Things! They are changing!
First and foremost today is transfer day. And with all of the things that would be turning upside down with the mission split, new mission president, losing 55 missionaries and gaining 32, and all of those things.. I'm staying in Mount Lewis! But Elder Daly is leaving! We were both pretty surprised. I'll be sad to see him go - he's going to be a District Leader down in South Ogden for the last 5 weeks of his mission. I'm also grateful because I'm getting another companion to learn from instead of a companion to train or to teach. His name is Elder Stewart and he's been out on his mission for well over a year. I was getting nervous because of all the new missionaries that they may need me to be a senior companion or a trainer; and while I'd be thankful for the opportunity to serve, it's just a relief that I have at the very least 5 more weeks to learn from another companion who has more experience in the mission field. While it's amazing that there are missionaries training after 2 or 3 transfers in the field, there is also a very large detriment to that... As soon as we are made a senior companion, we basically have no more opportunities to look up to or learn from a companion, and we have to be the role model and the leader in teaching and contacting situations. I have improved my communication stills enormously in the last 7 weeks with Elder Daly and feel much more confident now... So if the call DOES come, I know I will be ready.
This past week has also seen miracles. To be honest, it has been a frustrating transfer in some aspects largely due to the fact that we've been working so hard and so consistently but have seen very little success. We have been praying and working diligently to do all we can to be worthy of the blessings that Heavenly Father has for us, but for a while it's been hard to see them. Finally, however, we've seemed to break the surface and have seen miracles. On Friday we committed a 25 year old lady to be baptized and her less-active husband to work towards blessing their baby, and they both accepted. They both went to Church on Sunday and are extremely excited for what the future has in store for them. Then, on Saturday, we visited a referral that some other Zone Leaders gave to us for someone they met at a 4th of July parade. As the father let us into the house, a little girl ran up to us to shake our hands, and said "Hello! My name is Jelena, I am 9 years old, and I want to be baptized!" We then learned that the family was just recently becoming active again and the girl LOVES going to church, and the family is very supportive of her decision. Then, on Sunday, we went and talked to another one of our investigators named Enrique who was taught by missionaries 2 years ago but never wanted to be baptized. We took him to a baptism last Thursday and he was able to feel the Spirit there.. And as we spoke to him on Sunday, he accepted a baptismal date as well! I'm so thankful for the chance that I have to be serving here at this time. I'm also grateful for the testimony that I now have that if we will give it our all every single day and do everything we can to bring to pass the Lord's will, he will do the rest. Even though it feels like we keep working and working and just running into a wall... If we get back up again and keep going, it is then that miracles come to pass.
I hope you all had a great 4th of July! Ours was.. Well.. Fantastic.. Ish. No one wants to meet with us. But the highlight of the night was definitely the fireworks show. We went over to the 2nd counselor in the stake presidency's house way up on the mountain and watched from their 3rd story balcony.. And it was incredible. We could see fireworks for 30 miles south, 20 miles north, and 30 miles west. We saw hundreds and hundreds of fireworks going off from thousands of houses in the valley, and we were in sight of 5 fireworks shows for different cities. It was pretty much a once in a lifetime opportunity.
I'm completely blanking out as to what else happened this week. I'm sure there were other things. But they must not be very important. This next transfer is only 5 weeks, so it's going to be an entire 2 weeks shorter than the one we just had.. Which is scary. Because that literally flew. Also. It's 111 degrees out right now. *high five*
Mom - Say bye to the Radford's for me. I'll miss them! I wonder who will replace him in the Stake Presidency.. I am most certainly in a cooking area. The members here are ... Different than anywhere else I've served. I love them still- Ogden is just a different world. Talking about picking me up already? Don't even worry about it. It's not close, and I'm not planning on letting it SEEM close :). Haha. We talked to Miki this past week, it didn't end up as a lesson because she had to take off.. But she's making us dinner on Thursday and we'll teach her then. I haven't written to Papa yet.. It seems to be all I can do to write you guys an email and take off since we have so many things to do on P-day. Tell him I'm sorry - I'll get to it as soon as I can. And yes my medication came.
Dad - All the Kelly's are still around, right? I thought I remembered Matt and Zack having somewhat of a mix-up for schooling. You haven't gone on that high adventure thing yet? I swear that was a long time ago.. Man. I am just blanking out right now. I'll have more details/things next week.
I love you all. Thank you for your support!
