Zone Conference Week

Wow. This week is something that describes being hit by a train. It sure does wear you out going all over the mission presenting training after training. It sure didn't run smoothly either. The first day of zone conference I left my training material up in Bellevue and a video presentation on the laptop was deleted because the computer froze as we were setting it up. So the first two zones didn't get to see the video and the pictures from my presentation. The second day of zone conference was with three zone and we had to cancel two hours of conference because the fire alarm went off and we had to leave the building. They were doing a small construction job at the Maple Valley Stake Center installing tile in the hallways. The thin set dust triggered the fire alarm. It was soooo annoying.

The third day of conference was moved to the upcoming Monday (tomorrow) because of a snow storm in Seattle. It broke a new record considering how late in the year it is to snow. Especially because Seattle doesn't usually get cold enough for snow. It's been a strange year of weather in Seattle. Then on Friday we had the usual conference which was the most normal. I was conducting and made so many mistakes it was unreal but now I'm more prepared for Monday's zone conference. Thursday is transfer board council where we decide what happens for transfers, Friday is zone leader council, and Saturday from 6-11 p.m is announcement for transfers and calls. So the only full days we have to do normal missionary work is Wednesday and partly Saturday.

Our baptism this week was great. The last of a family member to be baptized. Now the entire family are members. They have some non-member cousins that live in the same household that we are going to commit to baptism in March. I can't believe I've already had four baptisms here and we have another four coming up in March. It seems the more my mission goes by the more people I help come into the waters of baptism. It's partially because of my companion and all the help he is and everything that the ward does. I've been very blessed recently.

Our mission continues to do great things. We have put 50 people on-date for baptism again this week and it looks like we are going to baptize 100 people in the month of March which would be a new record for the Washington Seattle Mission. The difference is this time we are already putting people on-date for April and we are consistently finding as we are teaching which is leading to increased baptisms and continual success. I love seeing the mission from the position I'm currently filling. I'm going to ask if I can be released as an assistant and re-assigned as a trainer. I feel like I've accomplished what I was supposed to do here. We'll see how President feels.

Thank you for everything! Continue to have a wonderful winter.... Spring is just around the corner.

Love,

Elder Bottema