Onward and Upward

I am so excited for this week because the Mormon.org media companion is coming to train us on Wednesday! WHOO!!! I am really excited. We also have Zone Leader Council this Friday again (bummer... my last one.. I hate that) and someone that we could potentially baptize! Details to be announced next week.

We did find someone new and awesome but she lived just outside our ward boundaries and so we passed her off to the Bellevue 6th ward (Office Elders). She is in her 70's as well and she LOVES the people in the LDS church. She has always been watching and she said she can't take it anymore! She needs to learn more about this message! We had a really good lesson and on Tuesday we will be passing her off. It's sad but good because the office Elders work so hard and this will be one of their hard working baptisms.

This past week was so crazy busy with departures, arrivals, airport drama, and transfer mania. I can't explain it all, but lets just say everything that could have gone wrong at transfers went wrong. It was so stressful. We managed to get everyone back in their area and then the next day we ran a bunch of errands and took all the apartment keys that got transferred into our area that were not supposed to be there back to the mission office and back to Seattle (which was kind of fun since that was one of my previous areas). What wasn't fun was all of the miles that we have a limited use on vanished away and we had to cancel a lot of really important appointments.

We found a lot of really good potential investigators this week and new investigators. We are challenging them to baptism this week so I am pretty excited to see what happens. Our zone really needed new on-dates and baptisms and things are looking on the up rise. I want to end my mission strong and it appears as though the Lord is providing the way. I am grateful for the opportunities and the people that have been placed in my path. I love sharing this message.

Till next week!

Elder Bottema

Transfer 17

What a weird number. My last transfer. I don't feel any different and I don't think I will until I start planning lessons and weekly planning past my departure date. This is good because I want to work till the end of my mission. I am so excited to be here in Bellevue for my last transfer. Things seem to be on the up rise again after a two week scare. I believe since we gloried in our tribulations we were able to make it through and prove to the Lord that this is his work and not ours. Therefore we are seeing success again and we have an awesome zone! two of our district leaders were just released from being zone leaders and they are GOOD! I was shocked to see I got them in our zone. We have a stacked zone which is awesome because the last two transfers we have stomped disobedience out of our zone and now that it's gone we just got something even better!

This past week we were able to hear from our beloved apostle Elder L. Tom Perry. I learned a lot in this meeting. He basically told us that we all need to make our mormon.org profiles and use the Book of Mormon Broadway to our advantage! He said he wasn't expecting it to be such a big hit but it was. He had a meeting with Brother Marriott who said,

"We have a problem. I have hotel managers calling all the time and reporting that all the copies of the Book of Mormon are being stolen out of the hotel drawers. We need more copies of the Book of Mormon!"

I would say this is a good problem and now that the media blitz is moving our way we are going to see the same thing happen here. Everyone is WANTING a Book of Mormon to know what's really inside because of Broadway. Lets give them out and show them what they want, peace and satisfaction in those pages. Stories that can help us learn and relate to.

As far as an update in the zone:

I stayed (obviously) and so did my companion Elder Welch from Oklahoma. We took 3 Elders home this week and I was asked by President Larkin to help with departures and arrivals at the airport again. We haven't had time to do anything! This is our p-day. E-mailing.... THAT'S IT!! This is so similar to being the Assistant all over again. ha ha

Last but not least I love what I am doing and I feel no different as far as "trunky" goes. I am continuing to do what I have always done and that is serve to the end. It doesn't seem real anyway so don't worry about me too much. There is too much work to do.

I love you!

Elder Bottema

Week 6

This Week always seems to be the most hectic. Week 6 of the transfer and Week 1. Usually because you have to get all the departing missionaries things ready and as a zone leader make preparations for transfers and then Week 1 is departures, transfers, Zone meetings etc.

Everyone from the singles ward either left today or is leaving next Monday to head back to school. It was weird saying goodbye to everyone. It was even funnier talking with those who will be going to BYU -I the same time I do. I already have a small network going here in Bellevue. I love the Mormon world. So many connections.

It looks like we will also be training which means new missionary orientations. It'll be busy for the next two weeks. I will be excited to train again. I feel like I've been doing that all my mission but I've only trained two new missionaries and two new zone leaders but because of all the trainings I've done all over the mission and new missionary exchanges/ trainings I feel like I've done it the past 15 months. I realized that by the time I go home I will have served 21 months of my mission in a leadership assignment. A.K.A I am really tired. But I am moving forward wonderfully wasting and wearing out my life for missionary work. I will be tired all the way to the end!

Everyone around me (including members) keep reminding me, "This is your last transfer, " This is your last cycle meeting, "this is your last departure before you go home." It was funny the first 5 min... but now it's just annoying.

This week we ended up moving Sally's baptism to the 16th instead of the 19th of August. Her mom was leaving town and she wanted to be there so we decided to move it up before her mom left town. I am excited to have another baptism this week. I need five more in two months. Two more this month and three more next month. I can do it! Please pray for me! I am so close. I want to be the best tool I could be for the savior and to do so I need to "ask and ye shall receive, knock and it shall be opened unto you."

