Hey Dad! Sounds like an adventure. Miley finally got nailed with skunk. That's the worst. I'm glad we don't have those here, at least in any significant quantity. The raccoons here are huge, though.

That's an awesome fast that the ward is doing! We're doing something similar in our ward. Our ward mission leader and we came up with an idea to assign member families to fast and pray specifically for investigators that we have. There are three companionships of missionaries in our ward (that's crazy, right?), and each has some member family fasting for their investigators. We have asked five families to fast and pray for another five families we are teaching. We absolutely expect miracles.

So to answer your question. The mission is arranged such that there are a number of leadership callings one can be asked to fulfill. Serving as a senior companion is a leadership position in which one is responsible for guiding the companionship and managing a proselyting area. There is naturally a senior companion in every companionship.

Another leadership position to which missionaries are called is to be a trainer of a new missionary. They are highly regarded because of the far reaching effect they have on the quality of a new missionary's mission. They lay the foundation for the rest of their new companion's service.

Elders are also called to serve as District Leaders, guiding and inspiring a district consisting of about 3-5 companionships. They are to give weekly instruction at a district meeting, conduct 24 hour exchanges with each of the Elders in their district, and seek to improve the effectiveness of the missionary efforts in their district. They collect teaching data, and seek to know about each of the people that their missionaries are teaching.

Elders can also be called to serve as Zone Leaders. A zone regularly consists of at least two districts, and usually, it geographically coordinates with the boundaries of a Stake of Zion. Zone Leaders are responsible for the inspiration and guidance of a zone of missionaries, and are actively involved in the instruction and teaching of the district leaders pertinent to their zone. They seek to know all of what the district leaders know, be it situations in the zone, the needs of missionaries, how effectively the wards are working with the missionaries in the zone, etc. They regularly coordinate with the Stake Presidency, and meet with the Mission President as part of a Missionary Leadership Council. They instruct once monthly, carrying the revelation received at the Leadership Council to their zones, for it to be practiced and integrated through their instruction, and the continued instruction and accountability of their District Leaders. There are many more things that they do, but that is a basic overview.

Presently, I am serving as a District Leader, and trainer of a new missionary. Elder FOSTER!!! He's the best!! I instruct the District weekly, help them to be inspired and achieve their goals, and serve without regret. This is my second time to serve as a District Leader, and first time as a trainer. Because I had the opportunity to serve as a Zone Leader, I better understand how I can support my Zone Leaders and carry that revelation from the Mission President down through to the District.

There have been some really awesome things happening for us! We invited 23 people to church this past week! Unfortunately, none of them came. We are not discouraged. We just need members to come with us to make those invitations. Members bring color to the black and white of our teaching when they join us for teaching appointments, and when they help their friends make commitments.

We found new investigators, taught lessons, and saw little miracles all over the place. There was a really cool lesson we taught to a part member family. The husband has been a member for about a year, but the wife has not had work off on Sundays for a really long time. We taught with the intent to help her be empowered to keep the Sabbath Day holy. We had some scriptures prepared to share, and felt the time was right during the lesson to share them. As we were preparing to share the scripture, another one came to my mind, and we opened up to 1 Samuel 15:1-22 (open it up and check it out - http://www.lds.org/scriptures/ot/1-sam/15.22?lang=eng#21). We read through the story, starting at the beginning of the chapter, and ended with that powerful scripture.

We then turned to Doctrine and Covenants 59:9-10, and shared the powerful blessings that come from obeying the Lord's commandments. Specifically in the case of these two, the "fat of rams" as the old testament relates, is the equivalent of their good providence earned by dedicated labor for their family. It is a good thing to provide. The scriptures teach that if one provides not for his house, he is worse than a heathen, and has denied the faith. So, their working is very important, but it is not exact obedience because they are working on Sunday.

We shared with them our testimonies that sometimes the choices in this life are not between good and bad, but between better, and best. Saul chose to preserve sacrificial animals of the Amalekites to perform sacrifice as outlined in the law. That was a good thing. BUT. It was absolutely NOT what the Lord had commanded. The commandment was to destroy ALL things in the land of the Amalekites. The Lord was fulfilling a promise that a punishment would be brought down upon their heads, and He had his reasons. Whatever the Lord may command, whether it appears to us to be what is right or what is wrong, it THEN becomes absolutely right, and absolutely a commandment.

They understood this well, and said they would do what was necessary to make the changes in their schedules. We rounded out the lesson by sharing 1 Nephi 3:7. The Lord always prepares a way for us to keep His commandments! :) This was a great lesson that I really enjoyed.

I'm having a great time! It's super hard! I'm absolutely exhausted that I can hardly stay awake sometimes, but we do it. We're doing our best. The rain is here. We'll survive. I'm seeking answers to my prayers, and they come in the Lord's time, and in His own way. The rain has always been a symbol for the Spirit of God, and I shall take it as an answer to my prayers as He pours it out upon me.

Thank you for your continued prayers in our behalf. We feel them! I love you very much. I pray for you all the time :) Love you so much!! Have a good day :)

Love,

Elder Talbot