Aprender español despacio pero seguramente

Tuesday was really fun because I got to do exchanges with Elder Bottari. It was just like old times only my Spanish wasn't as useless!  I still learn so much from him and I hope I get to be his companion again in the future.

We had a great Stake Conference yesterday, President Bowler is just amazing! He was mission President in Central America for a while so he helps out so much. He's also like best friends with one of our investigators who has been investigating for a long time but doesn't want to be baptized because he hasn't read the Book of Mormon yet, only he doesn't read it very much so it's pretty slow.  He also has many LDS friends but some of them are a bad example and stressed how he doesn't want to end up like that.

Our stake conference seemed to be focused on scripture study and one brother left a really strong testimony that I hope really impacted him. He said President Bowler gave every member of the High Council a card with President Monson reading his scriptures and told everyone to write on the back that they commit to reading the scriptures every day without missing a day. This brother said that in the moment he didn't feel like he could make that commitment because he knew he would mess up. He said there was one night though that really changed his mind as he realized that he needed to sign the card and make that promise with God to read his scriptures, he said he has missed a few days but because of repentance he can keep trying without being discouraged. If he could apply that to his decision to be baptized then I think he will really understand the importance of performing that ordinance.

Also a family we had lost contact with finally responded to us yesterday! It’s nothing super solid but I hope we can have an amazing lesson with them this week. 

I guess being in such a small area it's really easy to fall into the pit of thinking you already know everyone or that there's very few people with potential. This is never the case however, there always seems to be people moving in and out, as the Lord truly is constantly preparing someone to receive us. Everyone still has the agency to choose but the Lord's mercy is in preparing his children to have the perfect circumstance for them go accept the Gospel. Just as long as we are prepared and worthy we can find them and then very clearly present that choice right in front of them then do all in our power to have them make the correct choice. 

I'll admit the language has been a really fun challenge at times.  One day I'll feel really great and then next I trip over my words more often. But really I do love so much learning this language, it has been a beautiful progression and I hope I can really master it. One thing that has been a little more difficult has been the cultures, sometimes it's hard for me to understand and love it the way I should and I get to caught up in how much it doesn't make sense to me rather than me adapting to it. But I'm starting to get the hang of it and in time I hope it'll make more sense to me. 

Cake and Oreos

Yesterday was our miracle day for sure, I was starting to feel a little discouraged since quite a few of our investigators had dropped us and we were having a real hard time finding in our small area. But yesterday we went to visit one of our investigators who we found out lives with a ton of other people. So at first when we pulled up to his house we saw another new guy just outside for whatever reason. It ended up being his first day ever in America and he invited us and we got to share the restoration, we put him on date and everything and he has some potential. Then right after we left we noticed the garage was more open and heard someone inside so my companion crawled under the garage and started talking to our investigator who was inside and working on his cars that he sells for a living. At first I thought what the heck we are going to get shot for this, but then he also invited us in the same house and we got to have another lesson there, which was a little weird but awesome.

We ate dinner the past two evenings with Venezuelan families which is the best, lots of BBQ . One was from Caracas and the other from Maracaibo.  The brother from Maracaibo helped us out with a ride and lessons all last night. Man he was hilarious and so experienced in the missionary work. The lesson we had that night wasn't super sure since it always just seems to be their kids that answer the door and say that their parents aren't home. This night the same thing happened their kids answered and said their parents weren't home and to come back later, but he told them he knew they were lying and if they didn't bring their parents then would call the police or something. He was like halfway in the house just joking around with the kids and in a few minutes their mom came to the door. She wasn't super open to let us in at first but then she commented on how cold it was and the Brother from Maracaibo said "Ya we're freezing let us in so we can warm up a little bit and talk!" So she let us in and we had an amazing lesson about eternal families and bits of the plan of salvation, at first we just started going through the lesson but the Brother from Maracaibo would teach just so sincerely and with the spirit that we really learned that night how to teach people and discern what they really need. She felt the spirit and seemed like she really wanted what we were teaching. We are coming back tonight and hopefully Sunday.

This week I have been focusing a lot on asking better questions and in PMG I found a great activity that I added to a few minutes of my personal study. I am reading/skimming Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and 3 Nephi and writing down every question Christ asked to his disciples and comparing and contrasting with my own, so far it has helped me a lot. I guess I never really noticed how useful those personal and companionship study activities are in PMG and how much you can learn from them. Recently I've felt like the work has really slowed down a bit with losing quite a few investigators, however we have equally been blessed with many new investigators who we haven't met before. I'll admit that at times I feel like I want something so bad that I question the events that have happened but I wouldn't say I'm discouraged, I feel the Spirit working through us and testify of the guidance we receive and the joy felt as we act upon that guidance. Like I've said before I wish at times we saw a little more progress and success but I know the Lord knows what's best and has a plan for exactly what we need to do each day. It's so fun to be able to meet so many interesting people and share the same joy of the gospel I have experiences.

Today for zone activity we played this obstacle course game where we had to first have someone get an Oreo from their face in their mouth. Then guide someone blindfolded through an obstacle course and then knock down some plastic cups with paper balls and then roll dice until you land on boardwalk on monopoly. Then after we played a giant game of companionship four square with a giant yoga ball. It was pretty fun and creative, our Zone Leaders Elders Kelly and Craig are pretty great.

Snow & Ice

Work here has gotten just a little bit slower since we haven't been able to bike as much due to the ice and because most of the sidewalks are piled with snow and we don't trust the drivers enough to bike the roads.

