November 4, 2013

Hola Familia/Amigos 

Well this week has been quite interesting! I was left along from Elder Payne and I got my new companion! Elder Minkler. He is He is from Cedar City Utah! He has been out the same amount of time as Elder Payne which is about 10 months! We have had a wonderful week when it comes to teaching the Gospel as well! Imma try and explain this whole week in a small enough amount that you could read it all without falling asleep! Cause there wasn't to many crazy interesting things! Except for our new ride here in Sonoma! 

Last Tuesday was Elder Payne's and I last day together! It was a wonderful day! We had so much fun together! We even got taken out to dinner from a family that he served around in Napa, because he was completely finally leaving the Napa Zone and would not be able to see them any more until he comes back! The Perez Family is absolutely amazing! He is a dentist and lives in the Spanish Branch. They came all the 20 minutes away from Napa and actually took us out to eat to our favorite dinner there in Sonoma, which is Mary's Pizza! We also ran around to all of Elder Payne's favorite families in the ward and took tons of Photos with them all for Elder Payne! 

Wednesday Elder Payne left me! As well as Elder Mullenaux! Those 2 guys were both wonderful Elders here in Sonoma! Elder Mullenaux was headed to Vacaville to be a District Leader over his "Dad" in the Mission Elder Ashton! Elder Payne got shipped off to Lake County, and come to find out he is in Clear Lake! Not so sure where that is But somewhere more north than Santa Rosa! 

We also were able to receive our new Missionaries! We got a New District Leader which is going great! Elder Henrie has been out about 16 months and went home twice for the same surgery as me! Labrum Tears! Although he says his wasn't ever as bad as mine! Ha Ha Also it was also his 3rd time having the same surgery! Elder Minkler showed up with them as well, and so did a good little missionary from Mexico City to be in a trio with Elder Olmos and Elder Medina! I absolutely love Elder Debora, he is a stud and has such a wonderful conversion story! We get along so well, we are always having such a great time at night after we daily plan! 

It is kinda weird have been given the chance to now actually have to lead the Area out! I am in charge of everything that goes on in my Area until my Senior Companion Elder Minkler gets a little more used to what we do, and how we do things here in Sonoma! Elder Minkler is a great missionary, however he is a little different sometimes! He loves to make noises with his mouth, and things like that! I think we will do alright, it just might test my patience to the max at times! That is why i will be studying Christ Like Attributes! Because we can all become more like Christ!  

We had a wonderful week though considering how much time we had to spend inside with Halloween, Transfers, and Weekly Planning! We were still able to teach 8 lessons this week! Which is actually pretty good, we could have definitely taught more i think if we wouldn't have been trapped inside so much! 

I am starting to see Facebook and Skype lessons starting to heat up and take off! This week 3 outta our 4 lessons were on Skype with the same Investigator! Sadie is doing so well, we are hopefully going to be able to set a Baptismal date with her very soon! She is constantly wanting to learn more about the gospel! 

Otherwise with our other investigators we didn't see any of them this week! But we have a few set appointments this coming week with them! So we will see how it goes! 

I am absolutely loving the work! I cannot believe how Fast the time is flying, when i get to skype with the family! It will have been exactly 6 months sense i left on my mission! What a blessing! I cannot believe the blessings i have seen come my way, but also all the blessings i have heard from my family! 

I truly do Love and miss you all! Letters are wonderful! So are Packages! But cookies probably aren't the best Idea! I don't think i got a single cookie that wasn't broken! Ha Ha What a wonderful thought though from you all! 

 Adios to my boy Elder Mullenaux! He is such a Stud!

Good-bye to my father in the mission! I'm all grown up now! 

Time to move on to new things in the Mission life!

Love you all!
Love, 

Elder Albertson  

Ps: I have a challenge i would like all who is reading to begin with me! I have Decided to take a Paper Back Book of Mormon, and Do the Following in Preach my Gospel... On Page 105! However when you read it, lets read it 4 separate times rather than doing it all at first! My goal is to have it done before i come home! Can you all do that as well? If you wanna come back to my mission with me, you will all do so! Good luck! Update me on how your all doing! 

