From the Pulpit (June 28th Email)

It was a good week with Elder O. Monday we played sand volleyball and we went to a new place so the sand was a lot nicer. That night was FHE in the park with the Woodbridge ward so we ate real quick, then went to our lesson with L A. She's doing really well and is determined to get baptized next month. In fact, yesterday in sacrament meeting she gave an announcement from the pulpit that she's going to be baptized July 18th and that everyone is welcome to come. She's got the whole thing planned out herself and already knows who she's going to invite to do each part of the service. We're excited and we'll be teaching her again tonight.

This week we taught a guy named N three different times during the week. He's the one that randomly showed up at church last transfer. He's almost 60 and he doesn't have any family, but he's really nice, humble, and loving. He's also a friend with S M , so S's been coming to lessons with us. He is from Greece and has a Greek accent and doesn't read English very well so we gave him a Book of Mormon in Greek. For some reason he thinks the world is going to end next year, but at least he accepted a baptismal date.

Wednesday was Zone Conference so we were busy until about four in the afternoon. It starts at 8:30 and they feed us lunch halfway through. Usually it is some wonderful sisters in the surrounding stake that make all the food for us. It'd be hard to make food for 70 missionaries. During lunch we always sing to them. We also sing to the people who have a birthday, and Elder G (a senior missionary) gives out awards for the first, second, and third cleanest cars. This time 2010's were disqualified though :( I got first place back in Tustin though so it's okay. In the afternoon session of conference, they draw a name out of a hat for someone to give a five minute talk on an assigned subject. We're supposed to prepare a ten minute talk, then give it in five minutes without notes. I've never been chosen, but it's still good to prepare for talks because you always learn something. At the end they have the new missionaries and the departing missionaries give their testimonies.

Yesterday was super busy. After lots of meetings/church, we taught sister M The Plan of Salvation and she was really interested and engaged in the lesson. Then we went back to the church and taught N. Then we went to teach a potential, but she had to cancel. We had dinner with the U family and taught them a lesson afterwards. It was really good--I really like that family.

Well that's it for this week so thanks for all your prayers and letters. I love you as much as all the meetings we had yesterday.

Elder Curtis