Day 83-Meetings and Rain-06-19-06

Not much happened today. We had meetings, which we have every Monday unless otherwise stated. It rained a lot, which wasn't pleasant. I'm kinda tired tonight, so this'll be a short entry. Tomorrow I should be rested and have more to write.

Love,
Elder Pierce

Days 82-Planning and Communication-6-18-06

Well, W. came to church today. T. wasn't able to come. He was very tired, his dad said.

I can't wait! W. wants to go back to the visitor's center on Wednesday. We'll see the Joseph Smith movie. It will be lots of fun. Hopefully, T. will come.

I'm gonna have to put more into the nightly planning sessions than I have been. When I was with Elder B, my first companion and my trainer, he did most of the planning each night. Elder Davis is a good missionary and a fun guy to be around. He's great with kids, but not much of a planner. During our planning sessions I feel that a lot of the responsibility falls on me. Elder Davis for some reason does not communicate with me whom we should see. If I don't lay out the plan for the next day, it won't get done. It's not that big of a deal. Plus, planning by myself is probably a good experience. Who knows? In a few days maybe it's fix itself. Either way, I won't let it get me down. Good communication is important in any relationship. We just need to work on that.

I wanted to say that I think this week feels like a good one. We're going to have to move back W. and T. and A.'s baptismal dates. They just don't have the testimony that they need yet. W. is close, but they all need some more time. Dispite this, I still feel that something big and important will happen within the next 7 days.

I'm so tired tonight. I have so many things I want to talk about, but there is never enough time. Maybe on p-day I can get through some of them. Till tomorrow, then. Good night out there, where ever you are.

Day 81-Aliens and UFO's-6-17-06

I've talked about R. before. He's inactive and has a unique view about things. He was in rare form tonight.

He told Elder Davis and me about how he used to see spirits. Little balls of light.
"Firefly's"? I asked him. "No, man," he said. "These were like little Christmas lights. All different colors. Orange, blue, purple. All floating around in my backyard. I saw them with my bare, bald eyes." "Bald eyes," I asked. "Yeah, man. You can't have hairy eyes."

He also told us about one time when he was driving,(this is back when he had a car). It was dark. At the side of the road he says he saw a little creature. About three feet high, with huge, cat-like eyes, and long blond hair. It was standing there hitch-hiking, hoping for a ride. Raf didn't stop because he does not pick up hitch-hikers.

The crowning story of the night, though, was the time he got up in the middle of the night for a snack. It's late. As he goes to the kitchen, he thinks he hears someone moving around in the house. He fixes a nice bologna sandwich and heads back to bed. He looks to his right and notices that the closet door is open. While R. is standing there wondering how the door got opened, a basketball rolls out and stops a little bit in front of him. No sooner does this happen then two small men come running out of the closet up to the basketball.

R. described them like this: "They were about the size of a Barbie doll. Tall and skinny, but with bigger than normal heads. Their clothes looked like they were made of moss. "Made out of moss!!!", I thought. They spoke to R. in an unknown language, but for some reason he could understand what they were saying to him. They said they were sorry for using the basketball and that they would put it back. They rolled the basketball back into the closet. The door closed behind them. When R. opened the door, the little men were gone, so he went to bed. Classic R. stories tonight. The Lord loves all of his children, no matter what planet they live on.

We didn't see N. tonight. I want to draw a line in the sand and tell him to cross it. I don't know...maybe the J-dub's promising him the world is too big a temptation for him. We'll just have to ask him if that is what he really wants-not to be able to celebrate Christmas, Easter or his little girl's birthday. Tomorrow is Sunday! W. and T. will be there.

Day 80-12th Article of Faith-06/16/06

Today was pretty busy. We haven't had the chance to meet with N. yet. I think he's avoiding us. It's too bad, 'cause in my studies today, I read some great scriptures in 1st and 2nd Peter that debunk the J-Dub's claim for political disolution. (Disolution? What's that? Brooklyn for "this solution"?)

Jehovah's Witnesses claim that the Bible tells us that Jesus Christ's one true church would not get involved in politics or even vote. They have other scriptures that N. showed us the last time we met with him. They were in his "study-buddy" entitled, "Reasoning from the Scriptures." In the book under "Government", they pick a verse out of Jeremiah that they say talks about how God never wanted us to form governments.

In Jeremiah 10:23, it says, "Oh Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps." (what does that have to do with government?) Then they put a commentary after it. They say that God did not authorize his human creation to chart its own path independent from God." (anyone heard of free agency?) Pure drivel. There! That's my commentary on their commentary. The verse had nothing to do with the point, yet N. keeps swallowing it. I hope that we are able to meet with N. tomorrow. I have some patriotic verses to share with him. I also, of course, plan to put them in my journal, but that is for another day. One in which I have more time.

One last thing about today. I just wanted to say that I don't think our investigators will make their baptismal date on the 24th. I am hopeful for all of them, but they are just not ready for the covenant of baptism yet. We are planning on going to the D.C. temple with W. and T. on Wednesday. We'll go catch a screening of the new Joseph Smith movie. I can't wait!!! Next week is going to be good. I can feel it.

Day 79-Busy Day and a Quote to Add to the Others-06-15-06

Busy, busy day. Lot's to tell.

Elder Chacon is back in our zone this transfer. His reputation precedes him. He was Elder Buttars companion here in this area before I came. I was told of the...well, there really is no other word for it...the "exploits of Elder Chacon."

Every missionary has their favorite Elder C. story. Elder Buttars told me before he went home (from injuries sustained in a bike accident) of the time when he was on exchanges with Elder Chacon. They were on bikes. Elder Buttars was leading the way. Elder Chacon was trying to keep up. Elder Buttars was a very fast biker. Elder Chacon, to put it politely, was not. Elder Buttars went whizzing down a hill as Elder Chacon was making it to the top. At this point, Elder Chacons bike chain broke. Elder Chacon looks down at his broken bike chain and when he looks up he can't see Elder Buttars anymore. He starts coasting down this steep hill. He can't pedal because his chain is broken. He picks up speed and unknowingly, passes the street that Elder Buttars is on. Elder Buttars realizes that there is a problem when Elder Chacon does not show up. He starts pedaling back up the hill to find Elder Chacon. Elder C. keeps trying to find Elder B. They were separated for hours trying to find each other. I've heard many stories about Elder Chacon, but this is a classic.

We went to visit Sister B. tonight. It wasn't planned. We were just kind of brought there. When we arrived, there were lots of cars there. "Are they having a party?", I wondered. We went to a birthday party for Sister B's daughter recently. Her daughter turned 17. All of her friends were nonmembers so that is why we went.

