We had a very memorable week in the Texas Dallas Mission.

 

Our zone continues to take off so I am excited about that. Monday night we taught Anthony again who's mom is against the church. We listed the concerns he had about getting baptized and there was only one other one besides his mom which was callings. He was under the impression that when he got baptized it meant that he would commit to a 2 year mission to the church. Just kind of goes to show that we have a different vocabulary than most that can get confusing. His mom went to work this Sunday so he snuck out of the house and came to church (although he did have to leave early to beat his mom home). We had a lot of fun together.

 

A highlight this week was after specialized training I went to Melissa/Farmersville for exchanges. They had a 14 year old girl there who had been attending church for 2 years but had just received permission from her mom to be baptized. Elder Sullenberger and I went to a members home, taught her all the lessons and then I interviewed her in the shortest baptismal interview I have ever conducted. When I asked "What does it mean to you that President Monson is a prophet?" She replied "Well, every time I hear his voice or read his words, I am happy...It's the spirit." She was baptized Saturday night which went extremely well.

 

We have been teaching a young man named Tony for a couple weeks now who is preparing for baptism in July. He has been attending church for quite sometime now but needed a little extra loving boldness to get his baptismal engine turned on. We taught the plan of salvation on Wednesday by getting a white board, drawing it all out and briefly going over it. We kept the lesson to about 14 minutes yet he seemed to understand more about the plan once we were finished, than most. I have definitely grown a testimony of simplifying everything I teach into basic sentences to allow the Holy Ghost to work more effectively. He came to church on Sunday and loves the branch. In Elders Quorum, a few members were sharing 'missionary experiences' which he got a laugh at, since he is one.

 

That night we also taught a less active who hasn't been to church in years. I felt inspired to turn the pages to Luke 19. It seems whenever I or another missionary struggles that the best antidote is to tell them who they are! "You are a daughter/son of God for crying out loud!" I was reading the verses and it was another one of those experiences where you could tell when occasionally the Holy Ghost would step in and add something. I could probably count experiences as profound as that on one hand but they seem to be occurring more rapidly as I endure to the end. We had lunch with her Sunday then she came to church.

 

Friday we had an assistant exchange. They said that they were down for anything I had in mind as far as our regular work and helping out other missionaries, so I got creative. The assistants both have phones and each companionship has one phone so I organized a "phone blitz" in a particular, missionaries area, because the work was slow and a companion had just broke his foot. Elder McHardy gathered together about 100 numbers while we called all of them setting up many appointments. It turned out much more effective then tracting in the hot sun in the early afternoon in suburbia.

 

Tuesday was extremely heart wrenching. It was our final meeting as missionaries with President Smith. When we got there and he walked into the room on time and started the meeting, we stood up out of respect as usual but there was a great reverent tone about it. Sister Smith gave her training and promised not to blubber then the assistants gave theirs. After that it was our beloved mission president's turn to take the pulpit for the final time addressing the missionaries in Dallas. He spoke on 10 specific points of how we could be most effective in the Lord's hands, essentially, a summed up training of his 3 years in Texas. It was phenomenal. Then he gave his testimony which was the most sure and excellent I had ever heard. He had to stop and leave us all in silence every few sentences to hold back tears. Then with his amen we began the closing hymn, 'The Spirit of God.' President and Sister Smith couldn't sing, but the missionaries in the chapel sounded like we had angels in the background. Towards the end of the 3rd verse each row, one by one, began to stand up. At the 4th verse, the Smith's were up as well. The final hymn, the final prayer. I doubt there was a dry eye in the room. The missionary giving the closing prayer had struggled in the past with President but couldn't withhold tears. It was a tough mission conference. Then they went to the back and we hugged President and Sister Smith at parting.

 

Sure do Love Y'all

Elder Metcalf

 

P.S. watch the trunky comments... I have enough to worry about knowing the exact hour mom has me walking off the plane.

Howdy y'all!

