Visakhapatnam 4/27/14

Hello everyone!

I hope that you all had a good week this week! Our week was... Pretty busy I guess.. Haha I feel like we are always busy doing so many different things that I can't even keep all of them straight!

I don't have a lot to report this week..Tuesday through Friday were just like normal proselyting days. One thing that we struggled with this week was that all of our appointments fell through. It is pretty annoying when that happens. We did a lot of walking and trying to find new investigators, but it seemed like everything was against us. We worked hard, but we were not able to find any new people to teach. Sunday was a blessing day for us. A potential investigator called us on Saturday night and asked us to come over on Sunday morning to teach his family. One annoying thing is that he was kind of looking for a hand-out from the Church. We'll see if he will progress. We taught him and his wife.

The second blessing was that we were able to meet and teach another potential investigator on Sunday and he is really good. His name is Kishore and he is 19 years old studying Polytechnic (don't ask me what that is, I have no idea haha). He came and we taught him from the Restoration and it was a really good lesson. I'm really happy because the Spirit was strong and he felt it. He commited to being baptized on May 18 so hopefully we can have a few baptisms in May.

I am so grateful for missions. I love to hear that Mitch is preparing to get his call soon. I know that I have changed because of my mission and I'm much happier now than I was before. I think that I really gained a testimony on my mission. I couldn't be happier for that than anything else.

I love you!

Elder Head

Another busy week in Visakhapatnam!

Hello everyone! 

Happy Easter! This week was a pretty good week! We were pretty busy again. It seems like we are always busy doing something for someone and we never have any time to proselyte!! Haha 

This week we had our P-Day which was kind of normal. Then on Tuesday we had interviews with President Berrett. He came to Visak from Bangalore because we had Zone Conference on Wednesday. It was a pretty short interview. He didn't have a lot to ask me and so it was pretty brief which was nice. Then on Wednesday we had the Zone Conference and I conducted and my companion and I had to give a training on recognizing the Spirit and helping our investigators to recognize and act on the promptings that they receive. It was pretty good. We taught from 1 Samuel 3:6-11. The rest of that day was an exchange that we had with the AP's and I got to hang out with my boy Elder Alosias, my companion from Bangalore. It was fun.

Thursday and Friday were pretty normal days and so that wasn't too special.. ;) Haha and then Saturday we spent the whole day shifting the old Sister's apartment. We took all of their stuff and then stuffed it into our apartment, so we now have two apartments stuff into one apartment so things are pretty cramped. 

Sunday was a pretty good day. We had a baptism on Sunday for one brother named Shankar. He is from North India, but is working here in Visak. He is a good brother and has a desire to continue to learn and to grow. It was a pretty good service and we were happy. After that we had a dinner appointment with one family and they fed us so much food. Indian food is pretty heavy and so a lot of food isn't good for the stomach and my companion had a "reaction." Haha he threw up when we got home. It was pretty funny. 

I'm grateful for this time that we have to reflect on the Atonement and most importantly the victory that the Savior attained over death. It gives me hope and strength to continue to endure to the end. Stay true to the faith! 

Elder Head

Things are great in India....even though his Mom is counting down the days left :)

Hello everyone! 

Well, this was like one of the busiest weeks that I've had in a long time! 

Monday like I said we were pretty busy with travelling and dropping and picking up missionaries from the airport. Tuesday we went out for proselyting and it was really nice. We worked hard and were able to set one brother named Uday with a date forApril 20. Wednesday we had some things that we had to do with the old Sister's apartment, as they just moved into our old apartment in 1st Branch. That took a little while and then we went out for proselyting. Thursday we were busy with our weekly planning and then we had to prepare for our Zone Training that we would give the next day. Friday we had Zone Training and that took the morning and then we had our lunch with the Zone and went out for proselyting. Saturday and Sunday we spent the days in the church because we got to watch General Conference!

