Monday, May 2, 2016

Week 100 in the Field: Final Zone Conference, a Baptism, and Loveless Cafe

Week 100 in the Field -- May 2, 2016
 Bearing my final testimony to the mission at zone conference

So Monday we went up to TSTAT (Thompson’s Station Ward) and we went with the elders there and a TS2 (Thompson’s Station 2nd Ward) member to the Loveless Cafe. It was the exact same member who took me, Elder Bedwell, and Elder Powell there back in September. It was a really great meal. After that we went up to Franklin and got to hang around a bunch of other missionaries.

At the Loveless Cafe with Elder Meldrum, Elder McClain, Elder
Hinds, Elder Crawford, Elder Peery, and the TS2 member's son.

Playing corn hole at the Loveless Cafe

We played a lot of basketball, which was pretty fun. After that I went on exchange with Elder McClain in my area. It's probably the last time I will go on an exchange and take over the area. After dinner at a recent convert's home, we went over to that one part member family's home. Only the daughter Zoey was there, so we taught her on the porch. We ended up setting a baptismal date for May 21st with her! It will be my last Saturday in the mission, which will be awesome. She's excited to be baptized.

Tuesday we went over to see Joe and focused on the plan of salvation. He grasped the idea of the Atonement really well but didn't quite understand pre-earth life and post-earth life. He's going out of town, so we won't see him for a week or so. After that, we went tracting and were able to find a new investigator. In the evening we had dinner at a member's home whose cat just had kittens a month ago, so it was pretty adorable.

Kittens!

Wednesday we met back up in Nolensville, TN where we were having Zone Conference. I was asked to play piano for it. It was my last meeting with more than 6 missionaries. The entire stakes of Nashville and Franklin missionaries met in the meeting and we had trainings from President and Sister Andersen. At the end, the missionaries departing in the next 3 months gave their parting advice. They included me, Sister Woods, Elder Brown (all 3 go home this month), Elder Hansen (my old companion), Elder Daines, Elder Jensen, Elder Toomer, and then President and Sister Andersen since they leave this July.

I don't remember exactly what I said, although it was recorded by Elder Hinds, but I do remember I spoke about developing your talents, the love President and Sister Andersen have for all of us, and the Atonement of Jesus Christ. After everyone was done, I played the final hymn which was “Called To Serve,” and that was pretty crazy. About a week prior I couldn't play it, so when they told me on Monday that I'd be playing, I practiced like crazy. I was able to get it down though, so that was great.

Thursday we were in Spring Hill because Elder Hinds needed to see an orthodontist to get his retainer fixed. But after that we went tracting in our area and found two new people. We also got to see a recent convert who brought her son who's in his 30's I assume. He had some questions about stuff in Church history, which I have studied extensively these past two years, so it was cool seeing him understand things better. He also said he'd be baptized if he found this church was true!

Friday morning we headed over to the church where we got to witness an English/Spanish wedding! Bishop Pennington performed the marriage and a member translated it into Spanish. It was really cool cause it was the first wedding I got to see on my mission! And probably the last!

English/Spanish wedding!

But anyways after the wedding, we finalized the baptism plans for that returning member family. Their daughter would be baptized on Sunday.

Saturday was a lot of prepping things to get shipped. Since I have about three weeks left, part of that process is shipping old stuff home. And it's a process. Took us most of the day. Also we went biking about 8 miles which was fun. For the most part it was decently flat, so that was great. We tried a few people but struck out mostly.

On Sunday, Zoey came to church with her mom and so that was great! It was her first experience at church and a lot of people welcomed her! I bore my testimony in sacrament meeting thanks to the nudging of three different families. But it was a great experience. Later on we taught Zoey in Gospel Principles about tithing as well as the commandments. After church in the evening was the baptism of an 8-year-old girl. It was so cool to see how happy this little girl was. We ended up singing a musical number with the Hermanas which was fun too. After that we ended the night.

8 year old baptism!

Thank you to all the people who have wished me, or will wish me a happy birthday for tomorrow! It's crazy that I'm almost 22. I still look like I'm 16 but it's whatever haha. I'm looking forward to these final three weeks as well as Mother's Day this Sunday. It'll be the last time I see my family till I see them two weeks from the following Wednesday on May 25th. Thanks so much again! 

See you in three,


Elder Peery


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