Wednesday, September 16, 2015
Last Email
So this will be my last email. That is so weird to say. I don't believe it at all. It really hasn't hit me yet I feel like I am just going to keep on keepin' on. I am seriously cuttin up. Elder Karn asked me this morning "Are you alright? You seem really distracted today." I said, "No I am not all right. I am going home in two days..." That is so weird!!
I am so eternally grateful for this experience. There is nothing like it, and I am going to miss it so so much. I can't even express to you how amazing it has been. I have changed so much and have seen the Lord work in so many people's lives. I KNOW HE LIVES. I KNOW THE CHURCH IS TRUE!! and I will see you on Thursday. Love ya.
For the last time,
Elder Zachary Jacob Andrews.
Missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
This makes me cry. Big tears all over. Love, Mom
Zach, I am so proud to be in your family. You are an amazing man and you fought the good fight to the very end. I really love and respect you so much. Axel
And also:
So I got another ticket for speeding on Sunday...so that sucks. I can mail it in and the other one I can pay online. I am just telling you now so you can steam and then just be so happy that I am home that you forget all about it. I don't know how I am going to feel. I know how I should feel and...well, I don't know what it will feel like. Have you made an appointment with the Stake President to release me? That is just something that I have to do before I can do any fun things. Love ya. Thanks
End of Days Frustration
May 26, 2015
Nothing is really happening. We are just chugging along. Nothing is not really happening.
This week I have to go on exchanges with my district leader who wants to go on exchanges for 4 times the norm. I suspect it is to get away from his companion. But now I have no authority to tell him he is wrong and that is not what he should do. I already had him read in the white handbook which should have done it, it is very explicit. But he always gets what he wants and this is what he wants.
Both this week I am with him and then the next I am with his comp 8 days of exchanges in the next 14 when it should be 3, maybe.
Nothing is really happening. We are just chugging along. Nothing is not really happening.
Both this week I am with him and then the next I am with his comp 8 days of exchanges in the next 14 when it should be 3, maybe.
Monday, May 25, 2015
FROM PH: Don't Overstay your Welcome
Memorial Day edicate
Sent Date: Monday, May 25, 2015
Author: President Hansen
Dear Elders and Sisters,
I have really enjoyed visiting with you over the last few days. You are all great missionaries. I love spending time with you.
Please be thoughtful of members and investigators today and always as we go into their houses. Remember that they have things planned and so you must not impose on their time. With members stay only the amount of time that you have been invited for. If you invite yourselves to send letters, don't stay for more than an hour. If they haven't been clear ask them, "Do you mind if we stay for about an hour to write our letters?" With investigators be even more careful of their time. A half hour is a reasonable time to spend in their homes. When we spend longer they feel stressed and don't know how to get missionaries out without offending them, so they will start to make excuses when you ask to visit them next time.
Here are a few excerpts from letter the missionaries have sent this week:
------There was this lady that came to church for the first time and in broken English she said to us "I want to get baptized. You'll help me, yes?" I was so taken back. She wants to be baptized on June 6th! Her name is Eddy and she told us that all her life she has been searching for the truth and she has felt that she has found it.
------this car pulls over and a woman says, "Hey! Come here!! Do you remember me? Yall walked up to me and my neighbor when we were on her porch last week!" I recognized her and she went on to say "My name's Vonne. Here's my address. Come and see me. Do y'all have a brochure or something I can read in the meantime?" biking sisters We biked out and it was SUPER hot and humid. Like I thought I was going to just melt away. I prayed for just a little bit of cool rain. I put my head down and started biking harder. All of a sudden, I felt all these drops on my feet. I got excited! But when I raised my head, I realized that the drops I felt were the drops of sweat dripping off my head and arms on to my feet... I just laughed... :)
------She opened the door and said "oh I thought you were my neighbor, but come in anyways." She got us water and made us comfortable. She said that her daddy is a Baptist Preacher, and she has always been curious. She is married and they have 2 daughters. We taught her the Restoration of the Gospel and she was just soaking it up. She offered a kneeling prayer and asked for God to direct her. Then she stood up and with tears in her eyes she said "I prayed last night that God would point me in the right direction today." She went on to say "when I was praying I was thinking more like he would point towards those I could serve. But I can see that this is His answer to what I literally asked for." We set up a time so we could come back when her husband was home, he had majored in Christianity History. Kind of intimidating but we came back. We taught him the Restoration and talked about it. He then said it just makes sense that there would be a Book of Mormon and a need for Restoration.
------so Elder _____ put the address in and we started driving when we arrived at the address we had put in we realized that we typed the wrong address in. To be honest I was a little frustrated and in my head I was thinking, come on kid how hard is it to put the right address in. Well I turned around and started to get back on the main road, and right then I had a feeling that he were there for a reason. So I turned the car around and pulled off the side of the road, then I turned to Elder _____ and said we were sent here for a reason, lets find out what it is. We knock four doors and nothin... so we knock on the fifth door and this guy answers and immediately I knew that we had been sent here to talk to him....He also told us that he wants us to teach his buddies as well,
------At this families house they had people coming and going while we taught four people in the home and out of nowhere this lady comes up to me and asks me about what we were talking about. I summed up what we were talking about and I addressed all their concerns and questions as I read in 2 Nephi. It made sense to everybody. I was saying things that were exactly what they needed to hear. When I was done reading and explaining the lady Margaret was in tears. Her family laughed at her crying. She is catholic and said before that she is really catholic but when her family asked why she was crying she said with tears in her eyes "It’s true, It’s true, What they said is true."
Sent Date: Monday, May 25, 2015
Author: President Hansen
Dear Elders and Sisters,
I have really enjoyed visiting with you over the last few days. You are all great missionaries. I love spending time with you.
Please be thoughtful of members and investigators today and always as we go into their houses. Remember that they have things planned and so you must not impose on their time. With members stay only the amount of time that you have been invited for. If you invite yourselves to send letters, don't stay for more than an hour. If they haven't been clear ask them, "Do you mind if we stay for about an hour to write our letters?" With investigators be even more careful of their time. A half hour is a reasonable time to spend in their homes. When we spend longer they feel stressed and don't know how to get missionaries out without offending them, so they will start to make excuses when you ask to visit them next time.
Here are a few excerpts from letter the missionaries have sent this week:
------There was this lady that came to church for the first time and in broken English she said to us "I want to get baptized. You'll help me, yes?" I was so taken back. She wants to be baptized on June 6th! Her name is Eddy and she told us that all her life she has been searching for the truth and she has felt that she has found it.
