September 21, 2009 #5

Words in [ ] are additions by me, William's mom.


Dear Family and Friends,

This is the week we get mail. Zone conference is on Wednesday, and that is when we get it. The next time will be three weeks from now. Should the office elders fail to get the mail THIS time (like last time), I will be very upset!

As for the questions, sadly, I've not received any mail since the Mission Home. Hopefully this week.

How did I run into Grammy's friend? Miracle. I was on a split [went with another companion whose companion was then with William's companion] with Elder Ho., as his companionship had someone they needed Elder M. [William's companion] to interview. We went and did 3 appointments, some contacting, and then ended up at the Church. No joke, we got there, I called Elder M. to ask where he wanted to unsplit, and Seth's car pulls up. He gets out of the car, and asks Elder Ho. "Please, I'm looking for (looks at a piece of paper in his hand)... William". I figure, there is no way he is talking about me. Elder Ho. says "This man is named William." and Seth says "Farnbach?"... I LOST it. It was crazy. We had no reason to be where we were. He pulled up just as we got there. MIRACLE!!

As for BYU... oh well. They can win it all when I get home. [ I told him about last week's game. ]

This week, we had one really interesting lesson. Not lone that we taught, but that we noticed. Any time we would talk about Joseph Smith and the Restoration, people suddenly would become very busy. Customers would show up at stores that were ghost-towns 20 seconds ago. Phones would ring. Satan is doing everything he can to stop this message. Look at the Joseph Smith Translation for a HUGE example. The prophecy given in Genesis 50 is threatening to anyone save him. No one would look at that and say "This needs to be pitched" except the devil. One time, I said "I just said someone saw GOD, and you need to take this call?" They didn't hear me, but still, it was kind of upsetting.

We have one man, about 85 years old, we teach who is surprisingly full of vim. He was telling us that the reason there is no progress in Ghana is because there is no poverty. I had a good internal laugh about that.

It's really interesting, too, that I have to be the opposite of the spectrum here. In high school, at least, I was looked at as a Patriarchal Authoritarian. Rules are rules, and as the Proclamation on the Family States, fathers preside in the home. Here, though, I'm considered a crazy liberal. I teach about the direction of the Relief Society and the fact that the highest orders of the priesthood are accessible only to those who are married. Also, because I don't like beating children. Still can't stand that.

Still having great lessons with Teacher (Eric A.) and his family. He keeps bringing a new person every time we teach him. We had 14 new investigators at church. Our current investigators have prompted a new title. They are not just Golden, but Cancerous. Like a tumor, they grow, and we spend a lot of time with them. Teacher and Peter A. both seem to really appreciate how the Gospel has an answer for EVERYTHING. Was Adam Baptized? Yes. Who ordained John the Baptist? An Angel. What happened to Judas? He is a Son of Perdition. (I remember asking that last one when I was young.) Teacher and his Brother-in-Law have both just bought quads [scriptures], and Peter bought a triple [scriptures].

Today was a muslim holiday. The traffic hasn't moved in about an hour. It's Mohammed's Birthday. It has closed the banks and stores, so this P-day, we are living off the extra money we had from last time.

FMs... Free Meals. Well, yesterday was CRAZY! Peter A. insisted we come for fufu... he brought out the bowl, and I put it between me and Elder Mends, thinking it was for the two of us. Elder M. looked at me and said "... um... I think that's just yours!" Needless to say, it was awesome. THEN, right afterwards, our family in the ward called us for dinner. THEN, an investigator who loves us, but won't let us teach her, fed us again. I hurt all night. Tonight, we have another dinner with the A., tomorrow, lunch with a recent convert we baptized, and Saturday, another huge fufu appointment. Sometimes, I feel all Elijah-y and sometimes, I feel like kind of a Nehor, glutting myself on the labors of the people. However, I just go where Elder Mends goes, in accordance with the new "Humble" policy.

I can't think of anything else to say. I won't ask for letters specifically this time, in case you sent me one, and I just haven't got it yet ;)

Love you all, dearly dearly dearly. Not as much as the Lord, but I'm working on it.

Love,

Elder Farnbach

P.S Jesus the Christ by Talmage. Holy Heck! That book is amazing.

P.P.S No sunburns yet.