Happy Thankgiving!

With all the hustle to get ready for Thanksgiving, I didn't have time to post Elder Ruby's letter last week.  Being an AP has it's challenges.  Instead of having to know 20 missionaries in his zone, he now has to know all of the missionaries in his entire mission 170+ missionaries!  I know he's up to the challenge.  Here are a few things he wrote to us last week:

Well, this is a big change from what I am used to up north. There are definitely less YSA-age kids (Young Single Adult) walking around. This means we really have to rely on the members and help them share the gospel with their friends. Elder Young and I have already seen miracles!

My faith has grown in daily earnest prayer and scripture study. I have never seen anyone fall away, or stop investigating the church, who was consistently studying the scriptures and praying. It just doesn't happen. The same goes for missionaries. I believe that we must do these things in order to be converted and I believe that conversion happens naturally when we hold fast to the iron rod by diligently seeking (1 Nephi 10:17-19). It is the Spirit who converts, and the way that I know best to invite the Spirit is by prayer, scripture study, and testimony.

We had an amazing experience with a lady named Nancy. We had finished teaching a less-active member the Restoration lesson. On the way out of his apartment complex we noticed a lady unloading things from her car. We offered help. She accepted. She told us that her favorite movie was "The Other Side of Heaven" and she really liked "17 Miracles." We offered her a Book of Mormon and taught her the Restoration in short. We committed her to read the introduction before next Saturday. We said a prayer with her. By the end of our lesson she was crying and couldn't even say goodbye! Two other elders should be teaching her on Saturday. It all came about through service.

Transfer and New Responsibility

Before I share with all of you where Hyrum is, I wanted to write some of his last letter in the blog.  Then, I will give you the update:)

Our district just finished a session of yoga with Patience.  She is a personal trainer and yoga teacher.  I learned why the yoga people hold their hands out and say ommmm. . . It's called the hummingbird breath or something:)  You focus on the vibration and breathing to tune out the world and focus.  I got a kick out of it.  We will have to push her baptism date back because she has to attend church 3 times before being baptized, and it won't happen before Nov 27. 

Transfers are next week, so we get a call Saturday from the Assistants about who is going where and our new companions.  Then we call everyone in the Zone with those new assignments.  Anyone who is going to be a trainer gets a call from the assistants on Friday evening.  New District Leaders and Zone Leaders get a call on Friday from President Felix and we get a call if we will no longer be Zone Leaders or District Leaders that night.  I would love to stay here, but I think I have been here long enough.  I would love to "white-wash train" again.

A symbol the Calif. Ventura missionaries use for baptsim

We had a MLC this past Tuesday.  They fed us breatkfast beforehand too, which was great.  I love the Felix's.  We discussed the culture of the mission and how we can elevate it.  President wrote the quote "A rising tide lifts all boats" on the board.  As leaders, we are the tide.  In that sense, we all lift the mission culture (not just the Zone Leaders and District Leaders).  BTW, "mission culture" is our personal conversion, how we interact with other missionaries, and how we interact with members and non-members.  We concluded that we, the mission, can improve by keeping the daily schedule more exactly; improving our morning hours through sincere prayer/scripture study and sweating during work-outs; being more accountable; correcting bad behavior and by keeping our living areas clean.  The message from President was "We can all do better."  So, we had to bring those things back from

Sister missionaries at Zone Activity

MLC in a Zone meeting on Friday.  Yep, we called the Zone to repentance (and ourselves).  As we spoke to the zone, thoughts came to me of how I can do better.  I think it was received well. . .

Here are some things we took back to our zone.  One thing that is an incorrect rule the missionaries go by is that workouts end at 7:00am.  No where does the schedule say this, but it's been taught to all the missionaries.  No.  We wake up at 6:30am.  Pray, then exercise for 30 min. If you take ten minutes to get ready/say your prayers, then your workout should end at 7:10.  Also, it's been taught that on Mondays for workouts you can clean instead.  No!  P-day begins at 10:00am.  And another thing, we are supposed to begin proselyting at 10am which means that we should be ready to go before studies so that we can leave at 10am, instead of taking another 10 minutes to put on socks, a tie, shoes, and brush teeth.

