Monday Before Thanksgiving

Hello!

This week was busy. E. Parada and I traveled a little bit during the week to complete interviews outside our area. I also did a trade with E. Higbee and E. Gomez to work a little in their area because E. Sosa has to stay home because of his hurt foot. We also had a mission conference on Friday. So as a result of all that, we barely had time to visit anyone in our area. BUT, Sunday was awesome. We had 10 or more people visit the church. Sunday was the childrens' program so some neighbors of the members came. One of the families was the one we started teaching recently. José, Maria, Tiago, and Mateus. José said as long as his kids want to come, he's willing to take them every Sunday. It's nice that they have a car so they can come to our ward in Lago Sul. The other people we're teaching go to São Sebastião. It's a lot easier to follow up with the people who come to our ward.

The mission conference went really well. It was cool to see everyone I was friends with in the MTC there. A really great change was made. More emphasis is being put on "Teaching when you find people, and finding people when you´re teaching" (A topic in Preach My Gospel). So as a result, we don't have a goal of how many people we talk to and invite or get addresses from anymore. Instead, it's how many good conversations you had and how many of them lead to people that are actually interested. I like this a lot because in the past, I felt like a machine talking to people. Most of the focus was on asking them if you could come by and talk to them another day or inviting them to church. Almost everyone says yes even though they're not interested. With the focus more on a nourishing conversation, it's easy to see if their actually interested, and to develop a friendship and a yearning in the first encounter.

Transfers are next Monday. Without a doubt, either E. Parada or I am leaving Lago Sul. Very often, it's the older missionary that leaves in this situation (when we've been in the same area for so long). So I'll probably stay in Lago Sul for 1.5 more months. I'm happy with whatever happens. I still love it here and members are getting more involved in missionary work. 

Hope you guys have a good Thanksgiving!

Love,

Elder Bryce Young