No letter last week she forgot!
Well I have decided that I am terribly with subjects for my emails. Im just
not creative like that I guess. ;D This week served to be an very interesting
week. Our ward hosts a volleyball night each Saturday as a finding tool for the missionaries. Its been
great because we have seen some really cool results. There are about 4 regular
nonmembers that attend and there are always ward members who help fellowship
these people. Unfortunately, through a series of events questions were asked and
arguments started,. Our mission president called Sister Dyreng and I to tell him
what was going on exactly. We explained the purpose of Volleyball nights and how
everything had gone down. He kindly, and lovingly explained that volleyball
night as much as it had great potential was not appropriate to be doing as a
finding activity outside of preparation day. So, if we do attend it is to leave
a short message say a prayer and leave. It was disappointing and President Hall
asked us to explain why we felt that way. We explained that we felt we had the
most success with the event and felt the disappointment in not being able to
continue it. President Hall then said to us, "So what I hear Sisters is,
'President we need help learning how to find." He really was right on the dot
and the spirit probably helped him get to the real issue, because to us we were
doing just fine in knowing how to knock on doors, and thats what the problem is.
Knocking on doors is the most ineffective way of doing missionary work!!!!! So
Pres. Hall scheduled himself to come to OUR apartment with Sister Hall on Friday morning. GULP!!! My stomach was
in knots for days! Luckly for us we live very clean like and only had to wipe
down a few areas from breakfast to feel like he could come into our home. We
waited outside Friday morning for
them to show up. We felt the need to carry a Book of Mormon with us just incase
an unforseen opportunity arose for us to work while waiting. Well, that
opportunity came just as Pres. and Sister Hall were walking towards us from a
cross walk. We talked to a lady about the Book of Mormon and explained the
importance of having a Christ centered life. Just as we were in the middle of
our contact with her Pres and Sister Hall reached us. They patiently waited as
we finished the contact and then followed us into the apartment. They told us
that it had appeared we had a paid contact waiting for them to watch. ;D The
time they spent with us was very enlightening. They basically went over weekly
planning. They had just attended a training on it and shared some new insights
with us. We were informed that the time spent already on weekly planning should
be even longer with only 4 out of 13 steps to cover (its already approx 3 hours
long!) He also told us that after weekly planning is over our planners should be
full 10 days out. That was also something new. So we knew we had some work ahead
of us. It was so great!!!! At the end of our discussion over several points he
asked Sister Dyreng and I if he could share 2 things at the Zone leader
trainings, 1. the training we just had. 2. the experience of watching us at
work. He started tearing up as he told us how proud he was to see us at work and
talking with everyone. It was very touching and it felt great to hear the
compliments from both of them.
Sister Dyreng and I started weekly planning over with all the new training
and it took about 6 hours to finish. It may have been long but the results have
been amazing. It is so rewarding to see a full day 10 days out. It is also
rewarding to know we did everything asked of us. President Hall is very
insightful and I am so grateful to have him as my President.
Transfers are next week!!!! on May
7th. The bets are these: I will stay and train or I will leave
Chatsworth. There aren't very many options for what will happen. President Hall
told us today that by the end of
next transfer we will have 100 missionaries particpating in the 12 week training
program! and between the next 2 transfers we will have 50 new missionaries not
counting any visa waiters. So the Lord is hastening his work!!!! It is amazing
to be apart of and I LOVE IT! Well thats been the week. Next week will be
exciting to see what will happen. I love you all. Take Care!
Hoorah for Israel!
Love,
Sister Cottrell
