Tuesday, October 27, 2009

October 27, 2009

Hey family!
I'm on and checking my-- IT'S A BABY BOY!!! YAY!!! . . . Alex's email was dramatic. lol. :-D

First of all, I just wanted to -- It's a baby BOY!!! I'm so excited! What names are you thinking of? When is the baby suppose to be born? (I'm a terrible uncle, I already forgot. :-]) That's awesome. Thanks for the email Alex.
The League City Stake, huh? That sounds interesting. I'm trying to remember President Reeves. I think I know him. . . . Any guesses on the new bishop? What's the word on the street? I'm trying to think of who it might be, but I'm having trouble deciding. Anyway, that sounds awsome. I'll let president Bassett know.
So we had two more baptisms this last week. I'll have to send pictures of it. I baptized Elsa, and Elder Page baptized Roy. Roy was baptized with no problem, but Elsa wouldn't bend her knees, so her foot kept coming out of the water. lol. But it was really good. They were both really excited about being baptized, and I'm glad I had the chance to teach them both.
We still have some more baptisms scheduled for this transfer, so that's exciting. We are being so blessed! I know I say that every week, but this week we found 7 new investigaters. Seven! That's the most I've ever found in a week, and for this area that is unheard of. And most of them are REALLY solid investigaters as well. It just goes to show you that when you try your hardest, God will lead you to them or lead them to you. Either way, he gets it done.
President Bassett said in ZLC that the only thing slowing down God's work is us. That's humbling.
We were on exchanges yesterday and so I had Elder Robertson in our area. We went and taught a 10 year old girl who has been taught many times, and doesn't want to get baptized. Her parents were less active for a long time and are just now coming back. Elder Robertson and I prepared a really great lesson on following the prophet, but when we got there she suddenly had some questions about being baptized. It started with "Why do I need to get baptized now? Why can't I wait until I am older?" We talked about blessings of baptism and why now would be better than later, and we talked about her praying and asking God that question. We kneeled down and prayed with her right there, and although she wasn't convinced she got an answer right then, she felt good and committed to pray about it every day-- twice a day actually. She is really close to finding her answer. It's interesting that teaching a 10 year old is no different than teaching a 40 year old. You can't pressure them, you have to let them find the answers for themself, or it won't mean anything. I'll let you know how that one works out. I'm really excited about it, because I know if she prays with a "sincere heart, real intent, having faith in Christ" [moroni 10:4] she'll get the answer.
Anyway, the Zone is still doing good. All of our numbers are either at the mission standard or above it, which is great. The work is moving forward faster than ever.
How missionary work going for you? I love hearing your experiences.
Kaydee: Where's my emails?! And what's up with the A's?
Oh, and I will make sure to not throw away the MP3 player. Thank you so much for getting it for me! And for loading the music.
I've gotta go. I'll catch you next week.

