24

It's been a crazy week.

 

Tuesday Harral and I headed "upcountry." We cover a number of small communities in the hills, about 2-3 thousand feet elevation. We found Pardee Lake, and drove over the dam (picture). I love working upcountry, it's so pretty. There's lots of big trees and green hills and rocks. I like rocks.

 

On Wednesday we had exchanges with our district leaders, Boeke and Jones. Boeke came to our area and stayed the night at our apartment, and Harral went with Jone's in theirs. Boeke's a cool guy! He's from Georgia, plays football and lifts weights (he could bench 600 lbs at his peak!), and likes to cook. He can cook some real good southern grub. He's going to make us some biscuits and gravy sometime. Because both of us are really new to the area, we used up a lot of our monthly allotment of miles on Wednesday. Ooops.

 

On Thursday our zone leaders called and told us that the whole mission is called to a conference in Stockton on Friday. We had to be in our best Sunday suits, hairs parted, shoes shined, the whole deal. Backpacks NOT allowed. (FYI, our whole mission never gathers at the same time for anything, so this is crazy) I figured it was something about our mission president because he's been in the hospital so long and he just got transfered to SLC.

 

On Friday we carpooled with Boeke and Jones to the church building Stockton. All of us were there, about 200 missionaries. We sang some prelude music, and then... Elder Jeffery R. Holland walked in. Woah! He met each of us and shook our hands. He spoke to us and told us that President Lewis will be coming back, but right now he'll be recuperating at his home in Salt Lake for a few weeks before he returns. He told us that he's proud of us, we're doing a good job-- "if you weren't, you would hear from me; I go ballistic!" Everyone laughed. He mentioned that some of us had to endure his "don't-you-ever-go-home" MTC tirade, and he explained that he can't stand the thought of returned missionaries going in-active later in life. The main purpose behind creating Preach My Gospel was to convert the missionary, so that the missionary could help convert others. He said much more, but an hundredth part I cannot write. I really felt of his love and care for us and his words were encouraging during this period while we don't have our mission president leading us. I really like Elder Holland.

 

While we were there in Stockton, we drove down the street to the other church building to the Gladys Knight fireside. Do you know who Gladys Knight is? I didn't until a few weeks ago when they told us that this weekend we would be having firesides for some of the stakes in our mission. It is an incredible missionary tool, so bring as many non-members and investigators as you can. Sister Knight came and sang with her choir, the Saints Unified Voices. The fireside was very.... "soulful" :) it wasn't like most of LDS meetings -- there was clapping, "AMEN sister!", "Praise the Lord!" The chapel, overflow, gym, and stage were PACKED. Sister Gladys Knight shared her powerful conversion story afterward. It was freakin' awesome.

 

On Saturday we went over to the Barkell's, a recent convert family. James and Brett live on a ranch with their 3 year-old son, James. We helped them move boxes and stuff, and then we proof-read their talks for Sunday. They have an amazing conversion story, too. The next day they spoke in church, and I spoke afterwards.

 

Dang, it's been a good week. Hope all is well!

--

Elder Chris Andrew

California Sacramento Mission

8267 Deseret Ave

Fair Oaks, CA 95628

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23

The past few weeks our mission president has been in the hospital with emergency surgeries, and all of us have been praying and fasting for his recovery. As you can imagine, he has been unable to do his regular duties as our president. I received this email today:

 

The Sacramento Spirit Email- Sunday,  January  22, 2012
Dear Elders and Sisters, 
As you know I suddenly became ill during the week between Christmas and New Years Day.  I heard one rumor that "Santa" delivered one too many sacks of toys just before Christmas and that contributed to his illness--although I don't think that had anything to do with it.  In fact, seeing each and every one of you on the same day (Friday before Christmas) and being able to wish you each a joyful and blessed Christmas was the highlight of Sister Lewis and my Christmas. 
I have had two major surgeries and have been hospitalized all but a couple of days since the 29th of December.  I have received the very best care available and more importantly I have felt the healing and sustaining effect of your prayers and priesthood blessings during this time.  Nevertheless, I am still not well enough to leave the hospital and to resume my responsibilities in this great work.
I met with Elder Stephen Allen of the Missionary Department yesterday.  He came to see me and Sister Lewis at the hospital.   He was sent by members of the First Quorum of the Seventy and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.  After a careful review it has been determined I have a better chance for a faster and surer recovery by returning to a hospital in Salt Lake City that is near our home.  Therefore, today I am being transported to a hospital in Salt Lake for further care.
I am not being released as President of the Mission.  But, during the next few days the Church has asked President Spencer Weston of our Mission Presidency to take the lead in my absence.  Following that time the Church will assign another experienced brother to serve on my behalf until I am well enough to return.  Once that person is identified and arrangements have been made for him to come to Sacramento you will be among the first to know.
I am reminded of the scripture in Proverbs 3: 5 & 6: "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." I have no doubt that this is the Lord's work. He will continue to direct it. He loves each of us beyond our ability to understand. If we approach each experience and trial in life with humility and patience He will bless us.      
Sister Lewis and I have great respect for you; we trust you and have confidence in you. Please give your very best. We look forward to being back with you soon. We love you!
President and Sister Lewis
Obedience is the price, Faith is the power, Love is the motive, The Spirit is the key and Christ is the reason.

Please pray for our President and Sister Lewis.

