Mission-Wide Finding Challenge

Lots going on this week!


Monday and Tuesday we spent on exchanges in Salamanca, on the outskirts of our zone. We didn't know Elders Thayer and Koch very well, and they've got a huge area that's on the process of forming a new branch right now so we decided to check it out. Elder Thayer and I had a few cool lessons, including one where the guy spoke more Arabic than Spanish. It was also super cold and rainy since we were so far north of Madrid. It was a cool exchange though, and Elder Thayer and I talked a lot about a lot about different approaches people take to missionary work and how to teach with clarity.


Back in Madrid, we got to work on the mission-wide finding challenge. We set a ton of appointments with people who we've known for a while, and out of nowhere we were able to set a ton of appointments to start teaching them!


Pretty soon though, we needed to do exchanges with our DL, Elder Anderson, in a art of Madrid called Parla. I had a great day, and we started teaching and set expectations with two new people. We also visted some cool members. Elder Anderson's awesome and we got a  but while I was gone, the three appointments with brand-new people canceled on Elder Harvath. 0/3 potencial finds for the day.


The next day we had exchanges with the APs and two more potential finding appointments. I worked with Elder Bustamante, who served here a few months ago, so every member was crazy excited to see him. We taught Paula's whole family about the Restoration, since they're all interested and willing to listen since their daughter's on date. We brought some memebrs over to move some furniture out of their house, and they're going to start reading the book of Mormon as a family! Plus we taught Engliah class and got to know a few people who also wanted to come to church. It was a great day, but we went 0/2 on appointments to teach new people. Frustrating.


The rest of the week was good, we had a few more first appointments fall though and didn't hit the goal of the mission challenge. The mission had a record-breaking week, and we contributed heavily to the mission absolutely demolishing our sacrament meeting attendance record on Sunday, but I'm really disappointed that *seven* people agreed to meet with and start learning from us and then decided to cancel. Elder Harvath and I did everything we could, but people have their agency. I was praying about it yesterday, and I know I can feel good about my own efforts. And I haven't been focusing on the great experiences our friends are having at church or the epic progress of our recent converts or the miracle that Paula's family is learning from her righteous example. We can control what we can control, and we'll keep pushing towards our finding and baptism goals. Wish us luck, please pray for us and the people we're trying to help.


Next week might be complicated though, Elder Harvath goes home on Thursday and I'll be in a temporary trio and splitting time with the other two elders' area. Tell you all about it next time!


Elder Curtis 


Pics
Train station 
Salamanca views
Elders quorum moving squad
Member meal
I love our recent converts and ward mission leader
With Elder Anderson
With Elder Bustamante 
Harry and his family read the Book of Mormon for 30 days so we had to let them paint our faces. Anything for this gospel.
Dog
Fish and chips









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