 

I received my new companion Tuesday and I was about as excited as receiving a package from friends or family. His name is Elder Hong (half Chinese) from Blackfoot, Idaho so he knows how to work hard. This week he has already proven to be quite the inspired leader and we have had an abundant amount of success.

 

One reason I thought I would be transferred is because the zone had one single baptismal date. This week we have 15 throughout the stake that are mostly solid. So already we are getting back on track.

 

Monday night went well, Elder Davis and I taught our last lesson together to a young man named Anthony who would like to be baptized but his mom is currently putting the ax on that decision. We made a few visits to Summer Fox and family and Bishop Thomas before wrapping up the evening. 

Tuesday was transfer meeting and I think President was doing his best to avoid the fact that it was his last one. It lasted a couple of hours with some instruction from President and many departing missionaries as well as several companionship's getting changed up in the mission. I was excited to see who would be trusted in leadership when the new President gets installed in a few weeks. Should be interesting.

Elder Hong and I then got back to Allen, got some In-n'-out, helped out a few of the new missionaries then went out knocking. We were feeling one particular complex and a certain building so we went to work. We passed by one door and a few minutes later Elder Hong said "we need to knock 821." So we went back down but I left out the detail of telling Elder Hong that behind door #821 resided a Do Not Contact family. We knocked anyway and got in and spoke with the father who wants to get back into the church but is struggling because his wife was somewhat offended over something a while ago.

Another miracle was getting into the home again of the couple Elder Hall and I found during the ice storm. It had been about 3 months and she had her baby in May (the 17th to be exact, cousin Brad.)

 

Wednesday we met with Michael who is determined to quite smoking and be baptized this coming Saturday. We redid our calendar with him and made sure he understood just how quickly the baptism was coming. We had a few more unique moments, for example, when I asked how his reading in the Book of Mormon was coming along he responded in a similar way from last week "Terrible! I only am able to get in 20 minutes a day. I don't want to put it down."

Elder Hong continued his wave of inspiration by choosing a street to knock that I didn't recognize at first which was odd because the 5th ward is tiny and I have been here forever. I finally figured out why my memory was clouded because we had already knocked that street 5 months prior. Oddly enough, we started knocking it again and getting the same results. Nothing! Until...(once again I didn't inform Elder Hong that we were about to knock on a door of a part member family that I have been trying to get into for several months) we knocked and got in for an hour. It was another strange coincidence where they just happened to be home in the afternoon.

 

Thursday was toe chopping day. I had my ingrown toe nail removed which threw my grove off for a few hours. We did have a lesson right after the 'nail surgery' which we went to and had a great meeting. It was the lady we taught on Monday morning last week who wants to be baptized but her current living situation doesn't allow it.

Another big highlight was eating lunch with Elder Hall, his family and Summer Fox. It was an awesome reunion. His stake president released him over the phone so he was back to normal (however not adjusted) and when we parted ways we both laughed and said "see you in a couple months."

 

Friday we had a zone council with the new and improved Allen zone. It was powerful I believe because each Elder was assigned a Christlike attribute to train on and it was very well thought out. I got sick of the standard 'stand up in front train' format so we got in a circle and had a pow wow to make it more friendly and open. That day we also set another baptismal date with a lady named Katrine from Nigeria. Should be good.

 

Saturday we set a date with a young single adult named Tony who had been attending church in Plano for a couple months. Get this, it was Elder Hong's last area so he had already taught him before. We got the referral and it was funny how it all worked out.

 

Sunday was an incredible day. We had all our people who committed to church, come. Vivian who wants to be baptized came to church with a broken knee cap. Anthony snuck out of his home so he could attend the branch. Tony was picked up by a cute YSA girl (no more comment will be made) and Mike came with his granddaughter Alexis who ran to her teacher and gave her a giant hug during sacrament. Dina also taught gospel principles and nailed right on the head what our investigators needed.

 

Sure do Love y'all

Elder Metcalf

So Saturday was transfer calls night and yes the assistants did call us. Elder Davis answered the phone so I walked over with my hand held out ready to receive the transfer notice...