October 28, 2013

Hola Familia/Amigos

    This week has been alot better! We finished out the Transfer with 11 Lessons which is our best for this transfer! I was so stoked! We had such a great week! We also had a goal of contacting over 100 people in one week, which was pretty high, but we fell a little short even though we still got 63! Which was a Zone high! So Stoked! That means we planted 63 seeds this week! That will slowly be harvested in the future!

    This Last week i was finally able to make it to Napa for those exchanges that we have been talking about for a while! Elder Grenados the Zone Leader came to Sonoma, to go with Elder Payne as i took of to Napa with Elder Phillips! We had quite some crazy experiences! I was able to teach a lesson with Toni who got baptized yesterday! The lesson was pretty sketch, because right as we walked in he hit a beer bottle and began to apologize for drinking! I was quite shocked, with it being my first time I had ever had to deal with someone drinking, when i wasn't prepared to talk about it! Elder Phillips and I began to get to work! We Started of with talking about Baptism and The Gift of the Holy Ghost, which Elder Phillips talked about the whole time, because I asked if i could deal with the beer problem! As i began to Talk about the Beer problem, he had mentioned to me that he had a 6 pack in the Fridge that he was just about to open when we arrived at his house to teach him! Thank Goodness that we got there when we did! I began to talk to Toni about living on the Edge, and asked him if it was better that we live 5 feet from the edge, or 35 Feet from the edge! He automatically knew where we were going with this! Ha Ha As i began to soften Toni's Heart, he opened up with me really well, in the end of the Lesson i was able to commit him to never Drink alcohol again, nor Coffee, nor Iced Tea, or any kind of tea! When i walked out of Toni's house i was Holding a Bag of Cocaine, 6 Pack of Beer, 5 Tubs of Coffee, and a Brisk Iced Tea! What a wonderful site to be able to see him give this all up for Baptism! Sunday night i was able to watch him be baptized! Such an amazing Thing!

    This week i was finally able to meet with Socorro again, after we think she had been ignoring us, but come to find out you should never give up on such a sole! Because we realized that she had only gotten a Job, and was working 40 hrs a week now! Which is such a blessing! I even got a new Goal for baptism, which is on November 23rd! Hopefully she will follow through with this goal, and Be baptised and become a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints!

    Saturday was quite a busy day as well! I was able to help the Edwards family again with Some service! This service was absolutely crazy! We actually had to Move 12 Sheets of Galvanized Steel! They were estimated to be able 350 lbs a piece! They were the exact size of a full size Trucks bed! We put 12 of them in a truck, which bottomed it out! Then we had to unload them and put them into place where he wanted them! It was crazy how heavy they were, and how much it cut all our hands up! Even with wearing Gloves! 

     We have picked up a few New investigators as well! If we continue in pray and faith Elder Payne and I are thinking that i should see a few baptisms here in sonoma, within the next transfer, but we will see! Not need to rush things when all we can do as missionaries is Invite other to come unto to Christ! After that, its completely up to the others to accept the Message of Jesus Christ! I am so stoked for some of our Investigators! If you guys would like to begin praying for them to accept the Message of Jesus Christ thatd be amazing! Here is a list of there Names!

1) Socorro Sanchez-Pray to gain a strong enough testimony for Her Boyfriend to move out, and also for Alvins Health! 

2) Carmin and Antonio- Pray for them to realize the Power of the Priesthood and the Authority that we have. 

3) Maria and Alexis- Pray for Father to allow us to be able to continue to visit them. 

4) Janet-Pray for the Holy Ghost to testify to hear that this is the True Gospel! Boyfriend will allow us in the Home. 

5) Martin de Alba-Catholic Family will allow us to visit Grandpa, who is wonderful man! For his Health of Alzheimers to be healed. So he can remember what we teach!  

The people here in Sonoma, are absolutely amazing! I cannot be more thankful than i am right now, they feed us so well, and are absolutely willing to do anything to help us! Transfers are this week, but i am not going any where! I am staying in the wonderful town of Sonoma, where i will be able to Continue to teach these wonderful people! Thank you for all the prayers!

Love, Elder Albertson

Elder Phillips and I with all the Junk we took from Toni's House! 

Pretty amazing Huh?

Here is all the coffee and beer going down the Toilet!

Giant Pumpkin Man in  Napa!