- Elder Tyler Grant
First and foremost today is transfer day. And with all of the things that would be turning upside down with the mission split, new mission president, losing 55 missionaries and gaining 32, and all of those things.. I'm staying in Mount Lewis! But Elder Daly is leaving! We were both pretty surprised. I'll be sad to see him go - he's going to be a District Leader down in South Ogden for the last 5 weeks of his mission. I'm also grateful because I'm getting another companion to learn from instead of a companion to train or to teach. His name is Elder Stewart and he's been out on his mission for well over a year. I was getting nervous because of all the new missionaries that they may need me to be a senior companion or a trainer; and while I'd be thankful for the opportunity to serve, it's just a relief that I have at the very least 5 more weeks to learn from another companion who has more experience in the mission field. While it's amazing that there are missionaries training after 2 or 3 transfers in the field, there is also a very large detriment to that... As soon as we are made a senior companion, we basically have no more opportunities to look up to or learn from a companion, and we have to be the role model and the leader in teaching and contacting situations. I have improved my communication stills enormously in the last 7 weeks with Elder Daly and feel much more confident now... So if the call DOES come, I know I will be ready.
This past week has also seen miracles. To be honest, it has been a frustrating transfer in some aspects largely due to the fact that we've been working so hard and so consistently but have seen very little success. We have been praying and working diligently to do all we can to be worthy of the blessings that Heavenly Father has for us, but for a while it's been hard to see them. Finally, however, we've seemed to break the surface and have seen miracles. On Friday we committed a 25 year old lady to be baptized and her less-active husband to work towards blessing their baby, and they both accepted. They both went to Church on Sunday and are extremely excited for what the future has in store for them. Then, on Saturday, we visited a referral that some other Zone Leaders gave to us for someone they met at a 4th of July parade. As the father let us into the house, a little girl ran up to us to shake our hands, and said "Hello! My name is Jelena, I am 9 years old, and I want to be baptized!" We then learned that the family was just recently becoming active again and the girl LOVES going to church, and the family is very supportive of her decision. Then, on Sunday, we went and talked to another one of our investigators named Enrique who was taught by missionaries 2 years ago but never wanted to be baptized. We took him to a baptism last Thursday and he was able to feel the Spirit there.. And as we spoke to him on Sunday, he accepted a baptismal date as well! I'm so thankful for the chance that I have to be serving here at this time. I'm also grateful for the testimony that I now have that if we will give it our all every single day and do everything we can to bring to pass the Lord's will, he will do the rest. Even though it feels like we keep working and working and just running into a wall... If we get back up again and keep going, it is then that miracles come to pass.
I hope you all had a great 4th of July! Ours was.. Well.. Fantastic.. Ish. No one wants to meet with us. But the highlight of the night was definitely the fireworks show. We went over to the 2nd counselor in the stake presidency's house way up on the mountain and watched from their 3rd story balcony.. And it was incredible. We could see fireworks for 30 miles south, 20 miles north, and 30 miles west. We saw hundreds and hundreds of fireworks going off from thousands of houses in the valley, and we were in sight of 5 fireworks shows for different cities. It was pretty much a once in a lifetime opportunity.
I'm completely blanking out as to what else happened this week. I'm sure there were other things. But they must not be very important. This next transfer is only 5 weeks, so it's going to be an entire 2 weeks shorter than the one we just had.. Which is scary. Because that literally flew. Also. It's 111 degrees out right now. *high five*
Mom - Say bye to the Radford's for me. I'll miss them! I wonder who will replace him in the Stake Presidency.. I am most certainly in a cooking area. The members here are ... Different than anywhere else I've served. I love them still- Ogden is just a different world. Talking about picking me up already? Don't even worry about it. It's not close, and I'm not planning on letting it SEEM close :). Haha. We talked to Miki this past week, it didn't end up as a lesson because she had to take off.. But she's making us dinner on Thursday and we'll teach her then. I haven't written to Papa yet.. It seems to be all I can do to write you guys an email and take off since we have so many things to do on P-day. Tell him I'm sorry - I'll get to it as soon as I can. And yes my medication came.
Dad - All the Kelly's are still around, right? I thought I remembered Matt and Zack having somewhat of a mix-up for schooling. You haven't gone on that high adventure thing yet? I swear that was a long time ago.. Man. I am just blanking out right now. I'll have more details/things next week.
I love you all. Thank you for your support!
- Elder Tyler Grant
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