I-PADS . . . There
was a spontaneous specialized training for leadership this last week.
They had asked all the district leaders, sister training leaders, and
Zone leaders to attend. We did not know any information going into the
meeting. We hoped and crossed our fingers that it had something to do
with technology. President had told us previous to arriving that two
representatives from Salt Lake were coming to train us and the meeting
would last from 9am-4pm (super long!).
When we
arrived there were stacks of unidentified boxes in the front of the
room. Rumors spread quickly that i-pads were coming to the mission, or
Facebook. President Daines began the meeting and stood up to address us.
He began talking about the huge advances in technology, then to peak
our interest, he showed a video clip where Elder Bednar was speaking
about all the technological advances coming to missionary work.
After
the clip he walked up to one of the boxes, said something about the
marvelous benefit of technology. . . reached into the box . . . . and . .
. pulled out a Preach my Gospel saying "today is not that day."
However, that day is coming soon . . .
Now
although we are not getting I pads now, it looks as if we will be
getting them by the end of the year. Our mission is on the top of the
list for who will be receiving them next, and we definitely will receive
them, it is only a matter of when. The 2 men who came out from Salt Lake were there to instruct us about Preach My Gospel and pump us up and prepare us
for the day we receive the technology. They told us, "You will be
receiving i pads very soon."
A lot of what was
talked about at the meeting was getting rid of the programs we were
doing before, and bringing it all back to Preach My Gospel. We are
changing a lot of the things we were doing and becoming a strictly
Preach My Gospel mission. However the two men from Salt Lake (both were
x-mission presidents) went through the online area book which will be
with all the new i pads. All the maps of the area, lds tools, ward
rosters, investigators, potentials, everything is going to be on the
area book. In fact we do not even need to type the information in. For
example, to update the teaching records, we simple talk to the i-pad, and
it types it all up for us. So after lessons we can update it in less
than a minute.
So it is most likely we will have the ipads around the new year, and I should definitely be here to see the transition.
So I am now regularly keeping a study journal so here is an insight from my personal study:
What
caused the people to be destroyed during the flood in Noah's time?
According to the scriptures in the Old Testament and the Pearl of Great
Price, it was the imaginations of the heart which were evil continually.
And also breaking the law of chastity, but it specifically refers to
the imaginations of the heart (Genesis 6:2-6, Moses 8: 21-22). After all
it was the Great and Spacious building that Nephi refers to as the
"vain imaginations of the children of men." I was surprised in this study
at the magnitude of bad thoughts and that it brought almost the entire
destruction of the human race. Nephi also tells us that to be
carnally-minded is death, to be spiritually minded is life eternal.
That is what has been on my mind lately.
Things
are moving forward here in Xenia. We are back in contact with someone I
was teaching last year and I have great hopes that they will be
baptized. Who knows, maybe that is why I am back in this awesome place.
The Xenia ward has been one of the most productive wards in the mission
in terms of converts in the last year, now we just need to keep the
momentum rolling.
I love you all so much!
Remember to study that Book of Mormon because that is a testimony that
will be attacked repeatedly as you go about life. I know that book is
true because as I have read it I have become converted to my Savior
Jesus Christ. And that is what it is all about!
Love,
Elder Beutler
More about my companion . . .
Elder Bean is from Burley,
Idaho. He is about 5'4" (shorter than me!) We rode out on the plane
together (he was sitting next to me). He is a farmer, and came out days
after his high school graduation (so he is 19, came out when he was 18).
His birthday is in January. He has been serving in Xenia for about 5
months now. Today is our 16th birthday. He is an overall champion. Man I
sure have been blessed with awesome companions.
Mom, expect a letter this week, I know your birthday is coming up. I love you so much! Enjoy General Conference!
