area: Jennings Branch (Crowley, Louisiana)
zone: Orange
companion: Elder Kohler
This week has been really good and at times sad. We contacted 97 strangers this week, and only 1 of them became a new investigator. I know that planting seeds is just as important as harvesting the crop, but sometimes it's hard to move from field to field just planting seeds and never being able to stay long enough to see the harvest take place. I guess that's how early members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints felt being mobbed and persecuted and forced to move from Harmony, Pennsylvanian to Kirtland, Ohio to Nauvoo, Illinois to Independence, Missouri, and then all the way to Salt Lake. Always planting and watching the growth of Zion, but never really able to harvest it until they finally settled in the Salt Lake Valley. Also one of our most promising investigators told us that he decided he just wants to learn about religions and not act on any of it for the time being.
But, we also had among the best District Meetings I've ever attended. It was on humility. Most of the doctrine and ideas came from President Ezra Taft Benson's talk "Beware of Pride." I've decided from that District Meeting that these are the best Elders in the mission. I love them.
We also got to attend the last day of the Orange Stake Youth Conference on Saturday. It was held at the chapel in Lake Charles (beautiful city!). They fed us breakfast, then President Harris (2nd Councilor in the Stake Presidency) gave a talk about missionary work and it was among the best I've ever heard! Then the Priests and Laurels teamed up with missionaries and we went tracting around Lake Charles. Imagine, 30 missionaries teamed up with 50 youth all going around different parts of a small city. We got some sweet miracle stories from it, and some laughs. It was an incredible experience for the youth. While the Priests and Laurels (16-18 year olds) were out and about, the Teachers and Mia Maids (14-15 year olds) were being instructed by President Drake. Best youth conference ever!
I love all of you. But I love Jesus Christ more. And this is where He wants me. So this is where I want to be.