Halloween and converts (week 16)

The beginning of this week was pretty hectic and really busy. On Tuesday Elder Mercado and I have Doctrine of Christ training and Trainer/Trainee training down in Quincy. We were away from our area from about 7:30 in the morning to 6:00 at night. The meetings we had were great though. I really enjoyed them and had a great time learning from President and Sister Lewis as well from the assistants Elder Archibald and Elder Carter. Both training were full of things to learn and it made for a great day. We talked a lot about applying what we have to share to our investigators and making sure that we are teaching to their understanding. I always think back to how if we don't pay attention to what words we use when we talk about the gospel people can get lost and confused very easily. We need to go down to their level of understanding and pull them up. We can't expect them to just understand everything the way we do. I think that's part of why we ask everyone to read in the Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon speaks to our own understanding and we are all able to apply it to our selves. In between meetings I got to talk to Elder Smith some and then I got to meet our new Assistant to the President Elder Carter. I'm gonna miss Elder Smith. I also got to meet a bunch of other missionaries and spend some time talking to them. I also lead some role plays for the trainees during the portion of Trainer/Trainee that was just for the trainees. 

We are still continuing our recent convert lessons with Elaine. She knows so much about the gospel and already understands the purpose of just about all the doctrines and commandments. We were teaching about tithing and when we brought up the topic she asked us how she is supposed to pay it because she had been wanting to start. We had a good lesson on the blessings that came from paying tithing and why Heavenly Father wants us to. We are working on getting her to the temple for some baptism trips so she can feel of the spirit that is there. 

On Wednesday I was on exchanges with Elder Tanner in my area. We had a pretty good day and were able to get to know each other a little better and learn from one another. We had some awesome lessons and were able to put some on on-date. His name is Pedro and he was telling us about how he wants to change and get rid of the habit he has. He had asked us as well when and where church was so he could go. He didn't end up going to church which made us sad. We had tried finding him later Sunday but we couldn't get in contact with him. Hopefully we are able to see him this week and teach him so we can get him progressing towards the baptismal goal we set for him. Elder Tanner and I also got to teach a part member family and get to know them better. The wife is a non-member and is very religious. She said she has questions regarding the things we believe so I hope we are able to answer any questions she has and get her baptized. We think she has the potential for it if we can figure out all the things that are holding her back from accepting all of the gospel.

Saturday was a pretty fun day as well. We got to teach Linda who is one our progressing investigators in English and we committed her to reading in the Book of Mormon every morning after her morning prayer. She has come to church the past 3 times which is awesome and maybe this week we will be able to put her on date. She really likes church and likes gospel principles class. Before we had to head in for the night we went to the ward trunk'or'treat for 30 minutes. It was cool and most of the members gave us a bunch of candy. I ended up giving away the candy I got to the only people that came by our apartment. We had a good night of carving pumpkins and snaking of food. I realized that I hate carving pumpkins and the only part that is any bit of enjoyable is the actual carving of the pumpkin. Elder Mercado went for the easy route and I just made little silhouettes and shined light onto the pumpkin to project the design on to it instead of free handing it all. Elder Turley made a pretty cool spider-man pumpkin but I don't think it compares  to Texas and the Temple. 

I a week we shoot for 20 lessons but we are not always able to reach it. We are working on building up our area so we can get in and teach more lessons. In our English ward they have scheduled days when either a High Priest or Elder will come out that day with us. It helps us build up trust with the ward and gets the members more comfortable to give referrals. And referrals are the bomb. 

I hope all is well back home. Make sure that Riley writes me and tells me all about his golf tournament. 

Con Amor,

Elder Boren