Note: Just figured out that the new missionary is Elder Lopiano. His trainer is Elder Chambers. They reside in Tracy. I have provided a picture of them for you all.
Dear family and everyone else,
Sadly, I did not meet Elder Brown, my 2nd cousin, after all. Apparently we had 3 elders (2 English, 1 Spanish) come in and a sister or so, and we got an Elder. However, I forgot his name, so I will let you know next week. Elder Brown, I heard, got placed in Lodi 1st and 2nd ward with Elder Campbell. If you remember what he looks like, he has red hair, round glasses, skinny, tall, and in the March 3rd picture of the zone meeting. He is sitting 2nd to right in between Elders Bean, and Laubman. To add to this almost sad tale, on Friday, we will be having a Zone Conference with Elder Evans and his wife (which this is good news), and Lodi Stake will not be part of that gathering as I had hoped for, so it's going to be awhile before I ever get to meet Elder Brown. Oh well.
Funny thing about this transfer is that my new district is only 6 missionaries big. 4 Elders, and 2 sisters. All but 2 are from my MTC district. It's really funny because we are going to say goodbye to Sister Smith, and Sister Clifton at the end of this transfer when they get to go home a little early due to the mass extension. Then, it will be just me and Elder Ashton left of our transfer (except for Sister Neeley. She gets to go with us.) I'm already impressed with my new co-District Leaders. They had a good training on Alma 36 about repentance and what we can do better in using all of our resources given to us including the pictures in our scriptures.
Last night, Elder Shepherd and I helped out again with Brother Nate in going into Tracy with Missionary Preparation Class. It felt like I was back in the good old days of the MTC learning everyone I can from a knowledge fire hose. They also did a role play after learning about a potential investigator through the New York Times interviews with random New York City citizens. They gave their views on their spirituality and how they grow within their own church's. It gave some interesting insight to a life of a person on the other side of the country. The learners then applied what they learned and made a quick lesson plan through studies and planning and then went into a breakout session and taught each other in separate rooms of the doctrine of the restoration. Next month, they will practice on the plan of salvation.
We haven't had any investigators come to church since Marcia, but we are slowly working through it. Marcia on Sunday was trying to get to church but already forgot how to get there. She literately drove for 1 hour 1/2 looking for it. Oh the life of a 74 year old. She said she stopped at a fire station to ask, "Where the Mormon Church is"? They said it was off of Austin Rd. when really, it was off of Northland, so she drove close to that road but didn't get to the T, and drove all the way down to Ripon and back, so, we are definitely going to help her find the church better. She forgot her phone, so she couldn't call us. I think I will draw out an easy to read map for her.
On Tuesday, we helped a little bit with transfers for the YSA. Elder Conway went to Stockton to work, and Elder Rubisch went to Crows Landing my old area to work. While there, we said our hi's and bye's to some old friends like Elder Torres. This is his last transfer before he goes home. We went in their car to be dropped off at Stockton, then Elder Shepherd and I drove the car to the mission office to park it. Then we went back to Manteca with Brother Cortez all in the early morning, sothat was a great adventure. Stockton looked nice in one part, but it's also very deceiving too.
For the Garcia/Lopez kids, we started moving in their records from the Spanish ward so we can better help them since they don't speak Spanish much. They live right around the corner from the Bishop, so they know them pretty well. We also gave them a Child's Book of Mormon to read and better understand, and we read the first chapter together. We will be seeing them this Wednesday. As for the Tagal's, they seem to not want to come to church though Bob said he would. Nothing yet. We are also trying to get them to read the Book of Mormon much more than what they are now. We just need to continue to find more better investigators is what. Giovanni, he's still very busy, but we at least give him information every once in a while. That's about it this week.
Have a great week everyone,
Elder White
Elder White and Elder Torres
Elder Chambers and the new missionary, Elder Lopiano