------this car pulls over and a woman says, "Hey! Come here!! Do you remember me? Yall walked up to me and my neighbor when we were on her porch last week!" I recognized her and she went on to say "My name's Vonne. Here's my address. Come and see me. Do y'all have a brochure or something I can read in the meantime?" biking sisters We biked out and it was SUPER hot and humid. Like I thought I was going to just melt away. I prayed for just a little bit of cool rain. I put my head down and started biking harder. All of a sudden, I felt all these drops on my feet. I got excited! But when I raised my head, I realized that the drops I felt were the drops of sweat dripping off my head and arms on to my feet... I just laughed... :)
------She opened the door and said "oh I thought you were my neighbor, but come in anyways." She got us water and made us comfortable. She said that her daddy is a Baptist Preacher, and she has always been curious. She is married and they have 2 daughters. We taught her the Restoration of the Gospel and she was just soaking it up. She offered a kneeling prayer and asked for God to direct her. Then she stood up and with tears in her eyes she said "I prayed last night that God would point me in the right direction today." She went on to say "when I was praying I was thinking more like he would point towards those I could serve. But I can see that this is His answer to what I literally asked for." We set up a time so we could come back when her husband was home, he had majored in Christianity History. Kind of intimidating but we came back. We taught him the Restoration and talked about it. He then said it just makes sense that there would be a Book of Mormon and a need for Restoration.
------so Elder _____ put the address in and we started driving when we arrived at the address we had put in we realized that we typed the wrong address in. To be honest I was a little frustrated and in my head I was thinking, come on kid how hard is it to put the right address in. Well I turned around and started to get back on the main road, and right then I had a feeling that he were there for a reason. So I turned the car around and pulled off the side of the road, then I turned to Elder _____ and said we were sent here for a reason, lets find out what it is. We knock four doors and nothin... so we knock on the fifth door and this guy answers and immediately I knew that we had been sent here to talk to him....He also told us that he wants us to teach his buddies as well,
------At this families house they had people coming and going while we taught four people in the home and out of nowhere this lady comes up to me and asks me about what we were talking about. I summed up what we were talking about and I addressed all their concerns and questions as I read in 2 Nephi. It made sense to everybody. I was saying things that were exactly what they needed to hear. When I was done reading and explaining the lady Margaret was in tears. Her family laughed at her crying. She is catholic and said before that she is really catholic but when her family asked why she was crying she said with tears in her eyes "It’s true, It’s true, What they said is true."
Monday, May 4, 2015
FROM PH: More Flirting :(
Telephoning Elders and Sisters
Sent Date: Monday, May 4, 2015
Author: President Hansen
Dear Elders and Sisters,
I am still hearing of missionaries talking on the phone with the opposite gender. Several leaders have told me that they need to counsel with sisters. On page 33 of the Missionary Handbook it says: "Do not telephone, write, e-mail or accept calls or letters from anyone of the opposite sex living within or near mission boundaries..." While there are exceptions for reporting to mission leaders, when we turn those calls into social calls or counseling sessions, we are breaking mission rules.
At the bottom of the next page it says, "Do not counsel missionaries of the opposite sex, even if you are serving in a leadership position..." Sisters, if you are having problems call the Sister Training Leaders , Sister Hansen or even call me.
Please, stop the social calls to other missionaries. It is not fair to your companions or to your commitment to the Lord.
If you feel this is a problem please, call me and let's discuss it.
Remember Every Friday at 9AM the whole mission will be praying at once for families to join the church a 9AM. The Fridays Prayer for Finding Families will continue for the next few weeks. Elders Muhurla and White had a great experience last Friday right after praying for success in finding families.
Excerpts:
------He told us that he used to be an history teacher at Tulane before Katrina. Randomly he had a spinal hemorrhage so he could no longer work :( he was telling us how he used to teach about the 4 major movements and one of them was Mormonism. People used to ask him if the gold plates really are real and he would always respond "Well they say they are, and I believe them." WHAT? Its gets better..so he then goes on to tell us how he read some of the Book of Mormon and loved it, but somehow lost it in the move. You shoulda seen his face light up when we told him we could give him a new one. He was soo happy to read it again :) the elders are gunna go back and see him :)
------He looked at the picture of Jesus and then at us and said "I think that this man sent you to me. I have been working inside all day and the first time in hours I come outside y'all are just walking by. He sent you to me. You might just be looking at the newest member of your church!" The spirit was SO strong when he said that! …People tell us and promise us EVERY week that they will come and haven't come once my 19 weeks here in Luling. So the next day we were waiting in the front of the church and 10 minutes before the meeting started Mr. Eric pulled in! WHAT?!?!?
------"My son is on a mission," She said, her eyes shinning, "I've seen the boys here before but never Y'all. Are there a lot of churches around here then?"
"We have a church over on hwy 30 and there is a set of elders over each and then we're over both."
"Oh I see, I'm not a member," She explained.
"Oh," I answered, surprised and not sure what to say.
"I feel like God is speaking to me she said," tears welled up in her eyes as she handed me her number and her name. "I think I'm ready to hear it," she said.
------We went and saw him on Wednesday with our Branch President. So we went over to teach him the first lesson and it was crazy! He felt STRONG impressions of the Holy Ghost 3 times. Each time he said, "Look! My hairs are standing up!" Just talking about it I can feel the spirit. And he told us he wants us to come by every day. He is going to progress SO fast. We did not commit him to read, or come to church, or stop drinking, he is doing it all on his own! He said, "I'm going to read this, now, what time are you guys going to pick me up. Get me a ride, when does church start?... 9? Okay, I'll be ready sitting on my porch by 8, if not, knock on my door and I'll be ready!
Sent Date: Monday, May 4, 2015
Author: President Hansen
Dear Elders and Sisters,
I am still hearing of missionaries talking on the phone with the opposite gender. Several leaders have told me that they need to counsel with sisters. On page 33 of the Missionary Handbook it says: "Do not telephone, write, e-mail or accept calls or letters from anyone of the opposite sex living within or near mission boundaries..." While there are exceptions for reporting to mission leaders, when we turn those calls into social calls or counseling sessions, we are breaking mission rules.
At the bottom of the next page it says, "Do not counsel missionaries of the opposite sex, even if you are serving in a leadership position..." Sisters, if you are having problems call the Sister Training Leaders , Sister Hansen or even call me.
Please, stop the social calls to other missionaries. It is not fair to your companions or to your commitment to the Lord.
If you feel this is a problem please, call me and let's discuss it.
Remember Every Friday at 9AM the whole mission will be praying at once for families to join the church a 9AM. The Fridays Prayer for Finding Families will continue for the next few weeks. Elders Muhurla and White had a great experience last Friday right after praying for success in finding families.
Excerpts:
------He told us that he used to be an history teacher at Tulane before Katrina. Randomly he had a spinal hemorrhage so he could no longer work :( he was telling us how he used to teach about the 4 major movements and one of them was Mormonism. People used to ask him if the gold plates really are real and he would always respond "Well they say they are, and I believe them." WHAT? Its gets better..so he then goes on to tell us how he read some of the Book of Mormon and loved it, but somehow lost it in the move. You shoulda seen his face light up when we told him we could give him a new one. He was soo happy to read it again :) the elders are gunna go back and see him :)
------He looked at the picture of Jesus and then at us and said "I think that this man sent you to me. I have been working inside all day and the first time in hours I come outside y'all are just walking by. He sent you to me. You might just be looking at the newest member of your church!" The spirit was SO strong when he said that! …People tell us and promise us EVERY week that they will come and haven't come once my 19 weeks here in Luling. So the next day we were waiting in the front of the church and 10 minutes before the meeting started Mr. Eric pulled in! WHAT?!?!?
