April 13, 2015

Hey Familia,

So we got transfer news this week and I am getting transferred. I also got called to be a Zone Leader which is crazy! We go to transfers tomorrow and that's when I get my new companion and get my new area so I'll tell you where I am next week! I had to say goodbye to some of the people in the ward yesterday, and it stunk. I also had to say goodbye to Avram, and the Loy's, that was so hard... I'm so glad to have been able to be a part of these people's conversion and to see the impact that the Gospel has had on their lives! It's crazy because I've been in this area for my whole mission and now I'm going to be in a new one. This is the first time my whole mission I have had to pack my stuff again haha! But I know wherever I go, that's where the Lord needs me, and I think it will be pretty cool to be a zone leader!

This week was pretty good! We were able to teach Raina again, and we read Alma 32 with her. She said that before she makes any big commitments like baptism, she wants to understand the Bible and the Book of Mormon better. We are trying to help her gain a witness of the Book of Mormon, and we told her that if she just plants that seed and does the things to help it grow then eventually she will gain a greater understanding of the Book of Mormon and the Bible! There is a quote by Neal A. Maxwell that says "Believe in order to understand, rather than understand in order to believe." I think so many people in these days as well as in days past have flipped that around! So many people want evidence and signs in order to judge if something is true or not, but like Moroni explains in Ether 12 "Ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith." The faith comes first and then the knowledge. But yeah the lesson with Raina went well, it really helped her. We also gained a new investigator named Brian! He is probably in his 20's and he lives alone. We went up to his door to set up a return appointment and he said he had time to talk right there on his doorstep. So we just started talking to him about the Book of Mormon and that kinda led into the restoration, and he kept asking a ton of questions and we basically taught the restoration and the plan of salvation right there on his doorstep! It was awesome and we are teaching him again tonight!

Anyways, that was pretty much my week! I'm loving every second out here and I'm excited to be a zone leader! My golden birthday is coming up on Saturday, and thank you guys for the song I loved it! Anyways I'll talk to you guys next week! Love you all!

Love Elder Summerhays