email: April 8, 2013

Subj: Conference Weekend

This was such a wonderful week for me. I love General Conference as a missionary. I had one pressing question that I needed to be answered and I got it answered. I love that I get to email friends now as well. Now I get to talk to Jessica too! I finally have a best friend I can tell everything to. I love her to death and I worry about her all the time. I can imagine that Mom is super excited to go to VA. That will be such a wonderful experience for her. Give the family a big hug and let them know that I love them! Wanna hear about my week? Okay, let's go :).

I got a huge surprise on Monday when Victor called me and told me that he was coming up from Beaumont to see me! I got to see my closest friend here in Cali and give him a huge hug. He is almost done with his application to go into the mission field! I am super excited about that for him. We'll get to go to the temple in July together. That will be a huge highlight of my mission! He took us out to a steak house and we talked for hours. I got caught up open what is going on in my old ward and how things are going. He told me something that really struck home to me. When the missionaries there go to people's houses. they always bring up that Elder Chambers and I were the best missionaries that they had ever had. Vic told me that the Elders there are starting to compare themselves to Chambers and me. I had never realized how big of an impact I made in that ward. It really humbled me and gave me that bigger desire to serve even harder. I also bought new dress shoes; they are dress boots, basically. It helps with me ankles SO MUCH. Plus they were only $20! That was sweet too, I love a great bargain. It was a productive PDay for us.

On Tuesday, we went to visit our investigator LQ and see how she was doing. She told us that she was busy but that we could come by and see her. We ended up talking with her for an hour and a half on her door step. Funny how that happens sometimes. We rushed off from LQ to Ken's house to invite him to General Conference. He is doing so well! He is excited for the temple and he is reading his scriptures like crazy. He also is dating a LDS woman as well! That was super cool too. We talked and got into a deep doctrine discussion. Oops haha but he loves talking about the Gospel like that.

We met with Norma on Wednesday and had an awesome lesson! It was another drop-by lesson that turned into a three hour discussion. She would just talk to us about what is going on and things happening in her life. We are making real progress with her. Elder Coleman shared 2 Nephi 31 with her and we read part of it together. During that time, we BOTH received the impression that she needed to get invited to be baptized. So Coleman invited her and she said yes! With tears in her eyes, she said yes. It was super awesome that she felt the Spirit and wanted to come unto Christ. Plus we found out that she has cousin's that are LDS! Small world. We then went to the S*****'s and taught them as well.

Thursday was our monthly meeting in Riverside with all the zone leaders and the mission president. During these meetings, I just sit back and watch the people who talk. I cannot stand leaders who get up and say something to make themselves look better than the others. That is why I sit back and not say anything. I'll only say something if I cannot keep my mouth shut for much longer. But then we weekly planned and got ready for our zone meeting on Friday. We went by and visited Ken again and talked more deep doctrine with him haha. He loves it though and it is fun to teach him. Then I OYMed this guy that I got into a bash with for no reason! He told me that he couldn't talk to me because Joseph Smith wasn't a true prophet. That pissed me off and then I went into defensive mood and told him otherwise. I shouldn't have done that because I ended up me getting more frustrated and getting each other pissed off. He couldn't deny me though so he kept changing the issue and I would answer it every time. People amaze me sometimes.

Friday was our usual meeting with Anita and our zone meeting and it went well. I love speaking in front of people. Crazy huh? Haha but yes, it went well. We learned from Coleman that in two years, we only have 200 days to proselyte. That blew my mind. Put my mission in a different perspective. But it went well and our zone plan is going to work! Saturday was filled with conference. Priesthood session was super good as well. It isn't the same without getting ice cream afterwards so we went and did that :). Plus we got to meet Ken's girlfriend so that was pretty sweet :). Sunday was good with giving one of our neighbors a blessing and teaching them about the restoration. I love bearing my testimony to people! Sunday conference was good and dinner with the Bishop went well. Tri-tip steak is always good eating :)

My testimony is this. Jesus IS the Christ, my Savior and Redeemer. I love the Gospel and the Atonement He gave for me personally. Joseph Smith was and always will be a prophet and NO ONE can take that way from me! The Book of Mormon is the word of God, same with the Bible. I love my Heavenly Father and I am so grateful for challenges that make me stronger. I love you, Mom and Dad. Thank you for your example to me!

Elder Tonini