Ive had a really good last week!
Wednesday we had a zone meeting in Prattville. Montgomery Zone is the lowest baptizing zone in the mission, so the assistants came and basically told us to step it up. The south itself is a historically lower baptizing area than the rest of the world, but over the last 10 years all of the southern missions have seen dramatic increases in baptisms. Except the Alabama Birmingham Mission. But now we are experiencing that growth. The mission had a record of baptisms last month and we are definitley moving in the right direction. President Holzapfel is an amazing man, who I wouldn't be suprised to see on the General Authority chart in the next year or two, no joke. He is definitley leading our mission to success.
I went on my first companion exchange after the zone meeting on Wednesday. I spent the day in Prattville, a richer city northwest of Montgomery, with one of my zone leaders Elder H---. He's on his last transfer but is still focused on the work. We tracted out portions of the town and didn't have a whole lot of succes, but had a really good meeting with a former investigator and I wouldnt be suprised if it resulted in a baptism.
Friday we had the unique opportunity of having the C---s, a senior couples, come to Highland Home and spend part of the day with us. They coordinate a "Master Teacher program" in the mission, and they taught us how to teach. They were able to come to a few appointments with us. I feel like their instruction was super-informative, even more so than a lot of the stuff that I learned in the MTC. There are some things that you just can't learn until you are out in the field. Partly because of their instruction, Elder K-- and I have really mastered how to teach the first lesson together, and we got three new investigators in Greenville yesterday, one who is already committed to a baptismal date even though we only met him that once. We were on fire that day. Three investigators probably doesn't sound like a whole lot, but for Greenville it definitely is. The area has never held a lot of success.
There's a lot of interesting history to the area. To give you an idea of the climate back then, since there's been a mormon church in highland home (in the 20s or so) the church has been burned down by arson twice. This current building they are in the fourth that they've had, and its pretty old. They are scheduled to get a new one in the next few years. Theres some interesting histories that Ill have to send to you at some point.
Cubert and Becky are doing really well, and have been coming to church every week. Theres another family that we saw on Friday, that also has committed to be baptized, though they haven't put a date on it yet. That baptismal committment was a miracle! The mom was a devout baptist, but we had the C---s with us, and she slowly softened her heart. The gospel is true for everyone, people just have to lower the walls that they put up in their minds. Things are going really well here!
We have a multi-zone conference in two weeks with Elder Koelliker (i think thats how you spell it) of the Seventy in Birmingham.
Our mission has been used for pilot programs a lot. One that we are doing right now, although I think they are implementing it world-wide now, is ti-wi boxes in our cars, that track how fast we are going and where we are and sends the information to Salt Lake. A dinger goes off when you speed, and with so many violations your driving privileges can be suspended. Kind of annoying, but I see why they do it.
I haven't even told you about the dogs yet. The M--s, especially Sister M--, (family whose property they live on) love dogs and cats. They have 9 dogs and I don't even know how many cats. The inside dogs are Molly, George, Dutch and Pete, and the outside dogs are Heidi, Spike, Emma, and I can't remember the other two's names right now. But i'll send you pictures of Molly and Pete, my favorites, at some point.
Weve been blessed with rain lately. Alabamas had a drought along with the rest of the country, and its been nice to have the rain to cool everything off.
Love you all!
Elder Madsen
No comments:
Post a Comment