Family & Friends,
Its been 6 weeks! A Transfer! Hannah Montana Say What?! Yes, I will be leaving Elder Petersen and will be replacing Elder Reed in Waco! (He’s a dead man going home on Thursday). This is going to be WACKO. Ill be 3 hours south in a very….diversified area! Driving the only minivan in the mission! Ill be with the awesome Elder Judy! Im excited! T’will be my first time out of the metroplex in a year and a half! My new address is:
4372 lakeshore Dr. #____ Waco TX 76710
President Ames has been talking recently about how there is no
“latter” in mission leadership – each is called to lead in different
ways. This transfers was really weird – a couple missionaries jumped
from Senior Companion to Zoneleader without being a district leader, the new AP is a spanish missionary (we havent had a spanish AP while ive been here – we have Spanish Training Leaders which is the equivalent to an AP for English) The whole mission thought Elder Cherry was going to be the next AP. Long story short, to me it looks like President is shredding the “latter” concept this transfer so
nobody thinks, “after you train you DL, and then you go ZL, and then
at 4 transfers left you are in the running for AP.” Really interesting!
I missed church at our building for my last Sunday here. We had SMC at 10am at the stake center (same time our sac meeting starts). So we went a little early to the Stake Center and had sacrament meeting in the Southlake Ward – funny to see everyones confusion when there was 2 additional missionaries in the ward. Then after the SMC, we were asked to attend the Stake JustServe Meeting and talk about how we can find more service opportunities. We got back to our building in time for priests quorum.
Elder Petersen sings, “I love you Arizona” around the apartment! Ive
indoctrinated him on the best state! haha Some missionaries in our
Zone had a video copy of the Gilbert Temple Cultural Celebration! Talk about random, but we borrowed it and watched it at night. They were all looking for me in there, but no luck! There was scene where Kayli had the whole screen and another where Nicholas had the whole screen! I was like, “WOAH! Thats my siblings!” and everyone crowded around to see – it was hilarious! But still. I love you Arizona!
This was SMC week – but it wasnt as bad! We put the load on the Ward Mission Leaders that should be theirs. We had them get it finished to us early in the week (followed up like crazy to do so) and when we compiled all the wards into one document, we sent the whole thing to the Ward Mission Leaders to revise. After edits, we were completed! Twas awesome! When the meeting came, we had a legit council on the missionary work in the Stake instead of just the 2 of us being hounded. Everyones getting more on top of things!
Before bed we’ll watch an episode of “The Joseph Smith Papers” and the Host Glenn Rawson makes the best faces! So we have used them to show the missionaries our feelings! hahah Below is this weeks.
We got Brother Procter to come to the Mission Presidents Fireside and it was awesome! At the beginning of the year we did a Book of Mormon Challenge as a mission. We handed out a ton! and we read the Book ourselves in 65 days. We committed members to hand them out as well. President Ames’ councilor, President Pratt gave one to his neighbors. At first they werent receptive, but after befriending them and doing activities together, his neighbors saw something different about them. After that, the neighbors remembered the Book of Mormon given to them and decided to read it. They were amazed! They after a while met with the missionaries and got Baptized! Brother and Sister Johnson spoke at
the fireside about the Book of Mormon and their conversion. It was
followed by President Ames speaking about the book of mormon and bearing testimony of it. It was very powerful! Afterward, Prother Procter spoke with President Ames and committed to read the Whole Book of Mormon all the way through! It was awesome! So happy for him.
Im going to definitely miss this place! But Im excited to do something different down south! From the richest stake here in Colleyville to one of the humblest in Waco.
I know the Book of Mormon is true! I stand with President Ames when he says, “If we were to read out of the Book of Mormon with real intent for at least 20 minutes everyday, we would stay at the center of the kingdom.” I also have seen what President Ezra Taft Benson speaks of when he said, “I feel certain that if, in our homes, parents will read from the Book of Mormon prayerfully and regularly, both by themselves and with their children, the spirit of that great book will come to permeate our homes and all who dwell therein. The spirit of reverence will increase; mutual respect and consideration for each other will grow. The spirit of contention will depart. Parents will counsel their children in greater love and wisdom. Children will be more responsive and submissive to the counsel of their parents. Righteousness will increase. Faith, hope, and charity–the pure love of Christ–will abound in our homes and lives, bringing in their wake peace, joy, and happiness” The Spirit brought by reading the Book of Mormon changes my mood every time without fail. I Invite yall to read from the Book of Mormon at least 20 Minutes everyday. I promise you will feel a difference!
I love all yall and I thank you for the emails, letters, and pictures.
It means a lot!
Elder Householder
“Mama Eldredge” and Bobby at the fireside!
Yeah Brother Procter!