Love you all,
Jason

Monday, October 19, 2009

October 19, 2009

Hey family!
I'm on a day early today because tomorrow is Zone Conferrence. I'm pretty excited about it-- they're always really great. I think next week or the week after will also be on a Monday because of Zone Developement meeting and Interviews with President Bassett.
Well, it sounds like it's been a crazy week. The stake is finally going to be splitting, huh? Wow. That's really exciting. You'll have to keep me posted on that one. I heard rumors that was going to happen waaayyy back when they took Clear Lake I & II out of our stake. . . . Well, when does Seabrook get to be it's own ward? :-D
The Apache Junction stake that I am serving in is actually in the same process of splitting right now. They are building the new stake center as we speak (or rather write) and when it's done, the AJ stake will be split into the AJ stake and the Usery Park stake. :-)
Anyway, how's life treating everyone? Sounds like Kellie and Dad are having fun. . . . :-P Hope you both get feeling better, by the way.
Our week has been pretty good. We found five new people to teach this past week, which I don't think I've done since I was in Phoenix. (I think 5 new in Phoenix is considered low now, actually). That is going to help out our area a lot. We are baptizing our investigaters, which is really good, but it drains our teaching pool.
So now we're getting some new people to teach. The miracles keep coming in.
We had a baptism on Saturday for a woman named Lee Ann. I can't remember if I told you about her last week, but I'll tell you again anyway. The bishop of one of our wards got a phone call saying there was a lady that lived in his ward boundries that was being taught in the Tempe Mission and was going to be baptized. They called because they needed his permission to baptize her in the Tempe Mission. He said no, she needs to get baptized in her ward and she needs to meet the people in her ward so she can get fellowshipped in (otherwise she would probably go less active right after the baptism). We found out that the Tempe missionaries were teaching someone in our area and our mission (which is against missionary rules-- they should have turned her over to us). But we got it straightened out and got her baptized this last Saturday, so all is well. She's a super nice lady, and we're excited to have her in the church.
We have two baptisms coming up this Saturday, so we're excited about that as well. I think I told you a little bit about them last week. Elsa is in her 60's, and the missionaries found her after her dog ran away (she was really upset about that). We ended up teaching her, convincing her to give up coffee, and now she's getting baptized. Roy moved into our area from somewhere else in the Zone. He's been taught forever, but health reasons always prevented him from getting baptized. I guess when your in your 70's, your health isn't all that good anymore. Anyway, his health is finally holding up, and he's ready to be baptized.
Other than that, we continue to find and work. And judge Chilli cook off's (chilli here just isn't the same. The winning one was a BBQ flavor chilli. . . what's up with that?) Alex puts ketchup on his burrito's? HOLY CHALUPA! He puts what on what? That just aint right. But I guess he can always move to Arizona. ;-)
Oh, and question for you:My MP3 player is on it's last leg. That is, it's almost dead. The battery doesn't last very long anymore, and it randomly does whatever it wants (restarts songs, changes albums/playlists, skips songs, etc.). So I was wondering what you think I should do. Should I buy one here and try to have a member load music on it, or do you want to pick one up for me and send it to me, or should I buy one and send it home so you can load music on it, or should I just give up and buy one when I get home (or take my Zune back ;-]). . . . ? Let me know what you think.

BTW, I'm practicing sneaking little children candies and goodies-- after their mom says no-- just for my new niece or nephew. :-P

Thanks, and I love you all.
Jason

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

October 13. 2009

More wonderful pictures!!!

This one is of Emad getting baptized. Christina, Ted, and Franky from the ward are also in the picture.


This is a picture elder Christensen took of me clicking my heels back when I was in Mesa. He just emailed it to me. :-D





Hey family!
How's life going?
This week was great. We had the baptism on Saturday, which was really good. Megan had a lot of her family come to her baptism (none of whom are members), her husbands family was all there, and some members of the ward and stake were also able to attend. The baptismal service itself was also good. Her father in law did the baptism on Saturday and the confirmation on Sunday. I'll send you a picture later on, if I have time. There was a mix up with the time, though. The stake does baptisms on a stake level, rather than a ward level like most do. We called to see what time the stake was going to do the baptism, and they told us 12, so we told Megan and Cameron and the ward 12. But then later the stake president told us it was 3. Oops! We tried to change the time to make everyone happy, but it was kind of a mess. The time ended up staying noon, and I think everyone is still happy, so that's good. :-)
We have two more baptisms set for the 24th of October. Roy, a 71 year old man, and Elsa, who is a sixty something year old woman. (Neither are related in any way, their baptisms just happen to land on the same day.)
Our zone is exploding! It's really neat to see the work spring forward. Last year if our mission got 100 baptisms in 6 weeks that was considered a miracle. This year, 100 is considered a lack of effort. The mission is really on fire, and the Gospel of Jesus Christ is moving forward regardless of world conditions or circumstances. Missionaries are now working harder than ever, and the outcome is truely amazing.
I just got a graph of our zone for week one of the new transfer, and in some areas we are ahead of the mission average. :-) So the zone itself is doing well. Hopefully this continues, because what it considered good today will be only average tomorrow, the way that the work is going. It mean that we missionaries have to work REALLY hard. :-)
We had Zone Leader Counsel with president Bassett yesterday, and we started talking about Christmas lights-- yes, it's coming up again already. It starts the day after thanksgiving, which is the start of next transfer, if I am not mistaken. But ZLC is probably the best meeting ever. :-) It's kind of a shame only ZL's get to go.
Anyway, all is going well.
Love you and hope you have a fantastic week.
Any missionary experiences?
In the Ensign this month they talked about using the internet to share the gospel.
I gotta go. Love you!

