(And others though-out the world)
First off... Let’s talk about transfers.
Elder Merkley is no longer with us. He is now in the Beautiful Idaho Falls. He left me on Wednesday and I spent most of the morning with Elder Meier. That was fun! Then Elder Wauneka came down from Ammon. Elder Wauneka is from..... ARIZONA!!! He is from Window Rock but because no one knows where that is he says he's from Mesa. He's a super cool guy! He's a U of A fan though.... so we'll see about that. He is 100 % Navajo Native American. So I guess mom wins that guess. He's been out just over a year and this is his 4th area. He is the oldest of 4 and his mom is an active member of the church and his dad is investigating the church. So that's him.
On Monday before he got here though we had a Hike with our Zone. We hiked up to the top of this mountain overlooking all of Pocatello. We had a symbolic meeting at the top where we talked about what we had become as a zone and as individuals. (That was the theme of our zone, "What are you going to become") So we had everyone write down on a strip of paper what they became, we tied them all to balloons and set them loose on Pocatello. (Not sure if it was legal, but it was cool!)
On Tuesday we spent the whole day going and saying goodbye for Elder Merkley.
Wednesday was transfers and it was super busy!!!! We spent ALL DAY getting all the missionaries set up in their new areas. Our Zone now covers from one mountainside all the way to the other mountainside in Pocatello.... Yeah.... it’s big.... But it’s exciting. Almost the entire Zone is missionaries I’ve served around before.
We have
Elder Whittington (served around him my first time in Pocatello)
Elder Burke (served around him in Blackfoot)
Elder Farnsworth (from Mesa)
Elder Dalling (New missionary)
Sister Tu'akalau
Sister Leasi
Elder Downey (was my zone leader in Lincoln zone)
Elder Rush (New Missionary)
Sister Brown (served around her in Lincoln)
Sister Smith
Sister Hill (served around her in Lincoln, I was her first District Leader)
Sister Manymules
Elder Carter (served around him in Shelley)
Elder Santos
Elder Blake (My son) :)
Elder Simmons
So pretty much what a zone leader does is he is the middle man between zones and the Assistants. He collects all the numbers of lessons taught and baptisms had for the week and turns them in. Many sleepless nights waiting for phone calls. A Zone leader, with his companion, supervise and serve a group of missionaries (usually 8 to 10 companionship's) He gives trainings on how to become a better missionary and he is the example for what a great missionary should be.
I love being in a Leadership position. I love being able to help other missionaries and serve them. To be able to see improvement in a missionary or area is awesome. To be able to say something, or train on something and have someone listen and do something different because of what I say. It’s awesome! Not in like the sense I love telling people what to do. But just helping them be better is amazing!
Even with all this work we have in the zone, we still have our own proselyting area to work. It's a constant balance of working in our own area and trying to help others. Usually we try and do all our work for the zone in one to two days so we can spend the rest of the week in our area.
Something I’ve learned being able to be in leadership is actually said perfectly by Thomas S. Monson "Never let a problem to be solved become more important, than a person to be loved". We can train, we can encourage, we can do everything we can to help these missionaries, but if they don't feel the love, it’s for nothing. Love should be the motivation for everything we do as leaders and as missionaries. Love for the people and love for God.
As far as where I’m at now. I'd love to stay here until the end. Although with me leaving midway between transfers they may move me into a trio companionship the last two weeks. Or (and this is what I want to do) they may let me be a traveling trainer. So I don't have a companion I just bounce from companionship to companionship and stay with them for a day or two and help them out and give them counsel. It seems like such a fun thing to me. Not a lot of sleep involved, but who needs that anyways!?
By far one of the most important things I’ve learned on my mission is to pay attention to the little things. The Gospel of Jesus Christ, in its fullness, is not a confusing thing. It is simple, it is easy to understand, and that is the way God intended it. By doing the small things we become closer to Him. Reading our scriptures every day. Saying our Prayers. Being a disciple of Jesus Christ is not a big massive undertaking. It is in the steady, constant acts of love and compassion that we show who we truly follow. Sometimes the small things are the hardest. (I know they are) But they are so worth it. It doesn't matter if you are a CEO of a massive corporation or struggling to make ends meet. There is ALWAYS time for Christ. And if you think there isn't, MAKE SOME. I promise you, you will see a difference.
We also have another baptism this Saturday for Amy! She has had her interview already and everything. She's also asked me to baptize her! I'm super excited! She is awesome. She reads her scriptures every day and texts us what she learns! It’s amazing!
Well I’ll keep you posted on anything else knew and exciting that happens this week. I love you guys and I hope all is going well.
Love
Elder Rash
A P-Day Hike Activity and Zone Devotional
Accomplishments
Pocatello North Zone
The Pocatello North Zone Area
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