------"My son is on a mission," She said, her eyes shinning, "I've seen the boys here before but never Y'all. Are there a lot of churches around here then?"
"We have a church over on hwy 30 and there is a set of elders over each and then we're over both."
"Oh I see, I'm not a member," She explained.
"Oh," I answered, surprised and not sure what to say.
"I feel like God is speaking to me she said," tears welled up in her eyes as she handed me her number and her name. "I think I'm ready to hear it," she said.
------We went and saw him on Wednesday with our Branch President. So we went over to teach him the first lesson and it was crazy! He felt STRONG impressions of the Holy Ghost 3 times. Each time he said, "Look! My hairs are standing up!" Just talking about it I can feel the spirit. And he told us he wants us to come by every day. He is going to progress SO fast. We did not commit him to read, or come to church, or stop drinking, he is doing it all on his own! He said, "I'm going to read this, now, what time are you guys going to pick me up. Get me a ride, when does church start?... 9? Okay, I'll be ready sitting on my porch by 8, if not, knock on my door and I'll be ready!
Saturday, April 18, 2015
FROM PH: Bad Week for Numbers
Ouch! Bad week for numbers
Sent Date: Saturday, April 18, 2015
Author: President Hansen
Dear Mission Leaders,
It was so great to see all of you in zone conferences over the last two weeks. I know the mission is really going to have great success with all the great things we have learned lately. We have had a couple of slow weeks after the great surge forward we have been enjoying. I think that the rainy weather and the flu that has been going around have slowed our progress. We need to make sure that all of our missionaries are not allowing little things to keep them from the work. I have heard from many who said they were not able to get out because of the rain. Help them to accomplish more, get rides, etc. and not be stopped by small things. Also, I know that a lot of times missionaries choose service over teaching and finding. The best service we can do is to teach the doctrine of Christ.
How can we as leaders motivate our missionaries to more faithfully serve Heavenly Father? We need to set a vision of what can be done. Goals for our districts and zones that each missionary can get behind so that we are constantly finding, teaching, baptizing, activating and reactivating. Let's get our missionaries behind a program of finding daily, teaching daily and working with our ward members.
The goal the matters most to me right now is the three daily contacts with people we pass by. If we can get every missionary to do this every day the area will blossom.
All my love,
President Hansen
------(Companion) and I decided to take a faith walk. It took us 7.5 hours just to walk one block. We talked to everyone and anyone. We even helped someone move out! We had more contacts that day than we have had in a whole week! So many in fact that we lost track. Because of the Faith walk and the help of the Lord, our schedule for this week is full with return appointments.
------We have also committed 4 different people to baptism this past week on the first lessons. They all said yes!
------we were going to make proselyting Monday as productive as we possibly could ... and it was one of the best days of my whole mission! We taught so much!! We set high goals and we promised ourselves as a companionship that we would hit all of them. We hit our 5 other lessons but we weren't quite sure how we were going to get a lesson with a member present so we prayed and Elder _____ has the idea that we should go and visit one of the less actives that we are working with that lives in a big apartment complex and ask who we could go and teach with him, and he had a lady so we went and talked to her he testified and (he)said the closing prayer and said after that he will come back to church Sunday! It really was amazing!!
------This past week we have contacted so many new people and have so many new investigators! Experiences that used to be far and few between and considered huge miracles now happen daily! We are meeting so many people who are interested in the gospel and I'll be leaving at least half a dozen new investigators and several potential investigators when I leave.
------My branch president in the MTC told us something to the effect of "if you're an average missionary, your mission will be difficult. If you strive to be an excellent missionary, it will become much easier."
Sent Date: Saturday, April 18, 2015
Author: President Hansen
Dear Mission Leaders,
It was so great to see all of you in zone conferences over the last two weeks. I know the mission is really going to have great success with all the great things we have learned lately. We have had a couple of slow weeks after the great surge forward we have been enjoying. I think that the rainy weather and the flu that has been going around have slowed our progress. We need to make sure that all of our missionaries are not allowing little things to keep them from the work. I have heard from many who said they were not able to get out because of the rain. Help them to accomplish more, get rides, etc. and not be stopped by small things. Also, I know that a lot of times missionaries choose service over teaching and finding. The best service we can do is to teach the doctrine of Christ.
How can we as leaders motivate our missionaries to more faithfully serve Heavenly Father? We need to set a vision of what can be done. Goals for our districts and zones that each missionary can get behind so that we are constantly finding, teaching, baptizing, activating and reactivating. Let's get our missionaries behind a program of finding daily, teaching daily and working with our ward members.
The goal the matters most to me right now is the three daily contacts with people we pass by. If we can get every missionary to do this every day the area will blossom.
All my love,
President Hansen
------(Companion) and I decided to take a faith walk. It took us 7.5 hours just to walk one block. We talked to everyone and anyone. We even helped someone move out! We had more contacts that day than we have had in a whole week! So many in fact that we lost track. Because of the Faith walk and the help of the Lord, our schedule for this week is full with return appointments.
------We have also committed 4 different people to baptism this past week on the first lessons. They all said yes!
------we were going to make proselyting Monday as productive as we possibly could ... and it was one of the best days of my whole mission! We taught so much!! We set high goals and we promised ourselves as a companionship that we would hit all of them. We hit our 5 other lessons but we weren't quite sure how we were going to get a lesson with a member present so we prayed and Elder _____ has the idea that we should go and visit one of the less actives that we are working with that lives in a big apartment complex and ask who we could go and teach with him, and he had a lady so we went and talked to her he testified and (he)said the closing prayer and said after that he will come back to church Sunday! It really was amazing!!
------This past week we have contacted so many new people and have so many new investigators! Experiences that used to be far and few between and considered huge miracles now happen daily! We are meeting so many people who are interested in the gospel and I'll be leaving at least half a dozen new investigators and several potential investigators when I leave.
------My branch president in the MTC told us something to the effect of "if you're an average missionary, your mission will be difficult. If you strive to be an excellent missionary, it will become much easier."
Monday, April 13, 2015
8 Weeks Left!
I am good! It is crazy that I only have 8 weeks left. I am almost home. It is crazy! Anyway I am kinda freaking out that I only have 8 weeks. That is crazy. Then I will be home to go to Saint George with y'all and actually participate in these exciting stories that you send me each week. I am pretty excited, some days more than others but still. I will not let it become the senioritis that I had in high school but the feeling is still there.
My life is good. Really boring and annoying but good none-the-less. The Zone is completely different because it has fewer people and way more space. So we are just trying to make it work. I do have to say that it is WAY better like this. Fewer missionaries on top of each other pissing each other off. I like it. There are still some missionaries who don't work as hard as I know they can. Nevertheless, I try to stand up for them.
Life is good, really good. This is the first Pday in a long time that I am not stressed or annoyed. So that's something. Love ya.
My life is good. Really boring and annoying but good none-the-less. The Zone is completely different because it has fewer people and way more space. So we are just trying to make it work. I do have to say that it is WAY better like this. Fewer missionaries on top of each other pissing each other off. I like it. There are still some missionaries who don't work as hard as I know they can. Nevertheless, I try to stand up for them.
