The Badge of Service

 

Tons of Work!

Being a zone leader is so crazy, especially the first week because of all the meetings. The first week you had a meeting with the Pres. and his assistants to organize what will be taught in a month at zone conference and the theme of the transfer. It was like a 7-8 hour meeting. This week we are going to two districts in our zone. There are 12 missionaries in our zone counting us in five different areas. Elder Mecham and I train the other missionaries at the first district meeting and at the zone conferences. After that the district leaders train at their district meetings(we go to them as well and sometimes give input). On top of all that we have a massive area with tons of people, over 100,000. We work the outer edges of Albany and there is another set of missionaries that don't have a car who work down town. My first few days were so great. We had the opportunity to teach some amazing lessons to some amazing people. I was so tired by Sunday night and my brain was fried but it's so worth it. I love it when there is tons of work to do.

 

Transfer to Albany and Zone Leader

I’m getting transferred to Albany (the biggest city in our mission boundaries.) I’m going to be serving with Elder Meacham. I have known him for a large part of my mission. He came out one transfer after me. I’m going to be a zone leader so that means my last 3 months are going to be busy, busy, busy…a lot more meetings, trainings, and traveling. I think it’s going to be my greatest challenge so far on the mission but I’m looking forward to it and with faith that I’ll be able to grow from the experience. I’ll miss Malone and the people but I’m excited to go.

Please thank everyone for all letters and gifts they sent for my birthday. I don’t have time to write them all back.

I just found out that this older lady I was teaching in Greene just got baptized last week!!!! I was so excited to hear that. She writes me and it’s so fun to hear from someone I have taught. Most of the people I know who have gotten baptized write to me.

Well I love the work. I love the gospel (Heavenly Father and his plan.) And I love you all!!!

Beautiful NY Winters!

 

My Ticket Home

Sister Hansen (the secretary in the mission office) called me last week to ask if I was going to be picked up (at the end of my mission)or fly home cuz she was buying my tickets and stuff... holy cow I can't believe that.

Letter from Greene

We are working with a couple cool families right now and we just got one of them to agree to come to church next week. I recently got a letter from a lady in my last area, Greene, responding to a letter I wrote her. In her letter she thanked me for walking up to her one summer day and talking to her because now her life has changed. I can't write everything that was in the letter but basically it lifted me up and helped me to realize that even though some times I may think I'm not making a difference out here...to some people I really am but just might not know it. She now has a baptismal date for April. I bore my testimony in church about it in an impromptu talk I gave because there was only one speaker. It really touched me more then I realized and as I began to speak, as I stood at the pulpit I began to feel the Savior's love as I spoke to the people of the congregation and my leaky pipes began to flow. By small and simple things are great things brought to pass and I know the Lord loves all of us and is so pleased when we enter his fold. I truly have a testimony of the Savior and his love for us and that this work we are engaged in is true.