Tim's Update October 29, 2008

hey how is everyone doing, Mission conference is tomorrow the president is rebuilding the mission and cracking down on everyone.  I am so excited. Quite literally we have to change how we are doing things here in the mission and in the world.  things are going to be different than they have ever been before, not in a way to frighten people, but there is definitely a feeling that the world and church are changing.  The time is coming that we no longer focus on talking about being better, but that we become better now.  I encourage you at home that as you are at home to use the old pioneer adage,  'Eat it up. Wear it out. Make do, or do without' I am not implying that we should become Armageddon minded.  But I do know that things are changing in ways they have never changed before.  Literally since I have been out here, I have seen a huge change in the work.  The Missions of the church are becoming more successful and focused.  Its like a train, they are saying jump on or off, but the Train is now moving.  I feel very strongly that I must play a key role in our mission to be an example of the best of the best in obedience and work ethic.  I know I have what it takes in me to do so.  However I struggle being that person, but I know that the lord and the world cannot afford any less from the missionaries out here serving. There are lots of great people out here in the mission.  We actually haven't been able to get a hold of any of our investigators this week.  I know for a fact that the lord is testing our patience, because we are essentially doing everything we need to and we are still struggling.  We have over 12 investigators, but none of them will meet with us, because they are busy.  However we are now getting appointments with them. We are working with lots of families in the ward.  The bishop is bishop Vawdrey, he is brand new and only about 30, he is very new to the whole running the ward thing, it is interesting to watch.  But he is very supportive of the missionaries I am so excited to have him.  We also have many great families in the area.  We have the phillips who are stock brokers, they are both wonderful.  They try so hard to raise their kids the way the lord would have them.  They are really trying their best.  We also have the Reades, they are from texas and are awesome, they had us over for Chili the other day, the chili was so good.  they have two little boys, william and Joseph and they are both just so incredibly smart and funny.   They call themselves wally and diego.  The family is so great they support the missionaries so well.  He served his mission in Jamaica and had a kind of rough mission experience, he liked it but it was tough on him.  She served a mission in Arizona, and she mostly worked in the visitor center.  I will send a picture with there two little boys, they are twins. Our investigators are not doing as well as I would like, we have a few that are worth mentioning though. Irene Zedka is from Kenya, and she is so awesome.  She told me that the lord told her in a voice that the Mormons are true and that she should join the church.  She is constantly saying that she can't wait to receive the gift of the holy ghost.   She has a hard time meeting with us because she is a home care nurse and watches an older lady.  But she said that she is working on a way to come on Sunday. Jean Muse is doing just fine, she is progressing.  But she says that she still has a hard time believing that the book of Mormon is true.  She just needs to pray about it and things will work out. Eric Flaim is awesome, him and his older brother have expressed an interest in receiving the priesthood.  I hope that we can get it to them very very soon.  Tony his older brother goes to a catholic school and says that there are so many things that don't make sense from school.  And we teach him, he is already a member, but he is not active at all.  We are going to work on him getting the priesthood.  Him and his brother have both talked about how much they would love to serve a mission.  I hope we can get them lined up in a way that they can serve a mission. Anyways, I am so happy that everything is going well at home, I am working on being a better person.  I hope that things will work well with you all at home.  I love you all so much, I really miss home.  But I am good being out here and working, I am really learning to love the work.  I am hoping that this obedience talk tomorrow will really jump start my companion.  He is good, but his heart is not into the work which makes in hard for me to be in the work.  Anyways I love you so much, please try to write, I realize that the wedding will make you busy, and thats ok.  I love you and I am going to be voting absentee ballet wise.   Love Elder Timothy L. Flink