Week 25: No Scopas

Monday, March 24, 2025   11:24pm 

Hi everyone, I didn't have much motivation to write this week because it was not a very successful week. 

One of our friends we had been teaching for all of March finally accepted a baptismal date! We we super excited and it felt pretty much like the best thing ever! 

Then the next day, he texted us to say he he didn't want to be baptized anymore...🫠 We called him later, and it sounds like he is sill okay with meeting with us, so we still have that at least. 

The family of 4 we found last week was really awesome, super cool people, and told us they were looking for a church that feels right in order to be baptized. 🤯The mom more than anyone was investigating different churches, and used to study the Bible with a Jehova's Witness class. 

We had taught them a few times and they were really receptive. We rationalized that if they were looking for a church that was different, we'd teach them what makes this church different; the restoration. 

The mom had some serious problems with Jospeh Smith, the Book of Mormon, and the prophet Mormon. She kept telling us that she couldn't believe in Joseph Smith if he wasn't mentioned in the Bible.

 Despite her willingness to come to church when we first met them, and the supercool logical points we made (such as Jesus Christ is not mentioned by name in the Old Testament), she refused to believe anything we said and told us she didn't want to waste everybody's time by continuing to meet with us. 

How she plans to find the true church with only the Bible when all the others with only the Bible weren't close, I have no clue. 

Still waiting to see what happens with the other family of 8. We have found a few other people, but also don't know if they are worth mentioning. 

A scripture for you: 

D&C 82:10

 I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise.

The Gospel takes action! Test God's promises, see if He won't open the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it! 

Amen, and amen! 

Adiós! Cuídense mucho! 

He wanted to do this, not sure why jaha

Snow

Snow bear

Elder Hall's creepy snowman

Elder Enciso when our friend canceled his baptism

That one place we went today

Bye

🍀Week 24: Another For My Collection

Monday, March 17, 2025   7:47pm

  Hey, what's up? 

My perception of time has been well distorted by this point. Yesterday feels like a week ago, but a week ago feels like yesterday. 

Zone Conference was this week! We learned about various topics such as comparison vs emulation, being united as a companionship, quickly contacting referrals, accountability, and a lot about using the members find, teach, and baptize. 

After zone conference, I went on an exchange with my district leader. We couldn't schedule lessons with our friends, so we were just finding the whole time. Well, searching the whole time. Didn't actually find anyone. We taught one lesson to some African members. They spoke French. 

The whole week was pretty slow. Didn't find anyone; mostly English members. We haven't been able to meet with the family we're teaching much because the men keep leaving out of state to work. They also have all the lessons already, but only one has had the interview. He could be baptized, but a lot of them haven't come to church enough, either. Most of them also will have to make some changes in order to be baptized. 

Outside of that family, we have one friend that's getting super close to being baptized, and one we set aside. 

Yesterday, on Sunday, we found one family of four, all interested in finding a new church! And they have Sunday availability! 🥳

We have discovered a couple whose kids are members but have never been baptized. They were being taught and coming to church a while ago, but I think they had a grudge against the old bishop. So, we can probably get them prepared fairly quickly. 

We read this scripture with one of our friends that wasn't progressing or making any effort as a last lesson before setting them aside. Matthew 10:37-38 reads, 

37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 

38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.

These are Jesus Christ's own words. There really shouldn't be anything more important in our lives than what He asks us to do. This life has meaning and purpose because of what He has done for us. 

The things He asks of us are what will give us the most joy and blessings in our lives. Blessings we can enjoy with our families! Personally, I think it'd be a little silly if you recived a gift and loved that gift more than the giver. Christ gave us everything, and we owe Him everything. 

Our friend responded by telling us that she doesn't have any time because this country is all about working and wouldn't have enough money if she gave a little bit of her time to God. We promised the real blessings for putting God first in her life, but she told us she could put God first wherever she wanted, and she didn't have to come to church. 

Well, she wasn't connecting the dots there, se we just had to leave. But I know without doubt that if we trust in the Lord as we sacrifice all that is necessary to do as He asks, He will work miracles in our lives. REAL miracles! Because He loves you for real life! 

Adiós amigos, hasta la próxima 😎

No MSF?

✨️

La zona de Jacob!

My sleepy companion

"Blurriest missionary wins"

Elder Corbett is a big dude...

Elder Sandoval, my district leader

Caught in snow/hailstorm

Elder Guillarte

Wario-Mario exchange

🥲

Week 23: Oops, All Venezuelans!

Monday, March 10, 2025    10:23pm

Hey, its me, your friendly neighborhood elder that somehow surprises everyone by speaking Spanish without a southern accent! This week was kind of slow in terms of Missionary work, but fast in terms of time. Again. 

We have a lot of people progressing, but most of them live in the same house, so wetres 1 only get one teaching visit at a time. It'd be really cool to be able to meet with our friends daily, but unfortunately they have lives outside of meeting with us. Who could've guessed?

So anyways, we're riding bikes, knocking doors, scratching our heads, looking for Latinos, talking to everyone, and besides all the Americans, we are finding a majority of Venezuelans. It didn't used to be like that. I don't know what's going on, maybe Venezuelans are more courageous than the rest. 

The family we found a couple weeks ago is progressing very well! One of the couples we haven't seen after the first lesson, but then the guy we were supposed to meet the first time showed up. 

4 of them attended church! The one who didn't come promised to go, then used the same lame excuse she used last week to stay home. That's okay, she is progressing, and we're probably not leaving the next transfer. 

Our friend who is married to a member is also progressing super well, getting closer to accepting a baptism date every time we have a lesson. He's come a long way from where he started. He says he knows he'll be baptized at some point, he just doesn't know when; maybe next week, next month, next year. But why wait to receive the blessings of baptizm? 

The thing is, he's already been to church a few times, so really, we can teach him all the lessons really simply and baptize him whenever. So... how does Thursday sound? 

I love being able to see how the spirit influences people. There's no better feeling than teaching a lesson where the spirit is just so strong, and everyone knows it's there. After I leave lesson

Getting to know someone and see them change as they come to a knowledge of the Gospel is literally the best thing ever. (There's a reason the 3 Nephites wanted to do this until the second coming) 

This Gospel is all about change. God didn't create us as perfect beings; and I personally am pretty okay with that. We are all meant to learn and expirience the joy of becoming someone better, someone happier, someone a little bit more like Jesus Christ. And this change is possible because of our Savior. 

The Hymns for Home and Family are amazing, and I listen to them a lot. One of the hymns stands out to me. I remember my little siblings singing it in primary, and thinking about the words always helps me to feel the spirit. 

The chorus of 'I Will Walk with Jesus' reads,

"As I walk with Jesus

To my home above, 

He will bless me with His Spirit

And fill me with His love, 

Change my heart forever 

And help me clearly see.

I will walk with Jesus 

And He will walk with me."

If we seek for and allow the spirit to change our hearts, Jesus will help us to live this life fully, and to see the things that really matter. He will change our hearts, and continue to help us to become more than we were yesterday. If walking with Jesus becomes a consistent effort, I know that we can be filled with love and joy despite the trials we expirience. 

I love you guys a ton! 

Crap.

 

Writing strongly worded messages to our friends

👀 Am I gonna teach him or is he gonna teach me?

Elder Hall chastising me for leaving my phone at home again

Lots of elders 

Missionwide zoom... directly after an exchange

I thought we weren't allowed to swim...?

Why are these still here? Good question.

STLs are cheating...

What's with all the doormats?

My first time ice skating (No me caí!) 

Possibly the worst(also maybe the best?) game of monopoly I've ever played. Spent my first 4 turns in jail.