Sunday, January 20, 2013

January 19, 2013

Hey family,
Wow Momma, until you included that lil note saying that it was Martin Luther King day, I totally forgot that that day existed, but total respect for the 3 day weekend haha, those don't exist in the mish, the weekends are actually the busiest days, haha. Today we actually don't have a P Day, just a little time to write the fam. We had to give a training to new missionaries and their trainers today and then it's back to work in an hour.  I really really like that aspect of the offices actually, the amount of work. It is a little stressful at time to have an area and the offices, but it's been really fun and I honestly feel like it's exactly what I need at this point in the mission. We are getting ready to start week 6, which is the week before transfers.  It is a really busy week with making the changes and everything, but it's a lot of fun.
So it sounds like Zion prospers in Fallon and that you are all having a great time! That makes me really happy. Momma, thanks for sending me the updates from all of Ry's games, it sounds like for the most part he's doing really well, good for him. Its always good to hear from Lauren each week as well, sounds like she is doing really well up at the Y.
So as for us, it was a good week. Last change, Elder Mesa and I went and gave trainings out of town two full weeks, and this change we haven't had to give any due to the trainings running on a monthly schedule. What this means is that we have had way more time to work in our area this last change, which has been really nice. We have been able to find more investigators and menos activos and also really work on retaining all of the recent converts that we have in our ward. We have been running a lot of numbers on the recent converts in the mission and really putting a ton of emphasis on retention with them Elders because without a solid retention percentage and plan, its like trying to stop the bleeding without putting a bandage on the wound... Its an uphill battle. This week the mission brought a total of 468 less active members to church and 57% of all recent converts baptized in the last 6 months came as well. This isn't that great, but compared to the 12% that we were retaining, it's a start.  
Chris and Ber won't be able to get married this week, so we've set their new baptism date for the 1st of February. They are still progressing way good, just have to get married still. Besides that we are finding some new investigators with the help of the members and really getting some good work done down in the promised land.
I am really loving the mission, not gonna lie. My overarching goal of this next year is to fully consecrate myself, I want to come home from my mission totally converted and being that dude that is truly and permanently changed by his mission. This is the mission, you only do it one time, you can't afford to have it be like EFY where a few good things stick, but for the most part a month later you are your same old self once again, no, no way. Brandon wrote me one time talking about how if a guy stays close to a fire it will keep him warm. If he stays in a fire he will have scars so permanent that the fire has changed him. Kind of a sick example but I like it, and it's really true. I wanna 100% be that guy that is changed for his whole life by his mission. So every little bad habit I have, I'm gonna do my very best to recognize it, repent of it, and quit doing it cuz I know that I'll never have a better opportunity in my whole life to change myself for the better.
Well, I love y'all so much. I'm doing really well. I love knowing that all of you are doing so well also. #143 #GMC$ #SpecialK #JakeHeaps
Love,
Elder Stockard

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