Week 65

Week 4 Korea Town

Monday was a crazy day, so I'm just gonna get right into it. We finished up our laundry and went to go shop. Elder B bought some interesting stuff this week and you know me, I just love trying new things. He bought Silk Almond Coconut milk and I just had to try it to see if I liked it. It's not too bad, milk is still good, but it's not bad. While shopping we figured that we would bike home with 1 hand like I did last week. Well as I began to get on my bike, there is this little holder on the frame on my bike for my U-Lock which totally snapped in half, idk why. Elder B was struggling to get on his bike and ride with one hand so we decided to walk back to our apartment instead of bike (ugh). We got back to the apartment and cleaned while we waited for Elder J and Elder L (trainee) to come pick us up so we could go to the Hollywood sign. We went up there and started the hike. It was the first time for me, Elder J, and Elder L so we followed Elder B... Bad idea. We got lost so many times and took the long way to the Hollywood sign we even tried to get right in front of the sign, but ended up behind it. Gonna quote some kid president right now: two roads (trails) diverged in a yellow wood (led up to the Hollywood sign) and I took the road (trail) less traveled by... And it hurt man! We had to slide down this very uneven part of the trail and Elder L slid down it like a ninja who surfs mountains or something. I on the other hand, start to slide down, when my foot twisted and I slid down on my right side. I got scraped up pretty bad and I was covered in dirt. We finally got to the Hollywood sign, or the lookout behind it, and took some pictures. Hopefully I can get them to you soon. We then wanted to go and get Cream real quick before Pday ended. We were all so tired from the hike, and it took longer than we thought. None of us brought water and it was a very hot day. Yes I got burned, yes I was stupid, yes I will bring water next time I do it. We went to cream (which is on USC campus) and it was graduation day! Everything was so packed it was crazy. They dropped us off at our apartment and we showered cause I was still covered in dirt. That shower seriously felt like coming home from camping, it was so good. We then went to our appointment with a family and lo and behold they canceled on us. My goodness. I could totally go off about that family right now, but I won't, cause it's not going to change anything.

Tuesday we had this awesome day planned where some of our Rc were going to come with us to a lesson with a part member family, but the part member family canceled so that kinda put a fork in our whole plans for the day. We ended up talking to the RC individually and it is cray to see the difference in the conversion of some people. I am amazed by how much faith people can have sometimes. So much childlike faith that they just want to learn about everything, it's so awesome. The. You have others who... Aren't so hungry and thirsty for the gospel. We went to go and visit a less active named S C. Her family is moving to Colorado and in preparation for that the dad has had to work a lot, even on Sundays. We stopped by and I got to know her a little bit because I had never met her before. She told us about her prom that she went to, you won't believe what happened. Basically one of the teachers at her school is a twin to an actor, so they got this hook up at a really cool hotel for the dance. Well let's just say that the students and teachers didn't behave themselves. The teachers were drunk and the kids where all high. S was good though, don't worry about her. Turns out she is going to attend Mesa state college in GJ! Small world right? Isn't that the college right by Stoker Stadium and JUCO?? I think so... I also remember y'all telling me to never go to that school 😂. Afterwards we had coordination at the church and man, did we try to drop a HINT! There is a member in the Ward who is very chismosa, which means she likes to gossip. Almost all of the members that we visited last week told us about some form of chisme that was going around. We told in coordination that it needs to stop. We will see where it goes from there.

Wednesday was just a weird day, I've been having a lot of those hahaha. Well first off a LA asked us if he could borrow one of our suits cause he had a friends graduation to go to, so Elder B let him use his suit (still hasn't gotten it back yet). After lunch we planned to go explore a part of our area that had never been visited before, because it is a richer part of the area. While there we talked to this lady who is from the Philippines. She liked us so she said that she might call us to invite us over for lunch someday and then we can talk to her whole family about Jesus Christ. We then went to go and see S. We had an awesome lesson planned for her, but when we got there, the whole family was in Chaos. We will just say that the Gospel really does bless families and that they need a little bit more gospel in their lives... Ya. We talked for a little bit then had to leave. We then went to go and see the B family and that was even more of a mess! It's so frustrating when people are not being so kind towards each other and using mean words, just makes you sad ya know? We then had dinner scheduled with the F's, the one that borrowed Elder B's suit, but they were still at the graduation thing so it was really awkward. They have a son named Randy who was somewhat forced into being baptized and they always force him to sit and listen to us... No wonder he doesn't come to church. We got to know him a little hit more and made the situation more relaxed. Go figure that the one chismosa lady lives with this poor family. We then went to go and see the A family. They are less active as well, but because the mom works on Sundays. We talked with them for a hit and got to know the, as well. The son, C, is really into gaming and crazy stuff and has bad grades, but hopefully he ends up going on a mission. I feel like if he goes on a mission, then it will be a major blessing in his life.