Happy Halloween 2015 from CA!

Well, that's enough of that!  Don't be afraid to defend the family!

So now for Hyrum's new area and assignment. . .

I am leaving. . .to Ventura. . . to be an assistant to President Felix. . .!  I got a call from President Felix on Friday night telling me that my assignment has changed and that I will be serving with him and the office staff as an assistant! The assistants do sooooo much. In addition to setting a strong example in their proselyting area, they do district leader training, MLC, trainers/new missionary training, and this transfer will be two Christmas devotionals (north mission and south mission) plus 8 exchanges. Wow. I look forward to talking to you all in a few weeks.

Please email me if you would like Hyrum's new address.  He didn't actually give me his apartment address, but he said for now we can send letters/packages to the Mission Home address, since he will spend a lot of time there.   We are excited for all he will learn by being an assistant to President Felix.

Morro Bay and Halloween and Chickens

We have had a really great week, but it was also sometimes slow.  On Tuesday we had five appointments which all went through (those people met with us).  That day was just full of teaching and it was awesome. 

On Wednesday I went to Morro Bay on an exchange with Elder Peart. He's from Sandy, UT and has been out a transfer and a half.  Morro Bay and Cayucas and Cambria are beautiful, quiet, ocean-view towns.  There were big waves crashing on the shore as we drove up the highway.  No one was surfing.  Apparently, those waters have a lot of sharks.  About a month ago there was a shark attack, but no one died.

On the exchange we taught a young girl named Ruby!  Her baptism is scheduled for November 14th.  Elder Peart and I taught the Law of Chastity and the Word of Wisdom to her and her 9 yr old brother and her 7 yr old sister.  Yeah . . . it was a bit awkward.  We didn't go into real depth, just enough that they knew to treat their bodies and other people's bodies as temples.

Oh, on Monday we carved pumpkins as a Zone.  It wasn't as fun as I thought it would be.  Maybe because we are all 19-20 year olds?  On Halloween some people asked us if we were the real deal (they thought we might be dressed-up for Halloween.  Seriously?  Who would fake being a missionary at 2pm on a HOT Friday/Saturday by walking around trying to share the gospel?  It was funny at first, but no one would talk with us). We had to be in early on Halloween (7pm) and do Weekly Planning then. 

The last part of the week was incredibly slow.  I was really stressed.  We could fill the day with names from our ward list of people who we have never met, but it isn't effective and we felt like chickens running around with their heads cut off.  (There were actually some sisters a few transfers back who went to a member's home on P-day to do that to chickens . . .)  So we tried to listen to the spirit and pray, but I just got more upset as the days went on.  I know that Heavenly Father was/is still aware of us - we were supposed to learn something. I think we were supposed to learn to use the members.  On Sunday we set aside the evening to visit members and we found out that they are working with a lot of their friends.

So here's something funny that happened to me.  On one of our days, we were walking by a park. There were three people (a man, a woman, and their collage-age kid) and their four chickens (two white and two red/orange).  I started talking to them.  The lady said I could hold one of the chickens, so I did.  I knelt down and took a red chicken from her hands.  The chicken was less than pleased to be held by me, so I let her go.  As we were preparing to leave, they warned us that the chickens had pooped and to watch out.  I got up from my knee and spotted a big you-know-what on my pant leg.  Ewwww!   I'd been kneeling in that for probably 5-10 minutes.  Thankfully, it came out in the wash.

My faith has grown.  Recently I have been studying faith as a principle and an attribute.  In conjunction with this study I have also focused on the Atonement of Jesus Christ because it is Christ who we must put our faith/trust in.  I have come to understand that one reason why I was so hard on myself is because I didn't understand the Atonement.  I relied on my own strength and then blamed myself when I failed.  Having faith in Christ means that I trust Him and know that I must rely on Him for strength.  After all, this is His work.  Not only will I be given more grace to accomplish the work I am sent to do, I will be fortified spiritually for greater tasks and against later temptations. 

