This is Jarron...he is 8; we
taught his family, and he got baptized last week with the other 8
year old stake baptisms. His family will be on the road to the
temple!
Yesterday we had MLC (a new version of zlc with the sisters
involved). We had a round robin with three different trainings from some zone
leaders. We were trained on retaining converts, using the scriptures, and
planning. The idea is we receive those and then bring them back to our zones in
a zone study this week. So that's what we will do along with Sister Noel (our
STL in our zone). We also had our accounting on our zones goals and goals for
next month. Our zone set a goal of 10 and had 8 baptisms, so we set another
goal of ten for next month. Things are accelerating, and missionaries are
picking it up, so I really think it'll happen this month. Lots of good things
are happening in the zone.
And of course there are good things happening in West Point as well.
We haven't picked up anyone new to teach; still just trying to get people to
squeeze us into their schedule. I think I have finally narrowed down what I
have been talking about the past few weeks. I think I just want to be more
diligent, because we don't really know what to do during the day. So I want to
feel overwhelmed, but right now we feel kind of stuck in nightly planning about
what to do the next day. It is a good thing, because it gives me a chance to be
a better planner which I will need once I get home and have nothing to do to
feel productive and will have to do the best with what I have.
I am really working on love. I need to have more love for the people
I teach. I mean, of course I do love them, but I just have room to grow. I hope
to end my mission more lost in the work than I ever have been rather than
slowing down to the finish line. I think the key to doing that is love, and
that's what I am pushing for.
There are lots of members doing missionary work in West Point. They
are planting seeds and inviting. Most of the seeds aren't becoming anything
right now, but long term, it will make a difference. We taught primary for one
of our wards this past week. We did the can lesson where you smash your finger
with a can. If you haven't seen it, I will have to show it to you later. We
talked about helping their friends build a foundation on Jesus Christ, so they
can be protected and helped when bad things come and be happy like all of them
are. They are going to start doing a missionary moment thing each week in
primary, so we were there to kick that off.
On Sunday, Teagan made it to church. We found him a ride, because
his mom still isn't coming.
We want to get the members involved, but in this situation, it is hard, because
she is a lot more closed up when members are with us. When we just talk to her
at the door, or when her boyfriend is there, she is a lot more honest about it.
We need to find a fellowshipper that can relate to her more and be her friend. So we are looking for a way to
spark her interest. Either way, I think Teagan will get baptized at the end of
this month.
Cecilia came to church last week. Until something changes, she still
can only come once every other week. The ward is really fellowshipping her
which I am so happy about. Still no recent convert lessons; I think that should
start up this week.
We have been teaching the Shumway family. The husband was baptized
two years ago, and we are helping him and his
family get on the road to the temple. He is a good guy and does have a strong
testimony and knowledge of what he needs to do. I think we are more there for
moral support than anything. We are trying to get the ward missionaries to take
over. Usually we ask them to do the lesson and then we get there and they kind
of chicken out and ask us to teach it or just give a five minute home teaching
lesson, ha-ha. But this last week we went to a missionary coordination meeting
for that ward (we usually don't have time to make it to those meetings) and
trained them all on lesson five, so now they just need to go practice it.
When we sit down and talk with the stake president on Sundays, we
are mainly discussing how people have desires but just don't exactly know
what to do. It's hard for me to know how to change that, because there is no
right answer and that's what everything is looking for. Members ask us, “So
what do we do to be missionaries?!” or wml's ask, “So what do we do to have
lots of lessons and baptisms in our ward?” And we can throw ideas around, but
honestly it just needs to happen naturally to people we care about like Elder Ballard
talked about. I guess I need to know better how to help them, because I feel
like my advice doesn't ever really satisfy them or tell them what they want to
hear.
Elder Coronado is doing very well. He is a great zone leader and really
has a desire to help our missionaries and knows how to do it. He is
especially good at exchanges and working with missionaries one on one which is
the way Christ worked with people, so that's the most important skill to have.
I need to learn how to develop some of his natural Hispanic love he has for
people. Hopefully, if I keep serving with him, it'll rub off on me.
I think that is all for this week. I love you all and hope you are
doing well! Oh side note, I don't know if I mentioned it…Anders (in Denmark)
gave a 90 minute presentation at school on being a Mormon, and Kristina did all
her visiting teaching visits this month, and they are getting excited for
general conference. Love you!
Elder Bassett
PS Masima had a baby! That is so exciting!!!!
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