This week has been all over place. We've had ups, downs, and in-betweens throughout the week.
Investigators
Pepe is making amazing progress. and her baptism is scheduled for March 17.
Tom is a boss. He is so prepared and is the poster child of the "elect". His baptism is scheduled for March 24. He (like almost everyone else here in Spring Lake) is in the army, and he's already quit coffee, tea, alcohol, and chewing tobacco so that he could be baptized. He has a powerful testimony of the Word of Wisdom. In fact, he made many amazing comments about it in Sunday School yesterday, because the lesson was on the Word of Wisdom. We were so impressed with him!
Sharron is continuing to do a great job. She is zooming through the Book of Mormon. She started in January and is in Ether 13 as of today; she has 13 chapters left and she's done! Amazing.
Priesthood Blessings
We have had the opportunity to give a lot of priesthood blessings this week! My testimony of the power of the priesthood has increased a lot, especially about how the minds of priesthood holders are filled by the Holy Ghost with what should be said in a blessing. The Holy Ghost truly does work through priesthood holders (as He does all worthy members of the Church), and He works with us as if we are tools in the hand of the Lord.
Little News
My back has stopped progressing, but it does feel much better... the pain is at a much lower level and it's been so great getting back on the bikes.
Big News
Yesterday marked the end of the 6-week period we call a "transfer" here in the mission field, which means some missionaries from our district are going to be leaving to another area. We all figured that our district leader and another certain missionary in our district would be leaving because they have been here for 6 months (4 transfers), which is usually the longest a missionary will stay in any given area. (The average stay for a missionary in an area is 3-4 transfers [4.5-6 months] and it's pretty rare to stay any less or more than that amount of time.) We also figured that our new district leader would be me, seeing as the other missionaries in our area were all still being trained. We awaited "Freaky Friday", the last Friday of the transfer period on which President Cotterell usually calls individuals to leadership positions, to see if we had guessed right. Freaky Friday came and went, and I breathed a bit of a sigh of relief, thankful to have escaped an additional leadership position this time around. Being a trainer is hard, especially when you're opening a new area, and, quite frankly, I still feel inadequate and that I'm still a pretty weak missionary.
As we were out working on Saturday afternoon, we got a call from President Cotterell. He said, "Elder Schank, I think this call will come as a bit of a surprise to you...." Thinking I was one step ahead of the mission president, I thought "not really" because I knew he would be calling me as the district leader after all; but, I didn't say anything. He told me, "you are being transferred." He was right; I was surprised. On top of that, he told me that I was being called as a zone leader in the area in which I would be serving. More surprised. I decided then and there that I should just stop trying to think I know what the Lord is thinking.
I am sad to be leaving Spring Lake just after one transfer and only half-way through Elder Benson's training process. I was just starting to get used to the area, the ward's missionary efforts, and the members. I'm also pretty sad that I'll be missing Tom's and Pepe's baptisms, and that I won't be here to see Sharron continue to progress. There are a lot of people here that I've grown to love soooo much, and I will miss them a lot. But I am excited for what lies ahead. Nervous, but excited. I have no doubt that the Lord knows what He's doing, and I hope and pray that I will be able to meet His expectations for me in this new and a little overwhelming calling. I think it will make me a better missionary, and it should be fun getting to know and train the district leaders in my new area... even if I've never been a district leader before. I don't know where I'm going, but I find out tomorrow and I'll let you know next Monday! I can definitely use your prayers on this one. Thank you so much for the prayers you already say on my behalf.
I love each of you and hope that all is going well for you. I am so grateful for this wonderful opportunity to serve on this mission. The growth I have experienced has been wonderful and I love this work with everything in me. I know that our Heavenly Father loves and is mindful of each one of His children, including you. He knows your name and your need, and He sacrificed His Only Begotten Son as a scapegoat for us so that we could return to His presence if we have faith in His Son and repent. I know that His Son, Jesus Christ, is the Redeemer, Savior, and Mediator. He loves you as well and knows your every pain. He died and suffered for you "that he may know according to the flesh how to succor [you] according to [your] infirmities" (Alma 7:12). I love you as well and invite you to consider something you can do, starting today, to make His Atonement just a little more effectual in your life. This has been something I have been considering and I have already seen how it has brought me closer to Christ.
Hope to hear from you soon!
With love,
Elder Schank