2 Months until a phone call!

Blaine informed me this past Sunday that it is 2 months until we get to talk to Elder Ruby again!!  I'm so excited!  The 5 months between Christmas and Mother's Day go by much faster than the 7 months between Mother's Day and Christmas.  Go figure:)

Elder Ruby hasn't said much in his letters lately.  They have been very short and he apologized for not writing us this past week.  I know he is busy and doing well.  That is what matters.  He did tell us that a girl they have been working with, named Patience, has set a date for baptism.  That's exciting!  This past Monday they had a Zone Activity.  All the missionaries in his zone were getting together to carve pumpkins.  That sounds like fun.  He will send us pictures.  

Here is his testimony from this past letter:

The words of the prophets have sunk and are continuing to sink deep into my heart. I am coming to more fully accept Christ into my life. I do my best to do as Elder McConkie suggests and accept the scriptures as the mind and will of God. My studies have focused greatly on the doctrines of grace, mercy, justice, and love. My testimony in the reality of Christ and a loving, just, merciful, gracious God has grown; and my awe, gratitude, and wonder in the Atonement of Christ are expanding.

I'm sorry this is so short and not very informative.  We will try again next week:)

October 2015 Zone Conference

 
 In a different area than Hyrum, the church building the mission president usually uses for interviews was being fumagated.  This is what it looks like in California.  Wow!

"Food Fast"

Elder Ruby is enjoying his new companion, Elder Haines.

So, for the first week of the transfer we couldn't accept any food from members, nor could we go restaurants! Apparently, we needed to be more grateful for and feel less entitled to all the help that the members give us. That meant that we had to plan, prepare, and budget the meals for the week. The members thought it was hilarious and they would make comments about us not being able to eat with them. I really enjoyed the "food fast". I found that having to plan, prepare, and budget for our weekly meals together unified our companionship.  Elder Haines and I have really enjoyed making meals together. We even sacrificed some of our food by feeding the District leaders the night that they were coming home from a training in Oxnard earlier this week. This unified the leadership in the zone as we talked and served each other.

I have learned that God answers prayers through the scriptures. Yesterday evening we didn't know who to visit or what to do. Elder Haines had me flip open the Book of Mormon in the dark, point, and read. I read from 2 Nephi 32:8-9 about the words of Christ and the Spirit telling us all things what we should do. Then Nephi exhorts us to pray. We had prayed several times earlier with little success, but we chose to pray again. After a fervent prayer, Elder Haines thought to call an investigator, Cassie, who was also struggling with prayer. We were able to teach her on the phone and discern more of her concerns.

Elder Ruby and Elder Haines

Elder Campbell, Elder Ruby and Elder Campbell's new companion at transfers. 

Staying in SLO and Ponderize!

Yep, who knew? Elder King will be leaving to follow-up train and be a district leader.  My new companion is Elder Haines. I don't know much about him. I know what he looks like, but that is about it.  I look forward working with him and the Lord this next transfer.

After hearing Elder Devin G. Durrant, 1st Counselor in the Sunday School General Presidency, speak about a new concept (at least it was new to me), we decided to do this as a family.  He suggested we "Ponderize" the scriptures.  It is a combination of pondering (80%) and memorizing (20%).  The idea is to post a scripture every week and think about its words and key phrases several times during the week.  Here is a link to Elder Durrant's talk from Sunday afternoon.  He explains it the best:) We are ponderizing Moses 6:60.  

I am so happy that you are Ponderizing! I am too. My scripture is 3 Nephi 27:19 "And no unclean thing can enter into his kingdom; therefore nothing entereth into his rest save it be those who have washed their garments in my blood, because of their faith, and the repentance of all their sins, and their faithfulness unto the end."