 

This week has been alright. On Wednesday my companion had a meeting in Lodi, so I paired up with E. Jones and worked in his area, San Andreas and Murphy. It's the largest area in the entire mission, and there's a lot of hills and rivers and trees. We're lucky because in this area the mission equips our pick-up trucks with GPS's, and I'm so glad because otherwise I would get lost every day on all the back roads we travel on. I'm in heaven here!

 

The past four days it's rained/snowed/misted/fogged. It's about time, making up for the little rainfall we've had so far this year. I hear Utah is having the same kind of winter. Also these last few days E. Harral has been sick with a cold (that I gave him last week, oops), so we've been indoors a lot. We were planning on going to Big Trees, a state park in our zone, today.... but with the bad weather and sickness we decided to go another p-day.

 

Other than that it's been a great week! Love you all,

--

Elder Chris Andrew

California Sacramento Mission

8267 Deseret Ave

Fair Oaks, CA 95628

The picture is with my companion, Elder Harral. He's crazy :)

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22

This week was pretty crazy. On Wednesday I got a ride to my new area, the Jackson and Ione wards. We cover the whole county of Amador and get 2000 miles a month for our truck (in Folsom we only got 950). Look it up on Google, it's huge! The second largest area in the mission. I love it, it's pretty rural. There are about 10 small sleepy towns around here and a lot of ranches. We're in the foothills of the Sierras. I want to stay here the rest of my mission!

My companion, E. Harral. This is his last transfer, so he goes home in 5 weeks. He is from Highland, UT. He's definitely a geek :) He likes gaming and numbers and computers. Interesting guy, I haven't quite figured him out yet.

Our apartment is really nice! It's clean and there are no bugs. But we live by ourselves, which is kinda boring. The closest missionaries are 45 minutes away, and they are our district leaders, E. Boeke and E. Jones.

For p-day today we played 3 hours of the board game Risk, Lord of the Rings version. E. Jones is top left in the picture, Harral in the middle, and Boeke on the bottom right. Man, that game was boring. I made them promise that we'll play one week if we can do something outdoors next week. There are tons of old gold mines and caverns, so we'll find something fun.

Yesterday I was able to go back to Folsom for Eric's baptism! That was so cool. I got to meet Amos's new missionary, E. Bishop. It was great to see my old ward and Eric get baptized. I miss them!

--

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Elder Chris Andrew

California Sacramento Mission

8267 Deseret Ave

Fair Oaks, CA 95628

Week 21

This was the last week of the transfer! Last Monday E. George and I hiked a trail to Folsom Lake and explored around. On Tuesday Amos had a root canal done and it got infected the next day, so we had to stay in for a couple days....

Yesterday I met Bro. and Sis. Jackman, Bro. J's parents! They live here in the 5th ward. He teaches the addiction recovery program on Sunday evenings, and I've been trying to get one of our investigators to it. If he's anything like the seminary teacher Ryan Jackman, he's an excellent teacher.

Last night we got our transfer calls from one of the assistants. I'm getting transferred to Jackson and Ione, in the Lodi stake! I'm way stoked. My zone leaders, George and Choi, put "send him to the city" on my transfer report, but my new area are small towns in the hills about 45 minutes from anything else :) We live by ourselves and get a truck to drive. I haven't met him yet, but my new companion is Elder Harral. This is his last transfer before he goes home. And Amos is training! This will be the second brand new missionary for these wards in a row. Crazy. Amos will make a good daddy :)

In anticipation of my getting transferred, we went over to Jody's yesterday and warned her that I'd probably be leaving. She hates it when the missionaries get moved. Since I didn't have my camera for her baptism, we took pictures with her and her grandkids, Izzy and Izzo. I'm gonna miss them!

It's been a good transfer with Christmas, New Years, being companions with Amos... I'm going to miss Folsom 4th and El Dorado Hills. I've made a lot of friends with the members and others that live in my area. I'll miss the missionaries, too. But that's just the way missions go!

--

Elder Chris Andrew

California Sacramento Mission

8267 Deseret Ave

Fair Oaks, CA 95628

PS check it out: createfan.com

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Week 20

Happy New Year! Our new years was pretty mellow. On Saturday we worked until six and then our zone got together and bowled at the alley here in Folsom. After that we went to In'n'Out and then went to bed at 10:30, just like normal. eh. Sunday was a p-day, but we had six hours of church anyways, so we were pretty busy. And now today is another p-day! :)

Fourth ward sacrament meeting all the college kids were home from school and we had a testimony meeting... about Brigham Young University. It's crazy how many people from California attend BYU. It was great though 'cause we had an investigator there who is applying and was getting a bishop's interview for her "ecclesiastical endorsement." She's 17, does track and field, and she wants to attend for the high standards and the good track program. She's a golden investigator! E. Amos and I have been teaching her about once a week. She's awesome... she wants to learn and asks really good questions. It's refreshing to teach someone like that!

Our other investigators have been doing well. Eric is firm (has a baptism date) for the 21st. There is a lot of potential in him because his parents aren't members, and we hope we can teach them. It's great because they have family that are members and they're right in their ward to support them. We're seeing Katarina (17, can't get baptized until she's 18) tonight. We're going to try to set a baptism goal for February, when she turns 18. She's been "investigating" for 4 years, and attends seminary and reads her scriptures and everything.

Well, that's it for this week. Love ya!

--

Elder Chris Andrew

California Sacramento Mission

8267 Deseret Ave

Fair Oaks, CA 95628

NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message.