Life is good, really good. This is the first Pday in a long time that I am not stressed or annoyed. So that's something. Love ya.
Letter from a Sister Missionary (She loves Zach)
Tomorrow is transfers, the last one we will be attending. We are losing one of our favorite Sisters and One of our favorite Elders [Zachary] which is very hard no matter how many times we watch it happen. It does not become easier. We spend a lot of time with these young people and we do get very attached and they are like our own children. We only want the best for them as they move to another area and we hope that they are put with wonderful companions and they enjoy their new area. We will miss them both and pray for their success. Love you both, Sister Keller
General Conference and What's Next
April 6
General Conference was so amazing...except for that one part.. The messages were so inspiring. I loved it all. One thing that I learned and thought was amazingly relevant in my life right now was the call to raise the bar for young single adults. Man it seems like they always raise the bar right before I get to that stage. Anyway some of my favorite talks talked about the Atonement. The Atonement is something that I have really grown to appreciate. I have learned an appreciation for my Savior that nothing will ever take away from me. I am so grateful for the chance I have to repent it is so amazing cause I make so many mistakes. SO MANY. But just like in the story that Elder Holland told we jump and he catches us all we have to do is be brave and take the only option left to us JUMP!
General Conference was so amazing...except for that one part.. The messages were so inspiring. I loved it all. One thing that I learned and thought was amazingly relevant in my life right now was the call to raise the bar for young single adults. Man it seems like they always raise the bar right before I get to that stage. Anyway some of my favorite talks talked about the Atonement. The Atonement is something that I have really grown to appreciate. I have learned an appreciation for my Savior that nothing will ever take away from me. I am so grateful for the chance I have to repent it is so amazing cause I make so many mistakes. SO MANY. But just like in the story that Elder Holland told we jump and he catches us all we have to do is be brave and take the only option left to us JUMP!
This week is good I went on two exchanges, one with Elder McMurry from Houma. We had some good times walking around talking to people. I really learned a lot from him. We talked to this one guy who was super interested but of course he lived in a different area so those missionaries get a referral. Golden Referral might I add. Then right after that we started an exchange with Morgan City so Elder Page and I got to work together and that was awesome. Life is so awesome. The church is so true. I just hope I can use the Atonement everyday for the rest of my life. The desire of my heart is to follow the words of the Prophets and Apostles, Cause despite what others think THEY ARE CALLED OF GOD! How awesome is it that we have someone with the authority to say "Thus saith the LORD" best thing a dumb kid from Draper, Utah could ask for.
Love ya,
Elder Andrews
P.S. What is something I learned in conference? Well if I am going to be honest the Brethren did not help with the trunkiness. All Saturday was get married, go home get married, go home get married... dang...I guess I've got to get married. Also I am so sick of people picking at all the things I do wrong. But I guess I just have to be better.
Weird Stuff
March 30, 2015
This week we got a new zone. It was awesome but super weird though. It was weird cause we have a new zone and despite what I thought I really miss the other guys in the old Zone. They were awesome missionaries. There is a lot of weird stuff going on. Sorry we are really busy today; not really taking a pday. But I love y'all. We committed Francisco Messon to baptism. I am super pumped for him to make that commitment!!!! The work is going good. Super happy to be a missionary! Life is good the Church is true!!
One thing that is not so fun about being a Zone Leader is you are a target for criticism. And I have to be the police. Those parts I can live without.
Love y'all!
Spanish Zone!
March 23
So exciting news we are creating a Spanish Zone! I have been talking about it for about 6 months and then we talked about it with the APs the last couple of days and we are creating the Spanish Zone! I am so excited, Morgan City and The West bank are in my zone. So are all my old areas I can go and visit. This transfer has just changed a ton so yeah, this is weird. But I am excited.
I really like my companion. He is really cool. He is fun and actually he reminds me a lot of Elder Vaughn. anyway I really like him; he is nice. We are friends for sure. I don't know what do you want to know
Also I'm starting to worry about college. Can you check my status and make sure I'm all ready for fall?
So exciting news we are creating a Spanish Zone! I have been talking about it for about 6 months and then we talked about it with the APs the last couple of days and we are creating the Spanish Zone! I am so excited, Morgan City and The West bank are in my zone. So are all my old areas I can go and visit. This transfer has just changed a ton so yeah, this is weird. But I am excited.
I really like my companion. He is really cool. He is fun and actually he reminds me a lot of Elder Vaughn. anyway I really like him; he is nice. We are friends for sure. I don't know what do you want to know
Also I'm starting to worry about college. Can you check my status and make sure I'm all ready for fall?
Transfers and Philosophy
March 17
The sisters are getting transferred. I don't know where they are going. They don't leave till tomorrow. They called me at 1230 last night about a cockroach in their apartment. They wanted us to drive across town to go and kill it. I was not happy and when I declined they were pretty upset.
I don't care where I get transferred or if I stayed. I will do what the lord wants but I am kind of am tired of the leadership minutia. But that is probably the lesson I have to learn so I guess I'll learn it.
I am going to learn my lessons through the constant stream of mistakes that I make. I feel the same way, always a different shade of the same problem. I am feeling it. I am trying to please everyone. I know some of the lessons I have to learn, and I have been taught them before, but I haven't learned them yet. That is how we are. Slow learners I have to be taught again and again until something clicks. I am waiting for the click in my life right now. But that is how it has always been for me especially in middle school. Just struggling through till it clicks. It's rough, really rough. But it is what turns coal into diamonds. There is a Mormon Message about that called Refiners Fire. Lots of missionaries get in the fire with a hard companion or area or whatever. They complain and ask to get moved and then President moves them and they miss out on what they could have been. But then there are some times that we are completely over our head and can do nothing but drown. That doesn't mean that the task isn't worth, it just means we need a different plan of attack. And as long as we keep all options open then the Lord tells us which one. Sorry I don't have any answers just mindless philosophy.
Love ya
The sisters are getting transferred. I don't know where they are going. They don't leave till tomorrow. They called me at 1230 last night about a cockroach in their apartment. They wanted us to drive across town to go and kill it. I was not happy and when I declined they were pretty upset.
I don't care where I get transferred or if I stayed. I will do what the lord wants but I am kind of am tired of the leadership minutia. But that is probably the lesson I have to learn so I guess I'll learn it.
I am going to learn my lessons through the constant stream of mistakes that I make. I feel the same way, always a different shade of the same problem. I am feeling it. I am trying to please everyone. I know some of the lessons I have to learn, and I have been taught them before, but I haven't learned them yet. That is how we are. Slow learners I have to be taught again and again until something clicks. I am waiting for the click in my life right now. But that is how it has always been for me especially in middle school. Just struggling through till it clicks. It's rough, really rough. But it is what turns coal into diamonds. There is a Mormon Message about that called Refiners Fire. Lots of missionaries get in the fire with a hard companion or area or whatever. They complain and ask to get moved and then President moves them and they miss out on what they could have been. But then there are some times that we are completely over our head and can do nothing but drown. That doesn't mean that the task isn't worth, it just means we need a different plan of attack. And as long as we keep all options open then the Lord tells us which one. Sorry I don't have any answers just mindless philosophy.
