Monday, February 29, 2016

Crazy Cool Week

So this week went by pretty fast, and I would imagine it is because of how hard we are working and because you never have 2 seconds of free time as Zone Leader.  Its not something I would ask for to be, but it is teaching me sooooooo much and I really love that!

So last week one of the investigators of Elder Garcia and I from Alamo, MOVED INTO MY AREA, so we got with her super quick and were able to baptize her YESTERDAY, she is really cool because she cooks really really delicious tacos and always was feeding Elder Rojas and I, plus we started with 3 other members of her family that already lived here and they are really excited to be baptized.  

So that was one of the many tender mercies of the Lord.

So this week we finished and Poza Rica ended up having the most baptisms that any other zone and had broke the 20 barrier that nobody had done since I arrived.  Which was really tough for President because the mission was the number 1 baptizing at the start of 2015, so he is really excited that we are moving forward again.  He gave us a call this morning and was very pleased with the work we are doing.  

I like going out on divisions and seeing the other areas and working with all the missionaries too, everybody teaches me a lot, and it is really cool to teach people outside of your normal investigators.  

Elder Rojas is super cool, we get a long very well and I dont think that I have ever taught as well with another companion in all of my mission... since I´ve had five companions.  

So it is weird this relaxed life... like... im not all uptight and stiff anymore.  I feel like i had been living 19 years of my life looking through some weird lense, because,  wheeeewwwwwww, its a lot cooler to be relaxed and not worrying about silly stuff anymore.  I´m very thankful that the mission has taught me how to unwind a little bit, but still be effective.

The weather here... right now is literally like california, like I said last week. Here in a week or so it is suppose to hit like 100 degrees with 100% humidity and Im sure Ill be dying but as of right now... Im enjoying it.  

So I read the Pearl of Great Price for the second time and I gotta tell ya... Enoc is a total boss, he is tje bar when it comes to setting a goal for ones spirituality and testimony.   

So thats about it, thanks for all the emails.  

I hope everyone is doing good. Love you all.  
Saying goodbye to a really cool family in alamo... they gave me a new churchball jersey!! WHOOOOOP
 We found a boracho (Elder Rojas)
Welcome to Poza Rica 
Elder Rojitas and I
Lunch with some of the elders... Elder Nielson and Elder Adan (mijo)
Haircuts with a member are free
Just an upside down selfie
Its really hilly here, and these pictures take away the steepness of the hills too!
Cool mirror pick inside the font with some of the Elders in our district.
 The baptism of Yuset from alamo
After the baptism yesterday.

Monday, February 22, 2016

From Vietnam to Oceanside California

Ok so the area change is pretty cool, litterally its like walking out of this little town in the jungle to walking into Oceanside.  Now when I say that its not like this crazy nice place, but like when you are a couple streets up from the beach and their are all those little stores that are a little dirty and its SUPER humid, but still pretty cool.
So yeah I´d say its an upgrade.  

As far as being a Zone Leader goes, its pretty awesome... but at the same time, it can be really stressfull, and SUPER tiring.  Because we are always the first phone call away from President...who calls a lot.  

At least that hyperventilating feeling is wearing off. HAHA.

All the missionaries are really suprised and quite a few were kindof jealous when they heard that I was made zone leader with only 6 months.  I guess that doesnt really happen.  But oh well, I pray a lot to be humble and kind and helping to everyone, although there are times and situations when I have the opprotunity to be kindof boastful, but yes Heavenly Father has answered my prayers and helped me to keep those words in my mouth that shouldnt leave it. HAHA

The area is really cool, we work our rear ends off becuase obviously... we have to be the bar to chase.  

Elder Rojas, is super cool, we get along really well, and he is really glad that I came and talk a lot and show a lot of emotion, because the last Zone Leader just kindof talked when he had to.  

So we have fun and work hard.  We contact about 25-30 people on the street because we have competitions and whoever has the most after 2 or three days buys dinner..  I make sure to win because after Elder Garcia and I payed for a wedding a couple of weeks ago, I really cant afford to buy him carnes asadas haha.  

Friday, we were walking on the side of the highway and President Greer and Sister Greer pulled off to the side of the road and said hi, because there were just visiting, and President said,
"Well I dont have a whole lot to go do tomorrow here, why dont I come work with you guys?"  

