Monday, September 29, 2014

Droppin' BOMs - Sept 29, 2014




The past week the Newport Zone had a focus of "droppin BOM's" or Book of Mormon (though the proper word usage is copies of the Book of Mormon, but that's just an office thing.) As President Benson taught us "to flood the earth with the Book of Mormon" and we as a zone were able to do just that with nearly a hundred placed around Newport and Costa Mesa. Most of my teaching appointments were on the Book of Mormon and its role in the restoration.
   One of my investigators we are teaching is from Czechoslovakia and referred herself to the Church. She was interested in the BOM and loved it as we helped her understand its origin. A couple members who we stopped by either had a friend they wanted to give a BOM to or took the challenge to find someone.
   Mid-week all the Irvine missionaries met at the mission office/stake center to watch "Meet the Mormons" the new full length movie produced by the Church. I was a bit skeptical at first, thinking it was going to be a 90min long Mormon message but instead it was one of the most spiritual movie films I have seen in the past 2 years. I found it very entertaining and also rather funny. The Candy Bombers’ story about the children in bombed-out Berlin made a lot of us cry a bit. I highly recommend the film to you all to go and watch it.
   The biggest event though was on Saturday morning with a multi-block yard sale. Many members and some less active were in it and had asked for help in setting up so we got there early and did our parts. Then we walked around looking at what was out. We contacted 20 different people, gave out a BOM, taught a lesson, and got a new investigator! Plus people were happy to see us and give out some free clothing. One elder even was able to get a nice guitar (a very coveted item in the mission field.) all and all it was a super fun time with members and all the positive feedback we got from the folks we met.    Another highlight of the week was the dinner appointments and stop-bys we have had with members. Friday night we went to a lovely family who had 2 young girls. While we waited for the last preparations for dinner we played Mormon Pictionary on a whiteboard, but I couldn't help notice all the Frozen toys and what-not around the house. So after we finished eating the 2 girls and I went to work drawing Elsa - they also sang us all the songs from memory (we added the parts we knew.) Sunday night we had a fun dinner with a family where the father is a puppeteer at Carsland and chatted about all the Disneyland conspiracy and the Pixar movies as well. Also had breakfast with a family during the yard sale and then lunch after church the next day, they are a super funny family whose son is on his mission right now  It was a great time spent enjoying our members here in Newport beach 2nd ward.
That's my week and it’s just getting better every day...
Love,
Elder Ray
Elder M (from Elder Ray's hometown) came for exchanges

Elder Ray, Elder M, and Elder T

Elder Ray and those sweet girls who LOVE Frozen!

Elder Ray's art skills come in handy for his Disney-lovin' family

Elders doing their "Elsa" pose - what good sports!

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Flying Fortresses and Stake Conference - Sept 22, 2014




Hey All-

Now to explain those pictures I sent from last week. There is a less-active man we do a lot of service for here in the ward. Back in the days right after World War 2 he was sent to Berlin as a counter intelligence officer or in plainer words he was an American spy working in the spy capitol of the world during the cold war. He loves to tell us his adventures in his heavy Boston-German accent while he keeps us busy doing odd jobs for him.
      He donates time at the Lyon Airplane Museum which is adjacent to the John Wayne airport (if you step out the back door of the museum you are on the tarmac.) So last Monday he took us for free on a tour of the museum just to say thanks and because he likes us. It was great despite the museum being in a really hot hanger! We saw everything from a Flying Fortress to Steve McQueen’s motorcycle. They have a lot of planes and military vehicles (even one of Hitler’s parade cars) despite being a smaller museum.
   Transfers came and were interesting. We did them in a stake center were the mission office is. Elder Mackey got promoted to be an assistant to president and a trainer. Me and Thayer became companions (surprise) and we got Elder King who is from Chicago and has been out for 3 months. He is a funny guy and we learned to trust him after a couple good natured pranks like telling him one member was actually an investigator who wouldn't baptize until his "best friend" Henry got baptized too. Well when he met Henry it was actually the family’s dog with a white shirt and tie on. We all laughed at that.
    Stake conference was this last weekend as well and it was probably the best one I have been too in 2 years. Sister Ketley in the ward is the stake choir director and made all the missionaries in the ward perform as well. It was fun but I'm just glad there were others who could sing (I just add filler noise.) During Sunday morning we were warming up and Elder Schoessow’s mom stop by to say hi and drop off a "care package" or two which was a cooler full of lots of different goodies. She was really nice and expressed her thanks for serving with her son. We talked a little bit then she had to go. I hope I get to meet their family again soon.
  Well that's all for now, I have to get going so I can stop by salvation army and get some new slacks ( I got a bit of bleach on these ones) plus there is shopping to do, but thanks to your birthday package you sent me and the Schoessows I'm set with food. Thank you all so very much and I love you just the same as ever.
Love,
Elder Ray 
Newport Zone and the bomb

Squirrel outside his apartment

Elder Ray said that ever since he fed him some oreos he has been going NUTS! Hmmmm maybe this is why we don't "feed the animals"

Ward Mission Leader and Pizza!
"Henry"

Elder Ray and Sis Schoessow at the Stake Center - bringing Elder Ray a "care package"