New Leadership - New Opportunities

Well! Hello.

This week was pretty good. Pretty slow, but pretty good. We ended up contacting 10 people that we've been trying to contact, and we picked up 3 new investigators to bring our total real-teaching pool to 5 people. Now the tricky part is getting with them and planning lessons with them and following through.

The good thing about all of this hard work is that the ward leadership is all new so everyone is fresh. They aren't burned out on trying to contact less active families and don't have any bad misconceptions about the missionary work being impossible. And they are excited! Nothing better than serving in a ward that is excited about missionary work! The Spirit is strong here, with all of these new leaders learning how the Lord will support the work. The change is so wonderful for the work.

I had the opportunity to swing by the Northern Lights Ward party and say Hi to a lot of people that I didn't get to say goodbye to, so that was wonderful. Almost all of the less active families that we worked with while I was there were at the party and are still coming.

Then yesterday I was talking to the second councilor in our ward and he started mentioning to me how he heard about all of those families who were active now and he said how it gives him a lot of hope for the less active families in our ward. (I don't think he knew that the NL ward was my last ward) :) It's awesome to see how one success can build up the kingdom in so many ways. It is humbling, and I am so thankful to be part of this work. I cannot express with words the way it feels when you see someone returning to the gospel! It is wonderful!

Another cool experience this week - I was asked to give a blessing to a guy who is in the hospital and it turns out that his son was there also. The dad is David Fanene and the son is Jonathan Fanene. Jonathan played for the Cincinnati Bengals since 2005 and before that he played for the Utes in 03 and 04. We got to hang out with them and just talk for a while so that was pretty cool. So that is two NFL players that I have met now. The really funny part was that we were just visiting with them for like 40 minutes before I made the connection. When I first saw him I was like,"Dang he must be in the NFL," but then I was thinking nah... And sure enough! That was neat. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSF-aFgo5RE&feature=fvw

They were interviewed on 60 minutes too so that is pretty sweet.

Mo should do boys state.

Well I miss you guys! I love you and I can't wait to talk to you guys on Mothers Day.

I will send the old camera and the memory card with my pics soon.

Talk to you guys next week! Love ya!!

- Elder Britton Winterrose