What a busy week it was!! Elder Failner and I were all over the place. Monday and Tuesday were actually pretty much normal days. However from Wednesday on it was crazy!
On Wednesday we had a Zone Leader Council in Jacksonville. We had to leave at 6:30 that morning and got back just before six that night. The meeting was incredible! I've never been in an environment like it. It was the zone leaders, twelve in all, the assistants to the president, Sister Barry, and President Barry. As we talked about the challenges that the mission is facing I really felt a great amount of guidance from the Holy Ghost. I had new ideas flowing in regard to how we, Elder Failner and I, can help the missionaries in our zone. We then received some instruction/training from President and Sister Barry. They talked about the importance of having Christlike love and charity. How this one attribute can break down walls and help us do all things with greater power. There was so much that was said and felt. I wish I could share it all with you. It was an eye opening experience. The real challenge of it all was taking those things we learned while in Jacksonville and presenting it to our zone on Thursday. Not to mention we had to teach it all in about an hour.
I'm happy to say it went really well. We brainstormed a lot of different things and were able, with an extreme amount of guidance from the Holy Ghost, to pull it off. It was the best zone meeting I've been to. There was an abundance of love in that room. I feel like we all took a huge step in the right direction.
The rest of the week was an interesting experience. Elder Failner and I went out and did all things with greater love and charity. We saw a lot more success and felt more power as we did so. People were more responsive and barriers were being broken. Then Sunday came and along with it a lot of testing. Our new found abundance of love and charity was put to the test. We had six investigators committed to coming to church and none of them showed up. That's always one of the hardest things to deal with. You can work really hard and see great things during the week, but when nobody shows up for church it feels like you've taken three steps back. It's never been easy, but yesterday it was especially hard because our investigators were all so excited to come and we had been really focusing on getting them there. We had even seen most of them on Saturday and they all were really looking forward to church. It was a tough blow. Also when that happens we have to go and see each of them to figure out why they didn't come to church. It definitely takes love to go in and not get upset. I'm happy to say that we were able to handle each situation with love. We were patient with each investigator and able to help most of them get back on track. Unfortunately we did have to drop a few, but we did it in the right way.
We have some investigators that are looking like they may be able to get baptized this month. Right now we have two investigators that are likely to get baptized this month. One has a date for the 26th and the other we actually have to wait for some stuff to clear up, but we think it will still be able to happen this month. The two right now are Alvin and Shawn. They are both doing really well. Shawn is incredible! He has a great testimony of the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith. When he is able to be baptized he will do a lot of great things in the Church. Alvin is the other investigator. He has a date for June 26th. He has been making pretty good progress. The biggest thing is getting him to church consistently. Please keep them in your prayers. Also if all of you wouldn't mind praying for our mission as a whole. We have a goal of 900 baptisms with 80% retention this year and your prayers can help us achieve that.
Being a zone leader has kept me very busy. We are constantly on the move and always have something going on. This week is going to be slower than last week, but we still have a lot to do. We always do. There is definitely a lot more responsibility too. The really great thing about it is that I'm not the only one trying to do it all. It's really great that Elder Failner and I can discuss all the challenges of the zone and come up with a solution together. I have really felt the Spirit guiding us in all that we do for the zone. I feel like being a district leader was a little tougher because all of the responsibility fell on me. However there is a lot more responsibility as a zone leader.
As I've been focusing more on love the last few days I have felt, and seen, a wonderful change within myself. I find myself looking for the good in people and being able to see it. I see them as children of God. As my brothers and sisters. I have felt a greater love for all. I have especially come to love my Savior and Heavenly Father more. I know that as I continue to love Them more I will be able to love everyone more.
Love Always, Zach
Lake City Zone is in the west part of the mission which is the northwest part of Florida, excluding the panhandle. Zach and the Elders below cover the Starke District.
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| Back: Elder Collard, Elder Drake, Elder Hinton - District Leader Front: Elder Robinson, Elder Cox, Elder Morris, Elder Snow, Elder Failner |
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| The Lake City Zone gathered around their banner. The 162 is their goal for baptisms this year as a zone. 9C/80% is the mission goal - 900 baptism with 80% retention. |
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