Week in a Shelby Shell!!!

 Well this week has been a good week. I have had a lot of fun working in this area. The members here are really nice. They really care about us and look out for us. Like the other day we went to have dinner with the Batman family. Just the name should tell you how cool these members are. We went over to their house and ate fajitas, which were reallly good. The sister forgot to get some dessert and they invited us to Dairy Queen to get an ice-cream. Brother Batman took us in his '67 Shelby that he is fixing up. The ride was sweet. Lets just say that the 2 minute ride was well worth it.

 A few days later we went to eat with the Aires and they invited us to go to Calamity Jane's. They have the best burgers in town. I ate a huge burger with blue cheese. It was nice! I also had a banana and raspberry milk shake. When I got out of that place I really could not breath. I have not eaten that much in a long time! It took me two days to recover from that. The good thing is that I'm running in the mornings with my companion. That helped me out a lot.  

 This week we went to teach Selene and Miguel. The lesson was really good. They are our most promising investigators. Selene testified to Miguel that she knew that the church is true and she committed herself and Miguel to pray each day. They are progressing really good and we hope that we can get them baptized as soon as possible. 

 I'm really happy to be serving here and to be able to help these people. I have had a lot of fun in these almost 11 months and I intend to have a lot more fun this next year. 

 Well people, take care. I love you all!
--


Elder Arcia
(pablo.arcia.valdes@myldsmail.net)
 

yeah.....

I'm really sorry for not writing last week, but were a bit busy. I know thats no excuse but I'll try to do better. This past week has been alright. We were sick for a few days. That was no fun but we worked through it.
Just yesterday our recent convert had his interview to get the priesthood. He was so excited. Those are the experiences that help you understand how much we help people change. A few months ago he was drinking and was just not a favorable cadidate for the priesthood. Now he is an eligable, worthy person. That really means something.
Elder Revolorio and I have been getting along really well. Right now he's really excited to go back home and baptize his father. But we made a committment to ourselves that we will have another baptism before he goes home. That's whats keeping us motivated. Trust me. we are trying hard.
We are visiting some inactives and getting some referrals from them. We actually got some of them to go to church this Sunday. We have been teaching this couple, Selene and Miguel, and they are willing to have us over to teach them reguraly. One of the biggest obsticles that we have with them is that they are living together and are not married. She comes from a divorced family and is afraid to make that committment and not follow through with it, like her parents. But we will be working really hard with them to help get baaptized.
We also found a couple that speaks spanish but are attending an english ward. They have friends that they want to get involved more in the church, so they want us to go visit them. They couple has callings in their ward so they can't move to our group but they said that they would at least try it out.
Ok so the reason I didn't write last week was because we went to the Japanese Gardens here in Portland. Its a really nice place! I definitly going there again before my mission is over. We had a blast and saw really nice decorations. This week we want to go to Downtown Portland to get to know it a little better.
Well I hope that ya'll are having as much fun as I am here. I love you all and take care!!!

--


Elder Arcia
(pablo.arcia.valdes@myldsmail.net)