Flat Tires, Historic Transfers, Sickness, Service and Sleeping

So for this week we had transfers, as we all know, and this definitely was different from the very get go. Apart from the fact that we will be having split up the zone leaders in placing them in different companionships.

To start out, as we were leaving the transfer building, there was a sister companionship being doubled into our zone.  So the vehicle coordinator decided to be kind in giving them a car.  However, as soon as we pulled out of the parking lot, we found after driving for only about 2-5min, they were no longer behind us...  We called them on the phone right before we were getting ready to go on the freeway and found out that they got a flat tire.  President must've known that was going to happen when he said "Zone leaders, make sure you take care of my sisters and that they get situated and taken care of"  sometimes it works out a little to well with simplicity of comments such as those and the complexity required to fulfill them.

After we were able to change out the tire for a spare, we took it to the mission office and shoved everything into the other car we had and went on our way back to the zone.  The day was not over.  

Coming back to the zone we had to move that double in into a an apartment with two other sisters, (they only have only one bathroom, I have not idea how they are going to figure that out, it may require a lot of "setting goals and making plans" PMG ch8, weekly planning) and we had about 2 sets of bunkbeds and 3-4 single beds to move around to accommodate other changes in the zone. So we saved that for the next day.  Turns out, the first apartment we had brought the bed to, already 2 extra beds for the other companionship moving in with them! (I bonked myself on the head for that one, I knew they had 4 missionaries in that apartment before, but it had completely left my mind on the possibility of the beds not being moved anywhere. der!)  In the end we only had to move 2 sets of bunkbeds. Much less than expected.

Just as this was happening,  I picked up a friend in the process.  

About a week and a half ago we got our flu shots, some elders had gotten sick, and they were so kind and full of the wish to give, that they just had to give me it as well.  Lets just say the next few days weren't the best.

First night my nose was stuffed and running, my retainer that night gave me a headache, so I didn't really fall asleep.  So around 12:30am, I woke up, took out my retainer, popped in 3 Ibuprofen, a zyrtec and a pseudophedrine, and then put on a jacket and pj pants. I was asleep in about 10 min after that.  The next few days were under control, but we didn't do much. Except for a giant service project that almost the whole mission in the valley is involved in, which only happens once a year, and me and Elder Sperry were kinda the ones helping organize the missionaries for the event.  So we went and painted, which was super fun, and I was able to strategize it to where I stayed in the shade for most of the time, but my voice was like a motorcycle by the end. (I did exaggerate a little, but it was fun)  All in all it was super fun and being here in the Estrella ward now I am super excited for the potential that this ward has.  It is what we would call a very solid Phase 2 ward and it is not to far from being in Phase 3.

Basically it is broken up like this,

1. This phase is where the missionaries do all of the finding, teaching, and baptizing.  This is with no help from the ward.  Mission-wide, this would yield about 30 baptisms/mo.
2. This is where the members help the missionaries.  The members are typically more involved in the teaching and feeding the missionaries really yummy dinners, but not as much of doing their own missionary work.  They basically are the chauffeurs, and sit in on lessons.  Mission wide this would yeild about 120 baptisms, not bad, but not the best.
3. Can you guess what the last one is?  This is by far the most effective and the longest lasting, which is because of the nature of this phase.  As Elder Foster of the First Quorum of the Seventy, who spoke in the most recent October 2015 General Conference, put it, phase 3 is where the missionaries help the members in their missionary work (the flip flop of phase 2, in other words the change in roles).  If the full time missionaries and members became experts in this focus, the Mission-wide average baptisms per month would be about 400.  Yes, you read that correctly 400 baptisms.  FOUR HUNDRED, CUARTO CIENTOS, what other languages would you like for this to be clear....??!!  

It basically comes down to the idea that the members are the full-time finders and the ones that prepare people to receive the gospel, and the missionaries are the full time teachers.  In that the members still being involved in the entire process till even beyond being baptized and going through the temple, being their lifelong support.  The members are the greatest key in missionary work for every phase of the work.

After the paint (West Maricopa Zone for this house)

Elder Elliot (left) and Elder Hepler (right)

Before the paint (West Maricopa Zone for this house with Estrella members)

We had about 100 missionaries at this project!!

🌅 Elder Nathan Benson 🌅

Ward's excitement growing for missionary work.

Hola!!

This past week has been fun to see the ward pick up.  To start, the area had been without a baptism for more than 8 months and the member support was pretty good.  However, it had been only support from a few strong members and the rest was slowly going downhill.  

We worked hard.  We put in a lot of effort to plan well, to work well with our members, and find investigators.  We had some success in working with investigators every now and then, but none really progressed beyond the first 2-3 lessons.  As we worked with the members and strengthened relationships while also working closely with the less actives, we found that members were getting more animated and excited to go out and work with us.  When Elder Sperry and Tamayo came into the ward, along with Hermana Arygle and Zelaya, the bishop started being much more friendly with us as missionaries.

Over time we saw growth little by little and the relationships developed well. The ward mission plan was created to get the ward motivated to do missionary work beyond just going out with the missionaries.  The points of the ward mission plan were inspired including: 1) Pray for missionary opportunities daily and 2) Read the Book of Mormon at least 10 min every day.  This idea came from one of my uncles that served in Spain.  Long story short, a growing ward had to move to another location to attend in another building which was about an hour drive.  Very little were attending.  So after discussing with the bishop, they invited every member to pray to have the Spirit and to read from the Book of Mormon daily.  Shortly after, the attendance in sacrament meeting easily doubled or tripled within a month.

We presented this plan to our bishop and he gobbled it up.  The next sacrament meeting he announced it to the whole ward without telling us that he would do it.  Since then he has been on fire.  He has begun to make more visits with members of the ward and asking us to perform at a higher level and he is willing to take on new things, (projects, activities, etc) to improve the work.

Now the ward has a super cool card/poster that is going to excite everyone.  

I now am on my way to my next ward. It's funny because I have only moved to neighboring wards.  In about 10 min I could go from this next area through my current one, to the one I first served in.  I am only serving neighborhoods.  Not an entire mission ;)

Elder Benson