Dear Family and Friends,
What an amazing week the lord has blessed my with! I have had so many
experiences this week that I feel I have grown spiritually so much! I
still have so much I can change and start to do to be a better
missionary, but so is life and the process of the Atonement. We use it
each day to improve who we are, not to change who we are, but what we
thing and do. We will always have the same name, but we can change how
we act to become more like Christ!
This last week as we planned for the week we decided to really focus
on the people instead of setting a number goal, and I can tell you the
lord blessed us for that, because we have over 6 new investigators,
because we found 2 families!
This week flew by for me, because we had so many lessons to teach and
were so focused in the work! I would even say it was one of the
busiest weeks I have had yet! I hope that you all learn something new
or that might be able to help you through your week!
Week November 9-15 2015
Monday:
So today was a pretty fast day and I kind of was upset, because we got
called this morning by the English elders and they told us they could
not come and help us today. So we called the zone leaders of north
Fort Worth and we went with them! However they didn't have any plans
so we wasted a lot of time! It kind of was sad, but the good thing is
that I got to email and talk to my family and that is what is
important to me! So today we actually went on an adventure that was
unexpected and kind of scary as it can be being a missionary! So we
were at the church house which is fairly new and we found a hidden
door to a basement, so as curious missionaries we had to make sure
there was no investigators stuck down there!!:) so we were down in
there when the missionaries above locked us in there and turned off
the lights! It was so dark and you had to crawl around and I will just
say now that I am not a big fan of dark areas that I don't know! So we
actually found another exit door to escape and we scared them all! So
after this we got ready and got back to work and taught a lesson to
Martin and got him interested in the English ward! Also we talked with
his grandma and she is going to go with him so he will be confident in
it and have friends! It was a great opportunity to feel that what we
were doing was right even though it was hard! And that is how life is!
When it is hard it is right, but as you keep choosing the right it
becomes easier and easier! My challenge to you is to make a better
choice today in something you do, whether that means to compliment
someone or to help someone! I promise you will feel more happiness in
your life!!
Tuesday:
Today was a beautiful day all the way around! So today we woke up and
it was just a perfect temperature for a jacket to go running and it
just felt so amazing! However I am starting to notice I get breathing
harder as I am running, and I am starting to realize I need to watch
what I eat more and be more active even though I bike quite a few
miles ever day! So today we had the blessing of working in the Food
Bank! It was such a good experience today seeing all of the people
that we normally see, and today for some reason we just were welcomed
and able to talk to everyone like we were part of them! For the first
little while we were not shunned, but not talked to often, because
they were afraid. However, I think they are starting to realize that
we are very willing to be their friends! So after 3 and a half hours
of service Elder Sinischacli and Elder Pulver drove us to home made
pizza store where we had 1 slice of a giant cheese pizza for 1 dollar
and we partied quietly for my 5 months in the mission! It was a great
way to celebrate it, but I think an even better way for me to
celebrate it was with my companion after we got home. We got home and
changed quickly and rushed to a first time lesson super excited for
teaching this new lady! She seemed to have some good potential and we
were praying for her. Well we got there and no one would answer the
door. So we decided we were going to go and talk to 2 guys sitting and
talking outside! we walked up and started talking, and they were very
nice to us. We started explaining who we were when a man walked out of
the house and was smiling when he saw us! He walked up and gave us
firm hand shakes and welcomed us to his house. (When I felt the firm
handshake I knew something was different, because all Latinos shake
hands so soft!) He invited us in and we taught the whole lesson 1 with
him and he loved it. And as we were leaving the whole family came in
as we said the closing prayer! Something else that hit me was that
this man listed to us for 20 min, and come to find out he chose to
learn more that to sing happy birthday to his grandson out back. He
truly has something different about him. Also after our amazing lesson
we rode our bike about 3 or so miles back to our house to catch a ride
with Hno. Ashton and Hna. Ashton to go and teach Guadalupe and Juan,
less actives, to come back to church. Come to find out as Hna. Ashton
was talking she was weaving in our exact lesson through normal day to
day talk! When it came our turn we just testified and promised them
blessings. They opened up,so much and seemed so interested in what
they can do to get their family excited to learn more. That right
there, that full night was the best way I feel I could celebrate my 5
months in my mission, and I am so grateful everyday for the
opportunity to be out here!
Wednesday:
Wow today was a really hard smack in the face! It is crazy how you can
have such a day of success and then the next day be rejected like
crazy. However, I know that as I testify and invite that is success,
the rest is up to the person. So today we had our weekly planning
instead of tomorrow, because tomorrow we have our Zone Council. So I
would say we had one of the best weekly planning sessions in a long
time and it just felt really good. After our planning session we went
to visit with some contacts, but they weren't home. So I have begun to
learn that if they are not home there is still a reason you are there.
God always has a reason for the things he does. So we saw 2 kids
across the street so went and talked with them and their parents and
they said that they wanted to know more about their family history! We
gave them a lot of information and invited them to church! It was a
great way to see that God really is in charge of the work as it rolls
forth! After talking with them we went across town and tried to
contact a reference that wasn't able to talk to us and the other
family members were all fighting with one another, so we just told
them we would come back another day. I think the two things that hit
me the hardest were the next two people that we past by. So we past by
a so called member and a reference and got horrible news from the two.
