Back to the Yale Branch

WOW so these past 2 days have been CRAZY. So much went down. I don’t even know where to start. I guess I will start with the very neat experience of counseling with President Bowen. So Elder Bannister and I went into the mission office yesterday to do stake reports. That was all I was expecting to do, nothing out of the ordinary. However, lately I have been having a strong prompting to talk to President Bowen about adding a second companionship to the Yale (Chinese) branch. I have been considering calling him, but hoping I could just "bump" into him somehow. So the entire way to the office I was just hoping president was there and he would approach me or something. I was so excited to see his car parked in the parking lot of the mission office. I was thinking to myself, okay this is it, he’s going to talk to me about the Chinese branch. So Elder Bannister and I went inside to do stake reports as usual. After about 30 minutes of being at the office, president walked into the room where I was but only spoke to the senior missionaries and didn’t even notice that Elder Bannister and I were there. I felt the prompting to go up to him but totally shut it down. When left the room and I was upset at myself for not talking to him. I was thinking to myself, "Dang that was it. You totally blew your opportunity." I then promised myself the next time I see him I will go approach him no matter what. So another 40 minutes go by and president walked back into the room I was in. Once again he did not notice me or Elder Bannister in the room and was just about to walk out until I jumped up off my seat and ran towards him. I wasn’t going to shrug off the spiritual prompting this time. I ran up to him and said hello. We had a little small talk interaction and then I just cut to the chase. I told president exactly how I have been feeling lately concerning the Chinese program and my thoughts to make it improve. He stood there and listened to everything I said, then replied back to me, "Elder Bray that is a very good idea. That is probably the best idea I have heard. Let’s do this. You’re a zone leader right now, which means I will have to take you out of that leadership position and then white wash that area because Elder Bannister is leaving. Okay, this is a lot we are going to have to change. Have you eaten yet? Let’s go get a sandwich and discuss this a little more." I was so shocked and excited all at once. So yeah Elder Bannister and I went out to lunch with President Bowan and the assistants to discuss how to add a second companionship to the Yale branch. I told them all how I felt and what needs to be done and then president kept saying over and over again "I really feel good about this. Elder Bray has put a lot of thought into this and this is the best plan we could possibly implement." So it was right then and there everyone agreed and we finalized the plans to move me back to the Chinese branch and add another companionship. We talked about starting up a new apartment in Tustin and then getting a car for that second companionship. I was just so amazed with how open and willing president was about everything. He just decided on the spot to do all of this. He told me, "Elder Bray I trust you with everything you have told me. I respect and admire you for having the courage to just come up to me and tell me that I need to make some changes in the mission. I will let you be in charge of making all of this happen and we will put it into effect this Monday." So he basically gave me the responsibility of talking to the current Yale elders, Yale branch president, and Irvine stake presidency. So now I am spending all of my remaining time this week planning how we are going to split the mission in half so that each companionship has an equal amount of area to cover. I have been studying a lot of maps and trying to figure out the demographics of all the cities. I have been praying for lots of inspiration and feel that I have come up with some really good ideas. President Bowen asked me who would be good to work with each other, I told him my suggestions, and he said "okay I agree with what you say." my new companion will be Elder Ellis. Elder Kim will be with the other mandarin speaking elder, Elder Mensink. I am so stoked! I cant wait to go back and work with Elder Ellis. This is totally a prayer that has been answered. I have been praying like crazy, the Yale branch has been praying like crazy, and finally... I AM GOING BACK TO THE YALE BRANCH. Everyone is going to be so shocked. I told Elder Ellis and Elder Kim not tell anyone. I really just want to surprise the branch and show up on Sunday. They are going to freak out!