La Mesa!

Hello everyone!

This last week was a little bit of a change of pace for us. My companion had a stomach flu for a day or two, and once he got better, I got sick with a cold. We still worked, but we weren't able to do as much. We were able to have personal study this week, something we hadn't had for about two weeks since we were on an absolute sprint the last six weeks.

Last Tuesday though, we picked up all the new missionaries at the airport in the mission's big twelve passenger van. We basically took them on a field trip around San Diego while we waited for a few reassigned missionaries to arrive at the airport. In the past, the new missionaries would be assigned to their trainers before they arrived. But President Merritt wanted to have us get to know the new missionaries before we assign them.

So, after spending all day with them, we had a quick meeting with President Merritt and the SSTL's where we talked about which new missionary should go with each trainer. We started with a prayer and everything seemed to click so easily. 

After that, we got together with all the trainers and new missionaries and basically held an NBA draft-style game show, where we announced the assignments. It was an awesome and very spiritual experience.

Since we "bluewashed" into the La Mesa ward (meaning we replaced the Sisters that were here previously), we have been getting busy with meeting all of the ward members. We reached out to all of the ward council to set up lessons with them - we've already had dinner at members' homes 3 times! YSA ward was fun, but man, a regular family ward is great!

We are going back to the airport today to pick up two new missionaries - One is going to be speaking Farsi (Persian), and the other is a deaf Elder from Romania who will be speaking American Sign Language. He will also be getting hearing aids sometime this week, so he will hear sound for the first time. That will be awesome! As a mission, we are learning how to sign President and Sister Merritt's motto to Elder Serban, the incoming deaf elder:

"We love you now, we'll love in you twenty years, and we'll love you forever."

Elder Pettit

P.S.  I'll probably reply all to this email later with pictures from today. Hope everyone has a good week!

Transfer Day!

Hey everyone,

Don't have any time to write, but here are some pictures! It's been a crazy week!

God bless

Elder Pettit

AAPs

Hello everyone!

This was a fun week. On Sunday at the MCRD, there was a lot of work to do. After sacrament meeting, I approached a recruit who was interested in learning more about the gospel. Turns out, the other four guys in his row were also interested, so I took them back in the auditorium and started teaching them, 1v5. It was wild! One of them was baptized at 8 years old but really had no knowledge or testimony of the gospel. Two of the others were twins named Santiago, who had heard about the Lamanites from their parents. 

I taught all five of those men the first two lessons, The Restoration of the Gospel and the Plan of Salvation. I testified very boldly and powerfully and told them that my job was to prepare them for baptism. I asked if any of them would be interested in continuing on the path towards baptism, and all four of the non members said yes. The inactive member asked if he could be re-baptized, so then I taught them about the sacrament. 

I'll only have one more week at the MCRD. Since the mission is losing some missionaries right now and we are closing a lot of areas, my area in the Cowles Mtn YSA ward will be closed, meaning we won't be able to make it to the MCRD anymore. The new AP area will be the La Mesa family ward. This will be my first time in an English family ward!

Our zone leaders are our downstairs neighbors, so they come over all the time and chat with us in the evenings. We've also been putting them to work with helping us with random stuff. So they've now started calling themselves the Assistants to the Assistants to the President, or the AAPs haha.

Our man Javier pulled up to church the other day in his 67 Camaro that he restored himself. After church we went out and watched him rip some burnouts in the church parking lot. 

We had the first of four days of zone conference yesterday. In the past, Sister Gimenez would always take the pictures, but since Sister Merritt is still new, I was taking all the pictures and videos yesterday. So that's why I'm in so many of them haha.

One more week till the end of the transfer! I hope everyone is doing alright, let me know if there's anything exciting going on these days. 

God Bless!

Elder Pettit

The Merritts

Hi everyone!

This was a very eventful and fun week. President and Sister Giménez passed the baton to President and Sister Merritt! In the first few days, we spent a ton of time with them helping them get up to speed. They have hit the ground running, but they are definitely very "green". They are both awesome, I'm super excited to serve with them. 

I don't have much time to write this week, we spent most of our P-Day at a Padres game. Things are going well, it's been a fun and energizing week!

Have a great week everyone, God Bless!

Elder Pettit