Rain

Heyyyy!

I am doing fantastic! Thank you! This week has been really good! We
had interviews with President Ballard. It was weird because it was my
last one with him. It was more of a departing interview than anything.
We didn't even really talk about the area or investigators. He just
asked me questions about my mission as a whole. It was really nice! He
is already planning a mission reunion in October haha. That should be
fun! Haha he told me to come visit him in bountiful when I am in Utah.

We worked a lot with the youth this week to find people. It's weird
because I've never really been in a unit that actually has youth; It
makes it really fun. We had a 3 on 3 basketball tournament that we put
together on saturday. There was a pretty good turnout. There were
about 12 people that showed up. Then that night, we did a movie night
at the church with the youth. That didn't go as well. There were only
4 people that came. We watched the cokeville miracle.

We also set a baptismal date with one of our investigators, Michael.
He is super cool. He is dating a member of the ward. Missionaries have
been teaching him for a long time, but he is not married so it has
been a problem. They are getting married in June, so he can get
baptized now. It's really exciting. He is getting baptized August 12
right before I go home! Woohoo!

Anyways, everything sounds like it's going pretty good! I'm doing
amazing! Living the dream! Have a great week! Love you!

Elder Navarro

Memorial Weekend

Wuzzzup!!

Being in a trio is craaazzzy! It's the weirdest thing. I'm not used to
having two other people around me all the time. I got shafted and have
to sit in the back of the car. It's kinda nice now, though, because I
can just sleep;) I've had a lot of deja vu driving around Molalla all
day everyday. It's the weirdest thing. I never ever imagined that I
would be coming back here. A lot more people than I thought have
actually recognized me. It's just weird to say "oh, yeah! I ate at
your house over a year ago and now I'm back."

The work is actually going really well. I knew I would like it because
we can teach English people and Spanish. It's sooooo nice. We aren't
referring everyone we find. We actually have some really solid
investigators. Most of the people we are teaching are actually part
member families.

Yesterday, we were out just contacting a few people, and we started to
hear Mexican music really loud. Obviously, we had to find where it was
coming from. Well, it led is to the most Mexicans I have ever seen in
one place in my entire Mexican. There was this concert that was going
on, and there were over 4000 Mexicans there. We wanted to go in, but
it $50 to get in. It was amazing!

Anyways, we are going to play ball at the Pederson's. It should be
fun. We actually went to eat dinner with them earlier this week! I'm
glad to hear everything is going well with you guys! Have a great
week! Don't do anything dumb! ;)

Elder Navarro

Sunshine

Obviously I am doing well. How could I not be when I'm going to
Molalla? It's going to be so much fun! I can't wait. I'm actually
going to be in a trio with Elder Kreitel and Elder Miller. Elder
Kreitel is actually from the Mormon colonies in Mexico. I've served
with him a couple of times before. Elder Miller is from Arizona and
was trained by Elder White. I'm really excited to be with both of
them.

This week has been really good as well. It's been really exhausting
because we have been on bike. It is an hour bike ride from our
apartment to our area, so that was a fun bike ride twice a day. I
actually really enjoyed it though. It was fun to be outside just
enjoying riding through the city. My legs are still really dead
though. I have come to really hate even little hills.

You know the lady and her daughter that came to church last Sunday
that I was talking about? Well, we were going to teach them on
Saturday, but they ended up having to go to a birthday party. Luckily,
they were able to come to church on yesterday. I got to talk to her
for a little while, and she is sooooo cool! They are really solid. I'm
excited to see what happens with them in the next couple weeks as the
sisters teach them.

Anyways, I hope you guys are doing well! I love you! Have a great a week! :)

Elder Navarro

Happiness

Hey!

Yeah it was super fun talking to you guys! Seeing all those pictures
and stuff makes me really excited for school! I'm sure it will be
awesome!

Today, we are going to play soccer with some other missionaries, and
one of our investigators might come as well. It's going to be a blast!
Anyways, I hope you all have a good day. Don't do drugs.

Elder Navarro

Skype Week

Hey family!

This week has been great and I did start it by having cake shoved deep
into my nose. That was actually really fun! I have seen people do that
throughout my whole mission, but I have never done it myself. I didn't
really want to do it, but everyone made me. It was really great
though.

