NY Times and President Uchtdorf

Wow, what a most jam pack week I ever experienced. I will share what I did this past week and a half. Last week on monday, we had our first mutual with the young men and women. They all are deaf and most are not a member of the church. About 20 show up and we taught them a short lesson. Then we play volleyball. It last all night. Tuesday, we had a short zone conference inside the Temple (in the church section) and as I mention in the last letter, we met a reporter from the New York Times on the way out. Later in that day, we had a Institution for two hours. Wednesday was a typical P-Day and it was also a special day because as Elder Westra and I were walking to our appointment, a van stop beside us. A man got out with two gatorades in his hand and gave it us. He told us to wait and ran back and came back with apples. We were extremely surprised of this man kindness and it turn out he was a member.

Thursday was the day the New York Time reporter follow us around to do the story. As you can imagine, I was very stressed about that because I knew if we messed up, the whole world will know. Thanksfully (and after many silent prayers), it went really well. We visit a couple of members who are very curious about this newspaper thing, and did a lot of contacting to find more deafs. There was no mishap, no crazy religious zealots getting to our face, just a strangely normal day. Friday was a very special day because we had a mission conference. All the missionaries from New York North pool into the Stake center in Manhattan. We knew it was going to be special but we wonder why.

Guess what, President Uchtdorf came by to visit!!!! Well, now that the truth is out, I can inform you now. We (we as in our zone) knew that President Uchtdorf will come to visit about three weeks ago because we knew President Uchtdorf called President Searle six weeks ago but we did not find out why until three weeks ago. Needless to say, it was a very exited day. He was on a vacation with his wife and his two twin grandson and they traveled all over the country because their grandson will go on a mission soon. Every stop across the country, President Uchtdorf give a talk for all the missionaries living in that area. How lucky (or blessed) we were that he wanted to visit Manhatten. It was very exciting and the spirit was very powerful. He gave a talk on how important Preach my Gospel is and that it essentially a scripture. He urges us to study it everyday, he stressed, everyday! He told us that there are no excuse of why we should not study it every day. He told us that we need to study it everyday so that we can understand the gospel fully. By understanding it fully, we can learn to teach very simply and powerfully. He encourage us to be faithful and obedeince. Oh my goodness! We all got a chance to shook his hand and it was awesome. He a man with big stature (he's about 6'2'') and I can firmly testify that he is the Apostle of God.

Friday was a very excited day. Saturday, we had another Zone meeting because we had a new zone leaders. The new zone leaders want to get to know everyone and make sure we all understand our purpose. It was good and the Zone leaders, under the guidance of President Uchtdorf, encourage us to study PMG everyday. Later in the day, we had a baptism. A young man from Manhattan named Francis was baptized (Elder Paulson and Christensen investigator). It was cool and his mother was there. The mother is a investigator. She's hearing but she know spanish, english, and ASL. Elder Paulson and Christensen hope to baptize her in July. The lord has truly blessed us.

Sorry, you won't hear a baptism talk from me for a long time. We have investigators but they all are new so we only just begun teaching them. I can confidently say that one of the investigator, if all goes well, could be baptized in the end of six weeks but we have to teach her first.

Sunday was a very normal day so let fast forward to monday. We had the New York Times photographer following us. He must have took a thousands of pictures as we do our normal work. So hopefully, he will pick the best pictures. I did my best to look as handsome as possible but my self esteem (and possibly my future wife) lied in the hands of the people who choose the pictures. It was very interesting because he went all over the place, taking pictures of every angle. Elder Westra and I signed quite a lot so I expected at least one of the pictures in the newspaper will be a picture of us signing. They told us that it will be released on Sunday (JULY 6!!!!) so be ready. I believe you can buy a real newspaper (you should!) so be ready, it might come out this sunday.

This july the 4th will be a unique day. We will have to be home early at 6 pm on that day. Because we lived in the Bronx, it quite obvious why we need to go home early. It will be a fun day. I hope we can see a firework from our apartment (we have a very good view of the river, where the firework is supposedly suppose to jump from). We will have to be careful and I hoped we don't get eggs!

In addition to a Jam pack week, we received many referals so we have 15 potential investigators we need to check up on. This is going to be one busy cycle. I remember when I came here, the first four weeks, it was a very slow progress because we had no investigotors, a small teaching pools. Now we have four investigators and a large teaching pools. We are not slacking off and we are committed to double our efforts to find more deafs!

I received a video phone 100, thanks you so much! You couldn't put in a few small candies? Putting the whining aside, it was sweet to get my roommates letter. I will be sure to send a thank you note for the Crawford family, I have not yet received it. By the way, if you get a letter from the bank for me and it has my pin code, send it to me. I regret to tell you that I forgot my pin code. Don't ask how.

I'm glad to hear that you have a very fun time in the Youth Conference. It sound like you all are having a blast during the summer. Wow, from what I hear, you are doing a lot of work with the house and the garage. Can't wait to see it in person in 2010!

Oops, sorry about the names mishap in my last week letter. That must be hilarious.

You will get a memory card this weekend. It has over 300 pictures and video! sorry about the delay, I had to buy a stamps and the closest post office is quite far but now that I bought plenty of stamps, you will get some sweet pictures of my mission this weekend!

It has been a awesome week and much more will come. I know the gospel is true and how grateful I am that I can truly help the persons gain their own testimony and watch how the gospel change their lives. I know it true!

I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!