Received Monday, April 7, 2014

Yes, 20 is supposed to be 2. You got me!

QUESTIONS:

What is your new address?
9 Linden St, Salem MA 01970. We also pop by the Reading apartment occasionally and would be able to retrieve anything there.

What is happening with your old place? New missionaries living there, or is it leaving the missionary life?

Was it your choice to change apartments? Or were you directed to do so?

There is another plot twist to the story: my companion just got transferred! I haven't been telling people, but i'll explain some of the story involved with him and the apartments. certain things give him bad anxiety, especially involving old, not great apartments. The Reading apartment was terrible for him. We went to the Salem apartment. He still didn't get that much better, so he got transferred somewhere else. we talked to President Wednesday after MLC (mission leadership conference. or maybe council.) the swap happened thursday morning. first we went and picked up Elder Salerno, who is the district my district leader and happens to be in a trio, to be my temporary companion, then we drove to drop off elder Bushnell is his new permanent area. President told us a little bit about my new companion who is coming, but he is helping do some video editing for a travelers visiotr center in his area, and also teaching the new missionaries in his area about the area. Not sure how long I'll be with Elder Salerno before the new permanent guy comes. Wedensday I was told "a few days". No word since. Too bad Elder bushnell had to get transferred, but all is well. It's been really fun to serve with elder Salerno. I already knew him well.

Are you in a new ward since you moved?

no

In your new place , (the former vacation home), is it just you and your companion living there now?

yes. We'll be there at least for a bit, not exactly sure ultimately what will happen. kind of awkward.

Why move apartments?

Permenant vacation

how was the pizza before conference? Was it bought or homemade? What kind did you eat, how many pieces?

bought. It was fine. 4 pieces. Broccoli/chicken (surprisingly good), peporoni (2) and sausage.

So you changed cities, but not areas? is that correct?

correct!

I just looked on a map. Salem is right next to the ocean! Do you think your weather will be colder?

it is the same. Revere beach is not too far away (there is a spanish and english ward in revere in our zone and the spanish is where elder Salerno is normally)

Have you seen Travonne and Ramone this week?

talked with Travonne for a few minutes saturday morning and talked about general conference. She said they may come. Sunday morning I called and Ramone said they wouldn't make it that weekend but may try church another time. Travonne sounds a bit more interested then him. It sounds like they really might be interested in coming to church some week though. No new teaching appointment, but this week we will.

Do you have a favorite Conference talk, or story, thought?

I liked it, but this time I;m having a harder time then before at remembering specifics without looking at my notes. I don't remember the topic of elder Andersons talk. A few things stick out though. Elder Hollands powerful testimony of priesthood keys. We use the phrase "powerful testimony" a lot, but to me his was the epitome. I also liked Elder Bednar's analogy with the truck. my 1 of my favorite over all talks were probably the YM's general counselor (this may have been in priesthood) who talked about a lot of good things, I remember he mentioned the interest and multi-tasking (and other really good things, I just can't remember). The other was Elder Ballard's talk. It's easy for me to like the direct missionary ones. It was neat he did a "follow up". Less important, but he totally validated all the jokes about connections between PMG/missionary skills and dating life. He challenged us all the ask someone to meet with the missionaries at least 4 times a year. Also he said to discuss PMG more. In the mission we started having a pmg chapter to focus on every month. April is chapter 1, about the Purpose of Missionary Work. It is very good. One idea that I've learned from that, and especially hit me during this last week with conference and things is that so much of the sadness is the world comes from 2 things: ignorance and sin. It effects everyone, but with the restored gospel, it helps so much! The gospel is the true cure for both (so let's share!).

Also 2 themes that stuck out: temple work (85% of members....) and also that being an active member of the church will cause turbulence in your life. It should be expected and is necessary, and (most importantly) worth it!

There were a couple of good sports shout out's too, a warning from Elder Nielson (what god do we worship?), a few mentions by Eyring about hero's (Dad agrees with his analysis of the importance of shooting with both hands) and the Jabarri Parker quote by President Monson. There was some olympics talk too! that's a lot

After conference, did you go somewhere to eat?

