Called to Serve

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

The Book Of Mormon Is A Ball Of Light!

HEEY!

So ya this has been a crazy week! I know what you are thinking......its Tuesday! But President had a funeral to go to so instead of having Zone Leader council on Tueday he made it on monday and so all the zone leaders have their P-day today instead.

This past week has really been amazing though! Last Tuesday Elder Boyer and I went to the District meeting in Lonoke and it was good! After that we went on exchanges with them so I got to stay in Lonoke with Elder Wheatley, one of our district leaders. It was sweet. He told me he wanted to focus on finding, and so we started doing that right off the bat. We were able to get some referrals from some great members there. We also did some spiritual harvesting and set up a couple of return appointments. Probably the coolest part about being a zone leader is exchanges because we get to go work with other missionaries in our zone for 24 hours and meet new people in a new area. Elder Wheatley is from Provo and he is a really cool guy! My mission has helped me to learn to love meeting new people. I am really starting to love just talking to people I have never met.

Anyways Wednesday night was awesome! Bro. Brown invited Tony, our investigator, and his girlfriend and kids to come over for dinner and FHE. We were able to teach them the first lesson and it was great! After that we took Tony to the church to play some ball with our members. We were able to get 12 non-members out to basketball that night. They were so good too. Next step:get them there on Sunday!

These last couple weeks Elder Boyer and I have become much better friends. We have become really close to each other and to the people in Searcy, to bad transfers is next week! Anyways, like I was saying, we were able to go to zone leader council in North Little Rock yesterday. It was so good! Our mission hit our goal of 56 baptisms for the month! That might be low for other missions but thats something thats never been done in the ALRM! It was sweet. At the meeting we set a goal of 60 for next month! The meeting was so awesome. President has that same effect on people that Coach Semore had. He makes you want to work as hard as you can and reach your full potential. After that meeting I just wanted to pull a King Benjamin and get up in a tower and talk to everyone in Searcy!.....but I couldn't find a tower....so instead I went to a chinese bistro.

Story time: President told us that he wants all missionaries to carry a little blue copy of the Book of Mormon EVERY WHERE we go in our hands. So When Elder Boyer and I got back to Searcy we went to this chinese bistro that everybodys been raving about and sat down and ate. This guy came and sat down at the table next to us and I started talking to him about the church. As I was talking to him I opened up my fortune cookie and this was my fortune "The book shall be a ball of light in one's hand." It immediately reminded me of the BOM I had with me and so I was able to introduce it to him and give him that copy! Ever since I have been carrying it a copy of this book everywhere it really has been a "ball of light." I used to hesitate about talking about the BOM to some devout church of Christ people when I contact them on the street. I would try to relate to them by explaining that we believe in the Bible and stuff. I don't know why I was like that! This book is a "ball of light" to ANYONE who will sincerely read it! It has really changed my life and I realize now how much people need this book to get to know their Savior, to find a remission of their sins. (2 Nephi 25:26)

Anyways.....after zone leader council my buddy who is a ZL in Mississippi said he put in a good word with Pres. for me to go there! So i thought I would probably go there next transfer. But after the meeting I went up to President and just asked him what is happening ot me at transfers (not really expecting an answer), he looked at me for a good minute and said....you're training. This totally took me by surprise. I said "training....in searcy?" then he hesitated for a good minute again and then said "Yes!" It was weird because it seemed like he just kind of made that up on the spot but thats what he told me so I may be training here next transfer! Who knows!

Anyways hopefully this email works today! Thanks for the letters Grandma and Grandpa! There is and Elder Rushton in this mission to! Crazy! Mom thanks for the cookies and everything! They were so good! I love y'all!

I can't wait for Kylie! she better be studying PMG and the BOM everyday! she will be a great missionary! Anyways.....i gotta go but I love you! have a great week! next monday we will know if i am getting transferred or not!
                                                     
The Johannsens! They live out in Beebe and they had us over for dinner! Sister White put a whole bunch of pics of us on fb i think so maybe you can find them there who knows! Our ward is the coolest though! Mom......thanks for getting me out here. This mission was necessary for me. I love this work. I love you and our family too. I hope you are reading every day with each other.
 Fell out of my chair!
 Elder Boyer in front of our favorite Donut Shop.  They gave us free donuts!!