Love ya
Friday, April 10, 2015
FROM PH: 7 Minute Lessons
7 minute lessons
Sent Date: Monday, April 13, 2015
Author: President Hansen
Dear Elders and Sisters,
We have really enjoyed seeing most of you so (two more zone conferences this week) far in the last couple of weeks. I love what is happening in the mission with the shorter lessons. Remember, It is not about making the lessons shorter or about using the pamphlets to teach, it is really about having the investigators do the teaching. That is a trick that most of the missionaries have not quite mastered. Let's keep working on it in your companion study. In the lessons I have witnessed over the last two weeks, every time the missionary starts to explain the investigator checks out and you can see his or her interest level wain.
Never the less, this is the most amazing thing I have ever seen. I was with the Eunice missionaries on Saturday and watched a man who said he was not interested go to a commitment to be baptized in about 4 minutes. It was awesome.
Here are some letters you will enjoy:
------…and we just didn't have a good feeling. So we came out to this main road where a lot of people could see us. And so we cut back on another street and we had a great feeling of peace. And we were walking down and there was a guy sitting on his porch with his head down. So we headed over to him to contact him. And we started to talk to him about what we do and also started talking about the gospel. We started to teach the way that the mission department taught us to teach, and it was amazing. I have never had a more powerful lesson in my entire mission. He said that if he knew it was true for himself he would be baptized by someone holding this authority. We asked him to pray about what we had taught. And after his prayer he just kind of sat there and looked at us. He looked up and said, "You guys are the angels that I have been praying for, to help me out and guide my life."
------I absolutely loved what Brother Donaldson said about baptism and the temple. He said when we are baptized we covenant that "we are willing to take upon us the name of Christ or in other words, willing to make covenants with God. When we get a temple recommend, we are saying that we are doing those things that we had said we were willing to do at baptism". Never thought of it like that before. There is much, much more that I learned.
------We had a first lesson on Friday with a members referral. It was only about 15 minutes or so and she not only just prayed, but she accepted to be baptized! She had her prayer answered and she said she felt very peaceful. We have taught her once since then and did the Book of Mormon approach that we learned with helping her understand and learn the wording. She committed to read the whole thing in 2 weeks! She said that was the goal she wanted to make. I know this new teaching method is going to work. I am excited about it!
------Sarah got baptized last December. She use to say I don't believe in love, or I am lost at sea and I feel like I'm lost in darkness. Once the Light of Christ Brightened in her she realized God loved her and he rescued her from her never ending darkness. God and Jesus Christ are always there for us we just have to call out to them for help and look for the light in the distance. Sarah told me Sunday, I never knew God loved me this much, I feel him in my life, and I feel like since joining the Church, blessings have poured down from Heaven.
------We showed them all of the pictures and asked them what they (thought) and it really helped make it more of an awesome learning discussion than us just talking at them. In fact she said, "I feel like I am doing most of the talking here" the spirit could be felt really strong and she committed herself and her grandson to come to church and test it out. They also committed to pray and to read the Book of Mormon. It was an awesome experience. We also testified that President Monson was the modern day prophet of the whole world and she just couldn't believe that, and it was one of the most special moments on my mission when I got to look her in the eyes and say that I love and sustain him and know that he is God's prophet on the earth today. I love being a missionary!!
Sent Date: Monday, April 13, 2015
Author: President Hansen
Dear Elders and Sisters,
We have really enjoyed seeing most of you so (two more zone conferences this week) far in the last couple of weeks. I love what is happening in the mission with the shorter lessons. Remember, It is not about making the lessons shorter or about using the pamphlets to teach, it is really about having the investigators do the teaching. That is a trick that most of the missionaries have not quite mastered. Let's keep working on it in your companion study. In the lessons I have witnessed over the last two weeks, every time the missionary starts to explain the investigator checks out and you can see his or her interest level wain.
Never the less, this is the most amazing thing I have ever seen. I was with the Eunice missionaries on Saturday and watched a man who said he was not interested go to a commitment to be baptized in about 4 minutes. It was awesome.
Here are some letters you will enjoy:
------…and we just didn't have a good feeling. So we came out to this main road where a lot of people could see us. And so we cut back on another street and we had a great feeling of peace. And we were walking down and there was a guy sitting on his porch with his head down. So we headed over to him to contact him. And we started to talk to him about what we do and also started talking about the gospel. We started to teach the way that the mission department taught us to teach, and it was amazing. I have never had a more powerful lesson in my entire mission. He said that if he knew it was true for himself he would be baptized by someone holding this authority. We asked him to pray about what we had taught. And after his prayer he just kind of sat there and looked at us. He looked up and said, "You guys are the angels that I have been praying for, to help me out and guide my life."
------I absolutely loved what Brother Donaldson said about baptism and the temple. He said when we are baptized we covenant that "we are willing to take upon us the name of Christ or in other words, willing to make covenants with God. When we get a temple recommend, we are saying that we are doing those things that we had said we were willing to do at baptism". Never thought of it like that before. There is much, much more that I learned.
------We had a first lesson on Friday with a members referral. It was only about 15 minutes or so and she not only just prayed, but she accepted to be baptized! She had her prayer answered and she said she felt very peaceful. We have taught her once since then and did the Book of Mormon approach that we learned with helping her understand and learn the wording. She committed to read the whole thing in 2 weeks! She said that was the goal she wanted to make. I know this new teaching method is going to work. I am excited about it!
------Sarah got baptized last December. She use to say I don't believe in love, or I am lost at sea and I feel like I'm lost in darkness. Once the Light of Christ Brightened in her she realized God loved her and he rescued her from her never ending darkness. God and Jesus Christ are always there for us we just have to call out to them for help and look for the light in the distance. Sarah told me Sunday, I never knew God loved me this much, I feel him in my life, and I feel like since joining the Church, blessings have poured down from Heaven.
------We showed them all of the pictures and asked them what they (thought) and it really helped make it more of an awesome learning discussion than us just talking at them. In fact she said, "I feel like I am doing most of the talking here" the spirit could be felt really strong and she committed herself and her grandson to come to church and test it out. They also committed to pray and to read the Book of Mormon. It was an awesome experience. We also testified that President Monson was the modern day prophet of the whole world and she just couldn't believe that, and it was one of the most special moments on my mission when I got to look her in the eyes and say that I love and sustain him and know that he is God's prophet on the earth today. I love being a missionary!!
Monday, April 6, 2015
Amazing General Conference
Weekly Letter - 06 Apr 2015
Sent Date: Monday, April 6, 2015
Author: Andrews, Zachary Jacob
General Conference was so amazing.... except for that one part.. The messages were so inspiring. I loved it all. One thing that I learned and thought was amazingly relevant in my life right now was the call to raise the bar for young single adults. Man it seems like they always raise the bar right before i get to that stage. Anyway some of my favorite talks talked about the Atonement. The Atonement is something that i have really grown to appreciate. I have learn an appreciation for my Savior that nothing will ever take away from me. I am so grateful for the chance i have to repent it is so amazing cause i make so many mistakes. SO MANY. But just like in the story that Elder Holand told we jump and he catches us all we have to do is be brave and take the only option left to us JUMP!
