Dear Family,
WOW!! This week was mind-blowing. Seriously. I will tell you why.
Monday night we got a call from the beloved Elder Bryant (Assistant)
and he said that we were going to go out for lessons with Brother John
Gonzales from the Missionary Department for the night. We frantically
called a bunch of people so we had appointments the next day for sure
haha. It was so cool though. Hermano Gonzales knows his stuff and he
really really helped us out. We were coming back from the mission home
with him and he told us to pick somewhere to eat. Elder McCuch and I
agreed on Subway. He says, "SUBWAY!!! I am going to have to veto that.
Sounds sissy." So I proclaimed on impulse; "Red Lobster!!" And he
loved the idea, so we dined like gentlemen that evening. It was a
blast. All night he was talking with us about the mission; what is
going well, what is going bad, key indicators, how the zone is doing,
how to get more baptisms, planning, and some very specific things we
could apply to our area after he was with us for the night. We
actually got quite the chastisement all night. It was very loving and
very wise counsel so we didn't take any of it as 'chastisement' as you
might think it sounds like when you read the word. He had a lot to
say. He had been a Stake President, Mission President, CIA agent, and
has worked in the Misionary Dept. It was a privilege and a very rare
opportunity to be with him. It was cool. We had a meeting with the
Mission leadership the next day. We got lovingly put on the spot for
the good and the bad the next day. It was fun. He taught us a lot
about precision planning and really using key indicators to help us
improve and set our vision high for the future. President Griffin
really wants this mission to baptize more and he is really trying to
make it happen. Things are going well in the zone and in the La Joya
ward in that aspect. This week we FINALLY figured out a problem the
ward has been having for years; the Gutierrez twins (members---kindof.
I will explain!) have been going to church with their family for 5+
years. They are 13 and were baptized, but all proof of the baptism was
lost so we are doing the baptism again. Ay ay ay. Obispo Menchaca
joked about taking a picture at their baptism with them holding a sign
up of the date the ordinance was effectuated so we would have proof
haha. So they will be baptized with Angel, our Cuban friend, this
Sunday. I am so pumped!!! Things look good. Anyway, John Gonzales, and
his friend from the Mission Dept. came and changed the face of the
mission in a one-day one 8 hour meeting. I am very sad to have come
across this training so close to the end of my service here. I asked
him what I could do to apply it after my mission and he said that a
promise was given in the Mission Dept. when PMG came out that if any
of them mastered Chapter 8 of PMG they would triple their income. I
will try to apply it.
I drove to the mission home this week with Elder Anderson from our
apartment. He has diabetes and feels real sick. It was a fun visit. I
got a temple recommend and just soaked up the time with President and
Sister Griffin. He is one hilarious President. He is so Montana. They
told funny stories of him chewing out missionaries over the phone
while Sister Griffin asked for the phone from him to say loving things
to them. An new Elder called, sad that his only sister was getting
married and he wasn't there, and President said "Quit being a sissy,
she got married, she didn't die!" It was hilarious. He is one good
mission President and he really trusts me. He is without doubt the
most honest person I have ever met. I corrected him in something minor
that I noticed through an email last week and he thanked me for it and
wished that everyone would just be honest with him because he knows he
is trying. It is cool to see the differences in PT and PG
#polaropposites
This week was just another spectacularly awesome weeks in the books.
There is a lot going on. We are still on track to breaking the West
Maricopa baptism record this month!!!! 23 on date and we need 15 of
them to follow through. Pray for Angel and the rest of the gang this
month. OH!! And pray for Anah Toledo. We need to get her MARRIED!! SI
SE PUEDE!!! WE CAN DO IT!! We are going to pray like it all depends on
God and it would be up to us to allow him to steer her.
The very strongest I felt the Spirit this week was in zone meeting. I
was leading a discussion on faith and miracles. WOW. My sense of
"feeling" was so strong it almost overcame my sight. I felt it so
strong. We talked about how powerful our faith can be as it is coupled
with diligence to do everything we can. Miracles do happen. A lot of
the time, it is up to us. God always has final say, but we need to use
our resources and tap into his power. It is not his will that only X
number of people are baptized or found in an area or in a mission. His
will is that they are all found and baptized. We can make it happen in
our prayers and action. I have learned a lot with Elder McCuch about
communicating with God all day long through action, word, thoughts,
and deed. We can show him a lot through our plans and diligence in
carrying out the plans then through confirming all that we do with Him
through our prayers. That way He will "consecrate our performance."
Two people can do ANYTHING if one of those people is God.
Love, Elder Parry
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