Thursday we had weekly planning and we set some goals that were going to stretch us. We also planned out for the rest of the week who we were going to visit and just planned super good. Well, it seems like whenever I plan super good, everything falls through, so that's just what happened. However, we did receive some tender mercies. For example, a companionship of sister missionaries called us and told us that they received a referral from a less active member in our area who is the only member in her family. She asked if the missionaries could come by. Well we immediately wrote down all the information and planned to go and see her later that day. We met her and it turns out that the missionaries had just lost contact with them in the past. The husband is not a member but likes the missionaries. She also has a daughter that is 9 years old, but is not baptized yet and she loves church. We were so blessed! We are setting up a day in which we can meet the whole family. The only problem is that the parents work a lot so that's difficult. We then went to go and see L, but she wasn't home. We tried to go and visit some potentials when we were locked out of the apartment complex. Well outside with us was a teenager who asked something along the lines of "are you Mormons?" We responded yes, and I he had ever spoken with missionaries before to which he replied "I'm Mormon" 😳😳😳🙄🙄🙄🤔🤔🤔😇😇😇 turns out him and his mom are the only members in his family and the dad and sister are not members... Another part member family! Woohoo! We then planned to go and see them again.

Friday we had DM and that was good, our district is very unique I will put it that way. We then planned to go and see E, who is a RC, cause he is struggling with his testimony. Any advice on what we should do? We have tried to ask him questions but he is just shut off completely from us basically. He is the one that was told bad things about me from another missionary. After that we tried to go by and talk to the B family, but there were a lot of distractions so the lesson wasn't focused at all, it was awful. We then went to go and see S and we basically told her what she needs to do in order to be baptized. She seemed really cool about everything, she even read a little bit in the introduction! It was a good lesson and so we were happy, she is slowly progressing, but still progressing. We then went and picked up dinner from a member because there wasn't a man in her home, so Elder B (he's awesome) always is willing to carry the food back to the apartment. Haha, two white guys who speak Spanish carrying Chinese food in the middle of Korea Town... Sounds like a funny joke. We then went by to go and see L and we finally caught them! We had a good lesson in which we reset their baptismal dates for next month. Hopefully they start coming to church, that's really the only thing that is holding them back.

Saturday we received a call to go and help with a fundraiser and service project that the stake relief society was putting on. It was a fundraiser for school supplies so we helped find tables and carry in bags of school supplies. We then went to the and visit some people but again, the plans fell through and none of the people were there. We visited a lot of homes and talked to a lot of people, but it was a rather boring day. We ate dinner with the R family and they always give us so much food. We set up a day this next week for them to come with us for about an hour and we even did a mini practice with them about how they might introduce themselves to some of our investigators. We then tried to go and visit some more people, but nobody was home.

Sunday was just a mess. We woke up and wanted to go by our investigators houses before church to wake them up. We went by L and her family to wake them up and the twins answered the door. We told them that church was in an hour and they were really wanting to go... But it turns out the L may have stopped that from happening. So basically all the people that we woke up to go and knock on their doors didn't come to church and all we did was get super sweaty in the morning before church... Lovely. Church was alright, I just feel like I need to get to know the members more because I don't really know any members right now. We walked around and tried to talk to people, we saw some very interesting things... People wise. We did go and visit the B family to see why they didn't come to church and figure out how we as missionaries can improve and help them more. We also stopped by E and E because they didn't come either. It was just a depressing ending to an alright week I guess. As a missionary the week really is dependent on whether or not people come to church, it is 100% true.

I'm pretty sure that all for the week, let me know if I left anything out!

Love,

Elder Roberts