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!

 

January 27, 2014

January 27,2014

My branch my last day before changes!

My son... haha or my greenie

 My new district leader 

Well the life has been great here in Panuco! The branch is amazing. They are attacking the mission work and hastening the work in all aspects! A very,very nice change from my last two areas.

I am getting the hang of direction as well getting to know the people and enjoying what little time left we have till this place becomes an oven again haha! 

I am with Elder Tuñon an elder from Panama and so far it has been fun getting to know him we are really enjoying the time we have. He is a bit sensitive and for those who know me I’m anything but sensitive so I’m keeping an eye on my words and actions. haha  Well I can wrestle... I’ve wrestled around with all of my comps thus far so hopefully I can take a change or two without having some horse play haha! 

But anyways this week was fantastic...for the past while I have been pretty comfortable with the language but right now (still making mistakes) I feel I have total confidence which has been helping a ton in the lessons! That being said as well as the unity that we have as a companionship in our lessons I feel like I am teaching the best I have been in the mission... but makes sense right... I should be progressing. I am super stoked for the opportunity to work in this branch and give it all I’ve got to really make a change here. 

I LOVE teaching we have been getting in about 5 lessons a day which is way more than any other area I have had and I have been loving it and that is what I want to share today. When we open our mouth the words will flow and we will be blessed with happiness! In the hastening of the work we have been invited many times to open our mouth as well as pray for opportunities to share the gospel. I would like to extend the invitation otra ves! I have seen how exciting it is to get to know new people this week. I have met so many new people and feel as if I have become their friend. With all of my ¨friends” have shared an aspect of the gospel with them to brighten their lives. I has truly been a blessing and hope that all of you as well can participate in such happiness..

Love you all have a great week sharing this marvelous gospel! 

p.s. I’d like to hear some experiences if you have them!

Jan 13, 2014

January 13, 2014

                            Elder Strong when we had divisions and we got two whole pizzas from a member

  dinner! haha

                                                      Me and my son in front of the temple

Well Changes are coming up soon... (this week) and I’ve had a good run here so I think this may be my last week in Tanquian and am hoping for a change to junior comp again haha life is a lot easier that way. But we’ll see what happens!

But for this week it’s been a good one. We are working with 12 people with baptism dates and in reality we are hoping to have one progressing. It has been hard here and the people are super tough when it comes to religion. It’s like a culture here. It really has been hard to see people come and go getting to know the truth but not accepting it. It’s been making me think a lot of The Plan of salvation. I had some questions come up personally that I have been struggling to answer.... but tal ves they can’t be answered in this life haha.  But my blessing talks a little on the plan of salvation so I’ve been a bit intrigued. But in the little time I’ve had as a missionary or the time I have truly been converted in the church I can testify as Joseph Smith has in saying “that which pertain to our religion are only appendages” to the Atonement of Jesus Christ (Holland). I have gained such a testimony of this great and atoning sacrifice of our Savior. But this sacrifice is one of the three key parts of the great plan of salvation our Father has for us. In knowing how we can know the three most important and possibly most frequent asked questions (aside from GOT MILK?) Where did I come from, Why am I here and where am I going? We have the knowledge pertaining to our divine family tree and our potential destination if all goes well here on earth. So as I have been teaching it kills me to see people turn away from such great knowledge that holds a never ending future and turn away from a -fixer upper- to Life.

With this I have seen so many broken families, families that had time shortened or have wandered through life not knowing where to go. It’s these that I worry for. All have taken a huge leap in the Hastening of the work.... or hastening of missionaries which I am extremely grateful for! But as I see these families and all the people who haven’t been given the chance I am reminded of a form of missionary work of equal importance. A work  within the walls of the Temple.

This being said in all the Hastening the we are seeing I hope to see and larger demand of people in temple work due to overflowing names.... names that are our responsibility to truly hasten the work all aspects those within short distances of the Temple... (or those in Utah) NEED to be going as frequently as possible. Here in Mexico it isn’t as easy and should not be taken for granted....

So I wish to extend the invitation to all Parents, Family, Friends, and youth. DO your part help those who can’t help themselves and get to the temple. We all have a part to play in these times in the hastening the work.... for the second coming. I love you all and have a great week!

