Interviews with Presidente and a Great Temple Trip

Hola Mamá! I’m doing good, how are you? This last week was pretty good. On Monday after p-day ended we went to visit Guillermo who we found the day before but he wasn’t home. We were really looking forward to meeting with him and his family, but we're just going to go by or call another day. I also forgot to tell you that on Sunday (the week before) we met a woman named Elba who was visiting her grandma who is in our ward but Elba is now living in Utah with her family! They live in Logan and she gave me her information so when I go back home I can talk to her. She’ll share recipes with me too. After we visited with them on Monday, we visited Fabiola and everything is going great!

Tuesday we had district meeting where we talked about how to gain confidence with people so they will trust us and be more willing or open to talking to us. After the meeting we had intercambios which was my last time having them. We sadly didn’t have time to do much contacting though because of other stuff we had to do (empty the baptismal font in the church because the pump was broken and then go do baptismal interviews) which took quite a bit of time.

Wednesday we had interviews with Presidente and Hermana Severson as well as the teaching evaluation and they all went really well. President asked me to share with him my testimony of Jesus Christ and that was really cool. I love the feeling after sharing my testimony, well during and after my testimony. The feeling is incredible. We also spent time calling former investigators and contacts to invite them to go to the temple on Friday. We had to have 4 people going in order for us to go as well. Fabiola said she is going and Claudia Valdez also said she was going. She also told us she is back living with her mom and would like to start talking with us again!

Thursday we were trying to visit former investigators or really solid contacts to invite them to the temple. We found one other person but were not very sure they would actually go. We didn’t have other success though and I think partly or well most of it was because we put so much pressure on ourselves to find 4 people that we didn’t do much else. We did go to ward counsel and had a short lesson with Fabiola though. After we got back to the casa I decided not to worry if we couldn’t go to the temple on Friday. If we couldn’t go, we would just work in our area contacting and teaching new people and preparing/planting more seeds!

Friday during our studies we tried calling quite a few people to invite them on the temple trip but had no success. We even left the house to go looking for people. We went to the church to make sure Fabiola and Claudia got there and then see them off with the others but we decided to use our last resort and call President. We talked with him, explained the situation and after talking for a good bit with him he let us go too! It was a fantastic experience for everyone! Everyone had a great time and felt the spirit with the message from the sister missionaries in the visitor’s center. I know that it really helped Fabiola and Claudia, along with everyone else, feel that they are on the right path and helped confirm to them that they want to be baptized.

Saturday we had a lesson with Fabiola that went really well. She told us that when the missionaries were teaching her before that she didn’t feel ready to be baptized. But now with us, and only God knows why, she wants to and feels like this is the right time to be baptized! We still have a bit to teach her and she has to come to church 3 times but we are going to do all we can to help her be baptized! We also tried visiting Joselin because we haven’t seen her in a while but she wasn’t home and neither was Javier. We were able to go contacting a bit to find some new contacts and that was good!

Sunday – Fabiola came to church! It was super awesome and she loved it too. There is a member that she knows from before so he was able to help her feel welcomed. Later we found a great street when we went contacting and found some really great new people! We were supposed to have a lesson with Fabiola in the evening at the Bishop’s house but she didn’t get back in time so instead we went and visited the Familia Cruz Roa. I love them so much!

Thank you guys for everything! Love you!

Elder Curran and me with Fabiola at the Temple Visitor's Center

Our Temple trip group. Fabiola is in front holding the little boy,
and Claudia is standing next to her.

 

Cool stuff I found at the shopping center near the visitor's center.

Great Lessons this Week, Plus Last Zone Conference

Hola Hola! Sounds like a really calm week you guys had but that’s good sometimes. My week was pretty good. Monday was a really great day! After p-day we had an awesome first lesson with a guy named Javier and his girlfriend Karla. I contacted Javier on Saturday when my companion was sick and I was calling people. He told us that lots of times missionaries have contacted him and set appointments to go by but then never actually did so he was very surprised when we showed up! He’s a super cool guy and believes in God but doesn’t profess a faith. He also believes very much in Christ and thinks he’s the only one we should believe in and follow because that’s what it says in the Bible. His girlfriend was also there and knows quite a bit about the church because her aunt and a bunch of extended family are members.

Tuesday was great as we were able to visit Fabiola and were able to finish a fantastic lesson with her. We were able to help her understand more about baptism and the remission of sins, then about the Gift of the Holy Ghost and why it is important and a grand privilege! She understands very well about that and is even more excited and wants to be baptized! She is funny because she was telling us her plans for escaping her house Sunday morning so she can go to church. We just need to teach her more lessons and she needs to go to church! After our lesson, we were out contacting and struggling a bit but after saying a prayer in the street and doing our best, we were able to find 11 new contacts!

Wednesday was fantastic for many reasons but the first was I finally finished reading the Book of Mormon in Spanish! I should have finished a while ago but at least I finished before my mission ended and that was my goal! Another reason it was fantastic was because we had a second lesson with Marta Garcia. It was a really great lesson about the Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith, what happens in church services and classes on Sundays, a little bit about tithing and also about temples. She was very interested in the Book of Mormon and understood everything we explained but she told us she doesn’t want to join any religion or church. We thought she was going to tell us she didn’t want us to come back but she told us she likes learning about the church and wouldn’t mind coming to church to learn and see a bit more. She’s a super nice lady and we hope to be able to soon invite her to be baptized.

