Friday, February 5, 2010

This week: February!

Richard’s email took over 24 hours to arrive here this week.  I’m not sure what’s going on with it, but from below it sounds like the Santa Rosa Mission is converting to GMail.  Hopefully that will be the case…

This is Richard’s note to President Bunker:

     I loved Zone conference this week! I particularly felt strongly about the area book that Elders Hubbard and Nielson taught us about. It's really true that the area book is a way that we 'return and report' to the Lord and help future missionaries that will serve in our area. I reminded me of an experience that I've had since being here in Sonoma. The house that I'm in has been without a can opener for some time. Unfortunately, I didn't realize this until after we had bought our groceries the day after transfers. So I returned to the cave man method of 'rocks and sharp sticks.' (I used a mug and a butter knife to open my cans.) This usually took 7 minutes, whereas if I had had a can opener it would have taken 30 seconds. I realized that when we don't update our area book like we should, then we are not keeping the tools or in this case the can opener sharp. I will concentrate on doing my part to keep the area books of my area in good working order for the Lord, for our investigators, and for the future missionaries who will serve there.

     Our investigators have been doing well. We've been meeting with a lot of less actives and investigators this week. One of the most amazing things that happened this week though was that we got 12 referrals from ONE member. Brother Moreno is amazing, he was baptized in 2006 and he's working with the stake presidency, and is one of the strongest Spanish members out here in Sonoma. Elder Grandela and I will be working with him a lot to meet his friends and teach them. We have already set up many lessons and opportunities to meet with them this week! I'm excited!! Lourdes Ceja is one of our fastest progressing investigators, and she is being fellowshipped by Sis. Garcia who is another one of the Sonoma's star Spanish members. Seeing the strength and heart of these members is very humbling, and is very exciting, because they are very happy and willing to help us share the Gospel! Lourdes is an old contact that Elder Grandela had that he thought had died of cancer, but they were never able to make sure that that was the case. She was one of those people who had a record, but weren't in the area book due to someone's misjudgment. So Elder Grandela was overjoyed to find her, and see that she had still been reading the Book of Mormon, even though no one had come to visit her for a year and a half. We will be getting her to church and inviting her to set a baptismal date soon!

     Also this week, since I had to return the bike helmet that Elder Coburn had left, Elder Grandela and I have been on-foot for the latter half of this week. It's been good to be able to talk to people on the street, and make those 10 contacts a day really easy. The only thing that I dislike about walking is that it greatly limits what we can accomplish during the day, because we can't cover as much area as on bike, or car. Fortunately, I was able to get the few things that we needed to get back on bikes for this week. So we'll get rolling!
I have thought a lot, and pondered more deeply about my relationship with the Savior. I'm grateful to be out here and share this message with the people of Sonoma, and I do everything I can to be ready for when I'm carrying the Spanish work solo with the English elders for two weeks. I will live up to the trust and confidence that the Lord has placed in me.

     Your Missionary,

     Elder Mackelprang


:P This week has been crazy with computers in Sonoma being whacky again! I promise that there will be a funny story next week!! Please send me my LDS account info too, we're upgrading to the Gmail, but it's giving me trouble. I love you all! (PS send me an email next week!!)

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