March 19, 2010

Hey,

Alright so we finally found some time to take a mini-p-day. We only have a couple hours to email and go shopping and then it's back to work. Life has be crazy.
So here's what happened. On monday morning at about 7:50am Elder Onon and I were getting ready for the day when I got a call from President Olson. It was unusual because transfer calls weren't until the next day. I answered the phone and he asked me if I had a place where I could talk in private. I went into one of the bedrooms and at this point I was getting worried. Things started running through my mind because this wasn't normal for President to call like this. I was trying to think about what he could be calling for and all I could think of was if someone had died or something. Anyway, he told me that he wanted to call me to be an Assistant to the President and asked me if I would accept. Of course I accepted, but I was shocked. I didn't expect it at all. We talked for a few minutes, and then the call ended. I stood there not knowing what to say lol. Right after the call I got down on my knees and prayed to Heavenly Father and asked him to help me as I try to fulfill this calling. I was told by the current Assistants that I would be getting picked up the next day at 9:30am, so I had to pack, say my goodbyes, and teach lessons all before the following morning. On Tuesday morning, the Assistants, Elder Hernandez and Elder McDaniel (who I replaced) picked me up. We traveled to the Ogden Tabernacle where upon arriving we had a meeting with President Olson. Soon after that the new group of missionaries showed up. We greeted them as they got off the bus and helped them carry their luggage into the tabernacle. We had lunch with them, and then we had an orientation with the new missionaries and President & Sister Olson. The office staff did their trainings, and then after that we took the new missionaries out on the streets of Ogden!!! It was fun. I remember my first day out on the streets. All of it brought back a lot of memories from when I was in their shoes. Now I'm on the other side of it. The greenies had their interviews with President, and then we all went to Presidents home for dinner. Following the dinner we gave a training/orientation, then we had a testimony meeting. The Spirit was strong and I really enjoyed it. After it was over and when the greenies went to bed, we went upstairs with President and Sister Olson and we picked out who would be the trainers for each greenie. While we were doing that, President offered up drinks/snacks and it was fun haha. They have a big stash in their garage of all kinds of drinks, etc. Then Sister Olson has a big candy stash. The evening went late and I was exhausted. On wednesday, we had breakfast at the Olson's, and then we were at the Tabernacle for most of the day. We gave Zone Leader, District Leader, and Trainer trainings for a good part of the day, and then the greenies met their new companions. We went to lunch after that and then came back and did some office work. This whole thing is really weird for me because I've never been a district leader or a zone leader, and now I have to train all of them. Elder Hernandez and I are the Assistants, so we will be doing Zone Leader Counsel trainings, Zone Conference trainings, and going on exchanges with Zone leaders all over the mission. Not to mention the office work that we will be doing. I think this is the first time ever where a missionary has gone straight from Senior companion to Assistant without anything inbetween...and only being out 9 months. It's gonna shake things up fo sho. President Olson says that there is no ladder in the mission...and he is definetly getting that message accross with me lol. I'm excited about the calling to be an Assistant, and I know that Heavenly Father will help me as I try to fulfill this calling. After we got done with some office work, we had dinner at the Olson's again with the departing missionaries. We had a shrimp pasta with salad, baguette bread, and homemade ice cream and cookies for dessert. Sister Olson is an amazing cook. Later that night we went out visiting some of the people that we are teaching. On thursday we had breakfast at the Olson's again :) and then we took a missionary that was going home around to say goodbye to some people. After that, Elder Shepard, one of the office missionaries took us to lunch (indian food...it was pretty good), and then we updated the transfer board. It took a long time but it looks great. I became van certified so that I can drive the big van when needed too. We had dinner at our apartment, and then we taught a lesson to one of our investigators. We committed her and her mom for baptism and they both have baptismal dates for April 10th! It was way sweet. I hadn't taught anyone for like 4 days so it was a little weird lol. We live in the apartments right across the street from the Temple, and we have a brand new Subaru to drive. We live with 2 other missionaries in the apartment, who are kind of like our companions too. Elder Hernandez and I will be together when we have responsibilites to take care of as Assistants (Exchanges, Zone Conferences, meetings, etc) and then we will be split up with the other companionship at the other times. It's something new that President Olson is doing, so we are still trying to get used to it. It's kind of like we have multiple companions all at the same time. This morning we had a zone study, and then after we email and go shopping, we're gonna pick up our other companions, Elder Swisher (he came out with me), and Elder Mitchell. We'll have lunch, and then Elder Hernandez are gonna start planning Zone Leader Trainings and Zone Conference. It's gonna be crazy. Since I've been an Assistant, I've already started to hear all the crap about other missionaries being disobedient, etc. Some missionaries are acting differently around me now...sucking up, asking for things. But there are some perks that I'm pretty excited about. I get to go to General Conference!!! Not only that, but each and every session! :) I also get to go do the Salt Lake City Temple trip at the end of the transfer too. I'm way excited about it! All of this has just been happening so quick. It's awesome but overwhelming at the same time. I feel inexperienced, some might feel that I'm not qualified, and maybe I'm not, but I know that God will help me do anything. I can do this. It might be challenging and hard at times, but I know that this will be a great thing for me and I will be able to learn so much. Being and Assistant is very different from what I was doing before. You have a different view of everything...you see a different side of things and of the missionaries, and your "in the know" when it comes to the mission and what's going on. I'm thankful for the opportunity that I have to serve my Father in Heaven and to serve my Mission President and fellow missionaries. The next few months will be an adventure. President Olson told me that this is a calling. I could be doing this for 3 months, or maybe longer...there isn't a time limit. We'll see how it goes. "Life is a rollercoaster, you just gotta ride it!" I'm on the ride and all I can do now is ride it, work hard, and have fun. All I can say is that I'm tired lol. I better get used to it I guess.
I have 2 baptisms on March 27th of people that I taught in Brigham City that I'm gonna go back for...I'm excited. Hopefully we will find some good success in the few wards that we cover. I think Elder Hernandez and I, and then the other companionship combined only cover 3 wards here in Ogden. Our areas are way ghetto but cool at the same time cause some of the people are crazy haha. There is a lot of welfare given by the church in our areas, and there has been a lot of success in the past so hopefully we can keep that success going. It was hard to leave my last area in Brigham City cause there were so many great people there, and I really grew to love them. I took pictures before I left so I'll have to send them to ya when I get a chance. I miss Elder Onon too but it's all good. I know I need to be here right now and I know that it will be great.
I love you all so much and miss you tons. I really mean that. I know I say it every time, but it's true...and the meaning is always the same. Just cause I say it all the time doesn't mean I'm not any less sincere. I am so thankful for you all and I keep you in my thoughts and prayers often. I hope that you are continuing to do missionary work and are keepin' those missionaries busy. I hope that all of you are doing well. Write me back soon and send me some pictures!!! :) I hope that I didn't forget anything lol. Oh about our apartment. The apartments that we live in across from the Temple are pretty nice, but ours is filthy. It's gross and it's gonna change haha. I'm gonna be doin' some cleaning as soon as I have a chance cause it's just gross.
Holla back at me soon yo! The church is true! Peace!

~Elder Micheal Watts
Assistant to the President