August 15, 2011

Good morning

 I’m staying here in bellflower. My companion moved. My new companionis Elder Goodson. He’s from Virginia he came out with Elder Evans. I never received the wonder button in the mail.Yes I got your letters. This was a very stress full week. I can't think of another like it inthe mission. Let me explain. Wed we are called and asked to give atalk in church on Sunday about furthering our education. I alsoreceived a packet on things that I’ll need to go over in some meetingson Thursday. Thursday morning I have to study and come up with alesson, I spend all my studies doing that. Thursday I also had to goand give a baptismal interview in Spanish, a language I hardlyunderstand. The Lord helped me out so much. I understoodeverything I needed to and was able to say what I needed to. We thenshoot over to a lesson. We were teaching this person who had abaptismal date for the 20th of Aug, but the person in our ward who isfellowshipping her, became really good friends is going out of town foran entire month to visit family. So because this investigator wantedher at the baptism we were going to move the date to this week. Wetalk about setting it for the 14th and she accepted it. We then goback Friday to go ever a couple things and find out that on the 18ththe mom is sending her to North Dakota to a Presbyterian collage tomake sure she doesn't get baptized and she just found out. We alsofind a couple other important details. So we call our missionPresident, get permission to confirm her at the baptism (normally notallowed what so ever) start setting up the baptism. She passes theinterview she had with flying colors. On Saturday mind you I stillhave to give a 25 min talk in church, I have nothing prepared. We make a bunchof phone calls to reserve the building get everything set up. Sundaymorning, in one hour, I write my talk. It lasts 25 minutes. Afterchurch we had a couple meetings and then we shoot over to a baptismfor the Spanish elders and then grab a quick bite to eat after. Wethen find out that once her mom found out she was getting baptizedtoday she is now no longer getting sent away to North Dakota but willgo to collage here. She is baptized and shares an amazing testimony.Throughout our appointments her family has just been throwinganti-Mormon literature at her while we were there and while she wasalone. Her response to her family was "because it's true it doesn'tmatter, it's what god wants me to do." so now she's staying and cancontinue to receive help from the ward. Elder Yeaman’s food of the week. We ate with the vaili family (Samoan)this week and we had ribs, fish, clams, pork, rice, taro (it's like aSamoan potato you boil it in coconut milk though). It was crazy. Therewas like three main dishes that we ate and a bunch of other things andThen pumpkin pie and ice cream for dessert. Elder Yeaman’s quote of the week. "Beat the bird"Explanation: This was used by an apostle a while back, can't remember whichone, but he explains, that if a bird lands on your head the firstthing your going to get it off. Don’t let it build a nest. Now birdsaren’t to dangerous. So lets us a hornet. The longer you let it stayThere, the more likely you are to get stung. Don’t let it build a hiveon you head. Beat it off. Get rid of it. Now when inappropriatethoughts come into you head, get them out. Don’t continue to thinkabout it because by doing so it's like letting that hornet start tobuild it's hive. You’re going to get hurt. Don’t let those thoughts stayIn your head! Think of something else singing a hymn or quoting ascipture is like putting on a hat. They won't be able to nest on yourhead if you brush it off, and they won't be able to get in while yourwearing a hat.

Love, Elder Yeaman