Week #55 - Carpools and Telephone Wires

Hi everyone!

This week was quite the trial of our faith. One of our investigators had a baptismal date for August 22nd, and then Monday after church she called us and left a message saying it's not the church for her and we need to cancel her baptism (in so many words). So, that was a bit of a downer. We also had (what we thought to be) a pretty packed week full of appointments with new investigators that mostly ended up cancelling or being much less promising than we thought. Anyway, it made it a little difficult to stay positive and enthused, but I'm always up for a brand new week. I've got a good feeling about this one!

Our zone conference this week, however, was incredible. Elder Shaw and I got to sing our famous "Nearer My God To Thee/Redeemer of Israel" on the guitar which has become much more perfected since we recorded it. It went really well. President never ceases to amaze me when he speaks. He knows his stuff. He taught us for three hours and he could have easily gone longer without anyone caring. My companion and I also had our stake correllation meeting with the stake presidency, high councilman, and President Bunker...and special guest, Elder Trythol (the area seventy out here). It was pretty intense. It turned out REALLY well and it looks like the missionary work will be focused on in the Santa Rosa Stake.

That's about it- the gospel's true and I'm low on time. Have a good week!
Elder B

Week #54 - He Gave Me An Offer I Couldn't Refuse

Hey everyone!
Before I say anything else, July 10th sounds like a fantastic date for the wedding. I really appreciate you including me and planning for me to be a part of it. You guys are great. I want to throw this out to the fam: Thanks a buttload.

This week was pretty incredible. We had some amazing experiences with finding and teaching. We set a baptismal date for our investigator for the 22nd of August and she's way excited about it. We also picked up a few really solid investigators. One is a woman who knows the Bible extremely well and has church with her children in her home because she said she can't find the true kingdom of God on earth. Basically everything that came out of her mouth was something we typically teach, and she also talked a lot about the gathering of Israel and how we need a leader that's actually called of God. It was pretty awesome. We're meeting with her on Thursday. Her condition was that she wanted to see how our church was doctrinally accurate. It was pretty nice to talk to her after talking to a guy who is "constantly taught by the Holy Spirit" and "knows what EVERYTHING in the entire Bible means." It's interesting: There was someone who obviously went to his "non-denominational" church and had his "non-bias" pastor tell him what to and what not to believe. This man had developed twisted views (and and in the process developed quite a bit of pride), and knows that no matter what, he's right. Then, the other woman we talked to who actually studied the Bible without outside influences, actually questioned parts that no one could answer, and is still open to more truth- has her views lining up almost to the T with our doctrine. We also taught to a group of three ladies- a mother and two twin daughters (in their forties or fifties). Elder Hubbard and I were a pretty big hit. They loved us. We taught them all about the spirit and the restoration and had a really good discussion.

We had quite the leadership council with President Bunker. The meeting started at 9 am and went until about 5. We were given lunch in the middle. It was pretty incredible though. I would have been fine staying longer. Lots of changes are being made in the mission and we're becoming MUCH more focused on our purpose and how we spend our time. Already we've noticed huge progress throughout the mission and much more excitement and dedication to the work. Things are definitely headed in a good direction. We had a good meeting with our zone the following day where we really stressed the importance of everyone being on board and being unified not because we do fun things together or talk a lot but because we had the exact same purpose. We talked about how the Godhead is unified because they have the exact same focus and purpose. It went really well.

Anyway, that's about it for me. Thanks for everything and have a good week!
The gospel's true.
Elder B

Week #53 - Drywall

Hey Everyone!
It's been quite the week this week- for the first time in the Brush Creek Santa Rosa ward history, we taught twenty lessons! Also we picked up five new investigators that are pretty awesome and all around it was a great week. We taught the Word of Wisdom to Patty Rueter (one of our top investigators) who immediately afterwards went to her cupboards and took out all the coffee and tea and threw it in the dumpster. Then she took a huge pitcher of tea from her refridgerator and dumped it out in the sink. She was really excited. That's probably the best reaction to a commandment I've seen out here.

Lots and lots of changes in the Santa Rosa zone/mission the transfer. Many zone leaders/district leaders were released, all but one companionship in our zone had at least one person leave, so things are pretty crazy. I'm WAY excited about our new zone- Elder Norton unfortunately got transferred, but it sounds like the new companion I'm getting is a stud (I'm staying in Brush Creek Ward). This will be his first transfer as a zone leader and it sounds like he should have been one a long time ago. There were four missionaries in this ward, but now it's just my new companion and me covering it- so our new area is huge and we'll be kept way busy. The district leaders this transfer are going to be awesome. Anyway, our incoming leadership is made up of total studs, so I'm way excited to work with them. It's going to be an awesome transfer! These past two have really helped me out a lot in just learning how to lead and helping me develop a better focus on areas I need to improve and how to improve them. I've got lots of stuff I'm pretty excited to talk about with the new zone.

