Elder Devin Collins has been out on his mission for 1 year on May 12th! (I must have had the weeks wrong...it is now corrected.) Also, emailing will now be on Tuesdays and P-Days are changed to Thursdays. Please note that Devin also has a new mailing address and new mission office address.
Hola, familia!
As I write this, I have 20 minutes left (still getting used to the new schedule, so scheduling took the most time. Please, keep the e-mails coming!), so if things seem rushed, that's why!
We've been anxiously working on applying the trainings that we've received from this past Zone Conference. It's definitely been an adjustment, especially with this new schedule, but I know that the Lord has a purpose for everything He does, and I really am looking forward to the changes and focus that all of these trainings will bring. The trainings really focused on bringing us more in line with our purpose as missionaries, something that has been weighing on my mind for some time now. We've changed the system of reporting numbers to a system of reporting 'keys': When we have 10 purpose-driven OYMs each day (I'm still discovering what it means to have purpose-driven OYMs - like, what the actual definition is, and I think I'm starting to understand a lot better now), we get a key. When we are able to teach 3 purpose-driven lessons each day, we get a key. At the end of the week, we report how many keys we've obtained. It's a very different system (at least, the focus seems different), but I'm looking forward to how much more it will really help me to focus on my purpose.
We also have an investigator who we are preparing for baptism - Margarita. Her baptismal date is for next Saturday, but we're really hoping that as we invite her to be baptized later on today, that she will accept a date for this coming Saturday, and that she won't have any problems with the Word of Wisdom. Please, keep her in your prayers!
So, the whole "end of the world" craze has been a really fun topic here. Everyone always asked before that, "Do you think the world is going to end on Saturday at 7:00?" And on Saturday when they asked, we'd just look at our watches and say, "Well, it looks like we only have a few hours left, then!" Everyone would laugh, and we'd go into a conversation about Prophets in our days. Very fun and entertaining.
As for when people talk about the Church as a cult...I don't know if the missionaries there are doing this, but we have been doing Chapel Tours. During the week, we invite people to tour the church and see what we do. "Here is where we renew our baptismal covenants...", "Here is where the youth go to learn and grow..." etc. One of the members said he came to church one day, because he really wanted to know more (this was before he was baptized and was an evangelical minister). He said within the first meeting (Sacrament Meeting), he knew that the Church wasn't a cult - actually, very far from a cult. He later joined the church.
Maybe you could invite people to come and tour the Church. You could even invite them to services on Sunday, or to hear the lessons from the missionaries. Or, just simply share your testimony. One of the greatest ways we can help others to break down the barriers dividing them from the Gospel of Jesus Christ is to live as an example. But my suggestion would be to invite them to come and see for themselves. That way, it's not just word-of-mouth, but firsthand experience that the Church isn't a cult, but is family-centered and Christ-centered.
Wow, sounds like a great birthday, Kristin! I saw the picture of you, Kaytlin and Justin with your cake. That looks like so much fun! And how's your new DSi-XL? I'll bet it's fun! I saw one of the members here playing with the DSi, and so the DSi-XL must be even more fun than that!
Sounds like everything is busy once again! It's great to hear about all the activity going on over there. I love hearing about all that you do, and seeing all that you do.
I love you! A infinidad, y mas alla!
El Devinator
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