June 8, 2011

June 8, 2011 - Week 6 of Transfer 11


This past week we haven't been able to spend as much time in our area and you could tell from our numbers. The Family... is doing great, we met with them last night. On Sunday they met with the Bishop about having him marry them and discussed the current situation with his job. They are still on track for June 25th! I love the questions they ask, they are both thinkers. One of them asks a question then the other answers it by using a scripture, its just the best. Coming up here on June 17th Daniel Manor, a 14 year old boy we are teaching, will be getting baptized. He is brilliant and listens really well, his mom isn't a member yet wants him to go on a mission after he is baptized. We will be working with her in the near future I'm sure.

"Messiah in America" was intense! Pres. Miller's son in law is quite the professional. All the missionaries loved it and everyone travelled safely. I like driving downtown in a car while they all take trax. We had to get there way early to book off our section in the tabernacle so we had some spare time. Well I took Elder Bertolino to the Lion House. Man... I love bread bowls, I haven't had one since we were all there together! It brought back good memories.

Going to Camp Williams for ZLC was perfect. It was a pretty intense ZLC since we baptized a mission low of 102 last month. What we have concluded after ZLC is that the mission has become to "soft and social". There is hardly any accountability and leadership is getting run over. Really what I think the problem is missionaries don't know how to work. They think a 6 hour shift before the mission was deadly and not to mention Wii and Xbox and what that has doing for future missionaries. My kids will never play video games. Missionaries cry daily in there prayers, "Lord, Lord where art thou?" but they do not do the things He tells us! Missionaries don't open their mouth and talk to people! Don't get out at 10am and work! I'm just ranting now... I'll end.
We had Sargent Wilkerson (friend of my recent convert, Andrew Riddle) teach us a few commands and get up in our face for an hour. We were all about to die, we are definetely out of shape. But we surprised this Sergeant with our respect and obedience, that's what happens when you have 18 of the best missionaries in the entire SLCS mission. Then we went to the LRC, leadership reaction course, to see who steps up. I will have to send you some pictures of these courses and the obstacles! It was so fun and I am proud to say that I have gone swimming on my mission! Half these courses had 3 feet of water laying underneath it and if you fell you were dropping a few feet into water. It was cold and windy (we are grateful for that, everyone would have been baking if it was hot) so no one wanted to go in but three of us fell in, while trying to make it to the other side. It was hilarious. You are probably really confused but pictures will help explain, I will get them from President. But after we were done we sang "Onward Christian Soldiers" and the spirit was so strong as we stood on the top of this hill overlooking the valley. The Zone Leader Council is really unified right now and there is a strong feeling of love. Everyone loved it.

Its a short update today. It is Elder Atwood's last Pday today and we are going on a hike with him. Then at 4:00pm we have a dinner at the Smarts home (my first landlord). They are wrapping up their service with housing missionaries and have invited all the missionaries who have lived there for dinner, they also invited President. Next week I probably won't be able to write a letter on Pday, but still write me one in case I get too! We have 18 missionaries coming in and like only 7 leaving! It is making it really difficult for us with transfers. We are creating a new zone and "white washing" (two new missionaries) several areas to make it work. We've spent a few hours at Presidents house getting it together and in between now and next Tuesday we will be over there alot! I love the Miller's, they are hilarious. Can't wait for you to meet them. They remind me of you constantly. It's great. Love you Mom and Dad! Have a good week.

Love Elder Pizzey.