Busy Busy

Well I'm not really in a city that's alone like Anthem was. It's just North Phoenix. I live a little north of Happy Valley Road and 35th ave. I'll work on a suit in the new year. Glad yall got my package. The one that I got for Morgan for the names has a note on it so you know.

My week:

13 Dec 2010 - Phone call with President Beck went really good this morning. Still excited about the zone and things going on. Went shopping and got presents for family back home and sent them. I also made a Santa Wish List. Bro. Eagar - the member we live with - he makes us write a list of things we want for Christmas and then he goes out and gets some things. Which is awesome. So I threw some things on that list and gave it to him. Played pool at Maria's house with her and her husband. Then we went and did some interviews for the Piemontese family. Good family.

14 Dec 2010 - Had district meeting. I helped out with a musical number - Be Still My Soul. It is Sister Pehrson's last week in the mission (goes home on Dec 18th - probably have known her the most in the mission - been in same district for over 10 months). So we also all wrote her a letter to open for when she gets home. She's really great. One thing I do now as a zone leader is facilitate during practice teaching. So I watch two companionships practice teaching each other and I help them evaluate their teaching and how they can improve - which is fun. Did some service for Dave - helped him wash and clean an oven and a microwave that had been abused at a home he rents out. Put together Maria's baptism program. Also had a planning meeting w/ our High Councilman. Bro White was there too.

15 Dec 2010 - Cannot believe halfway through December. Busy Busy. It got up to about 77 today - just perfect weather outside. This morning we prepared for out zone meeting and organized it. Then we washed out our 2010 Red Chevy Colorado we get to drive - we have car inspections before zone meetings. It took us two hours to do a deep deep cleaning. We got to the building and had to set everything up. It was also interview day with President. So I did mine and it was really good. Quick and simple as always. Just told me that we're doing great and to keep it up. I got to conduct which was fun - first like big meeting I've gotten to conduct which was cool. Our big thing for this (since Elder Hall and I got to plan it all) was "There is a missionary solution to every problem" - basically there are no excuses. So we threw down on that and it went really really good. The skills training was how to work with WML's better and how to get them to do stuff without telling them too (not everyone is as good as dad was).

16 Dec 2010 - We got our truck fixed - weather stripping issues. Oil change - all that took like 3.5 hours - ugh. Got a $5 hot - n - ready pizza. Had weekly planning. lesson with Maria. 2 ward correlations. Began exchanges. I'm with Elder Labrum in his area.

17 Dec 2010 - Today we tracted all day long. From 10am-9pm with 2 hours out for lunch and dinner. Also met with their Bishop for 30 min. So tracted for total of about 8 hours. We broke the daily contacting record, which I set 2 weeks ago at 51, and today we got 55. Elder Labrum reminds me of the mormon version of Eminem the hip hop guy. We contacted all day.

18 Dec 2010 - Bro. Eagar made us breakfast since it was Saturday. Biscuits and sausage gravy. Yummy. Then he also took us out to lunch since it was Elder Hall's birthday yesterday. Then we had Maria's baptism which went really good. The AP's were there so it was fun talking with them. Then we got to stay for the Piemontese family baptism. That was awesome. Cool story about them. About 4 months ago, one of the Sister Missionaries, Sister Moody, asked if I would give her a blessing of comfort which I did. So I asked her if there was anything she wanted to tell me or give me any info and she wouldn't (I was like, come on - you gotta tell me something). But she just said that Heavenly Father knows. So I was like ok, and gave her a blessing. In the blessing I felt strongly to tell her that she would find, teach, and baptize a family while serving in her current area. So every time transfers have come around, I've crossed my fingers she wouldn't get transferred. And have been waiting, but she did it - so that was really cool to see. Finished stake reports for meeting tomorrow. Only 1 week time Christmas.

19 Dec 2010 - Church was good. Maria was confirmed. Also had stake cordination meeting with Deer Valley Stake Presidency and President Beck - that was really good. Fun seeing how leaders interact. We had a good lesson with Thomas - lives with the Roque family. I enjoy being over there. He said that he wants to get baptized so we'll see where that all goes.

All is well here. Loving it all and living the dream.

Merry Christmas. Brad and Karen sent me a package so I got that - will open them on Christmas.

Elder Perkins.