More baptisms

Hello Everyone,

You know I just got thinking maybe I should start my letters another way.... It kind of gets repetitive all the time and its not fun to read the same thing over and over even if it is just a little bit but we will see what happens. So this week has had its high and its lows like any other week. So this week me and my companion have been working so hard to find members to work with and to get the investigators more friendship and support in the area. So this week we have had higher stats than normal. We have 29 people that have a baptism goal to be baptized, we had 18 at sacrament meeting and we had like 11 or so new investigators for the week. So things are going good.

So a few things that me and my companion noticed and that we are trying to work on is that when we went through all of our investigators we realized all the ones that were progressing very well and keeping the commitments that we were giving them is the people that had friends or family in the church. And those are also the people that were referrals for us and not finding on our own efforts. So that is why we started getting other members to go with us and hopefully it will start going up. We also realized that missionaries tend to put their focus on in the wrong places. So one thing that me and my companion have tried doing that is working so well is that we focus on the people who are keeping commitments and we fully focus on them and then we rotate. If the people are not just progressing and now keeping commitments or few then we take them off baptism date and we dont focus too much on them. We dont drop them completely but we just go by once and a while and check up on them.
So those are things that have helped me and my companion alot. Its sad because this whole time we have struggled to be on the same page as each other and now that we are working the best together and other missionaries are asking us what we are doing that is when he gets transfered. So tomorrow my companion is leaving and I will be getting a new one. I am sad about that because he has been the best companion I have had since I have been out here in the field. He has taught me so much and we have learned and grown together. I wish him all the luck in the world.

This transfer they are reopening up several areas that have been closed due to no progression or just short numbers of missionaries. Two are leaving and 12 are coming in so things are looking up. Elder Chaka the other elder in the flat is leaving to open up an area and my companion is leaving to open up a new zone. They made the new zone because they just reacently made a new stake. This area is really growing and progressing and it just gets bigger and bigger each day. And its a wonderful feeling to know that I am part of the Lords work.

This next coming Sunday we could be having 8 more baptisms. I am crossing my fingers. What has happened is that we have had people just introduced to us the past couple of weeks that are just so ready for the gospel. We go teaching to them and they just know the information. Its a great feeling that I am the link the lord uses to help these people come unto Christ. I mean these people have been coming to church for the longest time (well most of them not all), and they just didnt know how to become a full member. And now through their faith and hard works they will be entering into the waters of baptism and making those promises to God and themselves. Some people say it doesn't bring as much happiness to baptize people that just come without little teaching but honestly for me those are the experiences that build my faith. I see how much those people believe and want to be part of this gospel and it shows me exactly how I need to be. I am grateful for every single baptism that I have ever had the chance to whitness and I wont look down on them. Because I know its the Holy Ghost that is making me a tool in the Lords hands in helping these people.

So to close Im just going to say I am jealous of everyone. I didnt get the oppertunity to watch confrence this past weekend and I heard it was very nice. I heard there is lots that I will be able to learn from it so I am so excited. I get to watch in on April 16 and 17. Im even more excited for the Liahonas and Ensigns to come out so I can reread and really disolve what the prophet and the apostles are saying to me. I love this time of the year so much its great.

Well I will be writing next week and I will give you an update on how everything is going with me and my new companion. I love you all so very much and thank you for your support. Hope to hear from you soon.

-Your friend, Son and Brother,
Elder Aaron Giles Lindsay