1/11-1/21/1992

January 11, 1992

Yesterday was one of those days that you don't get a chance to sit down. I love days like that. I think that yesterday was one of the most productive days that we have had in a long time. Today was also a good day. This morning we went to the grape vineyard that is owned by the church. We "tied the canes quote for about two hours. Talk about cold hands! Anyway, there were about 15 hmong people there. We were able to do our work assignment about twice as fast as any of the American wards. Hmong people just plain were card. It was kind of a fun thing to be able to spend some time working with all of them.

We went to see Me Xiong and her kids tonight. It was a good chance to talk to them all. We had them practice being baptized. Me is kind of nervous that maybe she will get baptized and then Chi will come home and be angry because she has gone to church. Anyway, I will fast for her tomorrow and pray for the whole family. I'm confident that everything will work out the way that the Lord has planned.

I also talk to Pres. Davis about Ker receiving the aaronic priesthood right after he is baptized. That will enable him to baptize the rest of his family. That will be awesome! I hope that it will all work out.

January 15, 1992

Boy! The word busy does not even begin to describe these last few days. This is the first chance I've had to write in my journal lately and I am doing so well sitting on the toilet. We have been very, very busy.

I am quite concerned about me xiong. She is still worried about what their baptism will do to her chances of Chi coming back. She committed to pray tonight and find out whether or not she should get baptized on the 18th. I hate the way Satan gets investigators to second-guess the answers that the Lord has given them. I suppose that there is a great lesson to be learned their concerning the answers that the Lord gives to me.

Elder Badel and I are still getting along great. I am really quite surprised that we are getting along so well. I guess that it just goes to show that if you are both focused on bringing souls to Christ, then personalities do not even matter. It's not that Elder Badel is a bad guy. It's just that I was concerned about how compatible we would be. Anyway I am really learning a lot from him and enjoying it a great deal.

I wonder at this point how many of the lessons that the Lord has in store for me during my mission have been learned at this point.

January 17, 1992

Today has been really hectic. We decided yesterday that she wanted to wait and see what her husband was going to do before she and her kids get baptized. Bummer!

We have been going like crazy all day. Something happened today that really disappointed me. We ask a guy for some help to get some keys out of a hmong  families car. He said if they were Hmong he wouldn't give them the time of day. I said "that's too bad. " he said, "why is that? "Elder Badel said, "they are very good people. "Anyway, we got this story about Vietnam and all of that. The end of the whole thing was that he said that he hoped he had shot one of the people I know fathers. I told him, "I hope you did so you can go to hell for it! "I can't believe that came out of my mouth! I just turned around and walked away. I feel awful about that, but he really ticked me off. He was so ignorant of the situation that I couldn't believe it. Anyway I guess I have some repenting to do tonight before I go to bed. I guess that it sometime I will have to learn to keep my mouth shut.

January 21, 1992

Writing in this journal has come to denote the passage of time. As a result, I have come to dread riding in this book. Today I received for letters, all of which mention the fact that I would be home soon. I have not had such a sinking feeling in my stomach since I went to scout camp and 11-year-old. I don't know what to doabout it, but it is something with which I will soon have to cope. (I suppose you feel that way too, although I am excited to have you home and to see what the next phase of your life will bring. Be excited the Lord has been training you for two years and you are prepared for what comes next.)

Tonight we taught a fireside to the American youth at church on hmong culture. I could not speak English to save my life. I suppose that is a problem that I will have to deal with when I get home.

As usual, we have been extremely busy. Things here are getting close to popping, but we have as of yet been unable to light the fuse. I know that there is so much potential here, but we just haven't been able to tap it yet. I'm tired and going to bed!

1/4-1/9/1992

Jan 4, 1992

Today was really a good day.  We taught 6 discussions and just had a good all around day.  I am really tired.

I have been giving some thought lately to what I want to do for a living when I get home.  I’m not so sure that I want to be a doctor anymore.  I’m not at all thrilled with the idea of doing the same thing every day for the rest of my life.  If I go home and go to work with my Dad, I might have a little more mobility.  I guess I’ll just have to wait and see what happens when I get home.

Jan 5, 1992

Well we are staying in Los Banos for tonight. Tomorrow morning President Bott and the AP’s will be picking us up to take us up to San Bruno to get some newly purchased cars.  We will be driving up together and then driving  back in separate cars.  From now on we will have a car for the Asian Elders in Merced. That is probably happening just in time for me to get transferred.  Anyway, it will be nice to have a car for a while.

Today at church was awesome!  Me Xiong and her children came to church today.  We had six investigators at church today.  We also had a really good lesson in Priesthood meeting.  The only thing that went wrong was that during Sunday School Blong Lee was teaching the class out of the Jehovah’s witness book.  It took all of the energy that I had to keep the lesson doctrinally correct without offending or embarrassing the teacher.  Afterwards Blong and I had a really good talk.  We are feign to meet with long later this week and we will get him some better books to read.  I guess I better get going.

January 7, 1992

Yesterday was great! We rode up to San Bravo with Pres. and Sis Bott. We had a good talk with them. On the way home, we had permission to stop at the Stanford bookstore at Stanford. It was really fun to go back there. I am really glad that I decided to go to BYU instead of Stanford. That is a neat school, but I don't think it is a very good place for A single LDS person.

Today was kind of slow. I had a chance to talk with sub Lis. That was a pretty depressing. There isn't much chance of him going home. That is really a sad situation, but it surely makes it easier for his wife and children to get baptized.

Tsees Lis is getting further and further away. Ever since he decided to not get baptized, he has been drifting farther and farther off the path. I don't know how to help him. Tomorrow is the phone conference with Pres., maybe I'll get some good ideas then.

January 9, 1992

Today was a pretty good day. It really felt good to get back into the routine of teaching again. Between going to Modesto yesterday and San Brunel on Monday, I feel like we haven't accomplished much at all this week. Anyway, today we were able to teach a lot of people.we spent a lot of time working with Lao  people today.

Tonight I went with Lou Mona to see Me Xiong and her children. It went really well. I absolutely love to teach the gospel to people. It is so amazing to see the countenance of others change as they feel the influence of the Holy Ghost during the course of a discussion.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the only true and living Church on the face of the earth today. I know that God lives. I know that Jesus Christ atone for my sins and rose from the dead on the third day! I know that the book of Mormon is true. I know that Joseph Smith, was a prophet of God.

I know this more firmly than I have ever known this in my whole life. I love to share the gospel I have a burning desire to share the gospel of Jesus Christ.

I write these things in the name of Jesus Christ amen.

12/24- 1/3/1992

Dec 28, 1991

I certainly haven’t done very well lately at writing in my journal.  We just got back from Hmong New Year in Fresno.  We were there yesterday and today.  it was so much fun.  I have never felt so much the center of attention in my life.  What we would do is this.  we would walk around in our native Hmong costumes and talk to everyone in Hmong.  It usually didn’t take too long for a crowd to gather. Then I would talk to everyone e and goof off for a while.  Sometimes I would sing a Kwv txhiaj.  I would ask them who knew about the Mormon church.  I would explain what we do as missionaries and ask them if they wanted to know more about the church.  I would ask those that did to give their names and addresses to me or Elder Badell.  It was a very good way to get referrals.  Their usually were 2 or 3 people in each crowd that wanted to study.  we ended up with about 45 referrals.

It was so awesome to see everybody again.  i got to see all of the people from Stockton and Fresno that I used to know.  It is strange how close I feel to the people that I helped teach and baptize.  There is a  bond between us that I can’t explain. 

Dec 30, 1991

Today was really a great day!  We were able to see and tach 5 families.  It is so awesome to be able to spend all day long teaching the gospel.  I love it!

Lou Lee told us today that she was 4 months pregnant and she wants to wait to be baptized until her baby is born.  we asked her to pray about being baptized on the 18th of January.  I hope that she will receive an answer to her prayer and decide to be baptized soon.

Last night Chi Lee’s (Cib LIs)  wife called us on the phone and said that he had left her to go find a new wife.  I don’t know how a guy could possibly leave his wonderful family that way.  We went to see them tonight and we gave his wife a blessing.  I hope and pray that he will have a change of heart and go back home.  his wife is just a wreck.  I don’t see who in the world a guy could leave his family and still be able to live with himself.

We are sure teaching a lot of people now. Ii only wish that we could get some of them to be baptized.

Elder Badell and I are getting along pretty well.  He is really a good guy.  It is really nice to have a companion who wants to wrk hard.  I hope that the people we are working with will soon want to be baptized.

Jan 1, 1992

I can not believe that it is 1992!  I can’t believe all of the growth that has taken place in me in the last year. Wow!  I can’t believe what the next year holds in store for me.  I am really scared to have to go home.  To think that this year I will complete my mission, reenter college and be home at this time next year absolutely blows my mind! This mission is going by way too fast.

Today was supposed to be a P-day but it didn’t quite end up that way. We went this morning to take the Lee kids to the park to get them out of their mom’s hair for a while.  After that, we just seemed to find one thing right after another that needed to be done all day long.  As a result, we didn’t have any time for a preparation day.  Next Monday will come soon enough.

We did take a break tonight to watch the Orange Bowl.  Nebraska got kicked around by Miami :(

Yesterday we had a butt-chewing session for the whole zone.  I think that we finally suceeded in waking some of these Elders up.

Jan 3, 1992

Today has been a pretty darn good day.  We have made some good contacts,taught some good discussions, and had an overall good day.

We have so many people to teach now that it is really hard to get to all of them.  There just isn’t enough time in the day.

Me Xiong is doing a lot better today than ever,  She has got a good hold on what’s going on and her children are coping well too.  i sure hope that they don’t end up giving any of the children to CIB.  That would be a shame.  There is still the chance that he will come home, but with each passing day it grows smaller and smaller.

Lou Lee has had an answer to her prayer and wants to get baptized.  The only problem is that she wants to wait until her baby is born in May before she is baptized.  I sure hope that she wil change her mind.

It is funny how people don’t have time during school due to all of the activities associated there with, yet, they don’t have time during vacation because of all of the things they want to do before school starts again.  The Church is still true.

12/16-12/23/1991

Dec 16, 1991

I am dead tired.  We steam cleaned the carpets in two apartments this morning.  That is a lot more work than I thought it would be.  Anyway, we spent a long time cleaning this morning.  it was kind of interesting to see the way that different Elders reacted to the task.  Some jump right in and get to work, some wait to be asked for their help and thereafter work hard.  Some wait to be asked, work for a short time, and then find an excuse to quit or go do something else.  Then there are even some that don’t ever help at all.  i am really grateful for the fact that my parents helped me to learn how to work. I also realize how important it is for me to teach my children how to work.  The same Elders that rolled up their sleeves and got to work are the same Elders that are the really good Elders.

I really wish that I could shake this cold.  I am sick and tired of being sick.  It’s not that I have been a ll that sick, it’s just that the constant cold is wearing me down.  i have a hard time with the cold weather too.

Dr. Agarwall sent me some more medicine for my knees today, so that was cool.  At least now the cold weather won’t make my knees hurt.

The Spirit has been really strong lately.  I hope I can continue to be worthy of the accompaniment of the Holy Ghost.

Dec 17, 1991

Where does the time go?  I can’t believe that 1992 is only 14 days away.  It seems like I have all ways planned on going home from my mission and going on with life, but never until 1992.  !992- that is so far away.  Go back to school?  Yeah- but not until 1992.  What a wreck- I can’t believe it is nearly here!  My mission is now 18 1/2 months old.  i have so much more to do.  I can’t believe it.

Today was one of those days that I have occasionally.  I spent all day working and got little to nothing accomplished.  We did get to teach Cib Lis and his family.  They are the greatest.  I really hope that we can get that family to be baptized.  The oldest boy, Ker, has been playing hookey and causing his parents more stress than I can imagine.  Anyway, it went well and I hope they will get on the ball.

Dec 21, 1991

Well, Elder Jeppson was transferred on Thursday.  My new companion is Elder Badell.  i lived with him for a while in Stockton.  he is a pretty good guy.  He is a little overbearing at times, but he want to work hard and he is a good missionary.  he is also a Z.L., so he can help me to deal with all of the problems that arise.

My parents sent me a very nice 18 Karat gold Raymond Weil watch for Christmas.  it is really nice.  The only problem is that I am not sure that I can wear it anywhere but to church.  I guess I can find out when I call home at Christmas.

The missionary work here is going fantastic!  Elder Badell speaks Lao very well, so he is able to translate well enough that he is fun to teach with.  The Hmong families that we are working with are coming along really well.  We are working with Cib Lis Neeb Lis, Niam Kaim Lis, and Niam Vaj Khwb Lis the most right now.  Khul Lee’s wife told us Friday about a dream she had in which she saw her entire body glowing.  She felt that was an answer to her prayer about whether or not she should be baptized.  She says she wants to get baptized, so that is awesome!  We are going to try to set a date for after the end of the year tomorrow when we go see her and her husband.

Dec 23, 1991

Today was Hmong New Year in Merced.  It was really fun to get all dressed up in Hmong clothes and go see all of the Hmong people.  Hmong people are the best!  They absolutely love you just for being you.  That is the best.

Yesterday was the Christmas program at church.  We met with the Americans for the program.  i can honestly say that it was the most spiritually uplifting sacrament meeting that I have ever attended.  it was awesome.  it felt so good to feel the Spirit so strongly.  I was absolutely overwhelmed to sit there and contemplate the sacrifice that Christ truly made for me.  i was absolutely flooded with love. The love that the Savior has for each and everyone of us is incredible.

I know that my Redeemer lives.  I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior.  He atoned for my sins and was resurrected that all might be raised from the dead to meet Him at the great judgment bar.  I look forward to that day.  i still must do much preparation before that day, but I look forward to the day that I will be able to enter into the rest of my Father.  i write this in the name of my Savior, Jesus Christ.  Amen.

12/8-12/15/1991

Dec 10, 1991

At the start of my mission, it was really easy to find time to write in my journal.  now it seems like I never have time.

These past few days have been quite hectic.  Yesterday, for my birthday, we cooked the steaks that Mom and Dad sent.  They were really good.  It made me realize how much I miss Mom’s home cooking.  I really miss eating the kind of food that I can’t afford as a missionary. 

Chao Chi Ly is still planning on being baptized this Saturday.  I hope and pray that everything will come together.  Being a missionary is really fun, but sometimes not knowing for sure if things will work out or not is kind of stressful.

Being a zone leader is kind of fun.  The only complaint I have is that I spend 90% of my time dealing with 10% of the Elders in the zone.  I wish that we could spend our time working on ways to improve our effectiveness instead of working on getting Elders to just get their head into the ballgame.

I got a bunch of balloons and candy from Kristin yesterday.  I really wish she would just leave me alone.

Dec 11, 1991

1/2 Mission Conference

AP’s Talks-

Elder Barclay- What is real strength?

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is STRENGTH!

Priesthood is STRENGTH!

Prayer is STRENGTH!

Testimony, service, humility are Strength.

Our Savior Jesus Christ is strength!

Feeling the Holy Ghost’s presence is strength

Only those who rely on God are able to posses true strength.  

Companions generate strength.

Elder Elmer-

The birth of the Savior Jesus Christ is the single most important event ever.  

There is a difference between focusing in Christ and focusing on Christ.

We must focus our lives in order to have an abundance of the Spirit.  EYE SINGLE TO THE GLORY OF GOD.

