Wednesday, March 26, 2014

March 24, 2014

Dear Family,

I'll begin by starting off with the biggest highlight of our week. We taught Xochil again this week. Its pronounced like Sochi like the Olympics. Its kind of a uniquie name. Anyways, we taught her the Gospel of Jesus Christ this week and really emphasized baptism. The spirit was there and super strong and she committed to be baptized and accepted a date of April 19th. The fellowshipper that we've been bringing to lessons has been doing a great job fellowshipping her. Its hard to be successful as a missionary if the members and missionaries aren't working together. But we're really exciting for her. Xochil is someone I street contacted close to 3 months ago. She then told us later that she felt an at peace feeling when she was talking to us on the street and she felt that that was something she was suppose to do. Our only problem has been getting her to church. We're planning on having our next lesson with her at the church and giving her a chapel tour so she will feel more comfortable coming on Sundays. The Lord has definitely played a role in her progression. 

We met with Frankie a couple of times this week and we were able to further talk about his living situation. He said he talked about it with his girlfriend and he told us that within the next month they would live in separate apartments until they're able to get married. We'll have to push his baptism back a little but I'm really proud of him for having that faith and trust and doing this in order to enter into the waters of baptism. Frankie even came to an Elders quorum activity we had this week and everyone was great to him and really welcomed him in. 

Do you guys remember Elio? When I got in this area I taught him for about 6 weeks and he basicaly came to church every week. He would come play basketball with us on p-days. Anyways he's just an awesome kid. He had an unfortunate thing happen where he was sent to jail and we lost contact for awhile. Well he messaged me on facebook last night and apologized not for getting back to me and explained what happen. He's now living in a different area and going to a different ward. He told me he's getting baptized this Saturday and would like for me to come!! I'm super excited for him and he has really come a long ways to get here. The place where he will be getting baptized is actually really close to where i'm serving(within biking distance) but  I might not be able to go because its just outside the mission so we'll see what happens. 

Thats all for this week. Have a great week! Love you guys. 

-Elder Rosenbaum

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

March 17, 2014

Dear Family,

Well its officially been 9 months! I can't believe how fast its been
going. We had another great week! We're meeting with Frankie on a
consistent basis. He basically invites us over almost every night for
a lesson. He's awesome! One of the most prepared people I've taught so
far. He progressing well for his baptism for April 10th its just the
only problem we have is the living situation. He needs to get married
or separate apartment before baptism so if that happens his baptism
date will go through. Only time will tell. We've had some super
spiritual lessons with him. Its been awesome!

So crazy story. Do you guys remember Virgil I told you about a couple
of weeks ago. He committed to baptism and we were going to pass him
off to the missionaries in his right area. Well the family that was
fellow shipping him in our ward made a restraining order for him. I
guess he has like major bipolar or something and he tried to break
into there house and he threatened us on the phone and cussed us out.
Its a good thing he doesn't know where our apartment is. I won't go
into details but its been a super sketchy situation.

We're working with this recent convert family in our ward and we
should be able to go through the temple with them in the next couple
weeks. Its been awesome to see them progress! We went on exchanges
this week and the missionary I was with knew some people I hung out
with back at home so that was pretty cool.

There's not much else this week. All is well. I'm loving my mission
right now. My testimony is growing stronger and stronger as I share
what I know to be true. Thanks for your support!

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

March 10, 2014

Dear Family,

The work here is really picking up. We had the greatest miracle this week as we were out working. On wednesday I believe we were on our way to dinner and we were at a red light waiting to go and there was this other guy on his bike at the light as well. We started talking to him and found out that he had previously met with missionaries before. He asked us if we were the missionaries that go to the church just up the street, we said yes and he was excited because that was the same one he went to when he was investigating before. He told us he had been talking with a member of our ward about the church and wants to get baptized! We've now met with him 3 times in just 4 days and he wants to met again tonight. The guy is just on fire and is just eating up everything we're teaching him. He accepted to be baptized and is working for April 10th as his baptism date. The only problem is he's currently dating a less active and they're living together right now. He's aware that he needs to be in separate apartments or get married before baptism and he even accepted that and said that was something he was willing to do. The Lord definitely played a huge role in all these series of events. April 10th is right before transfers so I'm praying and hoping that everything goes well and he makes that day happen. 

I forget what I tell you week to week so sorry if I tell you some of the same stuff. Sochi is doing  great as well, she's starting to get amazing fellowship and feels really included. We had a super spiritual lesson with her this week and I know its only a matter of time before she is willing to set a date for her baptism.

Omar came to church again. He's basically just a dry mormon. He's had callings and goes to church most of the time so he's basically just sitting on the edge of the baptism font. We're really hoping he makes that decision soon. 

We've been teaching this guy names James for awhile now and he's  Pentecostal. We had the craziest lesson with him this week. We brought our ward mission leader with us to the lesson and James tried to heal him of this disease he has and started speaking in tongues and everything. It was pretty crazy. haha 

Have a great week loves you guys!

-Elder Rosenbaum  

Thursday, March 6, 2014

March 3, 2014

Dear Family,

We had a great week here in Citrus Heights! It was transfer weekend
and both me and my companion stayed together because I'm training him.
So I'm assuming I'll be here for 6 or 12 more weeks. I love it here so
 I wouldn't mind staying here for awhile longer. So just over a week
ago on Sunday night me and my companion went and visited a family and
shared a thought trying to get a referral. We challenged them to find
us one person to teach and they took that challenge pretty serious. Four
days later we had dinner at their house and they told us to come
prepared with the first discussion after dinner because they would
have someone there for us to teach. His name is Virgil and he's
freakin awesome! One of the most humble people I've met on my mission.
He grew up in an atheist home and doesn't have too much support from
his family with mormonism. Anyways, we taught him and it was one of
the most spiritual lessons I've had on my mission. He accepted to be
baptized and even set a date for March 22nd. He came to church and
everything. It was a huge miracle for us. Sadly he's just outside our
boundaries so after we teach him tonight we'll be shortly passing him
over to other missionaries but the whole thing was just really
awesome!

Deanna a person that I taught in my last area got baptized on Saturday
and that was great to hear. I'm super excited for her. I tried to get
permission to go from the mission President but he thought it was a
little too far and would be a little unproductive which I respect.

Its been storming pretty good here. The river over flooded like crazy
and we had to go that way to get to a teaching appointment. So we had
to ride our bikes through about a foot maybe less of rain. We were
already soaked so it didn't really matter too much. The funniest thing
happened as we were riding apparently there was this ledge we couldn't
see and my companion ended up accidentally falling into it and it was
about 5 or so feet deep. We were both soaked and it was a really funny
experience. haha we were laughing hysterically.

Remember the cop story I told you guys about a couple of weeks ago. That
whole less active family that we've been teaching for awhile all came
to church for the first time in years. Billy told me that Elder
Johnson and me are the only missionaries he's felt the spirit around
so strong besides the ones that taught him when he got baptized.
They've said they want to start coming every week. Its been a huge
miracle as well!

I think thats all for this week! Love you guys. Have a good week!

-Elder Rosenbaum