Excerpt from 12/5/07

The December goal for baptisms for the mission is 30. That is not an unattainable goal, but with four weeks in December we would have to average 8 per week in the mission. We had 8 this week, but I do not think there are 22 more investigators with a baptismal date. We do not have any with a date. We have two that are very close, and I do not know how to get past the last problems. When we got the goal we thought that we would definitely be able to contribute to the 30, and now it is looking scary. We are trying very hard, but sometimes things just don't work out. The two investigators (that are close) are named X*** and K***. X***'s family hardly even knows she is investigating, and that is because she doesn't take it serious. I think she just like Elder Reidhead, ha ha. Her desire to gain her own testimony and find her own way to church is small. She is very focused on school, which I understand. K*** is about 68 years old. She is very involved in the Church of England, but she sees that we have the proper authority. One thing is that she has a hard time turning away from all of those people that need her. I tell her that she can reach out to a lot of people, but that she also needs to do what is right also. Another concern is she is all about diversity, that every person is different and we should all accept that. She believes that when she singles herself with one group, that it shuts her out. I tried to explain that the gospel is for everyone, and she can help bring a lot of people to the same understanding she has come to. She said that she wants to be baptized eventually, so that is good. She is
praying a lot this week to understand what God wants.

Member missionary work is absolutely vital. It is our duty. We have received it. It is for EVERYONE! We are at WAR!!! We are physically and spiritually in an actual war! Onward Christian Soldiers! That is great to here member missionary work being pushed.

This week has been a week of patience with myself, with companion, and with all of the people forgettiing about lessons with have planned with them. We had a lot of unexpected and unfamiliar things happen this week. I will just try to continue to try and do the right things. Sunday was especially interesting. We had a long talk with X*** about her showing that she was serious about this. After church we had a couple of people ditch our appointments. We also met this lady who has an amazing testimony of Christ and she feels that there is something in our church. At the end of the week we had 11 new investigators!! That was a mission high! It happened because we went through our area book and contacted some people who had been taught in the past. We ended the night teaching this couple that has thought about splitting up many times.
They just say awful stuff about each other right in front of each other. I was being a marraige counselor. Trying to calm down the situation and explain how the gospel helps family life, and having that will help the children. At the end of the week I felt like a missionary, Mother, Psychiatrist, Secretary, and English Teacher. Anyway, I have to go now. I love you all. Hopefully I can talk more about stuff next week. Not sure what I have forgotten to say. We will see next week. I love you.