panned out really well. We have been working a ton with the Harrison
family and they are amazing. The husband is going through some major
health issues and it's only a matter of time before he passes which is
a really bummer. He is a member and has strong faith in God and
family. His wife and daughter are not members of the church and we
have been teaching the whole family the missionary lessons. We knew
that death was a touchy subject but felt impressed to teach about
God's plan of happiness for his children. This lesson cover the main
questions of 1) where did we come from? 2) why are we here? 3) where
are we going? The lesson went great and everyone was receptive to the
message. There were some tears shed on their part but there was also a
lot of faith built in God and his love for them. We know that the
Harrisons are going to make the step at some point in their lives to
be baptized, it's just a matter of when. Our other investigators
Alexis and Rob are still doing great! We just have so many people that
are right on the verge! It's just a matter of helping them take that
final leap of faith and not looking back.
Our Young Single Adult ward put on a family history fair at the local
community college of Glendale which we were invited to. A few sets of
missionaries, including us, had a scheduled time to be there helping
out and talking. We went for three hours and no joke not a single
person showed up.... It's was a bummer. The good thing though was that
Elder Johnston and I learned a ton about family history work from the
experts that were on site and had a good experience. I wish more
people would have showed up because the really missed out on a good
opportunity. Another day this week we tried to follow up with a dinner
appointment to see if we were still okay to come for dinner. Well we
didn't have any answer. This family is fully active and always has us
over so we had faith they would be expecting us anyways. Well we
showed up at 5 and there was not a single person home! So much for our
little bit of faith haha. To this day they have not called us back or
made any mention o the missed dinner haha. It was a classic missionary
experience that I never get tired of.
In my current assignment I go on a ton of exchanges with missionaries.
This week I went on two. One with a Spanish missionary from Argentina
named Elder Rodriguez and another with the Assistants the President. I
absolutely love Elder Rodriguez so going on exchanges with him is a
real treat. I went to their Spanish area and set the goal to share my
testimony in Spanish to an investigator lesson we had that night.
Usually I just sit in the lessons quiet as a mouse and just nod my
head and smile because o cannot understand anything haha but this time
I was determined to make it a better experience. I wrote out a simple
testimony about Jesus Christ and that the investigators choice to be
baptized was a good one. Elder Rodriguez translated it for me and I
read and re-read it over and over to become familiar with the words.
Well the investigator lesson went amazing and I bore my testimony and
everyone loved it. Then we went to a members house for a visit and
Elder Rodriguez puts me in the hot seat and asks me to bear my
testimony in Spanish again. I was all pumped and read though it and
pronounced everything right on.... then I remembered that a part of
the testimony had been written talking about how the investigators
choice to be baptized was a good one. Well I remembered that a little
too late and already said it. After the lesson Elder Rodriguez was
laughing so hard! I totally invited an active member of their
congregation to be baptized! Ah I was so embarrassed! If only I had
payed more attention in Spanish 1 and 2 while in high school.
Transfers are this next week and we are unsure of what will happen but
everyone around me is saying that I am a goner but I am not sure. I
would love to stay with Elder Johnston but we will just have to wait
and find out. Thank you all for your love and support. Talk to you
next week.
Elder Cole Safford
1. The Hayes last goodbye (they are from Simi Valley and have been living here in my ward)
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