March 31, 2014

March 31, 2014

 

Well, off to Rancho Chico again and as always it was an adventure! We showed up Friday and Saturday  morning and  the power went out. Since we were in the middle of nowhere we had to wait until today to get power back..... so we had a candle lit weekend.

 It amazes me how fast time goes by! I’m coming up on a year now and I feel like I am just getting started! But all is well here.  I am still in Panuco and things are great here. The work is really moving forward and a lot of good is happening so that is keeping our excitement up!

 I’m short on time but I just wanted to tell a story this week to keep us all thinking!

 Once upon a time there were two families, both moving into new homes in southern Utah. Both had families of four and 2 cars. For their two cars they both found homes that fit 2 cars in the garage. These two families ended up  finding their homes side by side and both were to move in the same day. They both arrived and unpacked their two uhauls full of their stuff.......

 About a year went by and one of the families still were not able to get even one car into their garage due to all of the moving boxes that still occupied the garage (sounds familiar right?). In curiosity this family went to their neighbors and asked what they did to get their car into the garage (as it had been in there since the first day. This was their reply.

 Oh! It was easy.... before we began to unpack we put our car in the garage so as it filled, the space for the car remained un-occupied.  There is a lot we can learn from this. What do we have in our garage? Boxes that are of little value or are we putting first those things of higher value and priority before all the space (or time) is filled with useless things?

 Have a great week!

March 18, 2014

March 18, 2014

photo 1

photo 2

photo 3

March 17, 2014

 Well this week was jungle week.  We found ourselves with huge scorpions (photo 1) as well as spiders as big as full grown cockroaches (photo 3) and trekking the wilderness along the canal looking for a house made out of sticks and plastic tarp. It made for a good week and well I’m still here!

 A little short on time this week but I would like to share something short that has been on my mind all week . Math... I have no clue why... and those who know me won’t have a clue either but this week I have wanted to learn math... and not so much the math but the studying and learning and all that. I kind of miss it... and with that feeling I wish I would have done a little bit better in school....

 The prophet’s council us to learn all that we can,  not only in our youth but of in a formal learning setting. We are here to prepare to meet God and not only meet him but to follow his example. That being  said to create worlds and to command intelligences were gonna have to be kinda smart!

 https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2008/10/to-learn-to-do-to-be?lang=eng&cid=email-shared

 Here are some thought from President Thomas S. Monson on learning and its importance . The greatest learning we can partake in is that of the cannon or scriptures but we are to learn of all pleasing to God... so take the initiative and set a goal to learn something new this week!

 Love you all and have a good one!

March 10, 2014

March 10, 2014

The bus ride to Rancho Chico! The bus is bad but it was even worse that the bus was full! We had to sit on our bags in the very back . 

 

A huge scorpion we caught in our tiny house as this week we were in Rancho Chico again!

Well this was another great week! I had the chance to get to Rancho Chico again and as always it was a great experience.

Some examples would be ....
................One guy answered a question saying that anchors are used by life guards to save people hahah,,,,,, interesting thought.

...............we taught a lesson to a deaf guy that was 94 years. We taught by writing notes and with an image book I have and it made for quite the spiritual experience!

..................I slept in my hammock due the fear i had of the scorpions that we were finding in the house and the saying is ... if you get stung you better find a fast way to Panuco .... ya its two hours away.

................and with  all the fish that I ate I got talked into trying a fish eye....( they cook them whole) ....... I wouldn’t suggest it!

This week I would like to expound a bit on what I mentioned last week...... The study of the scriptures...

I have been studying everyday now for at least an hour in the morning for almost a year and I can truly testify to the difference it can make in our lives as I have seen it in mine. However sometimes we hit a wall  or we start to study by habit without form or purpose. This is the routine that I fell into and well I was still learning but I was surely not feasting on the scriptures and in fin I was sacrificing promised blessings for a deep study of the gospel.

