Howdy everybody!
The time has been just flying right past us and it seems like there is nothing we can do to slow it down. Something that my dad told me was to always just love in the moment. Stop looking forward to the next big event in your life because you could be missing the daily opportunities for growth. I have found that I am looking forward to different events on my mission like preparation day or a baptism or Christmas and when I do that I am cutting myself short. Everyday here is a blessing and everyday there are things happening and people I talk to that could change my life. If I don't realize those things they will be gone. Opportunities will be missed and growth will cease. I know that not everyone is struggling with this but I thought you would like it if I shared my major learning of this week.
Teaching has been pretty slim this week. Two of our investigators are actually pregnant and their due dates are in the next couple of days so trying to set up appointments is pretty hard. They don't know when they will go into labor so they are hesitant about committing to anything which is understandable. I couldn't imagine being pregnant. So they are on standby until they are ready. The rest of the people we are teaching are going great. It's always nice to see people take initiative in coming closer to Christ. You always know someone is sincerely wanting to become better, when they actually take the steps on their own. We have been working a lot with the members of the ward and inviting them to make invitations to their friends for the Phoenix Temple open house. Everyone is pretty excited. So am I! It's going to be great. This is going to be a good change for us to find new people to reach out to. Finding as a missionary goes up and down. It's like when we have people to teach we stop looking for new ones. Then after a while the people are either baptized or lose interest and we are back to trying to find. So what the moral of the story? Keep finding. Always find!
We had interviews with President Griffin, who is our mission president, and it was a great learning opportunity for me. Normally the interviews are like five minutes and nothing is really accomplished. But this time our president took 30 minutes with each of the missionaries. This allowed him to really get to know people and share the things that needed to be. He is a really honest and straight forward man. He just tells you how it is which I really like! There is no room for question once he tells you something!
I am still a district leader but President Griffin made my companion Elder Pemberton the "senior" companion. Which basically means he is in charge and has the responsibility on his shoulders. I still help him out everyday that I can but he has the final say if that makes sense. For his whole mission now he has only been the "junior" companion so president wants him to have a trial with me to help him learn the role and become comfortable before he is just thrown into the deep end. I thinks it's a pretty smart move. Elder Pemberton is learning a ton and oddly enough so have I which is always nice!
I had the chance to interview two people for baptism this week in different wards. It's my most favorite thing to do because the spirit is so strong and you know those people are the best that they have been their whole lives and just want to do the best everyday. I absolutely love doing it. This one girl named Kourtney had been attending church for 5 years! She is 17 and her mom just didn't want her to be baptized yet. So all this time she has gone to seminary and young women. But finally she is getting to make her own choice and she is choosing to be baptized! Pretty cool.
Well I love you all and thank you for the kind words in emails and letters and prayers. Keep it up! Haha I need all the help I can get!
Until next week,
Elder Cole Safford
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| This is the lady we baptized back in May. Her name is Jeanne Elliott. |
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