Pioneer Day & First Talk

Hey so this week was pretty good! We did a lot of work around the evening hours and have plenty of mosquito bites to show for it!

Monday: We had Pday and played volleyball, six square(like 4 square), and were ambushed by water balloons. We went to thrift stores to find things to wear for the pioneer day activity this Saturday. Elder Elton had some good finds. We had a great dinner and then were able to see Teresa for a moment. We then went knocking and met Joe. He is very cool! He served in Vietnam and is interesting in our message!

Tuesday: Sometimes missionaries make travel for transfers very confusing and annoying... I was asked to figure out the travel for the New Mexico side of the mission and it was a good plan but sometimes people don't like good plans that keep people focused. Anyway, after a ton of hassle with traveling missionaries and issues, we posted flyers for our soccer activity around town. We then had a lesson that fell through but we had to go to dinner. Later in the evening, we were able to go on splits and teach Daniel and Maneli as well as do a pass off to the English Missionaries.

Wednesday: We had a good district meeting with a little bit of iPad training. We then were able to visit with a less active young man that wants to turn his life back around. We then met with Alfredo, a less active man we have been working with. He expressed his desire to come to church and I know that the Spirit had been working in him. He is changing and has been coming to church basically this whole month!  Later, we tested out a projector for the pioneer day activity but we will use a tv cart. We were then taken to Denny's for dinner! It was so good! We had a good little lesson with a less active woman that we found. Interesting thing is that the branch has looked for her records but cannot find them so she may not be a member. We then made some contacts with some potentials to set up some lessons.

Thursday: We did some service at the Healing House with the other missionaries. I was in charge of painting a bedroom. I was doing super well and I was most proud of my tape job on the outlet covers. It was so beautiful it almost made me cry. We then had lunch. We visited a very old man, Hermano Martinez. We sang him some hymns. He is the one that called me fat a couple weeks ago. We then had a lesson with a young couple then dinner with members. We changed then had a good night at soccer! 2 nonmembers were there! It was stormy the whole night so it chased people away. We should have a good turnout next week, the week we will be in Tucson...

Friday: Studies then service with the Quintana family. We cut garlic and onions for the food for the pioneer day activity. My hands still smell like garlic... We then had some planning and then dinner with a member. It was really good and we had tons of laughs with the sisters and the member. We did some more planning then had a lesson with a woman named Laurie. She will be passed off to English. We then had a good lesson with Daniel and Maneli. We are trying to prepare them for baptism. They are going through some challenges at the moment but we are taking baby steps.

Saturday: We had studies then most of our day was spent helping the branch set up for the pioneer day activity. It went really well! Elder Elton and I dressed up and it was a ton of fun!

Sunday: Church was great! I gave a talk! Only problem, Elder Elton and I woke up with runny noses. I cleared up right before church! I finally gave my first talk as a missionary and Daniel and Maneli showed up! After church we went and gave a blessing to the sister's investigator. We then had a great dinner with a member then a good lesson with the Castro family reviewing the Plan of Salvation. It went well but he was feeling sick.

Things are going pretty well! We are having trouble finding people that will progress towards baptism.

Hope you all have a great week!

Love,

Elder Dallin Baker