First off the first one wasn't a member, his brother was and he had
now clue how the atonement can help us every day, because he would not
let us explain that we can become perfect in the next life through the
things we do in this life. He also told us that our religion was
wrong, so I asked a simple question to him, "have you ever gone to our
church?" And he hadn't, so we just decided to leave after testifying
to him, because he didn't show any interest of changing. We left a
little fired up, but calmed down realizing that God is in charge of
everything. But the next lesson was the one that really bugged me. We
knocked on this door and no one answered for like 5 mins. As the guys
opened the door he screamed and slammed the door on us and then 2
minutes later opened it saying sorry, he was just scared. So we
started talking about the things we can do to become like Christ, and
he said right then that he won't change. So I was thinking, "what can
we do if they don't want to change?" I would say nothing. I would say
testify and tell him to have a good day. A person have to have some
type of desire or he will never fulfill commitments. So right then we
should have left, but I decided to talk to him about the importance of
communication with God to all of the people when the bible was
written. He agreed it was important, until I pulled out the Book of
Mormon, and then he flipped. He told us in the nicest way possible
that we were in a false religion and that we were false teachers. He
also decided to testify by taking my shoulders and shaking me a
little. The two things he said before we left showed me how lost the
people really are in this life. He said, "I don't have to have a open
heart to have God in my life!" I would disagree one hundred percent.
That is how God works. As we have an open heart the spirit directs us
in our path of life. And then as we walked away he said, "I don't want
you guys to come back!" And so we just smiled and said, "alright sir
have a good night!" Of course we wanted to say other things, but when
it comes down to it we are all children of God. But how sad it is to
see so many children of God so lost in this world. What I learned from
today is to testify. As I testify my testimony grows, and my
confidence grows. I know that we are all children of God. I challenge
you to always remember that everyone is a child of God. Please find
those who are lost and help them find there way home!
Thursday:
Holy smokes! Today was a very fast and wonderful day! So today we had
the wonderful opportunity to have Zone Council and be trained from the
missionaries in our Zone. I feel very blessed to be In The Zone I am
right now, because I look up to Elder Sinischacli so much and the
example he is for me, and also we have the sister training leaders in
our zone that always teach me so much! So today I know there is a lot
that probably means nothing to you all, but I feel like the things I
learned can help you in someway or another. I learned so much about
changing the way a ward council is ran and also the things we can do
to use and understand the atonement in our lives.
November 12, 2015 Zone Council
Sister Stotts is the missionary nurse: 816-204-0680
Accountability:
Actual Goal Probables
October: 2 3
November: 0 4 2
December: 2
Progressing Investigators:
Maria Juarez: She just has work on Sunday and needs to get it changed.
Sergio Navarro: He says his family is most important and church come next.
Salvador Naval: He has a chance of Baptism this December.
Ward Councils:
Hna. Yingling:
Purpose for visiting with Members:
- Missionary work.
- Strengthen their faith.
Four points to effectively work with members. And these four points
apply to everyone.
1. Set the appointment with their needs in mind.
2. Focus on and prepare prayerfully on teaching the entire family.
Prepare to teach them as if hey we're an investigator.(PMG Chpt. 9 pg.
162)
3. Help them answer the question, "Therefore What?" What are you going to do?
4. Follow-up 3 Nephi 18:32
Steps 1 and 2 start in weekly planning and 3 and 4 is with the members.
- With a family ask the parents to help teach part of the lesson.
- With older people they can always share testimony and stories of
what has happened in their life.
- How to begin teaching doesn't have to be done in the lesson that
night. It can be done over the phone a week in advanced.
- Give them a chance to think of what they need and then we can teach them.
Elder Myer:
Counseling with Wards:
As we are one in our decisions we have the power of the lord with us
and we are able to achieve our goals.
- It doesn't matter who is right, but what is right.
- Don't be afraid to share your thoughts, because a lot of times they
spark the better ideas!
What an amazing week the lord has blessed my with! I have had so many
experiences this week that I feel I have grown spiritually so much! I
still have so much I can change and start to do to be a better
missionary, but so is life and the process of the Atonement. We use it
each day to improve who we are, not to change who we are, but what we
thing and do. We will always have the same name, but we can change how
we act to become more like Christ!
This last week as we planned for the week we decided to really focus
on the people instead of setting a number goal, and I can tell you the
lord blessed us for that, because we have over 6 new investigators,
because we found 2 families!
This week flew by for me, because we had so many lessons to teach and
were so focused in the work! I would even say it was one of the
busiest weeks I have had yet! I hope that you all learn something new
or that might be able to help you through your week!
Week November 9-15 2015
Monday:
So today was a pretty fast day and I kind of was upset, because we got
called this morning by the English elders and they told us they could
not come and help us today. So we called the zone leaders of north
Fort Worth and we went with them! However they didn't have any plans
so we wasted a lot of time! It kind of was sad, but the good thing is
that I got to email and talk to my family and that is what is
important to me! So today we actually went on an adventure that was
unexpected and kind of scary as it can be being a missionary! So we
were at the church house which is fairly new and we found a hidden
door to a basement, so as curious missionaries we had to make sure
there was no investigators stuck down there!!:) so we were down in
there when the missionaries above locked us in there and turned off
the lights! It was so dark and you had to crawl around and I will just
say now that I am not a big fan of dark areas that I don't know! So we
actually found another exit door to escape and we scared them all! So
after this we got ready and got back to work and taught a lesson to
Martin and got him interested in the English ward! Also we talked with
his grandma and she is going to go with him so he will be confident in
it and have friends! It was a great opportunity to feel that what we
were doing was right even though it was hard! And that is how life is!
When it is hard it is right, but as you keep choosing the right it
becomes easier and easier! My challenge to you is to make a better
choice today in something you do, whether that means to compliment
someone or to help someone! I promise you will feel more happiness in
your life!!
