Michael's Mission - November 2006

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=110 BGCOLOR="#FFFF66" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="03c006e0dkfegl.gif"> <div>                          <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > Michael's Mission Page</FONT>      <IMG SRC="04e55390.gif" border=0 width="85" height="57" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div>                     California Santa Rosa Mission  June 2006 - June 2008    |   <A HREF="http://www.theHaslams.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.theHaslams.com"><U>theHaslams.com</U></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=190 BGCOLOR="#009933" TEXT="#080000" background="03dbec00ddwnzy.gif"> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Michaels Mission Front Page"><U><B>Front Page</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="latest_news.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Michaels Mission Latest News"><U><B>Latest News</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="photo_album.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Mikes Mission Photo Album"><U><B>Photo Album</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="companions.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Michaels Mission Companions"><U><B>Companions</B></U></A></div> <div> <B>=====================</B></div> <div> <A HREF="may_2008.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Mikes Mission May 2008"><U><B>May 2008</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="april_2008.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Mikes Mission April 2008"><U><B>April 2008</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="march_w008.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Mikes Mission March 2008"><U><B>March 2008</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="february_2008.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Mikes Mission February 2008"><U><B>February 2008</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="january_2008.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Mikes Mission January 2008"><U><B>January 2008</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="december_2007.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Mikes Mission December 2007"><U><B>December 2007</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="november_2007.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Mikes Mission November 2007"><U><B>November 2007</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="october_2007.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Mikes Mission October 2007"><U><B>October 2007</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="september_2007.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Mikes Mission September 2007"><U><B>September 2007</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="august_2007.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Mikes Mission August 2007"><U><B>August 2007</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="july_2007.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Mikes Mission July 2007"><U><B>July 2007</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="june_2007.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Mike_Mission June 2007"><U><B>June 2007</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="may_2007.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Mikes Mission May 2007"><U><B>May 2007</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="april_2007.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Mikes Mission April 2007"><U><B>April 2007</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="march_2007.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Mikes Mission March 2007"><U><B>March 2007</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="february_2007.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Mikes mission February 2007"><U><B>February 2007</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="january_2007.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Michaels Mission January 2007"><U><B>January 2007</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="december_2006.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Michaels Mission December 2006"><U><B>December 2006</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="november_2006.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Michaels Mission November 2006"><U><B>November 2006</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="october_2006.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Michaels Mission October 2006"><U><B>October 2006</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="september_2006.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Michaels Mission September 2006"><U><B>September 2006</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="august_2006.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Michaels Mission August 2006"><U><B>August 2006</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="july_2006.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Mikes Mission July 2006"><U><B>July 2006</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="arrival.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Arrival in Santa Rosa"><U><B>Arrival in Santa Rosa</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="mtc.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Mikes Mission MTC"><U><B>Departure & the Missionary Training Center</B></U></A></div> <div> <B>=====================</B></div> <div> <A HREF="http://www.mission.net/california/santa/rosa/index.php" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.mission.net/california/santa/"><U><B>California Santa Rosa Mission Alumni Site</B></U></A></div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" height=370 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>November 2006</B></div> <div> <B>November 27, 2006 - </B>Michael E-mailed to say he and his companion made several visits on Thanksgiving including visits to less active members in the Middletown ward. They visited a family in Cobb who had recently been sealed in the temple. They invited them back for Christmas dinner.