11-11-13

Family,

Sure sounds like y'all had a stressful week. I got sick last Monday (just a little sore throat with my voice cracking with it. I also had a cough) but am better now. Lots and lots of missionaries in the zone are getting sick. Some worse than others. I just hope that they don't get so bad that they'll have to be hospitalized because there's this one Elder who is at that point. Anyways, let me get to my week.

On Monday at P-day sports, we had a less-active come play with us. He is only less active because he didn't know where the church was. He moved last week to Phoenix, Arizona. But it was good to have him there. Last Monday night, three of our investigators took us out to eat at Carlos O'Kelley's. It was super good. We took them on a church tour after with a member present and invited them for baptism. They gave the typical "I've already been baptized" response. I knew how to explain it but the spirit was telling me to go no further. So we ended our church tour and gave them the assignment to read the Book of Mormon. I think they did a great job in that regard. More on that later.

On Tuesday, it was a really really slow afternoon. In the morning, we planned on doing service for Habitat for Humanity, as usual, but they were all done with their project. They won't need any more volunteers until March when they begin work on a different site. So that was kind of a bummer. But we found things to do until we had dinner at 6 with another one of our investigators and her member boyfriend. She is getting baptized this Saturday and is super excited. I can tell the difference from the first time I met her until now. She has made almost an Alma the younger turnaround. Okay, maybe not that dramatic, but she has changed a lot. I can tell she's happier and ready to commit. As for the recent convert from early October, she told us last week that she planned on being at church this week but she didn't show up. To be honest, I think Satan has gotten a hold of her and her RM boyfriend's heart and pride has crept in. They've been away from church for so long that they rationalize that they can't come back now. That's just my opinion, though. From the time we met her to the time she was baptized, I didn't see much change in her; just a desire to be baptized. The person that will get baptized this week is so much different, though. The October baptism, however, loved general conference and anything she's gone to since. So I'm confused. ANYWAYS, the one that we had dinner with fed us shrimp cocktail. It was really good. We then taught her and she accepted it all.

Wednesday was a special day. Not only was it the day that we had a general authority visit, but I found out that Elder Evans (my most recent son) received his visa and will be traveling to Brazil today. In fact, he's probably on the plane in the air right now. He'll go to Atlanta, Georgia then to Sao Paulo, Brazil, then to Forta Leza. I'll sure miss him. The conference with Elder Nash was way good too. The spirit was there as he spoke about his days as an area president down in South America. He told us lots of stories in which he loved the people, less actives, youth, and others so much that it made them want to be better. So that's what I'll be working on: just loving everyone in such a way that my kindness will assist in their conversion. Especially as I take on this new assignment. He also mentioned that since we are called of God, there's no need to worry about what we need to say, but if we just open our mouths, people will recognize us as true messengers and advocates of the truth just because of our mantle. He also gave the definition of bold: "Love, clarity, confidence, power of His spirit, and not overbearing." I loved some of his comments and counsel but he spoke for over three hours total. I was pretty bored by the end of his talk. Another thing I loved was not to let anything distract you from the work. For example: the cold, the rain, mud, girlfriends, girls (or boys for sisters) in general, and any other irrelevant distraction. It reminded me of something one of my favorite AP's said. Elder Casper said: "Our missionary recipe for success is arise at 6:30 and go to work." I am proud to say that I have done that with exactness. That was pretty much the bulk of our day that day.

Thursday was the day I found out about transfers. But in the morning, we had an appointment with an investigator up in Maize that fell through. This one lady was outside doing some yard work raking leaves. It looked like she was struggling. So we went over and offered to help. She was a little taken aback by the offer. Elder Johnson just took the rake and started to work. She was so happy. She was raking because she couldn't get her lawnmower started. So I went into the shed and got it started up for her and mowed a good portion of it (I miss mowing the lawn!). We then got to talking and she almost broke down in happiness because of our generosity. We told her we love doing service. So we said we'd come back and try to see her later. We had MLC to go to for zone and sister leaders. We discussed the mission training plan and how to improve it. I thought it was fine the way it was but apparently not. 

After the meeting, President Bell told me that I am opening up a new area (Kingman) and will be training as well. Talk about pressure! Looking at this assignment, I can tell that the Lord trusts me to work hard to rear up my new companion and get the area rolling. Missionaries go there once a week to proselyte but now it will be a great blessing to be able to get full-time missionaries there and in the Pratt branch. That is where we will go to church. That branch apparently needs a lot of priesthood. So this will be good to be able to have us there to strengthen and support that area. I am up to the challenge, though. I've done hard things in the past so why not this? This means I will probably be there until February, unless the Lord has other plans. But that's what President Bell told me. That means I will have been in the Wichita stake for 10 months! I got here in April. We'll see where my mission takes me after this area. But I shouldn't be thinking too far ahead because we still have work to do in Kingman. We will get a baptism. We will. I've had one in every single area and that's not going to change. The zone leaders here will be Elder Johnson and Elder Hamblin. You remember Elder Hamblin, right? He was my first companion in the Fleming Park ward. This will be a great zone with lots of missionaries.

Friday was exchange day. We went on exchanges with the Auburn Hills Elders. Elder Chun came with me in the Maize 1st/YSA ward. We had lots of appointments today. They all went well. We also had an appointment with The sister that will be baptized this Saturday. It was a good lesson but I don't think our investigators understand the whole exchange thing. So that was the only thing. Later, we had an appointment with the people that took us to Carlos O'Kelley's. It was fun as we read a section in the Book of Mormon with them. They read all of 1 Nephi and didn't understand any of it. So we read some verses in 2 Nephi 1 with them and really slowed down to understand it. I think that was good for them and us.

Saturday we had a trainers meeting at the mission home. Thanks to a marathon, we were late. But they started late so it's all good. I found out that I will be training Elder Clay from Syracuse, Utah. I'm so excited to train again. I love love love training new missionaries. It just makes me so happy to see their desire to work. He's not a visa waiter, either, so he will be my posterity in this mission forever. After the meeting, we got some supplies and went to a baptism in the Maize 2nd ward. It was also one of the Elders first baptism there too. I think that was a special day for all of them because their investigator was baptized on the same day as an 8 year old. The water was super low, though. So the girl had to be dunked twice and the investigator 4 times.

Sunday was fun. Both Elder Johnson and I gave talks. Mine was on Timothy J. Dyches talk from conference. I tied it to forgiveness and how we all ought to forgive ourselves AND each other for our trespasses. I'm pumped for the baptism coming up and excited to be a part of this sacred ordinance. But YEAH! That was pretty much my week. Only 2 more days of having to go work out with Elder Johnson. Only 10 companionships in the entire mission are staying the same. Crazy, huh?

Wow...someone tried to commit suicide like that?! That's pretty crazy. I'm sorry you had to witness that. Hopefully she can get better. That's super fun that Jayce did the MC fun run! I remember doing that! I remember Kyle Nuzzolo (Is that his name? I can't remember) cried because I beat him last second. But good times, good times. I remember doing the 5K for the first time in middle school there. I thought that took forever. I finished close to last. Thanks, Dad and Mom for your consistent, weekly e-mails. I feel so blessed to have 2 righteous parents to have reared me in the gospel because I know that many kids didn't have that opportunity. So thank you. I best be off but you have a fantastic week and in the words of Elder Nash: "Make it rain" blessings and revelation. Love,

Elder Sutherland