Second Week in the Field

After I left off on Monday last week we went and played basketball at the church with some other missionaries and then we came home took a p-day nap and went out to do some appointments. Unfortunately 2 of the 3 appointments fell through. But we had a very good lesson with a member about teaching and introducing his friends to the church. The member is super solid and has a very strong testimony with a lot of desire to share the gospel, so basically a missionary's dream right there. Then we knocked some doors to fill in the holes of our schedule.

Tuesday was our first district meeting where we had good lessons by our Elder Gerardo (the district leader) and a sister who had just gotten here last transfer. We then roleplayed and that was that. Then we had lunch and 3 hours of study and then we went to knock some doors until an appointment we had with another member where only there 17 year old son was there so we just taught him the importance of serving a mission. Luckily most of the kids around here speak English so we are able to speak some English when we go to teach some times. Then we had English class where no one showed up again and that was that.

Wednesday we taught a lesson with our investigator that is the hardest to understand again, but we usually just read a chapter of the book of mormon with him so we don't have to understand him all that well. Then we had lunch and more study. Then we had dinner and had 3 more appointments but 2 of them fell through yet again. But the lesson we did teach was with an investigator and we taught our first restoration, which went really well and they seemed really open and receptive. Then later we knocked doors yet again and that was that.

Thursday was the very anticipated day of Spanish conference where all of the Spanish missionaries in the mission gathered in the same place for a conference for the first time ever. There we learned of the Spanish conference, learned how to have effective language study, and went through some possible changes that could happen just to the Spanish missionaries. It was really cool and really good, definitely met all of the expectations with it. Then we had another appointment that fell through, but then Elder Gerardo had to translate for a devotional concert that was going on, so we got to listen to some good music by the Gentri Brothers and have a good time there.

Friday we had more service with Joe, the lawn mower guy who says he collects the lawnmowers but really he just hoards them. When we help him out we just clear out some leaves and stumps and organize the lawn mowers and other random things that he has all out in the forest. These lawnmowers also aren't small either (although some are) they are like the big ones that you ride on and everything. I'll take pictures on Friday once we go again. Then we had lunch and an appointment where we taught another investigator the importance of Jesus and the book of mormon. That went really well, she seemed interested. Then we had the long haul of weekly planning again. Then we went to knock doors again where we found some new potential investigators and then we had coordination with the ward mission leader and the hermanas in our ward as well, and then that was that. 

Saturday was general conference day where we went to the church to watch it. And that's all we really did that day.

Sunday was also conference day where we watched at the church yet again and then we knocked doors and had the spirit tell us not to knock a specific door so that was pretty cool and then that was that day as well. 

Question time:

In the 3 pack we always just take turns when knocking doors. We are only in Spanish companionships. Teaching is really easy with a three pack as well. There are 7 people in our district, us, two hermanas, and two other sisters. 

When we knock doors we have to knock in an area where another member or investigator lives. But we are pushing member referrals a lot more this month. We won't know what we are doing with facebook and smart phones until zone conference on Wednesday. We aren't allowed to go eat at a members house unless there is a less active or investigator there, so we usually only eat with them at large gatherings like at conference yesterday.  I usually eat quesadillas or eggs or cereal when I eat here. Scripture study is going great. It's easy to read when you have an hour just for reading the scriptures. 

Okay,

Love you all,

Elder Bertoch

Here's some pictures of Jackson's first apartment: