Evacuated, but now back in Moorpark

This week Elder Pilling eats with a panda, gets evacuated, and cracks his phone...

Hello all!!! This week was oh so very interesting...

Let's start with last pday, we went to Brother Neff's house for zone activity. It was pretty cool. He's probably in his mid 60's, super relaxed and has a lot of cool decorations and paintings in his house. We all got toques as well:) how neat. We watched a Mormon video thing and played werewolf. Pretty much the only memorable things. 

Tuesday was district leader exchanges! So Elder Harris (my DL) and I went out for the day. We had such a fantastic start to the day. We had an awesome plan, we taught Darryl, met up with some really positive potentials and met with an interesting Less Active. BUT when we got out of that last visit I had 4 missed calls! From the other elders and from the Zone leaders. Here's what the first one said. "Hey elders, president just wants our ringers to be on, even in lessons" the next said "alright president wants us all to go back to our apartments and stay together." And then another one that just said to turn our ringer on and the last said "alright missionaries in Moorpark, you're being evacuated so gather 3 days of stuff asap"...well dang. We got home as quick as we could and gathered some stuff and went to Thousand Oaks. We then exchanged back to our regular companions. So Elder Ujhely and I stayed with the zone leaders. They are super cool.

Smoke from the fires in Ventura

Now they had us evacuate because the winds were crazy strong! And it was incredibly smoky from the Thomas fire in Ventura and there was another fire in Filmore on the other side of a mountain to the east of Moorpark. So they didn't know really what way the fire was going to go. But at the time we left it was headed right for Moorpark. So we were in Thousand Oaks for Tuesday evening, Wednesday, and Thursday. Thursday we were able to go in our area to teach and do visits and things. But we slept in TO until Friday. It was very nice to be able to come back to Moorpark that's for sure. We did however eat at Panda Express with the zone leaders. (That's how I ate with a panda hehehe) it's very good just so you know. The Orange chicken is my recommendation.

Fires that look closer than they are I guess.

I don't even know much about Ventura. Last I heard 468 structures burned down including the Mission Home's neighbor. The mission home did not burn tho:) major smoke damage tho. There are 30 ish missionaries from Ventura who are staying with missionaries in Oxnard. We do think we will be getting some opportunities to serve. Hopefully anyways!! I feel it would be an awesome way to share the gospel. 

It was a bummer however I didn't get to finish my exchange with Elder Harris. I really like him. He's been out 15 months and has been a district leader 3x and trained 3 elders. He's great

Friday we met a really cool potential who's name is gene. JK JK  that would be cool tho. He drives a Subaru WRX and a black canyon that actually looks good. He has met with missionaries before, but has never taken the discussions. One of the first questions he asked was "What's a chapter in the book of Mormon that has impacted you" well that was a solid question. ELDER Ujhely recommended 2 Nephi chapter 31. He said he'd read and that when we visit again I need to give him a chapter. So he wants to meet again! Almost an investigator but I think we need one more visit with him. He has had a Book of  Mormon for like 10 yrs. His girlfriend gave him one that she marked up for Him in junior high! He's 24 btw so eventually will be passed on the YSA:-/ sucks because he would be cool to teach. He rides a trek enduro type bike. I forget what model. Older, but full XT. 

Saturday was interesting, we helped set up the ward Christmas party and we went to that. We had fried chicken, bean casserole (which I've had a lot out here and is very good) and carrots and bread. It was pretty good. They had A Christmas Carol playing in the middle of the gym which was pretty funny:) we also had this crazy awesome experience (in my opinion) so we went over to try and meet a referral. She wasn't there but her husband was. He told us that he believed in Christ but that he was non dominational and that he kind of believes a little bit of all the churches. I forget what that is called. Any way he sold out the Catholics because they think they are the whole big thing. Sold out the Mormons because we "believe" that only baptized members go to heaven. Well well well look what we have here! A misconception. So we got to explain to him that we believe all go to the spirit world and taught a bit of the plan of salvation. He loved it and said we are welcome anytime. We even prayed with him:) it was a cool experience for me because to be completely honest I have not taught a single "missionary discussion" never taught the restoration or the plan of salvation or the gospel of Jesus Christ. Never.(outside the MTC that is) I've taught a bit of the restoration and a bit of the plan of salvation. So it's always cool when I get to bear testimony of something like the plan of salvation (or part of it in this case). 

That is probably the biggest difference for me in terms of what I thought a mission would be. It's the teaching. In the MTC we are drilled in the fact that we teach discussions. So you learn it pretty well and you get excited to get in the field and teach investigators! Well I get here and the week I'm here we lose 2 of the previous investigators and we've only been teaching one investigator who's probably not going to be taught again because he's not really that accountable. So there yah go. I pictured I'd teach like a lesson a day or every other day. Some days if we don't have a dinner appointment I don't teach at all let alone an investigator. Kinda makes me wonder if I'm doing this all right...this is a legit email wow. I always liked reading missionaries emails that were 100% honest so that's I guess what imma doing right now. 

A lesson by the way has to have a doctrine principle taught and there has to be a prayer. So sometimes we have great discussions contacting but we don't pray so it doesn't count... dang. 

My area

Sunday (getting back on track here) we went to church. Surprise!!!! Hahahahahah it was a good service all the usual things. After church we tried to go visit some potentials and do some contacting before dinner. It was rough. After dinner we went with some other Elders to the stake centre to listen to the stake Christmas concert. It was so good! Very impressive. I would INVITE y'all to look up the Thousand Oaks stake centre. It's massive. 2 of everything (chapels, relief society rooms etc).  Apparently Elder Bednar said it was one of the biggest wastes of tithing money...hahaha 

That pretty much leads us to the present time. OH I almost forgot. So after helping set up the Christmas party we road to Darryls house. We get there and I realize I don't have my phone! I check my bag, nothing. So we ride 80% of the way back to the church and my phone is in the middle of the intersection in 3 pieces... the battery had been run over, the back cover was luckily ok and the phone it's self is cracked. About 1/4 the screen. I put it all back together and it all works tho. Which is lucky in my opinion because there were lots of cars around. So that sucks. And my selfie camera has a crack in it so the selfies look like junk:( so sad but oh well. 

Shattered phone.

This was kinda a long electronic mail. Hope you didn't get bored🙃 I don't think I'm that boring tho. But overall I do love it. The ward is great. Although I'm not teaching I still talk to loads of people and get to share a nice message with them:) 2nephi 19:6 is my go to christmas one. Haven't seen JP the mailman since. Hopefully this week!! 

Today for pday we are gonna do face masks:) how neat is that! 

This upcoming Saturday is transfer calls so next week I'll know if I'm staying here in Moorpark or not.

Merry Christmas!! Enjoy the holidays☺

Me with my stocking from Clair

Christmas set up

Love Elder Pilling

Sent from a dirty missionary couch...