Tuesday:
Today was a beautiful day all the way around! So today we woke up and
it was just a perfect temperature for a jacket to go running and it
just felt so amazing! However I am starting to notice I get breathing
harder as I am running, and I am starting to realize I need to watch
what I eat more and be more active even though I bike quite a few
miles ever day! So today we had the blessing of working in the Food
Bank! It was such a good experience today seeing all of the people
that we normally see, and today for some reason we just were welcomed
and able to talk to everyone like we were part of them! For the first
little while we were not shunned, but not talked to often, because
they were afraid. However, I think they are starting to realize that
we are very willing to be their friends! So after 3 and a half hours
of service Elder Sinischacli and Elder Pulver drove us to home made
pizza store where we had 1 slice of a giant cheese pizza for 1 dollar
and we partied quietly for my 5 months in the mission! It was a great
way to celebrate it, but I think an even better way for me to
celebrate it was with my companion after we got home. We got home and
changed quickly and rushed to a first time lesson super excited for
teaching this new lady! She seemed to have some good potential and we
were praying for her. Well we got there and no one would answer the
door. So we decided we were going to go and talk to 2 guys sitting and
talking outside! we walked up and started talking, and they were very
nice to us. We started explaining who we were when a man walked out of
the house and was smiling when he saw us! He walked up and gave us
firm hand shakes and welcomed us to his house. (When I felt the firm
handshake I knew something was different, because all Latinos shake
hands so soft!) He invited us in and we taught the whole lesson 1 with
him and he loved it. And as we were leaving the whole family came in
as we said the closing prayer! Something else that hit me was that
this man listed to us for 20 min, and come to find out he chose to
learn more that to sing happy birthday to his grandson out back. He
truly has something different about him. Also after our amazing lesson
we rode our bike about 3 or so miles back to our house to catch a ride
with Hno. Ashton and Hna. Ashton to go and teach Guadalupe and Juan,
less actives, to come back to church. Come to find out as Hna. Ashton
was talking she was weaving in our exact lesson through normal day to
day talk! When it came our turn we just testified and promised them
blessings. They opened up,so much and seemed so interested in what
they can do to get their family excited to learn more. That right
there, that full night was the best way I feel I could celebrate my 5
months in my mission, and I am so grateful everyday for the
opportunity to be out here!
Wednesday:
Wow today was a really hard smack in the face! It is crazy how you can
have such a day of success and then the next day be rejected like
crazy. However, I know that as I testify and invite that is success,
the rest is up to the person. So today we had our weekly planning
instead of tomorrow, because tomorrow we have our Zone Council. So I
would say we had one of the best weekly planning sessions in a long
time and it just felt really good. After our planning session we went
to visit with some contacts, but they weren't home. So I have begun to
learn that if they are not home there is still a reason you are there.
God always has a reason for the things he does. So we saw 2 kids
across the street so went and talked with them and their parents and
they said that they wanted to know more about their family history! We
gave them a lot of information and invited them to church! It was a
great way to see that God really is in charge of the work as it rolls
forth! After talking with them we went across town and tried to
contact a reference that wasn't able to talk to us and the other
family members were all fighting with one another, so we just told
them we would come back another day. I think the two things that hit
me the hardest were the next two people that we past by. So we past by
a so called member and a reference and got horrible news from the two.
First off the first one wasn't a member, his brother was and he had
now clue how the atonement can help us every day, because he would not
let us explain that we can become perfect in the next life through the
things we do in this life. He also told us that our religion was
wrong, so I asked a simple question to him, "have you ever gone to our
church?" And he hadn't, so we just decided to leave after testifying
to him, because he didn't show any interest of changing. We left a
little fired up, but calmed down realizing that God is in charge of
everything. But the next lesson was the one that really bugged me. We
knocked on this door and no one answered for like 5 mins. As the guys
opened the door he screamed and slammed the door on us and then 2
minutes later opened it saying sorry, he was just scared. So we
started talking about the things we can do to become like Christ, and
he said right then that he won't change. So I was thinking, "what can
we do if they don't want to change?" I would say nothing. I would say
testify and tell him to have a good day. A person have to have some
type of desire or he will never fulfill commitments. So right then we
should have left, but I decided to talk to him about the importance of
communication with God to all of the people when the bible was
written. He agreed it was important, until I pulled out the Book of
Mormon, and then he flipped. He told us in the nicest way possible
that we were in a false religion and that we were false teachers. He
also decided to testify by taking my shoulders and shaking me a
little. The two things he said before we left showed me how lost the
people really are in this life. He said, "I don't have to have a open
heart to have God in my life!" I would disagree one hundred percent.
That is how God works. As we have an open heart the spirit directs us
in our path of life. And then as we walked away he said, "I don't want
you guys to come back!" And so we just smiled and said, "alright sir
have a good night!" Of course we wanted to say other things, but when
it comes down to it we are all children of God. But how sad it is to
see so many children of God so lost in this world. What I learned from
today is to testify. As I testify my testimony grows, and my
confidence grows. I know that we are all children of God. I challenge
you to always remember that everyone is a child of God. Please find
those who are lost and help them find there way home!
Thursday:
Holy smokes! Today was a very fast and wonderful day! So today we had
the wonderful opportunity to have Zone Council and be trained from the
missionaries in our Zone. I feel very blessed to be In The Zone I am
right now, because I look up to Elder Sinischacli so much and the
example he is for me, and also we have the sister training leaders in
our zone that always teach me so much! So today I know there is a lot
that probably means nothing to you all, but I feel like the things I
learned can help you in someway or another. I learned so much about
changing the way a ward council is ran and also the things we can do
to use and understand the atonement in our lives.
November 12, 2015 Zone Council
Sister Stotts is the missionary nurse: 816-204-0680
Accountability:
Actual Goal Probables
October: 2 3
November: 0 4 2
December: 2
Progressing Investigators:
Maria Juarez: She just has work on Sunday and needs to get it changed.