Sacramental Prayer-

Remember Him, Keep His Commandments,

Willing to take upon me His name

So I can always have His spirit to be with me.

Mosiah 18- Stand as a witness at all times and in all places.

**Create and keep a lasting Vision- in yourself first- then in your investigators

Always focus discussions on Christ so investigators will feel the Spirit.

Continue on in the way of the Lord.

Elder Sorenson- Service

If Christ, whom we call our God, could spend His life in our service, then how much more we should serve on e another.

Motivation for acts of service is Key. 

Serve your companion.  

Have I done any good in the world today?

President Bott

Christ suffered all D&C 19

‘Young man, most of the work in this world is done by people who don’t feel very well.” Harold B Lee

It is through small acts one gains salvation.  The little, daily things one does add up to salvation.

Matthew 25:35-40 (sep vs 40)

Hungered- 2 Nephi 32:3, Matthew 5:6

Thirst- Joshn 7:37-39 (satisfied or quenches only through revelations of the HG.

Stranger- Eph 2:19-20, Moro 6:4-5

Naked- Eph 6:11-18, D&C 27:15-18

Sick- World of Sin.  Mosiah 27:29

Prision- Habits, Sin, Unbelief

John 16:33, Alma 37:34- Be cheerful in tribulation.

D&C 76:5-15 Reward of tribulations endured.

Dec 13, 1991

Well, I forgot to write in my journal again yesterday.  Chaos Chi Ly decided not to get baptized tomorrow.  After he was interview, he said he wanted to wait for a while.  i’ not too sure why, but he said that he wasn’t ready. I’m not sure what he things he has to do to get ready either.  He says that it’s personal, and he can’t talk about it.  I guess we’ll just have to keep working with him.

Today was a pretty good day.  I have really been tired today.  IT seems like every night I just barely lay down and the alarm immediately goes off. I don’t know where those seven or eight hours go to, but it doesn’t seem like I get to sleep very long.

I went with Yang Xiong today to teach Chi Lee and his family.  I love that family so much.  They are just awesome.  I hope and pray that we can work things our with their relatives so that they can all be baptized.  We’ll just have to keep working and praying.

I had a notice in the mailbox tonight that I Received a package tomorrow.  I’ll find out who it is from.

Dec 14, 1991

Yesterday, some people left some toy dart guns on our proc as a Christmas present.  Even as I write, darts are flying about the room.  The Elders are really having fun.  My gun broke already :(

Today has been a pretty good day.  Tonight I taught a discussion to 3 Hmong teenage girls who just got here from France.  IT was really fun to teach them.  They are living with Paul Lee (Their uncle) Who is the 2nd counselor in our Branch Presidency.  It was really fun to teach them.  I had to teach in black Hmong and English and then let them discuss it in French and explain it back to me.  I thought it would take forever.

Being the zone leader is fun, but it is also rather frustrating.  I wish that I could make the other Elders realize what it is that they are about.  I wish they could see how urgent their hob and message are.

I have really notice lately that as I explain things to the Elders or teach them, I often learn as I help them,  It is really amazing to me how that works.  I a quite often amazed at the words that come out of my mouth.  As long as I prayerfully consider my responses, I find that I am taught from on high as I tach.  That is really an awesome feeling.

(Dad has discover the secret of being enabled with knowledge… it comes easily when you are trying to help someone. :)

12/3- 12/7/1991

Dec 3, 1991

Today was awesome.  Last night we went to Chi Lee’s and decorated a Christmas tree with his family.  That was really fun.  Today we got to teach quite a bit.  While we were teaching Tsees Lis, his uncle was also listening.  It was really neat because while we were teaching about Joseph Smith, the Spirit told me the instant that his uncle knew it was true.  At the end of the discussion, his uncle asked if he could be baptized.  Things here in this area are getting ready to explode!  I can’t wait.

