Zone Conference

Dear Family,
Como estamos todos? This Tuesday we had a zone conference down here that was fabulous. Our mission president is the ultimate role model. Sad to think that he'll be leaving us after one more transfer. But he talked a lot more about the power of testimony as a primary tool. I've been thinking about that a lot lately. And actually Tuesday one of President's assistants came out with us and we had a dynamite lesson with a less-active teenager in our branch. She got baptized a few years ago and flame starting to die down so she stopped attending church. We helped her remember the feelings she had at baptism, what her experience was like leading up to it, and how she knew that it was the right thing to do. We testified of the power of the sacrament and it's inherent promises and blessings. It was a spiritual and uplifting experience. We're having some of the other youth that know her help in the rescue.
Thursday we got up at 4:15am to get ready and drive up to the mission home for an all-day meeting. Other than us being completely exhausted by the time we got back to our area Thursday night, it was well worth it. President wants us to launch in action a plan for greater member missionary work. It's up to us now to get it rolling in our zones, and it looks to be a momentum booster. Speaking of changes in the mission, the church missionary department has told mission presidents to call "sister training leaders" as soon as is reasonable. Because of the influx of so many sister missionaries, companionships of sister missionaries will be called to watch over a certain number of other sister companionships and go on exchanges with them every transfer. They also help to train at meetings and participate in mission leadership meetings. It's weird because it's different. But I suppose it's needed. The majority of missionaries entering our mission in the next 2 transfers are sisters. Crazy.
While we were biking Saturday morning a car drove past us then suddenly stopped so we biked up to them. It was a member and she said, "Elder, I signed up to have you eat at my house on Wednesday for your birthday! What do you want to drink? What do you want for dessert?" It caught me off guard but was a fun encounter. I set a goal to hand out 21 copies of the Book of Mormon in one day this week as something fun to do for my birthday. We'll see how it goes :)
Well, gotta fly. I love you all. Take care. Keep the faith!

Elder Gathro