We invited T--- to be baptized.  He gave two reasons for not being baptized:
1) He said he loves the teachings of the Church and everything about us, but that he can't be baptized because he will not pay tithing to any church, no matter what church it is.
2) He said that he gets things his way, and he wants to be baptized only if he can do it naked...

So I said, "No problem!  You don't have to pay tithing to the Church, just to God, and we can head over to the church and I'll baptize you naked right now, I don't mind one bit!

He got a kick out of that and just laughed.  It is pretty sad to see that something so simple is the only thing holding him back from spiritual progression.  But I really think someday it will click.  He is so close. 

At any rate, this week was super good!  We had a few good lessons with our investigator, J---.  His family made a Japanese dinner for us on Friday, and then he showed up to church on Sunday!  He stayed for all 3 hours, and afterward they had a lingerlonger with some refreshments.  The ward was super awesome at fellowshipping him and a sister in the ward invited him to come over and eat with us last night.  So we went over for dinner and had a pretty good lesson.  Ha Ha.  I think he was kind of overwhelmed and confused wondering why the Mormons are so weird and how come all of these people are being so nice to me, but it all went really swell.  He has gone from smoking 10 cigarettes a day to only smoking 4 in the past 2 days, so that's pretty cool.

Today is transfers and last night, I got the call from the assistants to the President that I will be the new district leader here.  Wow!  I was not expecting that!  Ha ha!  It's pretty safe to say I felt a little overwhelmed and unsure.  I can hardly even handle myself, let alone an entire district.  One of the assistants, Elder Reese told me that I needed to seek out a confirmation from the Lord to know whether or not this was really a calling from Him.  So before I went to bed, I knelt down and just simply thanked my Father in Heaven for the opportunity and asked Him for "an undeniable confirmation" that indeed it is Him that has assigned me to this calling and if I am worthy and capable of measuring up to what the future holds.  Sure enough, almost immediately it felt like a super cool, weird wave of sensual calm energy filled my chest and mind circulating for several seconds.  I tried to hold onto that feeling as long as I could.  It was pretty awesome.  I can't say I have ever received an affirmative answer to a silent prayer that fast and that assuredly before.  So here goes nothing!

I'm staying in Carpenteria, just moving over to the other area (the non-beach side...) and my new companion is Elder Sorensen, who has been out a little less than me.  I have gone on a few exchanges with him.  I'm excited, because he is an awesome missionary.

Love,
Elder P