June 22, 2015

where I have already served.  I also might get to serve in this area longer.  I am only half way through my mission but I've already had four areas.

 Aquarium

 Yep!

 Butterly Pavillion!

June 22, 2015

Anyounghaseyo Yoruboon,

I'm excited to read Emily's first letter from the MTC next week.  I hope you're having fun.  I wish I could be there.

This has been a good week.  We have been visiting the less actives we don't know and cleaning up the ward roster.  We have met a number of less actives that no one has had contact with in a while. They were welcoming and some wanted to come back to church.  We also found that a few had moved but in every case the family that was living there wanted us to come back and talk to them.  Looking for less actives is definitely the most effective door approach I have used.  The progress in this area is slow but we are progressing.

I feel like this area is about to take off.  The Bishop has been troubled by how slow the work is and has decided that the ward council's focus will be to help us find people to teach.  They hope that the ward council's example will encourage the rest of the ward.  I'm excited.

One of the worst things about this area is the way the members are spread out.  The church building and our apartment are in Omaha but almost all of the active members are ten miles away in a suburb.  We also have one the smallest mile allotments in the zone so we can rarely make a trip out to see them.  We only see the members in their homes about once a month so it is difficult to follow up on our previous visit.

I got a call this week from President Weston.  My application had gone through and one of the Quorum of the Twelve had permanently assigned me to this mission.  I'm a bit disappointed to be so close to home but I'm glad I get to be around where I have already served.  I also might get to serve in this area longer.  I am only half way through my mission but I have already had four areas.

I got your package with the letter.  I also got a package from the Powells.  They sent a shoe box full of small presents and a letter.  It was sort of like those signs where you glue candy bars into the message.  It was clever and I will send pictures of it.  

Love you, Elder Stapley