When we went into their home, we knew it wasn't a party. Sister B's mom had died earlier that morning. A bunch of the members from the Herndon ward were there to comfort her. Sister B has never been one to wear her emotions on her sleeve. Every time I've been around her, she has had some kind of funny comment or story. Tonight, though, she was a little vacant. I hadn't seen those eyes since my mother lost her parents two years ago. It's not the crying. It's the look that comes after the tears. After you are all cried out; after the grief sets in. That look-its a tough thing to deal with, but thanks to her knowledge of the restored gospel, she knows that her mother is no longer in pain. She wants to do her mom's temple work in a year. The church is true.

He husband is not a member. He isn't opposed to the church, he just doesn't care for religion right now. We'll keep working with him.

I'm glad that we were able to visit Sister B. today. I know that it meant a lot to her that we stopped in to check on her. She'll bounce back. It'll just take some time.

On the way home, my companion and I talked about Sister B's husband. The member who was our driver that night said, "You know, a lot of men can't understand why you boys do what you do. I don't care what religion you are, you notice when someone really lives what they believe. To find someone your age who has this strong relationship with God is really rare."

I said that it was hard to convert men. Young men or women who are looking for answers, we can talk to. Mothers with their children can become converted, but it's the man that is harder. I said, "He's harder because he's either set in his ways and won't change or just never really saw the importance in having a strong relationship with God. I'm not saying this from experience, 'cause I don't have any." Elder Davis liked that quote, so it'll join the ranks of "dolphin-safe tuna nets and 'amberga's." "I'm not saying this from experience, 'cause I don't have any." 'Night.

Day 78-You've Gotta Be Careful With Oils-06-14-06

Today's not P-day because of temple conference. Half of our mission went to temple conference yesterday. The other half is going today.

Elder Goodrich is my new zone leader this transfer. He, along with Elder Spencer, watch over all of the elders and sisters in the Oakton zone.

Today they came by to help me finish getting my certification. I'm almost done. All I have left to do is finish reading "Preach My Gospel." When I finish, I can get signed off and then I'm a certified missionary!

Elder Goodrich was in a lot of pain when he came over today. He had a massive cold sore under his nose. I gave him my famous catch phrase, "I've got an oil for that". I gave him some Thieves for his nose. It helped me to clear up a canker sore I had at the MTC, so I figured it would help him.

After he rubs it on, he asks, "Is it supposed to burn like that?" I told him, "Yes, but it's temporary. Hang in there." I gave him some peppermint to cool it down. He said it felt better and was not as hot.

A few minutes later, I hear Elder Goodrich scream from the bathroom. He had a searing pain in a personal location. He had attempted to go to the bathroom with the oils still on his hands. I'm trying to be mature here...

He went into the bathroom and locked the door. He, then began to take a shower. He was in there for a half an hour trying to cool off. He got some new nick names from the other elders which I am choosing to omit.

Later, after the burning went away, Elder Goodrich did say that his nose felt better. Nothing like pain in one area to take your mind off the pain in another. hahaha.

Elder Goodrich is a nice guy. He's been out for 22 months, so he's going home pretty soon. There are so many things I want to write, but I'm out of time for now.

One last thing...We might try and teach N. tomorrow. I've just been to the temple. I'm spiritually strengthened. No J-Dub doctrine can hinder me. "...No unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing..." . No holds barred. We're going there to teach!

Day 77 continued-A Revelation

I now have a better understanding of Lucifer's motivation in the garden of Eden. I'd always wondered why Lucifer wanted Adam and Eve to eat the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. If he truly wanted to thwart God's plan of happiness, why didn't he just leave Adam and Eve alone? Why not have the two of them remain innocent in the garden forever? None of us would have been born or received physical bodies.

I'll talk about Lucifer's motivation in a minute. First, something said by the devil in 2Nephi 2:18 has always been interesting to me. When he tempts Eve he tells her, "Partake of the forbidden fruit and you shall not die, but ye shall be as God, knowing good and evil. In tempting Eve, Satan tipped his hand. He told us his agenda. He wants us to know good and evil. Satan doesn't care about anything else as long as he can get us to know evil. Because once we know evil, he always has the ability to tempt us one way or another.

Now, you might wonder, if Satan wanted us to know good and evil,how is that different from what God wanted?" What I found in 2Nephi:26 helped me find the answer, I think. It says,"...the Messiah cometh in the fulness of time, that he may redeem the children of men from the fall. And because that they are redeemed from the fall they have become free forever, knowing good from evil. That's the difference. If we really want to be more like our Heavenly Father, it's not simple enough to know good and evil, like Satan said. We have to know good from evil. Verse 26 goes on to say, "to act...and not to be acted upon,...". That's our goal. To make those choices. To act. And that by doing those right actions, we won't be acted upon.

Anyway, I got a little sidetracked. I wanted to explain the motivation of Lucifer. Satan needed the fall to happen just as much as Heavenly Father did. Satan wanted every one of us to come to Earth, if only for the chance to tempt us. To cause us to fall away from the Father. "For he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself." 2Nephi 2:27 If we were never born, if we never came to Earth, Satan would not be able to claim us. He wants to drag as many people down with him as he's able. That's why the fall needed to happen for Satan. Only he, the great instigator, could get the ball rolling.

All in all, today was great. Tomorrow's not P-day. I'll explain why later.

Day 77-Temple Conference -06-13-06

The Washington D.C. Temple

The spires are finished. I was surprised and thrilled that they're done so quickly. They are so bright and beautiful. I'm in awe.

Not long after I entered the temple, I saw it. I saw the Washington D.C. Temple mural. It is a picture of the Savior showing Himself to the multitudes in the spirit world. The faithful people come unto Christ, while those who have never repented are filled with sorrow. Something I noticed for the first time was a temple in the top left corner of the mural. It looks like the D.C. temple.

There are some beautiful fountains and paintings at the temple as well as stained glass windows. So much to see.

I thought I would mention that I'm not the only "Pierce" in the mission field. There is another Elder Pierce and a Sister Pierce. As far as I know, there is no relation.

I'm thankful for the opportunity I had to go to the temple today. I'm thankful that there's a temple in my mission area. It really gave me that spiritual boost that I needed. Whenever I've been to the temple, my mind always feels so clear and receptive to the spirit. For example, today I had a new revelation.

Day 76-Just Say No...to Easter, Christmas and Patriotism- 06-12-06

I'm back in Reston today with Elder Oram. We went tracting today. Since Elder Oram is the district leader now, I was able to get some things passed off for certification. I'm almost finished.

Let me talk briefly about the Jehovah's Witnesses. I've decided not to spend too much time in my journal on what they believe. It's false doctrine. Let's just leave it at that.

