October 27, 2014

Hola Familia/ Amigos

So to start this weekly email off, I have asked Sister Surla to share
a joke with us, because we are doing our emailing with her this week.
since we didn't have the mileage on our monthly report, to have the
privilege to drive to Fairfield and hang out with the Zone.

However, this week has been quite interesting.  We haven't had a whole
lot of interesting things happening, although we are working really
hard with our members, and part member families, trying to get them to
become stronger in the gospel. We have a lot of members, and they are
all wonderful, however some of them just need a little kick in the
rear to get moving, and truly strengthen their testimonies.

We are truly trying to work hard and get this area moving, so that we
can find new investigators. It's a tough area. Not anything I didn't
already know. However this next week, we have a lot of things planned
that will increase the work a lot. Ha ha

This past week, we were able to go on splits, and be able to actually
get 3 priesthood holders out with us. We all went 3 separate
directions, and taught many lessons. It went really well. I was able
to take Brother Sullivan who is the 2nd counselor in the Branch
Presidency to Bird-landing, and teach Hawk and his family! It went
really well! His future wife Liza, is doing so great, she is
progressing really well, and doing everything she needs to do to
receive her answer.

Elder Olmos was able to go with Brother Martin who is from Lewiston
Idaho! They were able to teach a few lessons that night as well. It
was super cool to hear about all the miracles we had that night when
the members, are willing to come out with us.

Sorry this email may be a little short. However I miss you
all, and love you all very much! Have a great week!

Love,
Elder Albertson

October 20, 2014

Hola Familia/Amigos

    Wow! I have to say, everything on the mission is now starting to
become such a blurr! Like for real! However, I do remember this past
week was my birthday! And thank you all so much for your wonderful
thoughts, prayers, gifts, and support. It was a wonderful Birthday!

    It truly does just blow my mind, how wonderful everything can be,
even though you can be so far away from everything that is so
wonderful. Such as your family, friends, and all of those wonderful
people in your life. However, when you’re on your mission your Heavenly
Father makes it all up for you. It was awesome to see the miracles He

placed in our path. I guess being my birthday he wanted to bless us with
something great!

     Wednesday we had the opportunity to be down by the park, and there was
a young man who just graduated high school last year. He grew up in a
foster home, hasn't ever really had a grip on life. We stopped, and I
had the chance to really relate with him through basketball. We played
with him for a while, than talked with him about the importance of
Prayer, and how it was through prayer that we were able to really find out
everything we need in life.

    We haven't had the opportunity to follow up on him. To see how
everything went. He was really open with giving us somewhere we could
find him, besides playing ball during the week. So we will have to
drop by, and see how he is doing again! It crushed me to see how he
was struggling, and I could just tell that the gospel is what he is
looking for in life, but I don't think he realizes it.  We will just
continue to pray for him. Evan is a great kid.

     We had a few wonderful lessons with John (Hawk is his Nickname) and his
girlfriend. Hawk is a member, and has been for quite a while.
He has just not been on the active side. This is the same family that
lost their home when the entire town of Collinsville burned down after
the 4th of July. Liza, his girlfriend, is doing quite well. She is
consistently reading in the Book of Mormon, praying, and attending
church! She will be getting baptized soon. They have been together for
16 years, and I guess marriage just hasn't come around yet.

The work here in Rio Vista really is starting to progress. We are
working with another part member family, who are in their late 50’s or
early 60s. Brother and Sister Stinson. Sister Stinson is a member, and
Brother Stinson is not, however he goes to church each Sunday. He
loves the church, and loves the way families raise their children and
everything. However the only thing that is holding him back is all of
the symbolism in the church, and a few other things. We are working
hard with him, and hope to see him enter the waters of baptism.

Overall though we are trying to find a lot more here in Rio Vista! It’s been a while since missionaries have really got down and dirty and found new people to teach! I can definitely say that I am here in this area for a reason! I am starting to really get to know a lot of the members, and be able to gain a relationship with most of them. 

I just want to send a quick shout out to everyone for all the wonderful birthday gifts, and everything. It has been so great. I love you all so much, and miss you all a ton. 

Love you! Have a great week! 

