The Week of the Road Trips

Trainer Trainee Meeting (pic by Sis Weston)

Trainer Trainee Meeting(pic by Sis Weston)

Trainer Trainee Meeting

(pic by Sis Weston)

This week was so much fun!  I thoroughly enjoyed pretty much everyday of it.  Tuesday we started the week of with a road rip to Omaha where we had an amazing Trainer-Trainee meeting for the 10 companionships in the mission that are in that situation.  It was easily the most fun and laid-back meeting I've ever been to.  After a quick activity, all the trainers went in a different room and started everything off with a Stress relieving exercize which involved laying on the ground and imagining our favorite stress free place (Dixie Rock at Sunset) for 10 minutes and relaxing every muscle.  It was so nice.  After that we just opened up and talked about the things that have made training so hard over the past 5 weeks.  Its nice to know that I'm not the only one in the mission who's been having some stress lately.  We had a giant group discussion on how we can help our "kids" to become the missionaries that we envision them becoming.  I walked away from that meeting with tons of new things to try and lots of personal revelation on how I myself can become a better missionary and a more effective instrument in the Lord's hands.

Elder Hill, Elder Garff, and I

Thursday was like an extra little surprise.  Earlier in the week, Elder Garff called me from Grand Island and said that he and Elder Hill needed me and Elder Kummerman to drive out to a town called York on Thursday so that I could do a baptismal interview for them.  Apparently I'm the closest Spanish District Leader for a pretty considerable amount of mileage.  I never realized that, and I was so happy to be able to drive out and help them out.  Seeing those two again, especially since Elder Hill goes home today, was like a blessing from heaven.  They're easily two of the greatest friends that I've made out here.  I miss them like crazy. Elder Garff says he's praying that we'll be companions soon, which I would be completely OK with. The guy I interviewed was solid.  I was nervous about doing the interview but he was so ready for baptism that the interview was so easy.  The Spirit was strong and with each answer that he gave to the 6 questions, the Spirit bore witness to me and him that this was the correct path for him to take.  His wife got baptized a year ago, and the elders have been teaching him for a while.  Elder Garff told me that they have plans to help get all 7 of their kids baptized as well.   In not too long they'll be able to go to the temple and be baptized.

The York Water Tower

The other highlights of the week have happened through the finding.  Elder Kummerman and I have been working really hard at asking EVERYONE if they know someone who might be interested in the message we share.  I've been amazed at how well its working.  There really is a reason that we as missionaries are told to ask that from everyone.  Each refferal that we got, whether it was from an investigator telling us to visit his brother or from an ornery old man at his door telling us to go and try his neighbor, worked out very well and we were able to find 6 new investigators this week just from Referrals!

OH and Sunday I was reminded of one of the fun parts of being a missionary, AKA random "opportunities" to speak in Sacrament Meeting.  We were sitting in a meeting before church talking about Branch business, and President Roundy, our Branch President, looked at me and said, "Are you and your companion prepared to speak in church?"  Apparently the person they thought was going to speak wasn't going to show up.  I replied, "um....sure." and then due to the look he gave me, changed my answer to, "Yes President, we're prepared." In the 15 minutes I had to prepare I was able to put a 8 Minute talk together.  The Spirit was definitely helping me out on that one!  

I know the church is true.  I know this work is true.  I'm thankful for the blessings I saw this week and I say this in the name of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

I love you and I hope you have a great week!

Lots of love,

Elder Zack