Thursday we had a lesson planned with Javier and some other people but they all canceled. At least Javier said we could come by the next day. Then when we went to visit Fabiola, she said she had some problems before we had gotten there. Unfortunately, we got there later than expected because we had to go to ward council. I think it was a trial moment for her but we are doing what we can to help her.

Friday was our zone conference and my very last one. It was a really good one too! We had a lesson from President about faith then Sister Severson about being clean and the 10 commandments of health. For those whose last Zone conference it is, they have to share their “last testimonies”. Even though I was a bit nervous it was a great time and I felt the spirit very strongly. We also had a training by the assistants and it was super awesome altogether! After zone conference, we went with Javier and his girlfriend and had a super awesome lesson about the restoration. Lessons with them are super great because we can feel the spirit. He helps us teach and say the things we need to and because they participate by reading scriptures, asking questions or sharing their comments.

Saturday we did our best to verify with every one of our investigators about going to church. Marta, Javier and Fabiola said they were going to be there. We were also able to have a lesson with Fabiola and review the lesson of the Restoration which went really well. Thankfully she still remembers quite a bit from when the missionaries taught her before. We were able to find a few contacts throughout the day too.

Sunday only Marta came to church and that was super awesome but we were really hoping for Fabiola and Javier too. We have no idea what happened with Javier but Fabiola said she had a huge migraine in the morning so she wasn’t able to go. We did have an activity in the evening where we watched Meet the Mormons and she was able to come to that and really enjoyed it! During the day we had a quick appointment with a guy named Gonzalo Cruz who is an ex-boxer and has a picture on his wall of when he met Floyd Mayweather! That is way cool and so is the guy. He has a grand desire to learn more about the church and God. While we were walking in the street, my companion started talking to a guy named Guillermo who is a super cool guy. He told us that about a year or so ago, the missionaries were visiting him but they got transferred and the new missionaries never went by. But they influenced him and his family a lot so they don’t drink coffee or tea and even still read the Book of Mormon! We set up an appointment to go by and visit them after p-day ends!

Thank you for your thoughts! Thank you guys for your love and support and prayers! I hope you guys have a great week!

He was so excited for Mtn. Dew!!! :)

Plugging Along with Missionary Work and the Importance of the Spirit

Hola Hola! Things here are good, and well this week was okay but not the best. And with your question, what have I learned from my new companion, I’ve learned how to just have fun and be happy no matter what! After p-day ended last week it started raining really hard and there was a crazy thunderstorm. Sister Roa told us we could go by so I could get my birthday cake she made for me. I love her family so much! The cake she made was awesome and they all sang for me too. We had a good time! After that, because of the crazy storm we went back to the casa to call people to try and set appointments.

Tuesday was district meeting and we talked about how important it is that we have the Spirit with us. If we don’t, it won’t matter what we teach or say because that is the most important element of missionary work. We really can’t do anything without the Spirit. Later we passed by to visit Fabiola in the evening to see how she is doing and so far, so good. She has a strong desire to be baptized. There’s just some problems with her mom because she doesn’t support her talking with us but we are trying to help her. We invited her to attend a baptism that Elders Parke and Gonzalez were going to have on Sunday. Plus we are planning a trip to the temple on the 23rd and she said she would really love to do both!

Wednesday was really good. We had a couple lessons and were also doing a fast for Fabiola and our other investigators. The first lesson we had was surprising because last week we knocked on a door and contacted a girl who gave us her name and number and told us we could come by. It turned out that the name and information she gave us was for her mom whose name is Martha. We were very confused but figured it out and were able to talk to Martha and teach her about the restoration. It was a really great lesson and she invited us to come back another day to teach her more. The other lesson was with Fabiola and she really opened up to us to share some things that happened in the past that she’s never shared with anyone before. We talked with her about the Atonement of Christ and Repentance and assured her that no matter what has happened in the past, with Christ we can overcome those things through baptism. It was very special to me that she trusted us to share those things with us and even more special that she wants to improve her life and become closer to God.

Thursday was rough just because of how I felt physically. I don’t know if it was because of the fast but I started out with a headache that got worse and worse and I had body aches too. Even after we ended our fast I still felt like crap, but I tried my best to keep going. The fast was definitely worth it though. In the evening we visited with Fabiola and really focused on faith in Christ, repentance and the Atonement of Christ to help her understand that she can be free from her past sins. We ended the lesson by inviting her to be baptized on the 7th of September and she accepted! Now we have to focus on getting her to church every week until then because it’s only 4 weeks away.

Friday we had intercambios and I was with Elder Gonzalez. I don’t know what it is but every time we have intercambios, I feel like contacting people is so much easier in the other Elder’s area. Normally the appointments they have go smoothly, but it was actually the first time they fell through. Elder Gonzales is very outgoing and pretty knowledgeable. We had a good day and I thankfully felt better than the day before. At one point, we were trying to figure out where we could go contact and just then a guy walked up to us and said he’d talked to the missionaries before so we started talking a bit with him. He isn’t sure if God exists but is willing and wants to meet more with the missionaries.

