January 18, 2016

Wow what a week!!! Planning a baptism was much more stressful than I imagined. II didn't realize how many things actually go into a baptism! I didn't want to talk a lot about it last week because everything was going so smoothly and I didn't want to jinx anything!

But let me tell you, the baptism went very smooth!! (Except for the little fiasco with Jose) Elder Fife came down from Chico and hung out with us for a little before the baptism. He preformed the ordinance and it was great!

Yesterday, Sunday I had the privilege to confirm Donna in sacrament meeting. It was so spiritual and wonderful. I blessed her for a few things, like her health and then when we took our hands off her head she was crying. I know that she was feeling the spirit as strongly as I was. It is so comforting knowing that Donna is making important covenants with our Heavenly Father.

We did a little work in Wheatland last Wednesday and met one of the only investigators in the area. Her name is Maryellen and she's an awesome old lady. She's been investigating for years, has been taught all the lessons, and has been waiting for her husband to pass away to get baptized.  Her husband passed in October, so now me and Tomlinson are coming in to finish the job! She has a funny parrot named lulu that loves the missionaries (except for when you don't share your candy with her. Then she gets mad and bites at you.........) she loves giving people kisses and is a super funny bird.

Well, I kinda did my email backwards where I bore my testimony first haha. I love you all and pray for you continually! Take care and be safe!

Elder Funley

Another week goes by in the Mission Field in NOCAL

Donna is solid! If you don't remember Donna, she's our newly found investigator as of like a month ago. Her baptism is set for this Friday and everything is good good knock knock! We almost had a huge snafu with donnas friend who is a member! His name is Jose and he's really close friends with Donna.

On to the story!! We were teaching Donna and Jose rolled up about 15 minutes into the lesson. We both thought "awesome! Jose is here! It'll be a member present lesson!" Well Jose comes in and says that he has to tell us something. We ask him what's going on and he tells us.

He said that he had some revelation in a dream the other night. In his dream he saw God and God told him that he wants him to go back to his old church, the Catholic Church. We sat there and tried to help him understand that it was not revelation from God and that he was in the right church and God didn't want him to leave.

Well, we continued the lesson with Donna and she's still on date for baptism this Friday! It's funny because Donna fells the same way that we do about Jose leaving the church. She's just as confused as we are and equally as sad.

This week ahead been so stressful planning for the baptism. It feels like I'm doing everything all by myself. Me and my companion are both super excited for the baptism. Not a whole lot has happened this week, so I'm keeping it short. I love you all and hope you have a wonderful week!!

 

Elder Funley

                         When us elders are workin hard; but when you da driver......so you gotta stay awake!

2016, here we are!

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season! I know I sure did!

Thank you to everyone who sent me either a letter, or a package for the holidays! I received a total of 13 lbs of candy for Christmas and New Years! I'm gonna get soo fat!! Haha.

So, there are a total of like 7 Hmong missionaries in the whole mission, and 3 Hmong areas. One of those are in my zone (yuba zone) For some reason, the Hmong area in my zone has a Hmong elder and an English elder. The other 2 areas each have a brand new missionary being trained by 2 seasoned missionaries as a trio. One of those greenies was not getting along with his trainers. So he called president and told him. President thought long and hard and came to a conclusion. He was going to stick him in the only Hmong branch in the mission, in yuba. He wanted him to be trained like a normal missionary, not in a trio. So he took out the English elder and stuck him with us! So for the past 2 weeks, I have been in a trio companionship!

We received transfer updates last night and elder Fife is leaving us to go to Chico :( I'll miss him a lot :( we became really good friends and have a lot in common. I understand that this is heavenly fathers work and not mine and that he needs to go to Chico for a reason. Also!

The Wheatland area adjacent to my area is being shut down! President has asked us to double cover our area and Wheatland. I'm stoked because the Wheatland apartment has a lava lamp!!

Our investigator on date, Donna, is doing super awesome! Her baptism is set for the 15th of this month! Last visit, we went through the interview questions and she passed with flying colors! Since Fife is leaving, it's left up to me to plan out the whole baptism. Scheduling the time, who's going to talk, and pray, and who's going to preform the baptism! I think Fife would like to come down to do it.

 Tuesday I had the opportunity to go to the temple! It was awesome! We went with a family who lives in antelope, close to Sacramento and some sister missionaries. We attended a session at the Sacramento temple and it was beautiful! Here's a pic of the crew

 

 

New Years Message from President Marsten

Dear Missionaries,
We love you.  We pray for you.

As we start a new year together in the California Roseville Mission I want you to know what a blessing it is to serve with you.  At few other times have I felt such a goodness around me.

We have seen many miracles in our mission through our missionary efforts and zone conferences, mission tours, the all-mission temple day, service projects,  church-wide Easter and Christmas initiatives and increased diligence. Our commitment to obedience is ever improving and we are seeing the results in our work.   We are baptizing at a rate of more than ONE baptism every day of the year (on average).  Though our baptisms have been fewer than 2014 I am confident that we are moving forward in a way that will accomplish the work that the Lord has in mind for this mission.  Missionary/Member work is improving.  Ward Mission Leaders are playing a greater role in our finding, teaching and baptisms. While there are fewer missionaries in our mission the expectations have not changed.  Our missionary purposes will always be “to invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end”.   During 2016 we will place greater emphasis on teaching repentance and baptism to our investigators.

Traditionally New Year’s Day is a time to reflect on the past and resolve to improve in the new year.  Elder Holland has taught “every day ought to be the start of a new year and a new life.  Such is the wonder of faith and repentance and the miracle of the gospel of Jesus Christ.”….The past is to be learned from and not live in…..and when we have learned what we need to learn and have brought with us the best that we have experienced, then we look ahead, we remember that faith is always pointed to the future.”

Let’s look forward to 2016 with FAITH, with PURPOSE, and with GREAT EXPECTATIONS.

I have attached a talk by Elder Holland that has inspired me as I look forward to my new year.

I hope that you will read it and consider what your expectations will be for this new year as a missionary in the California Roseville Mission.