Week 24 - Money Family

Hello all, hope everything is well. This week has been good. They're going by so fast right now, this transfer is halfway over already.

1. Zone Conference

2. Money Family

3. Balboa Park

4. Adams Ave

1. We had Zone Conference this week which was really good. It was really cool that it answered all of my questions or major things I've been struggling with. The different presentationts went all over the place from Prayer and the Spirit, Preach My Gospel, working with members, etc. Also, we don't have to wear masks anymore! It's still advised, but not required if you're vaccinated. I just don't like wearing masks while street contacting. 

2. We met a cool Family this week. They're the Mwenyemali's, a family of 9 that are refugees from Africa. They're super cool and were meeting with Missionaries before covid, but they haven't been taught since. We went over and played a board game on the Plan of Salvation and it went really well. The kids were having fun and it was good. But their last name Mwenyemali actually means Money which is kinda cool.

3. It's kind of stupid how many things don't end up happening in this area. People coming to church, lessons, etc. One lady this week said she was coming to church and we confirmed with her the morning of, but then she didn't come. After she asked if we could meet in Balboa Park which is pretty close to the Zoo but out of our area. And it was packed. We got there an hour before we found her because of parking and traffic. It was terrible. But, we met her and it was a good visit. The point is, I do not want to live in San Diego. The weather is nice, but it's not worth how expensive it is to live here, and the amount of people. In my opinion.

4. We've been street contacting a different street for this week and it hasn't been fun. It's in a part of our area called Kensington, and there's this street Adams Ave which has a lot of people. But it's a more wealthy area and the people are not open at all to talking with us. We've been street contacting there a couple times but we'll probably go back to University and do both or something.

I don't know, something feels wrong with my weeklys. For the past couple weeks I haven't been able to figure out what to write about because the weeks and the days mesh together. I also can't think in movie or videogame analogies anymore. I guess it's just an effect from the Mission. But I love you all and hope you have a great week!

- Elder Wride

1-3. Zone Conference Pics

4. Me

Week 23 - I Don't Have A Story

Hello. I'm sorry guys, I really have not figured out what to really write for this week.

1. Lesson at the Temple

2. I don't have a Story

1. Earlier this week we had a lesson with a lady named Tiashira. She's a really cool lady. We got in touch with her from some other missionaries who met her. She saw the Hawaii temple and was really impressed by it and had a very spiritual experience there. So when she got here she wanted to learn more and we thought it would be cool to have a lesson at the Temple here. She lives here so she's seen it before. What's really cool is that a lot of people here have seen the temple because it's just off the highway, so when we talk about it they're always curious. But it was a really good lesson. We taught about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. She's super elect. As we were walking out she talked about going inside some day so that was cool.

2. I've been trying really hard to think of something story worthy. I don't know. Here are the 2 best things I got

- While street contacting we witnessed this homeless lady throw a soda can at some guy. It didn't hit him but it exploded a little bit. We did not talk to her as we walked by for our own safety.

- While street contacting the zone leaders pulled up out of nowhere (They cover Spanish speakers for our area do it makes sense). We were crossing the street and they were turning right and I thought they were about to hit us. But they drove over to tell us to not go down the street we normally go. There were some bashers on the busy street corner with a microphone reading from the Bible. They said they yelled at some lady telling her she was a sinner and stuff. Did not sound like a pretty situation so we decided to heed their counsel. Part of me wishes we did go over there so I would have another story for this week.

So yeah I think thats all. Note that both of the less exciting stories happened on University Ave. Fun stuff. So don't be worried that I'm not writing as much. I promise I am doing good. Just tired. The weeks fly by though. 

Love you all!

- Elder Wride

1. Went to the Temple this morning

2-3. Got food for Elder Tillmans birthday (Subway is better) 

Week 22 - Still Here

Hello. This email may be pretty short because I don't really know what to say. I'm doing good, business is usual. 

Being in this area for the past 12 weeks, I think I kind of forgot how wild of a place this is. So, since Elder Hayes went home last week I have a new companion who has a fresh set of eyes eyes the area. And he's like freaking out how weird this area is. This area is pretty weird but Elder Hayes and I adjusted together to it. He compares it to this videogame called GTA. I don't know a lot about it, but from what he's explained it sounds an awful lot like this area. There does sound like there's a lot of bad stuff in that game so I don't recommend it. Unless it would be cool if you could play as a Missionary in that game and share the Gospel with people while trying not get killed by homeless people. It's just so funny to hear him mutter under his breath saying "This is unreal". We'll see like homeless people doing drugs, we saw an old lady riding a pink motorbike, and people J walking in wheel chairs or with walkers. I feel like I'm not explaining it super well, you just have to be here. The funniest thing to me is when we were at an auto shop getting an oil change when this guy in a blue audi pulls up. He walks out and he's wearing like a blue and white, matching jacket and sweats or something. And Elder Tillmans like "Oh my gosh, this is literally GTA. Just give that guy a gamertag". I died. I don't think it sounds funny to you, but it was. 

