December 8, 2010

December 8, 2010 - Week 4 of Transfer 7
Hello Mother and Father!

This transfer is flying by, I don't get it. Before we know it it will be 2011! Weird. Weird. This week has been a blast and completely hectic! So due to a long letter to President this week this letter might be a little shorter, I apologize! But I want to get everything in so it might be more of just a list and short descriptions, sorry no long detailed spiritual stories but there were alot of them. They happen everyday! I love serving as a representative of Christ!

So last friday I had my first real ZLC (zone leader council) and ohh man was it intense. From 11AM to 4PM. So there are 9 zones so the council consists of all the zoneleaders, the assistants and President and Sister Miller. We discuss any concerns, issues, goals for the mission, future plans and trains etc. etc. It is fun to be involved and to be able to voice your opinion on matters, but man its is lengthy. Near the end I was ready to run out of there! I just want to go work work work. It's really cool, this transfer there is no more thing as "slow hours"! I love all the hours, the days just fly by and I love all that we do. So the biggest change that was just made is one, the criteria for District Meetings. There has always been a standered training given to all the District Leaders a few weeks in advance and they would give it. Now in our DLC's (District Leader Council) within our zone it is up to us (DL + ZL) to make the trainings for the zone based on the needs of the missionaries within the zone. And each District Leader can tailor it to his district of course. It's more work but I think this is what we needed. It will work.

Maybe a tad bit more information that dad would like. One of the Assistants, E. Brand, is huge on spread sheets and stuff, he works it like pretty good during ZLC. Laptop and projector. Well our mission has 450 investigators being taught who do not have a baptismal date set as a goal to work towards. We are called to teach people who are ready for baptism. Know this number is way to high and the mission goal is to reduce that to half, 225. Our zone has only 33 investigators without a baptismal date but that is probably because our zone is hardly teaching ANYONE! Its not good. Our area has picked up like no other in the past couple weeks. Right now we have eight people working towards a baptismal date and one who does not, we aren't activiely teaching him too. So we are busy busy busy and I love it! It is a great area now to bring DL into for an exchange.

Enough about that stuff! So later that night (Friday) Pres. Miller came out with E. Dick and I to teach. He came to two of our lessons then had to leave at eight because of a training he was giving with Elder Bednar the next day he hadn't prepared for at all! But our two lessons with him were unreal! Elder Dick and I had never taught so unified. We were completely on the same page every minute. The investigators were talking more than us, such a blessing. But that night we had a first lesson with Bro. King. When we set up the lesson earlier he said he doesn't want to be pushed and he didn't want to think about baptism for a year. He accepted a date for January 8 it was a spiritual discussion. We will see what happens.

I had an exchange with Elder Gome's in our zone, a really shy Elder but once you get to know him he opens up big time! So funny! He is the one in the banana suit in the pictures I send home at Christmas. He is from Cape Verda (sp?) Africa and has just learned English in the past six months. He is doing great.

We are teaching a 17 boy named Rocco, he is so cool. He will totally serve a mission. The best thing is that he is a sponsored "free runner" He can backflip/frontflip on ground, run up a wall with 5 steps and backfkip. Jump of a 25' building white backfilpping! So intense, I love him. We met him on saturday and he has a date of December 19th!

Ohh this was the biggest downer of the night. We are out in Taylorsville checking up on a referal with the university stake. First our phone dies while we are way out there. We park the car (in an illegal spot, that we didn't know) and go in a house for 15 mins. Come back out and our car is gone! It was in the ghetto so we thought it was stolen but turns out it was towed! In 15 min, no lie! We were so ticked, so I know have to pay a $225 ticket but we got the car back a couple days later. Sorry about the ticket, please love me and realize I didn't mean to. President felt terrible and was ticked at the company, they wouldn't drop it anymore, it was like $275 I think. Some anti-mormon chick called in the second we parked I guess, really not cool...

So much to say! NO TIME! This weekend Daniel Bay got married on saturday then he was baptized on Sunday! He is the coolest guy. He used to sell every drug you can think of and within the past 10 years made some big big changes. I learn something new from him everyday we go to his house. Such a humble man, he recongizes his weaknesses and where he can improve. Love him. I only have pictures of the wedding because my camera was in the car that night, but I am working on getting some from people.

I love this area. I love teaching. Things just keep getting better and better for us. With the University 7th stake they trust us, referral after referral. Yesterday Elder Dick and I set up a table/booth at the SLCC in Taylorsville! This was what I always dreamed of doing on a mission, well kind of. Just a busy place, lots of people and having the opportunity to talk to everyone! Not a single person got past me. Within the two hours we were there, three new lessons set up and seven referals! We are going to do this once every week or two.

This week I have been doing alot of pondering and recognizing where I am weak. I was reading in Helaman, reading alot about pride. It's a hard thing to really think about where you lack and once you do it hurts. I am a perfectionist in all that I do as I know you know. Sometimes its good and sometimes it bad. I can get into a mode where its got to be done my way or the highway and this turns me into a control freak! I know it's funny but in a companionship it doesn't always work. Although I may think I'm right, I'm not. Now me and E. Dick are getting along just fine but I could always do better. Be unified is key and not always so easy. The difference between what you think is obedience and the other does or doesn't. When do you compromise and when do you lay down the law. Sorry I went on a rant but thanks listening! I am really focusing on goals, I've never really had a testimony of this or been to good at it. Since we are having a GA to speak to us about goals I thought it might be a good idea to get going. It feels good accomplishing goals though. Ok I must go! This was long. Hmm... I must be getting faster at typing!

Love you tons, Elder Pizzey!