Tonight we went to see Chi Lee (Cib Lis) and his family.  He said that his father had not granted permission for him to be baptized.  Tomorrow, he is going to invite his dad over to his house for dinner.  If his dad goes, I will go and talk to him.  I really hope that the Lord will soften his gather’s heart so that his father will allow that family to progress.

We scheduled Tsees Lis’s baptism for the 14th.  We need to go Thursday and teach him the word of wisdom and the plan of salvation.   Hopefully that will go well.

Dec 4, 1991

I got a letter from Kristin today.  She told me that she was sorry for all she has done and that she still wants to marry me when I get home.  I can’t believe that she would think that she could literally sleep around while I’m on my mission, say she is spotty, and have everything be just wonderful when I get home.  I don’t even know what she could be thinking.  She must be crazy.  I just don’t get it.

Today I went out to Atwater to team-up with the American Elders out there.  We did some tracking. That is the first time that I have ever done that.  it was kind of fun.  We also taught a discussion to a teenage girl who seems to be about as “golden” as she could come.  I am fairly sure that she will be baptized soon.  Tonight we went to some Lao houses.  We taught the fifth discussion to the family who will be getting baptized on Saturday, so that was good.

We also went back to Tsees Lis’s house this morning and taught a discussion to him.  It went well.  We committed him to quit smoking, so that was good.  i don’t think he had that big of a problem with it anyway, but it will be something that I will have to follow-up on before he is baptized on the 14th.

 

Dec 5, 1991

Quite honestly today has been kind of a depressing day.  It seems as though the Hmong work was not up to par today.  I’m also really tired.  This respiratory virus that has been going around seems to be getting the best of me.  I a ashamed to admit it, but Kristin’s last letter has been eating at me too. 

This morning , Elder Sorenson came up here and went out teaching with us.  He was made the new AP yesterday.  That seems really scary to me to realize that someone that I came out with has been out long enough to be a AP.  When the time comes for me to go home, I am afraid that I simply will not be ready.  I have so far to go in my personal progress and in my fulfillment of my duties as a missionary.  I sincerely hope and pray that I can fulfill the Lord’s  design concerning me.  I hope and pray that the Lord will support me and hold me up that I never give in to Satan.  I know that with the Lord’s help I can fulfill the great work which He sent me here to accomplish.

The Church is true!  I love being a missionary, I just wish that I could do a better job at it.

Dec 7, 1991

Well, I have found that most baptism days are pretty hectic.  Today was certainly no exception. It seems as though nothing at all could go right.  The baptism was awesome.  We baptized the Jonmanikhout family. It went really well.  Elder Jeppson did all of the baptisms.  I confirmed Somsay, the youngest boy.  The Spirit was so strong at the baptism. 

After the baptism, things smoothed right out.  We went and taught a discussion to Nom Yeej Lis.  It went so well.  he said that he wants to be sure and repent of all of his sins before he is baptized so that he does it right.  I love teaching the gospel and I am learning a lot.  

I got some birthday presents from Mom and Dad and a card from Grandpa and Grandma.  I can’t believe I’ll soon be 21!

11/21-11/28/1991

November 22, 1991

Yesterday was hectic, that is simply all that there is to it.  It wouldn’t be so bad if Elders would all make their bus at the right time, but Elders miss buses, buses don’t run , and zone leaders plans to provide rides for Elders get frustrated.

Today was leaders’ meeting in Fresno.  Leaders’ meeting was fun because I got to see a lot of old friends.  Elder Clarke, Sorenson, Davis, Watson, Russon,and Brown were all there.  President gave us a lot of information that should be quite helpful.  Going to leaders’ meeting made me very grateful to be in the Asian program.  All of the Asian Elders are really close.  I wish that the whole mission could be like that.  Elder Conrad and I decided that there are a lot of things that our zone has to do better.  we really need to all get on the ball.  Hopefully we can get to motivating some of the people in our zone so that it can catch fire.

I got a letter from Mom today.  All seems to be well at home.  She sent me 3 tapes of Christmas music, so I guess it is now time to start celebrating my last Christmas in the mission field.

