Ohhhh yeaaaaaa!!!!!

Perfection! 

I had an amazing week! How was yours? We hit Standards of excellence (SOE) this week which is just the numbers that the mission wants us to be hitting every week! I am so happy we did that because the ward I am in has been really slow. Like when I first got into it, the ward was dead... Like no missionary work at all!  

My new companion Elder Pennington is amazing! He is such a great missionary! He is basically perfect! He is such an example to me on how I need to improve myself! And I know he is probably so annoyed with me because I talk and talk and talk  You know how I am! In the lessons Elder P and I talk about the same but in the car, at home and when we are just normally talking with members it's all me. But I love it! It has helped my Spanish so much! Our ward has picked up so much with missionary work that we have four missionaries in it now!  And Elder Studyvin has gotten to see the change in the members! Being able to watch the change the atonement has on people not just investigators but on members as well has been something that has strengthened my testimony of the Savior so much! 

I am so confused on one thing: Why do people love the missionaries so much?  

I actually want an answer to this please! Because members and  investigators are always giving us food, doing things for us, etc. and I want to know why! I am a 19 year old punk. I don't know anything. I can barely speak Spanish. And these people act like I'm their son, grandson, or brother. We must have angels behind us bribing the members with brownie points or something. Because every time I fall down on my knees before I go to bed I remember everything un-Christ-like I have done that day and I don't understand why people love us! 

I think that is about it from me! Love you all! 

-Elder Studs 

Éste semana para todos dos personas

Este semana

Oh yea, I have a new comp and he is super quiet! I am still in Agua Fria but we have four missionaries here in Agua Fria! Because my comp elder Pennington is so quiet I feel like he doesn't like me!  The car rides are so boring!! He doesn't sing while music is playing so I don't want to bug him by singing so it's just quiet music. 

So they split of the area of Agua Fria right. Well all of the information in our area book went to the other elders so we literally have nothing to work with. And we don't live with the other elders!  that's me right now ! We still live with the normal two elders we used to live with! Elders Newcomb and Vanderplas cover English areas and Elder
Pennington and I cover the west side of a Spanish area.  About my companion! He is a quiet one but he knows how to show you he loves you. He knows Spanish a lot better than I do. He is been out about a year. He is having some trouble right now on the computer. He is debating about getting another mouse. He found a new mouse and he agrees that it is a lot easier to use. I love him very much and I am super excited about Agua Fria West.
The people we live with! Elder Vanderplas and Elder Newcomb. They are the two elders that we live with. They cover two English wards, and Elder Newcomb is my district leader. The two of them love to run in the morning. One of them, Elder Newcomb, is training for the Olympics.

We are planning on doing the FaceTime Christmas thing at the church so we don't know much about it! (Mom you are going to hate this one) EVERYONE is invited! I miss all of you!

Baptism!

On Monday the 23 of November we received a phone call from our bishop saying "one of the part member families wants to get baptized!" He had been investigating the church for about 18 years now!!!  My 3rd day in Agua Fria his wife challenged me to be the missionary in the area when he got baptized! And I did! He knew all of the lessons but we still had to teach him everything so we taught him all of the lessons in 4 days! He just got confirmed yesterday. He is a super solid member. We love him a lot. We cannot wait until one year later when he can enter the temple and be sealed to his family for all time and eternity.

I have a really funny story to tell. It is about a member named Hermana Hernández. She said this phrase "tú eres un negro" I will just let all of you go to Google translate and figure out what that means. So the story behind this one is we were talking about what foods we liked and I said that I really liked fried chicken.

Christmas! I am super excited about Christmas coming up. I am super excited to have the opportunity to talk with my mom! I love my mom so much! I just wish I could talk to all of you face-to-face.

This is my letter. I am sorry if it is not long enough for any of you. I am not perfect. I hate writing. I hate it so much that I am using Siri to write this letter for me! LOL I love all of you! 

Baptism this Wednesday

So even though P-day is on Tuesday I don't know about transfers until Wednesday. We will get a text at around 8 tonight. We also have a baptism this Wednesday. We have been doing a lot of finding and serving! 

It has been getting chilly not cold just chilly here and I am in a very thin sweater and all the members are in bundles of jackets. It is very funny.

