There isn't much to share this week. We have been working really
closely with Sister La to try and help her quit smoking and
unfortunately she has been struggling with it but she isn't giving up
yet so hopefully through faith and determination she will be able to
quit. We did a lot with Elder Dallin this week too. Since he left
Southcoast he has been struggling with depression and anxiety so he
wanted to come up and see some members in the ward and say bye in case
he went home early. Its sad to see somebody I have grown so close to
struggle with something and not really have any way to help them. On
Tuesday we did meet a guy while tracting who invited us to come back
another day so we went over there again on Friday and we were able to
share the Restoration with him and his wife, their names are Sergio and
Evelyn, it was a pretty good lesson so hopefully they will continue
progressing.
The weekend is when things got pretty nuts. On Thursday I texted Ross, for those who don't remember I taught and baptized him in San Clemente YSA, to invite him to a big meal thing some members were having for the missionaries and when he responded he told me he was getting married and said I was welcome to come down for it so that's what we did for most of the day Friday. It was awesome to be back down in my old area and visit some of my favorite places like the outlooks in Dana Point and then go to his wedding right by the pier. It was so amazing to see him again and to see him make this huge step and its so cool to see the change the gospel has made in his life. After the wedding we talked for a little bit and he told me that he would be getting the Melchizedek priesthood on Sunday, unfortunately I couldn't make it down there for that, and then we talked about how October he will be able to go through the temple for his Endowment and then in January him and his wife, Sierra, plan on being sealed in the San Diego Temple and there is a chance I will be able to get permission to go to that which would be so cool because the goal and purpose of missionary work is to find people, teach them the gospel of Jesus Christ, baptize them so they can enter the pathway to salvation, and then to have them be sealed together with their families for eternity.
The day wasn't all good though, while eating lunch in Dana Point I got a call from Elder Dallin saying he would be going home the next morning (Saturday) so that was some pretty sad news to get. Saturday morning we went to the airport with him and Elders Gunn, Payne, Hale, and Crump and also President Ellis. It was sad to say goodbye but I know it is what is best for him and I know that even though he is leaving the mission field he is leaving his areas better than he found them and he helped a ton of people, and he lives in Utah so I'll see him again when I go back to school. The rest of the day was pretty bluh after that until the night when we got transfer calls.
There are no more transfer meetings so we found out where we were going and who with then and there. Elder Greenberg is going to the Laguna Niguel ward with my good friend Elder Forthman, and I was originally going to stay in Southcoast and be joined by Elder Gibb but after some crazy stuff there were some last second changes and I no longer had a companion and I was told I would find out soon. On Sunday my zone leader called and told me that I will be put in a trio with Elders Garret and Johnson and we will double cover the Southcoast and Newport Beach 2nd wards. However, this didn't make sense since that area is on the other side of the zone, their church time interferes with the Southcoast time, and it leaves my district with an even number of elders and sisters (which is not allowed). Elder Lovgren, my district leader who isn't going home, decided he would talk to the Assistants to try and get it changed so that I was in a trio with him which would have been awesome because we get along really well and his new companion is going to be Elder Davies who was my last companion in San Clemente YSA, if this happened we would have double covered Newport Coast YSA and Southcoast wards which worked because they meet in the same building at the same time, it keeps me in the same district, and it is a lot easier to double cover when one of the wards encompasses the whole zone. So today while we were shopping I got a phone call from the Assistants again with new a new transfer assignment, I got really excited hoping our plan would work out but then, in a huge turn of events, they told me that I will be transferring to the Lake Forest ward in the Rancho Santa Margarita Stake, that my companion is Elder Summers (who is one of my friends from the MTC) and as the craziest of all, I will be joining him in doing Japanese work! That's right, now I get to start learning a little Japanese and sit and pretend to know whats happening in lessons. Its gonna be a huge change but I know its what I need to do and I know it will be an amazing experience.
