So finally all the missionaries are back where they belong. We had a 4-day leadership training this week - which included all the zone leaders, district leaders, and trainers...so most of the mission. It's pretty lonely now in our huge apartment. There used to still be 4 of us once all the missionaries left, but since there are no office elders now, it's just my companion and I. Anyway, I guess the missionary department came out with a workbook that a new missionary and his/her trainer are supposed to work through in the first 12 weeks (2 transfers). They are also to have 2 hours of companionship study rather than 1 for those twelve weeks as well. I thought it was really cool, because it doesn't leave any questions as to what the new missionary needs to learn. I remember when I was supposed to train, there were some things that had just become second-nature to me that it was hard to remember that it was a habit that my companion hadn't developed yet - there were a lot of basic things that I had to teach, and this workbook lays all that out. The idea is that any new missionary should be able to train another new missionary after that initial 12-week period. It's pretty intense.
I realized yesterday how many potential baptisms we could have in the coming weeks. Looking around at church, there are about 5 individuals (just from our area) coming to church regularly who aren't baptized. Plus, we got some great referrals, from members at church as well. Unfortunately we just aren't going to have time to work with them the way that we'd like. With this last two weeks pretty much shot, and then we're planning trips to Yap, Palau, and Chuuk this next couple of weeks, we just can't do much. We're making contact with all of our investigators again, just in time to leave, so when we get back we'll probably do the same thing, then it will be time for Zone Leader Council again and transfers. Hopefully we'll find some way around all of it and make it work.
I would love to give you an update about how our investigators are doing, but I don't really have one. We spent this week (in the evenings after the meetings) driving missionaries around and dropping them off in random areas just to knock doors and then picking them up, or running errands and getting the things they need that they can't get on their islands. Kind of like a babysitter.
Like I've already said, I'm just eager to get back to work this week. I'll be sure and let you know as events unfold.
Love,
Elder Barlow
1) My new companion, Elder Malit
2) Our living room during leadership training
4) Zone Leader Council activity - one of the few perks that we actually get.
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