October 13, 2014

Hola Familia/Amigos,

     Well, I want to start off, by letting everyone know how proud I am of my good friend Elder Braden Banning. He is back in the field, and going strong! What a blessing that is to the people of the San Jose, California Mission to have such a great Elder back! Miss you brother! Work hard, and play hard!

     Things here in the Rio Vista area are absolutely amazing! I truly do like this area, however I don't always feel accepted by the members quite yet. It’s kind of weird because this area hasn't had Elders for something like 3 or 4 years. Then 6 weeks ago they put Elder Olmos and Elder Bischoff in the area, and then 6 weeks later they brought me into the area, so I kind of feel like I'm third wheeling it. But that’s o.k.  I know it takes time to build relationships and that’s what being in a new area is all about. I am focused on trying to get this area to its full potential more than anything.

     On the other hand, some of the members just love me. Being from Idaho, hard working, and very blunt and open with them, they think I’m super funny. They are the same way, so I kind of feel like I am at home with that as well. There is a member named Bo Torres, who acts just like Dad. He is super funny, and never serious about anything. Ha Ha We get along great!

     Rio Vista is super sick! The work here is progressing a lot. This past week we were able to pick up 6 new investigators, in which 3 were Spanish speaking, and the other 3 are part member families here in the branch! We are super excited because the part member families, seem like they are all ready to move forward, but the missionaries in the past had just a fear that they had already been tried, or that they just weren't ready! However we had no fear and have met them all, and are beginning to teach them all as well!

    In fact yesterday at church we had a family come who hadn't been to church for about 2 years. They live in a tiny town called Collinsville, that actually just recently burnt down the day of 4th of July. They lost their home, but are doing pretty well recovering from it, and are back on there feet surprising well! We met him, John, at the church one night when he had an interview with the new branch President, and were able to set up an appointment and now are teaching his girlfriend who lives with him as well. They have 2 children and have lived together for 16 years. They said there is not a reason on why they are not married they just haven't gotten around to it. I think it will be pretty simple. They are amazing!

     The Branch Presidency was just changed a month ago, so they are still trying to figure things out, and we are trying to help them to the best of our ability. They are changing a lot of things in the Branch, because a lot of families are moving out due to the fact they work on the Air Force Base here in Fairfield!

     Overall things are going really well here in Rio Vista. I am truly trying to work on changing and bettering myself! We had a wonderful Zone Conference this past Friday, where a lot of great things were talked about. President Alba, talked a lot about the importance of our mission, and how we all need the full 2 years to change, however we have to be willing to accept his atonement to truly change. Just like our investigators or members that haven't been active can truly only change through the atonement of Jesus Christ.

     This past weekend was huge in Rio Vista! People came all the way from San Francisco! It’s a huge event that has quite the attraction for people! The Bass Durby Festival! It’s a huge carnival thing, as well as a Bass Fishing competition where whoever catches the biggest bass wins a nice sized fishing boat! It was super fun! It kind of reminded me a lot of the Eastern Idaho Fair, however it was a little bit smaller in size, and not as many redneck things going on such as Tractor Pulls etc! It was still a lot of fun to be able to contact many people, and hand out a lot of pass along cards of Jesus Christ!

    So a lot of people have been asking a lot of questions about my companions! How it is being in a Trio! ha ha. So I guess all I have to say is that it’s a lot of fun. We all have very different but similar personalities so we are always having a good time! Elder Bischoff is from Ely, Nevada. He was serving in the Ukraine for about a year and a half of his mission, but with all the warfare, and such going on there they closed down his mission, and reassigned him to our mission! He has a lot of interesting stories, which are super cool! He also speaks pretty good Russian.

Elder Olmos was born in Mexico City, but has been living in Bakersfield, California his entire life. He speaks Spanish about the same level as I do, which is super cool! He has a better vocabulary than me, however I know the rules and such, and can write better than him. ha ha

Things are going great here! Thank you all so much for the birthday wishes, and all the support! I love you all, and miss you all tons!

Love,

Elder Albertson

 Welcome to the little city of Collinsville.

 Working in the Nursery

 as a missionary is definitely my style! 

Free Snacks!

 Mormon.Org Signs we made 

and posted around town for the 

Bass Durby!

Hot dog, pea, and corn soup! 

Yuck!(love the Spidy cup though)