Hello 2011!

Well, hello to all

So, this last week was the last week of 2010, and this Saturday, we welcomed in the new year of 2011. We've got some great things coming up for 2011 in the mission, as last weeks Zone Conference made apparent, but here's the weekly overview.
Monday, we did nothing. It was honestly the lamest P-Day I've ever had. Even the ones in the MTC weren't nearly as terrible. We could go to the temple then. But now, we have so many other options, and none of them are taken. It was really depressing, actually. I tried to start up a game of Settlers of Catan, except by the time I had finished explaining it to Elder Saena, no one else would play, so he went back to bed. It sucked.
On Tuesday, we tried by a few people. We met someone named Ria, who has lately been suffering from an ulcer on her leg. As we were sitting with her, I couldn't help but keep looking at her leg. It was wrapped in a cast, and the parts that weren't wrapped were red, swollen around the cast, and just looking awful. I was feeling really sorry for her. We gave her a blessing after that. Then, we tried to find a referral. Not home. We did email, and that was about it.
On Wednesday, I can't really remember what we did, but it was probably the night that we went to the Ingram's house. They're an awesome member family. What was really awesome was that the daughter there has a baby chick, two newborn bunnies, and a hedgehog that she's watching over temporarily right now. Luckily, I had my camera on me, so I got some really good pictures of all of them. It was lots of fun.
On Thursday, we had Zone Conference from about 9:00 AM to 4:50 PM. Long, but worth it. One of the things my mission president has brought up is that we set a goal of 500 baptisms this year. Although we came short, it was by about 30. So, this year, he's set the bar even higher, and made the goal 654 baptisms. It sounds way up there, but there is a talk from Pres. Hinckley, where he said that, although the missionary effort is increasing due to Preach my Gospel, he had a vision in which the number of baptisms each year could double. Pres. Martin wants to help make this possible. Although 654 isn't the required number to reach our part in that goal, it is a huge step towards what next years goal will likely be, namely in the 750's to 800's. It'll be huge, and it'll be hard, but it can be done. Also, he stressed safety, and used the example of how my last companion, Elder Adamovich, was hit by a car on his bike last week. I freaked out, and wanted to know immediately if he was fine. Thankfully, nothing really happened, but that was because he was wearing his helmet. Those things are really useful. I haven't really passed a day yet where I don't wear one. I don't like wearing them, but it's a rule, and it's only for our safety. He also stressed that if we wanted a sure-fire way to stay junior companion, we didn't need to wear our seat-belts in cars, and to, as it's called, "6-man it." 6-manning is when we put 6 missionaries into a five-seatbelt car. I am ashamed to say that I did it regularly in Van Nuys, but it's been changed lately. They have been trying really hard to avoid doing it. I hope that they keep up that good work.
On Friday, it was District Meeting. Our DL didn't really show up, because he lives about 3 to 5 miles from the chapel we meet at, and he's on bike. I pity him. We had a lesson from a good friend of mine, Elder Jeffrey, and we used a demonstration to show how important it is to follow the spirit. Namely, we put Elder Bills in a blindfold, rearranged the room, and made him wander through blindfolded, with the Spirit, me, as his whispering guide. It was really funny to watch, especially since I had to back off at one point, to simulate how hard it is sometimes to feel the Spirit. Then, lunch. I went to In-N-Out, and had a Double-Double protein style. Protein Style is really where they just wrap the burger in lettuce instead of buns. It was interesting, but still really good. I love In-N-Out. Then, later that night, I finally convinced the elders into playing Settlers of Catan, although I'm sure I annoyed them so much that they decided to do it. It took way too long, due to a terrible set-up, and Elder Saena and Elder Bills, who played it for the first time that night, didn't seem to have too much fun, even though Elder Saena won. Then, we downed a bottle of Martinelli's, and went to bed.
On Saturday, we went to the Buterbaugh's for dinner. While over there, the father made the world's most amazing home-made pizza. He's really got a knack for that. It was awesome. Then, we and some of their children, all grown-up, went to the other room and played Signs for a good 2 hours. It was SO FUN! Then, we toyed around with their Nerf guns. They spent too much time with them as kids, and so they have monstrous Nerf guns, and do battle with them frequently. It was so much fun. That was that night.
On Sunday, we went to church. I was feeling particularly lonely, because the other elders in our apartment and myself don't really connect. So, I was feeling lonely. At Sacrament meeting, the time came to bear testimonies. A tradition in our ward holds that incoming and outgoing missionaries bear their testimonies. Elder Bills told me that I had to go, and I was feeling pretty ticked. I, for some reason, have this mental block on me for bearing testimony. I don't know why, but I just don't like it. So, I told him no, and that the bishop had forgotten. We then had a silent argument, back there on the pew. He said, "You'll be the first missionary who hasn't done it here." I shut up at that point, because I wanted to punch him, and any furthur provocation would've made me punch him, probably. Then, out of feeling lonely, I said a silent prayer, asking for spiritual strength. I got the thought that if I got up there and bore my testimony, it would help the ward know me a bit better. That invigorated me, and I got up and did it. I could literally feel a welcoming spirit in the room when I finished. I feel so much more welcome, and I got a small mental victory over Elder Bills. I know that it's bad to want to have that, since the spirit of contention is of the devil, but he and I just don't connect very well. I'm trying to change that, but it's not going very well. Anyways, later that night, after we were done for the evening, I asked if they wanted to play a game. Although I mentioned Settlers of Catan last, they said that they'd play that. So, I set up another variant. It didn't go well. Elder Tafur and Elder Bills were working together to mess me up, and Elder Saena didn't want to play. Elder Tafur wanted to win, but Elder Bills said that he was never trying to win. That bugged me. I can't stand people who get fun out of board games not from winning, but from messing others up. I go into a board game to have fun, all the time, but I don't go in not intending to win. It went so bad, actually, that Elder Bills said no more Settlers of Catan for the apartment, and that it was causing too much contention. It's as if I lost an arm when he said that.
Anyways, yesterday, we did almost nothing until 2. Elder Bills, Saena, and Tafur went to the Canoga Park Stake Center to play basketball, and I went to Elder Ball's and Hansen's apartment to play Settlers of Catan with them. Although that game was long, we all had fun, because Elder Ball and Elder Hansen play more like me. They always play games to have fun, but they always have the intention to win. I was a lot more pleasant with that game. Then, later that night, we were in a rush to get to dinner, so the ZLs let us use their car. Elder Bills is a danger on the road in a hurry. Anyways, we ate dinner, hurried over to a lesson at Brother Wendt's condo, and came back. It was an okay P-day. The best one I've had since getting here to Northridge.
Well, that's about it. I pray that you all are doing well, and I hope that things are going fine.

Love

Elder Shepherd