Hellooooo!

It's a lovely springtime in Missouri. My lucky chilanga companion is on 'Safari' for another 6 weeks as I identify all species of flowering plant, tree and songbird for her. We got transfer calls and I'm stayin in the branch! Which is great because we got a new progressing investigator this week named Conrad and he's going to get baptized and I finally know everyone and I told President Morby I wasn't going anywhere anytime, soon, so...good thing.

It was really good talking to Mom and Dad this week. I got permissionfrom President Hacking yesterday in the office to watch my home video, 'but only once and only on p-day,' so I'm on it after we finish groceryshopping at Hyvee. Yeah for being 22! I'm amazed it's been like a whole month since they've visited anywhere. That's got to be some kind of decade record.

The investigator I mentioned in the letter last week that really just needed a friend, now has a couple, summer is a good time. We've had a couple of missionaries come back, and so we've got some people to work with us and fellowship the people that have been found. We've got some serious goals to find more and find them soon, though. I'm excited to start a new transfer. I like that we get a redo every 6 weeks on the mission. I hope I keep doing that.

There's a sister in the branch that I decided this morning is my new role model. She has completely changed her life in just the 12 weeks I've served around her. She didn't like her job, wardrobe, self (little overweight) or the fact that she never seemed to have time to do anything beside her church calling, plus she was shy. I remember the first lesson with her: she was up to do more than just give out one pass-along card and it was asking a lot. But she did it. And she called us and she had a great experience talking to a grandma about the church, in a waiting room, while she waited to get her oil changed.

Then one time on teamups about 6 weeks ago, she told us about this little schedule she'd come up with for herself based on chp 8 of Preach My Gospel, “Using Time Wisely”. She MADE time. She gets up at 5 am everyday, works out for an hour, job searches and develops the talent of piano playing. She also put herself on a budget and took sugar and dairy out of her diet. With her new found funds she went to Dillards with a friend and has some really cute modest dresses, since she lost like 20 lbs. It sounds like superficial stuff, but she has a lot more confidence. She seems a lot happier. Because people can see how happy she is, missionary opportunities are popping up all over the place. It's really neat how fast she's achieved her goals.

So, I've got some goals. Our stake president has asked everyone to

1-prayerfully set a missionary goal for the year

2-prayerfully set one for 2 weeks

3-Then create a list of people to work with (clients, friends, relatives, acquaintances, sports friends, classmates, email lists, neighbors, etc)4-Then share, make actions, and requests to achieve said goal

Sharing (example: Debbie tells her family that she's going to get 7 members referrals this week.)(ex: Donny tells a friend about eternal families and testifies how temple attendance blesses his.)

Action (ex: Sister missionary teaches a member lesson to get them into the Spirit, Pres Medina's idea) (ex: Mom and Dad study a chapter about Finding investigators in Preach MyGospel) (ex: Lori meets her neighbor and has the kids take brownies) (ex The Parsons have a missionary FHE and write nonmember friends)

Requests (ex: Deb asks everyone back home if they will prayerfully consider someone to refer so she can call them at the Inde visitorcenter.) (ex: Lisa and Tom invite a couple from work over for an FHE and they watch “Between Heaven and Earth.”) (ex: Kellen and Meggie use their Spanish skills to invite the taquito guy to go to some activities with them.)

Then the 2 week schedule for the stake looks like this:

Day 1- 3 shares, 3 actions

Day2- 3 shares, 3 actions

Day 3-3 shares 3 actions

Day 4-share blitz -lots of shares

Day 5- 1 share, two requests, 3 actions

Day 6- 1 share, 2 requests, 3 actions

Day 7- 3 short actions

Day 8- 3 short actions

Day 9- requests blitz- lots of 'em

Day 10- 1 share, 1 request, 4 actions

Day 11- action blitz -10 actions

Day 12- 1 share, 1 request, 2 actions

Day 13- 1 share, 1 request, 2 actions

Day 14- 1 share, 1 request, 2 actions

It sounds intense, but it's not really. We should be friendly to everyone anyway and invite to stuff (request). We should be studying the gospel and serving everyone anyway (action). And we should always share—I learned that in kindergarten. But “Goals represent the desires of our hearts” (PMG), so as we set goals to build Zion as a family, the Lord can help us do so. If we're goal-less and not prayerfully asking the Lord for help in becoming tools in His hands, we're either saying we don't care or we can do it on our own and we don't want Him in the work. So, set goals and make plans and let the Lord take the load, since He already has. I've seen how well Preach My Gospel goals have worked for the sister in my branch and I know they can help everyone achieve the desires of their hearts. Whatever those may be.