January 6, 2014

We had quite the spiritual experience this week after our training for new elders and trainers. We have been teaching a sister who has received a testimony of the restored gospel and has been making several life changes to follow the teachings. Because of this we have been visiting her 2 or more times a week at the minimum giving us a lot of contact with the family. One difficulty she has is the lack of support from family and friends trying to get her to drop the -Mormons-. However we saw the hand of God helping her this week through not only us but distant family and friends through her brother.
Her brother served a mission for a Cristian based church for many years and later became a pastor here in Tanquian, however he with time has become impressed with the missionaries and also with the overall organization of the LDS church and its doctrine. Finally we had a chance to talk with him and found that he attended a wedding party to a member of the church and had much interaction with members and truly could feel the spirit present in the activity which caused him to think a bit. Long story short, in this opportunity to talk with her brother we made the leap of faith following the newly received training we had to invite ALL to baptism as soon as the spirit is present and that’s what we did. A date was accepted along with a book of Mormon and determination to find the answer. It was a Jump forward here that we have been waiting on and hope we can do what is needed to help in this path along with his Sister. But thank you for the advice and teaching in all but more specifically in baptism... we are now 2 converted to invite all men to come unto Christ through baptism in the FIRST lesson. Have a great week!

 This was a letter out to my mission president but would like to share for my blog for sake of time as well as to show that we need not be afraid to share the gospel nor to follow the spirit! Love you all and share the gospel with someone this week you may be surprised and the success you have!

December 9, 2013

Well went to iron my favotite pants and well the iron was a bit hot..... boooo that 2 pants down and 8 more to go haha

I went on divisions and this is how i found the bathroom in the other area..... ha needless to say i went without a shower that day!

Some district soccer the other day.... and my fat face haha! triste comida mexicana! porque tan rrrrrico!

This week flew by! I spent 4 out of 7 days outside of my area! So we didn't make a lot of progress here in Tanquian but I hope I did something in the other areas that I was in! 

Me and my comp have put an extra focus on the little blessings we receive every day! Its amazing how many we receive in this great work that we have part in! It almost become a normality... like when we pray for what we should teach or who and almost always have the same thoughts after a prayer or how the spirit aligns our thoughts when we are in tune! This work is truly amazing! I am so blessed and hope you all feel the same in this wonderful gospel! 

Well I will have to apologize.... my general letters have been slow. I have lost a bit of my organization over the past few weeks but we are now in a new change and will be better is sharing some of my amazing experiences with all of you! I love you all and have a wonderful freezing week! 

P.S. Who has seen the new Mormon message about cedar breaks! ..... talk about being homesick I love it there and I could almost feel the cool breeze and smell the cedar trees while watching the video haha"!

love you all y nos vemos por la proximo semana!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

December 16, 2013

 

                                                                           bus ride to Valles

                                                      My very pretty Christmas tree this year

 Me and my zone leader who got changed this change. I'm looking a bit more fat no?  Elder Padilla has been my district and zone leader..... and was a great one

 

Alrightly.... well this week was a rough one. I'd have to say the hardest of my mission thus far! We had very little success and did tons of walking. One pair of shoes started ripping... boo.... don't buy Johnson and murphy for walking.

 

We had a variety of things go wrong this week that by Saturday night when our branch president called us to say he wouldn’t be at church and that no one was assigned to talk I had had it.... I found it very difficult to be the smiley joking missionary I usually am... And I know I’m trying my best and that’s what matters but I just couldn’t regain the energy I needed just by knowing I’m working hard because I’m the kind of person that likes instant gratification.... so I began to study to lift the mood.... And I fell upon the topic of grace and repentance as well as the explanation. And this is what I found.

 In the bible dictionary I really like the definition of both repentance and grace.... Repentance talks on not only changing ourselves through repentance or distancing ourselves from sin but rather to be closing the gap between our will and the Fathers. In grace it describes a little on the divine power that we can receive through the atoning grace of Christ. What a gift! We through the atonement not only can be cleaned and purified from sin but also can receive divine help and power to do so! What are we waiting for?!

 I have seen and can bear strong testimony that these two great gifts are real and within our touch, but as a car doesn’t serve for anything without first being turned on we will not receive any benefit of these two great gifts without first starting the process to obtain them.

 

Now as an older brother and a friend to many still at home I would like to add this part, one way that we can start this process of repentance and receiving a divine power is through our service to God. In D and C 84:61 and 62 we read

 

61 For I will forgive you of your sins with this commandment—that you remain steadfast in your minds in solemnity and the spirit of prayer, in bearing testimony to all the world of those things which are communicated unto you.

 

 62 Therefore, ago ye into all the world; and unto whatsoever place ye cannot go ye shall send, that the testimony may go from you into all the world unto every creature.

 

so if you don’t understand let me explain quickly...... If you want power from God and to be forgiven make the sacrifice to serve for two years in whatsoever place and receive the most blessed two years of your life.... and if not.... your condemned......

 

 ha no but really think about it.... if you do it for the right reasons you will not have made and better choice in your life!