Monday, November 14, 2011

Long Days...Short weeks - Nov 14th

Wow it is already Monday.  It seems like this last week flew by.  But that’s what happens I guess when you teach a bunch of lessons.  This past week we taught 14 lessons with members present.  1 less than last week but we taught a few lessons to kids who were 7 or 8 that we don’t get to count cause they are in a family who is active in the church, so in all we taught more lessons than last week.  We didn’t have a baptism this weekend but next weekend we have a family of 3 and then another family of 2! YAYYYY!!!! That’s 5 baptisms!  I counted up last night how many lessons I have taught over the 3 weeks I have been here and its around 51.... crazy!! 

We were able to teach the investigator we met last week in a sacrament meeting.  It was great!  She understood what missionaries did and what our purpose was.  I asked her if she would be baptized and she said “Yes” without hesitation.  Then I asked her if she would prepare herself for Nov. 26th and she was surprised I said a date so quick, but she said yes!  Whoo hoo!  I'm so excited! 

On Wednesday we had dinner at this family’s house and they reminded me so much of you guys!  The wife was just like you mom! So kind and the dad is funny like dad!  It was nice to meet them.  Then on Thursday we had dinner at a couple’s house who just got back 3 or 4 months ago from serving a senior mission.  He was a mission president, I got nervous!  Then we asked if there was a time we could have our companionship study at their house so we could do some Role-Plays of teaching lessons with them and they said yes anytime they would love it!  That’s going to be my secret weapon to becoming a fabulous missionary, everyone in our mission will wonder how we got so good!  Elder Gomes said that he reminded him of our mission president, which is good because then we will be the best teachers in our mission!  Then Friday I had dinner at the Metcalfs! They moved from Seattle like 10 years ago!  They used to live by UW!  Crazy!  They know the Nelson's too!!!!! We talked about Luke and then because she is good friends with Julie Nelson, so she said she was going to email her and tell her about meeting me!

We started teaching this boy who is 7 this week, his names Peyton.  He is autistic also.  The Lord keeps putting them in my path!  And he is so funny!  He knows so much about church already but learns better in a quiet 1 on 1 environment so we are teaching him so he can be baptized either next month or in January for his birthday.  Here they do it differently since they have so many kids that get baptized each month.  The stake holds one day a month where the kids who will be baptized that month all do it on Saturday morning together one after another. 

Last week they started playing Christmas Music on Tuesday the 1st of November here!!!! :) It is great because they play it all day everyday on this radio station so we listen to it all the time in the car.  I am on a hunt today for Eggnog!  That’s my goal at the store today to find! I love Christmas time!  And it’s not even Thanksgiving yet.

This week we were on our way to our Zone Conference with about 1/4 of the missionaries in our mission.  We were stopped at a red light, and a lady rear ended us.  We were stopped for a good 30 seconds.  Luckily she only hit our trailer hitch and left a tiny scrape on one side of our bumper.  She felt bad but it was broad day light out!  We didn't get hurt though which is good!  It felt like she stepped on the break but not hard enough so she just hit us going maybe 5 to 10 miles an hour.  I was frustrated though because our mission vehicle guy wasn't answering his phone and so we got her info and left because we were going to be late and we called our District leaders and they told the Zone leaders who told the President.  So he asked us if we were ok in front of everyone!  I was embarrassed even though it wasn't our fault at all.  Utah Drivers... J

This week flew by and it’s weird to think I have been gone 6, almost 7 weeks.  That’s so fast!  I love and miss you guys.  I think about you all the time and hope you’re doing well.

Love,

Elder Willis

Quote of the week:  Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass, its about learning to dance in the rain!

2 comments:

  1. So glad things are going well for you. I know you're working hard.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I have so enjoyed reading your letters home! What a great missionary and example you are! The people in your area are blessed to have you, and you are blessed to have them. Sounds like you are learning a lot and making the BEST of every situation - good for you!! Thank you for serving Elder Willis!

    ReplyDelete