This week was a very full week to say the least. We had a LOT of awesome things happen. So sit back, buckle up, and I'll fill you in on the latest from the GREAT California Ventura Mission.
First and foremost, ERIC GOT BAPTIZED!!!! :D Can't complain about that! It was a really great service. He was super excited, the Spirit was strong, and we had an awesome turn out! There were over 40 people there, most of them families with kids from our ward that came to support Eric and his mom. We really couldn't have asked for more. He couldn't stop talking about how happy he was after his baptism, and after his confirmation he was obsessing over how "tingly" and happy he felt. Needless to say, we were pretty tingly and happy ourselves. On top of that, Shannon (his mom) invited her non-member boyfriend, Kyle, to come. He very readily introduced himself to us, and he really enjoyed the service. I kept him in the corner of my eye, and it really seemed like the Spirit touched him. We also gave him a tour of the building, answered some questions that he had, and he agreed to join us at our next lesson with Shannon and Eric! That made it all just that much better.
We also got to help out with what has become my favorite service project of my mission. An older couple in our ward has an olive orchard on their property, and they needed some help with an emergency harvest. While they were gone for the weekend, a swarm of fruit flies took a liking to their trees, and they needed as much help as possible salvaging what they could. So we called in the rest of the district, suited up, and played Jacob 5 for the better part of the afternoon.
This week has also been another testimony to me that the Lord will always provide. I've been really concerned over the past few weeks about our teaching pool. It had gone a bit stagnant, and the people that we were teaching consistently were either getting baptized, moving, or weren't really progressing. But this week, we've seen success in finding for the first time in over a month. Like I already mentioned, Kyle agreed to start meeting with us. We also came into contact with a woman named Lois. She was a referral from a member of the high council, and we scheduled a service appointment with her for this last Wednesday. After service, she fed us lunch and we talked religion for over and hour. She shares a lot of our beliefs, and Elder Crook and I haven't been able to figure out how she isn't already a member of the Church. She's also invited us back. And those are just 2 examples! We have a few other very promising potentials that we're working on. It is yet another lesson to me that I need to just have faith and trust in the Lord, because He has total control over the situation. He knows what He's doing, and His work is moving forward as He needs it to.
Also, this week I passed a major milestone. This last Thursday marked one year since I left everything behind and dedicated myself to serving the Lord. To say that this last year has been hard would be an understatement, but failing to mention the countless blessings me and my family have received; the lifelong friends that I've made; and the amazing journey that I've had would be an injustice. This really has been the greatest year of my life. I'm so incredibly grateful to my Heavenly Father for the opportunity that I've had to serve Him and those of His children here in California. I can't begin to express how much I've grown, and how grateful I am that He has made me clay in His Hand, and the wonderful care that He's taken as He continues to mold me into the servant He needs me to be. My testimony has grown to the point that I can testify that I do know that this is His Church. I know the Book of Mormon is true, and I know Joseph Smith was a prophet. I know that Christ lives, I know that the Father lives, and I know that they have again restored the Father's divine Plan to the earth, and I know that by following that Plan we can find the greatest happiness in this life and in the life to come. It is my privilege to go out everyday as one of His appointed servants to share this message with all I come into contact with, and I look forward to this next year I have to do so. I love being a missionary.
I hope that you all have a fantastic week! I love you all :)
Love,
Elder Brennan Jon Rosenlof
1. Harvesting with all our heart, might, mind, and strength.
2. Us with Eric and Brother Gouff!
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