Elder Olmos trying to flip his Egg!
 Didn't quite work out so great though! Ha Ha

 Grandpa Joe! Brother Leete! Two of my favorite guys in the ward.
They are absolutely amazing!

La Familia Guzman! Ello es un Bueno familia en el barrio!
Me Gusta la familia mucho.

Danny, Danny, Danny!! Ha ha
This is Bishop Adams looking like a Stud!

Marlin, this here is the Champion of the Ward! 

He absolutely love us missionaries!

Welcome to the wonderful property of the Leete Family. They are amazing!

Elder Payne and I...Nothing but business!

But at the same time, We love each other!

The Leete family live in this national park.  We go through security to get to their home. 

She is a descendant of Jack London and the property was left in her name.

Toni and I and his 4 year old 100lb daughter. 

 She is sooo cute! I love Toni!!

October 21, 2013

Hola Familia/Amigos

This week has been absolutely insane! Like holy Johner! Where do i even begin! Wanna know the good news first? Or the Bad News? If i start with the goodnews, than i hate to break it to ya Mom, But you probably shouldnt read the Bad News! Otherwise you might be terrified! For my Safety! But if you really want i guess anyone can read! Otherwise if your worried about me on the mission i probably would continue to read when it gets a little crazy! But here we go! Lets get going on this wild bull!  

First off, Lets start off with last Tuesday! My Birthday! Whoop Whoop! Worst Birthday/Funniest Birthday i think i have ever had in my life! I was scheduled to travel to Napa, for Exchanges with the Zone leaders! When it come around to about 10:00 Oclock Zone leaders were at the house, and we were just getting our stuff packed up and ready to go to district meeting, in which after wards Elder Olson and I were going to be headed to Napa! Turns out, i never made it to Napa! The Exchange never happened! It was completely all set up, everyone was ready to go after District meeting! However, We never ended up having a district meeting! Unless you call a meeting with another Car some what a district meeting! Yes we got into a Car ACCIDENT! Pretty crazy i know! At 45 MPH we were headed down the Road with cyclists on the Right and construction in front of us! Traffic came to a complete hault in which i had time to yell "Stop! Elder Payne STOP!" In that amount of time, he was able to hit the Brakes, didnt have time to lock them up, and with no where to swerve we were in the Trunk of the Car infront of us! Going 40 MPH when we made contact! Yes, 7 airbags when off! 4 Car Pile up! 4 Hrs in the Emergency! 1 Fire truck! 2 Ambulances! Last but not Least a Totaled 2013 Ford Fusion! Elder Payne and Elder Olson, Completely stretched down to stretcher boards getting put into an Ambulance, along with the 92 Year older Feller that we hit, who took it like a complete Champion! This is where i can definately testify that angels truly do surround us as missionaries, and we are kept safe from the world! Dont worry though, i was all swarmed up by arm bags, except the fact that it took about 4 days to get my hearing back! Im all good though, and so are they! Even the 92 year old feller! After spending 4 Hrs in the Emergency room, I was finally able to go home to a huge pile of Packages on my Desk! That was the great part about my birthday! Now 24 hours after that car accident Satan, truly was working his very hardest on us! We had 6 flat tires! 7 lessons fall through, and just a completely unsuccesful day at all!

However, I did get some amazing Birthday gifts this week! Got 3 great looking ties from my Sisters and Grandma! Tons of Food! Thank good my parents send me the Jungle Gym XT, Otherwise i would be getting so fat! it would be redicoulous! The Banning family treated me so well, and send me a Deep fryer! Holy Cow, i Bought Oil today, and cannot wait to start Deep frying me some Chicken, and Maybe some French Fries! Just gotta get Uncle Curtis to Send me a Box of Spuds! ;) Ha ha Last but definately not least, i was sent a Birthday Present that has so much Personal, and Sentimental meaning to me! That it will actually be getting sent home today! Thank you Aunt Genny! For sewing me my highschool Career T-Shirt Blanket! I would love to use it on the Mission but, am to worried it will get Ruined! Also just wanna send a Shout out to anyone else who sent me money, and other great things for my birthday! It was great! Thank you all!

