Ramona Oaks: Long Enough?

That's funny you should mention those candies... haha. I gave one bag to my companion because I knew I wouldn't eat them so those are gone now and I'm still not really working on the other bag. haha. 

But yeah, this week I got my new companion! His name is Elder Brown and he is from Thornton Colorado.  He was called to Spanish but they changed him to English for at least this transfer for some reason.  We keep joking that it is so I can learn Spanish.... but really... it is possible I might be changed to Spanish because President said that during language study he should teach me some Spanish... so yeah it might happen. You never know.  To be honest this week has been pretty slow compared to the previous weeks (as to be expected).  Most of our remaining investigators canceled their appointments so that was kinda a bummer. But yesterday we were going through a list of some previous potential investigators and we found this lady that was SUPER friendly and we have an appointment with her this coming week so we will see how that goes.

I'm not sure if I have told you but I have sort of adopted another grandma since being in Ramona.  Her name is Juanita.  She is this little old lady who is really musically talented.  She was the first chair violinist for the San Diego Symphony for a really long time but know she lives on a dirt road up in the mountains over looking her own
little canyon up in the mountains.  She plays the Piano and so we go over and sing with her once a week or so and share a message which seems to help her a lot.  I'll need to send a picture of us when in the coming weeks of us and the view from her door.  It's the best!

JUANITA!!! (super awesome lady we visit!)

Speaking of pictures, have you been getting the ones that I have sent so far?  I have a lot more but those were most of the good ones including the baptisms. :)

That is fun that Sister Bushman sent you a message! We were over talking with some of my favorite less-actives and they mentioned that they had a family member that lived in Carmichael.  When I said that I was born there they had her on the phone before I could say no. haha.  It was really fun finding a line back home.

A few Sundays ago Elder Whitrod and I gave a talk so obviously it was the most amazing sacrament meeting ever! haha. But, this last Sunday, Elder Brown and I (getting confused yet?) gave the lesson in Elders Quorum for this Brother who is in a wheelchair and has difficulties speaking.  So he wrote it and we presented it.  To be
honest it was really well put together.  I could tell he put a lot of effort into that lesson and felt honored to present it for him.

The ward is Similar to the size of Northridge ward back in Sacramento so it is a really familiar place to be on Sundays.  This week is really looking good so far.  We are about to go to Sunset Cliffs with the Elders and Sisters in our Zone for our P-day activity so that is pretty exciting! Good times here in Ramona! Oh, and have
you looked up Ramona on Wikipedia yet? It is a pretty sweet place so you guys should move here instead! :)

Love,
Elder Ethan John Rowbury

PS: Long enough for you?

Ramona Oaks: Lots of Emails, Not Much Time

I did get about 5 emails this week and I had to make my replies super short because I am dropping off my companion at the airport today.  So this letter home is going to be really short as well. The Baptisms were great!!!  That makes 5 Baptisms in 5 weeks and I hope to make it 8 baptisms by the end of this transfer.  

The work is going SO well.  I get my new companion tomorrow so I will be able to let you know who that is next week.  Next week I will be able to send some pictures as well! I love you all!!! Sorry for the short letter!

Elder Ethan John Rowbury

Ramona Oaks: GUESS WHAT I HAVE TO SAY TO THAT!?!

GUESS WHAT I HAVE TO SAY TO THAT!?! They changed the mission rules for email this last week so now I an email ANYONE (friends, family, pets, anyone!) at home!!! no for reals though... they really did! So post my email on Facebook and tell everyone to send me an email. We also are allowed to use 2 hours on the computer to accommodate. :) I'm so excited to be able to email everyone now. 

I don't think Jen will find me if she is going to be at the San Diego Temple. Ramona is like an hour away from the temple but if she does happen to take a trip up there she won't be disappointed because Ramona is seriously the bomb.

