Another Week Down

3/21/11...Hello Family,

This last week was pretty busy. Elder Hammond and I had a lot going on. We did some service on Tuesday, and it was a really nice change of pace. I really enjoy doing service. We did it for a former investigator named Pete. He's a really nice guy and truly appreciated our help. We're not actively teaching him right now. We help him and share scriptures with him, but he's not that interested at the moment. We'll keep working on him though.

We taught Lily on Wednesday, and it went pretty well. The lesson wasn't as good as I would have liked it to be, but we were able to set a new baptism date with her AND with her boys. However, they didn't make it to church yesterday so, we're going to have to move their date back now. Investigators have to come to church three times before they can be baptized. Lily has been once and her boys haven't been at all yet.
I went on a trade-off with one of the Elders in my district. That's where I go and spend 24 hours with a missionary working with them. It's an opportunity for me to see how they work and how their area is doing. It gives me a chance to help them improve on certain things all depending on what I see and what I feel they can do better. While I'm with them their companion goes and works with my companion. I went with Elder Goodman. The trade-off went really well. We did service too. I enjoyed it a lot. We helped a less-active lady in their ward to yard work. Elder Goodman and his companion don't have a car, so I got to ride a bike that day. I really enjoyed it! Being on bike is actually pretty nice. At least for now it is. In the summer it wouldn't be as enjoyable. Another good thing about being on bike is that we can talk to a lot of people.
The rest of the week wasn't as busy, but on Sunday we had Stake Conference. The crazy thing is that it was my third Stake Conference in the Gainesville Stake. I guess that's what happens when you spend the first year of your mission in the same stake. I know a lot of missionaries who have been out for a long time that haven't even been to a stake conference. I was really looking forward to it because I was hoping that I would be able to see all of my recent converts from Ocala. I didn't see very many of them unfortunately, but I did see Tommy and Ethan. That was really cool! Also Tommy is going to be getting the Melchezidek Priesthood! I'm so happy for him. It's too bad that I wasn't able to see everyone else. I also got to see a lot of great people from the Ocala 1st and 2nd wards. It was fantastic. I really love them all. They also called a new Stake President. It's amazing how that works. The Church sends some General Authorities in to interview potential candidates. Then they prayerfully select one and call them. That's basically it. There is more to it, but that's pretty much what happens. Then they leave and the stake continues on.
That's my week in a nutshell. Oh, there were a couple questions that Mom had. The weather out here is okay. It's starting to get more humid and hotter. It's not yet really bad, but it's only a matter of time. The bugs are coming out more too. Florida has a gross amount of nasty bugs. It has been nice having the car back. We drive a 2010 Toyota Corolla. It's a pretty good little car. I sent my memory card home on Saturday. Hopefully it makes it in one piece. I think that's it....
Anyway, I'll write again next week.


Love Always, Zach