Things are awesome, the gospel's true, and I didn't receive any mail this week.

Much love to errbody,
Elder B

Week #52 - Paper Clips and Rolls

Hey Everyone!
CONGRATS TO JONNY! Way to go, Broseph! You're so grown up now...by the time I get home you'll probably be a father of three or four kids. That's crazy to think about. When's the wedding? Next July? Late next July? I'm pretty sure that's when it was going to be. I already talked to Erin and she said she probably won't stick with this if it has to be any sooner than next July. I want to see more pictures and I also want to have her fill out the survey from a few weeks ago and send it to me so I can see if she's funny or interesting at all. You my boy, Jonny. You my boy. Congatulations again, pants. That is absofruitly awesome.

It was a pretty awesome week this week- I got to attend good ol' Jim P.'s baptism in Benicia and see a lot of cool families again. The song went really well and Jim was way excited at the service. He cried and gave me about fifty hugs. His wife did as well (they're in their seventies...hehe). Anyway, it was awesome and I was pretty happy I got to go. We had interviews with President Bunker this week. I'm still way impressed. He's very easy to talk to and it was awesome to chat with him for a while. It made me realize even more how much I'm enjoying my time out here. At the end he said "Well, Elder Balagna, are you a happy missionary?" and it felt pretty good to honestly tell him absolutely I am. I guess I never really take the time to think about how much I love life out here. After the interview, Elder Norton and I got to meet with him at the same time and discuss the zone and he basically asked us what we wanted to do next transfer. There's a new area opening in this zone that he said he might "transplant" both of us to where the ward is in need of help. We said we wanted to go there ...and it'd be kinda cool to see what we can get going. But, it's the farthest we could possibly be away from the zone...so it might make it tough to be there as zone leaders. We'll see what happens- we find out Sunday!
Anyway- life is still good and the gospel's true!
Have a good week and thanks for everything!
Elder B

Week #51 - Catnip & Playdough

HI!
It's been quite the week. Lots of pretty amazing things are happening in the Santa Rosa Zone. This is definitely a totally different mission than when I first came out- I can't believe how much it's changed over the last year. President Bunker has played a huge role in getting everyone refocused on where our minds need to be and where our efforts should be put forth. In the past two weeks we had four baptisms in our zone, we have two more this Saturday, and seven scheduled for August 1st. Life's been awesome!

Last week we had zone conference which was definitely the best one I've ever been to. President gave and amazing talk/discussion about being Abinadis in the mission and pretty well threw down when it came to being obedient and working hard. Very inspiring. I reread the account of Abinadi about four times after his talk and I couldn't believe I never noticed how incredible those chapters were (Mosiah 12 through...17? Wherever he says his final words before they kill him). I was asked to sing an arrangement that Elder Chaichana and I put together of I Need Thee Every Hour and it went really well, so altogether it was quite the conference.

This Saturday I get to go to Jim P.'s baptism in Benicia so I'm way excited about that. He asked me to sing for it so hopefully I can work up something delightful. I was pretty pumped to hear he's finally going to do it. I had set a date with him while I was there for July 11 but he kept putting it off because his son in South Carolina was trying to work out a time to fly out and do it and couldn't. So, ol' Jim decided he's going get baptized regardless because he's ready. Thattakid.

I just finished listening to a series of eight lectures that Truman G. Madsen gave on Joseph Smith and everything about him from his birth to his death. He goes all the way through and bears a WAY powerful testimony at the end. Needless to say, I'm still firm in my testimony that Joseph Smith was a true prophet. No one can tear that one down. Sidenote- one thing he mentioned was that in the dead sea scrolls they recently found a huge portion that talks about a second "messiah" (messiah just means annointed one) after Christ that would be a descendant of Joseph. This messiah it referred to was also given the title of being a "restorer" and there were all these prophesies talking about how he'll bring back the truth and stuff. I guess that sort of thing is why I'm impatient with people who tell me flat out that Joseph Smith was a conman.

Anyway, life's amazing in California. The gospel's true and it always will be. Have a good week!
Elder B