However we are sure the Lord is preparing someone for us right now, we have been focusing on visiting those who we feel strongly to visit. It has brought forth much more success and I can testify of the amazing feeling it is to truly give up

everything to the Lord and become his instrument to bring this eternal joy to everyone who will accept it. Doing everything by the Spirit is the way missionary work has been done, any other way just doesn't work as well.

This last Saturday we had the chance to visit a zone baptism which was actually in the last ward I served in! It was really great to see a few old friends from my first area. We brought an investigator of course. He moved to Utah quite a while ago actually. He was actually married to an LDS woman for a while but they ended up getting divorced, he's been taking the lessons for a number of years now and is even best friends with our amazing Stake President. But recently he has started coming to church every week and has been inviting his son to talk with us. The biggest problem has been when we invite baptism, he says he doesn't feel quite ready yet and is still not sure about Joseph Smith. The baptism we took him to though really helped out a lot, some members he was talking to asked him when he would be baptized and he said "I'm not sure yet, but sometime soon". Which was pretty amazing. On top of that our Stake President challenged him to read the Book of Mormon at least 15 minutes a day and also the JS History. So we'll see what'll become of that.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

We had a dance with the Branch for New Years Eve. Although we only stayed

for an hour to see if investigators showed up, it was pretty dead while we were there but apparently around 10 there was like 250 people or so. 

We had cow guts again for dinner for New Years and it's actually really cool.

This week a lot of our goals have been aimed specifically at focusing on those who are prepared, I think something I had a hard time with starting off. At times I just don't want to quite give up on some people but I've realize the greater blessing in focusing in on those who are ready now. We can always continue to prepare others but almost all of our energy should be solely focused on those whom the Lord has prepared for us today. As it says in 1 Corinthians 1:25 "The foolishness of God is wiser than man" 

God has a plan prepared for everyone to receive the Gospel in the best way possible, all we can do is what he asks to set it up. As long as we recognize our role as his instruments then they will have the experiences required for that perfect situation to come to pass. And then to receive all of the blessings God has prepared for them. Our own wisdom can never truly bring a soul unto Christ, but trusting in and carrying our faithfully the will of God with diligence and patience will bring about the miracles we are looking for.

I'm loving the work so far, at times I wish we saw more success but I have a testimony in the huge plans the Lord has for this area and people living here.

Elder Bessey's First Skype Call Home

We got to hear from Elder Bessey on Christmas. It was amazing to see him and hear him speak Spanish! It was a great Christmas present for all of us.

One of the families in his area sent us pictures of Elder Bessey eating at their house one night! 

A trip to Temple Square and a visit from an Apostle

It's kinda hard to believe it's been another week now. I think there's a lot of things I've learned this week but not necessarily in the easiest way. We had quite a few stumbling blocks this week but probably two of the biggest things I have learned is 1. Trust in the Lord's Plan more than our own and 2. You can either look at a stumbling block as an annoyance or as a tool to stand a little taller.

Friday in particular was just a sucker punch, our family of 5 who were going to be married that day and baptized the 24th had a huge fight and said they no longer wanted to be together. But the good news is that they still have the desire to be baptized. So if we have a lesson with them this week we can help to sort out this problem and get them ready to be baptized the 31st.

I'll admit that at first I felt super discouraged but I realize there's a reason for everything and if we stay diligent everything will turn out more than ok. The Lord has a plan for every one of his children and even though it stings at time we have to endure to receive blessings. We didn't choose to come to Earth to frolic through the flowers everyday but to have experiences that build character and prepare us to meet God. I especially remembered something President Lansing told us at one of the first conferences where we don't want to stand before our Heavenly Father and have him say "I sent you this trial to help you become something better, and you let it get the best of you."

So anyways we really loved Luz de Las Naciones Saturday night, I got to see Elder Butts and Elder Valentine from my MTC district which was really fun. We also had a few investigators come and I think it was a really neat experience for us and them. The whole event reminded me of the quote from that Muppet play at Disney when Sam the Eagle says something like "And now a celebration of all the countries of the world, but mostly America" Luz was a celebration of all the Hispanic counties but mostly Mexico. 

Elder Fletes and Elder Bottari were sitting next to each other, it was actually pretty fun to see them react to their countries since Mexico and Argentina aren't super good friends. Argentina had this fun tap dance thing that was all soothing and calm and fun to watch, then right after Mexico came out with panchos and violins stomping, whistling, and shouting. Elder Fletes kept yelling out Mexican stuff and clapping. It was super fun.

I had an amazing experience at the temple last week, I loved the designs and paintings. But it was my first visit to the Oquirrh Mountain Temple and I was super happy we got to go. One thing I loved was how busy it was, because so many people were coming and leaving I noticed just how many different people are able to have the same awesome experience. I saw a police man, a crazy biker with leather vest and all, someone who looked like a lumberjack, business men, and a few missionaries. Once everyone changes into white though we all have something in common and we all have the same experience.

Last night we were able to listen to the Apostle Elder Rasband. And holy snikes that was so cool, everyone got to shake his hand and he just talked to us about Christmas and Jesus Christ all evening, I was so spiritually exhausted by the end. 

The most memorable quote from that talk was when he said "Don't ever whine again on your mission, never again will Heavenly Father have such an interest in your life that he will tell you exactly what area in world you need to go, and then exactly which area in your mission to go with the exact person you need to go with." Basically what I got from that is just how divine our calling is and how important it is to listen to the spirit. And really when we are complaining while serving it's pretty much mocking God and his divine wisdom. 

After the talk our entire mission had a social with cookies and cake and everything, and Sister Lansing gave us all these super sick (meaning awesome) journals.