9/23/13

Dear Family,

 

Kayla Ton was baptized on Saturday! I got to baptize her! Thank you for your prayers! It was probably the most smooth baptism I have ever experienced on my mission. I don't know how many of you remember the last time I baptized someone. It was done four times. The font had a leak and was slowly draining. The suit for the baptizee was to small for her to bend the legs. She ended up having to kneel down so I could baptize her face first into the water. You might ask how that was possible. I am still not sure to this day. However, with Kayla's baptism, I just remember praying for the baptism to go smoothly and then choosing to believe that God would answer my prayer and exhibit faith by not talking about how much I was worried about it. It went perfectly.

 

Did all of you know that I am the last of my kind? The way each of you did missionary work, along with me, is coming to an end. It is anticipated that at the beginning of next year, we will begin to recieve digital devices. From rumor, it sounds like Ipads will be one of those devices. From President Eaton, what I know is that we will actively be using Facebook and update our own page. From church headquarters, I understand that church buildings will be open during most of the day and missionaries will be posted in them to conduct church tours for passers-by. During those early morning hours, I assume that that is when missionaries will do finding through facebook. It is exciting to be the last of my kind that tracted for my full mission. 

The Maple Valley Zone Rises! It has been fun to be a Zone Leader here. I feel very close to the District Leaders. I feel like they're really begining to understand what we expect from them. There is a senior couple missionary companionship, Elder and Sister Logan, who taught 20 other lessons aside from lessons taught with a member present or Recent Convert/ Less Active. Unfortunately, it is their last week in our zone and they will be moving to Graham Stake by next Monday. Hopefully we're seeing a net increase of numbers in the zone due to greater determination from the missionaries, and our strong relationship with the district leaders and that is not just a "flash in the pan" as President Eaton would say. 

I was listening Second-Hand to the Becomming A Missionary talk by Elder Bednar while Elder Basilius watched the program on the DVD player in the living room. It has some great points in it. In face I just sent a link of it to Spencer, a friend of mine in our stake who e-mailed me and is preparing for missionary service. I'd recommend each of you watch it. It made me realize even more that my missionary service is not over after I am released, nor should it have begun when I entered the MTC. I should have been, and I think I had a pretty good handle on, becomming a missionary before I became a full-time missionary. Do all of you remember our investigator Ken Harmon? His experience and conversion is a prime example of why we should be a missionary and not just serve a mission. I challenge each of you to watch it this week.