The rest of the week went pretty well! Still a little startled from  the car accident! We had a hard time focusing during studies, especially when i could hear, and Elder Payne was having pretty severe back Pain! Studies just werent that succesful! However Saturday we were able to have all the missionaries from the Napa Zone come to Sonoma, and do the Blitz! Such a great expereince, being able to do what we call "Zebras" Which is where we put a English missionary with a Spanish missionary! That way doesnt matter what Langauge they run into they can contact either way! This week when it comes to teaching lessons we did much better! We taught 2 Less active lessons, but also got 5 Other lessons, which are just lesson with our investigators without a member present! Such a better week when it comes to that, but now that we are down to only 1 car in Sonoma Miles are tight, and we cant ever go anywhere together as a district! 

Missionary work is going pretty good! We have been pretty exhausted from the Car Accident, just because it drains the Energy right outta you, but other than that we are still going hard in the paint! Getting down and Dirty in the work! Our investigators are all doing very well, we actually have met a few potentials that members have brought to church that we are going to start teaching here this coming week! Hopefully we will see a baptism here in the next few weeks with a few of them!

Thank you all for everything you do! I love getting your letters! Also would love to hear from some of you more often! I totally understand though if you dont have time to write me! Thank you though! You guys truly are such a great support, to my missionary work!

Love you all!

Love,

Elder Albertson

Car Wreck!! It doesn't look as bad as it was when

 they separated all the vehicles!

All the wonderful things I got for my Birthday!! Dang it...And they even sang to me

with a lit candle that came on some Cupcakes that Mom sent us too!!

This is the Fry Daddy that Sister Banning sent from her family.

They are such an amazing family! Gosh, I love it so much! Thank-you!!

Jungle Gym XT! Yeah Buddy, I'm gonna be getting shredded her soon!

Just me a bit! On the mission they say the 6 months to sexy program!

 I think I'm gonna do the 2 years to sexy!

Oh boy! and here is the Quilt that Aunt Genny sent me.  She is amazing. Most precious gift of all my high school memories.  It means so much! That's why it will be getting sent home, and I would appreciate it if my family at HOME would not use it either!! Thank-you Aunt Genny!  I love it.

October 14, 2013

Hola Familia/Amigos

WOW! Is all i have to say! This week has absolutely Flown! I cannot believe how fast it has gone by! It feels like just Yesterday i was Sitting her in the Library Emailing you all! And now im sitting here doing the same thing again! Oh my goodness! Well here the week is in a brief! Good thing im writting in my Journal because i cannot remember anything! All the Days just end up being one Giant Blurr!

 

We had another Rough week when it comes to teaching lessons, and seeing people! The whole Area of Sonoma, is struggling so hopefully this saturday we are going to have what is called a "Blitz" In Sonoma! A Blitz is where all the missionaries in the Zone come to one Area and you set it up so everyone is in a English Spanish companionship! You than have like 13 or 14 companionship literally just go and Blitz the Area! Talk with everyone possible, Knock doors, everything possible to find those who are interested in the Gospel! This truly is an amazing expereince, it builds so much Zone Unity but can also increase your numbers Magnificiently! Im so excited!

 

I feel like my Langauge might be struggling because the lack of Lessons we teach a week. I talk spanish in the house hold as much a possible but its harder when at first you have only learned Gospel related terms in the Language your learning! I got told the other night by a hispanic thought that my spanish was very good for how long i have been out! So i was happy with hearing that! When i never hear anything more, besides its "Horrible" Keep working! Gets kinda Frustrating and Annoying, but i just learn to rely on pray!

 

We had Zone Conference on Wednesday which was quite an amazing expereince! I was so Thankful that Elder Payne was District Leader because i had to be there early which meant i had the time to be able to visit with other missionaries and get to more than the ones that were in our Zone! Because our Zone conferences were combined with Vallejo Zone! Serving in Vallejo is like serving in Compton! Lots of Gangs, and constantly having to defend your self from getting robbed and such! So I hope and pray The Lord will have enough Faith and Trust in me, to send me to that Area of the Mission! Ill Whip those Gangsters right into Shape! Ha ha Other than that, Zone conference was amazing because we get to learn more that President Alba has Recieved Revelation on Spefically for our Zone and our Areas!