The last thing I will say on the matter is what happened when we taught N. yesterday.

According to what N. told us, this is my interpretation: They believe that Adam and Eve were the biggest dim bulbs in history. If they didn't eat the fruit... (arggh)It drives me nuts. It makes no sense. I don't know if I can finish writing this, it's so dumb!

They believe that it was not our Heavenly Father's original plan for man to die. What he wanted to have happen was for Adam and Eve to live forever and have children. There was never supposed to be any trials or tests of our faith. (Don't ask me how. Don't try to make sense of it. Just listen.) When they ate of the fruit and transgressed the law, they were cast out of the Garden. This is when God scratched His head and goes, "Well, that didn't turn out how I thought it would. Guess I had better switch to Plan B." They say that Satan won in the Garden of Eden; that the only reason we even need Jesus Christ and His Atonement was because Adam and Eve could not keep their hands off each other.

I joke, but there are people out there, sons and daughters of God, who believe this. They don't believe in celebrating Easter, Christmas, birthdays, Leif Erickson day or any other holidays. They don't believe in patriotism or saluting the flag.

The thing that pains me is that they don't think it's possible for them to return to live with their Heavenly Father. Actually I shouldn't say return. They also don't believe in a pre-existence.

This is brief??? I know, I know...I didn't mean to talk this much about the J-Dub's. It's just once I get on a roll...

Tomorrow's a big day. Temple Conference. I'll report back later.

Day 75-Satan is Laughing at Us-06-11-06

Satan is laughing at us. I should explain. We taught N. tonight. "So how did it go?", you ask. Score one for the Jehovah's Witnesses. He showed us his study buddy. Study Buddy is a term I use to denote any book written by man that helps you "interprete" the scriptures. I am so upset right now. The J.W's did a number on N. What is his hope? The J.W's told him that we don't have a chance of getting into Heaven. Only 144,000 will be able to live with God, and there is nothing we can do to change that. It's all predetermined! The best we can hope for is to live on the earth when Christ comes again and never die.

The J.W. preach that there was a Great Apostasy. At least they got that right. It's just hard when they have a bit of truth and distort it. "Philosophies of man mingled with scripture."

Day 74-Do Not Format-06-10-06

June 10, 2006. Herndon, VA. The weather here is amazing. I thought for sure the humidity would be a lot worse. Everyone says it's supposed to be hotter. As it stands, it's 69 degrees a couple of weeks into June. I'm sure it's not gonna' last all summer. It'd be nice if it did, though. There's a wonderful breeze which keeps us cool.

We stopped by R.'s place today. He was a little depressed. I'm a little depressed, too, as well. I lost all of the pictures on my digital camera. Now a bit wiser, I wrote on the side of the camera, "DO NOT FORMAT!!!" You will lose all of your pictures! When I went to the set up screen, I was trying to find out how to turn on the flash. There was an option that said, "format". I went there. It asked me, "Are you sure you want to format?" "Why not", I thought. What's the worst that could happen?" So I formatted. When I went to view my pictures, I said, "Hey, Wha'Happen?" They're all gone now. Drat. Well, temple conference is next week. I'm glad that I figured this out now. I'll start fresh at the temple conference.

We also closed a chapter in my missionary saga. We went to pick up Elder Buttars bike today. It's finally done. We plan to give it to him at temple conference. Today wasn't as productive as most days have been. I need to stick to my guns and make sure we get out of here on time. Elder Buttars main strength was his punctuality. I'm trying to be better about that. Tomorrow's Sunday.

Day 73-Great Analogy-Jesus Christ as the Chief Cornerstone-06-09-06

Okay, I want to talk about the Jehovah's Witnesses and what they believe, but first we met a man named Chow T. Like A., he is from Liberia. It was kinda rainy today when we street contacted him on the steps outside of his apartment building. He said how his preacher had told him that Jesus Christ was the last prophet and that if he wanted to be saved, he had to be baptized and read the scriptures. So we showed him a scripture- Ephesians 2:19-20- "Now, therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the Saints, and of the household of God; and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and the prophets, Jesus Christ being the chief cornerstone."

I came up with, I think, a good analogy. Jesus Christ is the chief cornerstone. When you build a house, the cornerstone is set first and then the rest of the foundation is built off of that. If the cornerstone is crooked, the house will be crooked. Jesus Christ is perfect, so we know that the cornerstone of the household of God is also perfect. The problem is that most every Christian church only builds on Jesus Christ. If you tried to build on the cornerstone by itself, you'd have a pretty small house. That's how it is with the gospel. In such a small house, you would not have the room you need to put everything.

It's only when we build on a full foundation, a foundation of apostles and prophets with Jesus Christ as the chief cornerstone that we have room for the full gospel of Jesus Christ. That's why it's so important that we have the apostles and the prophets on the earth today. We shared that with Chow T. and he said, "You know that sounds right! There should be apostles and prophets on the earth today to guide us. We need prophets!" he said. (yippee) Elder Davis is really excited about teaching him again. I am, too. He's a great guy. We gave him a Book of Mormon. He's going to read it. We'll check in on him next week.

(Sigh) Out of time again. I'll get to the beliefs of the J-Dubs eventually, It's worth the wait, trust me. I plan to go in-depth. For now, good night.

Day 72-Salvation is not a Cheap Experience-06-08-06

Today I went on an exchange with Elder Phelps. I was in charge. This time, unlike my previous exchanges when I have been in charge, I wasn't in a panic. Things went good today. We taught S. at the H's house. Finally! We took the plunge and read the first four chapters of 1st Nephi. It went okay. S. still wonders why Lehi isn't mentioned in the Bible. (Sigh) It's an uphill battle. I'm reminded of something that Jeffrey R. Holland said to us at the MTC. "Salvation is not a cheap experience." It's gonna take a while, but S. is sincere in her search. I know that she will find the truth. I just wish it wouldn't take so long.

We taught A. today. We taught the commandments and the importance of baptism. I'm a little relieved. I wasn't sure how A. was progressing. It was good to meet with him and talk about the commitments he plans to make before baptism. I think he can make his baptismal date of June 24.

We also bumped into N. today. We weren't planning to meet with him, but we were all out walking and saw each other. He wanted to know more about what we thought about J-Dub's. I told him we would discuss it when we had more time at our next appointment with him. I plan to write more in my journal about the J-Dubs. But, I have been asked to cut back on my journal writing (sigh), so I guess I'll stop for now.