OH! so this week was pretty amazing! I had my first baptism this last week!!!! Her name is Kim Cabrera. She is an Indian from the Barona reservation.  Leo, her Husband, baptized her who was a convert of a few years ago! It was SWEET! And so that family I was talking to you about (the Malky's) are getting Baptized this Saturday! Well at least the Mom and daughter are... We are still working with the father but he still wants to get baptized probably sometime in April. So that will make it 3 baptisms in 2 weeks...

Kim Cabrera's Baptism

BUT WAIT!!! it gets better! So this family (the Styx) that the missionaries have been teaching for like almost 6 months decided to get baptized this Saturday as well! Apparently it has just been a roller coaster with them the last few months because the Father (Gerry) didn't want to take a step of faith and get baptized because he felt he should know EVERYTHING about the church before he joins. So he proceeded to read anything he could get his hands on including some anti. They continued to go to church but the missionaries were super frustrated because the wife and daughter wanted to get baptized but not without Gerry. But, this past Sunday Gerry finally decided to be Baptized and him and his wife will be baptized as well this coming Saturday and then Gerry will baptize his daughter in a few weeks! 

So, in total that should make 5 baptisms in 2 weeks and 2 more on the way! The work is going SO well already and now we need to get everyone ready for baptism and get more investigators to teach! 

So yeah... good times here on the Mission... Be sure to tell everyone that they can email me now and I can email them back!

Love,
Elder Ethan John Rowbury

PS: I cant find my Sambas.... so I might need some new ones... Please! I love you!!!! :) I'll keep looking for them but it isn't looking good..

Ramona Oaks: To Answer Your Questions

So just to answer your questions, we get to go to the temple for a session once every other transfer.  We can go whenever we want though if we want to teach a lesson there.  We live like 45 minutes away though so it probably won't happen too often while I'm in Ramona.  

I write in my journal nearly every night, if not every other night so no worries there Mom... :) 

I have been gotten letters so far from Ryan, McKenna, Leah, Amber Mann, Kyle, the Gundreds, Shanda, Rachel, Mandi and probably a few others but I just haven't had time to write anyone back because on P-days we have been doing really fun things like all day.  Last week we went to the Lighthouse overlooking the San Diego Bay and ate lunch at Lucha Libres which is a sweet Mexican place with a Luchador theme (it was on man vs food).  Today we are all going up to Julian (yeah like the pies are from)  and taking a tour of the Gold mines up there.  

I forgot to mention that we had a snow ball fight at MTEs because the Elders from Julian brought a cooler full of snow and were throwing it at everyone as they came in (Nothing like a snow ball fight in San Diego).  We were hoping that it would snow today up there but it is looking like it won't start until tomorrow morning so no sledding today. :( 

So this last Sunday we had Stake Conference and got a new Stake Presidency.  The meeting was really good and we heard from Elder Gay (of the 70) and Elder Packer who used to be mission president here in San Diego.  But the new second counselor in the Stake is Mitt Romney's son! SO GUESS WHO WAS THERE!?! yeah and guess what lucky guy (Elder) got a picture with him! :) So yeah that was pretty awesome!

Elders in Ramona, California and Mitt Romney

We have had a TON of success recently and in the last week we committed 4 investigators (Including the family mentioned previously and a part member wife) to a baptismal date! The work is really hastening and it is so exciting to be a part of it! 

Oh, and to answer the Revelation 22 stuff, I like to use is Deuteronomy 4:2, 3 Nephi 11:39-40, and especially Doctrine & Covenants 20:35 and show that Moses said the same thing.  The important thing to realize is that Moses was talking about the 10 commandments, John was talking about the book of Revelations and Christ was talking about his doctrine... and the fact that several of the Epistles in the New testament were written after the book of revelations helps too. :) I actually studied about that a few days ago and thought it was really interesting. 

I do enjoy the Mission call updates a ton! I think that Connor is about to submit his papers really soon so he should probably get his call in like a month or so.  Tell everyone I am sorry for not writing them back yet! I'll get there some day!

Love,

Elder Ethan John Rowbury