Oh yeah! it's President and Sister Larkin's birthday today! I forgot! They are turning 51. I hope they have something planned. They are probably too busy though. I love that man so much. We had zone conference this week and he came to our lesson right after the conference.

Alright, we are off on another preparation day. Keep up your own missionary work!

Love,

Elder Bottema

Blue Angel Miracles

Yes, the blue angels were in town this weekend and since I was in Bellevue AND Mercer Island on Friday for zone leader council we did see a little bit of their air show. It was pretty exciting/fun.

This week really had to have been a week where literal angels were following us.

Reason 1) We almost died on I-90 traveling to a lesson. We were driving when a diesel had a tire explode, then as we tried to swerve out of the way the diesel looked as though it were about to roll in front of us. It all happened so fast. For some bizarre reason it began to correct itself and pulled to the side. While all this was happening everyone was slamming on their brakes and there was smoke everywhere. We almost slammed into the car in front of us and a Audi almost slammed into the back of us. We prayed!

Reason 2) We had a baptism again! We met someone on Sunday who walked into the church. His name was Bruce and he had a lot of questions about life. As of Friday night he wasn't committed to baptism. On Saturday night we took him to the Bellevue South Stake Center (The building behind the temple) and showed him a temple tour. After that we went into the church and showed him the baptismal font. We talked about the promised blessings and told him he qualified for baptism. He had been to church enough times and been living all the required commandments. We said at 5pm, "Bruce, you still have the opportunity to be baptized this evening at 7pm, what do you say?" He said, 'Well.... I guess I don't see the reason why not. I really want those blessings." WHOA!! We began filling the font, took him to the chapel to pray and called a member of the bishopric. The baptism consisted of Elder Flygare (My MTC companion who is now with us because of transfer complications) Elder Welch, myself, our recent convert Brittany, and Brother Marcia.

Reason 3) Saturday was Elder Flygare's birthday and I told him to find someone to baptize for me on my birthday. Well on Sunday while he was attending Church a part-member family walked up to him and asked, "I'd like to be taught and join the church. I'm ready now. Can you teach me?" WHAT! I thought you were a member?!?! She was put on-date for August 19th. The day after my birthday. I am so excited! I love baptisms! I need 6 more baptisms to reach my goal. Please continue to pray for me. I can see the miracles daily.

This week we set a goal for ourselves to challenge 5 people to baptism and be successful. We need to really fill our teaching pool as well as the Bellevue zone. We have fallen to 5 people on-date for baptism. Half were baptized and the other half dropped the missionaries. I would love all the help I could get.

Reason 4) Starting this week our mission is making our mormon.org profiles. We will be spending an hour each week on mormon.org becoming more familiar with the website and making profiles. We have been instructed to NOT wear missionary clothing and to NOT call ourselves Elders or Sisters but to use our full real name. Weird. Also, we are each receiving portal DVD players for each companionship to use in our morning studies. We will also be receiving the mormon.org DVDs showing the current videos on the website. The church is going all out with technology. If we don't abuse the privilege of the DVD players we will all be issued IPads for each area/unit in the mission. I never thought the church would allow this for missionaries but we need to accept the fact that this is the way the world is moving and door to door approaching is becoming less socially acceptable.

Great and exciting things are taking place in our mission. Not only do we have Elder L. Tom Perry coming on the 19th, we have the missionary department from mormon.org coming to our mission August 29th-31st to train us on the website even more and prepare us for the amazing results that will begin to happen. Then Kieth R. Edwards of the seventy is coming September 15th and 16th to do a mission tour. Then the missionary department is coming one more time the end of September to make sure we understand the mormon.org training completely. Starting October 1st is the media blitz and I will be going on my way home just as the fun begins. I am grateful to be the foundation of such a great cause though. I'm still trying to extend one transfer so I can be a part of this great work and excitement. Thank you for the prayers.

Love,

Elder Bottema

The Power of the Holy Ghost

How is it going my fellow blog readers (all 6 of you)! This last week of July was an eventful one again. Our mission baptized a high number of people this month. In the 80's once again. Our goal seems to always be at 100 but we just seem to miss it each time the opportunity comes around. I have two full months left on my mission either this month or next I want to see 100 convert baptism in one month in the Seattle Washington Mission.

This week we had two baptism. Jennifer Johnson in the Bellevue 1st ward and Scott Carins in the Bellevue 8th (YSA) ward. They both enjoyed their service and church this past Sunday. After Jennifer received the Holy Ghost , she was so happy and joyful. I wish every member in the church could see the joy that comes from conversion and that wickedness never was happiness.

This week we also received some awesome news! Coming to the Seattle Washington Mission starting October 1st is a mormon.org MEDIA BLITZ!! Imagine every taxi, bus, billboard, t.v commercial, local ads, news papers, and vendors. We are the second mission in the world to have a media blitz which is completely different than some advertising here and there. A media blitz is EVERYWHERE in our mission boundaries. How exciting this will be. Whatever our mission is lacking to achieve its goal of 1000 convert baptisms, this will take it there. They started the media blitz in the New York New York mission due to the Book Of Mormon play on Broadway. I assume they are doing it here, far on the west coast, because New York is far on the east coast. Maybe the church wants to start on each side of the country and work inward.

