This week has flown by too fast. Elder Ostler and I spent a lot of time organizing the mission office and we threw out SOOO many things that just aren't ever going to be used. Now that its organized, we are going to spend the rest of this transfer, only three weeks, training him how to do everything. President Kretly said that I would have one more transfer here in the office. (That will be a total of 9 months here in the office) It can be hard to train someone in two transfers what I learned in 6 months. Elder Ostler is a quick learner and is picking up things very quickly.
These past three weeks we’ve been spending more time in the area and because of that we’ve been out of the office more. Now that I’m district leader and am doing divisions I have one less day per week to work in the office. Elder Ostler and I have noticed that we need to spend a little more time in the office to get everything we need to done. This week I went on a division with Elder Coombs in my area. He’s from Idaho and is a great Elder. He’ll be finishing his mission in one transfer and a half. Elder Ostler walked with Elder Coombs’s companion, Elder Wartena in his area. To be honest All six of the elders in my district are working in the same area. (Chamanculo pronounced Shamankulu) Chamanculo used to be just my area, but all of the other areas are too far away or are just full of muslims, so we are all attacking Chamanculo which is a gold mine of families. On Thursday night we started the division and planned our day. Elder Ostler and I don’t often work in the area during the morning and afternoon, so it was a good experience.
On Friday Elder Coombs and I did our studies and headed out at 10:00 am to do some contacts. Elder Coombs and Elder Wartena have been having a hard time in their area. (remember that preach my gospel says that nothing happens in missionary work until you find someone to teach) Elder Coombs and Wartena had a harder time with contacts and finding really good families. That is one thing I tried to help Elder Coombs with and asked elder Ostler to help Elder Wartena with the same. During daily planning the night before we made the goal for 12 qualified contacts, Elder Coombs was a little surprised by the number, but by the end of the day we blew that goal into the water and found 17 really good families. Elder Ostler and Wartena in their division made 15 contacts.
Elder Coombs and I had a lot of lessons marked but all of them except one fell through so we walked nonstop for 7 and a half hours waiting till our lesson at 20. We calculated it and Elder Coombs and I walked more than 15 miles. Elder Coombs and Wartena had a lot of success this week. They had two new families at church this week that have accepted the baptismal invite. In district meeting we talked a lot about what we can do to better our district. Elder Rios and I (one of the assistants) we taught a lesson and Elder Rios extended the baptismal invite in the first 5 minutes. The baptismal invite is one of the best ways to find out if someone really is ready to accept the gospel. After inviting in the first few minutes if the person says no, then you can ask why. From there, there will be a necessity to explain the restoration to them. After explaining the restoration and if they still won’t accept to be baptized then they aren’t ready. The great thing about giving the invite in the beginning of the lesson is that while you are teaching the restoration it has a greater purpose, because the make a stronger connection with the restored gospel and the need to be baptized by someone holding authority.
This Sunday we only had 105 people at church. Usually it can by at 140 people. In district meeting we talked a lot about how that number can go up. This next week it will go up by a lot!
Bad news…..Elder Cyrier got malaria, and he’s been in the hospitable for three days. He’s doing better now, in fact our district meeting last night was at the hospital. We all drove over there and crowded into his room and had a great meeting. Elder Ostler has been staying with him in the hospital the entire time and I’ve been with Elder Rios learning a lot from him.
These past three weeks we’ve been spending more time in the area and because of that we’ve been out of the office more. Now that I’m district leader and am doing divisions I have one less day per week to work in the office. Elder Ostler and I have noticed that we need to spend a little more time in the office to get everything we need to done. This week I went on a division with Elder Coombs in my area. He’s from Idaho and is a great Elder. He’ll be finishing his mission in one transfer and a half. Elder Ostler walked with Elder Coombs’s companion, Elder Wartena in his area. To be honest All six of the elders in my district are working in the same area. (Chamanculo pronounced Shamankulu) Chamanculo used to be just my area, but all of the other areas are too far away or are just full of muslims, so we are all attacking Chamanculo which is a gold mine of families. On Thursday night we started the division and planned our day. Elder Ostler and I don’t often work in the area during the morning and afternoon, so it was a good experience.
On Friday Elder Coombs and I did our studies and headed out at 10:00 am to do some contacts. Elder Coombs and Elder Wartena have been having a hard time in their area. (remember that preach my gospel says that nothing happens in missionary work until you find someone to teach) Elder Coombs and Wartena had a harder time with contacts and finding really good families. That is one thing I tried to help Elder Coombs with and asked elder Ostler to help Elder Wartena with the same. During daily planning the night before we made the goal for 12 qualified contacts, Elder Coombs was a little surprised by the number, but by the end of the day we blew that goal into the water and found 17 really good families. Elder Ostler and Wartena in their division made 15 contacts.
Elder Coombs and I had a lot of lessons marked but all of them except one fell through so we walked nonstop for 7 and a half hours waiting till our lesson at 20. We calculated it and Elder Coombs and I walked more than 15 miles. Elder Coombs and Wartena had a lot of success this week. They had two new families at church this week that have accepted the baptismal invite. In district meeting we talked a lot about what we can do to better our district. Elder Rios and I (one of the assistants) we taught a lesson and Elder Rios extended the baptismal invite in the first 5 minutes. The baptismal invite is one of the best ways to find out if someone really is ready to accept the gospel. After inviting in the first few minutes if the person says no, then you can ask why. From there, there will be a necessity to explain the restoration to them. After explaining the restoration and if they still won’t accept to be baptized then they aren’t ready. The great thing about giving the invite in the beginning of the lesson is that while you are teaching the restoration it has a greater purpose, because the make a stronger connection with the restored gospel and the need to be baptized by someone holding authority.
This Sunday we only had 105 people at church. Usually it can by at 140 people. In district meeting we talked a lot about how that number can go up. This next week it will go up by a lot!
This week Elder Ostler and I didn’t find any new families, but this next Sunday I really want to bring four families to church, so this week will be filled with finding and teaching those families. Laivino and Presalina are doing well, and they have their documents for marriage. Presalina was sick yesterday so she didn’t come to church. But I’m starting to get worried about them. Laivino said that she might just be doing everything just to please us and not God. Laivino said that they would be having a talk on Sunday night and tomorrow when we go there we’ll see how everything is going. Okay times up. Until next week!
-Elder Greenman
p.s. there was a policy change for our emails. Now we can write not only family, but friends, priesthood leaders, and recent converts. So anyone is welcome to write me using david.greenman@myldsmail.net.
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