October 15, 2012

Here's whats up.  We are just starting week 4 out of 6 in this transfer cycle, which means we have transfers in the middle of November, just the week before thanksgiving.  I'm very much anticipating a change in my assignment.  I have been a zone leader for about 9 months and have just 2 remaining transfers after this one.  That means I am a very big candidate to train a new missionary.  We have several needs to swap out zone leaders because some of us are going home, and we need to absorb that blow sooner rather than later.  I would love to return to being a trainer, and working a family ward again!  I really do look forward to transfer calls to see what happens.  But if I stay as a ZL, I'd like that too! 

I'm still with Elder Wilson, He's interesting.  He's very different from me, and a few times this transfer we've had to really push past some rough spots.  Little things sort of got magnified, and we had to talk it out.  That is for sure a skill I'll cherish when returning home.  Pushing away the spirit of contention and really humbling ourselves, and talking about how we are really feeling.  We have such different personalities and strengths, that we've decided on ways to best help our area, and each other.  It was amazing to sit there and put up on a white board all the things that each other is best at, and devise out our roles together.  We really do get along very well, but it's kind of a clash of the titans.  But we really have been managing it very well i think.

As far as the area, we have so many progressing investigators!  I love it!  We have a woman in the Williamsport branch that is getting baptized Nov 3...  She's amazing, but is doing this alone.   A few days ago we gave her the heads up that things would be getting more difficult as her baptism got closer, and we were right, Satan is using her husband to really put negative pressure on their relationship.  She felt that they were growing closer together, it's clear that the spirit is more in her life and she's feeling more love towards her husband, but he's pushing the church away, and is feeling more of the spirit of contention. She's really going to need that branch and the sisters there for support.   She cried all through our stake conference this week, which was all about eternal families and preparing for the temple, and the joy that comes from living this gospel together.  She couldn't hold them back.  My heart aches for her and the trials before her baptism. 

We have several other investigators that have baptismal dates, but are still awaiting, or having a hard time recognizing, spiritual confirmations.  I so wish that we could have access to an I PAD and  Mormon.org because we could show them all so many movies that really help the scriptures come to life, and bring the spirit.  But it's so cool to see their conversion really happen! 

We are starting to have all the leaves fall off... It's been amazing here to see all the leaves change colors and stay bright for a few weeks.  The weather is turning colder, and we are now wearing our suit jackets most days, but the afternoons are very pleasant here.  We will not have snow for a few more months, and I hope we just get rain until I leave... HA like that will happen.  Well I think that's all the cool updates I can think of.  I love you all and am sending my love from Indiana! 

October 8, 2012

It's new.....  ELDER WILSON! 

Well I'm still in Lafayette, serving on Purdue Campus!  It's been very fun so far, and the 3 months I've been here have really flown by.  A few updates on the area, we have had 2 baptisms in my time here, and we are now setting up for 3 more.  We have 1 that is very ready, and is just waiting on a confirmation about President Monson.  2 others that are waiting for more spiritual witnesses about the Book of Mormon, and Joseph Smith.  It's so neat to watch the spirit work with these wonderful people.  I have really come to love them all!   Elder Wilson and I were able to prepare a wonderful Zone Training meeting.  It's a 3 hour meeting that we are in charge of and it's just for our zone.  We unveiled a new "vision" for our zone, or a theme that will guide our next few months worth of work: "Why do I love them?"  In all the things that we do, ask yourself that same question.   Why do I love those kids in the back seat that are yelling and crying?  Why do I love those kids in my school class that disrupt everything? Why do I love my Husband/Wife?  It's put so much into perspective for me.  I have been asking this question multiple times a day, as we study and plan, and teach.  It's easy to find compliments, and begin to feel that genuine charity towards others.  I encourage all to come up with, or apply this vision to their lives.  It's been amazing! 

Not much else... conference rocked!   I hope we get new younger missionaries here!  I'd be excited to see how they do! 

Keep the faith!