"Wow, It's a miracle I ran into you guys..."

This week a ton of new stuff happened. I hope I can remember it all without my journal right here. We were really busy teaching this weak. I'm not sure if I've mentioned this yet but we have two new investigators. One is Merrie Larson and The other is Kevin Campos. Merrie it seems is pretty committed. My companion felt like he should extend a baptismal goal for the first Sunday in February for her, and she accepted! She has family in the church and is planning to move to Utah to have that family support. One of her big reasons for wanting to be baptized is to have more family unity with them. She does however have a pretty strong faith in God, and she will come to understand more fully the importance of the choice to be baptized.

Kevin Campos seems like he has been especially prepared. He has gone through a lot in his life and had a big “coming to God” moment in his life while he was in prison. His life has totally changed as he’s done his best to put what’s important first in his life. He has a family with two kids, the son might even be eight. He was really receptive to what we had to say. He believes we are in the end times and he says that it would make sense that God would try and guide us more today by giving us things like the Book of Mormon. I only hope he can fully realize what that means for him when he finds that it is true. His story he told us is amazing about how he was sentenced to like 30 years but he had a major turning to god moment in isolation when he was given a Bible. That was all he had so he read as much as he could and prayed to god. He said he felt his guilt subside and he knew what he needed to do from then on. With God he was able to get out early. As far as I can tell, he’s been living pretty clean ever since. He goes to his own Church regularly, and tries to be an example to his children, and teach them the consequences of the life he used to live. He’s only 28 now and he says that all his friends from his past life are either dead or in prison for 50-85 years. He’s a good guy and I think he is bound to do a lot of good things.

Last Tuesday we went with Elder Ball our district leader, and elder Hansen who was in my MTC district, to a street corner near the mall and Wal-mart to set up a media booth. It's hard to see any fruits of the stuff like that right away, but we gave lots of pass along cards and about 2 or 3 Books of Mormon. I gave one to this crazy guy who wanted to talk to us, and I think Elder Ball gave a Spanish Book away. And we all gave away probably a hundred pass along cards. I don't know how effective those are yet but hopefully some of those people will call the number on the back and either order the free DVD/Book of Mormon. It wasn't until the end when we were about to leave that the one of the major reasons why we where there presented itself. One teenager came up to me and asked if we where giving away those books for free. I said yeah, and he said " Wow, its a miracle I ran into you guys here, I was looking online and I was really interested in what the Book of Mormon is, I looked on the website and it said I could order a book for free, but my parents wouldn't let me." I gave him a BOM and our number and explained a little more about it. He said he would read it. I'm not sure if we can expect to teach him yet because his parents might be really anti to that. But hopefully someday he gets baptized.

Exiting news. The two Tongans we are teaching, Sosaia, and William, are most likely getting baptized this week. Continue to pray for them!

Thanks for the Other Side of Heaven DVD, and everything else too. The rice cooker got here along with all the other goodies :D haha I've been eating way too much dark chocolate, I'm addicted to it. The thing is we have this member that gives us bags and bags of food that is still good but that Trader Joe's has to get rid of. He gives loads and loads of food to lots of people, but he especially likes giving it to the missionaries. He gave us Two 6 gallon trash bag full of different chocolates from Trader Joe's I also got a lot of frozen stuff from him. Including some organic chicken breasts. We have a Tongan elder in our complex though and the 7 rest of us, so we almost have consumed all of his food he gave us. So we are expecting to go back maybe next week. This all happened about 2 weeks ago. His name is Brother Rose.

We are involved in teaching a number of less actives, (and inactives too. :)We are so close to getting the Bivins to chuch, and the Togiolas actually came to church this Sunday wich was good. They are a really cool young Polynesian family. We are also Involved with an Armenian family that we thought we had reactivated because they have been going to church for the last 3 weeks and have committed to change there lives and go to church again, they have been inactive for about a year, and they want to reactivate. But they didn't get to church this Sunday. They are called the Matanyanns please pray for especially them. The father actually did one of the voices in Armenia for the temple movie. So yes, they did used to be really active.

I just listened to Cleon Skousen's explanation of the atonement, and it rocked my world! I'm not really sure what to think about how that works any more. Just need to do more study and prayer. All I know is that the Atonement was necessary, I don't quite fully understand his explanation of it yet.

IT’S crazy! Almost the end of the First transfer, something like 16 of them left or something. I got the mem card back, and I'll be sending the other one soon at the end of the transfer with some pictures. Plan on the card back at the end of each transfer. I'll send it in an envelope in a small box with a note inside. Mom I did get the coat thanks a ton! Only thing is a few days before It got to me Elder Ball, who is dieing soon (mission time is up), gave me one of his extra coats that some one gave to him, and it's pretty classy and warm. If I don't need the coat you sent me, I'll send it back at the end of the winter if I can ( let me know if I can) so you can get your money back :)

Well time is almost up so stay tuned for next week. Sorry I haven't written any physical letters in a while everyone :( its Just that I'm lazy when it comes to writing actual snail mail. But I will try to write back ASAPP. Thanks for all of your support Family and friends.

LOVE YOU ALL!

PS: thanks for the Raw Wheat Germ. Pretty sure its working again! Health food is awesome! Oh and I talked to this member who knew Bruce Lee personally. More on that later…