Another busy week

October 10, 2011…Dear Family,


Like the title says, it was another busy week. We were in Macclenny for a trade-off on Tuesday and then Wednesday we went to Jacksonville for another Zone Leader Council. They were both enjoyable experiences! I learned a lot at both of them. Whenever we have stuff like that it makes the week fly by!


Elder Maxfield and I are in an interesting position right now. We don't have any investigators. We started last week with about five and by Saturday afternoon we didn't have any. I can't remember if I have ever been in a position like this before. It's strange. Usually whenever we have people stop investigating we at least find one person. However we didn't this last week.


With that being said I'm not feeling down about it. I'm not quite sure why. Other weeks when we haven't found anyone I've been really devastated, but this week I'm not. I think part of it is because we have some really great potential investigators. Also because we have really been focusing on finding more through the members. Whenever you try to change something like that there are going to be struggles and setbacks. Another part of it is because I think we realized why we haven't been finding and know what we need to do. We were focusing too much on the members and weren't having a balanced approach. That's one thing I've really learned on my mission. Is that there is a balance in all things. I think the Lord is trying to teach me this to prepare me for the rest of life. I know for myself I can get too focused on somethings and not spend time I need on other things. I think that's the perfectionist is me. All this makes me think of a scripture. It's Mosiah 4:27. It says, "And see that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength. And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent, that thereby he might win the prize; therefore, all things must be done in order." When I keep the big picture in mind and do things this way I know I will find more success now and in the future. It's a wonderful principle that we can all apply and learn from. There are a lot of other thoughts that come to mind, but I don't have time to write them all...I don't know if they would make much sense anyway.


Overall I am feeling very happy. Months ago we were taught something called C.O.N.T.A.C.T. and it basically is a way to talk to people without being rote, or saying the same thing each time. The first "C" stands for clues and connect. That's where the variety really comes from. We look for clues and connect with people. We find common ground to gain their trust. We had some really great experiences with this last week. One guy we tracted into had a shirt that said something about cave diving. We asked about it and he told us that he is a cave diver. That in the caves there is a line so that if silt is kicked up and you can't see you can hold to the line and be able to find your way out safely. Does that sound familiar at all? It did to us and we connected it to Lehi's vision of the tree of life and the iron rod (see 1 Nephi chapter 8). It was so perfect!


I also studied about hope. It was really wonderful. While studying I noticed how hope and faith are so similar that at times it's hard to tell them apart. Then I found this quote, "faith is rooted in Jesus Christ. Hope centers in the Atonement. Charity is manifest in the ‘pure love of Christ.’ These three attributes are intertwined like strands in a cable and may not always be precisely distinguished. Together they become our tether to the celestial kingdom" (“A More Excellent Hope,” Ensign, Feb. 1997, 61). WOW! There is also a wonderful video that talks about hope. If you go to "mormon messages" on youtube you should be able to find it...I can't find a link from lds.org. Regardless it is really good and worth looking for.


Also, THANK YOU for the card!! Elder Maxfield and I got a good laugh out of it. It's nice to know I'm missed at least a little.


Well, I've got to go now.

Love Always, Zach