Well this week has been really great. Monday was like it always is, with some bonus Appointments that kept. One being a Father led family that we also saw last night.
Tuesday was transfers so we now have some new missionaries in our zone, most of which are new district leaders and their full of missionary fire. Elder Seastrand and i couldn't go to the transfer meeting because neither of us were being transferred, so we had a pretty full day. It started with teaching one of our recent converts about doing missionary work and it paid off because hes now helping us do some fellowship of some of our investigators. We were also doing service that day but we were struggling to be in all of the places we needed to be so we went on splits with some of the ward missionaries. I think it was inspired. It did bring alot of fruit, but we did get accomplished, what we needed to accomplish.
Wednesday we Had our Zone leader Council. All of the Zone leaders in the mission came together to talk about the progress of the mission, and what needs to happen. I felt really good, because i got allot of thoughts off of my chest about all of the things that we are asked to do as missionaries in this mission. Our mission has discussed lots and lots of ways to do missionary work effectively, and lots and lots of ways to help us improve. Well with all of thees inspired ideas, I've felt that many of the missionaries just feel overwhelmed at times, because they can't incorporate all of thees tools that we have. Some incorporate almost everything, but they do it out of a sense of obligation rather than for the purpose they are intended. I have felt that way at times, and so after talking about it, President Poulsen gave some inspired advice. He referred all of us the pg 5 of the white handbook bottom paragraph which says: "you and your companion are assigned to a specific proselyting area. you represent the lord in that area and are responsible for obtaining His direction in carrying out your assignment and blessing the people there." i felt like it really helped me gain purpose and understanding about all of the tools, and so later on in the week we talked about it as a zone.
Thursday was actually a bit hectic, mostly due to crazy planning. We cover two areas and to get to the other (Centurion) it's about 25 minutes to drive. well we usually spend our night on Thursdays proselyting in centurion, but that day we had an early appointment and then had appointments in our main area Pretoria. Well because it's kind of a waste to got to Centurion if no one will be there, we were trying to call our investigator but no one answered. The next dilemma is that if they don't answer you still have to go there because maybe their home, but their phone isn't working or something. Well basically the worst happened and we went and they weren't around. Now the dilemma was we were faced with time on our hands, and we only go to centurion by referral, therefore we try not to do finding there. So we had to go back to Pretoria do some tracting then hit our next appointment. The appointment we had was at a house that we tracted into. He felt like he didn't really want us to share because he already had Jesus in his life. We explained that we are unique and the only way for him to know that is to listen to us. so he agreed, but we had to stand outside his gate, while we talked. After teaching he Reluctantly agreed to have us come back, but never the less did invite us to come and check on him.(unfortunately that fell through) Anyway, then we went to see our Bishop to correlate the mission work, then went back to Centurion. We had 1 great appointment, and then the last cancelled, fortunately the time worked out that we could have correlation right after, then we hit the road home. it was a hectic day but our smiles stayed on our faces.
Friday was FANTASTIC. Throughout the week Elder Seastrand and i Had been planning to have an uplifting, motivating Zone Meeting and we held it on Friday. We really incorporated the things we learned at Zone leader Council. I started by talking about the mission tools that we had and how we can find purpose in using them. Each missionary admitted to feeling the way i did about the tools. so we talked about it and we talked about what it says on pg 3 of the white hand book (our purpose as missionaries) and pg 5 of the white handbook. I feel like each missionary had a better understanding of how, when, and why to use the mission tools and each of them committed to search more diligently for how to use the tools in their own areas. After talking about the tools, we did a 5 Talent report. We read the parable of the five talents and then asked our misisonaries 2 questions. 1) in this last transfer, what have you done with what the Lord has given you. and 2) what do you plan to do, to double the talents you have now. Each missionary shared their thoughts and impressions. And the last of all we gave a report on where we are as a zone right now, and where we need to be. I think that we all went away edified and ready for a new transfer.