 

I think i can say this last week i had the most solid lesson i have had on my mission so far! With our Investigators Carmen and Antonio Who we can only see once a week on fridays! This week we had the opportunity to pray for a member who might be able to come with us, and be able to Help us, fellowship them into the ward! The names of the Members we had come to our mind, was Javier & Valeria Alonzo! I think i have talked about them a little bit in other emails! The couple who i got to go to there wedding, and than there planning on going through the Temple in a Year! Well them! Ha Ha We also had the opportunity to put 2 and 2 together and get them to the appointment we had! So great! Javier and Valeria are both Converts to the church grew up catholic! Well so are Carmen and Antonio! So we had to kinda give them a little kick in the but when it comes to Authority in the Priesthood! Javier Flat our nailed it! Nailed it right on the head! Kinda like when you 1 Hit sink a nail! We also talked about Eternal Families, and all! Got a baptismal Invitation out as well! They are such an amazing little family Carmen and Antonio are! After the lesson Javier and Valeria and Ethan there 8 year old son, said they would like to begin Family Home evening every week, but they would also love to Invite them, or go to Carmen and Antonios house because they just build such a great Relationship! SO amazing! 

 

Saturday was a great day! You know me, and how much i love doing Hard Manual Labor! We had the Opportunity to be able to help Brother Newman, who is the owner of our Apartment, who just lives in the same home, but a different section, begin to do some Fall clean up! But as well, we had the opportunity to be able to begin redoing his stucko outside the end of our Apartment! The Rest of the Home as been down, he just hasnt had time to finish it, so with it taking 3 coats it was just a big project for him to take on by himself! But with 6 of us missionaries and him, we were able to knock the first coat out, and than we will be helping him finish it here soon! They are such a great family to have as our "Host" Family i guess you could say! So i guess if you ever need help with anything, Just give the missionaries a call! They can pretty much do anything if you ask them to!

 

Not to man expereinces this past week, but definately one expereince i will never be able to forget! I cannot believe here in like 12 days i will have been our 4 months! The time truly does fly! Im almost upset that it is going by so fast! It needs to slow down! I am loving the work way to much! The only tough thing is waking up at 6:30, still not quite used to it yet! Ha ha

 

Love you all!

Love, Elder Albertson!

 Ps. Again with my Birthday, please do not post on my Facebook Happy Birthday, i just dont think it will look very Professional as a missionary or Representative of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

October 7, 2013

Hola Familia/Amigos
   This week has been absolutely horrible when it comes to missionary work, and our numbers! We taught only 3 lessons and 2 of them were through Facebook and Skype! Our Area here in Sonoma, is struggling but it just means Elder Payne and I need to get our hands Down and in the Dirt, and Begin to do the Dirty work! "A missionary isnt a missionary unless he knows how to find people to teach on his own!" - Elder Bednar
   Other than that the week was pretty good! We only had like 3 days last week to actually teach, and proselite which is why i think our numbers were so bad! Monday was P-day, Tuesday was Zone Meeting, and than Friday was weekly planning which takes the complete day, and than Saturday and Sunday was general Conference! So our numbers were down because we didnt have alot of time to be able to teach lessons! Which is Okay!
   Last Week when on exchanges with Elder Olson, we Contacted over 20 people, now this week, Elder Payne and I had the Opportunity to go and visit some of those people in there homes, and were actually able to leave blessings in there homes for the families needs! What a great expereince! Im actually quite inpressed our numbers are Low but our investigators are slowing increasing from the amount of faith that we have, to continue to find people! Everyday that Elder Payne or I dont feel like wanting to contact, I just read my little story to the both of us, and immediately it touches our hearts, and we Grab our back packs and are off on our bikes "Finding our Friend" who we promised we would find.
   General Conference was absolutely amazing! I cannot believe as a little kid, or even in my Teenage years, which i am still in, i didnt pay more attention, and try to get more out of it! I now look back and am so dissapointed in myself that i didnt pay as much attention to hear the words of the Lord, but through his apostles and Prophets! What a great expereince! We even had such an amazing missionary expereince come from general conference! I had the opportunity to contact my parents through facebook, and They had the opportunity to invite one of my best friends over to the house to participate in a family tradition! That family tradition is something that i missed out on, but its okay because it was replace with Serving a mission! So many more good things from the mission! Ha ha But the Family tradition is to eat Waffles and than Watch General Conference! Mogga Lado being the stud that he is, and being 1 of my facebook Investigators, was able to Participate is such and Amazing Expereince, and than i was able to teach him right after!
   The zone meeting we had this week was alright. For a while the Napa Zone was the highest baptizing Zone in the mission, but i think we are now one of the lowerst. Such a disappointment but i can honestly say, i feel that it is because of the goals that we set as a zone. They, well i Guess We, but i completely disagree with them set Goals of Baptising 13 Per month! Now in Realtity for the past 9 monthst the highest we have seen is 4! So why do we keep setting ourselves up for Failure? Not sure! I just think that if we set them lower, and achieve the Goal it will make people for "Pumped" When we reach that goal! But no one else agrees.. Which is fine! I Understand!
   My spanish is actaully coming along pretty good! Not in a prideful sense, but during the Zone meeting we had the opportunity to do some Practices with Elders who came out at the Same time as Elder Payne, There spanish was just HORRIBLE! They have been out 9 months... Woah! After the Practices they both asked how my spanish was so good after only being in the field for 1 Transfer! Pretty Crazy! But doesnt mean i need to spot studying it! There is always room for improvement!
   Not much to report on this week! Hopefully next week will be better! I Love and miss you all! Love getting mail, so keep sending it!
Love, Elder Albertson
PS: Dad, Mogga said this sunday he will go to church with you to the Singles ward! Please call him saturday night, and he will be ready! Thank you!
PSS: I know my birthday is coming up,but please do not post on my Facebook wall "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" Letters would just be much better, and it wont look as bad, with me being a missionary. Thank you!