This week is good I went on two exchanges, one with Elder Mcmurry from Houma we had some good times walking around talking to people I really learned a lot from him. The exchange was really effective cause he didn't feel like he could tell his Zone Leaders anything and I had the opportunity to say "No i am here for you to help you to support you." We talked to this one guy that was super interested but of course he lived in a different area so those missionaries got a referral. Golden Refferal might i add. Then right after that we started an exchange with Morgan City so Elder Page and i got to work together and that was awesome. Elder Page is an amazing missionary one of the best in the mission and his work with Elder Karn is amazing he has helped him so much. It is astonishing to me the good he has brought about in that Elders life. Life is so awesome church is so true. I just hope i can use the Atonement everyday for the rest of my life. The desire of my heart is to follow the words of the Prophets and Apostles, Cause despite what others think THEY ARE CALLED OF GOD! How awesome is it that we have someone with the authority to say "Thus saith the LORD" best thing a dumb kid from Draper Utah could ask for.
Love ya,
Elder Andrews
PS I took care of the Clerks office issue. I talked to President Garcia about it and he just said missionaries are not allowed in the clerks office so there. I will see who has the keys and ask them to return them to their bishop or Branch President.
Thank you so much for all that you do. Let me know how I can help you.
Sent Date: Friday, April 10, 2015
Author: President Hansen
Thanks.
Sent Date: Monday, April 6, 2015
Author: Andrews, Zachary Jacob
General Conference was so amazing.... except for that one part.. The messages were so inspiring. I loved it all. One thing that I learned and thought was amazingly relevant in my life right now was the call to raise the bar for young single adults. Man it seems like they always raise the bar right before i get to that stage. Anyway some of my favorite talks talked about the Atonement. The Atonement is something that i have really grown to appreciate. I have learn an appreciation for my Savior that nothing will ever take away from me. I am so grateful for the chance i have to repent it is so amazing cause i make so many mistakes. SO MANY. But just like in the story that Elder Holand told we jump and he catches us all we have to do is be brave and take the only option left to us JUMP!
This week is good I went on two exchanges, one with Elder Mcmurry from Houma we had some good times walking around talking to people I really learned a lot from him. The exchange was really effective cause he didn't feel like he could tell his Zone Leaders anything and I had the opportunity to say "No i am here for you to help you to support you." We talked to this one guy that was super interested but of course he lived in a different area so those missionaries got a referral. Golden Refferal might i add. Then right after that we started an exchange with Morgan City so Elder Page and i got to work together and that was awesome. Elder Page is an amazing missionary one of the best in the mission and his work with Elder Karn is amazing he has helped him so much. It is astonishing to me the good he has brought about in that Elders life. Life is so awesome church is so true. I just hope i can use the Atonement everyday for the rest of my life. The desire of my heart is to follow the words of the Prophets and Apostles, Cause despite what others think THEY ARE CALLED OF GOD! How awesome is it that we have someone with the authority to say "Thus saith the LORD" best thing a dumb kid from Draper Utah could ask for.
Love ya,
Elder Andrews
PS I took care of the Clerks office issue. I talked to President Garcia about it and he just said missionaries are not allowed in the clerks office so there. I will see who has the keys and ask them to return them to their bishop or Branch President.
Thank you so much for all that you do. Let me know how I can help you.
Sent Date: Friday, April 10, 2015
Author: President Hansen
Thanks.
Monday, March 30, 2015
FROM PH: Desks and Telephoning
Recent training from SLC
Sent Date: Saturday, April 4, 2015
Author: President Hansen
Dear Sisters and Elders,
Many of you were able to attend the training in Denham Springs. It was such a revelatory experience for me. I hope you all are still digesting your notes and changing your old habits to reflect the new direction that we are going.
Many of the instructions dealt with details like which way our desks were oriented, and others dealt with major things like, how do we teach the discussions. I would like to have all of you help spread this information to the rest of the mission. This is how we will do it: At the Zone Conferences that will be held over the next two weeks we will present this material and do some demonstrations for the other missionaries. Please, practice all these techniques: presenting the Book of Mormon to investigators, Teaching with the pamphlets "what do you see?", helping people to repent by asking "will you" questions, watching the District as game film, how to use member present experiences, how to plan and use Area Books, getting investigators to pray at the end of the Restoration Lesson, short lessons, etc.
If you will all try to make these principles habits that you can demonstrate we will have a successful roll out.
Thanks for all you are doing to build the Kingdom.
Love,
President Hansen
Telephoning
Sent Date: Monday, March 30, 2015
Author: President Hansen
Dear Sisters and Elders,
I am always so grateful for the desires of the missionaries to obey every rule with exactness. You are a marvelous group of missionaries that I wouldn't trade for any other group in the world. I love you for your willingness to comply in every way.
I wanted to clarify the telephone policy in two minor ways: 1) Sisters can report to the District leaders at any time. Please keep the calls professional and to the point, 2) Elders and sisters in the same area can call to coordinate visits, etc., with the same limitations.
Thank you for following these principles, letter and spirit. I promise great blessings come with obedience to these and other minor principles. see Matt 5:19 19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Sent Date: Saturday, April 4, 2015
Author: President Hansen
Dear Sisters and Elders,
Many of you were able to attend the training in Denham Springs. It was such a revelatory experience for me. I hope you all are still digesting your notes and changing your old habits to reflect the new direction that we are going.
Many of the instructions dealt with details like which way our desks were oriented, and others dealt with major things like, how do we teach the discussions. I would like to have all of you help spread this information to the rest of the mission. This is how we will do it: At the Zone Conferences that will be held over the next two weeks we will present this material and do some demonstrations for the other missionaries. Please, practice all these techniques: presenting the Book of Mormon to investigators, Teaching with the pamphlets "what do you see?", helping people to repent by asking "will you" questions, watching the District as game film, how to use member present experiences, how to plan and use Area Books, getting investigators to pray at the end of the Restoration Lesson, short lessons, etc.
If you will all try to make these principles habits that you can demonstrate we will have a successful roll out.
Thanks for all you are doing to build the Kingdom.
Love,
President Hansen
Telephoning
Sent Date: Monday, March 30, 2015
Author: President Hansen
Dear Sisters and Elders,
I am always so grateful for the desires of the missionaries to obey every rule with exactness. You are a marvelous group of missionaries that I wouldn't trade for any other group in the world. I love you for your willingness to comply in every way.
I wanted to clarify the telephone policy in two minor ways: 1) Sisters can report to the District leaders at any time. Please keep the calls professional and to the point, 2) Elders and sisters in the same area can call to coordinate visits, etc., with the same limitations.
Thank you for following these principles, letter and spirit. I promise great blessings come with obedience to these and other minor principles. see Matt 5:19 19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Saturday, March 21, 2015
FROM PH: Shameless Flirting (It's a bad thing)
Elder-Sister Sister-Elder phone calls
Sent Date: Saturday, March 21, 2015
Author: President Hansen
Dear Elders and Sisters,
I am so proud of each of you. I know how hard it has been for you to have faith to find and to open your mouths to everyone. As I said in the transfer meeting the results of this effort have been breathtaking. We have tripled our baptisms and confirmations from just a couple of months back. Tripled our new investigators and quadrupled our contacts found since we started tracking those. That is spectacular. The thing I love most is reading the letters that proclaim the joy of tracting and finding.
