Finding the Elect

Greetings - we began another round of transfer planning. I'm pretty sure what the destiny is for my last few months - we'll see for sure later.

One 2 zone leader exhanges this week - both well.

Went hiking this morning with our zone. I got sunburned on my legs because they are never exposed. Elder Bird and I just hike in the back and make sure everyone gets up the mountain. We all know that there emerges 2 groups when hiking: 1) the speedsters who race up (used to be me) and 2) the slow ones. I just stay in the back and bring up the rear so the one or two slow ones don't feel so bad.

We have 2 solid investigators emerge this past week. Emily is 19 - college and is just the bomb. She loves the Book of Mormon - already in 2 Nephi and we teach her lots. She will be getting baptized last weekend in October. Then we have Perry who is 18. He loves listening to the Book of Mormon. But we took him to FHE tonight and he just loved the interaction with people and had a blast. Singles wards are the best. Really fun - people are great. He will be baptized last weekend in October as well.

President Taylor promises that there are 2 people in each area that are ready to be baptized. We started October having 2 other names in mind and had never even met Emily or Perry. 10 days in, we have dropped our original 2 and will have another 2 baptized this month. The work is true - if you work hard, are obedient, and invite all to be baptized, then you find the elect.

Testimony builder for us.

Nothing better then missionary work.

A Letter Between Two Brothers

Elder Perkins (aka brother Tyler)

This week has been great. It all started out on Wednesday, when my roommate hit his head on the door of a car and got a small concussion. This wasn't what made it a good experience. He asked me to give his a blessing so I was able to bless oil and then anoint his head with it and then the Elders Quorum President actually gave him the blessing. This was a way cool experience. It was weird because you could really feel the power of God during the blessing and when I was standing there with my hands on his head you just knew that there was power in what we were doing and you couldn't deny it. So that was way cool.

Then on Friday I got my mission call. I had a few friends over, called mom on one phone, dad and the family on one phone, and Taylor on one phone, and opened it. I will be serving in the

Bahia Blanca Mission in Argentina,

speaking Spanish! I'm way excited to go. I've been looking it up for the pastfew days and everyday I get more pumped up to go. I report to the MTC in Provo on December 21st. Which is one day after I put my availability date which was quite surprising. So I report in exactly 80 days which is also 4 days after the Fall semester ends at BYUI. So these next few months will be way crazy with school and preparing for my mission. Sunday I meet with the Bishop to get a temple recommend so I can go do baptisms which will be good. So those are a few of the cool things that have happened this week. Also, I just realized that I will report 14 days before you get home which means I won't see you for another two years which sucks. But all is well. It's good to read your e-mails each week, mom forwards them to me. So that's always fun to read.

So pretty soon I'll be writing you e-mails in Spanish so you can work on yours and maybe we will be able to chat a little in Spanish when I get home. haha

Love,

Quinton

It is very good to hear from you.

So Argentina huh, that will be phenomenal for ya. It is the place you need to be at, that is for sure. One thing I've realized working so closely with President Beck and Taylor is that this work is heavily inspired. The Lord really does guide this work.

You better start learning that Espanol. I've been with a Spanish assigned speaking companion for the last 2-3 months. For 6 weeks I covered a Spanish ward so I got to go eat with members and teach - I usually just sat there and E. Falconer would translate for me, but I loved the Spanish people. They love seeing a white boy try to speak Spanish. But I had a cool experience where I was in a Spanish lesson and this less-active lady was talking in Spanish about how she had a bad experience and fell away for a bit. As she spoke, I could understand what she was saying - not sure how, could of been those 3 years of Spanish I took in high school and I was able to pick out key words about what went wrong for her - but I'd like to think it was the Spirit, and I was able to communicate back to her and after I was done speaking she just nodded and said, "Oh I understand now, that makes sense." It as an extremely great experience for me and my faith.

You will have many opportunities like that as you learn and then be able to fully communicate after about 6 months (or that's how long it takes our Spanish missionaries to learn it). It'll be fun for you. Glad that you are beginning to use the priesthood - it is very fun and rewarding. When I started my mission on the Navajo reservation, they would always ask us for blessings - very spiritual people (but we told them that if they went and got another blessing from a medicine man, that our blessing would be negated - because it shows no faith on their part). Fun stuff.

I can't believe you are leaving in December - I was talking about it with my companion a couple days ago and I didn't think you would take off so soon, but that is what happened, huh. Well then, it will be 4 years - just like we talked about. It will stink missing you, but good to know you're at the right place. I will have to download you with all my wisdom and counsel then in the next couple months and while you are on your mission. You have all the potential to become great and succeed.

I actually got a letter from Avery's mom (mama Bailey as she puts it) this week. She spoke very highly of you and the impact you've had for your family.

So are you going to start a bean and rice diet to prep you for your mission? You will probably be sick with stomach viruses the first few months until you get used to it - something to look forward to. And you will probably be attacked my wild naked tribesmen who hunt with spears and dart-guns. It will be great - something you will really love if you give it your all.

Make sure you are reading scriptures and PMG daily and praying - few little things that will prepare you a ton.

Here is a practice for you: He aqui, soy discipulo de Jesucristo, el Hijo de Dios. He sido llamado por el para declarar su palabra entre los de su pueblo, a fin de que alcancen la vida eterna.

Keep the faith,

Love

E. Perkins

Conference Edition

Conference was great. I did enjoy Elder Tad Callisters talk on the Book of Mormon - lots of great talks and great notes for me.

Big message I took out was how I can 1) better understand the atonement of Christ and 2 )How I can serve and lift others around me.

I tried a new note taking way i created myself ha - i only take notes in forms of questions that come into my mind. Because then I can look at my notes later and answer the questions one day, and then again.

For example, I made notes such as:

How can I make the Book of Mormon central to my teaching?

How do others feel after they have interacted with me?

Am I positive force in the ward I serve, etc.

Seems to work nicely. I like to challenge and push myself and always be evaluating and growing.

I am getting very tired. I try to work hard and then at nights and P-days - i am just exhausted and sleep. Probably wouldn't happen if I ate a better diet. We run 2 miles every morning which wakes me up though. We had a great week in our area (even though we didn't set any baptism dates, get anyone to church, or teach any lessons with members). We found 2 excellent people who seem elect - I think they will be baptized this month. Our mission vision is to baptize 2 a month and we must be example for that. So we need some miracles.

We had 2 sister missionaries come in today from temple square. That was fun chatting with them. I did a couple exchanges which is fun too.

Life is great.

Elder Perkins

Zone Leaders Conference

Elder Perkins Zone Playing Sock Ball

Assistants to the Presidents

Elder Falconer and Elder Perkins

On a personal note, a BIG Thank You and Much Love to President and Sister Taylor for giving the parents of the Elders and Sisters of the Arizona Phoenix Mission a superior Mission blog! It gives the families an opportunity to stay close and connected on a weekly basis. Just a little something extra that they do for all of us!

Transfers Last Week

And the Assistants to the Presidents are just glad it's over!