ZL Responsibilities

So I've gotten to the point on my mission that I'm not sure what to write any more.. things are going really well tho.My companion is super cool. He is so good at singing!! He knows theory super dooper well, the names of scales and chords and all kinds of crazy stuff.. We were learning how to do 'barber shop singing' today. He was teaching us about something called 'overtones' and we were trying to make them while we were driving around today. It was super fun.

My new area is good.. but I really miss San Francisco, I really did love it there.. but I'm really happy to be in this area - I'm working hard to make a difference in the zone and do all i can to help the missionaries progress and improve.

What does it mean to be a zone leader??

Basically, as a zone leader we are pretty much like any other companionship. Our main purpose as zone leaders is training. We are called to train the missionaries through 24 hour exchanges. As part of our responsibilities, we model our area for the other missionaries to learn. So that means exact obedience, applying Preach My Gospel skills in all areas of missionary work and correcting missionaries if needed. Our main training happens in 24hour exchanges. It is really important to keep up to date on all the investigators with Baptismal dates in the zone. We also keep track of all the 'Progressing investigators' in the zone. We are very aware of each missionary and especially the new missionaries and their progression (teaching skills, obedience, etc..) During the week we account for each district. Example: Tues. Marsh Creek district - Wed. Antioch 1 district - Thurs. Pittsburg 2 district etc.. We call the district leaders and counsel with them and they give us a better idea of what is happening in the area and ways they can improve. We also analyze the 'key indicators' from the current week and weeks previous and with these tools we are really given a good idea of what is going on and how effective the companionships are working. Then at the end of the week we account and report to the Assistants to the President and give them a report of the entire zone.Throughout this entire process we have a whole ton of paper work.. So that's basically it.. I think the thing I like best about being a zone leader is being able to recieve revelation for the zone and getting to know and work with so many awesome missionaries

I know this work is the work of the Lord. I am really grateful for the oppertunities I am given to learn and grow.

I LOVE YOU!!

Love

Elder Blandon

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

Earthquake

Dear Family

So things are going good here in the mission. First crazy story - well not so crazy but pretty cool, we were in the middle of a lesson and I was teaching then I noticed the church building was creaking.. like a lot!.. we all stopped and sat quietly and we were all wiggling back and forth - it was an earth quake!! it was pretty cool cuz my entire mission I wanted to feel an earth quake! sooo it was pretty cool, different than what I thought it would feel like but still really cool.

Anyways we are teaching some really cool people right now. We invited a few more people to be baptized this week so now we have two baptisms this weekend and two baptisms in November! its pretty awesome.

I have been thinking a lot about what it means to be obedient to the commandments and how that's a choice that we all make. We choose whether or not we want to follow God - something that I have notice is that even though we might make that choice to be obedient, Satan will still tempt us. There are things in my life that I must avoid, thoughts that I can not allow myself to think, places that I cannot let myself go. The world is filled with all types of temptations and I know that I must protect myself. I have really come to know and recognize that the Holy Ghost will give us strength and he will warn us away from sin and guide us to that which is pleasing to the Lord. BUT we must first make the choice - then we must do all that we can to avoid that which tempts us. Here in San Francisco there are temptations all around me everyday, even as a missionary, but I know where I stand. I am aware of my surroundings and I know the Lord will protect me as long as I am willing to do that which the Lord asks of me.

I don't even know what's happening in the news or really much about the challenges that the family might be going through, but the one thing I do know is that God loves us and He will protect us. We will face challenges in this life. We knew that we would face these challenges before we even came to earth. We cannot face these trials on our own. We are not capable of doing so, we need the help of our Savior. We need the lifting power of the Atonement. Obeying the commandments is simple, you just have to do it. I know that as we Repent and renew our covenants each week, read and pray the Holy Ghost will enter into our lives. With the power of the Holy Ghost we will endure.

I have a huge testimony of the Book of Mormon - if you are not reading it everyday I invite you to read it. I have seen the power of the Book of Mormon, it changes lives. - Within these pages God speaks.

Yesterday my companion and I had a lesson with a sister named Mindy Lew - she has been meeting with us for about two months now and she has had a really hard time making the decision to be Baptized. Her lessons were always filled with the Spirit but she didn't trust her self enough to make the decision. We had a really long discussion about many different principles of the Gospel. We wanted Mindy to see that God has given her the answer but that she just needed to act upon that prompting. We invited her to be baptized and she said that she couldn't answer at that time. Sometimes in life we are faced with choices that we are unsure about. Sometimes we really just want God to make the Choice for us - or maybe we will ask a loved one or someone that we trust to tell us what choice we should make. We don't trust ourselves enough to make that choice. In this life we are given the ability to choose for a reason, there is a purpose to agency. God cannot choose for us. When we are worthy and humble and receptive to the promptings, when we place our trust not in ourselves but in God, He will guide us. But we must show our faith and our love for Him through diligent scripture study. Feast upon his words. We must pray ALWAYS and we must repent. My dearest family, I love you all and I want you to have the comfort of the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost is real. In that lesson we had with Mindy the HolyGhost came upon us. We all felt it. After we helped Mindy recognize that God allows us to make choices for ourselves we invited her to be baptized again and she could not deny the way she felt. Mindy will prepare herself to be baptized on the 12th of November.

