It was a wonderful week. My companion and I spent the rest of last Monday in our apartment. I spent four hours writing letters (and am still behind!). Tuesday, we had Zone Conference. It was wonderful! Our Mission President, President Lewis, was so great. He spoke on a few different subjects, but it was always so easy to relate everything to me. It felt so personal, so inspirational. I was surrounded by 100 missionaries, all eager to learn. There were four missionaries there from Wisconsin as well: Elder Crager (Lake Geneva), Busselberg (Hartland), myself (The Great Land of She-Bo-Bo), and Sister Oliphant (Madison). We were all very excited to talk all about home with each other. I do miss home (deep sigh).
Zone Conference focused on Becoming Converted, and we used Elder Dallin H Oaks October 2000 General Conference address. I loved it. We each wrote a talk, and I was eager to prepare it. I love the topic of conversion, because it is so personal, and so deep. It is between ourselves and God.
After Zone Conference, I once again went on exchanges to Lodi 3rd. I love it there. It seems as though all the members are huge BYU football fans. The bad thing is that I got a flat on another missionary's bicycle which caused me to wipe out in front of a speeding Waste Management truck. (No worries, I jumped clear and the bike skidded out of the trucks path.) I lived to see another day!
Which was good, because on Thursday, I had my first baptism as a missionary. Elder Busselberg baptized a 10 year old who recently moved into our area and lives right next door. Then, on Saturday, I baptized 3 members of a family who also recently moved into the area. It was beautiful to be a part of this. I have grown to love these people over the last 6 weeks, and will be saddened when I move away from Lodi.
Friday night, the power went out in much of Lodi. I was having fitful dreams anyway, but the screams from next door when the lights went black didn't help at all. I was groggy when I got up, and spent all morning helping our Ward Mission Leader move, then went on to yet another move. It was an exhausting day, and our whole apartement went to bed early that night.
I walked into church the next day and prepared for the morning meetings to find out that the primary class was celebrating President Monson's birthday. I approached the teachers and informed them that it was my birthday as well. They gave me a slice of cake that would have tilted over the leaning Tower of Piza... I could not even finish it!
One last thing: I have a story. At an undisclosed location (not my area), a companion and I decided to do our laundry at another missionary's apartment, encouraged to do so by our Zone Leaders. They were driving us over when they informed us that they would not be able to pick us up because they would be heading out of town after they did their laundry (at yet another missionary apartment). We thought this would be fine because one of the sets of Elders who lived there have a car. Well, they left early, and we were left without a ride. What could very well be a longer story (hard to believe, right?) shall be abbreviated; we ended up walking home without our laundry in a sloppy appearance that included Pumas and Vans for shoes, only one of us with a name tag, and also only one brought a belt. We were hoping (we didn't think praying would be appropriate) that no one would spot us for what we were, but less than five minutes in, 2 people had already called us out as missionaries. It was long walk home...
Well, that is about it for now (I think). I'm just getting into the War Chapters in the Book of Mormon (SO EXCITED!!). Thanks to everyone who wrote, and my letters will slowly make their way back to you.
Elder Strawn
8267 Deseret Ave
Fair Oaks CA 95628
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