Sergio Navarro: He says his family is most important and church come next.
Salvador Naval: He has a chance of Baptism this December.
Ward Councils:
Hna. Yingling:
Purpose for visiting with Members:
- Missionary work.
- Strengthen their faith.
Four points to effectively work with members. And these four points
apply to everyone.
1. Set the appointment with their needs in mind.
2. Focus on and prepare prayerfully on teaching the entire family.
Prepare to teach them as if hey we're an investigator.(PMG Chpt. 9 pg.
162)
3. Help them answer the question, "Therefore What?" What are you going to do?
4. Follow-up 3 Nephi 18:32
Steps 1 and 2 start in weekly planning and 3 and 4 is with the members.
- With a family ask the parents to help teach part of the lesson.
- With older people they can always share testimony and stories of
what has happened in their life.
- How to begin teaching doesn't have to be done in the lesson that
night. It can be done over the phone a week in advanced.
- Give them a chance to think of what they need and then we can teach them.
Elder Myer:
Counseling with Wards:
As we are one in our decisions we have the power of the lord with us
and we are able to achieve our goals.
- It doesn't matter who is right, but what is right.
- Don't be afraid to share your thoughts, because a lot of times they
spark the better ideas!
As a missionary don't be afraid to jump in and help assign things out.
Elder Burr:
The Atonement:
How can each of us as missionaries access the atonement more fully?
- How often do we think about it helping us instead of our investigators.
What is the Atonement?
- All of us are imperfect, we all sin. However we have a responsibility for the things we do in our lives and we can not ignore that.
- God can not look on sin at all. And he wants us to become like him, to become clean.
The first topic we talk to our investigators in HTBT. In that I have found that one of the first things we teach is the Atonement.
- As a missionary our purpose is to invite other to come unto Christ, by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end.
- Everything underlined has to do with the Atonement and the thing I like most is that without the Atonement we have no purpose.
- It is the first and biggest thing we teach in this mission.
How do we access the Atonement?
- The sacrament (the fruit of the tree and the fountain of water) the sacrament is the sealing of the week before and how you tried to become even better! And then we have a new week to work even hard.
- The atonement is a process. ( My thought is that it is like having an accident and that accident is like the fall where we are limited with movement. And as we do rehab everyday with our helper the Lord, even in our house, we receive more movement and understanding. As we keep going we receive full movement and then finally can receive the access of a full purpose Gym where we can become even more, we can become even better every single day.)
- What is the difference of sin and transgression.
- I love that this picture shows that there is two things that happen as we use the atonement. We will always be working on being forgiven of past mistakes, but we will always be looking forward on what I can become and do.
- With God all things are possible. (Mark 10:27)
- The atonement doesn't just enable us, it ennobles us.
It was such an amazing meeting to learn what I can do in my everyday life here and when I return to be the best member and disciple ever!
So after our meeting we had the opportunity to practice the piano and work on some paper work and then get ready to go to a dinner at the house of Hna. Aviña. Right before we were supposed to leave the member that was supposed to come and get us called and said he got locked out of his house and he didn't have his car keys to come, so we had to hurry and get a bus route and catch the bus, and luckily the Hna. Aviña had a friend to eat with us so we were able to go in the house. We had a great meal and also a great lesson on the Book of Mormon. We showed them the Mormon Message called, "the Testimony of the Book of Mormon" by Jeffrey R. Holland. It is so a,aging and I invite all of you to watch it and see how you can show the lord your sacrifice everyday. After our amazing dinner we went back to the Church about 30 minutes away by bus to teach Martin Lopez with the English elders who we will be giving him over too. We were really surprised when we say his sister Hennessy and his mom At the church too! His mom is not a member, so we taught those 3 and also gave a quick church tour to help her feel the spirit, and I think it worked a little. Now all we can do is go with the Lords timing and be there for her. I just want to bare my testimony on the Book of Mormon and on the Atonement. As I have been learning about them I realize the importance of them both in my life. I know that the Book of Mormon helps us receive the faith and desire to use the Atonement. I also know that the atonement is for each of us. It was an act of love on the part of Heavenly Father to send his son he to die and suffer for us, and it was an even greater act of love for Jesus Christ to suffer willingly. Something I have learned is to think about what he did and how much he loved and does love us before I do anything in the day. As I remember him I can not do bad things. I know that I can become like him as I read and go to church and use the process of the atonement all my life. And I promise that if you read the Book of Mormon for 20 min a day you will have the peace and know the things you need to in order to live happy. I know that God knows each of us personally and loves us so much. We are his Childern, brothers and sister. And I will stand by him forever.
