This week went by so fast I'm going to do my best to try and remember. In the area I'm it is really hard to find people and so at the moment we only have a few investigators. (We had to drop one yesterday, really sad.) But it's definitely been a test of faith and I'm learning more day by day how to trust in the Lord.
One investigator that is progressing pretty well is a kid named Hugo. He's a 17 year old joven (youth) who's really cool and accepting the gospel really well. But this week we weren't able to get a hold of him until Saturday. And we didn't teach him but we helped him with his house and invited him to church as per usual. We went by to go pick him up and he wasn't at his house and Elder Barrera and I were so bummed. We walked to church wondering what we were going to do and whether we would drop him or not. We get to church and start to greet people at the door and we see Hugo come walking in!!!! I was so so so so sooooooo happy to see him I literally leaped for joy! He stayed for all 3 hours and told me he had a great experience. (It also helped he knew a lot of people already.) I hope he keeps progressing.
We also have this sister name Guadalupe who's very nice but also very shy and timid. Sometimes it's hard to explain things to her because she won't understand you unless you talk really simply to her. Our first and second lesson were a little difficult because she couldn't remember anything, but this last lesson was really good. She answered most of the questions we asked her in the way we wanted. She loves reading the Book of Mormon and has come to church twice, so we are hoping she can be ready to be baptized the Sunday before Elder Barrera leaves for home. (After this transfer)
Oh yeah, yesterday in church I gave my first talk in Spanish. :) The topic was family history which is not a topic I teach about a lot, but it went well and I learned a lot. :)
Many of you have been asking how my Spanish is coming along and to be honest I couldn't tell you. Hahahaha. Some days I feel the language comes easy and other day it frustrates the living heck out of me. I am starting to mix the two languages up though. Haha and sometimes I feel like I can't speak English or Spanish very well. Hahaha
This morning our house got flooded and that was a mess and a lot of my stuff got wet. Hahaha but that's the life of a missionary. Elder Barrera and I are praying for miracles this week because we need them! I'll let you know what is to follow.
The church is true! Christ lives! And the Book of Mormon is the truest book on the face of the earth! I love each and every one of you that reads this email! Thank you for your prayers and support!
Tuesday, June 30, 2015
Tuesday, June 23, 2015
Posa Rica Successes and Struggles
Mis queridos amigos, admiradores, y familia! perdóname por favor que no les escribí la semana pasada no tuve bastante tiempo. (My dear friends, fans, and family! Please forgive me for not writing last week I didn't have enough time.)
Life here in Posa Rica is nothing like how it was in Tlapacoyan in fact its the exact opposite. In Tlapacoyan there were so many humble and poor people. They were more willing to listen and be taught so we had a lot of investigators and perspective investigators. Even a half functioning ward and so forth. But the area in Posa Rica I'm staying in is very fancy and the people are well off middle class people. Which is making it hard for us to find people.
The ward is very functioning and active and full of people who love to feed us. Hahah. So all the weight I lost in Tlapacoyan is coming back. The area is also not as big and so we don't walk nearly as much because a lot of things are close by. My new companions name is Elder Barrera and he's super smart and also finishes his mission at the end of this transfer. We work well together and I've learned a lot from him. He was born in Mexico but went to high school in the US and so he knows Spanish and English perfectly. Which is a good and bad thing. At times I get used to talking to him in English and that effects my Spanish. But I use him to translate a lot. I'm out of time but I love you and I will send some cool pictures of us at some ruins close by! We went today and it was super cool!
Love you!
Life here in Posa Rica is nothing like how it was in Tlapacoyan in fact its the exact opposite. In Tlapacoyan there were so many humble and poor people. They were more willing to listen and be taught so we had a lot of investigators and perspective investigators. Even a half functioning ward and so forth. But the area in Posa Rica I'm staying in is very fancy and the people are well off middle class people. Which is making it hard for us to find people.
The ward is very functioning and active and full of people who love to feed us. Hahah. So all the weight I lost in Tlapacoyan is coming back. The area is also not as big and so we don't walk nearly as much because a lot of things are close by. My new companions name is Elder Barrera and he's super smart and also finishes his mission at the end of this transfer. We work well together and I've learned a lot from him. He was born in Mexico but went to high school in the US and so he knows Spanish and English perfectly. Which is a good and bad thing. At times I get used to talking to him in English and that effects my Spanish. But I use him to translate a lot. I'm out of time but I love you and I will send some cool pictures of us at some ruins close by! We went today and it was super cool!
Love you!
Monday, June 8, 2015
My first transfer
Mi querido amigos y familia, que bonita es la vida! (My beloved friends and family. How lovely is the life!)
I finally made through my first transfer wooo! Elder Lopez and I worked like dogs this week and it definitely paid off. We had 6 of our 8 investigators at church last week! For those of you who don't know an investigator (in Mexico) has to come to church at least 5 times before they can be baptized. So when one of them or more comes it's such an amazing feeling because they're one step closer to baptism.