Saturday was just a day packed with stuff to do and quite a few cancelled appointments. We also broke a fast that we started Friday after the zone meeting. In which we were doing with an investigator to help him find strength to overcome word of wisdom challenges, and later that night he called us, very drunk, confessing that he was unable to fight temptation. All i could do was feel bad for the guy. Elder Seastrand and i are doing our best, but he's really struggling. He could use your prayers. I've written about him before, His name is Clyde, his wife is also going in for surgery so she could use some prayers as well.
Sunday we Had Three General Authorities in our ward 1 Elder Koeliker 2 Elder Renlund 3. and an area 70 Elder Bricknell. They are talking about splitting our stake and making another stake. So i think they came to do interviews for new stake leadership. After church I Talked with Elder Koeliker and i didn't have to remind him who i was, he already remembered. He said that he's going to be coming there around July and he'll say hi to everybody for me.
When church was finished, we actually ate lunch at the church because we didn't have time to go back to the flat, then after lunch we went to work. One of the highlights was that our investigator families, the Vandak (Faan-day-k) family had us over to celebrate their anniversary. The served us some cake, and we talked about The Family Proclamation to the World and gave them their own copy. It was a short visit, but it was a nice purposeful visit. As the day moved on eventually we picked up The recent Convert i was talking about (Devon) and took him teaching with us. He added allot to the lesson and i think it helped with inviting the spirit.
On our way home, we got a phone call from an Elder in the zone, telling us that he wasn't going to be able to sleep until he could talk to us, because something was disturbing him. So after dropping off Devon we went to his flat and he said that him and his companion weren't getting along. we offered to do a split so we could take care of our call ins and also resolve the issue, but they said they needed to stay together. So we got in the car and drove to our flat so that we could do both the call ins and the companionship inventory. Elder Seastrand did the Companionship inventory and i did the call ins. It was quite a long night, but things were resolved and everybody is happy now. Our next Hurtle is coming up soon, and seems serious, but we'll talk about that s it comes.
I hope everybody is doing well, i can't wait to hear from you, good look and keep on keeping on
Elder Jones
Tuesday was transfers so we now have some new missionaries in our zone, most of which are new district leaders and their full of missionary fire. Elder Seastrand and i couldn't go to the transfer meeting because neither of us were being transferred, so we had a pretty full day. It started with teaching one of our recent converts about doing missionary work and it paid off because hes now helping us do some fellowship of some of our investigators. We were also doing service that day but we were struggling to be in all of the places we needed to be so we went on splits with some of the ward missionaries. I think it was inspired. It did bring alot of fruit, but we did get accomplished, what we needed to accomplish.
Wednesday we Had our Zone leader Council. All of the Zone leaders in the mission came together to talk about the progress of the mission, and what needs to happen. I felt really good, because i got allot of thoughts off of my chest about all of the things that we are asked to do as missionaries in this mission. Our mission has discussed lots and lots of ways to do missionary work effectively, and lots and lots of ways to help us improve. Well with all of thees inspired ideas, I've felt that many of the missionaries just feel overwhelmed at times, because they can't incorporate all of thees tools that we have. Some incorporate almost everything, but they do it out of a sense of obligation rather than for the purpose they are intended. I have felt that way at times, and so after talking about it, President Poulsen gave some inspired advice. He referred all of us the pg 5 of the white handbook bottom paragraph which says: "you and your companion are assigned to a specific proselyting area. you represent the lord in that area and are responsible for obtaining His direction in carrying out your assignment and blessing the people there." i felt like it really helped me gain purpose and understanding about all of the tools, and so later on in the week we talked about it as a zone.
