Week 70

Wow, what a week and a half! sorry the e-mail is late, we couldn't e-mail on monday, and we were busy tuesday (you'll understand) and today is the soonest I could do it.

 

So Monday we left to Phoenix and stayed the night with some other Zone Leaders who are AWESOME, I loved being there with them, it was a great time, and tuesday morning at 7 AM we started a hike for Zone Leader Council.  My foot was doing so well at the beginning of the hike, but that did me in.  I couldn't walk by the end (Update, I have a damaged nerve in my foot for those who don't know) so its back to where it was before I saw the doctor, and as even worse for a few days.  Anyway, ZLC was awesome, the spirit was strong and we had some great things to learn.  I sang a musical number of O My Father.  The next day we had leadership training meeting for the full day (ZLC was all day as well) so it was a LOT of meetings! but they were SO good! I learned so much, and we got this new talk from Elder Bednar about being a Preach my Gospel missionary, it was so good and will change my mission.  Then we had a Zone Meeting on Friday to bring all this goodness to the rest of the zone.  It was a week of meetings, and not much missionary work, but that's okay, cause you gotta sharpen the blades.

 

Now the best part of the whole week + is that we had a visit from Kevin R. Duncan of the Seventy! Wow, what a powerful day that was! We had to wake up at 4:45 so we could get down to phoenix by 7:30.  We had a leadership meeting at 8 with him, and he asked me specifically many questions, and then he asked Elder Pierson my District Leader even MORE questions... Elder Pierson is such an awesome missionary, Elder Duncan asked him something to prove a point.  He asked "How many progressing Investigators do you have right now?" most missionaries probably have between 2 - 6, a few 8-10.  Elder Pierson has 12-13.  Elder Duncan was not expecting that answer, but praised Elder Pierson for his hard work.  It was a really good meeting and I took tons of notes.  Then we went to the bulk of the meeting.  The Spirit was so strong throughout! just little things would bring the spirit in abundance.  At one point he called me and my companion to the front to do a little role play! That was fun... I guess... He talked a lot about how to do things, and then a lot about Faith to do things.  I am so on fire with missionary work right now, I am ready to baptize all of cottonwood! I know that good things are coming, we just need an increase of faith.  All things are possible, I know it! Faith is powerful, it is incredible! One of his big things that he talked about was just loving everyone, loving our investigators, and moving from "Non-members coming to church = converts to anyone we get to come to church = converts" We are here to lift everyone we can.  I am so excited for the gospel, I am so excited to be a missionary right now! My faith has been lacking, but this has been such a huge boost for me, its time to baptize thousands! and bring back thousands as well.  Sheesh, there aren't even that many people in cottonwood... more will have to move in so we can baptize more!

 

Elder Martin