This last week was also the last week of the transfer and I thought I would stay here in Tlapacoyan, but that turned out to not be the case hahaha. Our president is a very inspired man and when the phone call came I thought I had nothing to worry about. But I am leaving tomorrow for Posa Rica, which is known very well as the hottest place in the mission and it's the beginning of summer. Yeah. But I know it's for a reason or at least I hope. Hahaha. I was actually kinda bummed when I found out because I really like Tlapacoyan. And last transfer we only had one baptism but we have 6 solid dates for this month, (including 1 this Thursday.) All investigators I had prayed, fasted, and worked so diligently for. But that's part of the job I guess and I know there's more work to be done in Posa Rica.
I went on divisions this week with Elder Nielsen again, and we got rained on pretty hard but we made the best of it and found 2 more investigators! Woo!
I love everyone of you all so much and I think about you all the time. Have fun this summer for me. Hahahah.
For all my family in Texas, I miss y'all a lot and wish I could be with you this week! I'll visit as soon as I get back :) Have fun and hook em horns.
God be with you until I write next week! I'm so grateful for the gospel in my life and the happiness it brings. I am so extremely grateful for my Savior and Redeemer and the sacrifice He made for us. He lives and guides this church. This is His work. His glory. And I'm so blessed to be apart of it.
I finally made through my first transfer wooo! Elder Lopez and I worked like dogs this week and it definitely paid off. We had 6 of our 8 investigators at church last week! For those of you who don't know an investigator (in Mexico) has to come to church at least 5 times before they can be baptized. So when one of them or more comes it's such an amazing feeling because they're one step closer to baptism.
This last week was also the last week of the transfer and I thought I would stay here in Tlapacoyan, but that turned out to not be the case hahaha. Our president is a very inspired man and when the phone call came I thought I had nothing to worry about. But I am leaving tomorrow for Posa Rica, which is known very well as the hottest place in the mission and it's the beginning of summer. Yeah. But I know it's for a reason or at least I hope. Hahaha. I was actually kinda bummed when I found out because I really like Tlapacoyan. And last transfer we only had one baptism but we have 6 solid dates for this month, (including 1 this Thursday.) All investigators I had prayed, fasted, and worked so diligently for. But that's part of the job I guess and I know there's more work to be done in Posa Rica.
I went on divisions this week with Elder Nielsen again, and we got rained on pretty hard but we made the best of it and found 2 more investigators! Woo!
I love everyone of you all so much and I think about you all the time. Have fun this summer for me. Hahahah.
For all my family in Texas, I miss y'all a lot and wish I could be with you this week! I'll visit as soon as I get back :) Have fun and hook em horns.
God be with you until I write next week! I'm so grateful for the gospel in my life and the happiness it brings. I am so extremely grateful for my Savior and Redeemer and the sacrifice He made for us. He lives and guides this church. This is His work. His glory. And I'm so blessed to be apart of it.
Sunday, June 7, 2015
Conference, Rain and Blessings
Hi everyone! Yes I'm still alive and doing well. Hah. Sorry it's been 2 weeks since I last wrote. Lulz. The anticipation must have been killing you guys. So here's what's been going down; these last 2 weeks my companion and I have been traveling to Xalapa a lot because we had a bunch of mission conferences. Two weeks ago we were visited by three general authorities, all in in one week: Elder Pino and Elder Piper of the seventy and Elder Christiansen of the presidency of the seventy. So yeah, that was a good week. Haha.
My companion and I recieved a bunch of personal revelation on how to help our area, how to be effective missionaries and how to rely on the spirit and it was soooooooo good. Also at these conferences I got to see all the missionaries from my old generation from my short MTC experience in October. Including my old companion Elder Wright! I caught up with all of them and they told me about their areas and how they're doing. It was so great because they were all surprisingly excited to see me! It was a grand occasion. We had a bunch of good food like pizza (which is starting to become a delicacy to me now because I hadn't had in a while) and tacos del pastor.
This week my companion and I went to Xalapa only once for a conference for new missionaries and trainers and that was super helpful as well. I love my mission president so much and whenever I talk to him I always feel motivated to baptize all of Mexico. He taught me how to more effectively use the Book of Mormon in our lessons with investigators, and how to rely on the Spirit, and to bring it with you wherever you go.
This week, as some of you tech savy people may know, it rained a LOT! On Wednesday my companion and I were working hard (as the usual) and we had to walk to our investigators house. By the time we got there we were sweating like crazy because the sun was beating on us the whole two mile walk. We taught the lesson and it went great, but half way through the lesson it just starts pouring rain. I guess it wasn't a lot for the locals, but for a California boy, born and raised, who only sees 5 days of rain a year, it was a lot and hard. We finished our lesson and it's like the sky is falling. It's so hard and my companion and I had no other option, but to walk the two mile walk back to the house. (We were leaving for Xalapa that day and had to go or we would miss our bus). I take ten steps outside and I'm already soaking wet. So I just had one of those "it is what its is might as well enjoy it" moments. There's a lot of hills here in Tlapacoyan, so water was rushing down the streets like a river, carrying all the dirt and trash on the streets. (It was nasty.) But yeah over all it was a nice refreshing walk. We were completely soaked though.
