Week 30-Holladay, UT

Robert's baptism on Saturday

It's been a pretty good week. We have been able to accomplish a lot this week. Our zone is unfortunately very dead. Not all too much goes on in the zone. Elder Thompson and I are super lucky to be in this area! Our area seems to be in bubble. We are so blessed. Stuff always seems to be happening. The zone leaders challenged us this week to hit Standard of Excellence for our numbers this week and we did it! The standard of excellence includes a baptism so its super hard to hit. Numbers really don't mean anything but its a good indicator if you are working and trying or not. I'm so very grateful for my companion we get along so well and I love the kid to death. 

This week it's been cool to work with an investigator named Russ. Russ has met with missionaries years and he is what we call an eternigator. After a lesson filled with the spirit, we committed him to stop smoking and set a date for his baptism. He said that he has tried before many times and he had been smoking 40 years and he really doesn't believe he could quit. He said that he would start Jan 1. He did and actually started last Tuesday and we have been meeting with him every night. He is doing so well. He says that this is the first time that he himself has wanted to be baptized and not just wanting to please others. He said its been much easier now that he sincerely desires it and is building faith in the Lord. He says that it is much easier when he relies on the Lord as opposed to just taking it all on himself. His date for baptism is for Jan 17 and we have so much faith that he can make it! 

Robert was confirmed which was a huge relief. Something always seems to come up! The adversary will NEVER make a baptism easy. There is always complications with convert baptism. We had the opportunity to help another child of God come unto His fold. His name is Brandon Donovan. He was baptized the day before yesterday! I love Utah Mormons so much. I used to think they were all kind of stuck up and like clones but they are literally the nicest people ever!! They help us soo much. They take care of the people we work with. I love them all to death. They are so kind! A little bit about Brandon. He actually boxes for money. He's apparently pretty good. He has had a rough background but has turned away from the things he used to to do and has embraced the things of God. Possibly one of the most amazing things about the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the change that can happen. Lasting change. Sanctifying change. The only explanation for things that bring people this much joy, this much happiness, this much purpose and direction in life, this much identity of who we really are, and this much general light and life to a person can only come from God. 

Elder Bass

Later Notes: I remember praying and asking God when i was with Elder Hanks that i really wanted friends that i could keep with me. People that i would be close to and then i got Elder Thompson as my companion.

I remember that for one of my first district meetings i made a card entitled formula to success and it had three things to do on one side and on the other side it had three things that would be received. The three things on one side were: 1. repenting 2. teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ in every lesson. and i forgot the third one. I printed out small, square-shaped cards with the formula on them.

This area really helped me step up and be more confident. Elder Thompson was one of my best friends that i took home from my mission. Elder Thompson helped me with one of my trainings by drawing two circles one inside of the other and saying the growth zone is outside of your comfort zone. My president would always say,"Theres no growth in the comfort zone."

Some of the mornings we would wake up and go to the church building to play basketball and so forth.