Surprise!!

Hey everyone,

I know you weren't expecting an e-mail today, neither was I. However here we are at the college e-mailing our families. President is really inconsistent with Holidays. I'm sure that because his schedule is just as crazy as ours he doesn't really notice them as much as he did then. All of the days are rolled up into one big one. The world just keeps revolving and changing and we just keep trucking along not really knowing or caring about what's going on around us. Its a pretty cool feeling to have and I'm sad that it won't last long.

There have been a lot of changes in our area. We just got Elder Mudaliar and we now have two companionships. Elder Bell and Elder Mudaliar. Elder North and me. They have the east half and we have the west. Both areas have their advantages, mine is I don't have to drive a van. haha. ;) Its great! We ride our bikes everywhere, walk and just enjoy not having the responsibility of a car. Elder Bell is now the designated driver and I can do whatever I want to in the back. It is a blast!!

With the new area our teaching pool has been hacked in half. We have been trying to find more people to teach and praying that the ones that Elder Bell and Elder Mudaliar are teaching keep progressing. Like Kenneth. I mentioned him last week, but it seems to be worse. We went to teach him on Monday and he didn't want anything to do with us. After talking to him for a while we once again were on good terms and he was ready for baptism, but he got worse over the week. When Elder Bell went to go pick him up for church he said he wasn't going. This will be the second obvious person who has been touched by the spirit and then chooses not to follow it. I know that they have their agency and that I should and do respect it, but its hard. I just want to tell him everything and allow him to see with his spiritual eyes. If he could just see what is waiting for him he wouldn't question anything, but jump right in. The same thing happens to me all the time. I don't know what's on the other side. A lot of times a trial comes in my life that just looks like a giant mountain. We see the beautiful valleys with flowing streams and the constant waterfalls, but the Lord tells us to go up the mountain. Straight up! It looks impossible and at times we may feel like we have come to the face of cliff. With nowhere to go, but up. Through it all we learn faith, diligence and a whole lot of patience. However, like Kenneth, if we don't start on the path we will never reach the top, we will never find out what it is that we are missing. Nobody could tell us about, nor could they give us a picture, because it would mean nothing to us. To truly feel the joy, we need to be where the Lord wants us, on top of the mountain. (BTW; its really hard to give a mountain analogy when you haven't seen mountains for almost 2 years)

This week is looking promising. I don't have to drive the van. I get to ride my bike in beautiful 70 degree weather. The Chabots are doing very well and close to baptism. Elder North and I are a great companionship. Its Megan's birthday and I have something to send her, sorry its late. What a week it'll be!!!

Love Elder Call