More Zone Conferences

     I hope everyone had a good week and is enjoying life. Things are going good over here in Virginia. We have been getting a lot of rain lately so everything is always wet but it is super green! It is something else but I think I'm still more of a mountains person. Anyway this week was good and busy.

Front : Elder Severe, Jones, Chan. 
Back : Elder Blanchard, Hall, Me

     Monday morning Elder Hudson came with me to the office to put in some numbers that didn't get reported last night and then we went shopping. We met the other guys back at the apartment then Elder Chan and I went and played sand volleyball with the APs and Ft. Belvoir elders. We played in this sweet place by a lake and totally surrounded by trees, it was pretty cool. There was also a little drizzle of rain so that was super fun to play in, we had a blast. At the beginning we were all trash talking a little bit and diving around all over the place but at the end there was no diving and pretty much no talking, we were tired. After dinner we met with a less-active named Tony and had a lesson with him about the Restoration. It was really good and we are meeting with him again and he is coming to church! Then we went to the office so we could do the Warrior Report.

Happy Birthday surprise to Sister Orr!

Elder Tapusoa, Chan, Hudson, Me, Bunn,

Hardy and Sister Laughbon and Johnson

     Tuesday we had he Oakton Zone Conference and then after that we went and tried to finish cleaning out an apartment they are closing up there. For dinner we met a member who is from Kentucky, named Brother Carr, who took us out to eat at this fancy restaurant. Probably the fanciest place I'll ever eat in my life, it was ridiculous! Plus we were the only ones in the whole place so that was interesting. After dinner Brother Carr worked with us the rest of the night on exchanges and we tried to see some recent converts and less-actives.
     Wednesday was our zone conference, the Springfield zone. After zone conference we went back up to Oakton and finished cleaning out the apartment that we had started yesterday. We had dinner at the Ehler's and then we took some of the stuff we had taken from the apartment in Oakton to an apartment that is reopening. We then tried some potentials and then went to the office and did some work there. When we got back to the apartment Elder Bunn and I got all the missionaries in the complex (us, Braddock elders, Burke elders, Rolling Valley sisters) and surprised Sister Orr because it was her birthday. We all had on party hats and had a half gallon of ice cream with candles in it and Elder Bunn had a big confetti party popper thing. We knocked on the door and when she opened it Elder Bunn shot the popper and we all yelled happy birthday, then we gave her the ice cram and sang happy birthday!

Got to see Barrett when I was up in

Leesburg! It was great to see him again.

     Thursday we went up to Leesburg for the zone conference and right after zone conference I got to see Barrett and talk with him for awhile. We even got to give him a little short tour of the church. He wants me to come listen to him give a sermon before I leave which would be pretty cool. When we were done we went to the office and did some work there and then had dinner. After dinner we went to a lesson we had with a less-active named Brother Hew-Len but he didn't answer so that was a bummer. Then I called everyone in our area book who has a number and most didn't answer but there were a couple who said call back later.
     Friday was the Centreville zone conference and then weekly planning. We planned pretty well for next week and it took us a little bit but it was good. We had dinner with the Lagerberg's and after dinner we shared Alma 13:24 with them and challenged them to give out a Book of Mormon with their testimony in it. We've decided we are going to do this at every member meal, challenge them to give out a Book of Mormon and see what happens because of it. After we went on exchanges with the Braddock elders, Elder Hudson and I spent the whole night shocking on potentials and taught a lesson on the doorstep of one and got in to talk to another so it wasn't a bad night really.
     Saturday President came and borrowed the truck to pick up a new ping pong table so we got President's car! Woo hoo! We went to The mission home when President and Dan got back with the ping pong table and helped them get it out of the truck and then we set it up. We also went to the storage sheds and helped the Torgersen's unload a big china cabinet. When we were done with that we took the old ping ping table to the dump. After dinner Elder Chan and I went to the Weber's (a part member/less-active family) and set up a time to come back and teach their 8 year old son, Will, so that was really good.
     Sunday was a good day, church was good and it was all about the Priesthood because today was the day it was restored to the earth 187 years ago. The Weber's came to church so that was exciting and the dad even came and he isn't a member. We had dinner at the Gillespie's and did the Book of Mormon challenge with them and they agreed to do it. Then we had a lesson with Tony Piro and we talked about studying the scriptures and missionary work, we also did the Book of Mormon challenge with him too so it's going good so far. We are hoping to get more referrals by doing this challenge but it is going to take a couple weeks to really get moving. After the lesson we went to the office to do numbers and half of them just disappeared after we had almost finished so we have to come back in tomorrow, oh well.
     So this week was pretty good and pretty busy and things are starting to turn around and go better so we are pretty excited. This is the scripture we are using for our Book of Mormon challenge with all the members, Alma 13:24

24 For behold, angels are declaring it unto many at this time in our land; and this is for the purpose of preparing the hearts of the children of men to receive his word at the time of his coming in his glory.


     There are angels all around us preparing people to hear the message of the Gospel. God will lead us to them or he will lead them to us, that's a promise we have in Preach my Gospel. We need to trust in the Lord and show our faith by always being ready to share the Gospel. This Gospel is truly great and we have it because God loves us.
      I hope you all have a great week and look to help those around you in any way you can. It will make a difference in their life as well as yours. Keep smiling.      ~Elder Brady

Happy Birthday Surprise to Sister Orr!