Email Extension
Also just a reminding, if any of you Readers, have any suggestions or want to know more about Whats going on please send me an Email, at Parker.albertson@myldsmai.net and i will do my best to answer those questions or suggestions!
Thanks,
Love, Elder Albertson

September 30, 2013

Hola Familia/ Amigos

Well this week was pretty intense! Probably gonna be another crazy long email if thats okay with you all, even though i have some crazy good stories to tell, but also i got a good little Story i actually wrote to help motivate other Elder and Sisters to want to Contact more often! Its incredible! Well lets just get straight to the point and Knock it out!

So this week i was able to give my Very first Priesthood Blessing in Spanish! I didnt actaully do the Blessing but i did the Anointing! It was quite the expereince, I was on Exchanges with an English Elder so there wasnt anyway of trying to get outta doing it! Not that i wanted to get outta, but i was so nervous i wanted to thats for sure! Hermano (Brother) Moreno, came to a less actives house after dinner at 8 one night to do the blessing while i did the Anointing of the Blessing! It was given to Felicianna. Felicianna is the Mother of Cristina who has 4 little boys! Alejandro who is 11, Alberto who is 8, and than 2 twins who are 5, but i dont know there names cause i cant tell the difference between them! They are also disabled so it is super hard to teach, cause they just want us to show them there cool trick constantly! Ha Ha! If you have any cool Tricks or Spiritual things let me know, so i can use it on them! They are amazing! Alberto and I are like home boys!

Elder Payne and I actually had the opportunity to go back and see a Lady name Carmin, that we tracted into one Saturday night! She had been sick so it took us a little while to get into her house and be able to actaully teach her! I do not remember which day it was because put here on the mission everything is a time warp! When we did get the opportunity to go by when she was feeling better her husband was there, we Immediately began to think this might not be a good sign, well it sure enough was a good sign! He told us to come in right away, and we began to teach them immediately about the plan of Salvation! It was an Increible expereince and we hope that the Lord will continue to water that seed in there heart and eventually enter into the Waters of Baptism!

Hmm here is were we are going to start getting interesting! Elder Aidukaitus, happened to come to the Santa Rosa, California mission this past week! He studied some of our surveys, and taught us on our weakness we have here in the mission! It was such a great expereince to be able to learn and grow from a Quorum of the 70! He taught with so much Authority, and the Spirit was so strong! Such and Increible Expereince, that i can now say i have shooken the Hand of the Prophet of the CHurch and one of his Disciples! But dont forget, as a missionary we are his disciples as well! We are Representatives of Jesus Christ! We were told that when we introduce ourselves to people we are not Missionaries anymore, we are Representatives or Disciples of Jesus Christ! So amazing! I took so many great notes from his teachings!

