Letters from Reno: 7 Steps to Break Mediocrity

To start off this week, I just wanted to share something our Mission President has been talking to us about. Right now, he is really focusing on not just being 'good' but striving for excellence; being the absolute best we can be. When we are 'average' we are the best of the worst and the worst of the best, not the most rewarding place to be. So he told us 7 steps to break the pattern of mediocrity and achieve excellence:

1. Purpose precedes the plan

2. Don't just talk about it, DO it!

3. Evaluate small changes that could notably enhance your performance

4. Be willing to do the hard work

5. Make the positive choice

6. Devote 4% of your day to achieving excellence

7. Find the target and focus in your day on that target

Pretty easy, just doing a little more each day until it becomes a habit. So that's my goal in life right now. We'll see how it goes.

This week has been pretty crazy. We had trainings we had to do in the two zones that we are over plus two exchanges this week. Those always wear me out. I like being in my area with my companion, it makes life easier. Because either you are in a strange area with all new people or you are with a different person and have to learn how to teach together for 24 hours. But you learn a lot! I actually really do like doing exchanges, they are super fun, but it just wears me out. Thank goodness for Mondays! Nonetheless, it has been a great week! We had another baptism. His name is Chuck; he is the one that read like 10 chapters in the Book of Mormon in one night. He is pretty awesome. He's kids are also learning but weren't quite ready for this weekend, they still have to be taught a couple things, but hopefully in the next week or two they will be baptized as well! And he will be able to baptize them! Which will be awesome. The Lord has really blessed us with some great families and experiences! There are people that are prepared and wanting the gospel in their lives all around us; the trick is just finding out who they are. Also, there is a youth temple trip coming up this week and four of our recent converts are going to be going with to do baptisms for the first time. Which means that we will be able to go as well! I love this new rule that we can go with. It's the best. So that will be something awesome to look forward to this week!

So, the Sparks Stake is awesome. And crazy missionary minded. We had this fireside this weekend that the Stake put on that was for the sole purpose for people to invite their friends to so they could hear a little about what we believed. It was called Come Listen to a Prophets voice. They showed a bunch of Mormon Messages about some of our fundamental beliefs and then at the end, showed the talk President Monson gave last General Conference. It was really good, and lots of people came. Every person in the Stake was invited to hand out these invitations that were made to at least one person and us as missionaries were given 18 each (so 36 per companionship) to hand out. We had to get more because we are boss. And some people actually came which was even better! It makes missionary work so much easier when you have the support of the ward and stake. That is really when the miracles happen.

Sorry this is kind of short and devoid of stories, but it will be better next week :)

Hope everyone has a great week!
Love,

Sis Rae

(There is a picture here that didn't upload properly)

S’mores for dinner :)