So I got the exact transfer that I wanted and I'm so excited. I got transferred to Waikiki. That means that I'm pretty much in the same area. I'm doing my emailing at the same library, going to do my shopping at the same shops, serving in the same ward, around all the same missionaries. I'm so happy that I got to stay in Rockingham zone. I love this zone with all my heart might mind and strength. If I stay as a zone leader in this zone for 4 transfers, which I'm hoping for, then that means that I'll have stayed in the same ward for 11 months. That would be amazing. I love this ward. When I showed up at church yesterday everybody that knew I was getting transferred was pretty surprised to see me. Not many people knew though, which is good. I've already been in the ward for nearly 6 months, and it's a great ward to get to spend nearly half my mission. Unless President Cahoon changes his mind real soon, I'm sure I'll stay for at least 9 and a half months. So yeah, I'm super excited about this area. My new companion is Elder Lowe so that's also a good deal because I don't have to take the time to get to know somebody new, and it's a lot easier than training a new missionary as well. Elder Lowe is from Brisbane, but his family wasn't affected by the flooding. He's a really good missionary, as you would expect from somebody with only 4 transfers left. I'm hoping to be able to learn a lot from him.
I've been learning a lot about my new responsibilities as well as opportunities that I have as a Zone Leader. Thus far, I love being a Zone Leader. We have two meetings this week, zone leader council and leadership meeting, and at leadership meeting Elder Lowe and I have to give some training to the rest of the leaders in the mission on how to develop appropriate relationships with our missionaries. I'm so looking forward to those two meetings. Especially Zone Leader council because I remember when Elder Jorgensen and I got invited to that meeting I loved it. And they feed us at both those meetings, added bonus. This month President Tad R. Callister from the Area Presidency is coming to visit the mission and he's going to be attending our Zone Conferences and something that I learned is that all of the zone leaders get to be interviewed by him. In other words, I'm going to be interviewed by a General Authority! That is going to be such a great experience. I need to think of a good question to ask him, maybe even write a few questions down so that I can have a plethora of questions, just in case. What a great opportunity! Another thing that I'm looking forward to doing is going on an exchange with the APs and experiencing life as an AP for a day. That will be way cool. Especially if I get to go with Elder Weber, who was my MTC district leader, and now he's and AP. He's the man. We have two great district leaders that we get to work with as well. Elder Metekingi and Elder Narhwold, they're both really great missionaries and they're going to help us out a lot. It's good too because they're both new district leaders so they're both learning at the same time which gives us heaps more opportunities to give them training that they need. I love giving training to leaders and other missionaries because the best way to learn is to teach, and every time we talk to them we get an opportunity to teach as their leaders. I feel so blessed for this opportunity to be a mission leader. It makes me always strive to reach that plane of exact obedience, which we should all be striving for anyways, but as a leader it makes it much more imperative.
I've been able to formally meet a lot of the other members in the ward now in their homes now that I'm in their area and it's been really good. Even though I sort of knew everybody in the ward before, I've never been able to go to each of their houses and spend time with them there. Last night we went to the Reid's house for dinner. I met Sister Reid on my first night in Kwinana at an activity at the chapel, but other than that, didn't know much about the family. And there's heaps of families like that. Families that I've known for ages but don't really know. Another one is the Karaitianas which we're visiting tonight. He's on the bishopric but he could hardly ever remember my name when I was serving in Kwinana, so I'm looking forward to spending time in their home tonight.
The only problem I've found with this area so far is that we don't have near as many as investigators and I thought we would. I think when I left Kwinana we had more there than there are here. I thought with it being a Zone Leader area there would be heaps. I guess it just goes down to leaving the area better than you found it, which I intend on doing, just like I felt like I've done in Kwinana. Just as long as I get to spend sufficient amount of time here.
I'm becoming a bit spoiled as well I've discovered. My new flat has air conditioning! And also, we spend a majority of our time in the car instead of on bikes. Mostly because we have a pretty massive area and heaps of people to visit in those areas so biking just wouldn't be an effective use of our time. So I've been doing some morning runs to try to stay in shape with all this air con and driving I've been doing. Running sure does use some different muscles from biking though, I have been a bit sore. I love it though. I need to do more running anyways.
Well I got to get going. Busy day ahead of us. And I still need to email President Cahoon. Thank you all so much for your love and prayers. The support you all give me is such a blessing in my life. I love you all
Have a magnificent week!
much love,
Elder Tanner
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