Jan. 5, 2010

Hey, sorry I'm getting this in later then usual, with the new year we had to reformat all of our spreadsheets and what not for the weekly call in summary report, so our morning was packed with tedious computer work that I never ever want to do ever again.

Anyways the magnets thing worked out so well. They we're in teams of 3 one person with the compass, one with the directions, and another one who counts the paces, the only person allowed to speak was the directions person. Three of the teams had a magnet and it totally confused them, they had no idea what was going on. The Spanish missionary whose from Brazil Elder Martins had a magnet in his pocket and he was so mad at us, he was sure that we had written the directions wrong or had totally deceived him with the course somehow (and we did). After they all made it back we had them stand up and check their pockets and then we taught the principles about the Liahona. Elder Martins had a great insight he said something to the effect of, "When the compass was pointing the wrong direction my initial reaction was to aggressively blame my leaders who set me out on the task, when really the problem was with me the entire time." It was so cool to see him really grasp that principle on his own, often times when things aren't going well especially in the gospel we blame our leaders, it's the bishop's fault, or that's terrible advice why would I bathe in the river Jordan 7 times to heal my leprosy. It worked out perfectly.

Then today we started zone conferences. We taught about the law of sacrifice based on the talk given by Elder Ballard in the 1998 October Ensign. We built out of cardboard some 2x4s a goodwill picture frame and a can of gold spray paint an alter. At the beginning of the conference we gave out little paper squares with lambs on them that they were supposed to write down the things that they felt they needed to be sacrificed in order for us to progress. Then at the end we carried in the altar and had them place their sacrifices on the altar. After we do all of the zone conferences we'll take the sacrifices out behind the mission home and we'll burn them and collect the ashes and use them as a visual reminder that they've sacrificed the things that are holding them back. It was really fun today.

Tomorrow President Hutchings' family is coming into town, all of his kids and their spouses are coming so he's going to be tied up for the next week or so and we cover for all the things that he can't, so we'll be busy too. That's about it. I love you and we'll talk next week.