Week 78 Letter

Corona round 2 week 6.  The big "3/4"

Email Date: Jan 6, 2014

All.

This week was pretty good.

We've had some progress with the Nomura family, a few of them came to church on sunday and we had a couple good lessons with them. I don't think that the dad is really into it though, he thinks he wants to find out, but he doesn't put a lot of effort into it. 

We did pick up a new investigator named Lana. She's 9 and the granddaughter of a member of the bishopric. She and her 7 year old sister are very, very smart. They retain things very well, read well, articulate well, and just have a good knowledge already. She will probably be baptized later this month. The only obstacle is her other grandparents want her to be baptized born-again. But the parents have said it's Lana's choice. So we will see. 

We had a meeting with the mission leadership as well. Last year our mission had 784 baptisms, just missing our goal of 800. Cool thing about that goal. When the goal was created, we didn't know our mission was getting split. We had 400 by the split. We lost about half our missionaries there, we currently have the same number of missionaries as we did before the split in half the area. 

Anyway, our mission is the highest baptizing mission in California and Hawaii per companionship. W00t! (Bragging? Maybe, but hey, it is the best mission in the world.) Our mission president goes home in July (with me) and our goal for the first 6 months of the year is 500. So we talked a lot about goal setting and the things we need to do to amp it up. I'm pretty excited. Even in the few days since that meeting, we've been more effective and focused.   

Our mission president is big on goal setting. And since this is the first email of the year I guess it is relevant. (I haven't set new years resolutions yet, but I will soon) The pattern he suggests is to have a Vision, a Goal, and a Plan. So to have a vision of generally what you want to be doing, a specific (and measurable goal) and a plan on how to get there. 

Somebody said "life without goals is like golf without holes" (I'm not really sure how driving ranges fit into the metaphor but whatever.) So, something to think about.

Thank you everyone who sent Christmas cards/packages. I really appreciate it a lot. (In my right hand is a lump of Coal. From my last companion, elder Gordon.) 

Thank you for the prayers and support. Please write,

Elder Bryce Johns