August 17, 2014

The work is GOING GOOD! We finally finally finally finally!! Pushed SOO hard and we got 3 investigators to come to church!! WE WIN! haha Not yet, but we made so significant progress with that first step of coming to church. So .. YEAH! This week we also had the privilege to have my 3rd mission tour!!! Elder Bowen from the 70 came and spoke to us. He is truly an inspirational speaker. I have changed my mission and my life because of what he told me! One of the things I enjoyed was he was just going hard on us over obedience. He gave us a formula, obedience+faith/work=miracles. He explained this thing, which in a way I knew that, but he took it further! He began to ask us questions on how obedient we were, if any of us were hesitant he asked, "where is the power in that?" When he asked how many of you wake up on time, and we had to think about it, no power, our obedience was powerless. How many of us get out on time everyday, again a hesitation.. no power. I decided, how can we as set apart ministers be so powerless. When we are asked if we are obedient and we say "I try" how weak. The second was he asked how many of us work with faith. He asked how many lessons we teach, we told him average 15 to 20. He said, well double it. You are walking with people everyday, you should at least have 50 contacts a day. Harsh to hear, but true. Were we not commanded to raise our voice as a trump, yet we walk and show nobody that we are willing to stop them for 5 minutes and faithfully invite them to the gospel. Our mission was changed. We were given invited to be powerful ministers through obedience, and with faith and hard work raise our voice to all people, expecting our results to be double, which is a miracle. I have been so uplifted, that is a leader of our church and I support him. I think I have been at fault for murmuring and lacking in some ways in the close of my mission saying, Am I not doing a good job? Am I not doing work? But the fact is I have precious time to serve the Lord, and now is not the time to be weak. We went out and we saw a Miracle this week, I hope as we go out this next week we will see more. I leave this in the name of Christ Amen.

August 10, 2014

This week was crazy long! I am doing my 4th transfer in this area... and man oh man.. things seem to just be like the same things everyday. I really miss change right now. But, as for investigators and less actives, we are making some progress. Our real problem right now is getting them to church. We have been pushing so hard, and none of them will do it. We even set it up where we would go pick them up, when we got to their house, they were just sitting around and they told us they were busy! ... I was not happy with that. Salvation is on the line and our investigator did not take us seriously... Anyways the ones we planned to pick up were not are super great receptive ones so we were hoping they would come to church and maybe have a good experience there and want to get serious with the lessons. But we planned, we texted, we stopped by the night before even to confirm.. and than just bam .. flaked. It is frustrating. Anyways.. Patience and Long-suffering, and some gentle persuasion are things I need to still work on I guess.
Anyways we had a cool experience. Part of my mission has been searching for the lost sheep. As we look for the 100's of less actives, we find investigators on the way. It has been way effective, and really cool sometimes. This week, we especially had a good find. We found this family, we probably passed by their house a ton, and they never even seem to notice us. Finally we found their name on our list of members, we searched, we found them, and we taught them. They were so nice, and receptive. They were also a Part-Member family... things could go well. I was way stoked we taught them and good lesson, and I haven 't been this excited in forever! It seems to sometimes when things seem hard, the Lord is always preparing a way to strengthen my faith. I am way stoked teach this family, they already commited to go to church and we will see miracles I hope. This Church is true and this work is true. It is hard, but this transfer I think will have to be a lot of patience and long suffering, with some gentle persuasion!.. the Lord will provide and miracles will be seen. I know this in the name of Jesus Christ Amen.

