This past week was been AMAZING!!!! It was hard to leave my area. I miss it a ton. Especially all the friends I made there. But I am looking forward to the new adventures here in Pocatello.
So on Monday we said goodbye to those missionaries in our zone who were going home. That was a bummer but it was fun because we did the Coke and Mentos Challenge with them before they left. I've already gotten emails from some of them and they seem really happy so that's good. After that it was just a normal P'day. Then Elder Larsen and I went back to work. Saying my goodbyes and trying to figure out the new area that he was getting. We spent a lot of time packing and cleaning. Then on Wednesday morning we loaded up and headed for the Transfer site.
We got loaded up on the Transfer Train and headed off. I was glad that 2 members of my zone in Lincoln were coming down as well. That made it easier. We got down to Pocatello and I met Elder Merkley. He is from Moses Lake, Washington. He was a visa waiting missionary to go to Brazil, but after 13 months of waiting for his Visa he decided to stay in Pocatello. He is awesome! He is the most dedicated and obedient missionary I’ve ever met! He is the middle child of 3 boys. We get along really well and he plays the guitar well too.
The area is on FIRE! We have 5 investigators with a baptismal date and many others who have the Potential to have one. We cover 5 wards, 3 of those wards are all on a hill. SUPER HILLY AREA! And we don't have a car so we are walking. (The only ZL companionship in the mission without a car) Needless to say my calves are massive right now from the walking up hills! But the members are great! I've met a lot of people who are related to members I knew in Blackfoot. Elder Merkley and I have been busy 24/7 since I got here visiting with Non- Members.
Cristobal's - The Cristobal family is a Part- Member Family. Sister Cristobal is a less active member that has expressed interest in coming back to church. Her husband is completely supportive and wants to come to church as well. They have a nine year old son who is in scouts and wants to learn more as well. Great family! They fed us dinner last night.
Patty - Patty is an investigator and she has recently given up smoking and is reading the Book of Mormon. She is great and comes to church most every week.
Yvonne - Yvonne is from Holland. She has a baptismal date for the 16th. She is really funny! She is a no nonsense time of lady. If she doesn't like you, she'll tell you. She has given up smoking as well and is super excited about her baptism. Her family is not members and we are working with them as well.
Laurie - Laurie is a non member who lives with a less active member. She has given up alcohol and coffee and is working on giving up smoking. We had a really great lesson with her on sacrifice and giving up those things that hold us back and we invited her to be baptized on august 30th. She said she would work towards that.
Quick story. We got a referral from our dinner a couple days ago to visit a part member family. The non member mom's name is Mistie.... Davis!!!! :D I was blown away! And even better... her husband’s name is Robert. WHAT????? We went by and visited with them for a little bit, they were getting ready to go to Island Park but they said we could stop by later.
And that is just some of the people we are teaching...
My Zone is smaller than some. It takes in the Pocatello North Stake, Highland Stake, and Alameda Stake, as well as the Spanish work for those areas. Highland Stake is actually were President Brinkerhoff lives. There are two districts in my zone and each district has 2 companionship's plus the District Leader. Besides us and the DL's our whole Zone is sisters! So I go from a whole district of Sisters to now a whole zone of sisters. What is the Lord trying to tell me????
We had Mission Leadership Counsel on Friday in Idaho Falls, where all the Zone Leaders and Sister Trainer Leaders come together with the Assistants and President and counsel on how we can help the mission grow. It was a great meeting that lasted 4 hours! We now have a goal in the mission to never dip below 100 baptisms a month. This will take a lot of work and diligence. But we know we can do this. One of my roles as a Zone Leader is to give training to the Zone on what Elder Merkley and I learned at MLC. So tomorrow we will have a Zone Training on how we can improve. We also met with our DL's and STL's on how to help the Zone become better. And together we came up with a Zone Motto. "Zone of Change" Our goal is to help the members of our zone experience change and growth as well as their investigators. It should be a really good meeting.
Also, at the Very top of our area is a wheat field. As we were walking we saw it and I had an idea. So I asked Elder Merkley if we could climb to the top, way above Pocatello looking down on all of it. So we started climbing. It was hot, and dry, but eventually we got to the top, overlooking all of our area and much more. We knelt and said a prayer asking Heavenly Father for help and guidance in our calling and to bless the zone in their efforts as well. It was a super neat experience. And then of course we had to get pictures at the Top!
We have seen so many blessings and miracles it’s hard to put them all down. We've had tons of people come up to us and want to learn more and be baptized. Its mind blowing!
I love you guys and I know this Church IS true! "If you learn it, Live it, Love it, you'll be happy I promise you"
Love
Elder Rash
Elder Rash (Pocatello North Zone Leader)
Elder Merkley
(Reminds me of Caleb's good friend Sam MacKinlay)
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