Monday, September 14, 2015

Alvin Texas, Week 45: July 27, 2015 - August 2, 2015

Monday, August 3, 2015
So, my new companion is Elder Noles from Spanish Fork! My second Utah son. He's a year younger than me. Let me tell you what else was crazy about transfers. So, they were calling the trainers up to the front of the chapel and then the trainee would go up and meet them. They called my name to go up and I started heading up and then they also said "Elder Theis" (Thice) and that meant he would train with me and we would be a trio!!!! We both started flipping out and laughing and hugging because we had no idea. We both just thought we would train someone. We're way good friends. We lived together for a few months in my first area. That whole first day we were in disbelief that they just told us last minute and that we were actually all together. We were so stoked. Elder Theis also is a zone leader. And now the Lord is putting zone leaders together in companionships. That's something they haven't done here in about 4 years. It makes it so easy to communicate about our missionaries in the zone, plan, decide if we can give permission to missionaries and what not. But my companions are awesome. No worries.

So we have 15 people in the zone. Our zone covers a large area. It's Pearland, Friendswood, Alvin, which are just the largest cities, plus all the smaller cities around them and in between. There are 11 zones in the mission. We also had another MLC this week and there are many new zone leaders. Some missionaries became zone leaders after only 6 weeks!! Its nuts. That never happens. I think the Lord and President Hall know we need new missonaries in MLC so new ideas won't get pushed aside due to the older missionaries being slow to agree since they are so used to President Ashton.

We had a great week though! We were able to see Brittany our first night together and the lesson was awesome. We actually didn't do too bad working in unity between the three of us even though we never had done it before. We taught about the Atonement of Christ. Brittany is so ready for baptism. She has so much faith and loves coming to church. The lesson went way well and she kept saying "that makes so much sense, that makes me feel more loved" We are going to have an FHE with them tonight as well. We're going to start planning her baptism for this weekend. Elder Noles is a rockstar. He is a very solid missionary straight from mtc. There's not much we need to teach him. He's just natural at it. The only thing holding him back is that he is homesick. We were able to mow a lawn together, him and I, while elder Theis went with other elders. We got to talk about it after. I tried my best to tell him that's normal and it takes a few weeks to call this place home. I told him the way to get rid of those feelings is to just settle in and act like you own and are committed to your area, to make it home and love it. We actually ended up pushing the lawn mower and carried a week wacker and gas can a mile back to the ward member who let us borrow it. We mowed the lawn for a lady whose son normally takes care of it, but he'd just got in a car accident. She was super grateful. Was great to be able to meet her and talk to her and then make the lawn look real good. It definitely needed some help.

So with investigators... Lois was not baptized yesterday. She still needs more lessons and to be able to come to church a second time. She didn't make it to church last week or this week. But we had contact with her and taught her a great lesson where we reviewed the Restoration and how Joseph Smith received all authority from those that held it previously. That was way helpful to her. She wanted to know more about that before baptism. We got to meet with Eric yesterday! He didn't make it to church but we had a good lesson on the Book of Mormon and turns out he's been reading it a ton even though we haven't been seeing him much. Now we're going to start seeing him more that he is acting and more committed.

Things are going way good. We had the Presidents family come and play games with us today at our stake center for p day. Such a great family. The kids are funny and athletic.


I love and miss you,

Pantz


Elder Havea and me, our last day together


Elders Deans, Noles & Theis in more casual attire
Elders Deans, Noles & Theis, new companions


Right behind our apartment is wilderness

Attempting to play the accordion at the ward mission leader's


 


Trying out a new instrument





Local church cleverness

No comments:

Post a Comment