This week was a fun week. I had a great week. First off I will start out by telling you all that we had Zone Conference this week. Zone Conference is something that you do once every transfer and the Mission President comes and talks to all of the missionaries in about 3-5 different zones in our mission. At Zone conference President Nelson told us the goals for this next year until next November. I know that the goals that he set for us were truly inspired through the power of God. The goals for us as a mission has been set to 800 baptisms by next November. Now I feel that is so possible for us to do that and I know that we can do much better. The mission last year only had about 450 baptisms last year. So it is stretching us as missionaries. I know that we can do this. This next year is going to bring me and all of us missionaries in the New York New York South Mission a year of mighty change and miracles. I am so excited to embark on this quest and to fulfill the goal that has been set at 800 baptisms. It is something that I want so bad is for us to reach that goal so that I can be able to reflect back on this next year for the rest of my life. I am going to do everything that I can in my power to push other missionaries to work hard so that we can do this. We must be obedient to hit this goal, but I also feel that we could reach far beyond the goal of 800 baptisms. There are so many people here in the area of this mission there are over 8 million people. So I know that we can find 800 people who have been prepared by the hands of God to receive this gospel and all of blessings which follow. Also at mission conference the Mission President shared one of the letters that I wrote to him, and he pulled me aside after he spoke and talked to me about it. It made me feel good for him to notice that I am truly trying my very hardest to do the best that I can. He also made all of us missionaries get flu shots, we didn’t have to pay for them. He had someone come in and give the shots to us. So I should be protected against the flu ha ha ha.
Yesterday on Sunday I was asked to speak in sacrament I was asked to give a 15 minute talk. I was a little nervous throughout the week to give the talk, but through much prayer I received much comfort. I was able to deliver my talk with the spirit and with great power that I have never felt myself speak with before. I now enjoy speaking in sacrament. I cant wait to come home and to speak to you all. After I spoke Brother Keith Barton or as you all know attorney Keith Barton “One Call That’s All.” He came up to me after I spoke and thanked me for coming on a mission and he showed me much love, he invited me to come over with all of the missionaries I live with to his house for thanksgiving. So I am going to be spending my Thanksgiving with Keith Barton and his family. It is going to be a blast. Also after I spoke many members from the ward showed that their hearts were touched by the message I shared with them. The first counselor in the ward told me that I have a gift to be able to speak like that. I really felt good after hearing all of those great remarks after speaking to the congregation.
My prayers have been answered and I am committed to be obedient with as much exactness as I can in my power. I know that the rules given in the missionary white handbook are inspired by God, given the first presidency of the church and the 12 apostles. We must do Gods work his way or else it wont get done. There are a lot of missionaries that abuse their freedom as missionaries, because it is true you really do have a lot of freedom as a missionary. I am just trying to set the example so that this great work can go forth the way that God wants it to go forth.
There is a young gal Sister Rodriguez that always makes us food every Tuesday she is amazing at cooking and she goes all out. She full on made us a Mexican buffet last week with steak chicken and all of the tortillas and everything. The food was amazing. This week she is going to making us Thai food, I am excited to see how that turns out come tomorrow. Sister Rodriguez actually was a short term missionary here because there was a sister that couldn’t come out of the MTC because she had torn her ACL the day before she left the MTC so Sister Carney didn’t have a companion so she was teamed up with 2 other sisters. So Sister Rodriguez heard about it and she said that if at all possible she would want to be set apart and do missionary work for 6 weeks. So that is how we got in contact with her. She has just recently graduated from BYU Provo. She is 25 years old and was a convert to the church at 17. She has a solid testimony and is so awesome.
Last P-Day I went to Jamaica Queens, I had a blast. Everything there is so cheap, but I didn’t buy anything. It is so different every different part you go to of New York you feel like that you are in a different country. When you go to Flushing you feel like you are in Hong Kong, When you go to Jamaica you feel like you are in gangsta city / Mexico, because they try to sale you all different types of stuff for cheap. It was fun though. I am loving this whole experience and always learning and growing so much. I would not trade this experience for anything. I love all of you and I will be home before you know it, I know that time is going to just fly by so quickly. I will always keep you all in my prayers. I hope that these little weekly updates of my mission aren’t boring to you all, but hey I am trying to make them somewhat fun. I love you all, but until next week. It is time for me to go. LOVE YA’LL