Multi-Zones this week were really good even though they were condensed into a shorter amount of time - only two hours this time. But because it was shorter, it was more spiritually charged without the exhaustion of 7 hours of meetings. I was sort of a one-man show at our Multi-Zone. I was the regular pianist, I provided our Zone's musical number, I was the only outgoing testimony and I said the closing prayer. It was weird to give my outgoing testimony because I remember seeing so many other missionaries do this before me but then when you're up there it feels the same as any other testimony. It is sort of surreal to be at this point in my mission, even though I have known this day was coming for the past 2 years.
So our teaching appointment, with the family we met last week after leaving the Greenman's birthday party, was interesting. I was on exchanges with Elder Gossett that day. We pull up to the house that night, and as we do, we see half a dozen people leaving. It's one of those kind of awkward situations you sometimes want to avoid as a missionary, but I figured we were there so we might as well go for it. So we meet Isaac and Lela Carrera and their family. We talked to them for a bit and they tell us that the people we are looking for aren't home and they explained the situation a bit. Mario and Susanna are kind of in a tight spot right now, and this other family has let them stay with them while they get back on their feet. So Elder Gossett asks them if they were about to go on a hike, which they were, and they invited us along. We kind of looked at each other for 20 seconds kind of making faces like, "I don't know, what do you think we should do?", and eventually come to the conclusion that sure why not. We follow them over to this place in the mountains on the north side of San Jacinto, probably only 3 miles away, and they showed us this cool little hiking trail. We talk and hike with them for about an hour and a half. They just recently moved here from Banning, and they have friends that are members. At the end of the hike, we ask if we can come by to share a message and they say yes. When we get there, Mario walks down the stairs and recognizes us and welcomes us in as well. We then shared a few passages from the Bible and asked if we could come back so that was awesome. Between the two couples and their kids, we picked up 10 new investigators at that lesson, something I'd never done before! It was pretty fun and they are two awesome families! Hopefully they go somewhere as we continue teaching them, but if nothing else, it was a tender mercy after a long transfer with little success in the way of new investigators.
We also picked up two other new investigators, it was a young couple we met while seeking with faith. We went to an area that normally isn't that productive but we both felt like that was where we should go that day. We get out of the car and literally the first people we talk to are just getting home from the store and invite us in to share a message. We taught the entire Restoration lesson and got a return appointment with them so we're pretty excited for that as well.
So this coming week the main goal is just to stay busy all the time. There's only one more week, so why not seek with faith when you get the chance, be bold and talk with everyone. It's going to be extremely hot though, we had triple digits most days last week and this week looks to be about the same. Other than that, I'm not really sure what else to say, just keep doing what I've been doing for 2 years. People always ask how things are different, but in the end it's all about the same. It's almost like having been in an area for a long time, you know you're going to leave, so it's up to you whether you want to work and leave something behind, or just wait it out until the end.
That's pretty much it for this week. I'm excited to get home and see all of you.
From the West Side . . . . .
Elder Cornaby
We also picked up two other new investigators, it was a young couple we met while seeking with faith. We went to an area that normally isn't that productive but we both felt like that was where we should go that day. We get out of the car and literally the first people we talk to are just getting home from the store and invite us in to share a message. We taught the entire Restoration lesson and got a return appointment with them so we're pretty excited for that as well.
So this coming week the main goal is just to stay busy all the time. There's only one more week, so why not seek with faith when you get the chance, be bold and talk with everyone. It's going to be extremely hot though, we had triple digits most days last week and this week looks to be about the same. Other than that, I'm not really sure what else to say, just keep doing what I've been doing for 2 years. People always ask how things are different, but in the end it's all about the same. It's almost like having been in an area for a long time, you know you're going to leave, so it's up to you whether you want to work and leave something behind, or just wait it out until the end.
That's pretty much it for this week. I'm excited to get home and see all of you.
From the West Side . . . . .
Elder Cornaby