Day 71-Busy Day-06-07-06

Wow. Busy day. We went to Staples. I got some much needed supplies. Elder Davis played a demo of a song he recorded at the MTC. He recorded it on one of those tape recorder things that every missionary has. I listened to it. The kid's good. He's a good songwriter. I'm gonna have to include some Chris D. originals in my journal sometime so that I can say, " I knew him when..."

We taught N. today. The J-Dubs got to him. J-dub is missionary slang for Jehovah's Witnesses. That's why N. has been so hung up on the Book of Revelation every time we talk to him. N. told us that he thinks the Catholic church is wrong and that every church that broke away from the Catholic church is wrong. He has a lot of interesting and different ideas about what he believes.

Day 70-The Da Vinci Code is Fiction-06/06/06

Today we are going to teach S. We are hoping to get her to come to church this Sunday.

The reason why we have not been able to get her to come to church before now is because of "The DaVinci Code." I haven't read it or seen it. I won't be able to until I get off my mission. I do know the buzz that this movie has created amongst the Christian community. The movie is centered around idea that Jesus Christ was married to Mary Magdalene and they had a child together. It says that is what the Holy Grail was-the child of Christ. (Boy, those Monty Python guys had it all wrong.)

At this point I'd like to point out that this book, "The DaVinci Code" was written by Dan Brown. Not Dan the Beloved. Not Dan the Divine. Just plain old Dan Brown. I can't even believe that I'm pointing this out, but in case anyone is wondering, let me remind you that this book is FICTION. It is amazing to me that some churches are up in arms about this film. S. told Elder Buttars (before he got transferred) and me that she had seen this movie. She thought it was boring.

Nevertheless, she chose to spend three Sundays at her "non-denominal" church attending a seminar on exposing the lies of the Da Vinci Code. I can think of a better way to spend a Sunday. Now that the seminar is over, we will ask her to come to church with us.

Today we are going to read the Book of Mormon with S. Normally, when we read the Book of Mormon with an investigator, we'll pick a chapter like 3 Nephi 11 or Alma 32 or 34 and of course 2 Nephi 31. Elder D. felt that it would be best for S. if we started at the beginning. I'm not sure, but it might just be what she needs.

Since we are talking about movies today, I'd like to mention the only movie I know that has come out since I left for my mission. X-Men 3. That's about it so far. I have no clue about movies anymore except what I brought with me in my "dolphin-safe tuna net" of a mind. My only exposure to movies at all is when we bike past the theater. I read the names of some of the movies, but I don't have a clue what they are about.

One movie that I heard was being remade is "The Omen". That's the creepy movie about the anti-christ. I have no desire to see that. I just wanted to point out the marketing gimmick by releasing it on June 6, 2006. You get a ticket stub that says 06/06/06. Very amusing. Hahaha

We're leaving now to go teach S. It's been a while since our last meeting with her. I can't wait! If anything happens (which it should) I'll write it here.

Well, we did not get to meet with S today. We got there on time. She forgot about our meeting. We're gonna try again on Thursday. No big deal. I'll close for today.

Day 69-The Day of the Mulberry-06-05-06

Today was a little slower than the past few days have been. We did meet a man named Todd, though. It was around 8:00pm. We were making our way back home, stopping to talk to the people we met as we went.

I saw a man bending down over a tarp collecting mulberries. This was Todd. He's an agnostic. We talked with him about the nature of God. He's a very logical person. He said he likes to see something before he will believe it. Todd said he did not believe that there was a God. He said he did not like how religious people went to church and paid money because they thought if they didn't they'd go to hell.

He asked us, "So you believe you're the only true church?" My instant reaction to this question was "YES." So he asked us what made us different from every other church that claims that they are right.

Our belief is that this is the same church that Jesus Christ created while he was on the earth. We believe that there are prophets on the earth today just like in the times of old. This is a belief that is shared by no other church that I can think of.

I still don't know why they think this. Where in the Bible does it say that Jesus Christ's earthly ministry is the last direct contact we'll receive from God? Yet, every Christian denomination, or just about every one, believes that.

Let's see...where was I...oh yes, Todd. He thanked us for our time, but wasn't interested. He said that we definitey have a unique message. He just doesn't have the faith to believe in God right now. He gathered up his mulberry bunches that he had collected on a cloth and departed. He was a nice enough guy. He just needs some direction in his life.

I need to work on how to talk about the gospel with agnostics.

Definition of an agnostic- One who believes that it is impossible to know whether there is a God.
One who is skeptical about the existence of God but does not profess true atheism.
One who is doubtful or noncommittal about something.
One who disbelieves or denies the existence of God or gods.

Atheist-One who disbelieves or denies the existence of God or gods.

Day 68-Fast Sunday-06-04-06

Boy, Fast Sunday really takes it out of me. I was so tired today. After a nice dinner at a member's home, though, I was fine.

Elder Davis and I found that we have something else in common. Yesterday when we were leaving the Herndon festival, I saw a frozen banana stand in the food court. I said, "There's always money in the banana stand." Elder D. stopped me and said, "wait a minute. Where did you hear that?" "Arrested Development", I said. He told me, "No way! I love that show!" We talked about our favorite characters. It's a really funny show.

Of course, I need to focus on the work now, which I have been. It's just nice to take a small break and discuss with your companion the merits of your favorite t.v. show.

Day 67-Music and Merry-Go-Rounds-06-03-06

Elder Davis likes music. What I did not know is that he likes to make music. He records and produces his own songs. Some of his #1 hits that he's written so far are, "Will You Be Baptized?" It's a stirring song about a missionary who's getting transferred, but asks his investigator if they will get baptized even though he won't be around to see it.

He wrote a song based on Thomas S. Monson's general conference talk. It's a love song entitled, "You're My Maka-Feke, Baby." He has some really funny songs.

Not all of his songs he writes are missionary-appropriate. They aren't bad songs, just not as spiritual as some. One of his songs that he played for me was a "breaking-up-with-you" type song. He said, "I'll bet you can't guess what the inspiration for that song is." The song started. It was a techno beat. I then heard Elder D. sing on the cd, "I can make it on my own." The song continued and I recognized , "Hey, I know that! That's L'il Brudder from Homestar Runner.com!" Elder Davis said, "Wow! You watch Homestar Runner, too? That's awesome." That's the best.

Today Elder Davis and I went to the Herndon Festival for lunch. It was a blast! I purchased a Herndon Festival t-shirt. They had a merry-go-round, ferris wheel, arts and crafts booths, different places to eat, and all that good stuff. Fun missionary memories. Tomorrow's church!