I can see a lot of exciting things coming from this. We are also working closely with Facebook.

When the prophecy came about that we needed to be in all the world, it never said physically. I feel the Internet is one way to accomplish this design. I am always excited to be a missionary but its going to be interesting what happens within the next two years. Till next week....

Elder Bottema

Good News!

Yes! Good News again! I guess technically the good news is the gospel which we talk about all the time BUT we have a couple exciting things happening this weekend. The first being that we have three baptisms scheduled on Saturday! Two in the family ward and one in the YSA ward. It'll be a lot of fun.

Second, Elder Perry is coming to our mission again! He came my first transfer and he is coming 2 days before my last transfer! Its another combined mission meeting as well. He is speaking to the Tacoma and Seattle Missions. 500 Missionaries will be attending at the Federal Way Stake Center, I believe. He is coming August 19th (the day after my birthday) and then Elder Keith R Edwards is coming to speak to our mission September 15th and 16th. I have a feeling we will be increasing in convert baptisms even more. =)

I would like to ask you all again to be praying for our yearly goals. 12 convert baptisms in the 1st ward and 12 in the YSA ward. We have a goal of 2 in July, 2 in August in the family ward and 1 in July, 2 in August in the YSA ward. We need all the prayers we can get! We have invited the wards to do it with us each week, especially the ward council and have had the stake president pray for it as well.

This past week was busy as usual but this week is even busier! We are completely booked from 9am-9:30pm tomorrow and 10am-9pm on Wednesday and our Thursday is mostly filled. Saturday is completely booked already too and its only Monday. There are tons of good things happening in the land of Money. Thank you for your constant prayers. We have been fasting and praying to achieve what the Lord wants. I wake up everyday pretending its my last day and think to myself, "If I ended my mission after today's work would I feel accomplished? Would I feel like I did what I should have done?" It keeps me diligently moving forward and working hard. If I could do my mission over I would've asked my self this question everyday. However, I just thought of it this week. Oh well. These last two months will be epic!

I love life. Thank you as always. I'll be alive 21 years as of August 18th 2011. These past two have been the quickest. I wish it would slow down just a little bit. Every week Sunday comes and it just makes me twinge. Where did the week go?

I love you all,

Elder Bottema

Transfer Council?

This upcoming transfer is going to be so crazy and hectic. I am so excited I only have to be a small part of it. I have been asked to help the Assistants in preparing transfers... A.K.A all the paper work. So I will be getting a sneak peak one more time and then I'm almost positive all my Assistant privileges will be revoked. We will also be helping with departing missionaries again on Monday and then transfers next Tuesday. I'm excited to completely have the Assistant burden lifted off my shoulders. I am so close I can taste it! The New Assistants have done great at transitioning. I only had to help them full time the first week. The second week I just had a lot of phone calls.

This past week was good. We challenged Jennifer Johnson to baptism for July 30th. She is an awesome lady who is 71 years old! She is wonderful and we now call her grandma Johnson when we visit her. She loves it. We love teaching her and when we taught the first couple lessons she never felt so much power in her heart. She loves the concept that we are all literally brothers and sisters and that she has a ward family anywhere she goes in the world. We are making great progress there. Our other investigators are progressing well. One of them is on-date this weekend but she may be pushed back to next week because of scheduling conflicts. Hopefully that doesn't happen though. I am focusing a lot of my prayers on Brianna and know that this is what she needs. She is 17 years old, soon to be 18 and loves how she feels at church. She is already in the ward choir. I'm not too worried.

As far as the Bellevue stake we had a goal of 7 baptized in June and we only had 6. We have 5 people on-date for baptism in July and our zone goal is 6 baptisms. This week is a make or break week. We have one Spanish couple in the Spanish branch that just need their marriage license. They were supposed to get it 3 weeks ago but when they went in to obtain it she realized her name was spelled wrong on her license. Therefore, she had to get a new drivers license and had to restart the marriage license process. What a burden. Luckily we have a wonderful missionary who is going home next week who really, really wants to baptize them before he heads home. Pray for Angela and Marco! We need all the prayers we can get. Also pray for this:

A) Two baptisms in the Bellevue 1st ward in July and 12 baptisms for the year.

B) One baptism in the YSA ward in the month of July and 12 baptisms for the year.

C) Six baptisms for the Bellevue Stake/Zone.

D) Pray for these names: Angela, Marco, Brianna, pray that they can be baptized on their baptismal dates.

E) Pray for my personal goal of 9 more baptisms before my mission is over.

I would very much appreciate your prayers and I will be following up with all of you next week to make sure you did it! Lets be united and I know we can accomplish anything. I love you all and thank you for participating.

Love,

Elder Bottema