Friday:
Wow I keep saying that everyday is just the best day ever, but for reals everyday just keeps getting better and better, because we keep getting busier and busier! For instance today we were so busy that we were not able to get to all of our appointments in time! We were 15 minutes late to all of them! So we started out our day going to a recently contacted ladies house to see if we could read the Book of Mormon to her, because she can't read, and she told us she was really busy planning a birthday party and that we were invited to it at 5 and that we could bring anyone! So we left and told her we would for sure be back. We went to the house of the Family Burgos and had some really good food and had just an amazing talk with the husband. He has not been really solid in the church, but man does he think everything through amazingly on the things that are really important in life. We had a great time and then left to the house of Hna. Bayona all the way across town. We took the bus, which I am falling in love with. Now as I get on all of the people know me and my companion and always talk to us and it is really cool! Also as we got to the house of Hna. Bayona we had an amazing lesson about e Book of Mormon. I mostly taught and showed her an amazing clip called The testimony of the Book of Mormon. It is amazing to watch and learn how to receive a testimony. I feel like her and I have a really good relationship and she is willing to open up to me and she learned so much! So after her we rushed to the house of a recently found member named Rosita Brice. She is the one we found who has been inactive for 25 years when she got baptized. So we went to her and house and began to help her clean, because she is a hoarder and her house and yard are stacked where you can not even walk around. We had a great service and she even bought us some Spanish bread and meat to eat as we got home. As we got home we went to the birthday party of this girl whose grandma invited us and it was crazy! There we a lot of people who had beer and at first it was very awkward, but they all cleared a space and we sat with the grandma and some of her closer friends. She was so glad to see us and she had so much food for us and told us how she was loving the Book of Mormon! Also her granddaughter is the reason she loves the book, because the granddaughter reads it too her grandma. We also had a chance to know all of the family and at least show them we are normal and to plant the simple seed of interest. I definitely and gaining some weight from this amazing food and I don't know if I like it.. It was a great time and as we were leaving feeling so happy we realized that we were way to late for our other lesson, so we rushed down town to their house and knocked and the wife answered and said that everyone left because we didn't show up...... It was devastating for us. In real life we have never had someone actually be waiting. They usually leave remember we are coming. So we set up a date to go tomorrow and hope it works out! After that we biked home expecting a lesson with a recent convert Jhonny Garcia, but he fell through for another day, so we visited with the Hna and Hno Peña who I love more and more as I get to visit with them. They are so goofy and remind me of my family!
We had one of the craziest days I can think of in the field for me so far, but it went by so much faster that way! The one thing I learned today is to fill your time with good things, and you will never regret your life. I also learned that the lord blesses you in every aspect, if you just try!
Saturday:
Holy cow, I am completely serious when I say time flies faster everyday! So this morning I was looking at our schedule thinking, we are never going to get through this day, it is going to take forever. However, here I am very confused, because it is already night time! I feel the reason that the days are going faster is because we have picked up some new families the past few days, and the lord has blessed us immensely today! So today we started at the church where I practiced the piano while waiting for Elder Lickiss to finish studying chapter 22 in the teachings of president Ezra Taft Benson. After he finished studying it we studied it a little bit more together and then made a lesson plan of how we were going to teach it, because we were asked to teach the lesson for the elders quorum. I am nervous to teach them all in Spanish, but I know the lord will help me and that the things I am teaching are true, so I really have no reason to fear!
So after that we went to some apartment complex's near by to contact a recent investigator, and when we got to the door and knocked there were different people inside. We asked if they new where Anai was and they said they just moved in two days ago and were from Puerto Rico. They had a heavy accent and I could barely understand them, but they had a sweet spirit about them! So they let us in to teach them and we taught them all of lesson 1 and at the end of the lesson we invited them to be baptized. They said they would if the felt it was right after reading and praying!!! It was so amazing seeing their faces change as they learned the importance of the Book of Mormon! God really blessed us by putting people that were more interested in our way! Also it gets so much better! So we biked really fast after the lesson to a bus stop to be carried by the bus to a members restaurant. We had amazing burritos and had an amazing talk with her and the things going on in her life and she was so happy and sweet. After dinner we biked really fast in the cold to the house of Martin's grandma to teach Martín. We had a great lesson and are slowly handing him off to the English elders and he seems to like them a lot! As we finished our lesson with him the English Elders took us by car to a bus stop close by so we could bus across town to go to one more lesson. We arrived a little late, but the family named Favela, welcomed us in and made us feel at home. It is only a husband and wife and they are very into the gospel, but don't read the bible much, so when we gave them the Book of Mormon they fell in love! We taught them tonight a review of lesson 1 to make sure they understood authority and the importance of a restoration, and then we invited them to be baptized when they felt it was right. Without hesitation the wife said yes! And the husband told us he wants to, but needs to really think about it! It was an amazing lesson and the love for these people hit me as hard as a rock as I was teaching them and I got teary eyed and could only see them with their temple whites on! It was one of the best lessons I feel I have taught because I was following the spirit more than anything! In short I would say that I learned today that the lord blesses us when we put the people's needs before our own and also that as we focus on the people the lord will put the ones who are ready right in front of us! How does this apply to you? If you really are a disciple of Christ remember that being a disciple is not a sideline sport. You have to be engaged in the work to truly receive the blessing the lord has in store for you. The way my companion explains blessing is that it is like god is always pouring blessing upon us, but we are putting our umbrellas up as we put off the important things of this gospel like serving and loving others. I promise that as you focus on the work of the lord every aspect of your life will improve! I know God knows and loves us so much and I had a wonderful day!