</div> <bR> <div> Michael reported, "we taught some good lessons and are starting to find people to teach and pinpoint less-actives that are likely to come back to church." Elder Rosario taught a Spanish investigator we have. I know a little Spanish but they talk way to fast for me to understand everything. Every now and then I can pick up enough to get the basics of what is being said. It went well. She is just reading like crazy. She's reading in a lot of the "Triple". She came to church as well and a lady that she knows is an active member and she translated for her.<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <bR> <div> Regarding a visit to a less active family Michael wrote, "One quick last cool lesson was last night we went to a LA house. He invited us in and told us that he had been going to a Pentecostal church. He said that he has a lot of family in the church and his great great grandfather was JOHN TAYLOR! A Prophet of GOD! He then told us that he didn't believe in the Great Apostasy. So we turned to a couple scriptures in his non-LDS King James Version Bible and at the top of 2 THESOLONIANS Chapter 2 it said in HIS Bible "Great Apostasy" Crazy HUH! That must have hit him like a ton of bricks".</div> <bR> <div> <B>November 20, 2006 - </B>Michael E-mailed to say things are sure different out in the country. Living in the private community of Hidden Valley Lake means they have to travel quite a distance if they are going to go anywhere. The most famous thing near here is "Jellystone Park" near Cobb the home of Yogi bear.  Middletown has 2 traffic signals, while Cobb and Hidden Valley Lake have none. High temperatures are now in the 50s and that is too cold for my companion.</div> <bR> <div> Tracting is difficult because everything is so spaced out. We have been visiting a lot of less active members. We also picked up an investigator from the Spanish Elders in Ukiah (since Elder Rosario speaks Spanish). This sister is just about ready to be baptized, but has a few things to straighten out first. Sister Watson is progressing well.</div> <bR> <div> I need help from Jeff Johnson to tell us how to be successful with the less active. I conduct my first district meeting tomorrow and I think I am ready. Last night I was on the phone for over an hour collecting reports from the missionaries in my district and learning about their investigators.  The Kelseyville Elders are teaching a full family who is progressing well. If they make it to baptism I will get to do their baptismal interviews, that sounds exciting.</div> <bR> <div> <B>November 13, 2006 - </B>Michael sent E-mail to say that things have still be hectic, but finally seem to be settling down. He and his companion are still not settled in their new duplex unit in Hidden Valley Lake.  They still don't know what the mailing address is so they are still using a P.O. Box in Clear Lake, where the local chapel is located. Mike wrote, <I>"I am doing better this week now that we are finally getting settled but things are still a little hectic with all the changes of area, weather, companion, position, location, it's all way different". </I></div> <bR> <div> In his letter Michael explained that the future may be mostly regular letters since there is no good place in this new area to connect to the internet. Michael says his new companion Elder Rosario is about 5'8" tall and 120 lbs. He added, "We're both bean poles". Michael added, "He shares great experiences when we teach. He is easy going and always has a positive attitude."</div> <bR> <div> We moved into our duplex on Friday November 10th after we finally got a refrigerator, phone line and electrical power. We live in Hidden Valley Lake - it is a "private community" which includes a nice golf course.  Too bad we cannot tract in our own neighborhood! Other areas in the Middletown Ward are Middletown, and Cobb Mountain. The homes on Cobb Mountain are spaced well apart. It seems that many people who live here came to be by themselves.</div> <bR> <div> In my district are 10 Elders and a senior couple the Fishers.  When we lived in the Midvalley 22nd Ward I played baseball with their grandson Jake Fisher.</div> <bR> <div> We did teach sister Watson. her husband just became a priest so he can perform the baptism. He's been less active for about 7 years. The ward has only about 30% activity so we have lots of work that we can do with the less active. In terms of Sunday attendance it looks more like a branch.  Getting around and finding people is difficult because everything is so spread out. We see lots of deer here. They are everywhere including wondering around the golf course. They rainy season is here now and Clear Lake is muddy, our area is not so muddy.</div> <bR> <div> Mike concluded, "Tell Nate Reach happy birthday, and tell him I'm glad I've got more time left on my mission than he has!"</div> <bR> <div> <B>November 6, 2006 - </B>Michael wrote a letter to give us more details on his new assignment and companion.  Elder Rosario was born in Puerto Rico and not Costa Rica as first thought.  Further he has lived in the United States for a while and even attended Copper Hills High School as a junior.  His family now lives in Kissimee Florida.</div> <bR> <div> Michael also wrote a letter wherein he said, "Now that we are in the country the missionaries are spread to far a part to get together for a basketball game".</div> <bR> <div> Transfers were done on Halloween. We arrived in Santa Rosa at about 12:30 pm. We arrived in Clear Lake late in the afternoon.  On Wednesday we drove to Bishop Jacobsen's home for dinner and visited some other members of our new Middletown Ward.</div> <bR> <div> On Friday he attended ZL/DL training for the Santa Rosa Zone, Ukiah Zone, and Eureka Zone, where Michael met up with his trainer Elder Bennett. The topic was obedience and how to correct the lack thereof. Michael admitted that he felt "too young" to be in the meeting.</div> <bR> <div> On Sunday he met the Middletown ward. The bishop is way excited to have us and his enthusiasm is spreading. Sunday evening they had dinner with the 1st counselor's family. They also met some people and gave out a copy of the Book of Mormon.</div> <bR> <div> Mike said, "I hope we can move into our duplex soon. I'm getting tired of living out of a suitcase, but I must be patient in my afflictions. Oh yea, I'm driving a 2006 Toyota Corolla. It has a 6-disk CD changer, but what can I do with that?"</div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>