Love, Elder Studs

My weekly email is all the things I'm thankful for

Random pictures from the mission:

Preparing for district meeting.

I might be sick

I think I need to go to the doctor and get my ears cleaned but I don't know how much it will be or where. I just bought some earwax cleaner drops so we will see. 

I love getting people's letters and emails. I am sorry I haven't been doing to well on mine to you. This week was kind of a sad one. (BTW, Peoria, the district I am in is the slowest area in all of the mission so it's hard to keep happy.)  So from Monday of last week to today we found a solid investigator. She wants to get baptized but we can't continue to teach her because her parents are "hard core" Catholics. Don't make me laugh people. I asked the mom when was the last time she went to church. (My thought was maybe every other week) but she said "The last time I went was when I was 15"  To all the people reading this letter whether you are LDS or Catholic etc. if you are going to say you are a "hard core" (insert religion) then at least go every week and live the principles being taught. If the lesson that Sunday is love thy neighbor then say hi to them and make them some cookies and actually love them. And yes I am talking to the Mormons too! Back to this lady. She said, "My daughter can't be anything but Catholic because my mom, grandma, great, great, etc. were all Catholics so she has to be Catholic."  If the world lived in the fact "well we have been doing it this for ever so I guess we can't changed" if the world lived in that motto than nothing would get done!! And btw about this girl (she is 15) she asked us about baptism!  So parents help and guide your children to the best path and if they feel like they have found a better path listen to them with an open heart and then pray with them if this is the right thing to do! This girl's name is Maylee. Please pray that her parents will soften their hearts!

Love Elder Studs.

Sup!

How's it going peps? Sorry I don't have a long one this week! But I love you all. We had a slow week so not really anything happened but I did get my hair cut at super cuts and the lady cut it for free! #imjusttoocute  

Elder Tamayo is the best! Hahaha I'm sorry not much happened. We only have one solid investigator. He is getting baptized on the 1st of December.

Este semana

Este semana!

Wednesday! We got taken to transfer meeting by a member who is a returned missionary. He is super cool and helps us out a lot. So I knew I was going to be getting a Spanish companion. And I knew he was my age mission wise. My thoughts were Elder Tamayo and Elder Cespedez.
And so when we got to the transfer meeting I went looking for these two elders. But I looked and looked and I couldn't find either of them. So I went and sat down and waited for the meeting to start. When my named got called I waited for who my new companion was going to be.
And it was Elder Tamayo! He is literally the best missionary ever! After we went home we started finding. And we taught an amazing lesson with a new investigator.

Miércoles! Vamos a la reunión por un miembro, quien es un
ex-misionero. Él es muy rico! Él ayúdanos mucho. Sé qué voy recibir un hispano misionero. Y sé qué él fue lo mismo edad de yo en la misión. Mis pensamientos fue Elder Tamayo y Elder Cespedez. Entonces cuando
llegamos a la junta de traslados, yo fui a buscar a Elder Tamayo y Elder Cespedez. Pero busqué y busqué y no pude buscar ellos. Entonces
fui a mi silla. Y yo esperé qué la reunión empezará. Cuando mi nombre fue llamar yo esperé por mi nuevo compañero. ¡Y fue Elder Tamayo! ¡Él es literalmente el más mejor misionero! Después fuimos a la casa y empezamos a buscar. Nosotros enseño un mejor lección con nuevo investigadores.

Thursday! Weekly planning! I normally hate weekly planning but with Elder Tamayo it is literally the best! We were so effective! We changed the ward mission plan! PLEASE ASK THE MISSIONARIES IN YOUR WARD WHAT THE WARD MISSION PLAN IS! I can guess most of you don't know it! And when you ask them what it is DO IT!

Friday! In the morning 3 of the investigators who have stopped being in contact with us CALLED US!  so we had three member presents that day! 💁🏻 Elder Tamayo and I are killing it in Agua Fria.

Saturday! Peoria Pride! So every ward in our stake gets a house to paint and so Agua Fria got the help of two missionary punks: one from Texas and then the other from misery oh oh I mean Missouri. Haha! Saturday day night after PP we did tracking because we literally had
nothing to do!

Sunday! #bestday! We had one investigator come to sacrament!  and then we went on splits with two RMs and that's always fun! We had three less active member lessons and one member present.