Sunday:
So today was a good day, but it was so hard to stay awake! So we began a mission fast yesterday and finished today for dinner, and I was so tired all day not having any exercise this morning or food to wake me up! So we were going to have a meeting for the missionary correlation this morning, but last night our ward mission leader passed out in his kitchen and fell on the ground. He had to go to the hospital and will be there for a few days so we didn't have a firm meeting until 11:30 so we were able to have full studies, which was so nice! Also as we went to church I started to notice that the members are starting show a little bit more love. It was amazing to see the members being so welcoming to us as missionaries, but hope they will do the same with all the investigators! Also we had the awesome opportunity as a companionship to teach the elders quorum about Carrying the Gospel to the World. It was a great lesson I felt and it was so nice to see some of the men get active in the lessons. I was so scared the whole time teaching, after a while I finally got enough confidence to teach with all the words I am learning. It was a good confidence builder for me as I keep struggling, but learning this great language! However I learned so,etching very special mixing this fast with this lesson. For me I fasted for me to understand the language better, to be able to teach today with clarity and also to receive something new with a member of the quorum of the 70 who is coming this week named Elder Falabella! He will be here Friday and I really want to receive more answers to some questions and learn how I can be an even better missionary! The thing that I noticed as I fasted is that I was able to speak clearly to the elders and I was able to understand the language even more as well! So after church we went home and had a quick Halt to recover from our lesson when we received a call from the sister missionaries Sister Mangelson and Yingling. They asked if we were able to go and give a blessing to a less active member who had a car crash this morning and so we went with Jhonny Garcia to give him one. As we got there the sister showed up with us and we gave him a blessing and taught him a quick blessing. I am falling in love with the language more and more as I learn to love the people. I know a lot of times I am talking about the language and it is because I love the people. Something I have learned is if you don't love the people you will not be able to learn the language fast. Put the people first and the language comes with ease. So today I would say learned that life is tiring and that as we fast we receive so many blessings from our Heavenly Father! I challenge all of you to fast with a true purpose and see how the windows of heaven are opened for you. Or should I say that as you fast with a purpose that you will put away your umbrella and enjoy the blessings that are always falling upon you! I want to share my testimony to you all in Spanish. I know it will be hard understand but for me it is more emotional in Spanish!
Muchas personas dicen que cada persona tiene su propia experiencia por su conversión en la Iglesia de Jesucristo de los Santo de los Últimos Días, pero para mí tengo muchas experiencias que cambian quien yo soy en esta evangelio. Desde mi misión he tenido muchas experiencias como susurros del espíritu para confirmar que El Libro de Mormón, José Smith y la iglesia son verdaderos, pero creo que la cosa que me ayudó más que nada fue mi experiencia en el templo del señor. En el templo yo hecho convenios con dios y sé que si los sigo que voy a tener el Espíritu Santo y la ayuda necesario en esta vida. Cuando estaba asistiendo antes de mi misión podría sentir el espíritu mas fuerte en mi vida, sin embargo, no estaba seguro que mi padre celestial me conoce individualmente. Un día recibí un llamamiento y el presidente de mi estaca me dio una bendición. En esta bendición él me dijo, "Elder Spendlove, tu padre celestial te conoce personalmente y quiere el mejor para ti." Porque de esta bendición sé que mi padre celestial me conoce y que él les conoce también. Esta semana tuvimos mucho éxito, pero creo que la cosa de más importancia es que aprendí quién soy yo durante la semana. Se que si leemos el libro de mormón que podemos recibir un conocimiento de quienes somos nosotros. Y también sé que cada semana voy a recibir más conocimiento de quién soy yo. Sé que la Iglesia de Jesucristo de los Santos de los Últimos Días es verdadera sin duda y sé que la obra misional no es solo para misioneros. Les invito a crecer su testimonio en El Libro de Mormón y compartirlo con sus amigos para que ellos puedan leerlo y saber la verdad!
I just want to thank you all for the things that you do for me! ( Thoughts, Prayers, Letters.) You all are making a difference in my life for your support and I hope you know that I love and pray for all of you and more importantly I hope you know that I have a testimony of this gospel! If you ever see me after my mission doing something that would hinder me from making it back to the presence of God, smack me up
Side the head and let me know you expect to see me in the highest degree, because I can promise I will be reminding you! God loves and knows us personally! When you have hard times come in your life, which they will, go to the one who knows all!
I hope you all have a great week!
- Read Alma 17 with your spiritual eyes thinking of the world today and see if there are differences in what you find!
Elder Burr:
The Atonement:
How can each of us as missionaries access the atonement more fully?
- How often do we think about it helping us instead of our investigators.
What is the Atonement?
- All of us are imperfect, we all sin. However we have a responsibility for the things we do in our lives and we can not ignore that.
- God can not look on sin at all. And he wants us to become like him, to become clean.
The first topic we talk to our investigators in HTBT. In that I have found that one of the first things we teach is the Atonement.
- As a missionary our purpose is to invite other to come unto Christ, by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end.
- Everything underlined has to do with the Atonement and the thing I like most is that without the Atonement we have no purpose.
- It is the first and biggest thing we teach in this mission.
How do we access the Atonement?
- The sacrament (the fruit of the tree and the fountain of water) the sacrament is the sealing of the week before and how you tried to become even better! And then we have a new week to work even hard.
- The atonement is a process. ( My thought is that it is like having an accident and that accident is like the fall where we are limited with movement. And as we do rehab everyday with our helper the Lord, even in our house, we receive more movement and understanding. As we keep going we receive full movement and then finally can receive the access of a full purpose Gym where we can become even more, we can become even better every single day.)
- What is the difference of sin and transgression.
- I love that this picture shows that there is two things that happen as we use the atonement. We will always be working on being forgiven of past mistakes, but we will always be looking forward on what I can become and do.
- With God all things are possible. (Mark 10:27)
- The atonement doesn't just enable us, it ennobles us.
It was such an amazing meeting to learn what I can do in my everyday life here and when I return to be the best member and disciple ever!