August 3, 2014

This week we had a slow week. Transfers, and just overall the weather slowed us down. Our area is so muddy and my feet are always so wet! haha I am so sick of it! Anyways the rain really seemed effect everyone in my district. We as a district, had a pretty slow week. Anyways, We had some good things happen though. We set out tracting again to find some new people to teach. We had a lot of less actives come to church. Also .. yeah things are just the same ol same ol. Anyways, a lot of things happened this past week and my thoughts were drawn towards the plan of salvation, mostly the sealing power here on this Earth and Families. I have grown a deep understanding of how important that promise is, especially as I read D&C section 2. It is also found in Malachi, of how the hearts of the children will turn to their fathers, and the hearts of the fathers will turn to the children. We need each other in this world, whether this life or the next. Salvation lies within the family, generations of generations. I think when the Lord planned the world and in it he created a place for us, to live and to be happy. But also to keep that happiness for the next life. Joseph Smith mentions in D&C .. I can't remember what section 128 I think how we need each other to obtain salvation. How important is it now than that we live as eternal families in the faith. How important is it that we stay faithful to our covenants. Even more now, as I am tracting and looking for investigators, how important is it that we search for families. Help them receive eternal and everlasting covenants and to create a heritage of faithful members who will support one another in the eternities. Even more now.. the work of the dead how many of our relatives need us to finish their work here on this Earth. I just want to leave my testimony that Families are Forever. I know that the Plan of Salvation is centered on families, and a loving perfect God has given us families to be happy. Let us all be faithful to our covenants as a family, and help others to receive the true blessings from families.

July 28, 2014

Well the storm has passed, it is hot!! But we are doing good. This was the last week of the transfer and .. I am staying in La Mesa for 1 MORE TRANSFER!.. Its kind of a long time, but its all good. I am excited about it. Anyways.. We had a cool experience this week. It was a cool story of just how our Heaveny Father carries out his work and how the hearts of others are prepared. We met someone just walking, he was just an ordinary guy, and we didn't pay him much attention, but suddenly he was so happy to say hi. It was him and his family with him. The wife seemed in a rush, but he had to just say hi. I kept pressing for maybe something, I asked him if he knew us and met anyone like us. He said a long time ago missionaries came, and never came back after. We grabbed his address real quick, and he told us just come by whenever.. typical line of people who don't really seem interested. I let it go, and so one day when we seemed to have some extra time, I felt like, well maybe we should go try to find them. So we did, I new vaguely the area, and we went and found them. It was just easy really we asked the first person we saw on his street if they knew him. She literally escorted us to their house, and we were able to right then and there share. The lesson was great, he gathered his whole family, and we sat and shared the whole restoration lesson very carefully, but in an overview setting. The whole family was way receptive and they didn't forget an inch of it. I was way surprised. Who are these people? They are way receptive. Even better, when we came for our followup appointment, they had read the assignment, they knew the chapter in Mosiah chapter 18 better than I did... not really but they were almost teaching me. This is what I have been looking for, this is the ones the Lord has truly prepared. I was so surprised, but even more I was so happy. My joy was full. I just want to testify, that people are prepared, and we just need to be sensitive to the grand scheme of things. Even more I want to testify of the joy of families. It seems in my mission I have never met a family.. that was ready to be complete and sealed in the temple! This family seems so prepared! I never know what is going to happen, but as of Right now it was an extraordinary week.The Lord really did bless me this week. I know these things are true. I say them in the name of Jesus Christ Amen.

July 22, 2014

Rain Rain go away come again some other day!This week has been so long... We have been just crazy going around the mission and I had so many meetings plus a typhoon to battle we couldn't get much done! The typhoon was pretty weak!!! haha just kidding.. it knocked out our power for 2 days.. we ate a lot of chips those past two days. Haha but we had water.. and we were just sweating miserable in our apartments. It passed by my area within the first .. 5 hours of the afternoon. We watched it the winds were pretty strong.. it was kind of cool. Anyways.. lots of trees uprooted but that is about it! Anyways, besides that.. yeah this week was pretty hectic. We had an official meet the president, that was cool. President Bertin is a very cool guy and.. we got to meet him and his family through a video they made. Also, I had a district leader training, I got some cool training from President Bertin about baptismal interviews and how we should prepare our investigators. Last but not least, I had to give some baptismal interviews. It is always special to me in hearing a converts testimony. My favorite time of an interview is to hear what someone bear their new found testimony about he gospel. I have seen tears but always followed by a big smile. I can't help but to feel jealous that I never have seen the big difference that a convert may see, but I do remember those days, before my mission when I thought I was solid in the Gospel compared to now as I have been building and beefing up my testimony. This is just my chance to mirror my witness like those investigators I interviewed, that I know this is the Church that Jesus Christ restored though a prophet Joseph Smith. I know that this is the way to true happiness, and that our loving Heavenly Father wants nothing but for us to accept it. I know that we need to do all we can to be strong and faithful to those things we know are to be true. Let us help those I have seen change their lives by showing them through our testimony that it truly is worth it. I know this Church is true and I leave this in the name of Jesus Christ Amen.

