That week just happened.
One of the best weeks of my mission just happened. And it took a lot of work and dedication from the district to accomplish it. But they pulled through and came out on top. Here's what happened:
5-22-17
"Shut up, dirtbag." Preparation day! And today went by slower than usual. We had our usual morning of laundry, emailing, eating lunch, more emails, and shopping for ice cream sundae supplies. Then we went to the Spanish chapel and had a ice cream sundae party thing. Not to much a party but I had no other words to describe it. We played cards for a few hours and ate. It was really nice as we got to sit and talk for a while and relax. Then went and tried Banjo but not home. Then went to the church so I could send off the report I forgot to do earlier and send a few messages and calls. Then tried looking up a few potentials before heading home.
5-23-17
"I'm yelling timber! You better move. You better dance. Let's make a night, you won't remember. I'll be the one, you won't forget." Another day, another day. Not another dollar cause I'm not getting paid but you know what I mean. Today we had deep clean and we did a little before and finished it after district meeting. District meeting was right in the middle and I gave the workshop on time management. Making sure we use our time wisely and the best way we can. Funny part is later today we had an hour and a half lesson. Anyways, we did deep clean and went on exchanges with the Zone Leaders and I'm with Elder Fowles for the day! We had dinner and went to teach Harold way down at the very bottom of Staten Island so it took us a half an hour to drive down there, then he likes to talk so it took us an hour to start teaching the restoration but we got through it. He said he should be coming Sunday and we are meeting him after church for another lesson. So that took our night and went to look up a less active nearby but not home. Then drove home. Today was the first time driving in a while, since Lynbrook so it was a little weird again.
5-24-17
"Here's to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in square holes." Exchanges were awesome. never mentioned it but last night we deep fried Oreos and I drank coconut milk. Found out it isn't really milk but more like sour water. Then today we had studies and lunch like usual and then we went to do a few look ups and tried to contact referrals all afternoon but none of them were home so we did a lot of knocking around them and didn't find any success but we taught the restoration like 5 different times to people that were nice to hear us out but not interested to continue on. Then we did have a lesson with a member family that just recently moved here a few weeks ago and then tried to do a skype lesson but didn't work out. So we made a few calls and called James. Talked for 28 seconds as he was busy but he told us he is getting married today! First time we heard about this and he is all the way in Utah so that was interesting. Haven't talked since but we are waiting for him to call us back as he had to go real fast. Then we exchanged back and we ate dinner. Had to go open the church for family history group and then went and taught one of our new Investigators from last week. It was the grandma and the grandson wasn't there but she was interested and committed to reading the Book of Mormon and should be coming to church this Sunday! Then went back to the church and sent off messages and today we dropped Banjo and Margaret officially hoping it sparked something soon to have them actually come to church on their own. We will see.
5-25-17
"Nar-narcissistic? Agreed." Today didn't have a lot that went on as most of the things took a while. We got up and went to help a member with some service with the zone leaders and then the member took us out to breakfast at this super nice diner. Then we went home and did our studies for a bit until lunch. Went to the church and did weekly planning for our investigators. Sent off some messages trying to skype James this afternoon but he wasn't available. We talked to him last night and he said he was getting married in like 3 hours from when we talked so today he is officially married. We had dinner and went knocking for 15 min when we got a text from James saying he was available to skype so we quickly drove to the church to skype him. Took a while to start as we had technical difficulties but it eventually worked and we got to talk to him and his new bride. We brought him up to speed on what was going on as last night he told us how he is getting baptized on Tuesday. We figured out how to get that to happen with President Reynolds' permission and approval. We told him and part of it is finishing all the lessons over skype and doing a mock interview with him so we did all that tonight with him. Now all that is left is to contact a district leader there to give him the interview but President Reynolds wants to talk to the mission president there to get him on board with it so it can count for a NYNYS baptism. That took up the rest of our night and I've spent the past 2 nights on the phone with James and President Reynolds coordinating all of this so he can have that opportunity to be baptized there in Utah. The reason it is in Utah is because his father-in-law will be performing the baptism. Still going to be a long week end coordinating with Utah missionaries and explaining the entire situation to them.