Day 66-Famous Sayings-06-02-06

Well, Elder Thatcher (from my MTC days) has made me famous throughout the Washington D.C. South mission. Yesterday, he was introducing me to the other missionaries from his zone. They said, "so this is Elder Pierce, the oil man." I'm not just, "the oil man". I'm "the Elder who walks on his toes", "the drawer" (artist, not chest of), "the history buff", "the sculpter", "the chronic journal writer", and "the quote-maker". ("Lovely titles"-Smaugg)

My quotes include, "I've got an oil for that!", "It's not food, it's 'amburgas.", "ya know, I'm in pretty good standing with the kitchen staff now. I could arrange for you to train in their meat locker.",and "All my thoughts float around in my head until they are caught by the dolphin-safe tuna net inside my mind." These are things I said at the MTC that Elder T. thought were funny. I'll explain the meaning behind some of these...

"I've got an oil for that" came about because whenever anyone at the MTC got a sore throat or a pain of any kind, I'd offer them some essential oils. Elder Thatcher liked the peppermint oil the best.

"It's not food, it's 'amberga's!"-I received a care package from home while at the MTC. My family made hamburgers and sushi for me. They were candy hamburgers made from Nilla wafers, Keebler Grasshoppers, green dyed coconut for lettuce, and stuff. The sushi was made from Rice Krispies wrapped in Fruit by the Foot with a piece of gummy worm in the middle. Anyway, it was delivered to me in our classroom. I started to eat some of the yummy treats my family made me, when Elder Thatcher, who was our district leader at the MTC, said to me, "Elder Pierce, there's no eating food in the classroom." I don't know why I said what I did, but in a British accent, with a mouthful of "hamburgers" I said, "It's not food, it's 'amburgas'." Elder Francom loved that. We'd be walking down the hall a week later and he'd say, "it's not food, it's 'amburga's". Just out of nowhere, and it'd put a smile on his face. I think it's funny, even if it does not make any sense.

"Ya, know, I'm in pretty good standing with the kitchen staff..." came from an incident that occurred with one of the missionaries. This saying needs the most back-story. The first part about the kitchen staff comes from the fact that I went where most missionaries only dream of going (haha)...the kitchen in the cafeteria. The staff got me the foil I needed to make my sculpture that resides at the MTC today. I also went to the heart of the MTC kitchen to bake my clay. I had permission of course. That's why it was well-known at the MTC that I was in good standing with the kitchen staff. I came and went as I pleased. They thought it was neat that I could sculpt and needed to use their ovens to bake it. Very nice people.

The person whom I offered to train in the meat locker was Elder Patton. In our dorms at the MTC one night, Elder Patton got into a fight. Some things were said by both parties that should not have been said. In the end, Elder Patton ended up in a headlock. His pride was hurt, that's all. Elder Patton had some anger management issues to work out. He felt that he was getting pushed around and did not like it. He was angry and did not know what to do with his anger, so he started doing push-ups.

I wanted to make it clear that the missionary Elder Patton got into it with was not from our district. We were all very good friends. This was just some missionary that liked to roughhouse. Having been next to my comp. and watching him get in a fight, I didn't know what to say to him. I figured I needed to say something. Watching him doing push-ups and muttering under his breath, reminded me of the movie, "Rocky". So off the cuff, I said, "Ya, know, Elder Patton, I'm in pretty good standing with the kitchen staff. I could maybe arrange for you to train in their meat locker."

That made Elder Patton laugh. He was still mad, but he could not help it. It just made him laugh out loud. After that, he wasn't mad about what happened anymore.

This next quote about the tuna net came about because Elder Thatcher asked me how I kept coming up with all of these funny quotes. I told him it was because I liked to read books and watch movies. Everything I've seen or heard is a thought in my mind. My brain is like the ocean. I then said, "All of my thoughts float around in my head until they are caught by the dolphin-safe tuna net inside my mind." Whenever I'd say something funny, Elder Thatcher would go, "Elder Pierce, you and your tuna nets are too much. It's just crazy." Elder Francom would then correct him. "Don't forget, they are dolphin-safe tuna nets."

We had a lot of fun with those catch-phrases and others too numerous to mention. MTC=Good Times.

Day 65- Out with the Old, In With the June-06-01-06

Elder Davis is my new companion. He's from So.CA. Born and raised. He's on the short side. I consider myself average height. He's about 5'5". If you look at the pictures of Elder Buttars and me, Elder Buttars is pretty tall. When I'm with Elder Davis, I look pretty tall.

Elder Davis has been on a mission for one year and two months. He has a lot of energy which he attributes to his A.D.H.D. He says that he can get a little crazy. He says that he's a break dancer. A stark contrast from tall, serious, fatherly-like Elder Buttars. I was warned by Elder Buttars before he left that I shouldn't tell my new companion how he did everything. Sometimes companions would resent it, and rightly so in my opinion.

They call your first companion your trainer. Your second companion is called your breaker. They break what your trainer built up. They show you that there is more than one way to do missionary work. You can then take some traits from your trainer, some from your breaker, and add your own style. Be your own missionary.

Wow! The Herndon festival fireworks show is starting! We can see it from our apartment! I'm gonna go get some pictures. (Oooooh! The Finale!)
Well, that was fun. Elder Davis and I sat on our balcony and watched the fireworks. They were pretty close, too. What a great way to start off a companionship...with a bang. 'Night.

Day 64 cont.-Saying Goodbye

Words from Elder Buttars.

My Son,

Man it was a fast six weeks. We had a lot of good things happen. We were able to find W. and T. I had a good time helping you get up to speed on that bike. You are a good elder. Just keep working hard. Give your best at all times. Don't ever let up. I wish I could stay here one more transfer, but the Lord has other plans for me. You'll do great as a missionary. Just don't get addicted to those oils. They're bad for you.

Your Daddy,
Elder Buttars

Thank you Elder Buttars. Thank you for being my companion. My trainer. My friend. I remember the first person I talked to with Elder Buttars out in the field. It was before the Muslim family. Here's what happened:

I didn't have a bike yet. We walked from our apartment to this nice neighborhood. It wasn't hot yet or anything. A nice spring day.

The first man I met on my mission waves at us from the front yard and says, "Hi, Elders! How's it going?" I'm still very new, so I just listen quietly while Elder Buttars talks with him. He offers us some ice water and tells us all about his neighbors. He tells who might be interested in hearing our message, how many kids in each family, and what their church background is. He asks us if there is anything he can do for us. We tell him that we are fine right now, thanks anyway. He says, "Well, I won't keep you guys any longer. If you ever need anything just stop by. You know where I live." After leaving I asked Elder Buttars, "So is that guy in our ward?" He said, "No, he's not even a member." I did a double take. "Not a member? Then why was he helping us out and stuff?" Elder Buttars said, "He's just a nice guy." That man wasn't interested in becoming a member, but he always helped the missionaries whenever they were in the neighborhood. I then realized that my time with Elder Buttars would be a series of unexpected events.