Of couse we acted super excited and agreed but we were both freaked out of our minds because President Greer is very stern.

He showed up the other day... Was a total bro! We got a BUNCH done had some great lessons and he was very impressed with us.  It was really fun and we learned a lot, and to be honest wished he worked with us more often.  

Well this letter is getting long.  

Im doing good, tired but good.  I miss everyone but am pretty occupied with the work so dont worry to much.

Thanks for all your emails and prayers, I really feel them and see them being answered here.  

I love you all till next week.

Monday, February 15, 2016

The New Zone Leader

Heyyyyyy Errbody

SO I AM GETTING TRANSFERRED FINALLY five months felt like an eternity here in Alamo, but let me tell you we ended in on a fairytale note.

We baptized 8 people yesterday, and that is the most baptized here in Alamo in one week and ridiculous for a companionship here in the mission.  And the stories of those people, oh it just would blow your minds, I HONESTLY cant describe the emotions we had and how grateful I am to have been apart of the conversions of these people.  

We let some returned missionaries in the ward and the bishop and young mens president baptize with us yesterday so we had a BUNCH of people in white, everyone was so happy and excited, oh wow there was just such a special spirit. 

So Saturday night President Greer called me at 10:35pm, five minutes after bedtime........ That is a terrible sign because President Greer never does that... Never.  

So I was hyperventilating thinking that not knowing, my companion and I had done something wrong on accident.  

But when I answered President Greer said that "Your Heavenly Father would like you to serve as a Zone Leader, and he needs you to help animate and teach the zone how to teach with the spirit more and bring people to the waters of baptism." 

Which caught me really off guard because all of the zone leaders have like a year and a half in the mission and are studs, and then there is me here, gonna have 6 months this friday and dont really feel prepared to teach everyone and be a crazy example that everyone looks up to. It freaks me out a little but it will teach me a lot, and my new companion Elder Rojas is really cool he and I have always gotten along quite well.

So now I am Zone Leader here in Poza Rica, I am going to leave tomorrow morning for transferres. 

Im pretty nervous but I guess not as nervous as I could be.  It was hard saying goodbye to the people we baptized last night because we arent going to have time today.

Elder Garcia taught me a lot and I am so grateful for that, we really set this place on fire here in Alamo and had a lot of baptisms.  I really am sad to leave him, he has been one of my favorite companions.

I liked this quote from Jesus-- "Seek ye the kingdom of God and all these things shall be added unto you, fear not little flock, for it is your father´s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom.

Well yeah thats it for this week, thanks for the emails.  I love you all

Till next week from Poza.

AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY TAYREEEEEEEN.  😐
 
So a member let me weld a little bit on tuesday, It was a lot of fun!!
An older sister bought me a really cool watch because Im leaving, she is really cool.
One of our converts makes fish that tastes so good you would think it was from Red Lobster.
We got a couple married... that wasnt cheap.
 When a crab gets ahold of your ear!
Just an open bathroom right by the road and sidewalk.  Nothing to see here.
Getting ready for the baptisms on saturday.
 Dressed in white
 Dinner with the Family we baptized yesterday.
 Lunch with Elder Garcia and Hna. Matilde (she bought me the watch)
Tacos of chiles rellenos is life.

Monday, February 8, 2016

Another Week Bites the dust

So this week went really fast but at the same time REALLY slow.  Elder Garcia got west nile virus and suffered a lot.  I felt really bad and chuckled a little to myself to realize what I looked like on the outside, not having it.
So that ate up a couple days, and then on thursday we were eating with an older sister who gave us some mole, which is chicken or pork or steak, with like a chowder of ´made out of peppers.  Then he ran outside and started puking, and managed to tell me that the mole was bad.  While he was vomiting I stood there drinking my coke laughing a little but being sure to be there for moral support ;) when all of the sudden I started puking, it was a very tough moment for me in my life... So we sat in the front yard puking for like 10 minutes while the poor sister felt terrible that she made us sick.  But we have been back and have eaten in that house and  didnt get sick the second time.  

