I am grateful I am staying

Dear Family,
I have fantastic news.  I’M STAYING!!!!  I am really glad.  Elder Smoot and I will be together for a third transfer.  We already have some baptisms lined up and are excited to see the success continue. There are a few changes to our work.  The area has been split again.  We have relinquished the north area to sisters.  We are a little bummed because we lose some of our recent converts, but glad that we will have some help with the heavy load of work we have had for the last few weeks.  There will be some adjusting as we put the ward mission process into action for two sets of missionaries, but we are flexible.  It will save our miles quite a bit.
We are still experiencing the blessings from President Watkins visit to the Gavilan Branch last week.  It was his visit that likely caused the area to be split.  At a recent training meeting, President Watkins told all the elders present to call us if they need to understand how to work effectively with a ward council.  Apparently, this is in response to a conversation President Watkins shared with President DeSalmones.  President DeSalmones had attributed a large portion of the changes in ward council to our recent efforts.  We feel like we have done nothing; the branch is so awesome the changes seemed natural.
I am also glad that I am still a zone leader in the Morgan Hill Zone.  This means that I am blessed to learn from President Watkins in Zone Leader council meetings and leadership training meetings.  The zone leader council seems to be one of the most candid places to interact and learn from president.  At these meetings, we discuss the meat and potatoes of the San Jose Mission.  With President Jackson, these meeting usually involved Sister Jackson telling the assistants to take the microphone away from President because he was using it to sing instead of teach. 
I hope you had a good weekend with all of the Badger family in town.  With the results of the transfer, It looks like my chance of finishing my mission in the San Jose South stake and having Alli’s ward within my boundaries is very high.  It is the most likely place for me, as a zone leader, to end my mission.
Love,
 
Elder Badger