Love,
Elder Jason Mace
P.S. Dad, go to a doctor :-P

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

October 6, 2009

Hi family, I'm online and checking my emails.....

Hello family!
It's time for transfer news. Dun dun dun!
First of all, Elder Stoker (our temporary other companion) flew home this morning and is probably back with his family now. So it went back to two. Now, guess who got moved to Wisconson? No one! And, in fact, neither me nor my companion moved. So nothing really exciting happened.
Elder Page goes home at the end of this transfer, so most likely I'll be here for at least one more transfer (possibly two) after this to get a new Zone Leader companion and teach him the area. So, for the first time ever, I might be in an area for at least 6 months!
Speaking of missionaries, I'm going on exchanges tonight. And Kassie might know him, as a matter of fact. His companion went home with Elder Stoker, so he spent the night with us, and he was talking about how he went to BYU-I studying graphic design. And I said that's what my oldest sister is studying there. He asked what Kassie's name was, and said "I think I know her!" So I showed him a picture, and he does. His name's Tayler Davenport, he was in Kassie's ward at BYU-I. I think he said he's also her friend on Facebook or something-- I can't remember. Anyway, small world.
(******A SIDE NOTE..... AFTER TALKING WITH KASSIE, SHE DOES INDEED KNOW ELDER TAYLOR DAVENPORT AND IS/WAS FRIENDS WITH HIM ON FACEBOOK).

And did I tell you in one of the ward's I cover there is a Brother Mace? Crazy stuff out here in Apache Junction.
And. . . JEFFERY R. HOLLAND IS AMAZING!!! That was pretty much the best talk ever. Everyone I teach from now on is going to hear that talk!!! lol. His talk last conferrence was also amazing. He's become my new favorite apostle (Sorry Elder Bednar! You're awesome too!). I really enjoyed the talks. There was another really good one on Joseph smith-- I can't remember the name of the guy that gave it, but it was really good. The talks were all super awesome.
Megan is getting baptized this Saturday, so I am really excited about that. We started talking about temples and how that needs to be her and her husbands goal, and they expressed a really deep desire to go there. They told us that when we went to the visitors center two weeks ago, they stayed after we left and walked around the temple. Megan said she felt something and knew she needed to go there. It made her cry. Cameron-- her husband-- said the same thing, though he was quick to add that he did not cry, lol. We're really excited for them. They are probably the most on-the-path people I've ever taught. Cameron is now becoming active again after not going to church in a decade and a half or so.
Roy is moving towards his date on the 24th, still, which is really good, too.
It was good to hear about your missionary experiences. Keep up the good work.

Oh, did I ever submit a guess on whether Kellie's baby is a boy or girl? 'Cause it's obviously going to be a girl. No brainer. :-) (If it turns out to be a boy, he can look back at this letter years from now and laugh at how wrong his uncle was. Or I can use it to prove to my neice that I have the spirit of prophecy. :-])

That's about it for this week.
We found a couple of new investigaters that are really good, and you'll probably hear more about later. A few of the "former investigaters" (People missionaries taught, then dropped because they weren't progressing) don't want to get baptized only because of the way that the stake here does baptisms. They only allow baptisms twice a month, and all converts get baptized together.
Well, that's great except our investigaters are shy and don't want the big audience that stake wide baptisms produce. :-o So we have to figure that one out now.
Week was great. Yup, watched all 5 sessions at the church. It was awesome.
Oh well.
Anyway, things are great.
I've gotta go, but I'll catch you all later.
Have a great week.
Love you all,
Jason