I am grateful for all that you do for me. I am really grateful for the blessing of the Gospel that our family enjoys. OUR FAMILY IS FOREVER!! Let's prepare. We are really blessed you guys.. sometimes we forget but there are people in the world that are really suffering. Let us be strong.

Have a wonderful week.

Love Elder Blandon

The Blue Angels

Well things are going really well here in San Francisco. This week was pretty cool.. so every year in S.F. they do this air show called 'Fleet Week.' There is a Navy base here and a few ships and air craft carriers come in and dock for the week - down town there is a bunch of sailors walking around. Anyways, the Blue Angels come and perform over the bay!! So for three days in a row there are jets flying all over the place!! It's way cool! We timed it just right. We were taking an investigator to the temple over in Oakland so we were driving over the bridge during the Blue Angels performance. There was tons of traffic so it was pretty cool. The jets just kept flying right over and around the bridge! There are a ton of sailboats that go out into the water also, so while the jets are performing they do a bunch of fly-by's just skimming the tops of the sail boats!! It's crazy!! After my mission I really want to get a sail boat and come for fleet week. That same day we saw another crazy thing happen - there was a huge group of skaters maybe 100-150 people all in a huge group cruzing the hills in San Francisco. They just took over the road it was way cool.

San Francisco is a really crazy place. Basically, you can do anything you want besides kill people and hurt small children and it's acceptable. There are so many philosophy's on life and different ways of living and thinking. The moral standard has degraded so much in the world today. Now days the lifestyle that people live and the rules and guidelines that a person follows is all personal preference. People don't even acknowledge the fact that God has set guidelines and commandments for our protection. I have a really strong testimony of commandments when I think about life and what happens when there is no direction, guidance or warning. It really scares me to see some of these young kids that think they know better than God about what's right and what's wrong. The adversary is very real. Anyways I feel good about helping people find happiness and direction :)

Right now we are teaching a kid named Sunny. He is awesome. Right now he is going to school to compose music. He plays the coolest songs!! It's really awesome. I love being a missionary 'cause we get to meet so many wonderful people and we learn from one another and we share experiences with each other. So we have really be praying hard for Sunny in helping him gain a testimony of God. His parents are from China and they never really had religion as part of their life.

Things are great. I'm loving life. I know the Church is true especially when I live the commandments and see the blessings that come from it.
Have a wonderful week!

Conference

Yeah I really loved Conference this week, I'm really excited to go back and study all the talks for the next six months. there were a few really good talk that focus on full time missionaries so that was pretty neat. on Sunday we had the opportunity to watch conference with 3 of our investigators. so it was really special.

We are really blessed with wonderful people to teach. this weekend we have a baptism with a girl named Brianna. she is going to school in the area. we found her street contacting out side the college campus one day, the Lord had really prepared her to receive the Gospel in her life. we are also teaching a really great person named sunny! sunny is super smart. hes American born chinese and right now he is going to school to learn to compose music!! he plays the piano like super duper good, hes one of those kids that has played the piano since he was like 3 years old. anyways we are trying to help him feel the spirit and gain a testimony of God. our lessons with him are really good

I dont remember if I told you but I gave one of your books to Sister Berry - she loved it! there is a testimony meeting for new converts and she shared her testimony and she used the scripture that you had in your book (helaman 5:12) she said it really touched her heart. she gave such a solid testimony, it was really neat for me.

SKYPE fhe!? that sounds awesome maybe you could let me know a week in advance and I can write a small report about what is happening in the mission field that you could read to everyone. anyways everything is going pretty well.. oh yeah I almost forgot, our car was broke into and my wallet and camera were stolen.. sooo I have my birth cert. with me, so im going to see what I can do about getting a new license and I.d. the only problem is I don't have a s.s.card.. so we will see what happens.

I just want to tell you that I know God lives. and he loves all of us. since I've been on my mission I have come to realize that God allows us to make choices freely, He will never FORCE anything upon us. If we want to know about God we must seek after Him. God and Jesus Christ 'Invite' - the invitation is there, we just need to accept that invitation and the way we accept the invitation is by reading scripture, praying and keeping the commandments. We show God we accept Him through our actions.

I love you all

Love Elder Blandon