Elder Parker Albertson- California Santa Rosa Mission: 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