May 19, 2014

May 19, 2014

The best Zone in the mission! and the largest haha!

We got to stay in the presidents house for a training session with the area president.... nicest night in the whole mission!

We had a steak out today haha! going away party as Elder Miss is headed for home next week!

 

 I have to start this letter off expressing the Love I have for the mission. This week I made it (very unhappily) to my one-year mark and l I did some reflecting and what a joy it brings. First off for all those who are thinking or preparing for a mission...... Ohala! I had always heard it is the best two years of your life. This first year was good but I did reflect a few times on high school, old girlfriends, and my toys, of course. However, these past few months not one time has any of that crossed my mind. I have figured out the language, how to teach, how to work and other things that have caused me to be lost in the work. What a marvelous feeling to wake up knowing, not hoping, that it’s going to be the best day, that my friends are the obra misional and I hope all get their chance to participate in this joy!

 This week I have had on my mind some of our less actives and some others that I am working with in context of conversion. Are you converted? One thing that we can to do to check our conversion is take the best quiz ever written.... Alma 5. Throughout alma 5 we are asked about 30 different questions some of which are very penetrating and reflective (like the kind of questions a good missionary asks haha) that I would invite all to reflect on .I will only focus on one right now that can put things into perspective.

With that in mind remember after doing a job or completing an activity poorly and after doing so the regret and sickness you felt. Now try and put that into perspective with every action that we make in this life. That is why we as missionaries and parents focus soooo much on reading, praying and going to church because with these we will be guided in whatever situation that we need.

I invite you all to find true happiness in your lives and in preparing. As stated by the Lord himself stating that he who finds his life shall lose in and he who loses his life for the Lord shall find it. I testify to this in the Name of Jesus Christ our Savior Amen.

love you all and have a good week!

April 28, 2014

April 28, 2014

We were playing with the lizards in our house one night

Me and Elder Mis when we went to Rancho Chico again

That is today ... inside our house .... its summer again!

Well, this weekend I ended up in the tiny town of Rancho Chico with Elder Mis and it was once again quite the adventure.  I got to see a chicken fight (super cool)... I fought with a chicken haha and  we had some really great spiritual experiences as well. One I would like to share....

 We met with a single adult that is less active to try and give him some excitement for the mission.  I will call him Bob. Bob went to sacrament meeting where I and my comp gave talks.  Later we gave him a surprise visit before he headed to work. We shared a really good message on the priorities in our life and some answers to some pretty profound questions in Alma chap. 5. We finished by helping  him recognize that he needed to repent and explained  what repentance is. The lesson came to an end and this young man gave one of the most sincere prayers I have heard in my whole mission. Praying to God, Bob asked for forgiveness and acknowledged his faults and asked for help along with giving thanks for the wonderful spirit he felt in the lesson.

 What a high point for a missionary! But that’s not all. After the prayer he mentioned that what I spoke on in church was exactly what he needed to hear to open his heart and thanked me for that.  What a blessing to have spoken by the spirit.  Then he bore his testimony of the wonderful feeling he had in his heart and that during the prayer a back pain that he has had constantly had disappeared.

Even then it still wasn’t over. Recognizing his weakness he then asked for a blessing to help him know what to do to keep the feeling he had in that moment. So we were able to give him a priesthood blessing and we sent him off to work. What an amazing experience that can’t make the half of it into words.

I wanted to share this to remind you of the importance of always being prepared spiritually. You never know when you will be called upon to change someone’s life!

 Love you all and have a great week!

April 21, 2014

April 21, 2014

Well this was quite the week! I headed to the offices to pick up a new missionary to train and ended up in the offices up until Wednesday and I am still without a new missionary! I guess he didn’t show because he is waiting on his visa. So I get put into special changes with two of the other missionaries here in Panuco and it’s been good! I’m with elder Pond from Honeyville Utah and Elder Castro from Maxalan, Sinaloa. It’s been a super hard week but it has been really good at the same time!