I feel like we can still improve. If just a few more missionaries get on the finding crusade we could triple the number of baptisms again. That would make or mission very respectable in the Southeastern US Area. Three contacts a day per companionship and a half hour of tracting per day would work miracles.
One other thing I feel we need to change in the mission is the flirting that has become much more open and I hesitate to say, shameless. It is a real problem. As in all of these issues most missionaries are doing just fine, but there are so many cases that we need to deal with it for the whole mission. I feel like the missionaries who are here to serve the Lord should not be flirting with other missionaries. Let's stop this right now. We get the bills from Sprint every month and I see the number of calls from missionaries to other missionaries, frequently elders to sisters or vice versa. The bill also shows us the time of the calls and the length of the calls and I am frankly embarrassed for you. We are going to continue to monitor these calls and if the opposite gender calls don't stop, I will have to take other measures to curb the flirtations. (like no combined elder sister P-days????? or blocking calls, etc.) Elder to elder and sister to sister calls should be kept to a minimum as well, and should be only to deal with investigator and work issues, not for social calls and nothing after 10:30.
NO ELDER-SISTER CALLS. The only exceptions will be to ask for a blessing in times of need (to Zone Leaders only) and to report numbers( to District Leaders only). In both of these cases the calls will obviously need to be just a minute or two in duration. For other issues, sisters can call the Sister Training Leaders or the Assistants. Call me or Sister Hansen anytime day or night. I will never feel bad about you calling me.
Let's look for joy in our missions in doing the work of the Lord and not in things that detract from the work. I love you all. Please take this in the way it is meant, to move the work of God forward so that we love the experience of being the Lord's servants, so that we love being dedicated to the greatest cause ever.
Sent Date: Saturday, March 21, 2015
Author: President Hansen
Dear Elders and Sisters,
I am so proud of each of you. I know how hard it has been for you to have faith to find and to open your mouths to everyone. As I said in the transfer meeting the results of this effort have been breathtaking. We have tripled our baptisms and confirmations from just a couple of months back. Tripled our new investigators and quadrupled our contacts found since we started tracking those. That is spectacular. The thing I love most is reading the letters that proclaim the joy of tracting and finding.
I feel like we can still improve. If just a few more missionaries get on the finding crusade we could triple the number of baptisms again. That would make or mission very respectable in the Southeastern US Area. Three contacts a day per companionship and a half hour of tracting per day would work miracles.
One other thing I feel we need to change in the mission is the flirting that has become much more open and I hesitate to say, shameless. It is a real problem. As in all of these issues most missionaries are doing just fine, but there are so many cases that we need to deal with it for the whole mission. I feel like the missionaries who are here to serve the Lord should not be flirting with other missionaries. Let's stop this right now. We get the bills from Sprint every month and I see the number of calls from missionaries to other missionaries, frequently elders to sisters or vice versa. The bill also shows us the time of the calls and the length of the calls and I am frankly embarrassed for you. We are going to continue to monitor these calls and if the opposite gender calls don't stop, I will have to take other measures to curb the flirtations. (like no combined elder sister P-days????? or blocking calls, etc.) Elder to elder and sister to sister calls should be kept to a minimum as well, and should be only to deal with investigator and work issues, not for social calls and nothing after 10:30.
NO ELDER-SISTER CALLS. The only exceptions will be to ask for a blessing in times of need (to Zone Leaders only) and to report numbers( to District Leaders only). In both of these cases the calls will obviously need to be just a minute or two in duration. For other issues, sisters can call the Sister Training Leaders or the Assistants. Call me or Sister Hansen anytime day or night. I will never feel bad about you calling me.
Let's look for joy in our missions in doing the work of the Lord and not in things that detract from the work. I love you all. Please take this in the way it is meant, to move the work of God forward so that we love the experience of being the Lord's servants, so that we love being dedicated to the greatest cause ever.
Tuesday, March 17, 2015
Sorry to Wake You Up
Weekly Letter - 17 Mar 2015
Sent Date: Tuesday, March 17, 2015
Author: Andrews, Zachary Jacob President,
First of all sorry that we woke you up last night for that unimportant concern. They were absolutely losing their minds on the phone. But none the less it was a simple call and i didn't make it. I am excited for this new transfer and all the new lessons and struggles that it will bring. Everything is good and we will work as hard as we can to find more and to do better.
Love ya, thanks for all you do!
Elder Andrews
Sent Date: Friday, March 20, 2015
Author: President Hansen I am always happy to be called.
Let's keep our missionaries in their areas working as much as is possible. As leaders, lets try to keep them from finding ways to not be productive
Sent Date: Tuesday, March 17, 2015
Author: Andrews, Zachary Jacob President,
First of all sorry that we woke you up last night for that unimportant concern. They were absolutely losing their minds on the phone. But none the less it was a simple call and i didn't make it. I am excited for this new transfer and all the new lessons and struggles that it will bring. Everything is good and we will work as hard as we can to find more and to do better.
Love ya, thanks for all you do!
Elder Andrews
Sent Date: Friday, March 20, 2015
Author: President Hansen I am always happy to be called.
Let's keep our missionaries in their areas working as much as is possible. As leaders, lets try to keep them from finding ways to not be productive
Sunday, March 15, 2015
FROM PH: Finding Finding
Finding, finding and finding
Sent Date: Sunday, March 15, 2015
Author: President Hansen
Dear Elders and Sisters,
Since the mission has caught finding fever, I thought I would share some of the miracles that have been taking place. I think it was Elder Halstrom who said, "faith to find means; go and find." Thanks for all your faith and hard work this week. We are teaching lots more lessons to lots more investigators and having more baptisms and confirmations. "The field is white..."
From your letters:
------we had a referral that just wanted a bible, so we took it to her and we were able to teach her the restoration. When were about done teaching I said, "don't you think it is pretty important to know that Joseph Smith was a true prophet?" and she said, "well yes". So I dropped to my knees and said, "lets pray about it" and everyone got on their knees and we went around the circle and everyone offers up their own prayer to know the truthfulness of Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon and when we got to the lady who was the last one to pray got done praying, we just sat there and the spirit was so strong at that point, she lifted up her head and said, "I feel the spirit" and I explained to her that was Heavenly Father testifying to her that everything we taught them was true and she was super excited!
-------This week has been really great! We found 6 new investigators... We went and sat down by a lady with a small son and then soon, she said that we actually stopped by her house months ago and that she is interested. We are seeing her this week. Then we went to a Black History Celebration with one of our investigators moms. His mom called us up to speak last minute so we were able to bear our testimony and talk about our church in front of a group during this celebration. After the celebration a lot of people came up to us and were interested in learning more. I know God is preparing those for us to teach.
------We had 19 lessons this week which is a record for both of us and it just encouraged us to be even better this week. We know we can hit 20 or more and we have the desire to do so and to find more people. I'm so excited!
