THe snow doesn't want to stop (week 83)

We have had just a great week here in good old Quincy. It snowed a bit more this past week but, it looks like it might all be melting. Thankfully the forecast doesn't call for snow this week. I'm gone with all that white stuff. And soon it will be gone since its been in the high 30's recently.

So this past Saturday we had our Zone Training Meeting and we went over the changes to the missionary schedule. So these are the changes. On p-day we have from 6:30 - 8 to pray, get ready for the day, plan for 30 minutes and personal study for 30 minutes. Then from 8 - 6 we have our p-day. and from 6 - 9 we go out and do missionary work. from 9 - 10:30 we have time to write in our journals and get ready for bed. No more nightly planning. Our week day schedule is like this. from 6:30 - 10 we have time to exercise (30 min), eat breakfast, shower, plan (30 min), personal study (60 min), and do whatever else we need done to be ready for the day. They ask that at 10 we be out and proselyting for at least an hour. from 10 - 5 we need to also do companionship study (30-60 min) have lunch (30 min) and language study (30-60 min). They give us the freedom to do those things at any time during those hours. At 5 we have dinner and from 6 - 9 we do missionary work. Then just like p-day we have 9 - 10:30 to write in our journals and get ready for bed. Today is our first day with this new schedule and it has gone rather well. I'll have to keep you up-dated next week after a week in the new schedule. 

We have had just a great week here in Quincy. I love this place and sadly the time seems to being flying by pretty fast. It is crazy to think that I have already been here for a week and a half. We have been working on finding some new people and we are finding them. We haven't found as many as we would hope but, we still have more work to do. I'm still learning the area and who some of the people are but, I don't think it will be much longer before I have a good handle on the area. Thankfully they use the grid system here in Quincy. 

We are working with the Williamson family and they are doing great. They have such a great desire to draw closer to Christ and make the choice that will allow them to find more happiness. Their kids are a bunch of fun although we are trying to find more ways to help them progress even more. I'm sure we will find something here soon. This week we are also expecting to be able to get a hard date on when they can be baptized. 

President Lewis shared this great quote from Neil L. Andersen that I love.

“Some might say that baptisms are not determined by the missionary because it is a moral choice that every investigator must make. There is truth in that statement, but there is also truth in this one: There is a power that can cause things to happen that need to happen. There is a spiritual force that can stir a mortal soul toward the spiritual, motivating deeper study into the Book of Mormon and more prayer with real intent. Faith is a power, and it can cause things to happen that need to happen. It can cause a soul who is good but dormant to awaken to God.” 

 I agree with that whole heatedly. We sure can't force anyone's agency but, we sure can have faith that things will happen. And faith is what makes miracles. So as we have faith that the lord will lead us to people, lead us in how to teach them, and that they will be ready to be baptized it will happen.

I hope everyone has a great week. I know we are going to work our best to make this a great week. Espero que puedan sentir el espiritu muy fuerte y que puedan actuar en los susurros. 

Con Amor,

Elder Boren

After doing some service at the food bank a member ask for some help at a huge ware house. This is elder Davis and Hermano Barajas. 

               Look at all of them working to open the big bay door. I hope they didn't need help.

This is the home where the mission has the Christmas gathering for the northern half. We had dinner with them this past week.

                                                       The snow didn't want to stop

We had dinner with some members and we ate on the table as part of their tradition. And their table is the same as our back home before we painted it. (Sorry its sideways)

We organized our supply closet this morning

Look at all the apples. That Elder Wright up front and Elder Bown behind.

getting around Quincy (week 82)

 I got a picture with Elder Palacios at the transfersite in Quincy. He is Ender Endertons new companion.

                                                 Elder Bown is my translating partner

So here in Quincy I get to translate sacrament meeting every week. This is our station. It was fun

My new Companion Elder Wright

Now I'm down in Quincy. It has been a great change and even a little bit of a change in weather. When I got down here on Wednesday most of the the snow and ice was starting to be pretty much done. But to my disappointment we got a lot of snow dumped on us. It snowed Thursday night, a good chunk of Friday, a little Saturday and all of Sunday. Now there is somewhere from 4 to 12 inches. (I think 12 might be exaggerated) So We cover the west half of Quincy and our area includes just about all the boonies around the town. I hope to find some work out there since it reminds me so much of Royal. We share a car with the Elders covering the East half, Elder Bown and Elder Davis. We usually get the car since we cover a lot more ground. We also cover a little town called George. (George Washington!) My Companion is Elder Wright from North Carolina. He has been out just two transfers. (Three if you include the MTC) He is great fun and we are going to have a blast together. He loves learning languages and hopes to be a translator some day. 

I haven't gotten to meet everyone yet but, that is still a work in progress. It might end up being a little difficult since Elder Bown and I sit in a translating room during sacrament meeting on Sundays. That is always fun and we get to practice our Spanish. Since this past Sunday was fast and testimony Sunday the two of us just switched off every other testimony. It was fun and I enjoy getting to use my Spanish. I also got to translate all of Elders Quorum. That was a little more crazy since it was just me translating the whole hour or so. We get to translate so much since there isn't a Spanish unit here and the Spanish speaking members just got to all the meetings with the English speaking members.

 So far I'm loving Quincy. I love the member and I look forward to getting to know them a little better. I know that I am going to have a great time serving in this area. It may not be a very big city but, I sure there is plenty to do especially if we were able to find so much success in Royal Camp. What is cool to have found out is that Royal isn't actually all that far. We had dinner with a member that lives about ten minutes from the church in Royal. Turns out that some of the members aren't really sure where the ward boundaries are. 

One family that we are teaching here is the Williamson Family. They are great and have a desire to be baptized. We just taught them the importance of tithing and fasting and they understood it rather well. This upcoming week we are planning on talking about temples and eternal marriage. Soon we will be finding out a good time for a baptismal goal with them. We are hoping for late February or Early March. I'm thankful I get to work with such a great family. I look forward to the many more people we are going to be able to meet and teach and all the blessings we will be able to see.

I hope everyone has a great upcoming week. 

Con Amor,

Elder Boren