Week 95 (Brimhall)

Elder Wood and Elder Smith got to attend a baptism this week, for someone in their zone. He said that was a neat experience. They were also able to meet with Karen, who is the friend getting baptized soon in their ward. She speaks ASL, so another pair of missionaries have been teaching her, but since she'll be in their ward, they also attended some meetings with her. Karen has now passed her baptismal interview and they're working together to plan her upcoming baptism in a couple weeks!

As another item related to Karen, the Brimhall Ward is looking likely to become the home of a new ASL group in the Bakersfield Stake, where multiple different people from the stake can attend together and receive interpretation of meetings. Assuming that happens, the mission president would also like to replace the elders there with some sisters who speak ASL; he is working to figure out how housing would work for that change. Thus, Elder Wood may end up being transferred elsewhere in the next transfer, which is still about 4 weeks away.

While working in their area this week, the elders knocked on a lot of doors and met a lot of people, but they weren't able to find any new friends who were interested in learning more. Elder Wood says they've talked about using a slightly different door approach, that may help those answering to think a little bit more instead of just giving a kneejerk "No" response. We wish them success! He did report some interesting conversations online with some people who connected with them via Facebook. In one case, the man asked some good questions about God and religion, and seemed surprised when Elder Wood actually had some thought-through answers to share with him. Elder Wood didn't think he'd changed the man's opinions on religion, but hopes that he's given him some things to think about.

The next 10 weeks or so have some exciting things to look forward to. As mentioned above, there may be a transfer coming. And, this current transfer is their scheduled every 6 months visit to the temple, so he is looking forward to visiting the Fresno Temple again. Then, in the next transfer (his final one!) he and the other departing missionaries will also be able to do one more temple visit before they leave for home. And, sometime in the next few weeks, there is a leadership meeting in the Bakersfield area. The missionaries have been informed that there will be an apostle in attendance, and that he would like to have a meeting with all of the missionaries in the mission in attendance - Elder Wood is very much looking forward to that meeting!

Only a few pictures to share this week - it's shocking, but there was only one single bird photo taken! Luckily for the rest of us, there were Zone Conferences this week, meaning the mission leaders share some photos they took there.

Elder Wood's table at the Bakersfield Zone Conference

Group photo from Zone Conference - Elder Wood is 2nd row from the top, 9th from the right side 

The one and only bird photo!