June 24, 2013

Dear Family,

Wow! Changes are coming in the way we do missionary work! "The Work of Salvation" broadcast yesterday announced changes in how we do missionary work and I am so excited to be a part of them!

This week has been fairly slow but we have been out doing all we can. We were able to get the husband of a part member family to start progressing in the lessons! He believes all that the church teaches and sees that baptism is where his journey needs to lead him but he doesnt want to just do it, look back, and then realize that he left something out. We are working with him to help him dig deeper inside himself and see what he really needs to work on and how we can help. It is so great to get humble people that are willing to accept our help, who know why we are there! I feel like I am actually needed somewhere when we find people like this. I will give you a short history of this family:

    so the wife is has been a member for around 5 years and about 6 or the 8 kids are baptized. The husband is out of work and they have one car. 4 of the children that live at home have jobs, the mother works as well. They are able to get their schedules so that they can have a rotation between who will drive the car and pick people up. They all come to church every week! I have seen from their examples that none of us have any excuses to obey gods commandments. "does the journey seem long" (I think the name of the hymn is). does it matter that the journey is long? would you have it any other way? Elder Pierre-Louis says "if the mission were easy I wouldnt be here". Exactly! If life were easy I wouldnt want to be here!

I have learned so much from this families example and I hope that we all can follow the commandments of god, regardless of our status, position, or posessions.

 

"when we are on the lords errand we are entitled to the lords help."

This week has been another great learning experience for me and I am sorry I havent written that much but I am running our of time!

I love you all!

Love,

Elder John 

June 17, 2013

Dear Family,

This week was a great learning experience!!!

We were able to do exchanges this week with our Zone Leaders and I was able to go with Elder Manning into his area while Elder Pierre-Louis stayed in our area with Elder West. While on exhanges we had dinner with a sister from Hawaii. She is serving as a senior sister missionary and is awesome! She said that she woke up one morning and said 'I do the same things everyday. I wake up. make breakfast. clean the house a little. I want to do somehting different. So she told her bishop that and he said, 'do you want to serve a mission?' she said, 'yes'. 'For how long', he asked. 'for the rest of my mortal life'. She now has no ending period on her service as a misisonary. She is agreat example to me and is so inspiring!

Elder Pierre-Louis and I got to have dinner with an amazing family this week! they came from the philippines (dont know how to spell that)  and he served as a bishop there. he came in and sat down and started talking about all of these spiritual things! he could reherse any scripture and he could apply them to his life and our lives very well. He also showed us his scriptures; five years ago he started to read and to go to every cross reference in the standard works. he is almost done. that is one of my life goals!

He also shared with Elder Pierre-Louis and I that he can feel the spirit with us because sometimes he sees that missionaries done get along but he sees that we fit together like this... (imagine him interlocking his fingers :)

That was a great experience and definitely one that I needed. During the prayer tears were streaming down my face because of the faith of this humble man who is definitely the elect of God.

Yesterday I had the worst headache of my life! (so far...) and I threw up while we were driving making visits! It was so fun!!! I just thought I would share that as some extra words of wisdom... BE SURE NOT TO THINK SO HARD ALL THE TIME!!! haha jk. but seriously :)

 Love you all!

Love,

Elder John

"Trouble has no necessary connection with discouragment- discouragement has a germ of its own, as different from trouble as arthritis is different from a stiff joint" -F. Scott Fitzgerald 

June 10, 2013

Dear Family,

This week was another great one!!! So happy to finally be 20! less than a year left... :(

 It was discouraging because we had 5 lessons lined up for Wednesday but only 2 went through!!! oh I knew it was too good to be true! anyway... President and Sister Black came to our sacrament meeting this week and they gave great talks! Sister Black talked on things we need to do to always have the Holy Ghost. She mentioned that service is one of the things we need to do to have the Holy Ghost. she said, "Service is not service if it is convenient. Service is service when it is needed."

We had 4 investigators at church this week! We had a lesson with alyssa and Zach, two primary age kids, and they havent come to church this whole time I have been here! so we told them that if they want to get baptized they need to come to church! So they came this week! We were so happy!!!

I think thats it for this week... kinda boring.

Well I love you all!!

Love,

Elder John 

June 3, 2013

Dear Family,

This week went really well! We met a new investigator yesterday! A family from the ward brought a young man to church yesterday and we talked with him and he wants to take the lessons!

We had a dinner with a part member family this week and we talked about the non members beliefs. We answered both of their questions and got to know them a bit better. We gave them some sugestions on what they could do together so that they can have the spirit in their lives and to be constantly thinking of the gospel. After we talked the sister told us how much she appraciated us and appreciated our worry for their concerns. I have never felt more appreciated on my mission than that experience!