5-26-17
"Happy birthday dad!" Pretty average day today. We had our studies and lunch in the morning. President called in the morning to give us an updated way to accomplish the baptism. A few minor changes but nothing drastic. Then we went to a lesson with a potential that Elder Stewart and Hunt found while on exchanges. But the lesson fell through and we went to get our oil changed in the car. Took an hour and then we went to do a few look ups. Had dinner and then spent an hour after dinner talking on the phone with James and texting Bishop and President Reynolds to get everyone up to speed and to get bishop to call the bishop there in Utah to get a member of the bishopric at the baptism. We have been waiting all day though for Utah missionaries to call as President said they should be calling. He gave our number to the mission president there so not for sure who will call us but someone from there needs to call us! Never did though today. Hopefully tomorrow. Then we saw Howard too and gave him the news that Elder Stewart might be leaving and he wants to go out tomorrow. Hopefully we will have time! And that ended our night.
5-27-17
"You call that drifting?" Saturday! But no baptisms today sadly. The baptisms for this month kept getting pushed back so we just ended with 2 weekends of baptisms. Oh well, working towards more. So we did our studies and lunch then went to the church and started the progress record but had no one's stuff yet except ours so we did that and then went to do look ups/referral contacting/knocking in the afternoon. Didn't find any new investigators and the lessons we had fell through. We did have dinner with Howard though and he took us to a nice restaurant, he likes to do that. That took a while of our night and then went to the church to get the other progress records but had to call for them and then finally got them. Started them there and finished it at home. Great day.
5-28-17
"Are we there yet?" What a day. We had ward council in the morning and then church. Harold came to church and he stayed all 3 hours this time and is wanting to keep coming but he warned us he has other places he goes to on Sundays that he has obligations to. Then we had lunch and studies. Went knocking for 45 min before dinner and found a new investigator during that time. Had dinner and went knocking again for a half an hour before having to call all night with a few people for the baptism. We talked to Utah missionaries, James' father-in-law, texted President Reynolds about it, tried James a few times but no answer and tried other but no answer. We found out that they have worked out the interview and a district leader there is giving it. We gave our info to the missionaries there for the baptismal record so it can count for our mission. This went into the night so I made district calls in the break points of those calls so I can get the numbers for the week. But it was a long night of calls and texts. But to top it all off, the district found 31 new investigators this week:)
As of this point, James is married, he is ready for baptism and has been interviewed for it, and everything is set to go. All that is left is to dunk him. He walked in to church on May 7 and is getting baptized May 30. He did have the month of April to meet with Illinois missionaries so he had like 2 months and got baptized. But he has made a change for sure in that time. I will be skyping him with permission from President Reynolds before the baptismal service to say congrats and then maybe after if it is not too late. I'm so excited for him. Then Harold came to church and he liked it still so he is going to keep coming. He just has other obligations he attends to sometimes on Sundays.
Then the district came through with 31 new investigators!!! We have 5 companionships in this district and I'm so proud of them!! We had a goal to get our mission goal of 3 new investigators a week on average for the month and we were slaking on other weeks so this week was our last to get it. We had the goal of 7 new investigators per companionship to get the goal but then later found out we only need 5 new investigators per companionship actually. Then more if we wanted to help out the other district in the zone so we went for more to help them. We needed 84 New Investigators as a zone to get the goal, we got 84 new Investigators in total. Perfect.
So now as you all may be wondering, I am staying here in a Staten Island for another transfer but Elder Stewart is leaving. I get another as a district leader too so that makes 9 in a row. Let's go for 10!!!
EJH
🔥🔛
This is Howard. Our super nice friend that lets us come by when we want, takes us out to eat a lot, gives gifts that are priceless, and a whole bunch of other stuff.
Our district:)
No comments:
Post a Comment