On Saturday I went on divisions with Elder Nielsen! (He's the Elder I told you guys about, who was in the the ccm with me.) He has as much time on the mission as I do and his Spanish is not very good. I knew I had to step up and lead the way, so I told Elder Nielsen (because he was just as unsure as I was) that if we have faith and the Spirit, the Lord will help us with the rest! And boy were we blessed. The Lord helped me that day more than any other day and I truly felt like a tool in the Lords' hand. My Spanish was the best I've ever felt its ever been. I understood everything (which usually never happens), and Elder Nielsen and I together gave powerful testimony. Talk about greenie power hahaha. We extended an invitation to one my ancient investigators to be baptized and he accepted and came to church this week! He's someone that my companion, Elder Lopez and I have been working with for a while and we almost dropped him. But I felt the prompting to extend the invitation and share my testimony and it paid off. Such an awesome day!
I want to bear my testimony that I know Christ lives. He's my Savior and my love and faith grows for him more each day. I know He has a plan for me and this is made evident more and more each day. I know why I'm here at the time. I'm here. I no longer doubt why my knee got hurt. I know we have a prophet on the earth today who through direct revelation from God leads and directs this church. This gospel brings me so much joy in my life and that's why I'm here sharing the happiness I have with the people here in Mexico.
Love you guys! Talk to you next week!
My companion and I recieved a bunch of personal revelation on how to help our area, how to be effective missionaries and how to rely on the spirit and it was soooooooo good. Also at these conferences I got to see all the missionaries from my old generation from my short MTC experience in October. Including my old companion Elder Wright! I caught up with all of them and they told me about their areas and how they're doing. It was so great because they were all surprisingly excited to see me! It was a grand occasion. We had a bunch of good food like pizza (which is starting to become a delicacy to me now because I hadn't had in a while) and tacos del pastor.
This week my companion and I went to Xalapa only once for a conference for new missionaries and trainers and that was super helpful as well. I love my mission president so much and whenever I talk to him I always feel motivated to baptize all of Mexico. He taught me how to more effectively use the Book of Mormon in our lessons with investigators, and how to rely on the Spirit, and to bring it with you wherever you go.
This week, as some of you tech savy people may know, it rained a LOT! On Wednesday my companion and I were working hard (as the usual) and we had to walk to our investigators house. By the time we got there we were sweating like crazy because the sun was beating on us the whole two mile walk. We taught the lesson and it went great, but half way through the lesson it just starts pouring rain. I guess it wasn't a lot for the locals, but for a California boy, born and raised, who only sees 5 days of rain a year, it was a lot and hard. We finished our lesson and it's like the sky is falling. It's so hard and my companion and I had no other option, but to walk the two mile walk back to the house. (We were leaving for Xalapa that day and had to go or we would miss our bus). I take ten steps outside and I'm already soaking wet. So I just had one of those "it is what its is might as well enjoy it" moments. There's a lot of hills here in Tlapacoyan, so water was rushing down the streets like a river, carrying all the dirt and trash on the streets. (It was nasty.) But yeah over all it was a nice refreshing walk. We were completely soaked though.
On Saturday I went on divisions with Elder Nielsen! (He's the Elder I told you guys about, who was in the the ccm with me.) He has as much time on the mission as I do and his Spanish is not very good. I knew I had to step up and lead the way, so I told Elder Nielsen (because he was just as unsure as I was) that if we have faith and the Spirit, the Lord will help us with the rest! And boy were we blessed. The Lord helped me that day more than any other day and I truly felt like a tool in the Lords' hand. My Spanish was the best I've ever felt its ever been. I understood everything (which usually never happens), and Elder Nielsen and I together gave powerful testimony. Talk about greenie power hahaha. We extended an invitation to one my ancient investigators to be baptized and he accepted and came to church this week! He's someone that my companion, Elder Lopez and I have been working with for a while and we almost dropped him. But I felt the prompting to extend the invitation and share my testimony and it paid off. Such an awesome day!
I want to bear my testimony that I know Christ lives. He's my Savior and my love and faith grows for him more each day. I know He has a plan for me and this is made evident more and more each day. I know why I'm here at the time. I'm here. I no longer doubt why my knee got hurt. I know we have a prophet on the earth today who through direct revelation from God leads and directs this church. This gospel brings me so much joy in my life and that's why I'm here sharing the happiness I have with the people here in Mexico.
Love you guys! Talk to you next week!
I held an iguana. Too bad my companion is not the best at taking pictures.
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