------We are teaching almost a whole apartment complex which started out as us conversing with people outside their apartment. Then, they would invite their neighbors over to listen. Its awesome!
------The miracle that topped it off for me this week was counting our numbers at the end of the week. I've never been so close to accomplishing such high goals on my mission. I've never had this many progressing investigators, never seen this many people at church, never had this many people with a baptismal date, and I've never taught this many lessons. We taught 16 lessons without teaching any members and that is the most lessons I've ever taught in this area. We have even more coming as well which is so amazing and I can't believe how blessed we have been.
Sent Date: Sunday, March 15, 2015
Author: President Hansen
Dear Elders and Sisters,
Since the mission has caught finding fever, I thought I would share some of the miracles that have been taking place. I think it was Elder Halstrom who said, "faith to find means; go and find." Thanks for all your faith and hard work this week. We are teaching lots more lessons to lots more investigators and having more baptisms and confirmations. "The field is white..."
From your letters:
------we had a referral that just wanted a bible, so we took it to her and we were able to teach her the restoration. When were about done teaching I said, "don't you think it is pretty important to know that Joseph Smith was a true prophet?" and she said, "well yes". So I dropped to my knees and said, "lets pray about it" and everyone got on their knees and we went around the circle and everyone offers up their own prayer to know the truthfulness of Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon and when we got to the lady who was the last one to pray got done praying, we just sat there and the spirit was so strong at that point, she lifted up her head and said, "I feel the spirit" and I explained to her that was Heavenly Father testifying to her that everything we taught them was true and she was super excited!
-------This week has been really great! We found 6 new investigators... We went and sat down by a lady with a small son and then soon, she said that we actually stopped by her house months ago and that she is interested. We are seeing her this week. Then we went to a Black History Celebration with one of our investigators moms. His mom called us up to speak last minute so we were able to bear our testimony and talk about our church in front of a group during this celebration. After the celebration a lot of people came up to us and were interested in learning more. I know God is preparing those for us to teach.
------We had 19 lessons this week which is a record for both of us and it just encouraged us to be even better this week. We know we can hit 20 or more and we have the desire to do so and to find more people. I'm so excited!
------We are teaching almost a whole apartment complex which started out as us conversing with people outside their apartment. Then, they would invite their neighbors over to listen. Its awesome!
------The miracle that topped it off for me this week was counting our numbers at the end of the week. I've never been so close to accomplishing such high goals on my mission. I've never had this many progressing investigators, never seen this many people at church, never had this many people with a baptismal date, and I've never taught this many lessons. We taught 16 lessons without teaching any members and that is the most lessons I've ever taught in this area. We have even more coming as well which is so amazing and I can't believe how blessed we have been.
Monday, March 9, 2015
This week...who cares my brother is going on HIS MISSION TO CHILE!!!!!
I just watched Nathan opening his call and I just cried like a little baby just then..... WOW that is amazing!!
Sorry I didn't mean to do that [not write for 3 weeks]. I am doing well. We have spent a lot of time tracting and talking to people. It was so much fun. The thing about tracting is that it sucks for the first 3 houses then it is super fun. We finally got in contact with a bunch of PI's; it was a super good week. We also had MLC and then ZTM after that and it was like my 7th ZTM. I really like my Zone they are the freaking best. But my life is good. I am learning so many things and guess what, when you are on the other side of the country my mom is still right about everything. And I still think she is not until I'm proven wrong, every time.
I don't know what stories I have. I don't think I have any. But this week I interviewed two people for baptism. One of them we had to go to Baton Rouge to interview a Spanish guy up there. He passed with flying colors. That was awesome. The spirit was super strong and told me that he was ready as he does on all the people that i have interviewed...except one. But I interviewed him again this week and he passed! It was super amazing to see the difference in the spirit.
We have this less-active family that we have been working with the whole time I have been here and they are awesome. They have been coming back to church. They love us and it is super fun. They have been doing all the right things. It just shows me the power of the spirit cause we have showed up testified with the spirit and then the spirit works on them until they do the right thing.
I am comps with Elder Walker. Hale is in the district. I really like this President, he does a good job. Sometimes I don't get everything he does but I really like him and how he runs things. He really does stuff well.
We also did and instruction on Focus last Friday. I dipped into the knowledge of art that you gave me and had them look at a picture of Jesus, like the one on PMG, and then squint their eyes and ask them what they saw. They all said it was Jesus. It was cool.
Love y'all
Elder Andrews
All Better, Thanks!
Weekly Letter - 09 Mar 2015
Sent Date: Monday, March 9, 2015
Author: Andrews, Zachary Jacob President,
I just want to start out by saying thanks for all that you did for me this week. I was really kinda having a hard time on Monday, when I sent that email. Then your call helped me to get over it and try my very best to do my duty as a missionary.
But this week I interviewed two people for Baptism. One of them we had to go to Baton Rouge to interview a Spanish guy, Elder Drollingers investigators, up there. He passed with flying colors. That was awesome the spirit was super strong and told me that he was ready as he does on all the people that i have interviewed... except one but I interviewed him again this week and he passed! It was super amazing to see the difference in the spirit.
We have this Less active family that we have been working with this whole time I have been here and they are awesome, they have been coming back to church. They love us it is super fun. They have been doing all the right things. It just shows me the power of the Spirit cause we have showed up testified with the spirit and then the spirit works on them until they do the right thing. Elder Walker really likes them, he kinda taught them when he was here getting trained and for a while after that
The Zone is doing good a few minor problems but just enough to keep life interesting. Me and my companion are doing really well we work really well together. He is a good guy. He is kinda sick of the Drama in our ward, I mean he has been here for 7 transfers. Crazy. The Zone is awesome i love it!
Did you find out about the the whole Confirmation thing?
Thanks President!
Love,
Elder Andrews
Sent Date: Monday, March 9, 2015
Author: Andrews, Zachary Jacob President,
I just want to start out by saying thanks for all that you did for me this week. I was really kinda having a hard time on Monday, when I sent that email. Then your call helped me to get over it and try my very best to do my duty as a missionary.
But this week I interviewed two people for Baptism. One of them we had to go to Baton Rouge to interview a Spanish guy, Elder Drollingers investigators, up there. He passed with flying colors. That was awesome the spirit was super strong and told me that he was ready as he does on all the people that i have interviewed... except one but I interviewed him again this week and he passed! It was super amazing to see the difference in the spirit.
We have this Less active family that we have been working with this whole time I have been here and they are awesome, they have been coming back to church. They love us it is super fun. They have been doing all the right things. It just shows me the power of the Spirit cause we have showed up testified with the spirit and then the spirit works on them until they do the right thing. Elder Walker really likes them, he kinda taught them when he was here getting trained and for a while after that
The Zone is doing good a few minor problems but just enough to keep life interesting. Me and my companion are doing really well we work really well together. He is a good guy. He is kinda sick of the Drama in our ward, I mean he has been here for 7 transfers. Crazy. The Zone is awesome i love it!
Did you find out about the the whole Confirmation thing?
Thanks President!
Love,
Elder Andrews
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