When I got my bike for the first time, I was a little shaky. Elder Buttars ran behind me holding onto the seat like a father helping a little kid who was going without training wheels for the first time, which I basically was.

We went to the zone leaders apt. today so Elder Buttars could say goodbye to them. While we were there, we got an unexpected phone call. It was Elder Bailey. "You can't write this stuff."

Elder Bailey said that he had burst some disks in his lower back. He won't be able to return to the mission field for at least 7 months. Elder Oram was very upset. That's his companion. His buddy.

We rode our bikes over to the Z.L.'s apt. I always carry my backpack or something to keep things in. Elder Buttars wanted to take a workout "toy" home that Elder Custer had made for him. It weighs 10 pounds. It is a broom handle wrapped in duct tape with a rope in the middle and a 10 pound weight tied on. Guess who got talked into carrying an extra 10 pounds home in his backpack?

That was tiring. Elder Buttars helped carry it the last half of the way home. When took my backpack and put it on himself, it was literally a weight being lifted off of my shoulders. I can see why they use that metaphor for repentance. When you give these problems to someone who is willing to carry them for you, the relief you feel in knowing, "I can go forward not having to deal with that burden anymore", that's the best feeling there is. That's what changes people's hearts. That what changes people's lives. It's that faith that leads to action. It's that action that leads to repentance. It's that repentance that leads to baptism.

The bottom line? I'm gonna miss you Elder Buttars.

Day 64-Transfers-P-day-The P Stand for Panic-5-31-06

Elder Buttars is on the phone now. I've just been informed by him that he's going. I'm staying. Whew! The groundhog popped up out of his hole and gave me six more weeks of Herndon. My new companion is Elder Davis. I think Dorothy said it best, "people come and go so quickly."

The worst thing for Elder Buttars is that his bike is in the shop. For three weeks! He's been using a member's bike while he gets his repaired. The bike shop says they are waiting for a part. They told him it would be done in one to two weeks. That was three weeks ago. I guess someone will have to take his bike to his new area...when it gets fixed???

The worst thing for me is that I will be the veteran in the area when Elder Buttars leaves. I'll be the one who is supposed to get us from place to place. I can't believe that I've been in this area for six weeks already. I'm planning to copy Elder Buttars planner so I can try to lead the area.

Elder Buttars is calling everyone in our zone and telling them so long. He's no longer my district leader. I've been able to pass things off to be certified with him almost every day. Our new d.l. is Elder Oram To quote Bilbo Baggins from the Hobbit, "Congratulations! Couldn't have happened to a nicer chap, really!" I can now pass things off to Elder Oram when I see him. It was nice that my first comp in the field was a d.l. It sure made it easier to pass things off to him. It will just be a little harder now.

For a p-day, it hasn't been very relaxing so far. I'm finding out that most of the things I've been using, like the Dry Erase board and the phone will be going with Elder Buttars. I need to make an emergency trip to Staples.

I had better get Elder Buttars home address while I have a chance.

Day 63-Waiting-5-30-06

Today, I'm a little nervous. Tomorrow's p-day, so that's good. But, that is also the day we get transfer calls. I don't know if I'll stay in Herndon or go somewhere else. Neither does Elder Buttars. I hope that I can stay here with Elder Buttars another six weeks. I'd like to be here to see W., T. and A. be baptized. We'll find out tomorrow.

It's lunchtime right now, so we are going to head out pretty soon. I'm teaching S. at Sister H's house today with Elder Buttars. That's always fun. It's kind of sad to think that this could be the last time I see her. I'm sure I'll meet many nice people on my mission, but S. is my first fond missionary teaching memory. We plan on committing her to read from the Book of Mormon. I'll write how that went later tonight.

Well, we weren't able to teach S. She thought we were going to meet on Thursday. An understandable mistake, I thought, since our last appointment was on a Thursday. We did talk about changing it to Tuesday...oh, well. If I'm still here on Thursday, I'd be happy to teach her.

S. doesn't want either of us to go. I don't want to go. I don't want Elder Buttars to go.
I can't do anything about it. Just sit and wait and wait. And wait...and wait.

Day 62-Memorial Day- Special Day of Tracting-5-29-06

Where to start...okay first of all A. and N. did not come with us to Ultimate Frisbee. A. was too tired. N. had a good excuse. He takes care of the lawns in the apartment housing complex where he lives. It was Memorial Day and he had to mow everyone's yard. This one lady wanted the leaves blown off her patio because she was planning a bar-be-que later that day. We're planning to see him tomorrow. We can't see him today. He is too busy.

Next thing was, normally on Mondays we have meetings, but because it was Memorial Day, we were asked to make it an "all day finding day". Tract or street contact. We met a lot of new people. Most were not interested. We were able to get a few potential investigators. We'll see if they pan out. I did learn something new today. Everything happens for a reason. There was a special feeling today while we were tracting. Sometimes we'd tract a whole neighborhood and get nothing, only to head out at that moment and meet someone on the sidewalk who was interested in hearing the message of the restoration. It was a special day of tracting. We had a lot of success. I am tired now. Good night.

Day 61- Productive Day-5-28-06

The problem with productive days is that they cause so many things to happen at once. It is hard to give everything the attention it deserves. I'll do my best, though. I'll make a list of everything that happened today that was of note. Then if I have time, I'll expound on them.

1.) W. and T. and A. all came to church today. We committed them to be baptized.

2.) I got my bike fixed.

3.) We met with N. and are taking him and A. to Ultimate Frisbee tomorrow.

Okay, those are the big events. W. and T. you already know about. I'll talk for a minute about A. We've actually been teaching him before we started teaching W. Elder Buttars was teaching him before I got out here. We'd go to his house and share a message. The problem was that we could not get him to come to church. We'd remind him Saturday night that his ride was coming by the next morning, but he would usually sleep in. We'd leave a note on the door. "Sorry we missed you". This went on for weeks. A. would say, "come pick me up" and then no one would answer the door.

It had gotten so bad that Elder Buttars said we would have to cut back the time we were spending teaching him. Well, needless to say, A. showed up for church. He is 23, single, and moved to America form Liberia. We plan to spend more time with the three who've committed to baptism in the coming weeks.

Point 2: I got my bike fixed. I'm thankful to my companion and his knowledge of bike repair. I feel confident that if my bike got another flat, I could fix it myself (knock on wood).

