Week 7 Sept. 26, 2016

Hi Everyone

Ok in my last email I guess I confused everybody. I did not get a car, I'm still on a bike. Since the districts changed the car next to our area (the one we were hoping to get) wasn't going to be needed for its new area because it became smaller. The sisters ended up getting it because... they're sisters.. so no car for us. We are still on bikes. Alls good though.

This week we got devastating news. Our investigator Steven, who's brother introduced him to the gospel, informed us that his mom is not ok with him getting baptized. She thinks that since he was baptized as a baby he doesn't need to be baptized again and if he's getting baptized again it means his first one doesn't count, but Steven wants to be baptized.... his birthday is in February and is ok with getting baptized then but Elder Phillips is worried that since there's so much time until then something could happen that he might not want to anymore. He's really pushing him to be baptized in October. Well we'll see what happens.

I got your packages!! They were really cool and it was so FULL of FOOD! Please thank grandma and grandpa for their packages and the Despains too!! It was really cool that they thought of me enough to send me something. I have so much food now and I bought a gallon of ice cream today so life is good. Also general conference is this week and it will be very cool because it'll be my first one in the mission field.  I'm excited!

Elder Madsen

Week 6 Sept 19, 2016

Hey guys! Transfers just came and I'm staying in El Monte with my companion but, were moving districts. Which is weird because we were the center of the district, but it's cool. Plus the area right next to ours is being cut in half so they won't need their car anymore and it will come right to us. No more bikes! It's a possibility that I prayed about it. Bikes are cool but it's hard being late to appointments because people live so far away, and riding a bike while someone is driving a car right past you at full speeds... It's scary. They come so close you and it doesn't make sense how they can get so close without touching us. 

Last week we didn't have that many members have us over for dinner but this week everyday was filled. A true blessing, plus everyone goes all out for the missionaries and gives desserts too, and extra food that is easy to cook by ourselves. People really do look after us here. Whether or not they're members.  People respect us here and what we're doing, maybe not enough to hear our message but enough to say that it's cool to see such young people do something that isn't for themselves.

Tomorrow is my two month mark, and it's difficult to believe that it has come by so fast. It doesn't feel like it's been two months.  It's a weird feeling, where has all the time gone, but then again it is a true blessing that I'm enjoying my mission and having fun at the same time.

Elder Madsen

Week 5, Sept. 12 2016

I'm doing good here in Cali.

I just got my hair cut this morning by a lady that doesn't speak
English. Well she kinda does but only out loud when she's counting
money.  I haven't seen my haircut in the mirror yet
but my comp says I looks like alfalfa so it's aight.
This week we contacted a man named Norman. I couldn't really hear from
the traffic but we started talking about religion with him and right
away he said he was catholic. When people say that that's usually them
telling us that "I already know everything about the bible and couldn't
possibly learn anything more" or "I'm done talking to you". Only, when
he said that he kept on talking to us which I thought was really weird
and he said he loves Utah and how it such a beautiful place and he loves to go
hiking there.  He said in Utah people told him about the Book of
Mormon and he was really interested because he was "seeking further
truth".  We gave him a book or Mormon and was so excited
but felt bad because he thought we were giving him our very own
scriptures.  We had to explain to him that we have a lot more at our
apartment and when he understood that he got very excited. He told us
also that he's not really Catholic, he just goes there because that's
the only church close to what he feels is right. He then asked us how
can he learn more about our church and we told him he can come to
our church and learn and that we can meet with him and give him
lessons. He asked for a way we could stay in touch and we gave him our
number and we got his number so we'll see how it goes.

Love Elder Madsen

Week 4 Sept 5, 2016

Hello Everyone,

Remember Debbie from last week. We are working with her on the word
of wisdom. She understands that she has to follow the word of wisdom
to be baptized and she is trying so so hard to follow it. Which is
amazing because most people when we get to that point in our teaching
they don't want to quit or change or really put in any effort to be
baptized. Debbie definitely has a desire to be baptized and I am so
lucky that I get to teach her and watch her as she comes closer and
closer to being a member of our church. She has a testimony of Joseph
Smith and of the Book of Mormon plus she's comfortable with saying a
prayer in front of us. A lot of people aren't like that.

Our ward that Elder Phillips and I are over share the same ward
building as a Spanish ward.  They love the missionaries and after four
weeks they've realized that I can't speak Spanish so they come up to
me shake my hand with a really big smile and then they are on they're
way. We don't really ever interacted with them because we simply
can't, so this week when we got a call to come over to a Spanish
members house for dinner it was really weird/odd because they have Elders
and Hermanas  missionaries in their ward that speak Spanish and are
over their ward, but we went nonetheless.
When we got there the Elders and Sister were already there and we
were like ok? Apparently this Spanish couple had a referral for us and
it's their son in law (he speaks English) who lives at the house so
they just wanted us over to get comfortable coming over. I found all
this out after we left and they and the Spanish missionaries told
us. It was awkward because I could tell that they were talking about
my companion and I and how we didn't understand what they were saying.
I'm glad we get to teach him.