Both days, between sessions a nice lady made us a lunch (sub sandwiches, then baked zitit, but she named it different). After the sunday "afternoon" (should be called evening here) session we visited some people. I'll explain one story below.

Were many people at the Ward building watching with you?

like 4 others Saturday until the priesthood, and there was like 30. Sunday both session had more, like 20.  member of the bishopric came to each.

Have you seen the ocean this week?

Either this week or last we did driving in Revere for district meeting or something.

do you still take pictures? I hope so.

sometimes. I wrote a letter at the end of last transfer to send home with pictures, but I decided to wait to get a picture with my new companion. I did, but now I'm waiting for my new, new companion.

what is the name of your Ward?

Lynnfield Ward, in Cambridge Stake

It was a pretty wild week. MLC wednesday, companionship swap thursday, which we went directly after to plan zone meeting with the sister training leaders. we (I) also planned for district leader council later that day (DLC is before zone meeting). Taught DLC solo, and did zone meeting as a trio with the sisters, which was kind of funny and different. The main topics were recognizing/following the spirit (how to do it and how to teach it to our investigators), a training on working with Part-Member-Families, and a thing on chapter 1 of PMG to start the focus of the month. The topics were good, and I felt it went pretty well. I especially like it being on the spirit. I've heard a couple church leaders mention one of the top questions they get is How do I know if it's me, or the spirit? which was answered during the trainings. General conference is always exciting. 

Thursday night we had one of our best lessons with Mary. It was one of those that didn't follow very closely with what we had planned. We really explained that being a part of this church would not mock her catholic heritage or imply that she has been spiritually failing beforehand. In the catholic church she made many decisions and did lots of things to show her faith and to grow her faith in God and the Savior, this is another one of those steps.

I think next lesson will also be great, we really need to explain to her about the spirit, like we missionaries just learned about. She likes the book of mormon, reads a ton, she prays more, she likes church, just accepted a calling, all these things make her feel more good, loved and accepted. To us that so clearly means you feel the spirit and that the church is true! The book of mormon makes you feel that way because the spirit is testifying it is true! she doesn't see it that way at all (yet!).

Between one of the conference sessions we went to go visit a media referral (someone requested us to come by from mormon.org). We went to the house, knocked the door and talked the man that answered. He said that was his son, but they were not interested. It must have been a prank from a friend. He is a spirital man, but not into church. Grew up catholic but doesn't agree with it anymore. he was respectful, he talked for only like 2 minutes. They were kind of weirded out we knew there name and address and things. When we left both elder Salerno and I felt kind of off. For me it was so easy to see how the gospel would benefit him. He has a family, life is good, but it could help; and also (I think this is ok to say) the things that don't make sense to a lot of people about the catholic church are made so clear and pure here. I wondered if we needed to knock on some of the houses on the block or something, PMG does suggest that. Anyway we didn't. The next day at conference. Elder Salerno said he felt we should go back and talk to them again. We went, even though it was kind of odd, they said they clearly weren't interested. We saw the son playing basketball and asked if we could talk to his dad again, and asked if he was sure he might be interested. He said eh was not, but would get his dad. At first he said he was bothered we came again, but as he walked us away we were able to strike a conversation. It was really good. We ended up talking for a good 20 mins, gave him a BoM, told him we know it is true (he disbelieved we could really know, so we re-testified and told him how he could really know). Also we invited them to wednesday night basketball, and gave them our number. It was good. Not sure if anything will come of it that we'll see, but who knows. I'm very glad we went.

Today we had fun to. We went rock climbing. An investigator from Elder Salerno's area invited us all (the missionaries in his area, and me, which is our entire district). it was fun. My arms don't really feel that sore, like a painful way, but they have no strength left. Then us missionaries went to Buffalo Wild Wings for lunch. It was good. Now we are here!

That I think is everything for this week. President sent a good letter about conference which ill tack to the bottom. Follow the spirit and do good!

-Zak