Sunday, November 10, 2013

What a BUSY Week!!

November 4, 2013

Hello Everyone,
 
    I had a pretty crazy, busy, adventurous week! 
 
It started last Monday morning with lots of snow and the call from some of my missionaries saying they were in the hospital in Choteau due to one of the Elder's being in a lot of abdominal pain. They had gone in at midnight the night before, after talking about some things, calling Sister Mecham and discussing it with her. 
 
We made the decision to drive to Choteau to give the sick Elder's companion a break and to get some things done. Well, what is normally about a 45 minute drive took us 1.5 hours because it was snowing pretty hard and the roads hadn't been plowed yet. On our way we saw 2 wrecked cars, one was a van upside down on the side of the road, it was intense. 
 
Adventure #1: Got to Choteau and I stayed in the hospital while Elder Rodriguez went with the other missionary to their apartment for him to get a nap and to pack because both of the Choteau Elders were supposed to be transferred on Wednesday. We didn't have much of a Preparation Day because of that situation but we were happy to be there in support. We ended up driving home to Great Falls that night because after the tests they said Elder Kilmon had gall stones and would need his gall bladder out but it could wait and he would just be released in the morning.
    
Well then Tuesday late morning we get a call letting us know after more tests, they would be releasing Elder Kilmon but admitting him to the Great Falls hospital at 5 PM to have emergency gall bladder surgery. So we load up and did about 6 hours of driving to get missionaries to their proper places for transfers taking place the next day We got back to Great Falls just in time for our dinner appointment and then went to the hospital about 8:30 PM, expecting Elder Kilmon to be out of surgery and back in his room. Well we get there to find out he had not gone into surgery yet. I stayed with Elder Kilmon in the hospital while Elder Rodriguez had to move some missionaries and luggage for transfers the next morning. Long story short, Elder Kilmon went into surgery about 11 PM out at 12:30 AM and he and I got settled into his room about 1 AM. I got 3 hours of broken sleep and then was replaced by some other missionaries to go with Elder Rodriguez to take 11 missionaries to Helena for transfers.
    
Wednesday was the craziness of transfers and a long day of travels. Then Elder Rodriguez was dropped off at the hospital to spend the night with Elder Kilmon and I went with our 3rd companion, Elder Kharazi back to the house. We have a 3rd missionary in our companionship again, we were a little confused why at first but found out why later in the week. So we unpacked his stuff, organized and got some good sleep, it had been a long 2 days.
    
Thursday morning I get a call from one of my missionaries who is sobbing to me on the phone and tells me he wants to go home. Loooooong story short the decision was made to bring him and his companion to Great Falls on exchanges for a couple of days. Well its 3 hours of driving round trip for that and so again a lot of our day was taken up with travel. We got home and attended our Ward Halloween Party which had a ton of Less Actives and non members we were able to talk to. It was awesome!
      
Friday and Saturday we worked through some things with the struggling missionary and kept him busy with A LOT of service. We cut up 35 long trees and split it, ALL of it and stacked it all. It was an intense project for a part member family, felt good to do that kind of work and help the elderly couple in need as Winter is here now. 
 
Saturday night I was dropped off back in Shelby with the 2 missionaries and have been working through some things here within their own area and am still on the exchange today. I will go back to Great Falls late tonight because we have a meeting in Helena tomorrow.
    
A piece of big news... We now know why the Lord placed Elder Kharazi into our companionship to have 3 missionaries. On Friday Elder Rodriguez received a call from the Assistants and was given a new assignment to leave Great Falls and for the next 30 days, travel doing exchanges to do training on the iPads and how to teach effectively with them. So I will be left here as a solo Zone Leader with Elder Kharazi as my moral support while Elder Rodriguez fulfills his assignment. 
 
Should be awesome!  
     
So this week... We taught no lessons to any investigators and very few less actives or even active members. There have been a couple weeks like this... The craziness and business of helping the missionaries within our Zone and managing a Zone so geographically wide spread, it sometimes heavily restricts us doing missionary work within our 2 areas that we cover. At times this has really gotten me down. 
 
Why do I point this out? Because this week has been amazing! 
 
I humbly bear testimony that as we work hard as if everything depends on us and then pray as if everything depends on the Lord then everything will work out. Although Elder Rodriguez and I have been busier then ever with things and have not been able to do all the teaching we would hope... We both recognize that so many people have come out of no where and want to be taught. 
 
There were 2 separate people that called this week, introduced themselves and asked to be taught to increase their faith. As we do our best, the Lord will always provide. Faith precedes the miracle, that is the focus of our companionship and Zone this transfer... FAITH. 
 
Miracles do not produce faith but faith produces miracles. The work of salvation presses on. I testify to each and every one of you that this is the Lord's work, I testify that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. How blessed I am to be a representative of Him. Have faith, not fear. Believe in Him because nothing is impossible through Jesus Christ, our Lord. He loves you and I love you.

Love, 

Elder Organ

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