Week 23: The 4 Phases of Teamwork

Hello Family and Friends that I love!

I rejoice with you in the Gospel of Jesus Christ! I thank you for what you do, but mostly for the amazing people that you are!

This week has been AWESOME!!!

The quick highlights include interviews with President Hansen, baptismal interviews, and personal tender mercies from the Lord. I'll also explain the title in a few minutes.

So last week we had interviews with President Hansen and it was so good to actually meet with him. We talked about how I was doing and what I can do to be the best missionary that I can be. He shared a really good scripture with me.

11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.

12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.

13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Philippians 4:11-13

I have noticed that I have the "productivity gene" inside of me and if I don't feel productive enough then I start becoming sad. So with that some days are great and others are "terrible". He helped me understand that we need to be content when we have given our all. After we have given everything and we have tried then at the end of the day we need to be content. This really helped me.

I love President Hansen. I know that he has been called of God and that the spirit works through him so much. I've seen how much he cares about all the missionaries and wants to help them all become the best converted, consecrated disciples of Christ.

So GUESS WHAT!!! Kym is getting baptized on Sunday!!!!! We got all the papers back that we needed and she is good to go! She had her last interview on Sunday and she passed with flying colors. She is such a converted disciple of Christ and it has been so amazing seeing her come closer to her Savior. I will have tons of pictures this next week.

Please keep my investigators in your prayers.

Richard and his Daughter Ciara.

LK and Veronica

Linda

Reggie

And the Rogers Family.

All these people are so amazing and I have grown to love them all so much.

Fun fact so I finished the New Testament this last week and it was so cool. I am really happy that I took the time to read from Acts to Revelation. I now understand a little more of where people form beliefs from in the Bible. I also have so many more resources for sharing the restored gospel. I've recently started the old Testament again. What sticks our to me is we are made in the very image of God. We are really his children. We look so similar to him. God has a body just like us. How amazing is that wonderful truth!

So last thing that has been on my mind is the 4 phases of team development. I learned this from my Dad. So when a team is formed is goes through 4 stages in order to start performing well. Forming, storming, norming, and then performing. I came to Blytheville right as the Lord formed the new team (branch leadership) for the Branch here. I've witnessed the forming and Elder Trendler and I have felt the spirit lead us to guide them through the storming and norming phase. We are really reaching out to the leadership and showing them where the missionaries can be of the most support to them in their callings. It had been really cool seeing the miracles and tender mercies that have been poured out upon the branch. The Lord knows exactly what he is doing.

I want to challenge everyone to really focus on the sacrament this week. Prepare for it the night before. The sacrament is basically like getting rebaptized. We renew and recommit to live right. I've seen a lot of blessings come to me when I have focused more on the Savior during the sacrament. Also keep reading the scriptures. The book of Mormon is a dear friend of mine now and has spoken right to me about who my Savior is. I love you all and please keep praying for my investigators and me.

If there is anything that you all want me to pray for PLEASE Let Me Know. I would love to send specific prayers to our Father just for you.

I love you all and God Bless