5-28-2013

So, the first thing that comes to mind is... Transfers! I am moving out of Syracuse! I am going to be serving in Kanesville, Utah! My new companion will be Elder Lima. I don't know anything about him but I hear he is a cool guy. I'm pretty excited to be in a new area but I'm also bummed about leaving all the cool people in Syracuse. It was bound to happen sometime anyway. I hear that we will be getting a car though so that will be pretty nice, but I'll probably get fat.

One of the elders we lived with went home this transfer! It was pretty awesome! His family came up from Georgia and we got to meet them. There was also a departing testimony meeting where all the missionaries who finished their missions got up and bore their testimonies to all the people who came, which included missionaries, investigators and recent converts. It was a super cool experience but it was sad to see him go. He didn't want to leave but he was also ready to go home and start his life. It must be a difficult feeling.

The other week we were chased down by a member who saw us walking down the street. He was visiting one of his non-member friends and they mentioned they'd like to ask us some questions. We ended up visiting with some for an hour or so and set up an appointment to come teach them. They are an interesting couple and like to ask some pretty off the wall questions. The wife says that she can hear spirits and that her daughter can see them. They are fairly interesting to talk with them. It's a bummer I'm not going to be able to teach them anymore. I just hope that they listen with an open heart and are able to get the most out of the message that the missionaries share with them.

Love,

Elder Ervin

May 7, 2013

So these past couple weeks have been pretty slow. We have had many cancelled appointments so we haven't been able to teach very much which really sucks. But there's nothing we can do about that, just keep doing our best. The Stake Presidency has been real passionate on getting the members to get us appointments rather than just tell us everyone in the neighborhood that is not a member. They are also really trying to get us some housing in the area since we live quite far outside of it.

Hopefully this next week we will have some good appointments and good lessons. We have quite a lot of people to visit and try to setup a lesson so we can only pray that those will work out. We are always trying to find new people to teach but as I've said before this area has a high majority of members so we mainly visit less actives. A lot of those who aren't members are people who just hate missionaries for reasons unknown.

On the positive side; Elder Ross and I have talked with the Stake Presidency and the High Councilman over missionary work and we've all decided that the stake needs a missionary 'reform'

We've talked a lot about how we can change things. The Stake President made an announcement in Stake Conference about how he wants us in every home in the stake! We are starting with members, teaching missionary lessons! It's awesome because you never know when someone might need the message we are sharing. Members also know their neighbors way more than we do. I am so excited for this new plan. The stake president said that he wants the wards to make 3 appointments per week for us, whether it is with non-members, less-active or members. That is 24 lessons per week! That added to the lessons we already have, we are going to be super busy. I can't wait for this next week. Hopefully by next Tuesday, I'll be able to have some really neat stories to share.

Love.

Elder Ervin