We met our goal of 2008 baptisms in 2008

This week has been really great. We had 2012 Baptisms, and therefore we met our goal of 2008 baptisms in 2008 and even surpassed it. It was a great feeling when the call came that we had reached our goal. At 6:24 pm the 2008th person was baptized. As a mission we did a New Years countdown. Whenever a person was baptized, the Zone Leaders would call the District Leaders and say, "Only 10 more to go."; "only 9 more to go" and so on. We would then pass it on to the missionaries in our district. All of us were so excited and it worked. We saw great miracles this week. Simply amazing.

I did not get transferred and I am still with Elder Mecham. President still wants me to be the District Leader and to help Elder Mecham with the Dutch language. The only thing that will be changing for us is that we will be living in a two-man-apartment from now on and our area will grow. The area of Elder Sookram and Elder Jordan, the missionaries that used to live in the same apartment, is being added on to our area. We are running low on investigators to teach, but I am excited on what is going to happen this month. We have set a goal to baptize 6 people this month and I am confident that we will be able to achieve that goal.

Thank you for the pictures that you sent me in your email. Amy looks great with her glasses. Whitney, congrats with the personal Progress achievement. It is important that we honor the things that we believe, and one way of doing that is by taking part in the activities and programs that the Church offers.

You do not know, neither can you imagine how fortunate we all are to have grown up in an area where the Church is well established and not just beginning. I think sometimes we do not realize the blessing it is and we just take it for granted. I realized that very strongly with something that happened this past week. I realized that the Church is just barely starting in this area and that the people here a like pioneers. I realized that if we want this work to continue, we need to work together. We need to "thrust in our sickle with all our might" and then we are "called [to work]" (D&C 6:4) This work is the greatest work we could be doing. For missionaries it is combined with a lot of stress, but it always pays off. I love this work and I enjoy every minute of it.

I Love you all very much. Take care all of you and I look forward to next week, when I get to write you again.

Jeff