Year 1, Week 49: We Obviously Didn't Drink any Corona

This week has flown by! Crazy fast! One of the people we are teaching is named J. He is a 6'4 Puerto Rican guy who is super super cool!! He was playing basketball a few days ago and he was about to posterize someone but on his last step before jumping he rolled his ankle and sprained it super sup bad. This was Saturday night. He wasn't able to come to church so we moved back his baptismal date to the 28th of July. He needs to attend church 2 more times and be taught a little more. We read in Alma 36 with him where Alma is telling Helaman about his rebellious youth days. Alma says that he was harrowed up by his sins. While reading this chapter I've understood it better than I ever have before. A harrow, is a farming tool that can either smooth dirt or rip and overturn the dirt. When Alma's soul was being harrowed up, he was being shredded because of his past mistakes. When a farmer harrows his field, it is being prepared for planting seeds. Alma says, "and when my mind caught hold of the name of Christ." His soul was being harrowed up so when he caught hold of the name of Jesus, a seed would be ready to be planted. It goes on to talk about the fruits of his labor and exquisite joy he felt after this event. A farmer would be joyful and enjoy the fruits of his labor and he harrowed, planted, watered, etc... So even when we as missionaries are teaching someone else, we learn so much too! We explained more what he needs to do to be baptized and he is so ready to go! I've met him once and already live him like a brother. That was just one cool lesson we had this week! 

Our district here in Worcester has been going nuts! This week we had 0 Baptisms, 3 People with Baptismal Dates, 0 People at Church, and 37 New People being taught. The people coming to church is lacking but we are killing it in every other aspect of the work!! One awesome lesson was when the English Elders tracted I to a family of 3. J, J and A! They set a time for us to come back and then moved on. Elder Warner and I went to the scheduled time and they were there! This family of 3 was home, with 5 chairs set up in a circle on there front lawn, and a Corona for each of us!! Now... We obviously didn't drink any Corona but I've never had an appointment where everyone was there, waiting, with chairs set up, and ready to listen! It was amazing! We picked them up as New people to teach and are looking forward to more lessons with them!

We had a ton of meetings this week with people. We had a welcome conference where we got to meet President and Sister Mavromatis. They are awesome! We are super excited to work with them and get to know them better. There English isn't super good but they get around it. He says he is 70% fluent in English. We also had MLC which stands for Zone Leadership Council. President Mavromatis laid out a whole new plan for the work and how it should go! He has a 10 step plan on how to do missionary work. These 10 steps are all an effort to get people to Sacrament meeting, if we do that, Baptisms will happen, wards will grow, stakes will split, and the work of God will continue!

1. Identify one family that can fellowship, come to lessons, give rides, etc.

- this will not be a official calling but an assignment from the bishop. They will be taught how do best help and in 3 months, another family will be called. Missionaries will then have 2 families to help, this will continue on and on until the families in the ward are all missionary minded. 

2. Print a list of all members of the ward. 

-visit all you do not know and report if there is any members who do not live there anymore. Try to teach the new people living there. 

3. Get a list of the last 12 months of baptized persons. Teach all people on this last the 5 lessons over again and help get them to church. 

4. Make gospel principles a powerful class. 

5. A member of the mission presidency will be at all male Baptisms 18+. This is an effort to help keep Priesthood on track so wards and stakes can split because of priesthood men. 

6. Utilize the ward mission leader. 

7. Never baptize without axillary leaders knowing those being baptized. 

8. Plan a spiritual baptismal service that has everything worked out. 

9. Set standards of excellence per area. Worcester is a bumping area and can have high standards of baptisms, baptismal dates, people at church, and new people being taught. 

10. Get involved in community service. 

All these steps will help find people to teach and will increase convert baptism and retention! It's a super awesome plan that we are excited about. More will follow when things start getting put into place.. 

This week, I was hugged unexpectedly by another drunk girl!! ;) she had gages, nose rings, vaping, drinking, tats!! It was pretty crazy. Liv and Mom got all the Asian boys in high school... I get the drunk women from MA and CT. 

Love you all! 

Elder Bushman