Another Transfer Down


So today was transfer meeting. Two of the Elders in the zone went home and one got transfered. I served with both the Elders that are going home in both this zone and the Monterey zone. Great Elders, and I'm sure I'll see them after the mission. Especially since on of them is a Chem-E at BYU.

This week went great. We were able to see and teach Richard again! His new baptismal date is for the 22nd of September. He is doing great. We taught him the word of wisdom, and we were afriad since he is a heavy coffee drinker. He actually embraced the commandment well, and is trying to quit. We're helping him and he's been doing well. He needs to be in church this sunday, so we're making sure he gets there. Elijah's still doing good, and has been a big example for the 15 year old girl that was just baptized in the spanish branch. He's been faithfully attending seminary this past week. 

This transfer we're going to try and work really hard to help the zone do even better. As for our stake numbers, we've had 12 baptisms this year. Ft Lauderdale with 92 is crazy! We're plugging away and have climbed up from being the lowest baptizing zone. We hope to keep climbing. Baptisms are down this year, but as a reference point, the Menlo Park (west of us) and Monterey stakes are leading the mission with about 45 and 37 baptisms, respectively. Most are hovering around the 20s. The affluency of the area makes it difficult, but the menlo park stake includes Palo Alto, so its not all about that. I've noticed the leaders make a huge difference. In Monterey, the stake president and bishops were always pushing the temple. Making the temple a focus for all of the active, less active, and recently converted members actually really helped missionary work. He're the leaders are starting to catch the missionary spirit, and our stake president loves all the missionaries in the zone, and the high councilman over missionary work is on fire.

Elder Suzuki and I are doing great and are playing the find new investigators game. We have some good potentials who hopefully pan out.
  
-Elder James Richards

Some Elders from the zone at transfers this morning.