 I don’t have a lot of time but I did want to share a little on hard work and service......

 This week was rough as I was worried about how I was going to maintain 2 areas being in a trio and all that good stuff and I don’t feel like I was un-motivated. If anything, I was more motivated, but the worry got to me and by Sunday I was burnt out and was ready for a p-day hah..... good thing it got here.

 But one thing that helped me a ton was that Pâté Miranda, the Branch president, pulled me aside as he had noticed that I was a bit burn out and figured it was un-excitement.  He  let me know that I have been one of the more diligent and dedicated missionaries that he has seen (not to brag but to make my point) and well anyone hearing that I’m sure would perk up a bit, but more than anything it reminded me of the purpose or goal that I have here in the mission. Work so much that every day you can lay down and have no doubt that you had done all that is possible. Well, I have pretty regularly been able to do that and it brings joy to the soul! haha

 However, I have seen with other missionaries that it gets time to change areas or something of the matter and they leave with regret or they didn’t leave a good impression on the members. That hurts and creates a huge burden. I think that this applies in almost even aspect of life. I have seen it in school, wrestling and work and I have been on both sides.  Work at first is hard but there is no doubt that no matter what we’re doing if we do it with all that we have we will leave with a truly satisfying feeling.... and even more so when it involves the work of the Lord.

 That being said I invite you as Jesus has In Matthew 10 to lose your life for the sake of the Lord so that you might find it. Because with the good and bad feeling that we have looking back on our works here are pretty strong but they will only be magnified and we are standing to be judged by our Father in heaven...... so as Dad says don’t be a worthless puke and do something in your life haha. Whether it’s in studies, work or the gospel I promise that we will reap the blessings for the work and effort we put into our lives and this I share in the name of Jesus Christ amen.

 Have a great week and love you all!

P.S. it’d be fun to see some pictures of family and friends in their summer activities!

April 14, 2014

April 14, 2014

 Our very happy and energetic district

                                 My comp thoroughly enjoying my hammock after a good days work

Me and Elder Tuñon the day of changes and off went Elder Tuñon!

Well, sorry I didn’t get too much out this last week but we had ... well complications.

Well these last weeks have been rough. We lost just about every investigator that we had and we have been having a hard time finding people that are willing to progress. I feel as if I were Nephi when writing in the plates that these things will be for our own condemnation ha. I feel as if I am missing something that just is not starting up the investigators. So I did some studying and found some interesting stuff. But first......

This week we have had to be in the house a little more than normal for some ab-normal mission procedures and we have had extra time to study each night.  One can only study so much before getting so sick of being in a chair haha.... Like me.... so in boredom me and my comp began hunting cats. Yes you read that right. We have a ton of cats around our house.... wild cats and we have been baiting them luring them into the house and shutting all the doors so they freak out. It has been quite interesting and we have had so much success that we began tagging them to see how many times the same cat will fall for the same trick. I wish I had some photos to show you but I took video and so you’ll have to wait till I upload it to facebook in about a year haha....

 But anyways on a spiritual note.... this week I began studying the Old Testament a little more so that I can better copy the characteristics of Christ as well as some of his teaching techniques and I have found this that really woke me up...

In Matthew 10 it says this

35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.

36 And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household.

 This kinda made me interested..... because this is Jesus Christ speaking and that sounds a little weird in line with the focus that we put on marriage and families however I understand much better what is trying to be said in the following statements....

 37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

 38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.

  39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.

 Now do we get it? He is saying that even if we love our family more than him, which is common, we are sinners and that above all he is...... have you thought in this way before??? He is saying that even the family , hopefully the most important thing  in our lives, can  become a foe if it gets in our way of the Lord. But how many other things do we put before him???  I thought about this and  I also want to testify to this. That I know that if we can find the love and loyalty in our hearts to love God and his son more that all..... all the rest will follow. It seems hard at first but once it is practiced it all makes sense. I promise and testify to this in the name of Jesus Christ amen.

love you all and have a great week!

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.