We had a baptism yesterday, his name is Cayetano and it was a very wonderful experience.  
It is funny we always pass by the houses of the investigators in the mornings on sundays to bring some of them to church and last week we got there late and missed the sacrament, and let me tell you I actually felt the difference, I felt like crap basically... All week.
  This week was so cool to take the sacrament and literally fill the spirit fill the space around me. It is funny how we never notice the importance of the things that we do every week until we actually dont get to take the chance to participate in them.  Especially the sacrament, read 3 Nephi 18:7 it is literally a commandmant we fill to have his spirit with us throughout the week.  

So yeah that was about it, this sunday the Hermanas (missionaries) are going to have a baptism and Elder Garcia are planning on having 9 baptisms, we have been working our behinds off and we have found some very special people.  

Another thing that I learned from a recently innactive member-  If you ARE praying, like with real intent EVERYDAY like we are commanded, you wont innactivate due to lack of faith in the gospel or the church, and you will continue to have trust in the LORD.

I say these things hoping that you guys will really take this email seriously as my friends and family, and especially my three sisters.  

I love you all and hope everyone is doing well, thanks for the emails.
till next week

Monday, February 1, 2016

Good Week bad week blue week sad week

So that title has absolutely nothing to do with this week.

So I have been blessed to exercise a little more patience this last week.  I only hit my companion two times.  --Just kidding mom I was speaking sarcastically--  

We had a lot of fun this week and we brough 13 people to church this week, and let me tell ya that is a lot harder that it sounds.  So we are going to have our first baptism of this transfer in two weeks and we are planning on baptising I think it's 8 people.  So that will make up for the lack of success we have had lately.  

Elder Garcia teaches me a lot, he is a very relaxed guy and an even better teacher.  He is teaching me to relax more to, and let me tell you that is very, very hard and for those of you who know me well, you probably understand how nearly impossible that is.  But little by little I hope to have learned how to really relax by the time I hop off of the plane in August of 2017.  

So one thing if I can express anything to any of you is read the scriptures CAREFULLY.  To be honest I don't think that our Heavenly Father cares if we read everyday if we aren't reading with a purpose or to get anything out of it.  Especially the Book of Mormon, and I am not talking like this young missionary trying to express the joy that he finally has because he is finally applying himself to the gospel.  I am talking as the person who really doesn't like to read and is really lazy when it comes to the matter.  But if you really want to feel the spirit you can do it so easily by carefully reading the Book of Mormon.

I think there are four steps to really studying the scriptures effectively.

1.  Remove yourself from commotion. 

In order to focus on the words that you read you need to be able to almost shut the world out, I think finding a quiet place is the easiest place to receive personal inspiration.

2.  Pray (Obviously)  and ask Heavenly father to help you read and understand things with his help that you would not be able to understand without his help-- pray to receive personal revelation.

3.  With every passage, generally every couple of verses, ask yourself why it was included and what God wants us to learn from it. 

This is literally when you can receive the feelings of the Holy Ghost testifying to you that what you are reading is true and has purpose for you.

4.  Do as Nephi and liken all scriptures unto yourself.  

Take time afterwards like 5 minutes or so to just think about the things you read, try to fit all the puzzles into place, you will be surprised what you learn


Anyway yeah and seriously I'm not like saying "Oh yeah look at me Mr. Missionary enlightening everyone" I'm saying you can really take advantage of you time reading the scriptures in this manner, and evade wasting time and the feelings of the lack of importance that we sometimes experience when we think about church and stuff like that. 

So oh yes, I woke up friday morning wanting to die because I got food poisoning.  Lemme tell ya that is just a lovely experience when you are finding yourself praying that you can throw up to be able to relieve the pain in your stomach at 2 in the morning.  

And don't think those prayers are silly.  They were answered and to be honest yes I did feel better after puking... lots and lots of times.

Well im having fun, and didn't really have a lot to say today, but hey, don't waste your time when you read the scriptures read with a purpose and gain a testimony.  

Love you all and thanks for the emails, you all are the best.
 
So while at church the bishop came asked me to take this horse that got loose out of the parking lot because it was acting crazy and scaring everyone and bucking and kicking. So I went outside and yeah basically saved the day.  It was pretty intense at first but I thought we got along quite well.   Here is a collage of or getting to know each other. 

Needless to say, I really miss being around horses.  
 Elder Garcia and muñeca the golden retriever
So Juvencio the dad of a big family we are gonna baptize in two weeks found us one day while out selling fish on his bike... he´s a really cool and good guy.
The Elders in the District and the two zone leaders during district class.