Saturday my companion and Elder Parke were both sick from the food they ate the day before. Friday night after we got back to the Elder's casa, my companion threw up a couple of times, then a few more times during the night and in the morning so we just went back to our casa Saturday so he could rest and recover. While he was sleeping, I looked through our area book, called a bunch of people and set appointments with them too.

Sunday no one came to church, even though we called the night before and that morning. We event went to Fabiola’s house and she said she would be at church, but apparently, she had an argument with her mom and then wasn’t able to come. Personally, I was frustrated and discouraged; but when I realized in the evening what I was doing, I decided to say a little prayer to ask for forgiveness for allowing those thoughts and feelings to enter, and to ask for help to improve. My companion and I set goals and made plans so that this week is better.

I really like the quotes you sent a lot! Thank you so much! I love you guys! Have a great week!

Birthday cake!!! (which he said was delicious)

A Good First Week With His Last Companion

Hola! I’m doing very good. Thank you guys so much for the birthday wishes! I love the quotes too! I had a good week last week. Tuesday we had a district meeting and got a surprise visit from the assistants which was way cool because they are good friends of mine. Later we went to visit with Joselin to see how she’s doing with prayers, reading scriptures, and so my companion could get to know her as well. We also found 4 contacts. It was a pretty good day.

Wednesday it hit me that this is my last cambio with my last companion. I feel like with God’s grace, mercy and hard work we were able to baptize Joselin; but as of right now for this cambio, we don’t have anyone progressing to be baptized and I’m super stressed. I still have 6 weeks with lots of work to do before I go home. Another part that stresses me is that so many people cancel appointments we set with them that it’s hard to actually find new investigators. I just need to keep going, working hard, have a positive attitude and more faith.

Thursday was the first weekly planning session with Elder Curran so it took a bit more time for me to explain to him about our investigators. We finished really late but were able to plan really well. Our appointments fell through so we decided to visit the sister who is a member but her husband is not to see if we could find him home. She told us he’s busy with work. He drives diesel trucks and can be gone for days or even weeks at a time. She never knows when he will get home but the crazy thing is that about 5 minutes after we got there he showed up! I know it was not a coincidence. Although he does want to be baptized to be sealed with his wife, he has quite a bit of doubts and questions and doesn’t trust people a lot because of past experiences; but we were able to address and answer them to start to help him. Later we visited a former investigator named Fabiola who hasn’t been visited by missionaries for a couple years. We tried contacting her before but it never worked out. Elder Curran and I were finally able to visit with her and get to know her. She lives with her mom but her mom isn’t interested in talking with us. She is super nice and friendly! She has some issues but would really like to take the lessons again and go to church! We see a lot of potential in her. It will take some work, I know it’s not impossible though!

Friday we walked all over creation trying to find new contacts and going to other appointments. It had been really sunny the whole week so we got sunburned but oh well, the work must go on! We worked really hard before lunch to achieve 4 new contacts, which was really great because we’ve been trying super hard to talk to everyone we meet, everywhere we go. Later we decided to go look for a reference we got from the internet and didn’t realize how far it was until we got there. At first nobody answered so we decided to go contacting for a bit then go back. Right as we got back, he got there too! His name is Jorge Velazquez and he has 4 kids between 16 and 10 years old. We weren’t able to talk with them but we did set another appointment. We also had a lesson with Joselin to start reviewing the lessons. We got her to share her testimony with us about why she decided to start taking lessons, about the Book of Mormon and some other things. It was really great to hear what she said. Our goal is to keep helping her grow her testimony so she will be strong in the church and be an example to her family and friends.

Saturday we went looking for a reference from a sister in the ward of an older man who has been inactive for some years now. His daughter recently moved here and is interested in going to church and talking to us. We weren’t able to find them so we went to the family Cruz Roa for help; and when we finally figured out where it was, we had to go back home for the night. Another experience we had was with a guy and his wife (Francisco and Frida) who are super nice and accepted for us to teach them, but every time we go by, they aren’t there. We ran into them in the street in the evening and were able to talk for a quick minute and invite them to church – and they accepted. 

Sunday was my birthday!! Anywho, before church we passed by with Francisco and Frida to see if they were going to come to church and they were getting ready. We were all able to go to church together. Them and their 2 little kids Haley and Richard. They were only able to stay for the first hour but it was so awesome they actually went. We had a cita planned with them later but when we went, they weren’t home… We went to see Fabiola later and talked with her about what she wants in life. She’s 24, her parents are separated and her mom isn’t super supportive of her being baptized. She wants more than anything a family and a home based on principles and values of the church. We had a really great talk, very spiritual. We set some goals and plans to first help her and to start heading in the path she wants to go! She has so much potential and we are going to do our best to help her! We ended the day by going to visit the Familia Cruz Roa. Hermana Roa is going to make the cake you sent me too. It was a really great day!

Thank you for the pictures, I loved them. Thank you for everything. Have a great week! 

Me and Elder Loomis