 It is fun to walk down the street and talk to people. One inside joke was while we were crossing the street like 3 black dudes are walking across the street from the opposite end, and one guy is playing music with his speaker or something. Anyway, the leader I guess you could say, as he's walking by says with an accent, "A see ya'll doin yor thang". I don't know why but that's just so funny to us, I'm not sure how it sounds to you all.

So yeah, I have no motivation to write anymore so I'm going to stop here. Have a good week though

- Elder Wride

1. Us at the church 

2. Dropping Elder Hayes at the airport. This was from last week bit I didn't have a picture yet.

Week 21 - Elder Christofferson!

Hey Guys! This week was pretty good. The end of a 7 week transfer.

1. Transfer news

2. Temple and Spiritual Thought

3. Mormon Batallion 

4. Elder Christofferson

1. Got transfers today. Elder Hayes left this morning and will be released later tonight which is weird to think about. My new comp is Elder Tillman who we knew each other in Poway and came out at the same time. It's weird because I'm not District Monkey anymore! For my whole mission I've been District monkey, which I should probably explain. It means your the District Leaders companion. So yeah now I'm just Junior Companion but I'm still in the same area. 

2. I was not able to attend the temple this transfer. Elder Hayes Temple recommend expired which he didn't realize earlier. And President doesn't start Temple recommend interviews until the end of the transfer. So, Elder Hayes got a new Temple recommend for his departing interview after out last P day was over. Which was just in time for  Elder Hayes to go to the Temple on Friday for departing activities. But, since our last P day had passed and I'm not a departing missionary I wasn't able to go. Kind of lame, but Im ok. What was cool was being able to have Personal Study on the temple grounds while they were inside. I read in Alma 18 where King Lamoni just heard about Ammon defending his sheep and feeding his horses. I liked verse 10 which says "Surely there has not been any servant among all my servants that has been so faithful as this man: for even he doth remember all my commandments to execute them". It may seem like kind of a weird verse to pick, but I really liked it. I compared it to Heavenly Father and keeping his commandments, and I asked myself if I could be as faithful in keeping God's commandments, as Ammon was for King Lamoni. To please the Lord by remembering and executing all His commandments. I really liked it. Anyway, so yeah, we'll go to the Temple early this transfer.

3. The 175th Anniversary of the Mormon Batallion was this week, and we Elders got to March in it. Something super exciting is that Elder D. Todd Christofferson came to San Diego for the event! I've known he was going to come since like November, and I've been super excited. Even more so because, for those of you who don't know, Elder Christofferson was in my ward for many years so I was really excited to see him again. Well Saturday morning we went to the Historic site in Old Town and got dressed up and we were told we'd be given fake guns, which was a big motivator for me. But as my luck would have it, we were given Shovels. They said they didn't like the look of Missionaries with guns, so it made sense, but still. Eventually they ran our of Shovels so most of the Missionaries I think had guns. I was not pleased. While we were marching people were confused as to why we had Shovels and we didn't know either what we would do with them, but whatever. So we marched around and got to this spot where Elder Christofferson was! We had a little thing there and then Elder Christofferson gave us a motivational talk and we were off. I don't remember who I represented in the March, but something cool was two guys from my Distrcit were Levi Savage from 17 Miracles, and Ephraim Hanks from Ephraims Rescue. It's cool that they were also in the Batallion.

4. After the Batallion Elder Christofferson came and spoke at our church building. It was really good and our friend Taryn was also able to come! To be honest, I just really wanted to go up and say hi to him because he knows me and it would be really cool to be recognized by him because he moved like 3 years ago I think. Anyway, so he gave a talk and after he came down to shake people's hands. When he came around I said something like : "Elder Christofferson! It's Elder Wride from the Granite Ridge Ward!". He was like "Oh really? You made my day. Tell the folks I said hello". It was so awesome. That was the entirety of our conversation as he had things to do and other people's hands to shake. But it was just really good to see him again. I'm currently hunting for a picture of him shaking hands because there were a bunch of guys taking pictures so it's somewhere. I'll include it one of these weeks if I find it. But him coming out to San Diego at the same time as I was here, and being in one of the few wards that was allowed to go. We also couldn't go unless we brought a friend and Taryn was barely able to come it felt like. There were just so many things that lined up that made me really feel like I was meant to be here.

Anyway, that's pretty much it for this week I think. Hope you all are doing splendid and send me an email if you wish!

- Elder Wride

1. Shovel Company

2. Elder Christofferson at the event

3. Artsy temple Picture 

4. Our District

5. Ward Mission Leader