Love Elder Madsen

picture of the week!

Week 3 August 29, 2016

Hello,

I might have had some hard feelings against having a bike mission but
I think I have come to love it.  I'm in a small area.  I can bike half
an hour and be out of my area.  I've been able too talk to some other
missionaries who have larger areas and they get a car.  I see how much better
it is to be on a bike.  I get to stop an talk to people and do street
contacts.  When your in a car you don't really get to do that.  Plus
everyone down here loves the missionaries most of the time.  A lot of
people have had lessons before and know we're good people so they
always yell GOD BLESS or STAY SAFE.  Sometimes it's
something negative but it's whatever.  Also everyone knows that
companions have to stay together because if one of us crosses
the street everyone will wait for you to cross to get with your
companion.

The members here in valley view ward are limited but they're really
good people.  I've been over at a members house almost ever day since
I've been here.  (So don't worry mom I get fed.) Every person is in
rotation for callings. Everyone remembers back when so and so was a
bishop or elders quorum president, and basically waiting until they
will be called to it again. The bishop right now is going on 7 years.
I think there is about 45-50 active members so my
companion knows when someone out of the ward shows up.

This week we set two baptismal dates that seem pretty positive because
they came out and said they want to get baptized and asked what color of
shoes they have to wear. They're names are Amilia and Debbie. They're
friends and are taking the lessons together.  Amilia has a sister who
is a recent convert and she is really excited for them to get baptized
too.

Also weird thing. Every kid in California looks like 5 years older than they
actually are and I don't get it. The 15 year old look 20 and everyone
comes up to me and asks "Are you sure your not 15" :).
I met a 13 year old the other day and I thought he was 20
because he looked like it and was huge. Sadly though he doesn't play
football.

Love Elder Madsen

Week 2 Aug 23, 2016

Who is this that goofy looking kid in a shirt and tie riding a bike in
LA traffic?  Is that a bike helmet and a messenger bag? Oh, that's
me..

Two days ago I had finished one month. 23 more to go.  Its only been a
month but it has gone by pretty quick. It feels like its only been a
week from when I left home not a month. Which is a good thing I think.
Hopefully it's like that the rest of my mission, but then again my
mission is awesome. I love it here. I am in El Monte where the
population is half Hispanic and half Asian with two white missionaries
thrown in there.    That's ok though
because we have Spanish and Chinese speaking missionaries too.  I
really love El Monte. I tell the members that too and they tell me I'm
crazy because there is a lot of bad stuff that goes on here and it's
the ghetto, but I really do. It's kinda like home but with a new
twist. It's a suburb area but all the houses look just a little bit
different. The trees and flowers look just a little bit different than
back home. There is always something new to see here.
The people here are awesome.  The work for missionaries is really
strong here. Just about everyone wants to hear the gospel and our
message.  I don't know what more to say than that.  I've been teaching
lessons everyday and meeting new people each day that are interested
in the church.  When I teach people that haven't heard the gospel
before its so cool to see the atmosphere in the room change and the
Holy Ghost take over and they can feel that. It's a cool
experience. I taught a lesson the first night I was here. I was pretty
scared but once I was in there and teaching I loved the feeling I got
from it.

This Saturday marked a full month out on the mission but it also
marked my first baptism and I was the one who got in the water and
baptized him. His name is Umberto Perez. He is 21 and has a wife who
is already a member along with four kids who are all boys. His oldest
is 7 and Umberto hopes to baptize him next year when he turns 8.

Week 1 Aug 16, 2016

HEY I'm using my companion's IPad since mine comes on Friday and
you're email is the only one I know by heart <3 can you send this our
to the family for me?  Next week I'll be able to send an email out to
everyone so don't worry.  I'm doing
ok my companion is from Tremonton his name is elder Phillips. He's a
good guy.  I'm living in a shack. Jk it's a shack stuck on top of
another shack. There is also shacks to the left and right of me.
They're called apartments, haha.  We have roaches but that's ok every place
has their own mascot or animal thingy.

This week I almost married a couple so that they could be baptized.  I
didn't know this but since I am a minister (Missionary) recognized by
the great state of California I hold the power to marry people.  It
was about to happen but then we got word that our that our mission
president likes to have the bishop perform the marriages... So we
missed out on that.  Oh also the bishop of the ward I'm in  kids
live in Lehi and thanksgiving point.

I'm serving in El Monte. I don't know what El Monte means but I absolutely love it here.
Honestly I do.
I can see why I've been called here.

I'll be able to write more next week when I get my IPad

Sincerely Elder Madsen