General Conference was really good. I really am grateful that I had this opportunity to watch Conference just a little bit before I go home. I feel like every speaker was talking to me about how I can keep the Spirit with me after my mission. The biggest impressions that I had were the importance of having real prayers with real intent. Especially President Uchtdorf's talk about gratitude. I really felt like that applied to me. That was the first thing. The second thing that I learned was the importance of scripture study. Personal scripture study helps give us a protection against Satan and his temptations. Lastly, was the importance of having Family Home Evening. I feel like these principles will really bless me as I approach the future.. Whoa that's really weird. 

Mom I don't like that you are keeping track and that you are telling me. I don't want to leave the mission. I really feel so blessed and grateful for the opportunity that I have to wear this black nametag with the Savior's name on it. I'm scared for the future! The mission is so simple. Just go teach the gospel! But the future has so many.. Curves and twists. So I think that I'm going to stay on mission forever! 

Love you! Have a great week!

Elder Head 

Transfers - Busy week 4-7-14

Hello everyone!! 

I'm sorry Mom and Dad that I haven't been able to email very early the last few weeks... We have been CRAZY busy. 

Today was the transfer day and so I went from my apartment in 1st branch and made the LONG trek on over to the 2nd Branch apartment. Haha it was like a 15 minute cab ride and then right after dropping our stuff at the apartment, we went and immediately started taking missionaries to the airport for their transfers. At 7:30 we took one missionary and then came back and picked up two more at 11:30, then we picked up 3 sisters at 12:45 and then we have to go back to the airport at 7 to pick up the last sister... It really has been a crazy day! I'm like super tired now... 

Other than that, the week was really long. Monday and Tuesday we were in Bangalore (Elder George and I) for MLC. It was really refreshing to be able to be with President Berrett and the other Zone Leaders to discuss the affairs of the mission and what not... I really felt the Spirit. We had a really cool experience too. We were deciding on what the training plan would be for the month of April and we discussed some things and then together we knelt down in the room and said a prayer to receive the revelation that we needed to proceed with the plan. After the prayer, President Berrett asked each of us what we thought it should be and each of us said prayer. Sometimes we had a small variation between the two, but prayer was always the main theme for all 30 of us. It was really cool.

Wednesday through Sunday we were preparing and getting ready for the transfer because we have to clean our apartment really well because the Sister missionaries are coming and living in our apartment... It was crazy. We spent collective 16 hours. It looks AMAZING though! Other than that, not too much happened. It was a really boring week.

I'm happy to hear about Mitch getting his stuff ready for his mission! I'm stoked for him. Good boy.

I love you all!! 

Have a great week!

Elder Head

Transferred to Visak 2nd Branch......only 2 more Fast Sundays....#92daysleft :)

Hello everyone!! 

This week was a pretty eventful week I guess. It was good, but for some reason it felt really long!! 

Well, first off, we had a baptism. It was really unexpected for us and for the person who got baptized.. Haha so we have been teaching this girl named Harika for the entire time that I have been here and by the missionaries serving in this branch for the last 4 years.. Her father will not give permission for her to be baptized. Harika was fed up with it because she wants to be baptized and she turned 18 a few months back, so technically she could sign for herself, but we still wanted to try to at least get the father to say yes. 

  After trying and trying for the last three months, we decided that WE would talk to her father with her. And so we went. We filled out her paperwork and were going to ask for permission for her to be baptized in three weeks. We asked him and he just told us that he doesn't care what she does, but he won't sign anything... So she signed for herself and asked if she could get baptized this week! It was really good because we have been bothering President Berrett about this for the last few months and he gave us permission so it was all good! 

Another eventful thing that happened this week was that we got transfer calls! I got transferred to Visak 2nd Branch and will be a Zone Leader. Elder Sharma is getting transferred and he is going to a small branch in Rajahmundry called Dowleswaram. Elder Aydelott is following me to the same apartment, but will be serving in Visak 3rd Branch, and Elder Pehrson is getting transferred to Whitefield Branch in Bangalore, living with the AP's.