July 13, 2014

Anyways, This week was really great. We were tracting and really just searching for those who would really accept the gospel. Sometimes it seemed we were just getting no where, and yet we had a great Sunday. My companion and I decided we need to be more prayerful and fast, so we fasted for some help. After our fast.. I wasn't really sure what to expect. Really it seemed nothing changed. But trusting in the Lord we worked hard, knocked on doors.. which again .. is way weird to do in our mission for some reason, but yesterday on Sunday the Lord truly blessed our ward. We had the highest attendance I had ever seen since I had been here. The sister missionaries in our ward got all their investigators to church, We the day before got a Part Member family to come for the first time in a long time. It was just an outpouring of blessings. There was an excitement, It could truly be felt. I know the Lord is with us always. He does hear us, and he knows how to help us. I feel so blessed this week, and I feel so empowered almost. When Alma wrote about his brethren, the sons of Mosiah, he knew the cause of such miracles. Through diligent scripture studies, and the power of faith and prayer. I know that as we fast and pray we will see miracles. I leave this in the name of Christ Amen.

Anyways.. this week was a great one. I really felt inspired, on the flip side.. i have lost 97 pounds, and if things go the way I think they will I will by next week report that I am now 100 pounds lighter than when I started my mission! haha. And.. I had a great birthday, my zone .. really made me feel great! We had a CSP and than we all had a little birthday lunch.. they bought me a cake! haha.

June 29, 2014

This week has been so crazy! We first off have a new mission president. He showed up yesterday! His name is President Bertin. He is from Salt Lake! We will be meeting him in 2 weeks for the first time. It is such an excited time. But not only that, my district, I am pretty sure, is one of the highest if not the highest district in numbers. That is just a guess, but I was so surprised at the miracles we are seeing in our district.It is crazy how much progress we are having, how many people we have with baptismal dates, how many of those are progressing, and how many new investigators in general we were able to find. It has ALL been so astonishing! I truly believe the Lord has prepared many people from beyond the vale, for this is the time it seems that the Lord is truly hastening his work. Even my companion and I have had a good 2 weeks of finding through our own efforts.We were able to find some investigators who seem excited to hear us. It has just been a fun week. Even though we are still struggling to schedule them in and really get things going, This next week is going to be GOOD. I can feel it. Anyways, with all this excitement I can hardly think of anything to really talk about specifically. I just want to leave my testimony, that as I go about everyday to tend to the Lord's vineyard.. I am so amazed at how this truly is his work and his church. I have a strong conviction that all my efforts though hard are going to be worth it. We are preparing God's Kingdom here on Earth. I know we have a loving Father in heaven who sent his only begotten, that through him we might be saved. I know that Joseph Smith is a true prophet of God who did restore Christ's Church and that Thomas S. Monson is leading the Church of Jesus Christ right now in our time. I am happy to be a missionary and I want to leave this in the name of Jesus Chirst Amen.

