Zone Conference!

This week was Zone Conference!

As you know, I love Zone Conferences. This one was just a little different, because President Murdock asked all of the Zone Leaders to give a 50-minute training to their respective zones. That's the first time he's asked Zone Leaders to do that, and it's my first Zone Conference as a Zone Leader! But I think it went well. We prepared a training about helping people make the decision to be baptized. Basically, we demonstrated all of the opportunities we have to talk about the covenant of baptism in the first lesson. Then we explained the reason why-- when we invite someone to be baptized at the end of the first lesson, it really doesn't make much sense to them if we haven't mentioned anything about baptism before the invitation! Typically we don't talk about it, and then spring the invitation on them. But now, hopefully, the missionaries in our zone will take the opportunities they have to explain the importance of baptism as they talk about restored priesthood authority, and the life of the Savior.

We also heard some great trainings from President and Sister Murdock! President's training was about "becoming". This mission is not just something to check off, e.i. "I went on a mission. Check!" But it's a HUGE opportunity for personal growth. We need to become like the Savior, and now is a great time to start.

Sister Murdock trained us on the importance of the Book of Mormon. The one thing that really stuck out to me was what she said about our investigators reading and praying, or more precisely, praying and reading. She said that the Spirit often bears witness to the investigator, or anyone for that matter, that the Book of Mormon is true as they are reading it. We usually invite people to read the Book of Mormon and then to pray about it. They get the confirmation of the Spirit that it is true while they are reading; they get the good feelings the Spirit brings to testify of truth. Then they stop reading, and pray about it. At this point, they're expecting some grand answer. Those answers can come, but more often the Spirit speaks in a still, small voice. As we invite our investigators to pray about the Book of Mormon, and then read it, they will recognize the peaceful feelings they get from the Spirit as they read. They will know that the book is true, and that the Lord's Church has been restored to the earth!

As far as the work, it keeps on! We have been finding new investigators pretty consistently, but none of them seem to be very solid. We teach them once, and then they slip out of existence forever. It's a real bummer. But we'll keep searching!! There are prepared people out there! We're going to find them. Ashleigh has been doing great. She told her parents she is getting baptized, and they are super unsupportive. It's really sad for her, but her testimony is strong, and she knows what is right.

I hope that you're all having a wonderful summer, and getting ready for fall! It's August! That means pumpkin carving soon. Okay, well, in like three months. But still! Happy August!

I love you all! choose the right, and be excellent to each other!

Sincerely,
Elder Rogers