We went on team-ups right after leaders’ meeting. i went with one of the youth in the branch and we taught 3 discussions tonight.  This has made for a very busy day.  i think I’ll go to sleep.

Nov 23, 1991

Today was kind of a lousy day.  We couldn’t catch anyone at home.  I think that every single Hmong person in this whole city went to a party today.  It’s getting close to New Year’s Day, so everyone  is either having parties or else they are preparing for parties.  Anyway, the whole thing has proved quite discouraging.  The other thing is that after having transfer days and leaders meeting, I hadn’t had the chance to schedule any appointments for today.

The Span-ams had a baptism today, so I went and unlocked the building, filled the font and locked things up after the baptism.  It was encouraging to see a baptism, especially after a day like yesterday.

I got a letter from dad today.  He seems to be doing well.  he said that if I wanted to go into business with him when I get home, that he would be more than happy to have me do that.  I’m not really sure what I’ll do anymore.  There are certainly a lot of doctors who get divorced.  i don’t know if being a doctor is worth the strain that it would put on my family life.  I will give it some definite thought when I get home.  I guess I’ll just have to wait until my mission is over, study it out and then find our what the Lord would have me to do.

Nov 24, 1991

Today is certainly the first day that I have hated being a zone leader.  One of the Elders in my apartment get a phone call from a girl in Visalia.  It is a girl that he has had some problems with as far as keeping a proper missionary relationship with her.  Anyway, I had to got and call President Bott and then confronted the Elder with the problem and had him call President Bott.  I wish that I didn’t have to do things like that.  I mean, it is the kind of thing that had to be done, but I wish it wasn’t me.  This Elder has had a lot of problems with his attitude and stuff, but hopefully we can get stuff straightened our.  he is on the phone with President right now.  We’ll just have to see how it goes.

Today at church was fairly discouraging.  One of the members of our branch got married today so many of our members were at the wedding feast instead of church.  We did, however, have 6 Hmong investigators and 5 Lao investigators come to church.  CBI Lis’s family didn’t come through, so that was kind of a disappointment.

Nov 25, 1991

We didn’t get a P-day today because of Thanksgiving coming up.  As a result, we spent the day working.  I got a letter from Mom today.  She seems to be doing well.  She ha written to tell me that she sent in my scholarship application and that she had signed me up to got to St. John’s with Mr Jacobson next summer.  I can’t wait to go scuba diving again!  That is going to be the best!

We had a zone meeting tonight to talk about all of the things that President Bott told us at leaders meeting.  I think that it went very well. After that, we had a District Leaders’ meeting.  That also seemed to go fairly well.  We are trying to come up with some good ways to get things going in this zone.  We need to somehow jump-start the system.  we are going to start, as a zone, having prayer at 6:15 am for the zone.  Hopefully the Lord will help us to get things going.

President Bott came up this morning to talk to the Elder that was having the problem last night.  After talking with President on the phone last night, the Elder talked to me for a while.  It turns out that the reason he is having problems is that he is not sure that all of his sins of youth he has repented of.  He used to be in a gang, etc…. Anyway, I called President Bott again and this morning to have him come and talk with the Elder. An Elder that isn’t worthy cannot succeed.

Nov 27, 1991

Today Good Day. 2 Discus.  I’m hungry.  Good discus…..

We went to see Tseem Lis and it went well.  My comp is really sic still, so we didn’t get all that much done.

Nov 30, 1991

Well, after 2 P-days in a row it was certainly good to get back to work.  However, being that it was Saturday, it was pretty tough to get things going.  This weekend had been Hmong New Year up in Sacramento.  Because so many people went up there for that, it was an especially hard day to catch anyone at home.

Thanksgiving was kind of a let down.  We had an appointment with an American family for dinner, but cooking was definitely not that matriarch’s strong point.  Anyway, I’ll sure be glad to get home to Mom’s home cooking.