This past week has been a super good one! We were able to get out
and work a ton, and we saw a TON of miracles! We also went down to Oxnard for
the Mission Leader Council meeting, and it was awesome. Unlike last month, this
one was super short and simple, because we're going to go down for another one
next week! It's crazy...
The message President Castro brought up to us was very interesting. He
told us some very weird news: The mission is having a problem due to the influx
of new missionaries. During the last transfer meeting, the enthusiasm of the
missionaries is apparently a bit lower, and the missionaries are disconnected
from the culture of the Great California Ventura Mission! The reason for it is
rather simple: it seems like all the older solid missionaries have all gone home
without me noticing it! President told us that between now and July, only five
missionaries will be ending their missions. You can count on two hands the
missionaries that are older than a year and a half!!! Meanwhile, we have around
250-300 missionaries here, and in the coming transfer we'll be getting huge
numbers of missionaries again! It's definitely weird, but it makes sense; for
me the culture and enthusiasm was something that took time to build up in me, it
didn't just show up at once. But now, who leads them into it all? So we were
able to have some fantastic discussions with the districts about how to
maintain/gain enthusiasm. Most of it just comes down to doing the basics and
being obedient. It was super good!
We also had a lot of opportunities to go out and work this week which was
exceedingly nice! We finally hunted down a man named Jaime, whom we've been
looking for since I got here, had a nice little doorstep lesson, and invited him
to church. But the best part is, HE ACTUALLY CAME!!! That makes 5 out of
however many hundreds of people I've invited to come. We also got a referral
for a solid family; the father's name is Daniel, the son is Alex, and I haven't
met the mother yet. The son's already got a confirmation that the Book of
Mormon is true, and the mom has been reading. Daniel is super cool; the whole
time we were teaching him the Restoration, he kept saying "Asi-mero! " and
"Orale!" which is basically "Yeah!" and "Speak it!" He really connected with
the concept of Priesthood authority, and the best part was that he actually
understood the need for Eternal Sealing.
So things are going awesome out here. The work is good, my friends are all
doing great, and I'll be doing my best. I really know more than ever that this
church is true. I know this gospel blesses people and their families, and that
it makes me happier than anything. I love you all, and tell Michael well done
for me! I also met a man who served in Kenya with Jackson Tuckett. Keep up the
good works!
Love,
E. Matthew D. Clough
