This week was another busy one. I don't think we will ever have a non busy week for this transfer. But Im down with that. It is so much fun here in Rhode Island. We have lots of members who come out with us and quite a few investigators so what more can you ask for? Plus the weather has been Deece.(decent.) We had zone conference this week and Elder W and i had to come up with a 20 min training that we could do 3 times -once for each zone that was in attendance. So We wanted to do something that would be "outside of the box" and creative and exciting and really make a point. So we did. Our assigned topic was "Our Purpose" with a focus on baptismal invitations (inviting people to be baptized). So the way Elder W does trainings or talks or whatever, he thinks of something awesome to do and then builds off of it and makes it all connect. So the first thing that comes to his head is that he wants to break something with our 35lb dumbell. And from there we created our training.
So we get to zone conference and I
really don't remember much of what went on cuz i was thinking about our
training.... No im just kidding, the stake president of the Boston Stake came
and talked to us about how we can better work with members. Anyways to our
training. We have it set up so Elder W and I are sitting across from each
other with a small glass vase in between us on the ground. We do a roleplay of
wrapping up a lesson and give committments but we don't extend a baptismal
commitment. Then we stop and talk about it with the zone and they tell us what
we could improve on and some mentioned inviting them to be baptized. So we did
the exact same thing but invited them to be baptized and right when we said
"will you be baptized" Elder W dropped the 35lb dumbell on the poor
defenseless vase and it shattered. BOOM! Ya that caught everyone's attention
hahaha.(and yes we did it 3 separate times :) We then talked about how we
should be excited to invite people to baptism and everything we teach should be
leading up to baptism aka the climax. It is our focal point and even if we
don't invite people to be baptized in the lessons, we should be focusing on
baptism. (just so you know we are told by the apostles and prophet and mission
president to invite people to be baptized on the first lesson we have with
investigators- Ya crazy huh? And so alot of missionaries are scared to do it
every time, including me sometimes but its what we got to do. But of course we
follow the spirit and if it doesn't feel right then of course we don't do it.)
It went really well and President and Sister Evans LOVED it! hahaha They told
us it will be one not easily forgotten haha. Cool huh?We have not had the chance to do much cambodian work yet in the area because we have been so wrapped up in the english side of things but this week we have goals to find a new cambodian investigator. In the mean time, Elder W and I try to speak in cambodian alot but its hard to stay in it when you are driving with members which we do alot. But there is definite room for improvement haha. We listen to talks in Khmae a ton and same with in spanish. You see, M W F are spanish days and T TH S are Khmae days and so we try to speak and listen in those languages on those days. My spanish is coming along... slowly but its good.
Our zone is doing really well. We are leading the mission in baptisms. I think we've had like 5 in the last 3 weeks or so. I've been able to do just 1 interview for baptism so far here, so that makes 2 total. But there are alot coming up in the coming weeks to be split between Elder W and I so thats exciting. Our zone is just really solid. I still don't know everyone very well but we are working on that with doing exchanges about once a week. We drive a ton. I thought i drove alot in Revere but here its like twice the driving. Our zone is so spread out so its like an hour or so to most of the missionaries in our zone. But I love driving. Especially freeway driving.
Also, C did get baptized this week! She is the most legit
investigator i've ever seen. You got to see it when her and her husband tell us
about what they read in the book of mormon. They also came teaching with us
this week and were so awesome to have at the lesson. Anyways the baptism was
awesome! Her husband did the baptizing and it was just so special.
They were ecstatic before and after the baptism. Its so cool seeing people so
happy about the changes they are making in their lives. They are going to be
such strong members of the church and I believe they will be the means of
bringing many people unto Christ and this church. We also flooded the
church.... but thats a long story and not necessarily our fault :).... ya i
thought about telling you the story but it will take too long. But just know
that everything ended out ok and It was a memorable experience :) Well I love you all! Happy Birthday Dad and Grandpa J! TTFN Ta Ta For Now :)
Love,
Elder Brady
Johnson
www.utlm.org
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