We got to go to the temple this week with our zone which was really
cool! It's actually been quite a while since the last time we got to
go to the temple to do a session. Also, the finding did go better this
week. We found this Muslim guy that was a little confused haha. At the
beginning of the lesson, he told us he knew that the Book of Mormon
was for sure true. Then when we told him that there was a living
prophet, he told us the Book of Mormon was probably only 40% true, but
that the Koran was only 70% true. By the end, he said that if it was
from Jesus, it had to be true. Haha he was an interesting guy.

For the whole time I have been in this branch, we have never had a
branch mission leader, but we got one this last week! Woohoo! It has
been so great already. It has been really hard to work with the branch
without a mission leader, and it has already improved since we got
one. He really wants us to work hard with the members, so that is
good.

I can't believe the Pederson's spent the night with you guys. That's
crazy! It's like my home world and my mission world is clashing haha.
For pday, we are probably going to go on a hike with some other
missions. Our zone is getting together and playing some games, but we
are too good for that, so we are ditching.

Honestly, I probably won't be able to skype until later in the day. We
have meetings in the morning. Then, church starts at 1, and we will
probably have dinner around 5. It would probably be closer to 6 or
630. Hope that works for you! I'm excited to talk to you guys! Have a
fantastic week! Talk to ya Sunday! :)

Elder Navarro

Birthday Week

Hey!

Sorry for taking so long to write today! We have been playing a lot of
basketball! But anyways, i did get the Easter package. Funny story
about that actually. We went to go get the package at the office of
the apartment complex. The lady told me that she put the package in a
bag because it was leaking. All I was thinking was "what the heck"
Well, I opened it and it just smelled horrible, and everything was
really sticky. I eventually figured out that one of the baluts
exploded and went everywhere! Haha :)

Anyways, the training is going good. I know I've already said this,
but Elder Clarke is a really good missionary! I love being with him.
We have been doing some really good work. We have been contacting a
lot of people. We have actually found a lot of new investigators. We
set a baptismal date this week with a black lady named Grashonda. She
is super cool. I wish we could continue to teach her, but we had to
pass her off to the English elders.

It's really sad as well because one of the strongest recent converts
in the branch is moving this week. They have been a really big help to
us while we have been there. We are having a farewell lesson with them
this tuesday because they move in Wednesday.

I think as for picking me up or not, i think I would rather just fly
home, and get back as fast as possible because we both know that we
have to maximize my time at home haha. The Pederson's are going to
visit? What the heck? Haha that's crazy! They are actually coming up
to feed us on my birthday! I'm excited for that haha.

Anyways, all is well here in the 503! I hope you guys have a great
week! I love you! Can't wait to talk on Mother's Day! :)

Elder Navarro

Castle

Well Hello!

Welcome to what seems like an annual update of how my mission is
going! I'm terrible at writing these things consistently. Sometimes
P-Day gets a little too fun, and I forget to write these! In case you
were wondering, I am doing really well! I am actually training a new
missionary named Elder Clarke right now! He is from Queen Creek,
Arizona and just turned 19 years old! It has been a really good
experience so far! He is a really great missionary already, and has a
really strong desire to work.

After some trial and error, I think we are finally understanding how
to use technology to do missionary work. I have sent so many Facebook
messages this week. It is crazy the amount of people we can contact in
half an hour using Messenger versus traveling to everyone's houses.
We have actually taught a few lessons on Facebook to some people we
have never even met in person. When I left on my mission, I never
would have guessed I would be teaching people on Facebook. The Lord
really does prepare us a way to spread the gospel using all of our
resources!

We do continue to teach people in person, so don't worry. We still
knock on doors and what not! The only problem we are facing right now
is that most of the interested people that we are finding are
Americans which is great because we are spreading the gospel, but we
really do need to help the branch grow. The branch has a goal of 15
baptisms for the year, and we are currently at 0. I have faith though
that we can find families to baptize! I love being here working with
the people here in Portland!

Anyways, I love you all! I love being a missionary! I love Jesus
Christ! I can't believe I am almost 20! I can't believe I have been on
my mission for 20 months now! I hope you all had a great Easter! I'll
try to write more of these! No promises though ;) Bye!

Elder Navarro
6105 SW Bonita Rd. Apt. K305
Lake Oswego OR 97035