Lo Siento

Hola hermanos cómo están? Lo siento no escribir una carta para ustedes! Hoy, martes, es transferencias y Elder manzano va para otro lado! Entonces soy muy feliz! No puedo esperar para mañana a recibir mi nuevo compañero! En el barrio agua fría la trabajar no es fácil!
Entonces necesitamos trabajar con los menos activos! Y no tengo más paciencia por los menos activos! Uno de ellos tiene parkinsins entonces él dice no puedo asistir la iglesia porque mi mano es muy mal pero él trabaja en los carros entonces más con su mano. Entonces este
semana vamos "throw down" sobre necesita asistir la iglesia! Quiero cartas de ustedes!

Nos vemos hasta semana
Elder Studs

Rough Translation:
Hello how are you brothers? Sorry I did not write a letter to you! Today, Tuesday, is transfers and Elder Manzano is going to another area! So I am very happy! I can not wait for tomorrow to receive my new companion! 

In the Agua Fria district the work is not easy! So we need to work with the less actives! And I have no patience for less actives! One has Parkinson's. Then he says I can not attend church because my hand is really bad but he works on his cars with his hand. So this week we will "throw down" on the need to attend church! 

I want letters from you! 

See you until next week! 

From Mom:
Apparently Elder Studyvin's spelling is just as bad in Spanish as in English. I tried to get him to translate his update to English--no way! So this is my ancient high school/college Spanish with a little help from Google.

I Have Spider Man P-Day Socks!

I love conference! Elder holland was the best btw! I am starting week 11 in my training! But I already do like everything so it really doesn't mean anything! Transfers are coming up. I hope I stay. I love Agua Fria! I got my hair cut today and washed! Btw that is the best feeling in the world! I have long socks that are Spider-Man socks that are for pday!

Love, 
Elder Studs

The Argument

This was all in Spanish so hopefully I can translate, haha. 

So we started teaching a Jehovah's Witness which is always fun and I didn't want to teach him at all because I knew he was going to argue with us. So during the first 20ish minutes of the lesson I just sat there and listened to them argue and they went back and forth and I felt weird but then the JW pulled out Revelations 22:18 and said we can only have one Bible. And I was really calm and I heard a loud voice that said ask if he believes everything in the Bible and show him Deuteronomy 4:2. I said so you believe everything in the Bible right? "Oh yes of course." 
"So I have a verse for you. It's in Deuteronomy 4:2 which says 'Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you.' So everything in the Bible after this verse is wrong right? " 

And then I testified how the Book of Mormon isn't another Bible. It is just another testament of Jesus Christ. Then he brought up how Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost are all one person. I heard another voice saying ask him again if he believes everything in the Bible and show him Matthew 3:13-17. So I again asked, "Do you believe everything in the Bible?" 
"Yes of course." 
"Okay what does it say in Mathew 3:13-17?" 
"Well it says Jesus Christ is in the sky and the Holy Ghost is in the form of a dove." 
"Okay so you just said that they were in three different spots, right?" 
"Uh yes but..." And then I testified how they are three separate beings. 

Pictures in the first area

No real update from Elder Studyvin this week...crossing fingers for tomorrow! But he did share some pictures.

 Sharing the plan of Salvation, in Espanol, with an unfortunate creature!

 Missionary work is exhausting!

 For his sister!

 First baptism

 Whose work it is.

 District and their goals.

And he's still a goof!

I didn't get transferred

The Week:

Monday: We had two lessons both with members. First lesson was the first lesson with an investigator and right before we were going to invite him to be baptized he asked us the question "So Jesus was baptized so I need to be baptized as well so will you baptize me?" We were so thrown we just sat there for a while. But then finally the member said yes yes of course! Our next lesson was with a family of 4 who have kind of been wasting our time. So we talked with them about why we are here and why they want us here and he said, "Oh we like you guys oh it's fun when you're here." So we sat there for 5 minutes in complete silence. And I was looking down the whole time and all of a sudden I started to cry and I just stared at them and asked a few questions like: Do you want to live with your family FOREVER? Why? How can you live with your family forever? (Remember this is all in Spanish and I am crying so it was hard) and I just waited for an answer to the last question. And they said they didn't know how, so I bore with all of my heart that I know how families can live together forever. And that I can't wait to get married and have a family and spend eternity with them. And I know they all felt the spirit but the one who felt it the most was their daughter who was only listening to us because her mom told her to and she started to ball and hugged her mom and dad and said I don't want to leave you. And then I asked the question. “¿Seguirá el ejemplo de Jesucristo al ser bautizado(a) por alguien que posea la autoridad del sacerdocio de Dios?" All four of them said yes! 