I have to tell you about something embarrassing that happened to me this morning. I was driving our truck. (I told you that we drive a truck right? Yeah, it's a red Nissan Frontier. It's as close to driving a truck back home as I can get.) We parked at the church to email. I glanced down and out of my window to check my parking job, however, I had my finger on the window switch and was simultaneously rolling up the window. Yes, you can probably guess what happened next. Elder King laughed as he watched preoccupied Elder Ruby roll the window into his tooth and jerk back in surprise. :)

This week we focused on our less actives and recent converts.  Many of the recent converts are freshman and are having difficulty adjusting to life as a Mormon and in college and away from home for the first time.  We are doing our best to help them make Christ and the Book of Mormon their foundation.  We invited everyone to watch conference, but no one showed up.  We have a lot of work to do up here.  

I gained a testimony of the Prophet and Apostles this past conference and the Christlike love that they emulate. For some reason, I was overwhelmed as I watched the remaining nine Apostles greet/hug the three new.  I feel like this was a witness to me of the validity of their calling and an example of how I should treat others. This was an experience with conference that I will remember. Also, I came to conference with questions and President Uchtdorf (the very first speaker) blew my questions out of the water! It was awesome.

Miracle from using the Book of Mormon: After a doorstep Restoration lesson with a room mate of a less active member, we challenged her to read the Book of Mormon every day. She didn't want to take it and said she didn't have time because she was busy studying. We then challenged her to take the Book of Mormon and open the Book of Mormon with a question in her heart just before she studied for her classes and then read for her answer.  We tried this tactic with her. Her question was "why are people bad?" She flipped open to Mosiah 3:19! After explaining the verse, we again extended the invitation. She took the Book of Mormon.

Here are the last pictures of Elder Ruby and Elder King.  Elder King made party hats for the two of them to celebrate their "one year" mark in the mission.

We had a flyer placed on our door that described the fines for drinking, DUI, disturbing the peace, and other fines associated with parties.  We had this answer. . .

Joy of the Gospel

I'm sorry I haven't update the blog for over a week.  Elder Ruby's letters have been brief.  He is so busy and writes what and when he can on Monday's, but the time just goes by so fast.  He did share a story about a recent convert to the church:

One of the greatest successes as a missionary has been teaching and watching a recent convert named Olivia, come back to full activity in the church and be super excited and active.  Three months ago, she was just a normal 22 year old and she was looking for happiness in worldly things.  As we taught her the lessons again, we began to see her desires change.  She started asking questions like "Why is the Atonement important?" and "How do you repent?"  This turn began when we had her share her conversion story with Mark (a recent convert).  Sharing her testimony helped her see that she really did believe.  Later, a member, Emma, who just lost her brother, befriended Olivia and took her to the Los Angeles Temple.  From that moment on,  Olivia has set her sights on the temple.  She came to church and has been coming for weeks now!  She, too, noticed a change within herself.  She said that she tries to be nice to people even when it's hard.  She has no desire to watch gossipy/crude shows and she is fascinated with forgiveness and charity.  Olivia now spends hours looking up talks and reading the scriptures!  She is so happy.  She has a temple recommend now and is going to General Conference!  I am so happy for her.  There is just as much joy in watching Olivia come back into the fold of God as there is in bringing someone to the waters of baptism!

This past week we had a Zone Activity down in SLO.  Brother Abbott, the institute director was teaching a class called the Foundations of the Restoration.  He is a phenomenal teacher.  This class focused on the doctrines of the Restoration of the Church of Jesus Christ.  So, the zone came to the class and then we had a birthday party for a sister in the zone who has never had a birthday celebration.  We (Elder King and I) made her a big Funfetti cookie on a cookie sheet.  Then we frosted it with chocolate and wrote in white frosting her name and the church, so it was like a missionary tag!  She loved it.  Then we played sports.  Elder King and I had to leave for dinner in Los Osos.  The member we ate dinner with made bacon wrapped burgers stuffed with pepper jack or cheddar cheese! Yum!!