Monday, January 10, 2011

Cold, Facebook and More

Hello Everyone,

It was good to hear from a few of you this week. Sounds like everyone's busy in this new year and that sickness is affecting a lot of people in some way. I think Elder Hineman and I just got over the little bit of sickness we had had so that is a blessing. So first off.... It’s Cold! It was nice the first part of the week but the last few days have been chilly for sure. It was -5 when we were driving over to the Jackson’s to email and lightly snowing. It's funny to see what different people tell us is going to happen with the weather and then what really does and doesn't. The word on the street right now is that it’s going to be really cold this upcoming week. We shall see though.

So the big news of the week came at our zone training in Helena this week. We had to get up at 4:00 am to get ready and go to Twin Bridges to meet the Sheridan/Whitehall Elders at 5:45 to get to Butte to follow the Butte Elders to Helena to get to Helena by 7:45. It was a crazy morning but I didn't have to do the driving like I've had to in the past so I just slept. Yet again it always feels good to be back in Helena! I was able to see Elder Goff for the first time in 10 1/2 months and was able to be with him and Elder Heywood together. So the big news was that we made our goal of 1000 saved souls!!! We hit 1006!! We needed 50 that last week and we had 56 to put us up and over and reach our goal!! Pres. Gardner was really excited. He commented on how we had made the goal and then he thought "What did we get ourselves into" but that we kept at it and the Lord was able to help us reach our righteous goals. The new goal for 2011 is 500+ baptisms, which would be about 100 more, than this year and 500+ reactivations. We are hoping to blow those numbers out of the water by getting people into the water. The other big news and focus of the training was to talk more about the online proselyte pilot program. Our mission is one of 8 missions to be doing this but it's up to each mission Pres as to what he wants to do with it. As of now there are about 100 missionaries online and 40 of those come from our mission. Well Pres. Gardner is really blazing some trails with this and is opening it up to all missionaries in the mission. You do have to have a special interview with him and they really focused on our new theme for 2011, which is "Entrusted by Heaven" and how we truly are being entrusted by heaven to participate and be allowed to facebook and blog. It's looking like it might be about 2 weeks or so and I'll be online! I'm excited to get to have this opportunity and am looking forward to seeing how we can use it in our work to further the work here in Dillon. I'm also excited to get to keep in contact with people from other areas. It’s going to be great to be able to keep encouraging those I've worked with in the past. After zone training we had team ups with Whitehall. We were able to do them how they are supposed to be done but rarely ever happens because we are so spread out and that is we split up and I went to Sheridan with Elder Mortenson and Elder Hineman and Elder Owens went to Dillon. We then spent the night where we were and were able to switch back Saturday thanks to Brother W giving us a ride. If it wouldn't have been for that ride it wouldn't have worked because of miles. One thing Elder Mortensen taught me while with him is how to rope which has no relation to missionary work but is kind of relaxing at the end of your day right before bed. He had a little miniature roping dummy that he ropes with these smaller ropes. He roped a bunch back home and was big into rodeo so it was kind of fun to learn how to do it from him. We've been doing a lot of less active and former investigator contacting this week and some of it is paying off. We are hoping those that said we could come back this week will turn into new investigators. We found out from Sister S that D, the man we set the baptism date with, has moved to Butte for now while they are trying to figure out if financially they can get married. So for now we have turned things over to the Butte Elders. We had a great lesson with the Cs. We are hoping to get her to start coming to church but she was sick the week so hopefully next week she'll come for the first time.

We're speaking in church in 2nd ward again this next week. It'll be good for Elder Hineman. I think I'm going to talk about mormon.org and the church and how it’s using the Internet to spread the gospel. I hope it turns out. haha I think it will though. I almost like speaking in church now. I hope that doesn't sound too weird. haha

Well I better get going. I hope you are all doing well. Get feeling better. Have a great week and I love you all.

-Elder Davis

PS Yes Brett we got to skype on Christmas! The mission dept approved it but I guess your pres may not have. I don't know. It was Awesome though. I even got to see Ricky! haha