Tuesday: Long day! All four lessons canceled on us but we received a testimony that our members love us and want to support us and for me that is great because I can't speak Spanish so when they come with us it is really easy! The most common phrase I have heard from the members is "Wow now that you are here Elder Manzano isn't late anymore!" Bam, first missionary who isn't late to appointments! #SST (Studyvin standard time) 

Wednesday: Everyone canceled on us and we had to go to LDS Family services today. It was an eh day. I got to talk with the first councilor of the mission. He is awesome and is a lot like me. Sorry this day isn't so long..

Thursday: The longest day of the week! Weekly planning was effective! And we had a great lesson with a recent convert family about every member a missionary! And then we had a great lesson with a family of four and they are on date for October 17. The ZLs are spending the night again because DL companion is going home tomorrow. 

Friday: Solid 45 minute workout! #gettingshredded Bad day: 1 less active member and they said "Wow you have been learning Spanish for 2 months and you still can't speak the language." My first thought and, yes I repented after I thought it, but my first thought was "Yes I can't speak Spanish but I've only been learning Spanish for 2 months. You have lived in America for 20 years and you still can't speak English. Who is the one who is really the unintelligent one here?" I felt so bad after I thought that. I am glad I didn't say it. I understand almost everything people say to me in Spanish I just can't speak it very well so I am sorry that two months isn't enough to learn Spanish. #notverysmart #nevergonnalearnspanish 

Saturday: Great work out! But no lessons today. No one would let us in the door! We did a lot of driving around. 

Sunday: Normal Sunday. We worked nobody would let us in the door but we had 6 investigators come to church!!! 

Monday: Today is not P-Day tomorrow is P-Day because it is transfer P-Day so I know my companion and I are staying in the Agua Fria ward. I just walked the 45 minute workout. We only has one lesson with a less active and he is super awesome! He is "less active" because he is moving to Utah so he is really not less active! He is awesome though! His story is sad and it relates really close to me. 

This paragraph that I am writing is from Tuesday September 8, 2015 at 7:30am. I am writing this because I found out some amazing news! So when my comp and I got inside from working out we received a phone call from our mission president. And my first thought was, "Oh no! What did we do this time!" But he was calling us to tell us that we had the best numbers in the whole mission for this past week! #icantspeakspanish #newmissionary #hashtag #SS #dakotaifyoudontrememberthatimgoingtohityou 

So the zone I am in is the slowest zone in the mission... And when I got interviewed by president he said "So your bishop and your stake president have both said you are a very positive young man and that's awesome. But I want to test how positive you are by putting you in the slowest zone in the mission." It has been five weeks and we are now, in my area, my ward is hitting standards of excellence for the mission, which means our key indicators are what the mission wants them to be. Key indicators are like, for a week, people with a baptismal date, people who come to sacrament, new investigators, lessons with a member present, and then less active/recent convert lessons, and then just total lessons for the week.

So the column on the left is the standards and the column on the right is what my comp and I get: 

With date :            2       4

@ sacrament          4       4 

Member present:   4        6

New investigators  2        2

All of these numbers are by week. 

Love Elder Studs

LETTER TO MOM:

Dear Momma, 

Thank you so much for everything you have done for me!  

We met a less active but we couldn't count it as a lesson. It was more of a hey we're the missionaries and we want to get to know you! He is living alone. He is a father of 4 and his youngest boy is on a mission.  He was super friendly and he started asking us really personal questions like about our families and I answered but after I did I asked if I could ask personal questions as well. And he said yes right away. My first question was, "Why are you less active." "Oh I just don't love the church anymore." Okay, why? He said, "Just wasn't fun or interesting anymore." (That killed me I started to cry) Then I asked, "Why did you divorce your wife?" He said, "Oh I just didn't love her anymore?" What!? Why!? "Oh she just wasn't fun or interesting anymore" (I am now literally dead now) I asked, "How do you feel about that?" "Oh I don't really care." I said, "Do you know how much that is affecting your wife and your kids?" He said, "Oh I don't know probably a little but they'll be fine. I still buy them toys." 

