January 12, 2015 Week 79

Enero!

WOW what a week! 

It was an interesting one... 

WE had transfers but Elder Rodriguez and I are going to tarry here a little longer in the Wichita Falls vineyard!  But the rest of the missionaries got switched up pretty good! 

President said that it was the biggest transfer he ever had...maybe the post Christmas brought out the demons inside. It's alright Elder Rodriguez and I have dealt with it before.  

We were able to witness this great transfer unexpectedly... the morning of transfers we got a call from the sisters saying that they didn't have enough room in their car to fit the other elder's stuff (this is a question that we asked her a few days before).  But it turned out to be a blessing because we then took our car up to the city! We got to see everyone at transfers and also got to go to Panda Express (there isn't one in Wichita Falls).  We did have to sacrifice 300 miles though and 4 hours of driving! 

We are going to go really hard this next transfer here.  We were able to organize our whole ward roster and see for sure what ones are in our area. 

All of the ones that are in our area are plugged into the GPS... oh yeah that number is 295-- households.  Our area has 57% of the households.

The total for the ward is 520 households.  The two other sets of missionaries here cover the other 225 households.  The weird thing is that the active members are divided pretty evenly.  

Anyways that is what we are really going to be working on this transfer. Watch out!  Both of us have 'a chip on the shoulder''. We saw the rough draft of the mission plan they have been trying to get out the whole time I have been here and it is pathetic. But the lord works in mysterious ways and I think it was a blessing that we saw it because it gave us a ton of urgency to get work done here (also both of us being on our "dying stretch" could be a factor).  Both of our perspectives have changed on missionary work. This area needs a thorough Rescue and its about to happen! One thing I would tell a new missionary, don't go for baptisms, go for conversions! this area has had enough 'baptisms' matched with too few conversions.    

Answers to questions:

Whatever happened with the referral you received for the friend of the less active?

Brittany-- she is doing great we taught her the word of wisdom this past week--- we were pretty nervous to teach it because let's just say that she isn't obeying any of the word of wisdom...except over eating ha. But she knew it was true. From the cigarettes to the sweet tea.  She shared how she used to be a meth addict and how much her life has improved from ending that terrible habit. We were able to use that to testify that she would have that same feeling with all of the other substances that she was struggling with...by the end of the lesson we walked out of her small

trailer with 2 bud lights;) take that satan you got nothin on the spirit! 

 

Are people in a New Year funk there?-- ehh not really

Can we pray for anyone specific?-- the Wichita Falls ward council;)

Did you get your box?-- yes thanks a ton!  got to love that bacon and that protein...and that Australian candy was great 

Need anything?-- nooooooope! 

 "you get what you look for"-- Elder Packer... if we look for baptisms we will get baptisms-- if we look for future missionaries we will get future missionaries-- if we look for 'real growth' we will get 'real growth'!  

LOVE Y'ALL 
ELDER FINLINSON