Week #50 - Alex's Answers

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? Well, my middle name was actually taken from Blake Hickey. My first name was a last-minute backup once Mom finally agreed that Skeletor was way too common of a name in the late eighties.
2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? I'm kinda surprised I'm the only one to mention the passing of Michael Jackson here.
3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? Actually I love my handwriting. It's adorable. I'd be confident in saying that's one of the top 100 reasons of me being the favorite child.
4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? All I've ever gotten at Starbucks was hot chocolate or cider. I know that doesn't really apply but it's making it really difficult to decide on my answer.
5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? I own a baby goat, if that's what you're asking. Just kidding it's against mission policy. However, the other day I watched a goat get milked and it was nasty. Now I have no idea what to tell people what I'm going to do after my mission because goat milking is definitely out.
6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? Absolutely. I'd always tell me how cool it was that I could grow facial hair so fast and then I'd go get owned in racquetball against myself. I wouldn't feel like a loser though because I'd know every second with me was worth it.
7. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT? Your mom does
8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Ugh why does everyone ask me that?
9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? I would if I had Jonny there to protect me
10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? I'll tell you what ISN'T my favorite. Plain Cheerios. There's no taste. I don't give a hoot if they're good for your heart. That's why I support Medtronic and all they do for the world. I'm surprised plain Cheerios stuck around after Medtronic started up.
11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? Was this survey written in the 1200s? This is why we have shoe horns. I don't have that kind of time.
12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? Maybe this will answer your question: I've been using perfect pushups for about six months now.
13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? Black Walnut (just kidding I don't eat ice cream that makes me vomit)
14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? Their tonsils.
15. RED OR PINK? Pink unless I'm dressed as Superman. Which is quite often. I guess red.
16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? The fact that I never have anything to improve. At least I don't steal my answers from despair.com. Count it!
17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? Sadie
18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU? I hope nobody sends this back to me.
19. WHAT COLOR SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? Black
20. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE? A pretzel.
21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? The future
22. IF YOU WHERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Goldenrod or Macaroni and Cheese. Forest Green and Jungle green were the worst colors ever (sidenote).
23. FAVORITE SMELLS The smell of fear. Fear that no one will think my own ingenuity is clever enough. Fear that drives me to steal my answers from despair.com AND Family Guy. Just kidding I really like the smell of burnt popcorn.
24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? Elder Kartchner.
25. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? I don't have anything against them at this point.
26. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH? Basketball. It's a slam dunk.
27. HAIR COLOR? Dark Brown. If anyone thinks it's black you may want to have your eyes checked.
28. EYE COLOR? I have a patch of brown in my eye, so I guess my eye color is mutant.
29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? I pick up contacts.
30. FAVORITE FOODS? Turkey Roll. hehehe and a ton of other stuff.
31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? I want to watch a movie that has NO ending.
32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? Mallcop. It was pretty funny.
33. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? White. Something new.
34. SUMMER OR WINTER? There are no seasons in California.
35. HUGS OR KISSES? Well I don't know what either of those are so whatever
36. FAVORITE DESSERT? Dry, bland chocolate cake with no mild or any topping
37. MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND? I hate this question for that anything in the entire universe.
38. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND? Probably Tyler. He's never typed an email to me.
39. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? The mission library and the standard works. And Harry Potter. Just joshin.
40. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? Danger
41. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON TV LAST NIGHT? Fear
42. FAVORITE SOUND? Jonny's laugh. It's so cute.
43. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? Rolleatles, mostly because it was really clever of me to combine the two possible options.
44. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME? Probably Wyoming

45. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT?
I'm really good at life
46. WHERE WERE YOU BORN?
Under There
47. WHOSE ANSWERS ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING BACK?
Katie's

Welp, I've got about seven minutes left of online time. Sorry everyone. I had a really fun time filling out this survey though. Life is awesome in California- we picked up a golden investigator this week. We were visiting a contact and then she called us over and said she wanted a church. She's been to ours before and loved it- we taught her three times this week and gave her a church tour. Way solid. Things are great though- we got five new investigators last week (very unusual) and we were able to teach a lot.

The gospel's still true!

Love,Elder B

Week #49 - Fire Doesn't Work

Hey Everyone!

This week was awesome. Our new mission president is AMAZING. We're all very excited to work with him. He has some very innovative ideas that I'm pretty pumped about. Basically he's awesome. Anyway, I'm really excited. I'm on the downhill of the ol' mission. It feels pretty weird. It was kind of a bitter-sweet day on the 2nd. Mostly good though, because now I know the things I really want to accomplish and work on with the final year out here. I know the things I want to change about myself and how I can change them, so I think by the time I get home I should be just about perfect. I think you all have a lot to look forward to.

We picked up some new people to teach this last week that seem really solid. We have a lot of work to do in the area so we'll be kept busy this transfer. We taught a guy named Donald yesterday that we met a few weeks ago. It was an interesting experience. He's in his late twenties and has obviously done a lot of hard drugs. He lives in a pretty gross apartment. But, when we tracted into him, he basically said that he really wanted us to come back and talk about God and the Bible. Yesterday, we taught him all about prayer and about Christ and he told us that he prayed every day but he wanted to feel closer to God. We talked about how to feel the Spirit and how to pray and stuff...it was actually very cool. He wanted us to come back Tuesday and teach him more. He obviously needs a lot of help in his life in general- so I'm pretty excited to see where things go with him.

Anyway- things are great in Santa Rosa. Life remains swell and the gospel's still true. Happy Fourth and have a good week!

Elder B