I literally could not look at him the rest of the time we were there. And I was crying the whole time. I have never been mad at someone or wanted to hit someone so bad before, but it just strengthens my testimony on how to be a good father and husband. I want to be there for my wife and kids 300% of the time! 

 ~~Elder Studs

Qué Padre

If you are going to post a picture of Facebook please only tag my old Jordan Studyvin Facebook not my elder one. Love you all. 

Monday: Full 45 minute workout! It's almost 6 pm and it was a normal day of pdaying. We had two lessons planned but they both fell through but then we received a phone call from the elders quorum president asking if we would like to go to his house for family home evening. That is just a time set apart for a family to come together and learn more about God and come closer as a family. His 9 year old daughter taught the lesson. It was so amazing how strong a 9 year old is in the gospel. Like it says in  Matthew 18:2-3  2 And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, 3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. I just really like those scriptures because children are the sweetest things in the world if they are raised correctly. Key word "if". 

Tuesday: I ran for 45 minutes straight with out stopping!  I am dead! I am going to study finding in doctrinal  study this morning because today is my day to lead the first few moments with people in Spanish and Elder Manzano is going to lead the first few moments if we meet someone who speaks English! It has been a bad day. Our only "solid" investigator we have doesn't want to be baptized anymore!  Our lesson with our less actives wasn't there. Hopefully the less active we are going to visit is here she is really nice but talks a lot. We talked with her but we didn't teach anything because it was "raining". To me it was sprinkling if that. And I was standing in the rain while talking to her and she said are you okay you're gonna get sick in this awful rain. I just laughed and said thanks but I'll be fine it's 100* and sprinkling. If I get sick I will be surprised. And then we are going to meet with the young men's president and see if he needs anything. The young men's president is the best. Great lesson with him! Matthew 5:48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. That scripture was the scripture of the day for us! 

Wednesday: I got an okay work out today... I wish we could ask the girls to leave! We had good lessons today with less actives about going to church hopefully they come this Sunday. Then we had a lesson with a PI (potential investigator). She and her daughter are freakin interested. I am just upset that I am going to miss the next lesson with them on Saturday because I will be hitting it up English style with the ZL. 2 Nephi 11:7 For if there be no Christ there be no God; and if there be no God we are not, for there could have been no creation. But there is a God, and he is Christ, and he cometh in the fulness of his own time. I just really like that scripture. 

Thursday: LEG DAY!  I am freakin dead!  Today is going to be a long day! We don't leave the house until 4 then we have a lesson at 4:15then dinner and lesson at 5 then lesson at 6:15 then lesson at 7 then another at 8... I CANT WAIT!!  I am just praying that non of them cancel on us! James 2:17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. I have faith that they won't cancel but now I have to put in the work! Mathew 5:16Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Every member a missionary! If you are a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints be happy in everything that you do! You know the answers to the three W's 1. Where did we come from? 2. Why are we here? 3. Where are we going? I ask everyone reading this to truly ponder in your hearts the three W's and search for the answers and I can testify that the only way you can find the full correct answer is through the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. If you are not a member of the church I ask that you ponder these questions as well and if you can't find the answer to these questions email me or call some of the many friends you have that are Mormon. Another thing I would like to point out is that everyone deserves to believe what they want and everyone should be willing to defend any type of religious freedom. Even if you may not agree with it you still should defend that persons right to believe and worship as they please. The Prophet Joseph Smith said "I am bold to declare before Heaven that I am just as ready to die in defending the rights of a Presbyterian, a Baptist, or a good man of any other denomination [as for a Mormon]; for the same principle which would trample upon the rights of the Latter-day Saints would trample upon the rights of the Roman Catholics, or of any other denomination who may be unpopular and too weak to defend themselves. If you desire to worship freely but you don't want someone else to worship a certain thing then you do not have a right to worship freely. It is my belief that a man and women are ordained of God. And I have a  right to believe that, but that does not give me the right to hate or criticize people who wish to lives there lives the ways that they want, but they do not have the right to criticize me just because I believe something different from them.  All of our lessons fell through and no one wanted to talk with us!  So I had great studies this morning but that is it... 

