October 10, 2011

October 10, 2011 - Week 6 of Transfer 14

I feel like I can't breath... We are in over our head with work in our area and with the mission. For the past week I haven't had a spare minute to do a single thing. Zone leader council went great and was very productive. Transfers are next Wednesday and it looks like we will be reorganizing the mission this transfer. Over time small changes have been made to areas and zones making the geography of the mission hectic. It's really to much to explain but the bottom line is it is a lot of work. Something I've never done before. I couldn't handle the old school way of having a bunch of old maps and drawing lines all over them for new possibilities so I found a free version of photoshop online, its called Gimp. We are going to town with these maps and drawing up all possibilities with the current zone, coordinating council, YSA stake, English Stake and Spanish unit boundaries. It is a head ache, so many factors to take in. Not to mention trying to make all zones equal in ratings for baptism, keep the number of companionship's equal in each zone and have zone leader areas in each zone. There are many more little things but while doing all of this we try not to white wash any area. I guess I'm not complaining, you know me I love projects like this but the problem is its on my mind 24/7 and I just want to finish it! If we had a few weeks to do it all would be good but this decision was made Saturday night and it has to be ready to present to the zone leaders in a special meeting tomorrow morning. This is the second day with a preparation day and I need a haircut! I'm learning how to prioritize that's for sure, STUDIES and EXERCISE are the most important for me!

So that's that, but what was so lovely about this morning was coming to the mission office. First I find a big pile of birthday presents for me! I opened the one with food and threw it in the fridge here, I can't wait to chow on those snackers! Hopefully it doesn't make me gain the six pounds I lost in the past two weeks (that's pretty good eh). But I'm holding off on opening the other boxes until I'm down with this email, don't know why. After seeing those I logged on, read your wonderful emails then saw the GNARLY pictures dad sent! (ariel pictures of our home/yard) Those made my week! I literally stared at those pictures for about half an hour, it felt so good. I am pretty excited to check out the yard, and that sucks about the edging. Go ahead and quick curb it but make sure you save that black edging, that stuff is way nice I must have installed it the wrong way.

I mentioned earlier our area is out of control, the Lord is blessing us! So many epic stories and miracles happened this week. First we have Karina and her daughter Italia. Karina is at the top of my list of recent converts who are truly converted. Studies every day and can't wait till church each Sunday. She was able to go to conference and she received so much revelation there. Her daughter, Italia, attends a Catholic school and has been torn on the decision of being baptized. She loves church, reads her Book of Mormon stories daily and feels she needs to be baptized but she just couldn't. Italia isn't like any other nine year old, she has the respect, manners and social skills of a righteous 16 year old young women. For the entire week she decided no for baptism but she would continue coming to church. Saturday night we read Enos with her and invited her to "Cry unto the Lord" and give her the courage to be baptized. Well she did. We came back Sunday afternoon for her mothers baptismal interview and we followed up. She said God told her she needs to be baptized but she wanted to wait. Then the zone leaders came and while her mom was being interviewed she said well... I might as well get an interview in case I decide tonight! She had an interview and came back and said I've decided I need to listen to God. Last night was the highlight of the week! Spirit was very strong and the baptism was so well attended by the ward.

What else should I include.... That little story took quite abit of time. Hmm. Well we found another family to teach! That is my favorite, finding families. We were leaving one of Karina's lesson and the family below her was moving in so we asked if we could help but they were just wrapping up. We then asked if we could teach them but they denied. A few days later we ran into them again but this time their kids were there. We asked once again and this time they said yes. We taught them and invited them to be baptized on October 30th and they gladly accepted. The very next morning we walked with them to church and they loved it! Their last name is Tolo, they are a way cool family and the parents are from Fiji but have really lived in Utah forever.

The last little story I will share with you. I met this guy named Jeff Montel my very first day in the area. Elder Bertolino told me that he had a feeling that we were going to baptize him. Well we taught him one lesson and it didn't go to well, he wasn't to receptive. Now six months late we were able to arrange a lesson in the Bishops home. This was yesterday and the only way to describe it was a power house lesson! As much as we can, we try to teach in Bishops homes because once they see us teach, feel the spirit and see these people progress they are sold on missionary work and the whole ward flips! At the beginning of the lesson Jeff had a feeling of yes baptism is essential but I could never make up my mind because there are just way to many churches out there. At the end of the lesson we invited him to be baptized on November 6th and he wanted to move it up! He wants to be baptized before then. He now recognizes the promptings of the spirit and how the Lord has been working with him. Line by line, here a little, there a little. He has attended church 4 times in the past couple months and he knows that the Lord has prepared him to be baptized at this time. It was the best lesson Elder Speigner and I have ever taught.

This has been a nice little break from wrapping my mind around a map of 117 Stakes and 90 some areas in our mission! Time to get back to work and thank you so much for the wonderful gifts! I am about to go open them.

Love Elder Pizzey.