February 24, 2015

Week of trial an error but it was a good trial of error. So for trying to pass out copies Books of Mormon we got together with the YSA Elders and put together a walking Book Of Mormon. It took a while to make the box but it looked great after we were finished! Then we went to Down town Fort Worth and TCU campus and walked around trying to place copies Books Of Mormon. The hard thing about placing them is we cant make the initial contact but both those places are privet property. So they have to talk to us first and then we can talk to them about the church. But like I said it was a trial and error run because we were just seeing if it would work. Well.... It didn't. We didn't even place one. People took a lot of pictures of us and a lot of looks but we weren't able to pass any out. But it was fun and out side of the box (or inside for Elder Lee)

Interviews went great with President Ames and we really talked a lot about moving forward with this Mission, the Zone, and the District. He put the Mission goal into prospective and how realistic it is and how we we can achieve more then 854. And then we talked about planning and the importance planning plays in all our efforts! If we want to see the mission move forward, It all starts with planning. And I am so excited to plan because I have see the effects of planning. Then President came out with us to the investigators, who have the baptism dates. It was a great lesson because there was a boy there who is holding back on being baptized. there is 5 people in the house. The Grandmother who was just baptized, Gaspar the oldest boy who has a baptism date, George the youngest who has a baptism date, Kabange the uncle who has a baptism date and Silas the middle and he does not have a baptism date. We were talking to Silas and he said he isn't ready yet and then his brother asked what is holding you back from being baptized. By the way this is all in Swahili so the oldest boy is translating for us to the Family. So we can't understand whats happening. And then the whole family starts to talk back and forth between themselves. Then the Grandmother who just got Baptized start to teach the Great apostasy (in Swahili) to him. We just sat back and watched this great Learning situation happen between the family and it was amazing to feel the spirit! we couldn't understand but we could feel the peace that was there while they were teaching! Then Silas said the closing pray and said he felt the spirit but he needs to pray more about it.

Afterwards we talked about it to President and he said that was a perfect lesson! spirit directed and we didn't need to do anything. They are already and President is excited to see that family be baptized!

Yesterday was a rough day! We couldn't do anything because of the Ice and we had to stay inside all day long!! So for our Preparation day we planned, read the Book of Mormon, and cleaned the apartment. What was so bad we couldn't even go out and teach! It was along day!!

Elder Winterbottom & Elder McAninch

Serving In Fort Worth

The Lord's Vineyard 

February 17, 2015

This is my city!

I want to start off by talking about the mission and a little bit of its history. In 2010 this mission baptized 702 people and since then the yearly baptisms and confirmations have gone down every year. we have a goal to baptized 854 souls and if we baptize 854 souls this year we will not only break a declining trend but set a mission record. However, to do this we must honestly ask ourselves what we, as a mission, can do differently so we can reach this goal. If we always do what we’ve always done, we will always get what we’ve always gotten. So the question is, “is it really possible to baptize 854 souls?” The answer is no, not if we continue to do the same things we have been doing. But if we rise up and act beyond the the obvious and have faith in God, we will reach this goal. First we must have a firm belief that we will baptize and then we must reach higher and be more committed than ever to the principles found in Preach My Gospel and to those things God reveals to us. This will be an uphill climb but it will definitely be worth the efforts. We need to work like everything depends on us and pray as though everything depends on the Lord. Work+Faith= Miracles

With that being said, Fort Worth is a place where Miracles are happening. This past week we were able to see 11 of our investigators attend church and 4 of them have baptism dates. We aren't teaching a lot of people but the ones we are teaching have big families and they are starting to invite more friends and family to learn. We have a baptism date set for the February 28th and  that has 3 people set for that day and then we have one for march 21st.

Something really cool what this mission is doing is we are doing is a challenge that President Ames has set for the whole mission. Its called 10,000 hearts and homes. We are expected to read to Book of Mormon in 65 days and in the process hand out 10,000 copies of the book of Mormon. this is a miracle we are seeking and to uplift this mission to higher grounds. I'm so excited to do this and the blessing of applying the book of Mormon on my life is amazing. And this is why it is called 10,000 hearts and homes. Because if we can place the books with the heart and the faith that it will changes lives, It Will. I know this challenge was from God through President Ames and I'm grateful to be apart of it.

Elder Winterbottom & Elder McAninch

Serving In Fort Worth

The Lord's Vineyard

February 9, 2015

I love this new area!! Down town Fort Worth is so cool! There is so many thing to do, see, and so many people to talk to! I love it and it is totally different then what I have previously been. The Ward is super small but the area we cove is huge and that means I'm back in a car. It feels good to be back in a car haha this area use to be very apostate because of all the thing that you could do in down town Fort Worth and previous missionaries have forgotten their purpose here. but the past like 6 transfer there have been very obedient missionaries here and they have gotten this area back in line. I have been blessed with the opportunity to reap their efforts. I came into the ward at a good time and I'm grateful for all the work other missionaries have put into the ward. Last week they had 12 investigators at church and 4 baptism dates. Elder McAninch and I are hoping to expound the baptism dates to 8. This area is super blessed! Most of the people we are teaching came from people who have recently been baptized and then invited their friends and family to lean more. Little background about Elder MnAninch. He is from O.C. California. He graduated the same year i did and is very active in sports. We get along very well. I think at heart I'm a Cali. boy cause I have loved all my companions who were from California. I'll keep you updated next week. Sorry i havent taken any pictures yet becuase I'm trying to get to know all the members and ward council members so i haven't had any time to take pictures.

Elder Winterbottom & Elder McAninch

Serving In Fort Worth

The Lord's Vineyard

February 2, 2015

Transfer update..... I am now going to be in down town Fort Worth! My new companion is Elder McAninch. He came out with Elder Hassinger so he just hit his 6th month mark.  I'm excited for this upcoming transfer. I've always wanted to serve in Fort Worth. The Area I'm being transferred into is doing really well too! they had 12 people at church this past week and 4 baptism dates. I'm a blessed that I get to be serving in that wonderful area.

The past week we have seen lots of miracles happen within Flower Mound.

Jess- we finally came in contact with her and we were able to teach her twice this past week and we rescheduled her baptism date. Her date is set for April 18th. Its a little ways away but that day has meaning to her.

While I was on an exchange with one of the Zone Leaders, Elder Hassinger stayed in our area and worked with two other missionaries. And he got a prompting to go and visit a lady named Trina. She has been investigating off and on and stopped coming to church because she felt the pressure to stop smoking and couldn't. Well on this exchange he meet with her and talked about how much God has blessed her and she feels like she needs to give back now and committed to another baptism date. She is set for March 7th. She was super happy and is so close to quit smoking.

Dan- we were unable to meet with Dan this week. He is currently in California helping a friend she just suffered a death in the family. We are texting him and seeing how he is doing but we still have a lot of faith that he will be baptized.