Friday: there was a lady in the gym today... A lot of meetings today so not much studying got done today... We taught three lessons today first one was with our dinner I did it all! #icankindofspeakspanish The second one was with a lady who is strong in her faith and just wants to argue with us I didn't really understand her because she talked really fast! The last lesson was with a less active member and again I taught it #irock and I just talk about the blessing of coming to church and I shared the scripture in Mosiah 2:41And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it. I really like this scripture because it makes me want to obey the commandments of God as best as I can so I can live again with him forever! We are waiting for our ZLs to get here so we can go on exchanges! #bunnunlockthetruck #bunndontkillmytribe 

Saturday: Full 45 minute run! #tribeslowdown Tribe is the best! I wish he wasn't getting transferred in a couple of weeks. We talked while we drove and we were super spiritual. It was the best mix of both! We taught a lot of less actives and they loved us and want to go to church again! #tribeandstudyvinrock  I love American food so much! We had a member fed us lunch at a place called Boston Market #yummy then a member fed dinner with pizza #superyummy #canistayinamerica? It was really nice getting a breather from Mexico. 

Sunday: It is another one of the missionaries birthday and he lives with us so tonight everyone from our district is coming over to sleep over! I'm not that excited. We did a lot of finding but nobody was interested but no fun stories. So our ZLs and one other companionship came over so there was 8 elders in a house meant for 3 maybe. We stayed up talking till 3 in the morning. I'm so glad today is P-Day! 

~Elder Studyvin

"Cops, Jehovah Witnesses, or Mormons? What are you?

🏼This is one of my favorite scriptures from the New Testament, because it's so easy all we have to do it come unto Him. The scriptures are Matthew 11:28-30

28 ¶Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light

(I am going to write down the event right after it happens so if I say we set up a date for a lesson then I say oh I hope something happens that means it just happened) I think what he means is this letter is more like a journal...a progress of what happened and is happening.~~Mom 

Monday: The first lesson was with this sweet old man who we have to teach so slowly because he misses a lot of what we say. Which is really helpful to me because I can't speak quickly. The second lesson we had was with a man we met on the street. He was about 50 and I was so excited for this lesson because he seemed really excited when we met him on the street the other day, but when we knocked on the door we got yelled at. The man said, "NO QUIERO SU IGLESIA! TENGA MI IGLESIA!! VAN VAN VAN!" Which in English is "I don't want your church. I have my own church. Go away go away go away." So I got a little upset but then I got the strong overwhelming feeling that I needed to bear my testimony, and I did. After I did I wasn't upset I felt peace and happiness. I knew that I wasn't going to get to teach him or see him baptized or enter the temple but I had a strong feeling and I knew that one day another missionary would knock on his door and he would accept the gospel. After that we went to our last appointment with a family. We teach the parents one day in Spanish and then the next day we teach the daughters in English. So today was the day to teach the daughters and I am always extra excited to teach them because it is in English. So we get to their door and all of the lights are off. And their car isn't in the driveway. We knock on the door and nothing. We wait then knock again annnnnnnnd nothing. So we wrote them a note on a card of the Phoenix temple, and then text them and say we passed by and they weren't there. We went back to the car and sat and thought of who to visit and we had the idea to visit an older lady who we knocked on her door about a week ago and she said to come back around this time because she went to Mexico to visit her husband. We went to her house knocked on her door and shared a little message about how Jesus Christ lives and how he wants everyone to live with Heavenly Father again. The two lessons we did have there were members present which is freakin sweet! 

Tuesday: During studies we received a phone call from a man in another ward who was doing seminary patrol and he said a Hispanic lady walked into the church and asked if this building was a house of prayer and stuff like that. He gave her our phone number and said she is going to call us. Hopefully she calls us! So we got a call from our zone leaders saying they have a referral for us (which means a member has a friend who is a nonmember who they think will like the church) and the ZLs said that this lady needs help moving into an apartment and we said yes that would be lots of fun! So we moved her in not even having the intention to say much about the church but she kept asking questions about it! It was so awesome! I think she is going to be a very promising investigator! We also got a call from the English missionaries down in Glendale and they have a referral for us as well. Last week was a long and slow one but like it says in the New Testament in James 2:17 "Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone." I love that scripture because we need faith and if we don't test our faith we don't have faith. We had 2 lessons with less active members about the importance of going to church and they were both really excited to see us and said they would definitely go to church! We are in daily planning session right now and my companion and I just "discussed" about what to teach our investigators. I have been struggling with him. 

