Monday, December 31, 2012

President's Weekly Letter #17


 …VAN EEN VERNUFTIGE MAKELIJ…
(1 Nephi 18:1)


Belgium/Netherlands Mission



WORKING SMARTER-SPECIFICS

The December 2012 Zone Conference focused on working smarter. The premise is, working smarter using effective methods while finding and teaching, will greatly improve our opportunity for success.  Our work is too long and hard fought just to waste opportunities to obtain progressing investigators.  Most companionships are already working hard and working hard is important to continue.    Thomas Edison said:

Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” -Thomas Edison

Working smarter includes the following points surrounding the processes we use to find and teach, work with investigators and our attitude.  We need to become real good at what we do because it is the only thing we have control over.

Process – Finding and Teaching:
·      Post the written stake mission plan and/or your ward mission plan in apartments and follow the plans.
·      Shelf Life usually follows the half-life rule; every day that goes by, people who expressed interest of any level are half as likely to still want to hear your message.  When people say you may come back or give other indications that they may be interested, get back soon.
·      The conversion process is much like a belt in an assembly line.  Do you put people on the belt at the first contact; then don’t go back while looking for someone else to put on the belt?  It takes too much work to find new people.  Contact them frequently once they show interest.
·      Not all who get baptized are golden at first.  Most are not.  Many baptisms started out with a “somewhat interested” which grew into “conversion.”  Therefore, “You may come back sometime, even though I am not interested,” could be golden.  Don’t give up on them and go looking for someone else.  Calling back on them is better use of your time than cold, door knocking with mostly flint hard response of “Not interested.”
·      Are you ever sick and have an appointment?  The variable is never to miss the appointment.  You have many alternative options:  call the District Leader or Zone Leader, Assistants to go in your stead, go sick if it’s not too bad, change the appointment, etc.  Never just not show up.  Be professional and have integrity.
·      Always do the area book before 4:00 pm.  Be out with the people after 4:00 pm
·      Look for opportunities and do service.  Earn some dinner appointments with non-members.  Try to also do something for the next door neighbor who is watching you do your service project.
·      Leave when you get the win, the spirit is strong; you leave an impact this way.
·      Train to help units in Apeldoorn and Rotterdam to develop their own 1 point plan in the Wards and Branches.
·      Review the Mission Plan document distributed at Zone Conference outlining our intent to follow the Stake, Ward or District Plans.  Follow this.  If asked to talk about missionary work or the missionary plan, then follow this document.

Working with Investigators:
·      Teach them faith to be baptized.  At some early point in their investigation, they don’t need to know more.  That comes all their lives.
·      Baptism is an act of faith.  The miracle of a witness comes after the faith. (Ether 12:6)
·      They grow in faith with spiritual experiences.  Visit them daily so they may feel the spirit.
·      Track commitments they need to live
·      If they keep commitments they will gain testimonies
·      Know your top 10 contacts.  The people on the list may change daily.  New contacts may jump to the top of the list, but be aware of who is your top 10.
·      Prioritize your investigators, Your day’s activities should support the Top 10.
·      Plan for people not lessons.  Ask yourself what they need to do, not so much as what they need to learn
·      Use baptism questions to focus weekly and daily planning and preparation.  Conversion doesn’t have to be complex.
·      Train for continuity in teaching process
·      Follow up on promises made by investigators

Positive Attitude:
Have high expectations – believe in what you are doing and your ultimate success (clean to the bone).  Keep a positive, upbeat, enthusiastic and passionate attitude.

Eliminate self-limiting beliefs.  Over life’s experiences, you make-up self-limiting beliefs to help you cope with life.  Eventually, those beliefs run your life and you forget that you made them up in the first place.

Alibis mean nothing.  Do not use them.  Everything is based on results. Break the mentality of, you are not having success because of outside factors.  Realize you, alone, are responsible for all your results, all of the time. Be brutally accountable for this with yourself.

Always ask:  “What am I doing to create these results in my life?”

Never allow:  “This isn’t working for me because _____”, if the reasons you list are not your own actions.

Never allow:  “It is not me, it is the ___ that is causing my lack of success.”

If you see yourself as a victim, by definition, you do not have power to change your circumstances.  On the other hand, if you see yourself as accountable for everything in your life, then by definition, you have the power to change your situation.  The Lord will bless you, but I am convinced He expects you to do all in our power to have the success you desire.

If you act enthusiastic you will be enthusiastic.  Therefore act: enthused, excited, energetic, optimistic, hustle, friendly.  Burn this self-image into your definition of who you are.

Hate negativism or caustic slant or doubt.  This spreads fast.  Abraham Lincoln said, “Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.

Just go to work.  Increase your intensity in executing the work.

Become addicted to the pursuit of conversions.
President Robinson

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