This week was great. I wrote to dad a little bit about our investigator Westernia who is planning to be baptized this month. She's awesome. We had a consistent week, meaning that we taught about 3 lessons per day as well as an hour of contacting and finding. That was about how it was every day. But it was a good week! We exceeded many of the goals we had set.
This week we didn't have any investigators at church :( and only a few less actives came but our branch is awesome. I get frustrated some mornings because we'll only have 30 or 40 members show up but by the time sacrament rolls around we have about 100. We fill our meeting hall, so that's a good sign. I don't know what we can do other than encourage our members to show up on time and help them understand that all three hours of church are important! We could do better at that.
I'm glad to hear Elder Thompson likes me! I like him a lot and while he is quiet around others, he and I talk a lot. He's pretty funny and odd in a good way! But I like that. There are some things I miss about Elder Estipona of course and I won't compare because I've been blessed with two really good companions. Elder Thompson is young like I am and so we have a lot of expectations of how this transfer is going to go. He is a hard worker and a good studier. I can learn a lot from him.
I finished the Book of Mormon last week ;) You can still do it though! I'll encourage you. In fact, I challenge you to finish it before I read it again. I know that sounds like I am not confident in you but I am going to try and finish it in a month. You can do it! Once you pass 3 Nephi it's a charm.
I hit my four month mark - wow! That was actually quite fast. I told dad that the days are slow but then before I know it a week or a month has gone by. I still haven't talked in sacrament yet - knock on wood - but to be honest I actually would like to. There are a lot of things I would want to talk about and challenge our branch to improve on. Occasionally we teach a valiant sunday school class but that's really easy.
So to answer your questions:
1. Yes I did get your recipe notebook! Thank you for that; I needed some recipes.
2. Haven't gotten back to Panera Bread yet.. We will soon though.
3. I haven't gone anywhere to get my hair cut yet because we had clippers in the apartment but now I might have to go to a barber because the last elders took the clippers with them.
4. No longer on foot except for car fast days and walking between nearby appointments. It hasn't snowed in a while and actually it's been quite warm lately. I'm wearing a short sleeved shirt today. Of course we stay warm!
I'm sorry I haven't been taking a lot of pictures! I always forget to take my camera around but Elder Thompson and I both agreed we would take them in the car so they're always nearby. I have one question: did you wipe my memory card? I just want to make sure because it no longer has photos on it. (It's the last memory card I sent home) Either way, no problem because I'm sure you saved them on the computer at home and I haven't taken any on it since I got it back. More pictures soon. Alright I have to go! Sorry I can't say more.
Tell everyone I say hi back! I love you all, of course, and I hope you're doing well.
Love,
Tab
Hi Dad!
I have to be quick but I'm glad I got to read your letter. I always enjoy them!
We did work hard to help contribute to our zone goals! We slacked in our finding but we were able to visit 10 less active members this week, and by doing so, update our area books and what not. It was nice to get things organized so we can focus our efforts and work efficiently.
We only have one investigator who is truly ready to be baptized, and her name is Westernia. We have several investigators with baptismal dates but they are not going to make them. I am hoping that Westernia will. She is 14 years old and we have to teach her in the hallway of her building because her Grandma doesn't like us. Her Grandma has custody of her because both of her parents are heavily addicted to drugs. Westernia has had a tough growing-up. But she is really nice and willing to keep commitments. I don't know if I shared this already, but we first contacted her and gave her a restoration pamphlet. Upon our next visit, she had read the whole thing and answered the questions that are in the back. Nobody does that! We were really happy to see that and it gave me an idea that she would progress quickly. We've been teaching her for about a month now and her baptismal date is on the 27th. We pray that she'll say that she is ready by then. We had a great lesson with her last night about prayer and committed her to pray about her baptismal date. We'll follow up soon and let you know how that goes.
So obviously we'll be making an effort to find new investigators who are more prepared. We have found a few but they are hard to meet with more than once a week. That is always tough for us, but we do what we can.
I love you and hope that you're doing well! Thank you for your prayers and support.
Love,
Tab
Tim's quote to Tab for the week:
My quote for you for this week is from Elder Neal A. Maxwell:
"The submission of one’s will is really the only uniquely personal thing we have to place on God’s altar. The many other things we “give,” brothers and sisters, are actually the things He has already given or loaned to us. However, when you and I finally submit ourselves, by letting our individual wills be swallowed up in God’s will, then we are really giving something to Him! It is the only possession which is truly ours to give!"
I hope that you will seek to fully submit your will to the Lord, that your will might be swallowed up in his will.
As you align your will with the Lord's will and exercise faith in him, you can be assured that you will be able to accomplish all that he wants you to do:
"And Christ hath said: If ye will have faith in me ye shall have power to do whatsoever thing is expedient in me." (Moroni 7:33)
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