Goals and Characters

Dear Family,

  

This week has been a lot of fun.  We had "MOVE CALL MADNESS!"  The last devout missionaries take the move call (which is a list of where everyone in the mission is right now) and play "President Bishop" for a while as they guess who will go where.  It's a lot like March Madness but with missionaries.  It's fun to hear where everyone goes, but I don't waste my time making a chart.  Anyway, the Zone Leader that I adore went Assistant (which wasn't a surprise to many people), we got two new Zone Leaders as the other went Trainer for a second time.  Elder Stone left our four-man today and we'll get a new missionary (Elder Erickson) later on.  We all expect Elder Oakman to leave because he has been longer and had just finished training Elder Stone.  As you may be able to see, there are many ways of predicting where people will go so that's why people get really into it.

I also, with LOADS of help from my companion, finished Phase 1.  I'm so grateful for his help.  He's truly an incredible companion.  He just wants to help me all the time.  We're also working very hard.  We have broken four of his all time records on the mission in the last two weeks.  We broke member referrals received, referrals contacted, member assisted lessons, and investigators at church (people can't be baptized if they don't go to church).  It's been a very successful week.  We've received a ton of blessings from the Lord in the last few days, but I don't really know why.  We're working hard, but I never feel adequate in receiving these blessings.  I just need to keep pushing myself.

I'm happy that your talk in church went well.  That's great that you got to meet someone who served in this mission (although it was probably the old Gaoxiong mission).  From that point, a lot of the translations for things have changed.  The most notable is the Book of Mormon.  It used to be called Momenjing, now it's Moermenjing.  There's a huge significance here because in chinese, without seeing the characters, Momenjing sounds like Devil-people scripture.  Adding the other character changes it a lot.  Speaking of characters, I've begun learning them.  My companion has encouraged me to do it, so I've begun.  They're a lot of fun.  A little difficult because many look alike, but my hope is to be able to read all of the Book of Mormon in Characters by the start of my fourth move call. 

My companion and I have a goal to get a lot of baptisms next month.  If we accomplish this, not only will we have more success than he's had before, we'll likely be able to request for he and I to stay together for another move call.  That would be wonderful.  He's super good.  I imagine that after me he'll go District Leader, then Zone Leader pretty quickly.

If I had to guess, I think that Brother Correy you spoke with is Elder Jake Correy's dad.  The Elder you saw give his report in the High Council.  I bet Elder Correy was a good missionary.  It's great to hear that Jack's mission changed him.  I wouldn't be surprised if he was a leader on his mission.  He has the look, and it sounds like the spirit too.

  

I'm so happy that Elder Taylor is doing well.  I can honestly see him becoming a leader in the mission someday.  He just exudes kindness, diligence, and love.  He's a wonderful Elder I bet.  I hope we get to serve with each other or near each other someday. 

Mom, Dad, Eric, I love this mission.  I love it so much.  Seeing people change their lives is something that can't really be described.  There are so many people willing to accept this gospel.  Our only job is to find them and invite them to follow Christ.  This gospel is true.  Some days, it's so true it hurts.  I look at people who reject me in awe.  I can't understand why they don't believe what I say.  To me, it feels like I'm telling them it's hot outside and they look me straight in the eyes and say that it's snowing.  That's what it feels like right now.  I love this gospel.  Other times, we teach people the first lesson, and I don't feel like we did very well even though the spirit was there.  Then we ask them if they believe our words...and oftentimes they do.  I don't want to say that it surprises me, but all we do is tell them and the spirit testifies like crazy.  It's really not us that does the work.

Dad, I thought what you said was most intriguing.  You said that you pray for me to have success equal to my sacrifice.  Sometimes when I'm running, or sitting in a car and not using my time as effectively as I should, I get a feeling almost instantly to push myself.  I wondered if it was me, but I'm beginning to think that it's not.  The harder I work, the more success I've had.  I always feel like if I push myself, I'll do better.  I now know that I'm having help from you in Draper.  I receive those promptings telling me to work harder because through that work heavenly father blesses us to see people change.  Seeing that change makes everything worth it.

I can't wait to see our investigators enter the waters of baptism.  I love you all.  I just want you to know that your prayers have power.  I'm safe and healthy and working hard because you're praying for me.  Thank you so much.  If there is anything you can think of to help me improve, please tell me.  I love you all and I'll send some pictures this week. 

Love, Elder Woolsey