All Ireland Conference, Interview with President Donaldson and Growth in the SIM

May 7, 2018

This week was a pretty bomb! Of course as you know we had All Ireland and it was super amazing!!! I also had my last interview with President Donaldson as well!!! It was all really good!! I am going to miss them a ton but I am excited for the future!

Sister Duke told me all about your meeting yesterday! I am happy it was nice and that she could tell you the about the mission and fill in the blanks. (Mom note: Sister Duke flew out with Mikey to the MTC, was in the same MTC district and served in their first area, the Finglas Ward together. She had been sick since she arrived and had to come home a few weeks ago for surgery and recovering to return to the mission)

Our people/investigators are doing pretty good. Right now we have like 8 or 9 people that our working towards baptism! Meaning like they are the most solid people who are progressing and working hard! I am thinking maybe we could have around 3 or more baptisms this transfer which would really be amazing! So hopefully we can make it happen! To be honest, I love being with Elder Valati because he is just so good! I really wish I could understand what he says to people when he talks because it is probably so perfect. But it’s all good! I am getting better!

So the work was so slow over here for a long time then like 2 Mission Presidents ago the Mission President started to change things and they have gotten better. So when President Donaldson got here they were having about 150ish baptisms a year and then his first year he changed things and they got 200. So he and the his AP's (Assistant’s to the President) came up with this thing called “The Practicum of Excellence,” and the baptisms went all the way up to 400! So it’s pretty crazy! He has really changed the mission! We are now the highest baptizing mission in all of Northern Europe! So pretty crazy how much the work is going!

The Family Night thing is going alright. We are doing it on Wednesdays and we are having an alright turn out!!! We are trying to make it a bigger night for the members to fellowship the new members.

OH HERE’S SOMETHING IMPORTANT!

I AM THE SIM (SCOTLAND/IRELAND MISSION) PING PONG CHAMPION!!!!!! I have upset the king! I beat Elder Valiati after the baptism on Wednesday Night! So I guess you can say I am pumped! Later on he barley beat me but hey I am killing it!

I love you mom and dad and am excited to talk to you next week! It will almost be my 6 month mark out in the mission field. Just crazy!

Love you,

Elder O’Connor