So after our meeting we had the opportunity to practice the piano and work on some paper work and then get ready to go to a dinner at the house of Hna. Aviña. Right before we were supposed to leave the member that was supposed to come and get us called and said he got locked out of his house and he didn't have his car keys to come, so we had to hurry and get a bus route and catch the bus, and luckily the Hna. Aviña had a friend to eat with us so we were able to go in the house. We had a great meal and also a great lesson on the Book of Mormon. We showed them the Mormon Message called, "the Testimony of the Book of Mormon" by Jeffrey R. Holland. It is so a,aging and I invite all of you to watch it and see how you can show the lord your sacrifice everyday. After our amazing dinner we went back to the Church about 30 minutes away by bus to teach Martin Lopez with the English elders who we will be giving him over too. We were really surprised when we say his sister Hennessy and his mom At the church too! His mom is not a member, so we taught those 3 and also gave a quick church tour to help her feel the spirit, and I think it worked a little. Now all we can do is go with the Lords timing and be there for her. I just want to bare my testimony on the Book of Mormon and on the Atonement. As I have been learning about them I realize the importance of them both in my life. I know that the Book of Mormon helps us receive the faith and desire to use the Atonement. I also know that the atonement is for each of us. It was an act of love on the part of Heavenly Father to send his son he to die and suffer for us, and it was an even greater act of love for Jesus Christ to suffer willingly. Something I have learned is to think about what he did and how much he loved and does love us before I do anything in the day. As I remember him I can not do bad things. I know that I can become like him as I read and go to church and use the process of the atonement all my life. And I promise that if you read the Book of Mormon for 20 min a day you will have the peace and know the things you need to in order to live happy. I know that God knows each of us personally and loves us so much. We are his Childern, brothers and sister. And I will stand by him forever.
Friday:
Wow I keep saying that everyday is just the best day ever, but for reals everyday just keeps getting better and better, because we keep getting busier and busier! For instance today we were so busy that we were not able to get to all of our appointments in time! We were 15 minutes late to all of them! So we started out our day going to a recently contacted ladies house to see if we could read the Book of Mormon to her, because she can't read, and she told us she was really busy planning a birthday party and that we were invited to it at 5 and that we could bring anyone! So we left and told her we would for sure be back. We went to the house of the Family Burgos and had some really good food and had just an amazing talk with the husband. He has not been really solid in the church, but man does he think everything through amazingly on the things that are really important in life. We had a great time and then left to the house of Hna. Bayona all the way across town. We took the bus, which I am falling in love with. Now as I get on all of the people know me and my companion and always talk to us and it is really cool! Also as we got to the house of Hna. Bayona we had an amazing lesson about e Book of Mormon. I mostly taught and showed her an amazing clip called The testimony of the Book of Mormon. It is amazing to watch and learn how to receive a testimony. I feel like her and I have a really good relationship and she is willing to open up to me and she learned so much! So after her we rushed to the house of a recently found member named Rosita Brice. She is the one we found who has been inactive for 25 years when she got baptized. So we went to her and house and began to help her clean, because she is a hoarder and her house and yard are stacked where you can not even walk around. We had a great service and she even bought us some Spanish bread and meat to eat as we got home. As we got home we went to the birthday party of this girl whose grandma invited us and it was crazy! There we a lot of people who had beer and at first it was very awkward, but they all cleared a space and we sat with the grandma and some of her closer friends. She was so glad to see us and she had so much food for us and told us how she was loving the Book of Mormon! Also her granddaughter is the reason she loves the book, because the granddaughter reads it too her grandma. We also had a chance to know all of the family and at least show them we are normal and to plant the simple seed of interest. I definitely and gaining some weight from this amazing food and I don't know if I like it.. It was a great time and as we were leaving feeling so happy we realized that we were way to late for our other lesson, so we rushed down town to their house and knocked and the wife answered and said that everyone left because we didn't show up...... It was devastating for us. In real life we have never had someone actually be waiting. They usually leave remember we are coming. So we set up a date to go tomorrow and hope it works out! After that we biked home expecting a lesson with a recent convert Jhonny Garcia, but he fell through for another day, so we visited with the Hna and Hno Peña who I love more and more as I get to visit with them. They are so goofy and remind me of my family!
We had one of the craziest days I can think of in the field for me so far, but it went by so much faster that way! The one thing I learned today is to fill your time with good things, and you will never regret your life. I also learned that the lord blesses you in every aspect, if you just try!
Saturday:
Holy cow, I am completely serious when I say time flies faster everyday! So this morning I was looking at our schedule thinking, we are never going to get through this day, it is going to take forever. However, here I am very confused, because it is already night time! I feel the reason that the days are going faster is because we have picked up some new families the past few days, and the lord has blessed us immensely today! So today we started at the church where I practiced the piano while waiting for Elder Lickiss to finish studying chapter 22 in the teachings of president Ezra Taft Benson. After he finished studying it we studied it a little bit more together and then made a lesson plan of how we were going to teach it, because we were asked to teach the lesson for the elders quorum. I am nervous to teach them all in Spanish, but I know the lord will help me and that the things I am teaching are true, so I really have no reason to fear!
So after that we went to some apartment complex's near by to contact a recent investigator, and when we got to the door and knocked there were different people inside. We asked if they new where Anai was and they said they just moved in two days ago and were from Puerto Rico. They had a heavy accent and I could barely understand them, but they had a sweet spirit about them! So they let us in to teach them and we taught them all of lesson 1 and at the end of the lesson we invited them to be baptized. They said they would if the felt it was right after reading and praying!!! It was so amazing seeing their faces change as they learned the importance of the Book of Mormon! God really blessed us by putting people that were more interested in our way! Also it gets so much better! So we biked really fast after the lesson to a bus stop to be carried by the bus to a members restaurant. We had amazing burritos and had an amazing talk with her and the things going on in her life and she was so happy and sweet. After dinner we biked really fast in the cold to the house of Martin's grandma to teach Martín. We had a great lesson and are slowly handing him off to the English elders and he seems to like them a lot! As we finished our lesson with him the English Elders took us by car to a bus stop close by so we could bus across town to go to one more lesson. We arrived a little late, but the family named Favela, welcomed us in and made us feel at home. It is only a husband and wife and they are very into the gospel, but don't read the bible much, so when we gave them the Book of Mormon they fell in love! We taught them tonight a review of lesson 1 to make sure they understood authority and the importance of a restoration, and then we invited them to be baptized when they felt it was right. Without hesitation the wife said yes! And the husband told us he wants to, but needs to really think about it! It was an amazing lesson and the love for these people hit me as hard as a rock as I was teaching them and I got teary eyed and could only see them with their temple whites on! It was one of the best lessons I feel I have taught because I was following the spirit more than anything! In short I would say that I learned today that the lord blesses us when we put the people's needs before our own and also that as we focus on the people the lord will put the ones who are ready right in front of us! How does this apply to you? If you really are a disciple of Christ remember that being a disciple is not a sideline sport. You have to be engaged in the work to truly receive the blessing the lord has in store for you. The way my companion explains blessing is that it is like god is always pouring blessing upon us, but we are putting our umbrellas up as we put off the important things of this gospel like serving and loving others. I promise that as you focus on the work of the lord every aspect of your life will improve! I know God knows and loves us so much and I had a wonderful day!
