July 8, 2013
HelllLLoooo family! ;)
This week was super rewarding
for all of the hard work we did. I learned probably more this week than 3
months in the mission because of all the new experiences lately. We had
Leader Council last Friday so we ate breakfast with the President and
all of the zone leaders and then he sent us on a huge scavenger hunt
with objectives and they were super hard haha. But they were so hard
because we made them hard because the answers were super easy. It just
shows how smart President is, being a psychologist.. But then he told us
that on the mission we are complicating things. Our job is to find,
teach, and baptize. If they dont want to obey the commandments then we
have to drop them and find those who are waiting for this covenant with God. He said we need to have faith that God is preparing his sons and
daughters to be found. He then taught us about the importance of the Book of Mormon and that we need to use it better and give it more
importance. So he gave us each a Book of Mormon and he sent us all
outside and we had to give and contact someone using them. So that was
awesome and we came back to our areas super excited! This week we had
about 15 lessons with investigators and members so we were running from
lesson to lesson. In the church yesterday we had the most investigators
that we've have ever had. We had 9 and I was super excited to see that our
hard work is paying off in fact. After church we ate super fast and
we took a taxi to another church for our zone meeting with our zone. I
taught about the importance of commitments and if they are not
progressing, maybe it is because we need to focus on putting baptismal
dates and help them with their needs to be prepared. So we did practices
and they got a little better as they practiced. Then my companion
talked about the Book of Mormon as well and we did the same activity
contacting the people outside with the Book of Mormon. It was pretty
successful for my first time I think! Today President told us that this Friday
my companion and I have to give a presentation for all of the young men
that are going to EFY here in Torreon. So we will talk in ront of a
group of about 100 people and their counselors or something like that.
And then we have interviews this Friday
so we have to get that all ready for President and so everything is
smooth. During the interviews we will have to review their mission
binders for their houses to make sure they are updating it and always
keeping it ready for the next missionaries. So that was my week and a
small preview of the week to come. I am stoked and I know that this is
the Lords work and we just play a small part in it all. Actually it is a
blessing to just to see a bit of the power of God working in the lives
of others!! I am having a party with my sun block everyday because if
not I look like a red martian from mars. But I love you guys and I hope
you are participating in the work of the Lord as well..
Suba a la ola! (I think this means catch the wave?)
Elder Cramer
July 1, 2013
HelllLLOooooOO :)
This week was way sweet to tell ya
the truth because we worked our tookis' off and we were working with the
members and we had like 5 investigators in the church and they seemed to
like what they saw. (I hope haha) Our ward is super big -- I went from
like a 50 or 60 branch to a 181 ward that is like super busy. It is
hard to keep track of everyone, and on top of that I am trying to
memorize this new area and Elder Ringer is teaching me the ropes of how
to be zone leader. It is a lot to think about because we have to make
sure the missionaries are working, are obedient, keep track of their numbers, make
sure that they are sending reports and arrive on time for the meetings. I
feel like a babysitter for 16 men that left their houses and are baking
like a piece of pork in the street. That is because it is true hah. Now I see how you guys must have felt. I am trying to making sure that and all is well and I feel like a parent almost haha. Elder Ringer actually has
less time than me like, a year and a week but his Spanish is really
good and he has been zone leader for awhile now. He has good work ethic
and loves the work of the Lord. We are a good team and I know God does
not put missionaries together for casualty (? I think he means God puts missionaries together for good reason). I hope to make you all proud
and we just had a new meeting saying that we have a new form to work
with the ward to get references and so we should never have to contact
in the street like we have been doing lately to get new investigators. So our bishop will be calling Ward Missionaries to do interviews for all
of the members which gives us like 20 references and they take all of
those hundreds of references to ward counsel and they decide who will
progress and we go with those that will progress. This form has been
approved by Elder Holland when he was here so I think that is why he is
keeping a close eye on Torreon. I hope to become a sweet missionary like Pinnochio wanted to be a real boy. But I know it is possible and that
there is no other place that God would rather have me be. I am fortunate
to be able to serve and actually I am happier as I work and work. I am like the Road Runner out here with the
spirit because bit by bit I am learning to be what God would like me to
be and that is why I am enjoying my time here.
Pictures: I had a confrontation with a mean character on the wall! I taught him the gospel
A less active that goes with us to lessons here!
