Leadership Training and Investigator Updates

Dear Family,

Email session is now stressful being a zone leader. :S We always have something that takes up our time. This week we had to fill out an evaluation sheet for all the the missionaries in our zone so the mission president can know what to do, and what to say in his interviews with the missionaries next week.

This week has been crazy! I don't know where to begin. First off, the baptisms did not happen because of weather. We received snow Friday night and Saturday morning. The roads were dangerous and so the baptism is set for next Saturday. Besides the weather problem, the Conklins are doing great. Tracy's husband's name is Keith and Keith's sister is Donna.

Going back through the week. On Wednesday we had a leadership training in Columbia. All of the District Leaders and Zone Leaders within the mission met in Columbia to be trained. Our meeting started at 7:30 in the morning, so we decided to go down the night before. On Tuesday evening, all of the District Leaders in our Zone, (Elder Austin, Elder Thayn, and Elder Corona) met us in Spartanburg. I drove down to Columbia and we stayed the night in the Assistant's apartment. The meeting was good, I thought a little long, it lasted 10 hours. I then drove back home. The trip wiped me out!

John Perry is doing great. We continue to teach him. This Sunday was Stake Conference. He, unfortunately, was not able to make it. When he went to his truck, the truck would not start. He is going to buy a new battery today. Because he was not able to make it to church, he will not be able to be baptized on my birthday. :( That's just the Lord's way of making sure my desire is pure, to make sure I want him to be baptized not for me, but to come unto Christ. We taught him the Plan of Salvation this week, and he is very confused about the fall. He doesn't understand why God was so harsh to kick Adam and Eve out of the Garden for making a mistake while they were in such an innocent state. He is going through a rough time right now, so it's hard for him to see how beautiful it is that we are able to be here on the earth. He recently lost his job, he couldn't pay for his house, lost his house, and now he is living in a beat up old house. To top it off, his wife left him because she said she would not live in such a crummy looking house. I know God has sent us to help him see the light. I wish I could write more but I must go. I hope you are feeling better mom.

Love,
Elder Cowan