June 6, 2009

I didn't get to write last night because we got home from mission conference at like 11:00 pm last night, but mission conference was great! The whole mission gathered for the day. First we took a mission picture in front of the temple (and it was a beautiful, clear day - you could see the Oakland ans San Francisco skylines really well!). After the picture we all did a temple session. It was really nice. They had a big enough ordinance room to fit all 180 of us! The Oakland temple is beautiful! It is amazing on the inside and out. After the temple session we went up to the mission home for a BBQ. The Samoan missionaries put on a performance. They sang and did native dances. It was pretty cool. After the BBQ we all went back to temple hill, to the Inter Stake Center (a big auditorium just left of the temple) for a musical production of the Restoration that some of our missionaries put on. We invited everyone to it - ward members, non members, less actives, investigators - everyone! It was amazing. E. Kieth (one of my Zone leaders) pretty much wrote the whole thing. James (our investigator, 1 of many) came and I think he enjoyed it. He is being wishy washy about baptism. He just needs to commit, but I'm glad that he came. But I enjoyed the gathering. It was so good to see old friends from the MTC. They are doing good. We all talked about how we are surprised how disobedient missionaries are here. They say that we will be like them when we have been out here longer, but that will never happen.

I still can't believe how disobedient that some of the missionaries are here. During interviews E. Cain talked about our roommates hot tubbing at night with girls. Not only that but they are never home on time or up on time and they hang out with other missionaries instead of working. This isn't just them, but it is mission wide. They didn't get sent home, but I guess half of the mission now hates me and E. Cain. I don't understand. E. Cain did the right thing. President needed to know. It might have been for E. Gonzales and E. Vawdry's good. But we are hated for being obedient and for doing what is right. It makes no sense! Other missionaries have been saying some really bad things about us - but honestly I could care less. I seriously don't care at all! It doesn't matter what apostate missionaries think of me. I'm going to work hard and do my best. I only care about the Lord thinks of me. If I stay close to Him and be obedient, everything will work out. So now E. Vawdry got ET to another area and Gonzales is still living here - but his new companion E. Troff is awesome. He is working hard, despite Gonzales' laziness. He is confident in the Lord's work and is being a great example. But I'm pretty sure that Gonzales hates us.