SO for those of you who are not studying now get to it. Those who do not study will not be strengthened, protected and will not have the  strength to endure. And for those who are,  the same applies because a study without purpose will not help us much.

Here are some things that I have been doing to help my study.

First how are we studying.... chronologically? by topic? or spontaneous?

- I would say that the three are good.... but all things in moderation right? How many times have you read the BOM from  front to back? What about studying by  topic? This can build testimony and give us insight on current questions or problems....

- Another would be to ALWAYS study with question(s) in mind... this will keep us active and receptive to inspiration.

-use other church approved materials.. Student manuals to seminary are wonderful as well as true to the faith and the LDS.org website....

-lastly I hope that we are praying..... We NEED to take all the advantage we can of the guiding spirit in all that we do!

I Share my testimony that I know that the scriptures are true and that as said by Lehi we can find the great importance of them when we study and know them (1 Nephi 5:21). So take the initiative to change your life and find this great value in the scriptures! This I share en el nombre de JesuCristo Amen.

March 3, 2014

March 3, 2014

Have you ever seen 6 missionaries in a taxi? Only in Mexico!

This is how I have to study every morning haha because my comp makes so much dang noise haha

I only have two photos this week but don’t worry a lot of good happened

Some updates are...

-I’m in a new change but with the same comp Elder Tuñon (because I have a lot more to learn on patience haha)

-The heat is coming back.... we reached the 90s this week

 -the fingers are healed from my burn

-Well i think that’s it. Everything is about the same.

This week we had a great opportunity to see, meet and here from area president Johnson. He gave some council to the mission on Saturday and spoke in my branch on Sunday! It was great and I learned a few lessons that I’d like to share.

 First off I God’s purpose... I Moses 1:39 It teaches that the mission that God has is to bring us eternal live and immortality. Does God have any other purpose? Can you think of one? .... I’ll help you out.... He has one and only one. That means, and I testify, that everything done in the church is directed of God . That means everything done in the church has that same purpose. No matter the age or calling we are working to help people receive eternal life.  But the only way that is possible is if we endure to the end. A baptism doesn’t mean a thing if we don’t press forward. It is actually worse because it condemns us. So this is our great work and purpose ... what are we doing to receive or complete the goal?

 Reading the scriptures needs to be one of those things. If we are not reading the scriptures regularly.... regularly is daily... it is only a matter of time until we fall into temptation. We will not go anywhere without the strength of the scriptures! So I invite you to begin reading if you’re not and read more if you are .... and especially in families!

 I would love to continue but have use up my time but I love you all and hope we can all continue progressing to earn a gift as great as eternal life!

Feb 17, 2014

 

Feb 17, 2014

 

I had my second baptism this week and well the font turned out anything but inviting..... Its how the water leaves the faucet here in rancho Chico but the baptism was great!

First off I burnt my hand pretty good this week.... quite a shiner haha! I was heating up shoe polish because it was all broken up and it decided to catch on fire! The rest is self-explanatory... made for a good journal entry!

 

Lunch  mmmmmmmm caldo de pescado entero. Was really pretty good .I have been thinking about all the stuff I eat and its really crazy but I’ve just gotten used to the culture and it all seems normal but I am missing a little a real hamburger or some lasagna!

The photo run should be good this week as I was again in Rancho Chico!
 

Well it turned out to be a good week we had some fun and are finding a lot of success with this branch.The work is progressing and although I may not see it, there should be quite a few baptisms in the upcoming months.

Well the gut of this week is when we were off to Rancho Chico where we had a lot of fun and success! This branch is amazing.  I had the opportunity to speak and take part in a young women’s activity of some sort and here are some of my thoughts!

I have been on the topic of baptism lately and in looking at the life of Jesus Christ his baptism was one of the lesser things that he did throughout his ministry. He began with his baptism to fulfill the will of God but certainly did not end there. He continued by fasting, teaching, healing and in the end saving all men from pain and sin.