As i mentioned early in the Email, that i had the opportunity to go on exchanges with Elder Olson, who is from Spanish Fork, Utah! He is such a stud! He was a convert to the church only a year ago, and is already back out on his mission! What a great guy, it was fun to be able to take a Greenie out with me into the Spanish part of Sonoma, and begin to talking with hispanics even though he didnt know a lick of Spanish! Boy was the pressure on me! Ha Ha We did amazing though! We actually set a record here in the Zone, and Contacted over 21 people! A contact in when you talk with someone and bring up some kinda a gospel doctrine, and leave them with a Phamplet! It was great, because he hadnt had the great expereinces with contacting on his mission yet, because he was born into the hardest area to serve SONOMA! I was to though, which is good, cause it will teach us both how to do the tough work and everything else will seem easier! 21 contacts, but we also got a baptismal invitation. Not a set date but an invitation to be baptized! Elder Olson was a stud at that, we were talking with an English man, and In the End Elder Olson just invited him to be baptized! Elder Olson and I definately would have hung out before the mission! But also plan to after the mission!

Wow, Brother Edwards who i mentioned in a email i think 2 weeks ago, Is legit! Talk about being dedicated to the Book of Mormon! He has Read it from cover to Cover 46 times in his life, with 28 of those times in the last 6 years! I cannot believe him! When we went and did service on his property again this week, we really got into some cool conversations! He ended up giving me a Red Lettered Bible! Which is where in the bible, Everytime Christ is speaking the words are prinited in Red! It is so amazing! I will probably end up sending it home, so i dont have to carry it my entire mission!

Okay, Story time now! Even Written by Elder Parker Albertson! Huh? Sounds wierd id write a story huh?

                                                                      Finding Your Best Friend
     In the Pre-earth life, you and your best friend have your call letter to go to earth. Your very excited to know where each other is going. You begin to open yours first, and begin to read... "Parker Albertson you have been called to be born in Boise, Idaho to a loving family, with parents who will raise you in the Gospel. You will never have to wonder what it is like to go without those blessings. You will always have the knowledge of the Savior, and his Love for you. You will go onto serve a Full time Mission in Santa Rosa, California! You will bless many people there and show them what it is like to have the blessings of the Gospel. After that you will continue to on to find your eternal companion, and be married in the temple for all time and Eternity! You will continue to live a worthy life devoted to service of the savior." After Reading, you and your best friend are pumped and so excited for the expereinces that will come your way!
     You encourage your Best friend as he opens his letter. As he begins to read....its says... " Dear...... You have been called to be born in Santa Rosa, California. You will not be born into a family with the Gospel. You will go through much of your life not having the blessings of the gospel. You will have many trials and struggles throughout your life! But all of these things will prepare you to recieve the Gospel!"
     You and your best friend begin to cry for the journey and steps your about to take. You Look your Best friend Square in the Eye, and tell him "I WILL FIND YOU! I WILL BRING YOU THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST!"
 
     For any of you who have trouble talking to people about the Gospel, Remember that your best friend is out there somewhere waiting for you to find them, and teach them! Now... What are you going to do to find your Best Friend?

Well Family/ Friends, i hope this email has been well! I Cannot wait to hear what you all think of the Story i have come up with to help you think deep in your heart about what your doing to find that best friend you promised youd find and share the gospel to! I love you all! I love hearing from you all also!

Love, Elder Albertson

 Elder Ashton and I

 I found this picture in the church and it's by far my new favorite

Talk about some major rain!

