Saturday, July 19, 2014

Email - July 7

   On Tuesday, we had Zone Meeting, it was really really awesome. When Sister Savage and I were thinking about what our zone needs, we received some amazing revelation. Our zone is kind of struggling, our stats are the worst in the mission, and this area probably has the most members. So we should work with our members more right...? Well, the hope and faith of our zone is struggling, especially in the summer months. So, we pondered and prayed and we compiled our thoughts together with the Zone Leaders (Elder's Rackham (my second district leader in Yuma) and Elder Anderle). They loved our idea, but were kind of doubting it logically, but excitement and faith can convince anyone :) We based our training on what we talked about at MLC last week, but did it in a different way. The Zone Leaders talked about faith/miracles/gratitude, also diligence, and inviting others to come to Christ. We tried to make our's super spiritual. We had everyone follow us into the chapel, quietly and reverently. Before we entered we had them all imagine a specific investigator, that we explained was someone that feels lost and hopeless. We then had them act like this investigator as they enter the chapel. The spirit was so strong, so much peace is in that room. We had one of the sisters, Sister Haar, sing "I Stand All Amazed" as Elder Keene played the piano. We had everyone open up to the hymn and read along, as they continued to act like the investigator. After we asked specific people how they felt and if they truly catch the vision of why it is important to invite others to come to church. The stories and feelings they shared were remarkable, a few shed some tears. 
   We then had everyone come to the baptismal font that was open. We had everyone shut their eyes, as they imagined one of their investigators enter into the waters of baptism, Sister Savage explained this part so well. We had them do a role play, right then to invite their investigator to be baptized as they are catching the full potential. We really wanted everyone to catch the vision and potential their investigators have and truly have the desire to invite them. It was really spiritual and motivating. The grand finale, our stake center is a mile or less away from the Gilbert Temple and on the same road. Our Mission President gave us permission to go to the grounds at the end for about 20 minutes to catch the full vision of our investigators. He said "absolutely!" The only issue is that the road has been under construction for the past two months and we would have to take about a 3-4 mile detour to get to the temple. The morning when we were driving to the Stake Center, it was still under construction. When we came out with our whole zone and started driving, the road was clear and we could drive straight down the road to the temple. How amazing, what a miracle!! At the temple we sat, pondered, and set goals of how to be more diligent. We asked if seeing this vision of their investigators truly makes them want to be more obedient, more diligent, invite people to church, and to be baptized. Catching this vision was incredible. "It is good to have a meeting that inspires them, but it is better to have one that changes them" -Hermana Savage.
   We also had transfer meeting this week. Of course, we were not transferred but we still got to go because President Toone had to announce a few things to our whole mission. Last transfer we had 116 baptisms, this is almost twice the baptisms we have per transfer. We have 111 companionships in our mission, how amazing is that! This transfer we can not let it go down. President Toone is nothing about numbers, but he does want to show how when we exercise our faith, we can accomplish goals that seem impossible. I love President Toone, he is amazing!! Also, I got to see all my best friends :) haha at transfer meeting, well almost all of them. I still wish Hermana Pinnock was here :( And Jessie Sullivan, I danced with her at Tree House, she is a grade younger than me at Alta. Well, she came into the mission and Hermana Segura is training her, so that is really cool!! 
   The weather here has been kind of insane! We had a haboob (crazy sand storms) and we have had a little bit of rain, especially on 4th of July. I love August and September here, with the monsoons, I can't wait!!!!
We found a few new investigators this week!! Yay!! I have always been dying to go to the Escobar family since I have been here because I saw on the records that one of them is named, Kayla. They are a less active family. We finally were by the area, a couple weeks ago, and stopped by. We knocked, their was rustles in the house. We knocked again, more noise, lights going on and off. We knocked again and they closed the curtain, haha oh man. We are persistent and we tried again this past week :) They answered!! The dad said "come on in" before we even said anything... hardly ever happens. He said that he was just talking with a relative that is a member and they said they are going to give the family's information to the missionaries because they need to come back to church. Well, no one informed us, but the spirit did! He has been talking to his family, how they need to go back to church. He said they initially stopped going because he has a job where he has to work on Sunday, but now he is going to put it where he works every other Sunday. He then told us that his daughter Kamiel is 9 and has not been baptized! What the miracle! Yeah, they will be seeing us a whole lot more! Everything just happens in the correct timing, isn't it amazing!!
Claudia and Fernando, the last couple that were baptized, shared their testimonies in Sacrament, it was so powerful, the spirit was so strong wholly moly!
   On the 4th, we went in at 5:00 pm and I wrote letters to Recent Converts in Yuma. Then we turned out all the lights and played fighting with glow sticks... we are still young, and we were bored from staying in all day!! haha I did a cannonball on my bed and the bed cracked... yep.

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