Week 86

Editorial: This was supposed to be published last week, but I guess I didn't do it. Sorry!

It's time to report on my week.  This time I have my planner on hand, so I should be able to recall a few more stories.

To start, transfer week was fun! I always love the transfer meeting.  It's fun to see where everyone is going, and who the new companionships are.  This was an interesting one.  So how transfers work is; on tuesday morning we receive the news of who in the Zone is being transferred.  That's all we know, is that they need to pack.  They don't know who their next companion is, or where they are going to go... that is all found out at the transfer meeting.  At the transfer meeting, the new missionaries are introduced and then the new companionships are announced, they will go Zone by Zone, and say "In the Cottonwood Zone, serving in the Mingus area, Elder Martin will continue serving there with his new companion Elder Davenport" and that is when you find everything out if you are being transferred.  So this time, they said "In the Prescott Zone, in the something area (can't remember) Elder Keele will be serving with Elder Hohman".  Following some confusion, President Taylor then said "You didn't know you were being transferred did you?" to which the missionaries said "No." "Well that's because we just made that change, here's the plan, you will go home for 2 days and pack and then head up to prescott.  Ha, it was crazy.  Transfer week is stressful, until you get the news, and think  "Oh good, I don't have to pack, I'm staying here for another 6 weeks." But no one is safe any longer, its funny.

After transfers I had a Dr. Appointment for my feet which are still hurting tremendously, and have been for the past 8 months.  I got a shot of cortisone in each foot, which is supposed to take away the pain within 48 hours... first time I did it, it was miraculous and I couldn't feel any pain for 3 weeks.  Well its been almost a week and there is no change, if anything I feel like my feet are now angry at me, they hurt even more.  I don't go back to phoenix until middle of next week, so hopefully I can resolve it then.

Thursday we visited an investigator named Rona who is awesome.  She just doesn't think we have anything that she needs.  She practically lives the gospel, she obeys all the commandments, I suppose with the exception of being baptized and partaking of the sacrament.  So we teach her about the Restoration, and she says its all good and stuff, but she still doesn't see how it will change her life, or why she would need to be a part of it.  So we went into bold mode a little bit.  She has heard a lot about the gospel from previous friends, we asked if she had heard of the degrees of glory, which she had, which her friend once told her "You are solidly in kingdom two right now".  We talked about how without the gospel, you can still be saved in the Kingdom of Heaven, with consideration to the Terrestrial or Telestial Glories.  But to be able to live with your family for Eternity, as well as live forever in the presence of God, you must be baptized as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and receive the blessings and ordinances that are only found in the Temples.  She said "Okay, I guess I have a few things to think about and pray about." Good!!! Before she saw no need to even search, and now she see's the need.  If she prays about the Book of Mormon, then the problem will be solved.  How nice that that solves all problems.  The Book of Mormon, the ultimate Panacea.

Saturday and Sunday was stake conference.  I loved every minute of stake conference! the talks were incredible.  I literally had a front row seat, which helps a ton! It was the perfect setting for investigators.  What a shame none of ours showed up.

Well, that's all for this day, I will talk to you the next time I write.

Elder Martin