Hi Family!
Elder Doxey: So Liza and Caroline, are you still mowing a lot, even while you are in soccer season and school?
Answer: Yes! We mow the Maple Grove apartments, Turley apartments, the Provo house south of BYU, the Villa apartments, Virginia Circle apartments, 912 and also a few neighborhood lawns like the Taylors. Spencer & Sam took on all the other properties because it was too much for us. Lawn mowing season is almost over. We’re glad we’ve had it, but we are ready to it to end for the season.
Question: Looks like you got a new gray suit, and a new body with longer legs…and had a baptism. Tell us more…
Elder Doxey: In my last area, Elder Sanabria and I taught a woman named Alysha Syme. She made great progress, was learning a lot and then I got transferred. Shortly after that, she was baptized.
Of course, I was off to my new area, so a church member photoshopped my head on to Elder Sanabria’s companion’s body so I could be in the shot. Pretty funny actually! So, I really do not have longer legs and a gray suit! Ha Ha.
Question: What were you saying about great members in the area?
Elder Doxey: I actually did have to buy a new suit. Never in a million years did I think I would wear a suit so much her in the USA. In Panama, we almost never wore suits. I probably wear a suit 3-4 days out of the week here. I wear a suit to District Council, Zone Conferences, Interviews with the President, to Pick up new missionaries from the airport, AP visits and more. 
You probably remember I gave away of my original suit in Panama in my first area (it went moldy hanging from the rafters). I didn’t even bring one to Vegas when I was reassigned, and (before a big meeting, I realized I was almost the only Elder in our mission without a suit) I literally went to Walmart and bought the crappiest suit made. That all worked out find until a few weeks ago.
My comp and I were at a member’s home and they commented on my tattered, sun faded Walmart suit. They said, “Do you need a new suit Elder? Is that the only suit you have?” I was so embarrassed but those good member (they really are exceptional here) sat right down on Amazon and ordered me a new Kenneth Cole suit! I could not believe it! I paid them for it in cash, and have to say it is nice to not have that Walmart suit anymore.
Question: How is the work?
Elder Doxey: I am literally so tired by the time we get home each night. We crash hard at bedtime. We are working hard in our area, and with all the additional AP duties. Not going to lie, it is a ton of work—very satisfying and effective—but just a lot of work.
Question: What have you been so busy with lately?
Elder Doxey: As APs, in addition to working in our area, we attend all the Zone Conferences and do trainings and other work with the Zones. We have 10 Zones in the mission, with 250 missionaries to oversee at the moment.
To get all the Zone Conferences done (in this Covid environment) we have set up 2 Zone Conferences per day, so we are doing 5 days of training. 
The first Zone Conferences of the day runs from 9am to 1 pm, and the second goes from 1-6 pm. It is a lot of training. Elder Wilson and I have a “standardized” part of the training that we give to the Zones, but customize it if needed. At each of the conferences, there is a time where we do break outs into several rooms of a chapel—24 trainings going on all at once. I literally have no time.
One things that blows my mind is this…between the 9am to 1 pm session and the 1-6pm session (as one Zone is leaving and another is arriving), the Zone that is leaving has to go line up to get flu shots!
We have to manage this very, very well b/c with Covid we are not allowed to have more than 50 in the building, so those shots literally have to happen as they are walking out the door of the chapel. Elder Wilson and I coordinate all this moving around, and then go train, train, train.
While this is going on during the week, we still are checking in on people we are teaching, and helping them progress. THAT is why I’m dead tired at the end of the day.
Question: How are the Sister Training Leaders involved in Zone Conference, and other Zone Leadership? We did not have those anciently, so tell us more about their role.
Elder Doxey: Our Sister Training Leaders are great. You might think of them as a Zone Leader, but just for the sister missionaries. Their role is to go on exchanges with other Sisters, to train them in real time, to lead and guide new sisters, or sisters who would benefit from a fresh perspective. They help a ton.
Question: In Costa Rica I had to carry around a huge coin purse to feed the pay phones to get numbers and reports in. Do you spend a lot of time on the phone, calling the Zones for their weekly reports?
Elder Doxey: Actually no, but I know exactly what you are talking about. In Panama almost all of our reporting was done by phone (or Google Hangouts), with the APs each week. Often we would have to feed the payphones with coins if we were out of coverage or internet service. We also used that coin purse for taxis in Panama.
Here in Las Vegas, we get all of our reports and updates from Zone Leaders via a Google spreadsheet. Each District or Zone Leader just logs into the spreadsheet and reports their weekly report. It is way, way more efficient that what I used to do on the islands in San Blas.
Question: Are people you are teaching progressing?
Elder Doxey: This past week we literally had a miracle happen. Get this…Elder Wilson and I had a teaching appointment set up at a member’s home. We prepared for it and were ready to go. Just as we got in the car, our phone rang. It was a woman named Lisa Tarina.
Lisa has been talking to various sets of missionaries for about three years. She has always said, “I just want to be sure this is the right thing to do. I want to know why I am making the commitment to be baptized.” Well, here she was calling us, instead of the other way around!
We went and met with her. She said, “Elders, I really need to talk to you. I am having a really hard time right now. Can you share anything with me that would bring me peace right now?” We shared Mosiah 22 and also John chapter 4, talking a lot about how and where to find peace in life.
We said, “peace is interesting, because we can feel it, recognize it, but it not always…we have to be in tune.” She loved it and said it was just what she needed. She has a 9-year-old daughter she is obviously wanting the best for, and needs to know where to find it.
Long story short, she committed to a baptismal date in December. From now until then, she wants to meet more church members, and help her 9-year-old prepare to be baptized too. Literally a miracle. We set up a time for her to meet with members, so she can have a friend in church (online or in person) this Sunday. We're excited about this.
Question: Did you hear John is going through the temple for the first time on Monday 9/28/2020?
Elder Doxey: Cool. If you can believe it, 15 of us just got clearance to go to the Las Vegas temple! We are going (as APs because we have a new group coming in, and we are taking them all through the temple. This will be my second time going to the temple on my mission. I got to go once in Panama City when I arrived and was being trained. We are super excited.
Question: How are President and Sister Reese?
Elder Doxey: It is a real honor to have a third mission president. My first president, (President Current in Panama) was excellent…very military like in training and obedience. My second president (President Garrett) was very loving and kind—Sister Garrett was fire and urgency, and a great teacher. My third president (President Reese) is also fire and urgency, but he is also all about working smart in sharing many different ways, showing all the options/blessings of the gospel. President Reese has some GREAT one liners. I really like working with him.
Gotta go. Need to do my laundry, (which is a bit different than the 5 gallon bucket and rainwater I used in San Blas). Ha Ha!
Love you all,
Elder Doxey
Comments
Post a Comment