Familia,
I'll be honest this was a harder week for me. I am getting along with my companions as all but its just tough not seeing the results that I would like to see. I have been Zone Leader here in Reforma for about 7 months now and honestly we were having a lot of success the first 4 and a half months but then the two zones were joined together and the zone seemed to not be funcioning as well. We have the largest zone in the mission and I often feel like when things don't go the way as planned it is often my fault... there could have been something that I could've done better so that we could've had success. One of the really tough things is when we have a lot of baptismal dates in a week, for example 8, and then in the same week like one or two days before their baptism there are a whole bunch of problems (they go on vacation, they have to go to the doctor, they don't feel ready, they really don't feel ready, they don't want to get baptized anymore, and a whole bunch of other excuses). It's just tough when things don't go out according to plans. I sometimes get frustrated... and think, "What could I have done better to help the zone and the 37 missionaries that I am in charge of?" It's tough. This week I got really frustrated and just kind of stopped talking... my companions are good at noticing when something is bothering me... and honestly are really great at helping me to feel better, they are hilarious. Anyways this day I was fasting.... but after eating again I felt a lot better. We ate pozole (I dont really like it usually but honestly it was the best pozolaso that I have had in my mission) that's one thing that I have learned... I am often times more angry when I am hungry. But I'll be honest its been more tough recently being zone leader, there are just a lot of data that I have to do in the night and I almost never get to bed on time... it doesn't help when we are living with 5 elders. Don't get me wrong, it is a privilege to serve in this assignación [assignment] but it's stressful sometimes... and I really miss studying at night... there is just no more time to study at night.
Although it was very tough this week we had an awesome experience. Elder López remembered that there was a reference that he was received in his last area that lived here in our area. We made an appointment with her and went to her house. We had a little bit of a hard time finding her house but we arrived at the appointment in time. We started talking to her about our purpose as missionaries and such and then she told us something that really touched my heart. She said that the night before we called she was praying to God to receive a sign of what path she needed to take. She then received the call from us and took it as an answer that this is what God wants her to do. She started bursting into tears sharing this experience and her faith in the Lord... and then of course I started crying super hard... not sure why the Spirit affects me in that way but I blame it on you Dad. It was an awesome experience... it helped build my testimony that our Lord is preparing souls to hear this message and edify His kingdom. Awesome lesson but it is pretty sad when you cry more than our investigador in the lesson. The sad part is Alma (that is her name) doesn't actually live in our area... she lives in the area of the sisters in our ward... I am excited for her but it still seems like I just keep planting seeds.
Dad you asked me how I have been blessed in my mission and how I think that you all have been blessed. I honestly don't know how you have been blessed... it just always seems like our family has had what we need... so I don't know. What blessings have you recieved from having missionaries out in the field?
I think there are thousands of blessings that I have received here in the mission... I honestly can't count them all.... its the best decision of my life that I have taken so far and these have been the best 18 months of my life so far. But the blessing that I think is the biggest that I have recieved here in the mission is that I have grown in my testimony. I know my Savior Jesus Chirst. He lives. He loves me. I love him.
Love you all,
Elder Summers
I'll be honest this was a harder week for me. I am getting along with my companions as all but its just tough not seeing the results that I would like to see. I have been Zone Leader here in Reforma for about 7 months now and honestly we were having a lot of success the first 4 and a half months but then the two zones were joined together and the zone seemed to not be funcioning as well. We have the largest zone in the mission and I often feel like when things don't go the way as planned it is often my fault... there could have been something that I could've done better so that we could've had success. One of the really tough things is when we have a lot of baptismal dates in a week, for example 8, and then in the same week like one or two days before their baptism there are a whole bunch of problems (they go on vacation, they have to go to the doctor, they don't feel ready, they really don't feel ready, they don't want to get baptized anymore, and a whole bunch of other excuses). It's just tough when things don't go out according to plans. I sometimes get frustrated... and think, "What could I have done better to help the zone and the 37 missionaries that I am in charge of?" It's tough. This week I got really frustrated and just kind of stopped talking... my companions are good at noticing when something is bothering me... and honestly are really great at helping me to feel better, they are hilarious. Anyways this day I was fasting.... but after eating again I felt a lot better. We ate pozole (I dont really like it usually but honestly it was the best pozolaso that I have had in my mission) that's one thing that I have learned... I am often times more angry when I am hungry. But I'll be honest its been more tough recently being zone leader, there are just a lot of data that I have to do in the night and I almost never get to bed on time... it doesn't help when we are living with 5 elders. Don't get me wrong, it is a privilege to serve in this assignación [assignment] but it's stressful sometimes... and I really miss studying at night... there is just no more time to study at night.
Although it was very tough this week we had an awesome experience. Elder López remembered that there was a reference that he was received in his last area that lived here in our area. We made an appointment with her and went to her house. We had a little bit of a hard time finding her house but we arrived at the appointment in time. We started talking to her about our purpose as missionaries and such and then she told us something that really touched my heart. She said that the night before we called she was praying to God to receive a sign of what path she needed to take. She then received the call from us and took it as an answer that this is what God wants her to do. She started bursting into tears sharing this experience and her faith in the Lord... and then of course I started crying super hard... not sure why the Spirit affects me in that way but I blame it on you Dad. It was an awesome experience... it helped build my testimony that our Lord is preparing souls to hear this message and edify His kingdom. Awesome lesson but it is pretty sad when you cry more than our investigador in the lesson. The sad part is Alma (that is her name) doesn't actually live in our area... she lives in the area of the sisters in our ward... I am excited for her but it still seems like I just keep planting seeds.
Dad you asked me how I have been blessed in my mission and how I think that you all have been blessed. I honestly don't know how you have been blessed... it just always seems like our family has had what we need... so I don't know. What blessings have you recieved from having missionaries out in the field?
I think there are thousands of blessings that I have received here in the mission... I honestly can't count them all.... its the best decision of my life that I have taken so far and these have been the best 18 months of my life so far. But the blessing that I think is the biggest that I have recieved here in the mission is that I have grown in my testimony. I know my Savior Jesus Chirst. He lives. He loves me. I love him.
Love you all,
Elder Summers