Thursday was actually a bit hectic, mostly due to crazy planning. We cover two areas and to get to the other (Centurion) it's about 25 minutes to drive. well we usually spend our night on Thursdays proselyting in centurion, but that day we had an early appointment and then had appointments in our main area Pretoria. Well because it's kind of a waste to got to Centurion if no one will be there, we were trying to call our investigator but no one answered. The next dilemma is that if they don't answer you still have to go there because maybe their home, but their phone isn't working or something. Well basically the worst happened and we went and they weren't around. Now the dilemma was we were faced with time on our hands, and we only go to centurion by referral, therefore we try not to do finding there. So we had to go back to Pretoria do some tracting then hit our next appointment. The appointment we had was at a house that we tracted into. He felt like he didn't really want us to share because he already had Jesus in his life. We explained that we are unique and the only way for him to know that is to listen to us. so he agreed, but we had to stand outside his gate, while we talked. After teaching he Reluctantly agreed to have us come back, but never the less did invite us to come and check on him.(unfortunately that fell through) Anyway, then we went to see our Bishop to correlate the mission work, then went back to Centurion. We had 1 great appointment, and then the last cancelled, fortunately the time worked out that we could have correlation right after, then we hit the road home. it was a hectic day but our smiles stayed on our faces.
Friday was FANTASTIC. Throughout the week Elder Seastrand and i Had been planning to have an uplifting, motivating Zone Meeting and we held it on Friday. We really incorporated the things we learned at Zone leader Council. I started by talking about the mission tools that we had and how we can find purpose in using them. Each missionary admitted to feeling the way i did about the tools. so we talked about it and we talked about what it says on pg 3 of the white hand book (our purpose as missionaries) and pg 5 of the white handbook. I feel like each missionary had a better understanding of how, when, and why to use the mission tools and each of them committed to search more diligently for how to use the tools in their own areas. After talking about the tools, we did a 5 Talent report. We read the parable of the five talents and then asked our misisonaries 2 questions. 1) in this last transfer, what have you done with what the Lord has given you. and 2) what do you plan to do, to double the talents you have now. Each missionary shared their thoughts and impressions. And the last of all we gave a report on where we are as a zone right now, and where we need to be. I think that we all went away edified and ready for a new transfer.
Saturday was just a day packed with stuff to do and quite a few cancelled appointments. We also broke a fast that we started Friday after the zone meeting. In which we were doing with an investigator to help him find strength to overcome word of wisdom challenges, and later that night he called us, very drunk, confessing that he was unable to fight temptation. All i could do was feel bad for the guy. Elder Seastrand and i are doing our best, but he's really struggling. He could use your prayers. I've written about him before, His name is Clyde, his wife is also going in for surgery so she could use some prayers as well.
Sunday we Had Three General Authorities in our ward 1 Elder Koeliker 2 Elder Renlund 3. and an area 70 Elder Bricknell. They are talking about splitting our stake and making another stake. So i think they came to do interviews for new stake leadership. After church I Talked with Elder Koeliker and i didn't have to remind him who i was, he already remembered. He said that he's going to be coming there around July and he'll say hi to everybody for me.
When church was finished, we actually ate lunch at the church because we didn't have time to go back to the flat, then after lunch we went to work. One of the highlights was that our investigator families, the Vandak (Faan-day-k) family had us over to celebrate their anniversary. The served us some cake, and we talked about The Family Proclamation to the World and gave them their own copy. It was a short visit, but it was a nice purposeful visit. As the day moved on eventually we picked up The recent Convert i was talking about (Devon) and took him teaching with us. He added allot to the lesson and i think it helped with inviting the spirit.
On our way home, we got a phone call from an Elder in the zone, telling us that he wasn't going to be able to sleep until he could talk to us, because something was disturbing him. So after dropping off Devon we went to his flat and he said that him and his companion weren't getting along. we offered to do a split so we could take care of our call ins and also resolve the issue, but they said they needed to stay together. So we got in the car and drove to our flat so that we could do both the call ins and the companionship inventory. Elder Seastrand did the Companionship inventory and i did the call ins. It was quite a long night, but things were resolved and everybody is happy now. Our next Hurtle is coming up soon, and seems serious, but we'll talk about that s it comes.
I hope everybody is doing well, i can't wait to hear from you, good look and keep on keeping on
Elder Jones
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