We had an awesome experience yesterday! (well it wasnt that exciting, but there is no way to put half of an exclamation mark haha) anyway, we were visiting members after church and we decided to visit this one brother that took us to dinner and the beginning of my first transfer here. He is divorced and he gets his son on weekends... but his wife doesnt want him to take him to church. So he cant go to church either. well we drop by his house and he was so excited to see us! he said 'I've never had a drop in visitor'. it was aweosme because he ws so excited! I think he asked us how we were doing like 10 times during the conversation. well as we talked he asked us if we could come over next sunday and teach his son. it was funny because he was like 'I know you are busy and I dont want to take up your time'. uh... THIS IS WHAT WE DO!!! I was so happy that him and his son will be ble to get the spirit in their home this way!

 Yesterday it was 101! starting to get hot!!. since we got a car we dont want to get too soft so we decided that we wont turn the air conditioning up to level 3 until it gets to 103, so we are praying for it to get just a little hotter :)

That is about it for this week! I hope you all have a great week and have a happy last week of school!

Love,

Elder John

"For our light afflictoin, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. "

- 2 Corinthians 4:17-18

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"

April 29, 2013

Dear Family

This week went very well. we were able to meet a man who was walking around the stake center during our pday activity and we were able to teach him! He lives in another ward in our stake so we will be doing the transition lesson this week!
We were able to finally get a lesson with Alissa and Alana ths week, other investigators that we havent been able to teach for a long time. The lesson was great! only alayna and zachary, her grandchildren were able to have the lesson this time but in the middle of the lesson alissas boyfriend walked in.  We were teaching the restoraiton and the boyfriend had some great quesitons! he was mainly concerned with the succession of prophets. We told him that it all boils down to Joseph Smith being a prophet. To which he said, "I have no problem with Joseph Smith and him sing God and Jesus Christ. I just have a problem with the people after". We can work with that! we explained how the process works and that it is always by revelation. Hopefully things will work out well this week as we teach the family again.
We had a great lesson with the Hao Kaawaloa family for a fhe on tuesday. they are a part member family with 8 daughters, 3 of which are not members.  We did an object lesson. pour water on a rock and on a sponge. then compare how the two are different. We shared John 4, the woman at the well, and shared how Christ is the living water and how we need to soak him in like the sponge.
We are also working very hard to get Mimi progressing. We prayed and planned for so long to try and see what we should teach her on Wednesday. We decided that we needed to go back to faith again. and this time not just read scriptures and talk about them. this time we needed to have her be an active participant in the lesson and really dig down deep to try and see what her concerns are. The lesson went great and we decided that we are just going to start the lessons over and get her more familiar with Joseph Smith.

Biking is great! I'm pretty sure I've lost some weight from fat and put on some more muscle to my legs!

This week I also got to go the the baptism of Anna in my last area! So fun to see some of the members and to see some missionaries that I got to work with in that zone.  I got to see the Bulmers too!!! great family!

Love you all and thanks for the support!!!

Love,

Elder John

I am only one but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do somehting. and becasue I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do the something I can do. 

April 22, 2013

Dear Family,

This week was GREAT!! so we were able to

This week went great! Elder Pierre-Louis and I are getting along great and things are starting to pick up!
We were able to get a new investigator this week as well. She was a referrel and we biked all the way to the top corner of our area and contacted her. Susan was previously catholic and her husband died a few months ago.  While we were teaching the first lesson we were talking about the apostacy and bout different doctrine that was changed in several churched. She asked us to tell her what doctrine was changed and we told her about infant baptism and how people become 'Saints' and different things and she said 'that isnt doctrine, thats just stuff that man put into the church' haha!!! she is GOLDEN! so hopefully we can get her with a date for baptism soon!

After we met with her we had to ride FAST to our appointment that we were already late for, up the hill!!! (both ways) and when we got there, 7 people were sitting there to be at the lesson with our investigator! its great to have ward support but that was a lot of people at a lesson!

We have lists that have the name of streets in specific areas of our ward and the less actives that live on the streets and while we were making visits on wednesday I acidentaly wrote the wrong number down for the wrong street (this we found out yesterday) and while we were over there making the visit we talked to the neighbor of the house we were going to and set up to do service for her today! We cleaned out her garage and put it all back and she invited us to dinner soon! so hopefully we can get her to be an inestigator! I told Elder Pierre-Louis, yesterday, that the Lord blessed me for my stupidity.
We have a few other progresing investigators and we are working hard at getting new investigators by going through our former investigator list.
Elder Pierre-Louis is GREAT! is has no fear when talking with people, which is something that I need to work on.  Last night we were riding to a potential investigators house and when they werent home we rode back up the street and saw some kids coming out of a house. so instead of talking with the kids on the street, elder Pierre-Louis just went up and knocked on the door so we could talk strait to the mom instead. it was awesome because this lady might actually listen to us!

I am also going to try to get permission to go to Aprils baptism this week in my last area!!! I'll be able to see everyone in that area and see some of the investigators that Elder Golden and I taught there as well!
Things are going well with us here in the hillpointe ward and I cant wait for this next week!

Love you all! thanks for your support!

Love,

Elder John

 

"Let what will come, dont deny the faith, and all will be well." -Joseph Smith