Elder Paul D. Pieper

Hey. I'm still here.

This week was cool.

 

Elder Paul D. Pieper came to town and we had a half mission conference. He had some wonderful things to say about finding the "elect" and then he gave us some pointers on how to teach. He wants us to help people help themselves. Often when investigators have questions we just answer them. But he wanted us to take their questions and teach them how to find the answer for themselves in the scriptures. He gave some examples and told some stories. It was a really great conference.

 

One of the best parts about it was the Zone Leader meeting beforehand. There were 14 Zone Leaders, the Assistants, President and Sister Greer and the Piepers. It was a great meeting. I think I got just as much out of that 30 minutes as I did in the rest of the 5 hour conference. He gave us some great council on leadership and how to emulate the leadership of the Savior. He is the perfect example after all.

 

Also at the conference I got to see Elders Dutson, Camba, Lee, Burgess, Mellies, and a few others that I'm good friends with but haven't been companions with. I love Elder Dutson so much. I really hope I get to serve in his zone again someday, he is so great. That was one of the best parts of the conference. I love seeing my old friends! It makes me excited for Christmas Zone conference which is also half the mission. And we get to watch a movie! My guess is that we'll watch Brave. Is that a good movie?

Here's something crazy that happened. So right now Elder Lee is serving in my first area, Yakima 3rd ward. So I get to see him on p-days. And his companion got Emergency Transferred (ET) to the west side. So Elder Lee has been without a companion for a week now awaiting a replacement for Elder Crandell. He told me today that Elder Burgess is coming to be his new companion hahahaha. It will be fun to be around him again. And they're both Samoan! Funny funny funny. I am thinking about Elder Burgess and him walking in the cold of Yakima during the winter. It's an interesting thought. I am not really sure how he is taking it haha. It is hard to leave Pasco 2nd and 4th wards. There is so so so much success to be had there. Speaking of that, Brother Votaw got baptized. I'll send pictures in another email. Mission life is crazy. It can change at any time. Recently a Zone Leader in the mission went home early and a ZL from the west side got ET'd over to Richland. You can move anywhere at anytime. Things happen. I just hope that I wont have to be involved in an ET any time soon.

The area that we are working in is doing wonderful. We put someone on date! Elder Joseph Smith and Elder Landon Smith went to an appointment with James Draven and Landon put him on date for December 8th! That was the first time he ever invited someone to be baptized! He was way excited haha. It was fun to see. I wish I could have been there but it's even better that his brother was there to see it. Afterwards Landon called President and Sister Greer and they said that he could call his Mom and Dad too so he and big Elder Smith called their parents and told them about it. I'm sure that was fun. While they were talking to their parents I was thinking "I wish that I could talk to my parents..." haha. Next transfer is coming soon! Then I can call you all.

 

James is a pretty cool cat. He was in the military and that kinda messed him up so he doesn't retain all the information we send his way. But he is accountable, and he is ready to be baptized. He has been taught for years now by Sister missionaries and now us in the YSA. He was interviewed by President Greer a few months ago and President cleared him for baptism. I'm really excited for him, he is such a good guy.

Speaking of President. I got to see him yesterday. I love that man so much. He is the greatest. ZL's in the past have said that the best thing about being a ZL is that you get to spend more time with President. I didn't realize how much more you see him though. It really is a lot more. I wish I could spend all day with him. Another thing that I've learned is that the church has a lot of meetings and reports and councils and correlations and coordinations. There are just a lot of meetings in the church. And one of those happened yesterday. Elder Lyells and I had our Stake Correlation Report. We met with the Stake Presidency, the High Councilors over missionary work, and President Greer. And we reported on the goings on in our zone. It was a fun meeting. I had always known they happened in the past because my Zone Leaders would always gather the information from us every month, but I don't think you really realize what the meeting is like until you attend one. It was fun to be there and see the efficiency with which those brethren can work. Meetings are fun. I think I'm the only one who thinks so.

I think I'm done now.... I don't have anymore time.

I love you all!!!!!!