Sept. 5, 2011

Hi family!

 

Sorry, we're gonna be a bit rushed today, because Elder Schiess and I are going to Ventura at 5 for ZLC tomorrow. Sorry!

 

We had interviews with president Castro on tuesday, and we got to teach our whole zone with the Assistants. We taught the ABC's of missionary work (Attitude, oBedience, and  Companionships) It was so much fun! We did attitude and i did mine from the talk "Finding Joy in the Journey" By Thomas S. Monson from the Nov 2009 ensign. It went really well! I loved it. And President Castro is so cool! He spent time with all the missionaries, and Elder Schiess and I and the assistants got to go out to lunch with him. I love him! :) He also gave Elder Schiess and I blessings, and asked me to assist in giving another missionary a blessing. He is really powerful when he speaks! Gosh, I feel really lucky to be able to serve so closely with him! Im very blessed.

 

We did alot of work this week! It was a good one. On sunday one of the less active families that we have been working with came to church! The Rasmussens are so sweet. The mom is single - her husband died - and she has 3 kids, Mosiah(17), England(16), and Liberty (14). They are amazing! Mosiah got up and bore his testimony and told how the missionaries had been coming over every week and how he really liked it. Thats a huge breakthrough because he's been a toughy! Sis rasmussen is so sweet! But if the kids arent on board, she really can't be. So miracles have been happening! We are so blessed.  We told Mosiah how when you eat, you dont gorge yourself one day then not eat the rest of the week, you feed yourself each day. And its the smae with the scriptures! You cant go to church on sunday and call it good, you have to read and pray everyday! :)

 

We went on exchanges on saturday with the Meadows ward Elders - Moak and Peacock. I went with Elder Moak to meadows. We got to help a recent convert family - the Haners - do some service, so it was way nice! We spent time in Oildae or as everyone here calls it, The 'Dale. Its probably the most ghetto part of our mission except like delano or tehachapi. Tons of drugs and gangs, and I mean TONS, but the work is hoppin! We love it!

 

It sounds like your vacations have been super fun! Hows the Subaru treating you? Do you like it? Hows the Razer? And I loved the pictures! I really do miss Idaho! There are not really lots of mountains here... Just hills. And we're in the desert! So I love to see mountains!

 

Sorry it's so short today! We just have to get done quick. But theres a quick overview of the week! I hope you are all well, and i LOVE YOU TONS!

--
Elder Matthew Monk
  California Ventura Mission
          Jan. 2011 - Jan. 2013