Surprise of the week: Leading the mission!

 

 

Elder Sedlacek at the Darigold plant.

Snow on the ground in Washington

What's up Mama,

This week was great. We had zone conference and then Elder J and I caught the Sunnyside cold that has been going around forever. It isn't too bad of a cold. I can deal with it. Well zone conference was really good. It was fun to hear some training from President. I have some exciting news, too. At zone conference, President came up to me and Elder J and said that he wanted to come out with us that night. Long story short, he wasn't able to that night because he is a busy guy, but he met with us and the Bishop that night. He told us that Elder J and I are leading the mission right now! I could not believe it! I knew we are having lots of success, but I didn't think it was the best in the mission. Now our goal is to make our numbers the worst in the mission--but keep our numbers the same haha! We just have to stay humble. I am not having any trouble with that haha. I know it is only by God that we are having this much success. 

Denise's baptism on Saturday and her confirmation yesterday went well. She felt the spirit super strong both days. It was fun to see her get emotional. I know that sounds bad, but that is a good thing on a mission. It means she was feeling the spirit as you already know. Our baptisms for this coming week--we had them on date but they didn't come to church yesterday because they are sick--we have to put them off a week, and Nick, the other one on date for Saturday, we aren't totally sure yet. He is having some struggles right now and we are meeting with the Bishop today to find out more. I hope we can have a baptism this Saturday though.

That is exciting missionary news for the ward. I bet they are all going to love their missions, like I love mine haha. Missions are a great thing!

I am glad that Nicole liked what I said last week haha. I didn't think it would help her that much, but hey, whatever works!

The weather in Utah sounds alot like the weather in Warshington right now. I went out this morning and it was weird. The air actually smelled good because it had just finished raining for a bit. There isn't any snow on the ground anymore. That melted off like the middle of the week and it got pretty warm. It was nice.

Yes, in Sunnyside we always email from the church because it is easier on us. President doesn't really care where we email from, we just can't use members' computers for it like it says in the white handbook. He is really just a handbook president. I like him a lot. We have a very similar personality haha. Maybe that is why I was assigned to him and not another one.

Thanks for working on my ipod. Did you put the new music on its own playlist? Thanks for doing that though for me since I can't do it myself haha. What have you found out about the Mormon Message DVD? I don't really think I need much from home other than those things. I will let you know though if I do need anything. I will be needing another journal in probably a couple of transfers. (Just to let you know). I am a little over half of the way through the one I have right now.

What's up Fathuh,

This week was good. We had zone conference as you probably already know. They did a training on the difference between teaching and ministering. Often times we missionaries get too focused on teaching what they the investigators need to know, more than on what they need personally. We have been trying to focus on that for our investigators this week. It wasn't the best teaching week, but we did get to teach Ava, the new investigator we found. She is doing great. She didn't come to church, which we were kinda disappointed about, but she was spending time with her son who she doesn't get to see much. We taught her the restoration and it was probably one of the best lessons we have given so far as a companionship. The spirit was super strong and she really liked the Joseph Smith story. She said she felt really good when I was saying it, and that she understood it all and it made perfect sense. We committed her to read and pray about the Book of Mormon to get a testimony of it and she said she would. Most of our investigators are sick right now with the flu, so we didn't get as much teaching this week. We did give lots of blessings because of it, so that was a benefit. The baptism on Saturday went well. It went really good actually.

Yep, we have been having really good success lately. We are leading the mission in fact. I thought that was crazy when I heard it! They are even having us give a training in zone meeting on Tuesday and we aren't even in leadership. Did you ever have any leadership on your mission? I don't remember, but maybe you did. All the missionaries in this district are convinced I am going to have leadership. I am not going to hope for it but if it happens, it happens. I will, and am continually trying to be a better missionary. I always try to listen to the spirit because that is what converts. Those are cool stories you shared with me about listening to the spirit. It is so important that we do listen to the spirit. Heavenly Father also gives us trials to help us to grow and become better. I know that too. Sometimes the mission is hard and you feel like you want to throw in the towel and quit, but the blessings that come if you don't are so much more worth it in the end. We just have to have an eye on the future and don't look back, like Elder Doube's talk in conference. If we do that everything will work out.

It is good that the US is doing good in the Olympics. It sucks that the colleges aren't doing so hot in basketball right now. It is a good thing that the Jazz are sucking it up right now so they can get a lottery pick next season. They need one of those so they can be better in the future.

I heard from mom that the weather is pretty good right now in Utah. It's the same here in Warshington. It has been pretty warm the past couple days which is what I like. Surprisingly though with the name like Sunnyside you would think that you would get good sunsets. We practically don't even get sunsets here. It's weird. The sun just kinda goes down. I miss the Utah sunsets. They are always super pretty. I think only a couple times on my mission so far have we had a okay sunset haha.

Libby is funny haha. I haven't really had that many doors slammed in my face except for maybe like 10. Most people are really nice, but just tell us to get out of there. I have knocked tons of doors and most of them have been polite to us. I guess that is a blessing of serving in the states.

That is exciting about the new missionary news in the ward. That is going to be cool for the ward to have that many missionaries out serving. This July is going to be a crazy time for the WKM with all the leaving and coming missionaries. 20+ missionaries are leaving, so there will probably be some calls to Kennewick from your area I would bet. You guys will have to let me know if you hear of any from our stake that will be coming to the WKM.

I love you guys soo much and thanks for all that you do for me. I say it every week but I really mean it. You guys are the greatest! Thank you for praying for our investigators, too.  I love you guys! 

-Elder Sedlacek