The weekend is when things got pretty nuts. On Thursday I texted Ross, for those who don't remember I taught and baptized him in San Clemente YSA, to invite him to a big meal thing some members were having for the missionaries and when he responded he told me he was getting married and said I was welcome to come down for it so that's what we did for most of the day Friday. It was awesome to be back down in my old area and visit some of my favorite places like the outlooks in Dana Point and then go to his wedding right by the pier. It was so amazing to see him again and to see him make this huge step and its so cool to see the change the gospel has made in his life. After the wedding we talked for a little bit and he told me that he would be getting the Melchizedek priesthood on Sunday, unfortunately I couldn't make it down there for that, and then we talked about how October he will be able to go through the temple for his Endowment and then in January him and his wife, Sierra, plan on being sealed in the San Diego Temple and there is a chance I will be able to get permission to go to that which would be so cool because the goal and purpose of missionary work is to find people, teach them the gospel of Jesus Christ, baptize them so they can enter the pathway to salvation, and then to have them be sealed together with their families for eternity.
The day wasn't all good though, while eating lunch in Dana Point I got a call from Elder Dallin saying he would be going home the next morning (Saturday) so that was some pretty sad news to get. Saturday morning we went to the airport with him and Elders Gunn, Payne, Hale, and Crump and also President Ellis. It was sad to say goodbye but I know it is what is best for him and I know that even though he is leaving the mission field he is leaving his areas better than he found them and he helped a ton of people, and he lives in Utah so I'll see him again when I go back to school. The rest of the day was pretty bluh after that until the night when we got transfer calls.
There are no more transfer meetings so we found out where we were going and who with then and there. Elder Greenberg is going to the Laguna Niguel ward with my good friend Elder Forthman, and I was originally going to stay in Southcoast and be joined by Elder Gibb but after some crazy stuff there were some last second changes and I no longer had a companion and I was told I would find out soon. On Sunday my zone leader called and told me that I will be put in a trio with Elders Garret and Johnson and we will double cover the Southcoast and Newport Beach 2nd wards. However, this didn't make sense since that area is on the other side of the zone, their church time interferes with the Southcoast time, and it leaves my district with an even number of elders and sisters (which is not allowed). Elder Lovgren, my district leader who isn't going home, decided he would talk to the Assistants to try and get it changed so that I was in a trio with him which would have been awesome because we get along really well and his new companion is going to be Elder Davies who was my last companion in San Clemente YSA, if this happened we would have double covered Newport Coast YSA and Southcoast wards which worked because they meet in the same building at the same time, it keeps me in the same district, and it is a lot easier to double cover when one of the wards encompasses the whole zone. So today while we were shopping I got a phone call from the Assistants again with new a new transfer assignment, I got really excited hoping our plan would work out but then, in a huge turn of events, they told me that I will be transferring to the Lake Forest ward in the Rancho Santa Margarita Stake, that my companion is Elder Summers (who is one of my friends from the MTC) and as the craziest of all, I will be joining him in doing Japanese work! That's right, now I get to start learning a little Japanese and sit and pretend to know whats happening in lessons. Its gonna be a huge change but I know its what I need to do and I know it will be an amazing experience.
I know that the Lord presents us with new
challenges and opportunities to help us grow and progress. I know that
even though times might get hard that through daily reliance on the
Atonement of Jesus Christ we can be strengthened to withstand out
toughest trials. I know that our Heavenly Father loves us and that he
wants the best for us. I know that our Savior Jesus Christ sacrificed
His mortal life so that we can all live again. I know that the Book of
Mormon is true and that through continued study of it we can draw closer
to our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and feel the presence of the
Holy Ghost in our lives. I love being a missionary, I have loved the
Southcoast ward and I'm sure I will love it in Lake Forest, these people
have been good to me and I know I needed to be with them and I know
that there are good people in my next area who in some way shape or form
need my help and that now I need to be with them.
Tofa! (that means goodbye in Samoan)
Tofa! (that means goodbye in Samoan)
Alofa (This is love in Samoan),
Elder Cheever
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