I hope you're all doing well. I haven't looked at bikes yet. thanks for fasting for the missionary work, keep opening your mouths and sharing the gospel. Have a great week. I love you all.
Love,
Elder Myers
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