Goodbye Gainesville

4/11/11...Dear Family,
Well as you can tell by the subject of this email I am leaving. It's very likely that I will be leaving the Gainesville Zone altogether. There are six zones in the mission and I've been in the Gainesville Zone the entire time. The fact that I've only had two areas for my first year is pretty rare too. I've enjoyed both of them. I will be happy to be going to a different zone. I haven't received any calls from President Barry so, I will be a district leader wherever I go. Unless I get a call from him after I send this email. It's very unlikely though.



This last week was not the best. Elder Hammond and I had our difficulties, but I feel like we're leaving on good terms. We had a lot of investigators that didn't show up for appointments or that would cancel at the last minute. Then our backup plans weren't as good as they should have been. I'm actually disappointed in myself. I could make up a lot of excuses for why I think the week didn't go well, but it comes down to being accountable. I lost focus at times and let little things get to me. I shoulder the blame. However, no matter how disappointing it was it was also a good learning experience. I can't get so caught up in worrying about the future and little things that I lose focus on the here and now. I also know I need to work harder at planning better days, and making plans to accomplish my goals. If I can do that it will really help the weeks be more productive and satisfying.


Lily was basically impossible to get in touch with. She had a lot going on with her family. However, we stopped by and talked to her last night and she still seems like she really wants to learn. We set up an appointment with her and the boys for tonight. They're going to be the last appointment of the night. Hopefully they're there and it goes well. Tonight should be a good night. We have lessons with some potential investigators. If all goes as planned tonight it could really help Elder Hammond and his new companion do well the rest of the week. It would be wonderful to end on a good note like that.


Looking back over the last six months here in Gainesville I feel like I have learned a lot. I've also seen a lot of growth within myself. Lately it's slowed down, due to the lack of focus, however I can see a lot of good changes within myself. That's really how a testimony grows. We learn things little by little. There's actually a verse I really like in the Book of Mormon that talks of this. It's 2 Nephi 28:30. It says, "For behold, thus saith the Lord God: I will give unto the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little; and blessed are those who will hearken unto my precepts, and lend an ear unto my counsel, for they shall learn wisdom; for unto him that receiveth I will give more; and unto them that shall say, we have enough, from them shall be taken away even that which they have." It's so true. When we do those things the Lords asks us to we gain knowledge a little at a time and become better people a little at a time. However, when we stop doing those things we lose that knowledge we've gained and we become less happy. There were a few talks given in conference that reflected this very same thing. One was...Elder Bednar and when he was talking about the sun rising, and the other was...I think Elder Christofferson when he was talking about a man panning for gold. Whoever it was it had a good moral. That little by little we can gain light(sunrise) and great treasures of knowledge from God(gold). I hope that all makes sense. If not go and look up the talks from conference and that should help.


That's all I have to say for now. I will give you my info next week. Until then I will continue to pray for all of you.


Love Always, Zach


P.S. Tell Bishop that I just barely got the letter he wrote me in March. He sent it to the Ocala address. Please give him the mission office address. Anyway let him know I will write him back. I'll try today, but it's very unlikely that it will happen because I have a lot of packing to do. Thanks!!



Just a little footnote; The letter went to Ocala because I didn't realize until recently that I hadn't given the powers that be (in this case that would be whom ever is in charge printing the Sacrament program) the Gainesville address, so needless to say the wrong address was listed in the programs on Sunday. Oops! I'll do better this transfer. Sincerely, Momma flakes&snow