May 29, 2013

Dear Family,

So I sat down to wait for the computer to be ready, just a few minutes ago... and this guy says. 'hey John, do you know anything about computers?' This guy on his laptop was trying to make google his homepage so I did it for him and then sat down next to him. he then said "So hows the wife?" to which I said... "Wife?" he then explained how the bible talks about the 12 qualificaitons of an elder and that they should be married. I then showed him in 2 Timothy and Titus where, in the KJV, it is translated Bishop not elder. Then he says 'oh well I wasnt trying to start anything' and I just laughed and we talked about some other doctrinal views that we have in common. Thanks guy! haha

Not much has happened this week except.... WE GOT A CAR! We are so happy because it is starting to get hot! the hills arent as bad anymore :)

By the way sorry to not email this monday but the library was closed and we went to the temple today so we got to email now!

We were able to have our new investigator from last week come to church and he brought a nonmember friend! We taught both of them after church and the friend seems to be interested. He aslo said he would bring his mom next week to church!

We have been working with a lot of less active members lately and it is so interesting to talk to them and see why they are inactive and why they dont come. It all boils down to Joseph Smith. They are offended by someone and dont think that coming to church is important; well is Joseph Smith a prophet? Thats all they need to find out. We have told these less active people, who have grown up in the church, that they need to find out for themselves. Most of the time it seems that they only do it for their parents so if they can take it on for themselves then it will stick.

 

So wierd I will be out a year next week!!! its gone by so fast!

Love you all!

Love,

Elder John

"Everyone that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or fathers, or mothers, or wife, or children, or lands, for my names sake shall recieve an hundred fold, and shall inherit everlasting life." Matt 19:29

May 20, 2013

This was another great week! I'm excited to be staying with Elder Pierre-Louis for another 6 weeks! . I know I am not the easiest to get along with so I need to exercise patience with whatever faults that he may have. and I know I can keep going and continue to do good work! Through the Lord we can do all things and I read this scripture "Oh lord, I am yet strong. Give me one more mountain" Joshua 14:11-12. I know I can do anything if I put my mind to it. I don't need to fear, and no one does. We have been given the power to do anything the lord needs us to and in that way we are all 'yet strong'.
Things are going well with the ward. We are finally able to see fruit from our work this last transfer! We got a new investigator, Anthony. His mom is a returning less active member and she seems to be doing really well with getting back! We had a lesson with them on Friday and it went great! We brought McKay, a priest in the ward, to the lesson and it was so great! McKay is 16 and Anthony is 13 but they are interested in the same things so Mckay did the same activities in middle school that Anthony is doing right now! the mom was so appreciative that we brought someone that he can connect to!
They came to church and it was such a surprise to see them there! I was so excited because the talks in sacrament meeting were on the lesson that we taught Anthony the week before! Anthony is 13 and he has a bunch of kids from school in his sunday school class and in deacons quorum! They both are making great friends in church and I am so excited for them! Anthony's mom even said, 'I feel at home here'! Just goes to show how fellowshipping works!
We have had some other great lessons with people that we met while trackting! We are getting some great potential investigators and the work is finally progressing!

Oh man! Sacrament meeting brought back memories of being stressed out while passing the sacrament. They were starting to run out of cups because three babies were being blessed that day ( a lot of extra people in the ward). so they would switch trays and fidget around a lot to try and get everyone. They did a great job and did all that they knew how...but then it came to the point that they totally ran out of cups and they didn't know what to do. they were just standing in line and looking at each other. so I got up and talked to them and said 'just walk up to the front and tell the priests that you are out of water and they will make another one' so they all walked up and stood in line and waited for them to make another one.  it was great! good memories.

Well I think that is all for this week! Love you all!

Love,

Elder John

"Love your life, poor as it is... The setting sun is reflected from the windows of the almshouse as brightly as from the rich mans abode."- Henry David Thoreau 

May 13, 2013

Dear Family,

This week was great! especially with it being mothers day! It was a slow week however... people are not wanting to meet with us this week so things were slow. But they will hopefully get better! This is week 5 of the transfer so only one more week and transfers happen! I hope Elder Pierre-Louis and I get to stay together!

We had a great zone conference this week. it was sad however because President and sister Black gave their departing testimonies. During zone conference we talked a lot about increasing our faith. That is something that we as missionaries need to do. especially since we will be covering one ward now. It is also something that the members are doing. Trying to have missionary experiences and doing all they can to be examples of the Savior.

I was able to baptize Corry Spencer this week! It was pretty funny because we were wearing the same size jump suit and he is a little more hefty than I am... so he told me only to baptize him once and not mess up... So I let him fall and bringing him up hurt a lot! (I fell off my bike on Wednesday and hurt my shoulder) so it was a great experience! haha. then I got to go back to the San Miguel Ward and see a whole bunch of people that I miss! Its like being back home!!! everyone knows you! ("cheers theme song: sometimes you want to go...") it was so fun to be there and to see so many people that I miss and love! (I'll be back :)

Well those are the exciting things that happened this week! it is 96 degrees at 10:20 this morning so we are excited to be biking!!!

I love you all and hope everyone had a happy mothers day!!!

Love,

Elder John

"For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory"- 2 Cor 4:17

May 6, 2013

Dear Family,

This week was great. we are working on getting our ward more involved in missionary work! At each dinner we are giving the family either "restoration" pamphlets or 'plan of salvation' pamphlets. We are having them get specific goals and practice what they will tell their friends. The ward is very excited to have their own set of missionaries and they are devoted to help us find people to teach.
This week we were able to get some investigators to think about baptism! Alyssa, Zach,  and Alana. They are not however, wanting to come to church so we are working on that. But everything with them seems to be going great!
We are waiting on an investigator to have things settle down in her life then she can meet with us. hopefully things start getting better for her in the upcoming days.
We were able to talk to an inactive member who was in her 30's. she left the church when she was about 20 and she just didn't believe it because she was only doing it for her mom, because she grew up in it. so we told her to find out for herself and not just for herm mom. When we first talked with her she said that she didn't believe in God but that she believed in the universe. by the time we finished she said that she would pray to know if God was there. She also agreed to have VISITING TEACHERS!!! so awesome!!!

That's pretty much it for this week but things are going well and I LOVE being on bike!

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY MOM!

 

'My Mother'

For all she has given me I thank my mom

Though I grow, I reflect on all she has done

 

The bruises, the scrapes, and everything in between

She has always shown me love, even when I complain

 

Now I am absent and she cannot comfort me at present

But her spirit and the memories of her kind words will comfort me evermore

 

When needing help, comfort, or love

I now can only reflect on the loving words that my mother has given me

-Elder John

"Mom is always right"