Week 1 in CA (Palmdale)

Zach arrived in Bakersfield last P-day (Jan 20) so he didn't get to email until today.  He did send us a couple hand written letters that we received this week.  I sent him an email on the 20th and 27th so there will be 2 sets of answers.  The picture comes from Bro and Sis Powell  who are the Ward Mission Leaders in Zachs first area.  Zach's companion is the really tall one on the right.  We were sitting in our room when a text came in.  Michelle got all excited when she saw the pic.  I was excited too.   It was pretty cool cause we weren't expecting it and Michelle got to text with the mom's of the other missionaries for a while.  It was fun.  Zach says that his Bishop designs Stealth aircraft and that the Bishops neighbor owns a Lamborghini.  What a welcome to California!!  :)

Jan 20, 2014 Still in the MTC.

1.  What was your favorite food that you ate this week?

Probably the BYU Creamery Ice Cream they gave us in the MTC.

2.  What was the nicest thing you did for someone else?

I shined all my districts shoes.

3.  What was your most spiritual experience?

When we taught our teacher, Brother Macahilahila, and practiced asking inspired questions. We taught him as himself. As someone who knows the gospel, but like everyone, needs to learn more. And we listened to the spirit and truly connected and touched him and helped him out. It was so amazing.

4.  What General Authorities did you listen to and what did you learn?

Elder Bednar: "Character of Christ" talk, he talked about turning outward. About how Christ was completely selfless. "Tuesday Devotional (Live)" He bore witness to the BoM and Christ, and it was soooo amazing. Also, he talked about how "...the Priesthood isn't male. It isn't for men. It is God's power." 

Elder Holland: "Mission for Life" This was the most powerful talk I have ever heard. Some quotes I took from this, and imagine him basically yelling this across the pulpit: "Don't you dare waste your mission!" "These 24 months are consecrated for the Lord!" "You will NEVER get this opportunity again!" He gave this long, amazing talk, all without any text. He relied strictly on the Spirit. I wish I could have seen it live.

 

5.  What is the funniest/funnest thing that you did?

Our teacher, Brother Bryner, told us about an investigator who always seemed to come up with false doctrine. He came to testimony meeting once, and someone bore testimony to the pre-earth life, and another to the ressurection. After the meeting, he came up to the missionaries and said "I figured it out! Reincarnation! It all makes sense now! I bet I was a president in my past life!" It was hilarious.

 

6.  What did you learn from your companion this week?

I learned better how to teach lessons.

 

7.  What scripture has helped you the most?

D&C 121. They told us this section over and over and over, and it is sooo powerful.

8.  What act of service did you perform?

We cleaned all the bathrooms in one of the rooms for a service assignment. 

 

 

Jan 27 2014  Week 1 in Area

 

1.  What is your companions name and where is he from?

Elder McKnight. Ogden, Utah (There's always one from Utah haha)

 

2.  What was your favorite food that you ate this week?

My favorite food was homemade pizza that we had two nights ago at a members home who's name I cannot remember. We have dinner every night with a family, so it is really nice.

 

3.  Are you getting used to cooking and preparing your own meals?

I am used to it, my companion doesn't really know how to cook so I have taken over as chef kinda. However, his last companion was a Tongan, who only ate meat. So he knows how to fry chicken and make rice. They had that every day for 6 weeks haha.

 

4.  What was your most spiritual experience?

My most spiritual experience was at my district meeting. We talked about Chapter 6 in PMG, and we personally chose a characteristic of Christ to work on. I felt really hopeful and determined to do it. 

 

5.  What did you learn from your personal/companionship study?

We have a 12 week training packet that we have to do, so that has been mainly it. Just going through the lessons and stuff.

 

6.  What is the funniest/funnest thing that you did?

The funnest thing was going to a random member's home to introduce ourselves, and their son just so happened to get his mission call that day. We came back later that night, and watched him open it. He is going to somewhere in Mexico, and we also got a refferal for one of their friends.

 

7.  What did you learn from your companion this week?

I've learned just the basics of a mission and stuff. How to plan, stuff like that.

 

8.  What scripture has helped you the most?

1 Nephi 3:7

 

9.  What act of service did you perform?

We helped a women move out of our ward and into another. Also, a potential investigator, Judy, Is really struggling to find a job and has been sooooo busy each time we have gone over, so tomorrow we are bringing over the unemployment specialist in our ward to help her get a job. She has been reading the BoM and taking notes and just really is into it, its just she is so busy and scared to lose her house, so we are going to do what we can.