Sunday:
So today was a good day, but it was so hard to stay awake! So we began a mission fast yesterday and finished today for dinner, and I was so tired all day not having any exercise this morning or food to wake me up! So we were going to have a meeting for the missionary correlation this morning, but last night our ward mission leader passed out in his kitchen and fell on the ground. He had to go to the hospital and will be there for a few days so we didn't have a firm meeting until 11:30 so we were able to have full studies, which was so nice! Also as we went to church I started to notice that the members are starting show a little bit more love. It was amazing to see the members being so welcoming to us as missionaries, but hope they will do the same with all the investigators! Also we had the awesome opportunity as a companionship to teach the elders quorum about Carrying the Gospel to the World. It was a great lesson I felt and it was so nice to see some of the men get active in the lessons. I was so scared the whole time teaching, after a while I finally got enough confidence to teach with all the words I am learning. It was a good confidence builder for me as I keep struggling, but learning this great language! However I learned so,etching very special mixing this fast with this lesson. For me I fasted for me to understand the language better, to be able to teach today with clarity and also to receive something new with a member of the quorum of the 70 who is coming this week named Elder Falabella! He will be here Friday and I really want to receive more answers to some questions and learn how I can be an even better missionary! The thing that I noticed as I fasted is that I was able to speak clearly to the elders and I was able to understand the language even more as well! So after church we went home and had a quick Halt to recover from our lesson when we received a call from the sister missionaries Sister Mangelson and Yingling. They asked if we were able to go and give a blessing to a less active member who had a car crash this morning and so we went with Jhonny Garcia to give him one. As we got there the sister showed up with us and we gave him a blessing and taught him a quick blessing. I am falling in love with the language more and more as I learn to love the people. I know a lot of times I am talking about the language and it is because I love the people. Something I have learned is if you don't love the people you will not be able to learn the language fast. Put the people first and the language comes with ease. So today I would say learned that life is tiring and that as we fast we receive so many blessings from our Heavenly Father! I challenge all of you to fast with a true purpose and see how the windows of heaven are opened for you. Or should I say that as you fast with a purpose that you will put away your umbrella and enjoy the blessings that are always falling upon you! I want to share my testimony to you all in Spanish. I know it will be hard understand but for me it is more emotional in Spanish!
Muchas personas dicen que cada persona tiene su propia experiencia por su conversión en la Iglesia de Jesucristo de los Santo de los Últimos Días, pero para mí tengo muchas experiencias que cambian quien yo soy en esta evangelio. Desde mi misión he tenido muchas experiencias como susurros del espíritu para confirmar que El Libro de Mormón, José Smith y la iglesia son verdaderos, pero creo que la cosa que me ayudó más que nada fue mi experiencia en el templo del señor. En el templo yo hecho convenios con dios y sé que si los sigo que voy a tener el Espíritu Santo y la ayuda necesario en esta vida. Cuando estaba asistiendo antes de mi misión podría sentir el espíritu mas fuerte en mi vida, sin embargo, no estaba seguro que mi padre celestial me conoce individualmente. Un día recibí un llamamiento y el presidente de mi estaca me dio una bendición. En esta bendición él me dijo, "Elder Spendlove, tu padre celestial te conoce personalmente y quiere el mejor para ti." Porque de esta bendición sé que mi padre celestial me conoce y que él les conoce también. Esta semana tuvimos mucho éxito, pero creo que la cosa de más importancia es que aprendí quién soy yo durante la semana. Se que si leemos el libro de mormón que podemos recibir un conocimiento de quienes somos nosotros. Y también sé que cada semana voy a recibir más conocimiento de quién soy yo. Sé que la Iglesia de Jesucristo de los Santos de los Últimos Días es verdadera sin duda y sé que la obra misional no es solo para misioneros. Les invito a crecer su testimonio en El Libro de Mormón y compartirlo con sus amigos para que ellos puedan leerlo y saber la verdad!
I just want to thank you all for the things that you do for me! ( Thoughts, Prayers, Letters.) You all are making a difference in my life for your support and I hope you know that I love and pray for all of you and more importantly I hope you know that I have a testimony of this gospel! If you ever see me after my mission doing something that would hinder me from making it back to the presence of God, smack me up
Side the head and let me know you expect to see me in the highest degree, because I can promise I will be reminding you! God loves and knows us personally! When you have hard times come in your life, which they will, go to the one who knows all!
I hope you all have a great week!
- Read Alma 17 with your spiritual eyes thinking of the world today and see if there are differences in what you find!
Do we love God? Because He loves us!
(1 John 4:19)
Con Amor,
Elder Spendlove
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