Why should it be any different for us? What are we doing now to one take upon us his name (Jesus Christ) and two are our actions getting better or are they slowly digressing?  The Lord put in perfect example of how we should act and do the things our God commands. One way is by being an instrument in his hands... I liked especially this video...... http://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2011-12-10-an-instrument-in-his-hands?lang=eng

But to continue we should be constantly looking for ways and preparing ourselves to do the Lords work. I am short on time but I would invite you to think and ponder in how you can better look, prepare and follow the Lord's will in being a better servant through several simple things. First is by  taking initiative. Ask the Lord and look for your help. Second is to always be doing the basics- reading, praying and going to church and third constantly repent because  the Lord, I have learned, has a hard time working with unclean things.

 I had more but maybe next week ... love you and may the Lord bless!

February 10, 2014

 

February 10, 2014

 

Well got the first baptism this week!

 A fun picture I took of the primary from Rancho Chico that were all trying to read my book of Mormon

 

A little short on time but esta bien because well nothing too exciting happened this week. The work is moving along and we are progressing with this amazing branch. The branch is very immersed in the missionary work and are helping us a ton.

 Time seems to be going by faster and faster here. The other day I had another bad dream that I was packing my bags and going to the airport because I had finished the mish..... I am really sad in how fast time is going by and my comp says that stuff like this happens when the Elders have regrets like they aren't doing enough ahah but I am also proud to say I am doing my best to use every bit of time that I have to serve the Lord and use the teaching skills that I have finally obtained to really be a tool in the Hands Of the Lord.

 Love you all and will get in some stories next week!

Feb 3, 2014

Feb 3, 2014

                                      This was our cadillac for the two hour trip to paso real!   

This is one BIG orange!

Our shower!

our one room house haha!

the Branch Rancho Chico

 

WOW what a week!

This week I spent time in a little, little  pueblo called Paso Real (estacion palacho)... It’s basically a farming community of 400 persons or so. They  just built a new tiny chapel out there and we were sent out to conduct an open house for the community. It was amazing I loved the people and the living situation haha...... I love to camp and well I felt like I was camping all week! This is because we lived in a block house of just one room with one light bulb and no running water no bathroom and well haha the shower shows up in the photos.,.. and bucket of water!

 The living situations were a little different for the norm but also the situation spiritually. This Branch is potent! We had in all about 55 or so pass through the chapel where we were basically teaching lesson 1 ... or the restoration of the Church. It was amazing to see and feel the spirit acting in those passing through the church building!

 We started off by focusing in on the picture of Jesus in the Garden moments before beginning the atonement and explaining the love the Lord has for all of us..... moving to another portrait of Jesus we taught about the other important things Christ did... such as baptism and the organizing of the church of Jesus Christ. From there we talked of the loosing of the priesthood and other important parts of the church.... normally this is where we got the attention and led into the first vision.... Id like to copy it here because thanks to specific words of Joseph smith and his experience many felt as if -they were in the air- as described one sister.

 I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me.

17 It no sooner appeared than I found myself delivered from the enemy which held me bound. When the light rested upon me I saw two personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved son. Hear Him!

 This is a Truth... I have known but now know at an even greater level that Joseph Smith saw Jesus at the side of our Heavenly Father and I know that many more in this little community know it to.

 There were several as well that wanted and tried to contradict or twist my words but I can and will bear testimony as well..... As incorrectly translated as the bible is it testifies of truth and that truth back our doctrine soundly. I may be a little new to the mission and even newer to the bible but even the most knowledgeable Catholics that passed though could not deny the doctrine. This is the church of Christ!

This among the experience to work with members that clearly have a strong testimony and know that this is a church of service and sharing made for a fantastic week! I loved every min of it and more than anything because I got to take part in the hastening of the work ... working hand in hand with members to bring the salvation of souls to all!

 I love you all and look for the missionaries and help them out! I promise you will be blessed!