Point 3: Now to introduce N. N is a man we have been trying to meet for a while. He was never home. I wondered why we kept stopping by. Elder Buttars said that he was interested in the church, but that he had a very busy work schedule. We ran into him in the street. He was walking with his wife and pushing his new baby girl in the stroller. We arranged to meet with him at 7.

Elder Buttars. met N 7 weeks ago. He is a short, stout black man. We met at seven at a picnic area. He told us his story.

He had been in prison for 3 years. He saw all kinds of terrible things in there. Two inmates were murdered and many others were assaulted. He knew that if he wanted to make it out of prison, he'd have to learn to mind his own business. He tried not to think of the horrors that were going on around him. He tried to devote himself to repentance and to God. For three years all he did was study the Bible.

This is what he told us he found out from reading the bible. "Look at Noah. Only the people who were on that ark were saved from the flood." What that tells me is that there's only one true church of God. All throughout the Bible, God had only one way. There were lots of ideas about religion but only one church of God. In the Old Testament, if you wanted to know what God thought, you listened to Moses."

When he was telling us this, all I could think about was "this is THE church. You have found it."

He said that he had been going through different Christian churches to find the one that came closest to the church that was set up on the earth by Jesus Christ. He looked into the Catholic Church, but did not feel that it was the right church for him.

He talked about when he was a boy, his family went to the Baptist church. Their preacher was a friend of everyone in the neighborhood. He and the other fathers would get together on the weekends, watch football and drink beer. Watching his father and the preacher get drunk turned him away from the Baptist church and church in general. What was the point of going to church on Sunday if you would go out and get drunk the rest of the week. He told us that we needed some wisdom from the Lord about what we should and should not eat. "Wisdom from the Lord." Some words of wisdom from the Lord. I thought in my head, "Word of Wisdom." Everything he said sounded like a question from Preach My Gospel. He said that he wants to investigate our church. I can't wait to answer his questions.

Day 60- A Flat Tire-5-27-06

A flat tire. That's what I got today. A flat tire. If I was to pick a day to have a flat, though, this would be it.

Today was kind of slow. Most of our appointments weren't home because it's Memorial Day weekend, so we started talking to people that we would meet on the street.

It was about 7:30 at night. This is prime proselyting time. On most days this is when we would be teaching W. and T. or S. or C. or J., but no appointments because of the holiday. We were going back home after a day of being out on the streets when I noticed my tire was flat. We stopped by a K-Mart to buy a replacement inner tube. As it turns out, tires have an inner and an outer tube. Who knew? (hahaha)So anyway, my front tire's inner tube had a slow leak and we could not fix it there. So, we had the unhappy fortune of walking that long way home. The sun had set and it was getting dark. Luckily, a kind member saw our plight, pulled over and offered us a ride home. I'll fix the flat tomorrow. Right now, I'm just too tired.

Day 59-Splits-5-26-06

I went on splits tonight with Bro. B. Elder Buttars went with another member to teach W. and we went to teach J It was a good lesson. J is progressing in the gospel at his own pace. Bro. B. did a lot of the teaching. I'd say something and then he would expound on it for a bit, to make sure J understood what we were trying to say. We explained what the Holy Ghost was and how it worked. We talked about how God calls prophets to be a leader and example to the people. We answered a lot of his questions. Well, Bro. B. did. I sat there and listened politely as he answered in Mandarin.

We left a little later than I would have liked, but I'm glad that we were able to answer so many of J.'s questions. We asked him to pray every night. Bro. B. ended our lesson by praying in Mandarin. After we left, Bro. B. said that he was glad that he could come out and help us tonight. He said that he had a lot of fun teaching and that he hasn't used much Mandarin since his mission.

Day 58 -Exchanges-5-25-06

Today I went on exchanges with Elder Custer and Elder Oram. Since his upheavel of his comp being sent home to recover from his bike injuries, Elder Oram has been staying with the zl's (zone leaders). It was nice going out with Elder Oram again. It was my first time being a part of three missionaries, even if it's only for a day. Virginia state law says that three or more constitute a gang. I imagine it is pretty intimidating to open your door and see THREE young men in shirts and ties who have come to share a message with you.

I'm kinda tired tonight but I have to talk about Elder Custer for a minute. He's been out for 19 months on his mission. It shows. In a good way. He is very good at teaching with short powerful sentences. He talked about how prophets predicted that there would be a great apostacy, but they were not worried because God told them that the full gospel of Jesus Christ would be restored to the earth and would never be taken away again.

I had never thought of explaining the great apostacy like that before, short and sweet, with a hopeful twist. Elder Custer is a very learned missionary. I'll strive to adopt some of his style for short, powerful statements and add it to my own. Now I'm going to bed. At least I have a bed. Poor Elder Oram's just got a mattress on the floor. It's okay, though. He'll be back in his area soon enough with a new companion.

Day 57- P-day -A Friend Goes Home- 5-24-06

Elder Bailey might go home. Not by choice. He hasn't been able to work since Day 41. President B. is going to call sometime later today to decide. Elder Buttars and Elder Oram went to play basketball. I'm staying here with Elder Bailey.

Elder Buttars said that sometimes missionaries that get hurt badly need time to recover, so they go and stay with the mission pres and his wife. Elder Oram is worried about what will happen to his comp. He wonders if Elder Bailey goes home, will he stay with us because it is one week until transfers. Elder Oram. has not been able to go out and teach for over two weeks because his comp is hurt so badly. It is starting to wear on him. He wants to go out and teach.

Well, President B. called. Elder Bailey is going home. He'll be there for 5 weeks and then come back out if he is healed.

Elder Oram is going to stay with the zone leader in another area for a week. He will then return to his area where a new comp. will be waiting for him.

Well, this p-day was all about Elder Baailey. It is sad to think of him leaving. We'll always have that special day on Day 34 when I crashed my bike. Lot of that going around. But yeah! We taught W. and T. today! T. is out of the hospital. He said that this was going to be his last operation. I wasn't expecting him to be out of the hospital yet. It was nice to be able to teach him and his dad together.

W. wasn't at church last Sunday, because he was at the hospital with T. So in 4 weeks this is the first one W. missed.

Day 56-5-23-06- The Appointment that Wasn't

Today was a pretty good day, I suppose. We, well, I mean I tried to teach C. and her mom this afternoon. I say I because my comp. Elder Buttars had to conduct a baptismal interview. It wasn't one of our investigators, but because he is district leader, any baptism that happens in his district, he has to interview the candidate.

So Elder Buttars went off to do that and I went on splits with Bro. B. Personally, Bro. B. is the one I want to go with on this appointment. He served a mission in Hong Kong and learned to speak Mandarin. So he comes with me and translates what I say to C. and her mom. C. understands English, but if her mom has a question, Bro. B. is there to answer on the spot.

