Week 59: Goleta

November 22, 2021

For our Preparation Day Activity we had a barbecue, it was some fun stuff. Got to eat some burgers and get to know the district more. Then we took off to have a district activity with Santa Barbara. We got some good stuff done and we are super excited for the last week of the month, which should go really well, because our Zone is awesome! They're doing so well,  which is not by our doing, they have just really taken the initiative themselves. 

We also started teaching two people tonight, pretty awesome. Their names are Juan and Hannah. They are both humble people who are looking for spiritual nourishment. So excited to do our best to help them progress and come closer to God. 

November 23, 2021

Had some goal settings with the Goleta district, which are Hermanas Ngalu/Alred, Elders Hales/Lauaki, and Sisters Pollard/Rasmussen. Afterwards we did an exchange with Elder Hales/Lauaki, and I went with Elder Lauaki. He's awesome, super fun to be around, and is eager to learn more. We went to Nikka Ramen, that stuff is crazy good. 

We had a cool experience where we felt a spiritual prompting and turned the car around to talk to somebody named Anthony. Elder Lauaki did awesome, he was good at connecting to Anthony through cars. We also felt prompted later that evening to walk a little longer, and we ran into Mary Angela and Garry right when they needed us. 

After the night was over, we had a mission Zoom and watched this funny dinner etiquette video in preparation for Thanksgiving.

November 24, 2021

Today was our Lompoc goal setting day. We got up at 5:30am, joined them for a district activity, and then did our goal settings. Afterwards, we did an exchange with Elders Kartchner/Coverley, and I went with Elder Coverley. He's a great elder from Ashton, Idaho. He showed some great desire to jump into the work and learn as much as he could. We had a fun night, and got to spend some more time in the City of Flowers. After a long drive home, we really hit our pillows. 

November 25, 2021

Today was another goal-setting day, we pretty much did goal settings, then got some McDonald's, then did more goal settings. 

We then went to Thanksgiving dinner with the Douglas family. They are awesome and they are super fun to have dinner with because they have eight kids. We all went around and said something we were grateful for. I said I'm grateful for second chances. And all the chances that come after that. Because we all need them, and we can't go without them. The amount of long-suffering and mercy that God has is infinite. 

We then finished off the night calling families at home and having a PMG testimony meeting. We've had the challenge to read through the whole thing. I almost got it. 

November 26, 2021

We went up to Lompoc to do one more goal setting and also be a part of a district council that happened up there. Gained some good insights on how to be a better missionary from Hermana Malouf, Elder Tree, and Elder Kartchner. When we got back, we had a really solid planning session that helped us out. 

When we were finding, we got to have an opportunity to start teaching Jerry and Pat because we took a long enough time to visit with Sister Blocker. We also got to make some pretty awesome egg/hashbrown/chicken burritos. Good stuff. We also got to have a visit with the Mandragon's and the Spackman's, they are all awesome people. 

And to finish off the night, we got Munchy Meal toxic waste. Usually it was a fun thing, but tonight it was especially cold and greasy. We'll be taking a break for little while. But it was a really good day overall, we just need to have more days like this one. 

November 27, 2021

Today was really good, the Lord is hastening His work. We started off the day with a really good lesson about church with Santiago. We really stressed how he needs to at least watch church. We also had a really cool experience today where we were led to a man named Dustin. He was praying in his garage about some hard things in his life, and then we showed up. He is a super cool guy, and is a perfect example of how God can lead us to the people who need revelation and the Gospel. 

We also committed Dave to church tomorrow, and so we are hoping and praying really hard that he and Santiago can make it. That would be huge for us, because that has been our hard focus the entire week. So hoping and praying for tomorrow. 

November 28, 2021

Today was good, we didn't get anybody to church, however. Kind of a hit in that department, but life goes on. 

We had an awesome lesson with Dustin today, I think he is prepared for the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. He just needs to keep having real intent and he'll get there. We also got to teach Keanna and have her start working on going to the temple. We had dinner with the Stehmerer's from the Santa Barbara ward, good to see them again. We had a couple of member visits and then finished off the week strong with a new missionary testimony meeting.