Transfers

Well, transfers are rolling around again, and if I had to take a guess, I'd say I was getting transferred. So my fate is uncertain for the next week. We found a really cool new family. Well to tell the truth, the mom more or less contacted us and said, "Hey, I'm moving in on the tenth, can you come visit me?" so we helped her move in and we've been teaching them. It's funny, like 3 of the families that we teach live in the same apartment complex. Every time we walk by all the kids come out and give us high fives. It makes a missionary feel good. Being a missionary is really hard, but for that it is really rewarding. It's very heartbreaking when you know someone has a spirtual witness of the gospel but they deny it anyway. I remeber in the MTC, I was taking a test, and one of the questions was, "T or F, everyone who has a spiritual witness of the truth will be baptized." and I said to myself, well of course! And I clicked on the little button next to the T. I was a little naive, and I maybe I still am. I guess I'm finding out what it means to gather the wheat from the midst of the tares. Well I don't want to leave you all on a depressing note, so I will say that really good things are happening in this mission as a whole. We are doing fantastic! I know it's not about the numbers, but lets just say that everybody is doing really, really good. This is a choice place to be a missionary, and I'm happy to be here. I love you all! Joseph Call

Noble and great ones

Blog post:
Well, yesterday was the baptism of Alex. It was very, very spiritual. I'm sure that he is one of the noble and great ones that it talks about in the Pearl of Great Price. He doesn't speak good spanish, so he attends an English Ward. It was really weird attending a service in English. It actually made me kind of nervous.
Things have been a little slower lately, but I'm sure that this is temporary. I still feel really happy about the work. It's really cool to see how much an effect the words you say can have on people as a missionary. We were teaching this teenage girl, and every time we said something, she looked as if she was really taken aback, almost like our words cut deep into her soul. Unfortunately, in her case, all of her worldly doubts kept winning out. It's really sad to see someone who gets a spirtual witness of the truth turn it down. We'll see what happens with her. It's aspecially fun to pause for a little bit after you tell the Joseph Smith story, or the first vision, and observe their responses. You can use that to see who has deaf spiritual ears, or to see who isn't listening with their real ears.
But yeah, the Gospel is true. When the spirit carries words to somebody who isn't a pharisee, it will show them the truth. I've seen it. I love my work, and I hope all you that are thinking of serving missions do it. I love you all!
Elder J Call

Really Cool Pday

Hey everyone,
I still feel really happy about what I'm doing. Not a whole lot happened this week, although the lord continues to bless us. For instance, we had this appointment set up, but it totally got shafted, and we were walking outside, thinking something along the lines of, "Dang, what now?" when this lady drives up in her van, and says, "Hey, I'm new to the area, and I'm moving in. Can you guys come visit me?" Which of course we said yes to. It was pretty cool.
Today was also a really cool Pday, we went for a hike. My district is pretty adventurous. It was so nice to get away from the constant noise. There is ALWAYS some kinda car speeding by and there are sirens a couple of times a day. For that it was really nice to go up to the mountains, and chill out. I realized that I have to run up and down those hills, because if I stop and think about what I'm doing too much, I'll get scared and fall. I kinda have to let my instincts take over. I don't know how good of a life metaphor that is.
Well, I suppose I should say something Easter related. My favorite song by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir is "This is the Christ." It gets me every time. I want to tell you that I know that Christ lives, and he loves each and every one of us. I know this for two reasons. Number one: The historical evidence is undeniable. The Old Testament prophsies of Jesus something like 300 times. Every one of these prophsies were fulfilled to the letter. We have all of the testimonies of the apostles, who saw the living Christ with their own eyes. They were willing to die for their testimonies. Can you imagine dieing for a lie? After Jesus was resurrected, the Sanhedrin wanted to cover it up, and they said that the dsiciples went and stole the body out of the tomb while the 4 soldiers guarding the tomb slept. This is highly improbable, as sleeping while they were on guard duty carried the penalty of death. All four of them being asleep is laughable.
But, we never base our faith on historical facts or calculated arguments. I had an investigator who didn't believe in Jesus, he was agnostic, but still professed to know a lot about that kind of history. Reason #2: I have felt his hand in my life abundantly. I have used the atonement to heal my sins. I have felt his love for me. He has lifted me up when I have felt dejected. I have felt him change me and seen him change other people. He is my Lord, and I am his man forever. Would I base my life on a lie?
God lives. His kindom on the earth is known as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Yeah, those two young punks who knock on your door every once in a while. If you listen to them, and apply the gospel in your life, you will have the most happiness in this life that is possible, and joy you can't imagine in the eternities. That's why I'm here in sunny California.
Well, I love you all. Have a good week!
Elder Joseph Call

General Conference

Hey guys,
It seems that satan has been trying hard to keep us home, because last week between the two of us we had 3 or 4 flat tires and one half sick day. We were not very lucky. But things are still plugging along. I'm having fun.
Was General conference awesome or what! It was kind of like a vacation for me as a missionary. It was nice to sit down for like 10 hours. Especially since I am back on bike, which is giving my energy level a beat down every day.
I want to thank the Murphy family, you guys have been consistently cheering me up every week for the past 6 months. Thank you kindly.
Well, I don't really have much else to report. I love you all!
Elder Call.