June 22, 2014

This week was super good. A new transfer and companion can really spark the work. I am still in my area, but I have a new companion his name is Elder McKinney. He is pretty swell kid.. he is pretty new but gives me more motivation show him how good missionary work can be. I have felt like our work in our area has been going really slow. I think my last companion and I got kind of comfortable and that can be in turn kind of a hindrance, blinding you from what is out there. I decided with my new companion, we have things to do. It won't be easy, but we need to get out there and flip the table. We have to find more and teach more, we are too comfortable where we are at, and we aren't progressing! So we did, we dropped some of our non-progressing and we went hard in finding. We set goals, prayerfully went out with faith, and Heavenly Father provided a way. It seems to me that sometimes we are so preoccupied, going around the routine of things, especially in missionary work, we forget about Heavenly Father himself. Faith is a principle that I have been seeing in so many new ways. It isn't just wind, we can feel, but not see. We don't just blindly follow. But it is surety, it is hope, it is charity. Moroni gives a good description on it. I have been pondering a lot on the scripture, and I don't have my scriptures so it is not completely correct. But it says, "And Christ hath said if he have faith in me, ye shall have power to do whatsoever is expedient in me." Does it really mean we can do whatever? No, but we can do whatever he needs us to do. I think as members, as children of God .. we need to have that faith! Sometimes I think we are so busy in the motions that we truly miss the faith in things. Let us all have faith and do what we need to, not by routine, but by action, by prayer, and by obedience. I know that we will be blessed as we act in faith and do the things the Lord has asked us to do and expects too. I leave these things in the name of Jesus Christ Amen.

June 16, 2014

We had a great week! It was a week of a lot of things to do. We had district meeting, transfers, exchanges, and family home evenings/firesides.What a crazy week. It hasn't been raining too much, its really nice to be in this area. We have transfer announcements, I will be getting a new companion next week. His name is Elder Mckinny.. or something like that. Elder Crabb will be leaving its pretty sad. We had fun. But life must move on. Anyways, its crazy.. I'm on my last 4 transfers.. wow! Anyways this week I have been really thinking about what my Ward needs. What is it that can make them better, they are great, but how can we improve. We seem to have such a small number who seem to be coming weekly, though they are not considered less active, are they truly active? I have had the impression that everyone as members could step up their faithfulness unto the lord. I have been trying to finish all standard works.. the Old Testament.. seems like fairy tales to me haha. But something I was interested in was how the Lord chastened the Israelite. He had things, like giving them manna, that required daily faith and obedience. Most members, not just here, but in the whole world seem to forget their daily manna. Daily Scripture Study, Prayer, week Church attendance. Do we also not need our daily bread? Elder Christiansen gave a talk on this, on Mormon messages, and I am truly inspired by his words. I think we need to become strong in the Gospel, and do those little daily things that make us stronger. I know this Church is true, and we as members need to act as though it is true. I leave this in the name of Jesus Christ Amen.

Anyways, we had a lot of dinners.. I am so fat... curse transfer week! haha

June 8, 2014

This week was really good. We finally seemed to be able to get stuff done, we got another new Ward Mission Leader, and he has been on top of it working with us. We finally got to some of our investigators that we weren't able to go to for a long time and sweet! We finally got back to teach. We also were able to teach this other guy, his name is Albert. Haha, the first time we met him it was like we were in the 1980's he greeted us like this. "Hey Boys top of the morning" Than he ended with, "Welp see ya later boys!" yep .. we were speechless haha. Later that week we saw him and gave him an equally good greeting. Now we are teaching him. Crazy! Anyways, besides that we were so busy this week. I had my first exchanges as a District Leader. I went to an area, they have juts about the same problems as we do. That is no one is working with them. I felt bad as we got 0 appointments that day and the trainee junior seemed pretty sad that that is the exchanges. I encouraged him to work with their priesthood and talk to everyone to work, or their work will always be that way. Just like how our work  has been. Also our Zone Leader got sick and wasn't able to give his stake workshop. Yeah .. he asked me to fill in. It was easy, just a huge waste of my time. Anyways we were able to really get some ward missionaries inspired to use Preach my Gospel in their teachings and lives. Basically, our stake is about to pump our some missionaries soon. So I am pretty excited! I love Missionary work and Good things are about to happen!

On a side note, Taylor Swift came to the Philippines on June 6 .. that was a great day haha.