Hey everyone!
New location na naman.. I'm here in Biñan, Laguna.. Which is in the San Gabriel District/Zone. Things are real good here! Well.. don't worry I've still got my positive attitude but.... ang pangit talaga ng area namin! Puro siyang city! Grabe.. lagi kaming naglalakad sa highway.. puro usog tsaka traffic.. pangit.. hahaha Okay I'm done.. I hope any Tagalog speakers reading this that it was pretty funny... =) Just kidding its great here! Just a little city.. =)
Oh be tee dubs.. Those were terrible but... really funny pictures of bunso (Sam as a Sumo Wrestler).. haha
So how's your new area?
So the new area is just like Ternate! Well.. except its got 10 times as many people, cars, motors, tricycles, smoke, smog, pollution, trash, buses, etc.. haha And this is in the "province" half of the mission.. Apparently where we are, here in Binan, its super city but the rest of the zone is pretty province. But so far I really like the area aside from the traffic and kwan. Its a pretty big area. But not a very pretty area.. haha
How many members?
Members! Thats another good question mom. Good job! haha Umm.. We're still a branch but we're the biggest branch I've ever seen! haha Apparently we've got well over a 1000 on the rolls and about about 200 of them are active. Yeah.. Pretty crazy.. On Sunday we filled up the sacrament hall and the cultural hall. Pretty cool. I guess they all heard I was coming in.. haha Apparently the district is only a few active priesthood away from becoming a stake. That would be really cool to see that, so I'm goin really try to reativate some priesthood so we can get this show on the roll! haha My first day here Elder Tenny and I visited a less-active family, but brother was the only one there. We changed our lesson and it went AWESOME! He went on and on about how powerful it was and how he felt the spirit and was even like I'm excited to become active again. That was really cool.
What are your responsibilities as zone leader?
Umm.. Nothin too different I don't think. When President Stucki told me that I was going to be a Zone Leader he pretty much just said that my responsibilities will be pretty much the same but I'll have more missionaries to serve and help. He also talked about making our area the model area and setting a good positive example with enthusiasm for the zone. So I'mma pretty much just keep doing what I do and things will work out.. hopefully.. haha
Who's your companion? Where is he from?
My new companion is Elder Tenny. He's from Virginia. Somethin like Chantille or somethin like that I'm not too sure.. haha We were actually in the same zone in the MTC. I'm ahead of him a transfer. It's pretty exciting cuz we kinda knew each other already. He actually went to BYU as well. Elder Tenny is way into soccer too so I'm pumped. We actually played earlier today.. =D
How does the zone leader thing work in your mission?
Are you and your companion both ZL's or is there just one in the zone?
For us, the two ZLs are together. I know Elder Chadderton in the Quezon Mission for a time had it where the two ZLs were separated. He said he wasn't a big fan of it so yeah..
Didn't you have some baptisms that week too? I'm sure it's hard to leave the area with so many people close to baptism, especially perspective priesthood holders!
Yeah we actually did. The kids of Sister May, our recent convert. Yeah.. I was way sad to leave Ternate.. They're pretty awesome! We have a ton of potential there still! But Elder Handy will keep it up and so they'll continue to accept the gospel and thats whats important. Actually it was really cool. My last visit with the family with the 3 potential priesthood holders, the father told me not too worry because they'll continue to listen and learn and come to church and that my teaching had really helped them. He said also to not worry cuz my visiting won't go to waste so thats really good to hear. And then as you will or did notice from the pictures. The branch missionaries freakin rock and made me a cool shirt and they all signed it and some investigators and recent converts signed it and its pretty much awesome.
Granma's questions!
How do you do laundry? by hand? machine?
Well, we don't have any machines. So we either get it washed by a shop or somethin or we wash it by hand. In Ternate, we got pretty much everything washed for us. But I think here in Binan, the missionaries here do a lot of it by hand so I'll probably do that too.
So now zone leader? New adventure? what area? Leader for how many missionaries? Lots of meetings, splits?? Still enough time for discussions, meeting new prospects?
Most of those questions were answered earlier but yeah! Its a new adventure in an new area. We've got a really small zone (at ZLC I called them our "little band of warriors" haha read the Book of Mormon if you don't get the reference haha) but we've got 6 companionships. But a really exciting month coming up. For our little zone we're projecting I believe almost the most baptisms and reactivations in the mission. I think we're only behind Naic, the zone I'm coming from... haha As far as meetings go.. I think we only have Zone Leaders Council (ZLC) which is once a month. And then sometimes we have a few more meetings at the stake/district level because we're the ones that report on missionary work for the San Gabriel District, soon to be stake. So we spend most of the time in our area doing work so not too different.
So yeah! That pretty much sums up the week! Thanks for the questions! haha
In other news, the Coron Branch hit its one year this past week! WOO! But its kinda rough out there right now apparently.. I got a letter from the Duran's and they're doing well but they said a lot of people aren't going to church.. but they still have hope.. just lots of trials..
Well I'mma head out! Hope you all have a great week!
Love
Elder Michael Gadberry
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