WEEK 15: Thousand Oaks

January 18, 2021

Today was P-day, so we did a deep clean because we don't want to have to clean everything on the last P-day of the transfer. For our P-day activity, we hiked to Paradise Falls, and we had Subway before we went. It was kind of what you'd expect from a hiking trail in the middle of California. It was a dirt road packed with people, walking to see a pretty average, little waterfall. It makes me appreciate the beauty of Utah and it's canyons and lakes and hikes. After that, we got snow cones and hung out at the church until it was time to go back home for dinner. then we did Facebook for a while, and that was our day. 

January 19, 2021

We were having a pretty normal day, until we stepped outside into a tumultuous 40+mph wind. We heard someone saying that the Santa Anna winds were coming, and they were right. We tried to go street contacting, but there was nobody outside, because it was way too windy. Driving around, there was tons of sticks, branches, and debris that had been scattered across the road. And because the wind is so bad, the city decided to shut off everyone's power, so I'm writing this entry by flashlight. When they shut off the power, everyone either left town, or they flocked to a fast-food restaurant or a grocery store, because nobody could cook anything. The streets were a zoo, and traffic was pretty bad probably because none of the traffic lights were working. It's always humbling to see how society panics and falls apart when we don't have power. I can't even imagine if the plumbing suddenly went for some reason. For dinner we had PB&J sandwiches, cereal, and some oatmeal raisin cookies. Tomorrow we're going to have pop-tarts and cold spam, a virtual feast. But we've heard the power is going to be out for at least another 24 hours, so it'll be a fun time. But having no power is very annoying when you're trying to do Facebook, because it's less effective to do Facebook on your phone when you're doing it for three hours. 

January 20, 2021

I can't believe it's already the 20th day of the year. This is going by really fast. We lucky had power today, while pretty much everybody else in Thousand Oaks was still blacked out. We made sure to make a big breakfast of eggs, sausage and hash browns to make up for the food we couldn't cook yesterday.

We did a lot of Facebook finding and Areabook calling because it was still windy and everybody was still inside. It was a grind, which is all we can do sometimes. We also dropped off a Bible to someone named Joe, so hopefully that goes somewhere. I'm excited to get my new quad, and make it my own just like my last one was. 

January 21, 2021

Today was our first normal day in a while. We did studies, and then we did some park contacting and talked to Ray. After talking to him for a while, we have pretty much decided that he isn't going to progress. I hate to admit that, because we have been doing all we can to help him progress. I don't think he even understands what it is we're trying to offer him. Every time we try and teach him something, he doesn't hear what we're saying. He is so preoccupied with his situation and with how his life has ended up that it's all he can really talk about. He has a hard time talking about much else, and we have just been trying to help him feel God's love for him and feel the Spirit, but we have been unsuccessful. But what we're trying to do now is just work with "unwearyingness" like Nephi did in Helaman 10:4. I don't think we'll get to command the earth like he could, but I know that's what God wants us to do. 

January 22, 2021

Today was a really good day. We got up and did a little bit of study, and then we went to COC and that went really well. After that, we did our Panda Express transfer predictions. It's where we open a fortune cookie and then that tells us about the transfer ahead of us. After that we did some finding and then we did Facebook until our member visits. One of our visits was with the Pollards, a really solid elder couple, they're the best. And they might just have a meter referral for us. For a while now, I've been worried that I'm going to get transferred without leaving the area in a better condition than I found it in. But it would be awesome to find somebody, whether I'm staying or leaving. I honestly have no idea whether I'm staying or leaving, but I can be happy with either.

January 23, 2021

Well today was pretty uneventful, because it was rainy outside today and we just did a bunch of Facebook, and made a Facebook post. And right as I was sitting down to write this journal entry, we got a call from the Assistants. I'm going to be a trainer, and I figure out if I'm staying or going tomorrow. My ankles really got broken on this one. I thought there was literally no way that would be the case. But now it's time to do some quick learning. I'm gonna let it sink in, and try to learn as much as I can about training the next few days. 

January 24, 2021

Well today we had a regular Sunday, and then we had a mission-wide Zoom call. Then we had transfer calls, and it's official: I'm leaving the Wildwood Park area and I'll be in the Morrow Bay Area in the San Luis Obispo Zone from now on. Definitely broke my ankles once again, I definitely thought I was gonna stay here, but the Lord wants me and my new companion in this new area. 

I think this is going to test me beyond what I expect, being a trainer and white-washing on just my third transfer. I'm going to really need God's help in order to do this right, but I have a feeling that's the way He is intending it to be. This is as new territory as it could possibly be, but I'm up for the challenge and I'm just going to give every bit of effort in every part of me to be the best trainer and senior companion that I can possibly be. 

Also, Elder Sexton said our apartment is going to have an ocean view, so that's really awesome. Also apparently, the San Luis Obispo Zone is the 'Promised Land' in terms of missionary work. This will be another interesting transfer.

January 25, 2021

Today we did a whole lot of cleaning and packing. Elder Sexton had to pack as well, because they're moving Wildwood out of this paradise apartment and back into Grenada Gardens. The Knolls treated me well. I'll always value my time here, and the members were the best. Elder Sexton and I had a great transfer full of laughing, not always intentional. But I hope I left this area in a better condition than I found it, and I trust Elder Sexton and Elder Beldin will do a good job. I know this is where I was supposed to be to start out my mission, and I'm grateful for my time in the Wildwood Park Ward in Thousand Oaks. It's going to be a busy day tomorrow.