Everything is going well for us out here in Wisconsin Rapids. Elder Johnson and I had a really good week. We saw a lot of small miracles here and there, and kept ourselves pretty busy as well. We had a great Zone Training Meeting this week as well where we trained on teaching true doctrine out of the Book of Mormon to address the needs and concerns of our investigators, and also the importance of using Preach My Gospel in the work. I can honestly say that this meeting was the best Zone Training Meeting that I've ever been able to present. I felt like the Spirit completely took over the entire 3 hours of training, and everyone left edified. It was very apparent to me that this was the case as there were very positive fruits this week in the Wausau Zone!
We here in Rapids are doing a special "tailgate" w/the ward for the BYU-Wisconsin football game. The tailgate is going to be held the night before the game, starting at 5:30pm, and finishing with the fireside put on by Bronco Mendenhall and the BYU football team. We are using it as a huge missionary opportunity to invite everyone here in Rapids to enjoy good company, and also take a look into the BYU football team's faith in God. We are really excited about this and are hoping we can have a wonderful turn out!
I've gained a deep love for the principle of goal setting. It's funny, because I actually think the reason why I have gained such a deep love for goal setting is because I would not set goals before my mission to save my life. You would never ever catch my name in the same sentence as the two words goal and setting, it just wasn't my thing. Ever since President Cutler has arrived he has impressed upon my mind the value in setting realistic goals, doing all that you can to achieve them, and then evaluating your efforts after you are done.
Here in the zone we currently have a vision of 5 baptisms in the month of October with our goals being 13 investigators reading from the Book of Mormon daily, and 15 baptismal dates each week collectively as a zone. This past week we reached 13 investigators reading from the Book of Mormon daily and 17 investigators with a baptismal date! We would like to push our baptismal date goal of 15 to 20, but we felt like a goal of 15 would hopefully lift some of the areas that are struggling to see an increase in their key indicators. It was awesome to see our goals be achieved!
Here in Rapids we have a goal to match the District Leaders in the zone in baptismal dates, so that we can therefore lift them, so that they can lift their districts. Our 3 District Leaders combined have 5 baptismal dates, and we here in Rapids have...drum roll...5 baptismal dates, and look at the fruits! We are seeing very clearly that if we are going to set goals then we must do everything we can to achieve them, and the Lord will fulfill the rest. We have seen that as we have had the model area for the entire zone here in Wisconsin Rapids, the zone is lifted, and it is the District Leader's responsibility to help their district's to move forward as well.
As for the temporal things...it's starting to get really cold here in Rapids. Luckily for Elder Johnson and I, we have a garage. We never had to use it until now, but it comes in real handy when it's freezing outside. It's funny because the apartment that we are in right now was actually supposed to go to the Sisters when they first transferred in, but it was swooped away by my man Justin Heath! Just when we thought the washer-dryer combination was the best of it, we are now enjoying a wonderful garage so our car isn't frost bitten at the beginning of the day.
Things are going well with the ward here in Rapids as well. I really love the ward here! I've met a ton of awesome people, and they treat the missionaries like they're kings! Ha ha just joking, but they are very concerned with the hastening of the work, and they are willing to do all that they can to help the work to move forward here in Wisconsin Rapids, it's awesome! I kind of feel like it's the older version of Sun Prairie, but at the same time this ward may just top the Pun Srairie!
I'm doing well! One thing that has been a big help for us here in Rapids is to see the zone catch the vision that we have here in the zone, as well as the vision that our entire mission shares as well. We've seen how using Preach My Gospel, and striving to achieve worthy goals has really increased the faith and strength of the missionaries here in the Wausau Zone. After our Zone Training Meeting on Tuesday we felt like the Wausau Zone has a culture of being Preach My Gospel missionaries, and all missionaries who serve here in the zone will be asked to be obedient to Preach My Gospel!
Love you guys!
Elder Gautavai
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