September 26, 2011

September 26, 2011 - Week 4 of Transfer 14

Those were some solid letters! Mom you made me laugh with your dreams, people in the office were staring at me. Its weird you having messed up dreams because I'm having them as well. Its the first time in my mission I've had them of going home but I tell you they aren't exciting. In every dream I end up crying because I've lost my calling and life at home is just to depressing... Scary! Anyways this week is looking way good! I am so pumped for general conference it is the greatest thing that can happen. I have been praying and studying in preparation for general conference and invite you to do the same. Elder Holland puts it good in this video. Please watch.

https://lds.org/study/prophets-speak-today/unto-all-the-world/general-conference-has-something-for-you-b?cid=email-shared&lang=eng

I hope you use LDS.org they are killing it on that website, mormon.org is good for non-members. But please please dive into LDS.org there are so many helpful tools on that site. This weekend Elder Speigner and myself will be downtown the entire time. We will be attending the Priesthood and Sunday Morning sessions with President Miller, so watch for me on TV. For the other sessions we will still be downtown but just to meet the group leaders, give them the tickets and lead them to the door of the conference center. After that we will jump into the tabernacle to watch the sessions we won't be attending. Looks like a legit weekend downtown for us.

Its going great with Elder Speigner he is so willing to learn the English assignment ways and work hard. For almost an entire week we have been running every morning at 6am for 25 minutes then doing some good stretches and workouts. Your right dad I defintely need it. I forget if I told you but Elder Speigner pitched D1 baseball for a school in California before his mission and is way athletic. So I'm slowly but surely burning off my little belly. You feel 10x better and leave the house with such a clear mind.

Our area continues to improve but of course I'm still stressing to find more and work harder! September was a hard month for us only 2 baptisms, our goal is always to "baptize weekly". Don't get me this is two more precious souls who have entered into the kingdom of God and I do love them, its also great compared to any other mission. But this is the Utah Salt Lake City South Mission where we hit the pavement! For October our goal is still 14 and at this time we have 12 baptisms scheduled. It is so hard to stay on top of things, 20 different wards and the task of assisting the President. In our last weekly planning session we looked at the weekend of October 1st and 2nd and saw we have zero baptisms scheduled. We told each other lets find someone this coming week who's prepared and able to be baptized in a matter of a few days. We both felt it was possible and at the close of our planning got on our knees and told the Lord our desires. Well today at 11:30am we met with a fellow by the name of Jeremy. His wife is less-active and they are both willing and wanting to be real strong in the faith. Jeremy was taught a year ago by missionaries, had a baptismal interview and backed out the last minute. Since then he has been reading and praying but hasn't accepted visits from the missionaries. Three months ago I even tried to contact him. Long story short he contacted us and told us he wants to be baptized ASAP! We invited him to be baptized this Sunday night and he gladly accepted! What a beautiful way to end the conference weekend.

I was able to watch maybe half of the General Relief Society broadcast, your probably wondering why? Well let me explain. President asked us to organize training and figure out if it was possible to have the broadcast played at our mission office (an old Stake Center) for all the Sisters in the mission. Well after looking into it, the Satellite was still connected and everything worked out smoothly. We had a solid, jam packed one hour training for the 40 Sisters on becoming a "Preach My Gospel Missionary". I will tell yeah Sisters are 10x easier to train. They listen, are so willing to learn and ready to act. Then Sister Miller had some big fancy dinner for them and after that, the broadcast. Sister Beck was the first Sister I actually enjoyed listening at General Conference, I didn't feel like she was teaching a primary class! And of course E. Uchtdorf was great.

Thanks for taking the time to read, hope you feel updated. This week is busy busy. We have two trainings on Wednesday should be fun. Elder Bertolino leaves just a little over a week, that's sad. I can't believe Elder Atwood is engaged! He called me yesterday, it was hilarious. I was shocked. So mad I won't be home for it but congrats to him, his woman is a lucky one. I love him. Love you mom and dad. Enjoy conference!
Elder Pizzey