 

Nope, I will stay in Allen for another 6 weeks! So I will be here as long as I had been in Nac. Wild. Considering I only have 12 weeks left, it could be a interesting run for the gold.

 

So just a funny highlight before I dive into the miracles. I have become a coupon shopper under the education of our Bishop's wife. We do numbers and send in reports every Sunday night at the Bishop's home and its only a one man job that Elder Davis always volunteers for so I get to chat it up with the Thomas family. His wife got me hooked on the stuff. Last week I bought a gallon of milk and 3 boxes of cereal for $1.46 and this week it looks like I'll be getting proglide razors for 89 cents. I am also working on a deal right now to get crest advanced whitening strips and am currently up to $15 off so far... Anyways...

 

Every Monday we have been teaching a 19 year old whose mom absolutely hates the church. He told his best friend who is a member that he would love to be baptized except he doesn't have the means to move out, get a car, etc... So we meet with him again tonight and are hoping for the best. Someday he will be baptized so it is not a matter of if, but when.

 

Tuesday we had the most powerful zone leader council ever. It was President and Sister Smith's last one so they went out in apostolic style if I do say so myself. President Smith read out of the Book of Alma and compared himself to Heleman overseeing the stripling warriors. It took him some time to really get through it because he thoroughly considers us his sons. It was awesome. One of the Assistants is going home this cycle and he bore a testimony that really touched me. He was in a lesson and at the beginning he was talking about what missionaries do but when its all over he will go home and be a regular person. Well the zone leader that he was on exchanges with corrected him and said "we will go home and continue to serve God." It was awesome...

 

Wednesday I opted to give a training in a district meeting. I need it! I spoke on how missionaries need to act as angels sent from God and to develop the required Christlike attributes. I am at the point where it took 5 minutes to give a 20 minute training. I recorded it on the voice recorder so maybe I'll try to send it home on a disc. We will see, there are still some embarrassing moments. I really think that the reason I felt I needed to give that training was because I am lacking in the 'acting as an angel' department.

 

Friday we had a discussion with our next baptism, Mike. It is getting a bit intense because he was scheduled to be baptized this coming Saturday and he would do it and wants to do it except his coffee addiction is smack dab in the way. He had spent the night before our lessons cruising on lds.org for 6 hours so I think we will be ok. Please keep him in your prayers.

 

Saturday was unique. We drove up to Mckinney in the evening for dinner with a missionary who is going home on Wednesday. We had a great relationship the whole time we were around one another so it is pretty surreal to see him depart. We had 3 COR baptisms in our ward and were invited by a family because they had many non-members there. It was a great interactive experience.

 

Sunday we had a few non-members show up to church, which we got return appointments with. One being a man named Jose who has been taking lessons from the spanish missionaries for months. At the end of church I started to get to know him but then went into missionary mode and taught him about how God knows him, then committed him to live the word of wisdom, then ask God if the Book of Mormon is true, and then be baptized. He readily agreed which was pretty awesome.

The branch also threw a big party for Dina's birthday which was awesome so Elder Davis got to say bye to her.

 

This morning we taught a lady who loves the church. She easily committed to baptism but was a bit saddened at the fact that she has to marry or move out of her boyfriend's place before that happens. I think the spirit will work with her pretty well.

 

During ward council in the branch we have a high councilor assigned who always attends. While waiting for tardy leaders we shot the breeze about Metcalf mortuary. His dad was Robert L Simpson who was a GA whom dad took care of their funeral. They liked it so much that they had dad take care of his wife's funeral as well. Pretty cool....

 

Another huge highlight is for mom. If you recall about 15 months ago I reported a story about a girl in Nac that started taking the lessons after I approached her with the famous green eggs and ham. She did drop us shortly after the 3rd lesson because of some angst from her family. A couple weeks ago she went to church in Nac and told the missionaries she was now ready to be baptized...

 

Well Love y'all so much.

Elder Metcalf