What a fun week here in the Pennsylvania Philadelphia Mission!
This week we had two Zone Conferences and our third one was canceled because of the snow! Philly just can't make up it's mind, one day it will be like 60 degrees and then a few hours later it will be snowing.
Our Zone Conferences are sooo much fun - our mission president continues to amaze us all. Elder Andrus and I did a few trainings on: Listening, asking inspired questions and teaching to concerns. That was lots of fun! I'd say my favorite part of Zone Conferences
is at the very end when we sing our mission hymn. It is an incredible feeling looking out
at a group of 70 missionaries one day, another 70 the next day and another on the last day. I feel a great amount of love as I scan the room at all missionaries that we get to serve in one way or another almost every day.
Kelly continues to shine - she is amazing. One night one of the other Young Single Adults in the ward invited her to come over and be taught in her house - she came and he invited likes five other young single adults. It was SO much fun teaching her with all the other members. It was a riot, she has been integrated so well, we are hyped for her
baptism. Everrryyone loves Kelly.
Tai, our Vietnamese investigator, never ceases to amaze us either. On Sunday he brought his Vietnamese girlfriend to church. It was soooo cool. They both enjoyed it and they didn't even understand what was going on - but I do know that regardless of the language that we may speak, the Spirit is the only universal language that we can all feel/understand. I know that is what Tai feels as he comes to church and that is why he continues to come back.
Tom has still been K/O'ed because of his tonsils. We haven't been able to see him this last week - but we will this week and he should be getting baptized by the end of February!
This week we had a recent convert fireside in Wilmington, DE. Our Mission President asked us if we would come and support that and, of course, I was all over that because i served in that zone! I got to see a few of the people/members I served and served with. I
was most thrilled when i was talking to one individual that we taught and baptized, Destiny. She told me how well she has been doing. She has been going to seminary, going to the temple, and is preparing to serve a mission in two years and has already been inviting and bring friends to church. She is incredible!
I also got to see the Fletcher's, a lovely couple from the Bayview who never ceases to amaze me with their kindness and devotion towards serving missionaries and those around them!
Last night, driving home from Wilmington, we got a call from one of the Young Single Adults that's on the rowing team for Temple University. She was in need of a blessing - we were a ways away so we called on two other individuals, but unfortunately those two both have not received the Priesthood yet. Elder Andrus and I made the decision to go and give her a blessing, and I am just so grateful for the opportunity God gives us to serve others and allow us as flawed humans to hold such a valuable gift. Small acts of kindness go such a long ways. Not our small act to her, but her small act in asking us - WE were thankful.
This week in preparation for our conferences, we were asked to study, "The Challenge to Become" by Dallin H. Oaks. It was an incredible talk and there were two things in the talk that really stuck out to me:
1. "The Final Judgment is not just an evaluation of a sum total of good and evil acts--what we have done. It is an acknowledgment of the final effect of our acts and thoughts--what we have become. It is not enough for anyone just to go through the motions. The commandments, ordinances, and covenants of the gospel are not a list of deposits required to be made in some heavenly account. The gospel of Jesus Christ is a plan that shows us how to become what our Heavenly Father desires us to become."
2. "Our needed conversions are often achieved more readily by suffering and adversity than by comfort and tranquillity."
I am thankful for the hardships and trials that I have been able to go through. I hope that you all prayerfully ponder what hardships and trials you have in your life and what the Lord is
trying to teach you.
Happy early Valentines Day :))
Elder Wilde
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