CRAZY WEEK!

Elder Ballard came to our mission for a special mission conference this Saturday which was awesome! That had to be the coolest meeting I've ever been in. He was just in such a relaxed setting it was awesome. I remember praying during the days coming up to the meeting to receive a witness of the Spirit specifically that he was an Apostle of Jesus Christ. The meeting started with his 2 companion who were other general authorities or area authorities or something. They both spoke very powerfully and talked about the importance of the truth "the more people you talk to, the more people you'll baptize". They also said a lot of other profound truths of missionary work, and talked about how to be completely consecrated to the Lord., Then Elder Ballard spoke and he expounded on 3 principles: talking to more people (the same as the others), teaching to understanding (requiring us to understand on a deeper level), and how the work is only done through the Savior. The whole meeting was spiritually filling and will change my mission and life forever but I still had not noticed anything that would distinguish him as an apostle. Then he closed the meeting with his testimony of Jesus Christ as the head of this church and I was overcome with the Spirit, he bore testimony of Jesus Christ in a way no one else could and I will always remember the experience as a witness that we truly do have modern day apostles who are special witnesses of Jesus Christ.

-We had a really great lesson with Marianna this week. Our recent convert Raymond came and did incredible. It was so powerful to see the Holy Ghost speak through him. You could definitely tell a difference from before he was baptized.

-So remember how I was bit by a dog a couple weeks ago while trying to hunt down a part member family who ended up not being interested? Well we go to Raymond's house on Easter for dinner and we see the part member family there. Turns out their friends with Raymond's family. We start talking to them and they said a week after the dog bit me it gets hit by a truck and dies. Crazy! I guess it's not a good idea to bite missionaries haha.

-So the craziest thing in the world happened during transfer calls. I found out I'm staying! I was so sure I was gonna go because Elder Wilkins has only been here for two transfers and I've been here 3 but he's the one that's leaving. It get's even crazier. There aren't enough Spanish missionaries in the mission and so their taking out the set of Spanish Elders in our ward and turning us into a zebra companionship. So it's just gonna be me and one Spanish missionary taking over all of valley center. Both areas were super busy so we're gonna have to go on splits every night and when we're not Split I'll have to teach some of the lesson's in Spanish. Plus we're still ZL's so I have no idea how we're gonna get it all done. I'll be relying on the Lord more than I ever have this transfer. I feel so inadequate it's not even funny. It's gonna be crazy.

Love,

Elder Orgill