Elder Justin Molinaro: From October 3

Family!

Hows it going? This week was a short one, especially with Conference taking two days out of the few and another I was out of my area with Elder H. on exchanges, and a lot of the other time we have been planning/prepping the zone goal for october, and we actually presented it today, and it. was. epic! I will start off by telling you about that, and then answer questions...

So this month we decided to go for a Halloween theme and the name is Metro Fear Factor. The goal focuses on raising a key indicator each week, based on which one was lowest for the week before...it is their districts "fear factor", and district leaders set goals for them to reach and overcome their fear as a district. As key indicators consistently improve, baptisms will follow. September went well, our baptismal goal was 11 and we pulled 10, but getting missionaries to baptize monthly is our overall vision. So, on a personal level, each missionary will come up with something that is their fear factor, or something that scares them about missionary work, it could be knocking doors, talking to everyone, inviting people to be baptized, or speaking the language, or a number of things, but they will be striving to overcome that fear as they go throughout the month.

So monthly personal goal, and district weekly goal. As each missionary rises to a higher plain and overcomes their fears, we will all rise to a new level and all be blessed as we progress together. Holy cow there is a lady yelling in Spanish at this little boy and I am laughing inside jajajaja...ok sorry, easily distracted. So its called fear factor and we have these sweet cards that say fear factor on them and they put them in their planners and move them day to day, and there is Psalms 27:1 written on there too...look it up :)

So the name, obviously inspired by the show, is what we played on to present it. We had everyone walk up onto the stage, and there was an eerie red light on, and a fog machine running, and everyone sat down, and we had a black light and a ton of stuff written in highlighter so it really popped and we had three scriptures chosen from the Old Testament that introduced three different challenges that three contestants from each district had to participate in. For example there was a scripture about the power of the tongue and it translated into a Sister Missionary wheeling out a boiled cow tongue, super nastified and the three people had to eat it. There was a scripture about bowels gushing out, and boiled cold pig intestine followed, and worms eating flesh was the third, and we had them eat these weird korean silkworm cocoon thingys...it was so cool!

We were like the hosts and the black light and the fog and the missionaries were lovin it and cheering and egging each other on, and I am fairly confident that the excitement will carry the goal through the rest of the month. It was so fun to plan and throw together having limited resources and lots of restrictions obviously being a missionary. It was definitely something I will never forget. We wheeled the tongue out on a cutting board with a big knife sticking out of it, death to the chef style and yeah...I don't know if you can tell but I am still excited about it haha. We timed the contestants and the district that ate their stuff the fastest won.

As far as your questions?...I really loved Conference, it was great and it is really different trying to listen to it for yourself, and trying to listen for someone else too, like Oh man I hope Sister E. heard that, or I hope Brother U. is paying attention (he actually went to Utah with his in-laws to see it so we're hoping he really liked it). I think the themes were for sure the Book of Mormon, and the scriptures in general, and how to better my teaching abilities and relationship with God. I liked the talks about prayer, and about how there is nothing too small for the Lord to answer if I just have faith...like President Monson and the guy coming in to speak that was way funny. I really liked his talk too about how the ten commandments are still in effect, and even thouh people think religion is outdated, it is our job to be in the world not of the world. Always weird when people refer to their missions in talks for like 20 seconds, like my mission was great and I learned a lot...as a missionary it feels like they need to really explain all that goes into it...third period art could be great and you could learn a lot, but it is hardly the same! Just kinda funny.

The new training program doesnt really affecet me, except for things we need to plan because we have two trainers that are on different schedules than the rest of us. They study in comp study for two solid hours with a strict curriculum, and it pretty much brings the mtc into the field for a little while...12 weeks :) In the mtc now they focus primarily on teaching skills and here they focus on the doctrine of the lessons and the trainer trains during comp study on a few different subjects. So far it is still in the pilot stages, but as far as we can see, it is going well.

The best thing about being a zone leader is being so busy all the time and really getting to be in a position where I can think about the welfare and progression fo so many of God's servants. The busier I am, the more I feel like I am doing for the Lord, and there comes a greater satisfaction. For example, today was my 7th zone goal that I have had to plan and present and execute in Metro...that seems like a lot! And every month we think of something, and we always say man what on earth will we do next month, but when we wait on the Lord, the revelation comes in the moments of need.

I love getting to get to know so many missionaries and care for them personally and on so many levels. It is a lot of added responsibility and a lot of extra prayer, but it is worth every minute of it. The hardest thing is correcting people that I have grown close to. I become friends with those in my zone, but then they make some dumb choice, and it is my responsibility to correct and guide...that means I can't be doing anything wrong because they watch our every move...talk about pressure! Now of course there are times when we mess up, and make a dumb choice, but I guess the most important thing is the next choice I make after that.

My investigators are doing well, Sister E. came to Conference and the Visitor's Center yesterday and loved it, and she is preparing for baptism. My chin doesn't go down to my chest anymore haha mom I know how you feel...guess I carry stress in my shoulders too, but it is all good. I am absolutely loving my mission and have no doubt that it is the best two years for my life too :) Love you guys so much!

Love,

Elder Molinaro