There are currently 4 missionaries going home in my apartment, and it is very hard to focus with 8 years of mission experiences/stories floating around the room. I will do my best to write this email, and then try to soak in some of the seniority in the room.
Elder Larsen says hi
Update there are now 8 missionaries finishing their missions, 16 years of experience.
This week we had a zone chat after the district council, we focused on finding methods. We had a short segment from the finding master, Elder Zierenburg. The meeting was successful, as we had every companionship in our zone find at least 1 new person to teach! (Except 2 companionships, but we still love them!)
There are now 10 missionaries soon to go home, 20 years of experience!
We have already discussed plans for the ASL 3 area, we think it would be wise to start them off focusing on YSA work, and give them a few home visits with members we select so they can practice ASL and get a feel for the Deaf culture. Slowly but surely!!
We had a meeting with the stake presidents of California (I think) and Elder Miskin (Area President and member of the Seventy). Because our mission is doing very well with finding over social media, Elder Miskin asked our social media crew to train the stake presidents and share strategies. It was an excellent training, and Elder Miskin shared some things that I really enjoyed, one was an example of fishing VS. Jug fishing.
For those of you who are like me, and don't fish that often you may be asking, "What on earth is jug fishing?"
Regular fishing involves a line and a hook. When the hook/line is not in the water, there is no possibility you can catch fish! However, Jug fishing (Which I've now been told might be illegal) is tying a line (with multiple hooks) onto a milk jug, which has been filled with air. You leave the jug in the water and come back and find multiple fish attached to your line! Facebook work is essentially Jug fishing.
"Missionaries have been wasting time tracting" -Elder Miskin
Everyone who has ever served a mission knows that tracting has NEVER been the most efficient thing to do. It is a constant thing we can do, but not effective. When we post on Facebook, the messages we share stay on the internet, and whether we are on facebook, doing other activities, or sleeping, our posts about Christ and his Gospel are getting attention, and can help us find people who are longing for the Truths of the restored Gospel.
Now all the 15 missionaries brought food into our apartment without any regard to WHOSE apartment they are in! I will therefore end my email, and ask for your prayers that my apartment remain clean. I need them
-Elder Vance
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