  Our branch has been struggling and there definitely needed to be some changes made and President went hard on the transfers! He took all four of us and replaced us with Sister missionaries. Naturally they are going to have a lot of success and President is going to think that we are junk, lazy missionaries, but I think that the change of scenery will be good for the branch. 

I'm going to Bangalore today at 3 for MLC. We are flying and then coming back tomorrow night. Zone training is on Friday. It's kind of bittersweet to transfer though, because this will probably be my last area and my new companion just transferred there last transfer and so I think that he will be my last companion. His name is Elder Vijo George. I have known him for a while and he is a cool guy. I'm really excited because he is Indian and I love native companions!! 

That's all for this week. Yes Mother, I got that package like a month back but I always forget to tell you. Thanks for all the love and support!! 

Love you! 

Elder Head

No A/C and its stifling hot :) Good week in India!

Hello everyone!! 

This week was a better week than the last two have been. Things got rolling pretty well. I really hope that that makes everything else to go forward and that things FINALLY start to move forward and that we are able to have some success in this branch.

I really like the branch and the district that we serve in. Obviously it isn't perfect, but the people here truly have a lot of faith and that is something that I really appreciate. We had District Conference this week and President and Sister Berrett spoke to us. The focused on marriage and family, especially about matching the Indian culture and the gospel culture because there are a lot of differences between the two. It was really good. I think that President knew that I would be going home soon, so that's why he chose to speak on that subject.. ;) 

Our work this week was better. We are just mainly visiting our members and recent converts and less-actives. We FINALLY got some referrals this week. We got two from two different families and I hope that it works out and that we are able to meet them and teach them. We contacted one of the families, but the other we still need to contact. It's amazing how much easier it is to teach and plan for people when they are referred to us by members as opposed to finding them on our own. I don't have to find fellowshippers for referrals because the people that referred them will be their fellowshippers! 

Other than that... The week was pretty normal. The AC in our apartment doesn't work and so we have been trying to get that fixed. It is summer here and so it is pretty hot and so not having the AC can make it pretty stifling. But we continue on in the faith! 

Thanks so much for everything that you do! I love and miss you! 

Elder Head

ps.  Happy Birthday Grandma Cheryl!! Love you!!!

Rough week for missionary work - 3/17/14

Hello everyone!! 

Congrats Mom on turning 50! You can now consider yourself wise! I always have considered you wise though. I was thinking the other day about how ANYTIME I lost anything you always knew where it was or where to look. It's like you have an all-seeing eye and can see everything that I can't -- even if its in plain sight. 

Well, this week was a pretty rough week for missionary work. Our branch is good. We have a branch council who is young, but is willing to learn and to grow and has a strong desire to achieve the goals that they set, but they don't really know how to go about it. We have a large hand in a lot of the things that go on here because we are more experienced and also we don't have a branch mission leader so we have to attend all the meetings that he would attend. So that makes that pretty interesting. At Sacrament we had 37 people this week... It has been pretty rough lately. 

From missionary work side, it is really hard for us here. Our area does not have any strength outside of those members who live in our area who are on the branch council. We have mostly less-active women who don't speak English so it's hard to for us to A) get a brother to work with us and B) teach a lesson to them without the help of a translator. So working through the members is pretty tough. We have tried to find less-active members but they all have shifted their homes in different places here in Visak so they no longer live in our area and so there is nothing that we can do for them... Haha and so all that is left is to tract. Our area is on the beach and so its all the rich people that live in tall apartment buildings with big gates and security guards. That makes it difficult for us to reach them. And the poor areas no one speaks English.. All that aside, I'm still happy. I love being a missionary. Yeah it's hard sometimes... That's life. But I can feel confident when I say that I have given everything that I can and am still giving my best. I know that the Lord will bless us in His time, so we'll continue to patiently work and do all we can. 

I'm glad that everyone misses me. I'm getting excited to see everyone! Obviously I still have some time still left on my mission, but it still makes me get a little excited to see everyone! Love you! 

Elder Head

It's Holi week in India :)