1st week as Zone Leader

Hey fam bam! What a crazy week! ....I feel like I always say that...haha. This week sure was a new adventure as Elder Bills and I rushed back and forth all over to help other missionaries, plan training meetings, attend executive meetings, and still work hard in our own sector to help our investigators progress! We have a ward filled with the stake leaders and best friends of President Martinez, so we are VERY closely watched constantly...haha. We have some fantastic investigators that are sooooo close to being baptized--they just need to take the final decision. One investigator, Isabel, is quitting smoking and has done wonderful in overcoming temptation from friends and family members that have tried to get her to smoke with them. She's awesome. 

Quick question: Can you send me a picture of the house with all the Christmas lights when you put them up? People keep asking me what it's like in the States. Here they don't do much decorating for holidays. Thanks!

Also, we need to plan for Skype! It should be a 5 hour difference, so what would work better for you: in the morning or in the evening Vegas time? 

Thursday we had an emergency council meeting with all the zone leaders and President Martinez. We reviewed  few of the difficulties in the mission, found solutions, made huge changes, and I had a great time. Later that night Elder Bills and I had a special private meeting with President Martinez and the stake president in an executive meeting and I ablsolutely LOVED being involved in those meetings! They were very long and tiresome, but I felt important and I loved working so closely with President Martinez. He's been such an amazing example for me in so many ways, especially with the happiness and love that constantly glows from his being. 

I would love to sit and keep talking about how wonderful President Martinez is, but that would do a great injustice to the real reason he's able to inspire me. He is just a man that will go back home in 6 more months. However, as I learn to account to the Lord in all that I do, I know that He is the reason I am able to overcome weaknesses in myself. I would love to be more like President Martinez, or more like Elder Townsend or Elder White, or more like RJ, or more like my wonderful dad who has always set an incredible example for me--but all of us are simply in the process of learning to become more like Christ. Everything I admire in my dad and in President Martinez and many other people are truly characteristics of Christ. Christ was the perfect example of love, understanding, meekness, happiness, sacrifice, and leadership. He is the good shepherd, and all I want to do is follow Him. But even then it's not enough to be the only one--I want to be with all of my family and friends following our Savior. He will lift us when we fall, and He will never leade us astray nor leave us behind. I love my Redeemer, and I know He loves us. 

Have a wonderful week!

Elder Long :)