September 23, 2013

Hola Familia/ Amigos
  Mi Semana fue muy bien. Nosotros hablamos con muchos personas porque no tenemos mucho investigadores. Esta bien si yo escribo en espanol? Porque no van a entender. JaJa
    Ha ha well there is a little Spanish for you all to try and figure out! I know Abe and Makaul will understand, because i keep getting letters from Makaul in Spanish! Even though i know she is using Google translate i love that she is trying! Maybe Abe could help her out a tiny bit!
    Well this week has been another amazing week! I had to say goodbye to Elder Ashton, and Elder Garity, as they got transferred! They truly are studs! I cannot believe how good of friends you become after only being around 2 guys for 6 weeks! They will be missed here in Sonoma, but i know the Lord has called them to another area because people there are waiting for them to come offer them the gospel!
   This week we had a few rough situations come up concerning some less actives in the ward and also a few of our investigators! This might be long if that's okay? If not you can just stop reading right here and ill understand... But anyways!
   So on Tuesday night i got the feeling that we should call one of our Less Active who we teach on a regular basis, and see how she was doing, also to see if we could come by real quick and talk with her! She said that would be great. We hopped on our bikes, and ran down to her house. She is struggling right now with the money being tight, and we have talked to Bishop about trying to help her out! He said she had to be paying her tithing which correct and so she agreed to begin paying her tithing! But when we Knocked on her Door, she grabbed a slip of paper and came outside immediately before her Daughter Maya had the opportunity to
to see us... She began to explain that she has 3 days to pay her rent or she was going to be kicked out, and that she owed $290 dollars and only had $25 dollars in her bank account. She began to tear up, and we expressed to her that everything would be okay, and we will help figure things out for her.
   Wednesday morning we went into the Real-state office where she pays her rent, and I translated for her, because i understand Spanish very well. We left with her in tears again, and so we decided we were going to call Bishop and explain the situation to him, and see what we could do to get her through the end of the month than try and find a new place for her to live, that might have a cheaper rent. I left Bishop a message before he didn't answer! Just stating that we had some news for him and would love for him to call us back so we could explain as best as possible!
    We got a call from Bishop on Thursday night while at the church, i decided i would explain to him, and talk to him about what we might need to do to help her out as best as possible before she goes homeless. As i was talking to Bishop on speaker phone, so that Elder Payne could hear the Conversation, Bishop kept interrupting me trying to say she needs to figure it out... Long history there, but Bishop does not like the Spanish group we have her in Sonoma. But That's okay cause Hermano Moreno, just got put into the Bishopric and he is our Strongest Spanish member! So now we are hoping the Spanish members will feel more included.
   Come to find out he doesn't like me any more either! He thought i was yelling at him, because it was on Speaker phone, and he kept interrupting me, and i politely asked him if i could just explain the situation, than we can visit about what need to be done. But with my Loud voice as is, and on speaker phone, i kinda tend to yell at the phone. I must get that from my mom. She is always yelling at the phone! ;)
    But anyways, we have it all figured out now, and Bishop had to come to realize that it is his job to help the members of the ward, when they are in a tough situation. But there are still hard feelings i think between Bishop and I which is Okay though, because his son Lucas ( Who i think has Down syndrome) absolutely loves me! Because Tennis is his favorite sport!
    We also had a weird situation with our Investigator Angel this week, where we scheduled a time for to come by, and teach him with Hermano Moreno. We had also planned to talk with him about how to help him with his Legalization papers. We showed up at 6:30 he said he was eating dinner to come back at 7, so we did, and He was gone. This was not the first time this had happened to us, so we decided to drop him. That was the hardest thing to drop him, but if he is going to drop our appointments, we have to drop him, and continue to focus on those who are ready and willing to accept the Gospel.
    Socorro is another wild story. Holy cow this week has been busy! We went over to see Socorro, and when we knocked to ignored it, but we knew they were both there, because her car was there and also the boyfriend Alejandro's car as well. So we knocked again a little loudly thinking they might not have heard it, and than she yelled.. (Quien?) Who is it? We said it was the missionaries than like 3 minutes later she answered the in a robe, and tried to explain to us in a frantically way that she was getting into the shower to go to a party that she was late for.... Were not so sure if we should believe her, because she has Struggled with Chastity, and Alejandro was there... She also told us we were not allowed to come over anymore sense school has started unless we call her first and let her know, so we are a little worried there might be things going on while the kids are at school! Not so sure what to do about it, but Elder Payne and I have decided we are not going to baptize her until Alejandro is completely out of the house. In an Ideal situation thats what would be best, but we are aloud to baptize if there still living together as long as there in separate rooms. We have decided we are not going to allow that though, and that she will have to wait until Alejandro is out of the house! We think this will spark a little bit of Serious in her to get him outta the house! We will see where it goes though!

Anyways i love you all! Hope you enjoy your week, and enjoy Reading the email! We will see what next week brings us! Love you all so much! Love getting packages and letters!

Love,
Elder Albertson