Six Months

Elder Davenport completed the first six months of his mission on August 20.

Exerpts from his current letter:

Things are going really well here! We are in a threesome with one of our zone leaders until thursday because his companion is going to be an a.p. replacing one who is going home tomorrow. It's going to be crazy busy around here this week. Very hectic but that's good.

Elder Dixon and I had the best weekend! The Halls were baptized and confirmed! It was the best baptism ever. The whole chapel was filled with her family and about 75% of the people there were non-members. After we got changed we went and listened to one of the youth sing a song. It was an amazing song. I'm not sure what it was, I can't remember. But Margaret was crying. The spirit was so strong and it was just such a wonderful feeling. Sunday we had a fireside where investigators and recent converts got up to bear their testimony. President Burgess (Stake President) asked if we could find somebody else to get up in case someone didnt' show up so we asked Margaret if she would in case that person didn't show. She of course said yes. Turned out that the girl showed up but President still wanted to hear from Margaret also. So he asked her to come up and she did and bore the most powerful testimony and it was just amazing. It seemed like she'd been a member her whole life. After she sat down Elder Dixon looked at me and said that's when you know someone is truly converted. It was the best feeling in the world!

So I most likely had my last Sunday in the Lincoln ward yesterday. It was very sad. I was trying not to get sad and tell everyone goodbye but there were a select few people who knew about transfers coming up. They didn't feel it a problem to let it be known. So everyone knew and were saying there in case goodbyes. It almost made me cry. This ward has been my home for the past 6 months and I've come so close with the people that it;'ll be hard to leave. But it'll be good. It;'ll help me to grow. I still don't know if I'll be shifted yet or not.

But that's something that's been on my mind lately. If the time I spent here was good. I've prayed a lot and never felt I got an answer so I asked Elder Dixon to give me a blessing because I've been stressing a lot lately over that and transfers. He gave me a great blessing. He told me that the Lord appreciated everything I've done so far and all sorts of good things. I'm grateful for him for being worthy to give great blessings. Than on Sunday (before people knew) they'd say stuff about how hard we are working and how much success we're having and how much they appreciate us. You could imagine how that made me feel. It helped a lot.

August 13, 2008

This past week we had some real interesting things happen. We had our interviews with President. I was rebuked by the spirit big time. All he told me was to not waste my time and to learn all I could and apply myself. He asked me to ask God what his agenda was for me and not what mine is for myself... But it was good... It was a really good learning experience for me. I had a really good prayer that night and I felt a lot better.

The next day I wrote down all the goals I wanted to reach before I leave and I made plans of how I can achieve them. It was really good. Latter in the week we had a trade-off with the zonies. I went with Elder Wihongi to his area. We taught a lesson and after I felt bad about it. I felt like I didn't follow the spirit. Wihongi told me he liked the way I teach and everything. I felt he was just trying to be nice to me. Later in the evening we taught another lesson, I felt better this time after. He told me again. I felt better after he said it this time. He also told me that the only difference between me and him was that he'd been out over 14 months, he's a zone leader but I was the better teacher and missionary. I felt really humbled but I felt really good. He went on to tell me that we need leaders in this mission and that I'd be one of them. He said that we have 26 missionaries going home this transfer and 24 the next! WOW.

President asked me in my interview how Elder Dixon and I were going. I told him good and that I was learning a lot from him. He said good because it won't be long till you are in his position. I don't know what exactly that means but I'm scared. It'd scared me pretty good. I'll just say that I'm learning to Rely on the Lord a lot more. But it's good. I've felt the best this week than I have in a long time.

Lauryn wasn't baptized. She smoked again. But it's okay. We set her for the 23rd. She will be baptized. We gave her a blessing and Elder Dixon pronounced wonderful things to her. It was awesome. Last night we set another girl for baptism. Rio. She's set for the 22nd. I'll be an intense week. We have 8 set for baptism.