That was what was supposed to happen...

We show up at her house after we drop off Elder Buttars and there's a note on the door. It says, "Dear church friends, I had to go help my mom. I will be back around 5:00." It was about 4:30, so we waited. Bro. B. and I talked about all kinds of missionary stuff. Five o'clock came and went and still no C. At 5:45 we had to go. I left her a note saying "sorry we missed you". We'll try to teach her and her mom later in the week.

Tomorrow is P-day! I'm gonna write some letters.

Day 55- Justice- 5/22/06

I'm going with Elder Bailey to the doctor. I'm fine. He needs an exchange to go with him while Elder Buttars and Elder Oram work. Since Elder Bailey has been out of commission because of the hit and run car/bike wreck, his missionary area only gets worked when Elder Oram gets an exchange. We're at the chiropractor's office. Now to clear up a few things...

At the MTC on the 14th day of my mission, I wrote about a debate we had. The question was, "did Adam sin when he Fell?" Elder M#2 professed that yes, Adam's fall was the first sin. Elder Mann and I were of the opinion that the fall of Adam was not a sin. Brother A. ruled in favor of Elder Mettra. He told me that in the big scheme of things, it did not matter whether Adams fall was a sin or a transgression because he was able to be forgiven through repentance. That was a good lesson for me to learn. Thanks to my family, however, I learned a lesson that may be more important. I was right!

My mom mailed me this excerpt from Matthew B. Brown's book, "The Plan of Salvation". It helped me clarify the subject of sin vs. transgression.

Did Adam and Eve commit a sin when they partook of the forbidden fruit?

The prophet Joseph Smith emphatically declared that Adam did not commit sin in eating the fruits, for God had decreed that he should eat and fall. The Lord refers in a modern revelation to Adam's act as a transgression instead of a sin. He says, "wherefore, it came to pass that the devil tempted Adam, and he partook of the forbidden fruit and transgressed the commandment" (D&C 29:40-41). Therefore, Adam was guilty of a transgression. In Moses 6:53 it is revealed that the Lord told Adam after the fall, "I have forgiven thee thy transgressions in the Garden of Eden."

I hope this explains to one and all, that the Fall of Adam was not the first sin. I was right. Elder Mann was right. I won't let it go to my head, though. I still love to debate.

Day 54-Mohammed and a Prayer Rug- 5/21/06

I will now take a moment to record the beautiful weather in Virginia. Every day has been awesome. Not too hot. Not too humid. A nice breeze. Just great.

I write this because the summer is supposed to be unbearable. Now the weather is perfect. When it's August, with 100% humidity, 105 degrees in the shade, when my clothes are sticking to my body from the sweat, when it gets so bad that I wonder what is the point of taking a shower, I can look back fondly to the afternoon of the 21st of May, 2006 and recall in my mind the nice cool weather we had once.

An investigator we are working with is Mohammed. Based on his name, you can probably guess his religion. That's right. He's Jewish. No, seriously, he's Muslim. Well, he was raised Muslim. His family does not practice their faith according to him. They just go through the motions. We're going through the lessons with him. It's amazing how much our religions have in common. We both believe that we will be punished for our own sins and not for Adam's transgressions. We are both in agreement on chastity and abstaining before marriage. We are still trying to sell him on the whole "Jesus Christ being the Son of God." He knows the Qua'an and asks how we feel about certain topics. I think he is progressing rather well. We'll keep at it.

One souvenir I'm taking home with me is a prayer rug given to me by Mohammed. Elder Buttars got one, too.

Day 53-The Same, Yesterday, Today and Forever- 5/20/06

Today we went tracting. It's been over a week since I last did any tracting. We've been keeping so busy teaching progressing investigators that I almost forgot what it was like to be rejected repeatedly.

The highlight, though, was this man we talked to who was washing his car. He is a youth minister at his church. He is one of those "thou shalt not add unto" types. Elder Buttars tacked on a nice thing as well. He quoted John 21:25, "And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written, every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen."

He didn't really have an answer for that one. We left him with this thought, because he told us he was happy with his church and didn't plan on changing. We asked him if he believed that God does not change. He said that He thought God did not change. He is the same. I said that we believe that God calls men to be prophets. Prophets like Moses, who were in charge of the whole world and could receive revelation from God to help guide those willing to listen. We also believe that God is the same yesterday, today and forever. Because He does not change, He called a prophet today to guide us like in times of old. I asked him if he believed in modern day prophets. His response to this stirring testimonial...(get ready for the quote of the day)

He said, and I quote:

"I believe God is the same, he just changes his methods, that's all."

There was an awkward silence. Elder Buttars and I straight-away turned on our heels and left. About half-way down the street we both burst out laughing. God's the same. He just changes. We talked about the ridiculousness of that statement for a while.

Well, tomorrow is Sunday. I might be able to get more writing done. I'm getting kind of backed up on topics. We'll see how many things I get through.

Day 52-Investigators progressing nicely-5-19-06

We have some nicely progressing investigators in our area. S., of course. W. and T. and W's sister-in-law R. They are the real highlights.

I don't think I have talked about C. yet. C. is from China. She's 19 and lives with her mother, who does not speak any english. I was on exchanges with Elder Bailey, when Elder Buttars (my comp.) and Elder Oram met her. She seemed really interested in the church and wants to try and come on Sunday with us. We watched, "Finding Faith in Christ" on DVD in Chinese at her house a couple of days ago. Her mom watched too, and enjoyed it. They live in the same neighborhood as Sister H. and S.! Get this, Sister H's son, well one of them, is a returned missionary from Taiwan and speaks Mandorin. The H's are very instrumental in their neighborhood when it comes to missionary work. S. is their next door neighbor on the left and C. and her mom live two housese down on the right. We are trying to coordinate with Sister H's son to come with us to C.'s house so he can translate for her mom. When I have time, I'll write more.

Day 51- Serving the less active 5-18-06

Today was pretty good. We did service for a less active member of the church. Her name is Sister B. She's something else. She makes her thoughts known and doesn't care who knows it! I think she's funny. Picture the dry humor of Groucho Marx with the punch-line delivery and overall demeaner of Roseanne Barr. That is Sister B.

Anyway, today we helped her repaint her basement. She wants to turn it into a place where her teenage daughter and her friends can hang out.

I hope Sister B. will come back to church. She knows the church is true. She is dealing with her elderly mother who lives with them and has cancer. It reminds me of Grandmama. It's kind of sad. I know Sister B would be blessed by coming to church, though. Ending on kind of a somber note. I'm in a somber mood. Tomorrow promises to be good. I'm going to teach S. Oh, boy!