This is both my weekly and my
response to you. The first paragraph is for you, the following is for the
weekly and the end will be the response to your email. (Michael’s
Mom: I took out the first and the last, but I included the explanation because
otherwise the title makes no sense J)
I am pretty busy that's for sure,
although some of that is definitely my fault. For instance, today we woke up at
4:50. Went to Cross fit at 5. At 6 we met with the Vernal and the Spanish Elders
to go hike to the U on the mountain. We ended up having to hike clear from the
road because Elder Rowe doesn't know how to drive his Rav 4 (which in my
opinion he doesn't deserve and he should trade us for our Rogue!) We rode with the Vernal Elders in their
Corolla. I don't remember if I sent videos of the adventures Elder Bayless and
I had with the Rav 4 but needless to say, it has several times more than enough
to do it. Anywho we're also playing golf (meaning he's playing golf and trying to
convince me that he's having the time of his life while constantly complaining
about the clubs, the course, his hits, the balls etc etc.... not terribly
convincing to say the least. And on top of that they're all free so.... yeah)
then we're gonna play Ultimate in a little while, should be super good.
Last week’s Pday wasn't too crazy so
no need to get into that. As for the rest of this week... we're so busy! Like I
knew that this area tends to have a lot of work, plus whitewashing and all the
other stuff I've been talking about... but this is crazy.
I really don't know where to start,
it feels like there is just too much to put together in one email if I go day
by day and talk about everything, but at the same time, I don't want to miss
things.
Well let's discuss the area first. Obviously,
I'm in Vernal, also known as freebie heaven, the promised land, or the Mecca,
in the mission. Interesting thing about Vernal, in spite of the fact that it's
actually two districts, Elder Joachin and I almost act like the Zone Leaders
for Vernal, because we have people go across district lines all the time, and
we hang out as well. We also do baptismal interviews for each other, which is
normally a ZL responsibility. Quite honestly, the people we spend the most time
with are the Spanish Elders, Elders Sanchez and Rowe, who cover all of Vernal,
and the other district leaders, Elder Joachin (from Guatemala) and Johansen
(from Denmark) who obviously aren't in my district. We also have activities
with both districts together pretty frequently... which we don't really have
the authority to authorize... but sort of we do. It's pretty odd to say the
least. Over the last three days.... we've just spent a lot of time together,
let's just leave it at that. Vernal is a super tight knit group, which is
pretty cool. Another oddity, although this is our ZLs decision not because of
Vernal, we're basically going on surprise exchanges with our ZLs. They just
texted today and said meet us at this place at this time and we're having an
exchange. I'll be going to their area tonight with Elder O'Reilly (my frisbee
buddy) and Elder Hansen will come up here with Elder Nelson.
Ok so the work. Something we have in
our mission is the Standards of Excellence (SoE). President Hodgman, some time
ago, took a great deal of time to study, ponder, and seek revelation as to what
each area in our mission can do. The result is the SoEs. We have a promise,
from the Lord through President Hodgman and the keys he holds, that every area
in our mission CAN achieve the SoEs. That being said, they very often don't.
I've never had an area before that consistently met them. In the past I never
really focused on them too much, I didn't think about the promise we had, it
was just cool when it happened. Normally we could at least meet some of them.
They are as follows. Gate (meaning baptisms) on average 1.5 per month. So three
every other month or so. Date (meaning investigators on Date for baptism) is 4
per week. Pew (church attendance) is 5 per week. And New (new people who have
been taught and agreed to learn more) is 9 per month. My goal for the last
several months has been to achieve the promise and work to fulfill it and make
my areas SoE areas. My time is Ferron was spotty, we could achieve some parts
but not other parts. Here in Vernal, we almost met the SoEs for the month the
first week. 2 baptisms, 4 on date, only 3 at church, and 2 new. I'm not sure
why the new was so low... because the week after that we met the standard in
the first week on the new month except for baptisms, which was the next week.
So now, the goal is to make my district an SoE district... that'll take some
work. Our area is just exploding, now to figure out how to help them too. My
district is a total of 4 areas, which means SoE for the month is Gate 6, Date
64, Pew 80, New 27. That's a lot of people and a lot of good we gotta go out
and do. So that's the goal, just gotta get it done.
So as for this week... we got 7 new
investigators, 4 of whom went on date. That felt really good. Haha my last two
areas have been low finding areas, it feels just wrong for it to be so fast. ...
it's just weird. That being said.... if there are any missionaries or future
missionaries reading this.... do NOT push and force people to baptism. There
are things that are so much more important! In the last week, we've contacted
at least 3 or 4 or 5 different families, all of whom either didn't meet with us
or thought about not meeting with us because of missionaries and other members
who pushed them away by trying to force and cajole people into baptism. It's
not about baptism, it's about conversion. It's about Gospel centered families
that last generations and are sealed together in an eternal chain that reaches
from one end of the eternities to the other. And it happens on the Lords time
table. If you just love people, provide an example, listen to them, and invite
them, always always invite them, then the time will come. That's the way it
works.
I love you all, I really do. Thank
you for always being out there, for being the examples you are. The other thing
that has seemed so obvious this week is gratitude. I remember a companion whose
mom chewed him out for complaining about only getting two baptisms in a month,
where in some missions they wouldn't have any. I know lots of people,
companions, missionaries, members, nonmembers, it seems like all they know how
to speak is complaints and whining. Just like those who begin to swear and then
forgot how to speak any other way, their language is weak and corrupt, they are
not fun to be around, and they drive away the spirit of light and call in the
spirit of contention. If you feel sad or weak in your life, if you feel like
your relationships are failing, ask yourself how grateful have you been. If you
will just focus on being grateful, your life will change. Especially in our
mission, missionaries are blessed with very many things. I mentioned my
companion complaining about his free clubs today. That happens all the time.
Missionaries complain about restraints on freebies, the food they get, the
members who feed them. It's such a poison. And it makes me sad. If there is one
thing you could do for me to change your world and the people around you, it’s
to be sincerely grateful for all you receive and for the blessings you have,
that's all I ask.
Have a great day, have a great week,
have a great life.
Love,
Elder DeFord
