Yay for Babies!

It's so great to hear that Christina had her baby!! I am so excited to have new cute little nieces when I get home!

So things are going well here. My new area is way out in the sticks - very American working man family kind of community. The work is a bit slower than in San Francisco but it's still the Lord's work. We are being very diligent in doing all we can to find more people to teach. My area is two small towns about the size of Payson and Salem. Maybe a little smaller.

I live in an apartment with roomates so that has been nice - I haven't had roomies in a while so it has been really nice to get to know some of the other missionaries well. We cleaned the house and found some Christmas stuff in an old box so our appartment is all christmas decorated.

If the family wants to get me a christmas present - my camera got stolen in San Francisco. if you sent me nothing else but a cheap camera I would be super happy with that. Just something to take pictures with. Anyways I love you all

I am grateful for the blessings of the gospel. God knows all of us and He cares. It's been so wonderful to see His hand in this work. The other day we were talking with some ward members to see if they knew anyone that we could teach. The member told us no. We asked again just using different words and the Spirit prompted the member to tell us about a sister that lived down the street. We went and visited her and she invited us back! We were able to have a wonderful lesson and she was really prepared to hear the gospel.

Anyways things are good. Just working hard. I know I am on the Lord's errand.

Love Elder BLandon

New Zone But Still a ZL

Well it looks like my time here in San Francisco is finished. I didn't quite accomplish my goal if Baptizing the entire city.. but we had quite a few! By the time I leave this area I will have had something like 7 Baptisms. In the mission we call San Francisco "The City of Miracles". It really is a city where miracles happen. The people here are beautiful. Even though there is so much turmoil and destructive things happening in the world (especially in San Francisco!) I know that God lives and that He loves all of us because we are his children. In the midst of this worldly city there are humble people who hunger and thirst for righteousness. I have been so blessed to be a part of the lives of so many wonderful people.

So it's on to the next area of the vineyard. I will be serving as zone leader in the Antioch Zone. I am super excited to see the new area and begin serving. I'm really excited for the missionaries I get to serve and help. I will miss the zone here. We have had some stalwart missionaries in this area! We have been able to achieve our goals as a zone many times and we have been blessed to see a lot of people step into the waters of Baptism in the San Francisco West Zone.

This last week I had the opportunity of participating in quite a few priesthood ordinances. I had the opportunity to Baptize Lilly Liang and perform a Confirmation for Mindy Lew. We also gave multiple priesthood blessings and ordained one of our recent converts with the Aaronic Priesthood. Over and over in my mind I gave gratitude for the Atonement. I thought about how it was that I was able to be a part of those peoples' lives and how I was placed in a position to exercise the Priesthood authority. I thought about the choices that I had made that allowed me to be worthy of the priesthood and how grateful I was to be ready willing and prepared to perform such sacred ordinances. I know that it is only in and through the Atonement of Jesus Christ that makes it possible for us to be worthy of the blessings and opportunities that God has in store for us. How grateful I am for the companionship of the Holy Ghost in guiding me and protecting me in the choices that I make. How grateful I am for the blessings of the Priesthood.

Love, Elder
Blandon

Life's lessons

How goes it? So missionary work is crazy... this week went by really really fast. I'm really grateful for the opportunity I have to serve. My companion is super cool. He is all business, super smart successful kind of kid. I'm really learning alot about accomplishing the goals that we set. I am still serving as a Zone Leader in the San Francisco West Zone. We are seeing alot of success as a Zone! The mission president told me that he uses our Zone as a model for the other missionaries and an example of what we can accomplish. But it has little to do with me.. the missionaries in our Zone are working very hard and the Lord is really blessing the area. I'm just grateful that I get to be a part of it. So this last transfer has been a struggle for me but I feel like I am just now overcoming the trials and learning what the Lord is trying to teach me. SO now it's on to the next lesson and set of trials.

There are two main points that really stuck out to me this week. First: the blessing of serving others! I am really grateful for the opportunity I have to be a part of peoples' lives, I know that I am here for only a short time and I have realized that the greatest impact I can have on these peoples' lives is to help them live the Gospel. I have a firm testimony of the power of commandments! As a missionary and Representative of Jesus Christ we have the authority to invite others unto repentance. When we seek out opportunities to serve those around us, to help others in their righteous ambitions we will be blessed. There is nothing like service.

Secondly the thing that I have come to better understand is the principle of 'Accountability.' We are accountable for our own actions. When we realize that we are personally responsible for our own lives no matter what the situation or circumstance, it will change the way that we think. As I pray to our Father in Heaven and ask for people to teach or ask for a blessing that I will be successful I am asking for responsibility. When opportunities are given to me by my Father in Heaven I must do all that is in my power to ensure the safety and success and well keeping of that opportunity. And if there is failure I must acknowledge and accept that it was the level of my commitment and choices that I made that led to the failure.

I invite you to seek out an opportunity to serve someone this week. and next time something goes wrong try not to blame anyone else - just say " it was my fault" "I will repent and do better."

One last thing - always remember there is always room for improvement. No matter how well things seem to be, you can always improve. So many times in life we become complacent with the way the things are. We say "well I have worked pretty hard.. thats good enough for me" - we can work harder, we can do better, there is more that can be done. So many times we here the words "Good job" as to imply that we have completed the job or that we are satisfied. We should be in the mind set of "Good effort" implying that there is still potential to progress and that there are still possibilities to improve. We need to be in a mind set that - when given the proper resources we can accomplish anything. We are eternal by nature we have endless possibility and potential. My companion is never happy with the result. At first it was really hard on me. I thought "wow, how can you please this kid??" After hearing a talk from Elder Wilson from the 70 it really hit me. What more can we do?

Anyways thats the personal insight from this week. I hope all is well