The beginning of another transfer

The first transfer here in Tulare is over now. The district basically is the same, but Elder Frei is leaving to Fireball, Kermin west, and Elder Matienzo is training a new missionary. Elder Nelson is coming from Hanford to be the new Zone Leader, switching with Elder Walker.

Also, Elder Perkins, my trainer is one of the Assistants now. 

I had a really good week here in Tulare. Halloween was very interesting, we never were able to go out and proselyte. On Tuesday Elder Atkinson went to San Fransisco for insurance reasons, and I spent the day with our brand new Ward mission leader.

On Thursday I went on exchanges with Elder Matienzo, it was the second of the transfer, and it was fantastic. He has really grown a lot this transfer. I also went on exchanges with Elder Derbidge on Saturday. We were able to teach a new investigator in Lindsay that has already come to church twice. He is currently living with a member family. He is a very likely to be baptized in the coming weeks.

We had stake conference this week, the theme was the temple. 

Work is going pretty well in Tulare as well. Tonia is doing fantastic, and has really changed a lot already. We were able to receive a solid media referral man named Rudy, and also have several solid member referrals that we have begun working with. We taught a young lady named Kennedy that had come to a members farewell talk. She has a lot of solid member friends as well. Sherrie was unable to be baptized because she has been extremely busy, and we have had a hard time teaching her recently. The Martinez family has been struggling to successfully quite smoking so that they can be baptized. Eddie was able to quit drinking for a few days, but then he slipped a little.

This ward is very focused on missionary and temple work, it is a great thing. I am amazed at how many investigators Elder Atkinson and I were able to find this transfer. I never really tracted and knocked doors consistently on my mission until I was with Elder Stojka, but it has really increased my confidence and the rate at which we find new investigators. We found more than 4 times the new investigators this transfer than were found in this area last transfer, and received considerably more referrals as well. 

I have been studying the principles of humility and patience, along with faith recently, working mainly through the index. I have noticed a strong difference between being compelled to be humble, and being truly brought into the depths of Humility. Being compelled is often temporary like Laman and Lemuel, but truly humbling oneself to the depths of humility is generally considerably more lasting and life changing. Nation changing for the Nephites. It is a very important attribute.

Love,

Elder Keeley