It has been a long time. It went by really quickly though. I am for sure going to miss all of the people here, luckily I have made so many friendships that I am basically just another person in the ward. It is basically a missionary farewell.. Or something like that. June to January was a long time, but I am so so grateful that I got to know all of these people.
This week seemed to drag on though, I have been so sick of biking everywhere that we walk alot more now, which is slower, but hey at least it changes the pace a bit. I have gotten stuck in some ruts and it is not very cool, so hopefully I will be able to get out of those and jump into a new area. I got to talk to Elder Hughes and Elder Low last night which was awesome! They are the best, it's just funny how I thought that when we were together that I was going to never be able to get over some of the things that they do, but now it is just like they are going to be life time friends. I love those guys. It is going to be the same with Elder Le Sueur, we came a long way together, we rode some highs and dug through some lows. We fought and we made up and we did some good work here. I am leaving with alot more investigators then we first had, the Lord really was able to work so many miracles lately.
The worst thing that can happen to a missionary I am pretty sure, is having church switch from 1:30 to 8:30... Nobody wanted to get up and go to a super early church when it was freezing outside. Literally. It was like 26 degrees this morning. Now that may not sound that cold to you guys, because that is like yall's highs, but to Texans. It's unbearable. So we didn't have a single person come to church that was investigating. But we did have the one less active come that I have been working with since June!! I was super, super happy.
Nick and Jessica are doing ok. SOO much drama though, I can't believe it. We showed up and I won't go into detail I don't think it would be appropriate, but some stuff was uncovered about one of their family members and the cops had to be called. Nick is an ex-felon and we just dropped by and they told us what happened, then all the sudden the cops knocked on the door and boom Nick was outta there because he didn't want them to blame him so we were outta there, I wonder what the cops thought when a couple of guys in white shirts and ties came out. I'm pretty sure that I know most of the cops in Live Oak by now, because we like to make friends with them so they don't harrass us. Plus I get seatbelt tickets, and shot up.. Yeah. I just know them well. They are a neat family with huge problems. When people grow up how they grew up I just feel for them, they really don't have a way to get out of their situation and everything and it is so devastating. They have bigger hearts than alot of the people, but their way of life is hard when it isn't in harmony with the gospel standards.
Magana's are so sweet! They slept in so they missed church but they are going to get baptized sooner or later, Knocking has been the most effective thing on my mission which is pretty Ironic, because usually that is the least effective, but whatever works. They love the church's teachings and all of the actually gospel. The thing that they are struggling with the most is for sure the social conversion aspect of the gospel. Just making friends and being integrated into the Ward. It's not the Ward's fault at all, it's really nobodies it's one of those things that will just take some time to work out.
We had another missionary with us on Friday and we walked down to some apartments to visit a Lawrence, the guy that told us that he had been going to church for 3 years, and just a side note, I guess talking religion in the business place, even in God's Country, is a bad idea. Lawrence got in trouble when I walked in and yeah... Learned that lesson. I didn't even say anything. He dropped off the map though, He is going through a ton of stuff and I just don't even know how he is getting through it all.
Glora is doing decent. She wanted to get baptized but then she changed her mind, basically just a ton of waiting and patience. She to is going to get baptized, I just don't know when. Whoever comes into the area has a whole bunch of baptism's coming up within the next 6 months.
Another group is Kiana's fam. Brother Viens moved to Maryland today actually and so we are working on finding them some new fellowship. It will be awesome. They are also getting really close to baptism. So close. I am going to miss them for sure, I got super close with them and hope that I can stay in contact with them after the mish. It is all going to go by super quick.
I made a ton of real good friendships while I was down here, I am grateful for them all. There are some of the kids that will probably be on missions when I get home, like Jordan A. He was my favorite, because he would come to lessons with us all of the time and he knew I loved country music so he would always play it when I would get in the car. It was so great to drive down the freeway at night when it was still like 100 degrees with the windows down, listening to some country music. That is how you feel like a Texas missionary. Or you could baptize. I was so glad that I was able to meet Nathan at the right time, in the right place and see him get baptized. He will for sure be a friend that I keep for a long, long time. He means alot to me. His baptism came after months of hard, grind it out work on our part and on the part of the members.
I have been able to see the focus of the Ward switch now, they are doing misisonary work! They went from 0 referrals in the 6 months previous to me getting there to the highest in the entire stake. The spirit of Christ really blessed both me and them. We worked so well together. I think alot of the scripture when Paul says "I have planted, Apollos watered, and God gave the increase" Some sow and some reap. It really is true. I have been able to see both sides of the work. The sowing and the reaping.
Well I know that I did the work that I was supposed to do here, probably didn't do it all perfectly or anything but I did it!
Well I get to finish it off real good here. We are going to the "Lion's den" on Wednesday to teach the Catholics our beliefs. It should be fun. I believe that, this might be the thing I had to be here 5 transfers for. It will be tons of fun. Well have a great week, love yall!
Remember who you are and what He stands for!
Elder Funk
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