January 27, 2014 Success in our Ward!!

January 27, 2014

So this week was pretty good.  We had another baptism. Her name is Innah.  She has been being taught by the missionaries for 3 years and she finally got baptized!!  It was great to finally see her get baptized and I was able to confirm her a member.  It was my first time ever and it was pretty cool!!

Another success that I would like to share is about our ward!  
When I first got here our ward was a mess. No MCM (Missionary Correlation Meeting) and usually only the bishop in sacrament meeting.  People had callings but nobody was fulfilling them.  But, after a lot of member visits, helping the Bishop and then the Bishop stepping up like 10 levels; our MCM has improved to not just having better attendance it has improved to something beautiful!!  All of the ward auxiliaries are there. They are talking about investigators and thinking about ideas of how to help investigators and less active members. It is beautiful!!
One thing that is kind of funny is a while ago a counselor in the Mission Presidency, President Mortenson gave a workshop on how an MCM should be.  He said that “you know you have done a good job in your ward when you see a family you don’t know and ask the Bishop who they are, then he responds “they are less active members we went and visited them this week.” That is exactly what happened yesterday!!  We saw a family. We didn’t know them. We asked the Bishop who they were and do you want to know what he said? …just guess. J

We finally have home teaching occurring and the ward is functioning like it should.  I never thought missionary work would include the ward. But I have seen that there can’t be very much success if the ward is not doing its’ part.  If the members are not doing their part!!  It was a great week and lots of success!! And, we only got chased by dogs 3 times this weekJ Joke only twice..:) Joke again, we didn’t get chasedJ

Have a great week!!

Elder Ball

January 20th, 2014 Fruits of your labors

January 20, 2014

Tell Matthew HAPPY BIRTHDAY and that I LOVE HIM!!!!!!!!!! HAPPY BRTHDAY MATTHEW ON THE 24!!!!!!!!!!! HAVE AN AWESOME DAY!!!!!!

Hello Po Kumusta po kayo doon?  This week was pretty great. We finally had a baptism and I was able to baptize her! She is the daughter of a member that my trainer and I found back in September.  We started teaching her and she returned back to the church and now her daughter was baptized! It was great!!  She was way happy and when she came out of the water she made the sound like when you are thirsty and you get a good drink of water and do.......ahhhhh.  It was funny and she had a big smile or her face! We have another scheduled for next week and at least one every Saturday through Feb. 15^th!!!  Finally some fruits of our labors.  I am so happy that I did not transfer because I would have missed all of this fruit and all of this harvesting!!  I am super happy!

I didn't get transferred and I didn’t get a new comp.  My companion is still Elder Rabanes.  He is my third companion here in the field.

Something kind of funny is that..... It is cold! I never in my life thought it would get cold here. Maybe I am getting used to the heat but this last week it got cold! I don't use a fan right now and showering in the morning is the most dreadful thing when you walk in the bathroom and know what you have to do haha but it is okay because in the afternoon it is hot! A lot of people are getting sick right now because of the temperature changes! It probably really isn't that cold but for all the people here, and me, it is like a freezer at night haha!

My shirts and shoes and pants are great well except for my grandpa shoes. They are getting fixed right now haha!!

Well this week was good and I am looking forward to the next week!

I love you!!!!!!

LOVE YOUR ELDER BALL

This is me.  Behind me is my current companion, Elder Rabanes, and a member with her daughter