Wednesday: Got a freakin awesome workout in the gym today! We meet with two less active families and they were so happy to see us and we asked them to come back to church and they both said yes and then they both gave us names of people who lived near them to visit! We found a new investigator through a member during dinner! When we walked into our dinner appointment we saw a new kid we had never met so we thought oh man the members brought him over but he is not going to want to listen to us. But we found out that the kid asked to come over to the house. The member told him yes of coarse but we are having the missionaries over so I understand if you don't want to come over. And he said yes I would love to hear from them! And we taught him about families. We shared the scripture in Mosiah 4:14-15       

14 And ye will not suffer your children that they go hungry, or naked; neither will ye suffer that they transgress the laws of God, and fight and quarrel one with another, and serve the devil, who is the master of sin, or who is the evil spirit which hath been spoken of by our fathers, he being an enemy to all righteousness. 15 But ye will teach them to walk in the ways of truth and soberness; ye will teach them to love one another, and to serve one another. 

I freakin love those scripture because every time I read them I want to be the best dad I can be! Always attending activities, playing with my kids, and being the one who wakes up in the night to comfort them or get them what they need! We helped a random lady wash her car and we asked if we could stop by another day and she said yes but she is really strong in the Bible and said she would prepare her questions for us so I don't know if it's going to be a good lesson or not... 

Thursday: Another freakin solid workout! Thursday's are the hardest days because we don't leave the house until 5. We do normal everyday studies until 1 and then from 1-5 it is weekly planning studies and I have a hard time staying focused because I don't get to help with anything. We had three lessons planned but all three fell through.  So we did a lot of tracking which at least in Arizona is not effective because almost everyone has a sign that says "no soliciting" so when we knock they yell at us or other things! But they are at least nice enough to offer us water!🏼 We are daily planning and he is just talking about his other areas in his mission because he already planned for the day.  I want to help him but he won't let me! I have had a headache all day and my comp has been singing in the car all day really loudly but I didn't want to be mean to him and tell him to stop. 

Friday: We didn't get to do a full workout today because a woman came into the gym so we had to leave. It was sad. Two of our three lessons fell through . But we had an amazing one with a less active and oh my gosh she can talk your ear off in English or in Spanish! We are headed to meet one of our investigators who always cancels on us. And we are going to talk with him about why we are here and that stuff. I really hope he is home! He wasn't home but we went to another referral and the owner of the house came from around the corner and when he saw both of us he put up his hands and started to slowly back away as we walked up to him and when we stopped he stopped walking away but he still had his hands up. He said, "Cops, Jehovah witnesses, Mormons, what are you?" So we answered him missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He pointed his finger at our car and yelled "Begone you fowl demons of the infernal pit of hell!" So we told him to have a nice day and left.Apparently we are daemons! 

Saturday: Just had a freakin full 45 minute workout! 🏽 Happy P-Day Adam! The day before PDay Eve. So I was on my knees praying before personal study and all of a sudden I feel like I am falling so I look up at the clock and I had fallen asleep praying so I missed all of personal studies today... . We had three lessons planned and they all canceled but we knew three people that we also needed to teach and those three went really well. All of the lessons were about enduring to the end! I love talking about that! And I know if I endure to the end and obey all of the commandments of God I can live with him and my future wife forever! And I can't wait to get married and treat my wife like the queen she is! And spend eternity with her!️ We met another person who thought we were of the devil. It is so funny to listen to what people think of us. If you guys have funny stories of what people have said about LDS members email me! 

Sunday: mucho mucho español! I can't handle all of the Spanish! Hopefully at least 4 out of 7 investigators come to church today.  Nope, none of our investigators came to church today! . Really sad thing. But we got a less active family to return to church! We did a ton of tracking and we only found one family who seems really excited about coming to church and doing actives with the church we have a lesson with them on Saturday but I won't be there to see how it goes because on Saturday I will go on exchanges with my ZL. 

️ Elder Studs