Last Two Weeks

OK so there has been a lot that has happened and I chose to write everyone instead of my family first
When i was in my last week with Evans we had some really great lessons and we did a ton of service it seems as though thats what his last week was meant to be full of here. We also had a lot of great meals cause everyone wanted to feed him before he left.

I got a new companion named Elder Burton, he was really a good missionary. As you get a new companion you definetly have to show right away that you are a missionary that wants to work so you can set the bar where it needs to be. So We headed out in the morning to go tracting and were biking along, believe me i dont want ot tell this story but I think that you will have a lot of enjoyement out of it. We started biking and my chain was acting all funny and it wasn't turning right so i was looking down at the chain to find out what the problem was and WHAM hit a parked car.... yes i hit a parked car, it flipped me over the front but i was on my feet so quick that i dont even remember bei ng on the ground. What a great first impression. So I felt so dumb but i scuffed the back of the bumber so i left my info on a "finding faith in Christ Card", i still havent received a call yet, so now everytime we get a call that we dont know who it is I'm like o crap its the car I hit haha. But we saw a guy on the corner of the street right after that and talked to him and we had been looking for him for a week or so but didnt know who he was so that was a huge blessing. They say the biggest blessings come after the biggest trials, so i had to pay the price to get somebody who we wanted to teach haha but no it wasnt that big of a deal. He saw the whole thing he said and had already told a couple of his friends by the time we got to his house.

But I learned a lot the first day with being with Elder Burton about talking to EVERYONE. I had no idead how many people I had passed up before. We were talking and teaching so many people.

But later in the day we were in a lesson and it was going well and I got a call from one of the AP's which usually means bad news, so i answered and they wanted to talk to Elder Burton so i figured someone in his family died and come to find out he got Emergency transfered so I only had him as a comp for a day! haha so now im with Elder Scott. He's from Delta, UT and played football against Dalton in State and likes wakeboarding so we get a long great.

We are doing work. Talking about the blessings earlier we have ahad a lot of blessings tracting this past week. One lady we were talking to was telling us everything we liked to hear. She said that she was lookin at tons of churches but had never found one that felt right and we talked and gave her a lesson on her doorstep and she basically wouldnt believe anything we said and said she wants to read for herself to know for herself which is what we as missionaries want because we dont want people to believe us, we want them to pray for themselves and get their own confirmation through the spirit that its true.

We also picked up two other new investigators but yesterday we were knocking doors and an old lady opened the door and she siad hey ive been wanting to talk to you boys i want a Book of Mormorn, I've been studying with the jehovah's Witnesess and don't agree with their teachings, i was gonna go to church but i didnt know what time so we told her the time and she asked what to wear so shes coming on sunday and we're going back this week which is exciting. We have such a great ward that is focused on missionary work and we're getting our ward 20 going better. I love it out here. We lost today in softball but i wasn't feeling the best anyways so its all good.

In 1st Cor 9:24 it basically talks about the man running the "race" and when we were reading that the other day it made me think of sort of a sprint where there is only so many people who place, but it reminded me of King Benjamins addres in Mosiah chapter 4 i think verse 27 where it says something to the effect of it is not requisite that a man should run faster then he has strength and the way king benjamin talks about it he reminds of more of a marathon. We're in that marathon of life, and as justine knows everyone that runs in a marathon gets a medal (i hope she got one) which makes more since in the race of life, everybody that coninues to repent and endure to the end with patience will get the prize and that brings me to the last scripture of the day, i was reading in Hebrews 12 verses 1 and two it talks about christ how he is the author and finisher of the race, he's the guy handing out the waters, cheering us on, helping us train, helping us be prepared, so on and so forth, he was the author AND the finisher, when we die he'll be there and say "Elder Schallenberger I got you covered, you had some times where you got off the course, where you slowed down where you sped up where you helped other run and kicked others down, but you always came to me and asked me for forgiveness and guidance and because of that faith and diligence I got you covered for the times you messed up cause I am the savior and redeemer of all mankind" or maybe he'll say something to that effect haha but it puts it in perspective i think and we want to put ourself in a situation that when we get to that day that we will be able to stand blameless. The work is great, I love Hemet, I love being a missionary and am greatful for all your support. Look for opportunities to help others.

Love ya,

Elder SChallenberger