Hi Mom!
I didn’t take very many photo’s this week so I snuck in a few mug shots.
Don’t let the lack of photo’s fool you! This week we where challenged by our zone leaders to get 100 nonmember lessons as a zone. That came out to be roughly 28 for my district and 7 per companionship. This week we got to WORK! We called so many random phone numbers that we couldn’t keep count. Unfortunately out of the ridiculous amount of phone numbers only two or three would pick up and out of those two or three we only had 1 actually have a gospel related conversation with. We of course taught about the power of the spirit and how we are spirit children of Heavenly Father. Moral of the Story: trying to call people isn’t the most effective.
However! I am so immensely grateful for Grandma Jackie! You helped us achieve our goal and then some. We came to about 10 out of the 7 nonmember lessons. But you know, it isn’t about the numbers. Grandma, you have taught me so much about who I am going to be as a missionary. You taught me how I am suppose to teach. I am so grateful that you gave me the opportunity to be a real missionary and then gave me feedback that actually helps a ton! I literally cannot wait to get back from my mission and go out to movies with you and help you out with your garden because you are truly the greatest!!!
Now on to more interesting news. This thursday (January 14th) is transfers. That means this sunday was transfer news! Where I got to find out if I am moving to a different area in the mission. AND GUESS WHAT! I am MOVING!!! So Elder Burke and I are being split up, I’m heading to Statesville and my new comp is going to be THE Elder Shaw. Elder Burke is being transferred to Kannapolis into a spanish zone!!!! Which is big news for us spanish hoppers because we actually get to speak the language we where assigned and learned in the MTC! In conclusion if you are reading this and are planning on sending me anything don’t send it just yet! My address will be changing and I do not want to loose your lovely package! If you are still reading this and are not planning on sending me anything anytime soon, then I am very disappointed because getting letters would be awesome!
Something that took up a ton of time this week was two Facebook videos I had been trying to get made for weeks now. The videos are apart of a series that I wanted to do this transfer. Where my companion and I would pick a word or phrase and talk about it. Anyway, we sent roughly 10 hours, planning, filming, and editing these videos. Only to find out that we are being transferred out. So who knows if I will keep doing them but I would like to. I put a little bit too much effort into them for it to go to waste ?. Oh! by the way we are calling it Lamp Light because of psalm 119:105 says “thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.” So super creative, super fun to make, but a ton of work to develop??.
To close I would like to share the first scripture and spiritual thought I shared with my grandma this last week. It comes from Alma 37:6
“by small and simple things are great things brought to pass;”
This may have been the better lesson out of all of them, because I shared what was in my heart. I related this scripture to practicing over and over. In that, when we do the small things, over and over, we can accomplish some pretty great things. This went really well as a first lesson because in a lot of ways I had no idea what I was actually going to teach my grandma. All I knew for sure was that I had another 6 solid days to teach. Most of the lessons were so-so but I knew I had learned more teaching than I did when I prepared for the lessons. And I know this because over the course of all 7 days I was building up to greater things. I loved this week because I know that it will be a week that I will look back on because I had learned so much.
Till next time,
Elder Service
P.S. Since this was an awesome week and we accomplished our goal of 28 nonmember lessons our district leader treated us to steak! And I just wanted to add a few closing thoughts the first being that I have really loved being here in Fort Mill South Carolina. It has been a great place to be in, and with even greater people. Will miss this place for sure. And second I love my district! Fort Kingdom (aka Fortmill Mill of Forts) I wish you all the very best and I trust that y’all will make the best out of your missions!
