It's been a while...

9-21-15

The new area is really good! We are living in the upstairs part of someone's house...I still haven't met them yet. But it is pretty nice and I don't think I brought any bed bugs with me. So far so good. But in the ward and the Branch we get fed a lot, which is awesome! Sis Hansen brought us two gallons of milk and 4 boxes of cereal and 20 bananas this morning! It was way cool, she even let us choose what cereal we wanted! We got Life and Cinnamon Toast Crunch.  The ward Mission leaders here are really cool. The one for the English Ward, Brother Sadler, lives right next to us and grows grapes amongst many other things and has been juicing his grapes and giving us grape juice and it is really good.

During studies today I was reading in 2nd Nephi and I was learning about Nephi and prayer and it talked about how he was praying for his brothers to stop murmuring and it only got worse. I thought that was pretty cool because it show's how God answers prayers in his way and we just have to look for it. It turned out that Nephi was told to take those who would go with him and leave, to a part of the land where he could live with the righteous away from his wicked brethren. It talked about how they had true happiness, and that is so true, when you live the principles of the Gospel God blesses you and you become truly happy!

9-14-15

Jacob and Steven Catlett got baptized and confirmed this weekend! They were really excited! Also Abraham got baptized and was sick/not feeling well and didn't come to Church because he wasn't feeling well so we didn't get to confirm him. That will be next week.

I got to give a talk in the Spanish branch on Sunday and it was about Repentance. I compared repenting to a baby learning how to walk and getting back up and keeping on trying and how when we stumble, fall, get scratched, cut, or bruise it is the atonement that can heal us through repentance. I know Jesus died for us, I know that through his atonement we can repent and truly be forgiven. Whatever weight that hangs on our shoulders can be lifted and we can find peace of mind to know that even though we aren't perfect we are progressing towards are Heavenly Father. I am really grateful for the atonement, it is something to be remembered and used everyday. I am grateful that Jesus died for me and all those around me.

I know the gospel is true. It really does make one happy especially when they live it! It is pretty cool to be a part of it. Te agradezco por su testimonio y lo que has hecho por mi, y gracias por ser un buen ejemplo en todo lo que haces.

So the bed bugs are way fun! We had a pest guy com and Spray the place today and that was good and I asked him a ton of questions. So I got bed-bug killer Spray and Bed-bug bug bombs. I am going to exterminate the little arch-nemesis's. Apparently it is illegal for them to fumigate the apartment. But we can do it, that is why we got the Bed bug Foggers, we set off three of them! They better die, we even stood the mattresses and box springs up leaning together teepee style so they can get extra fumigated. No way those stinkers are going to make it.

I am getting transferred to Centralia tomorrow! I am really excited to take on a new area, will definitely be happy for some change. I am going to be companions with Elder Delgado, he is super cool, and he is from Peru! I am going to be in a foursome and we will be training another new missionary.

9-7-15

I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior and that he paid the price for anything and everything. He is the key to Gods plan of happiness for us. 2Nephi 2 25

A lot of people tell us that they have already been saved and that they already have Jesus in their life. Then some people are more open and are willing to listen and say that they want to follow Jesus Christ the best that they can, like Charles who we met the other day. Some people are polite and some are rude, I have run into a number of different people.

I want to tell you that I know Jesus Christ died for each and every one of us! We just have to live his teachings. It is through him that whatever burdens our lives can be lifted and we can be set free!

8-31-15

The Priesthood is such a blessing. There was an older lady in the ward who wanted a blessing because she was worried about some new medicine she started taking and a member was asking us if we would be able to give her a blessing and so we went and it was really cool. God really does care about his Children and has given us responsibility to help and take care of those around us. It is cool to see what a blessing things are for their lives.

Being a more relaxed missionary has really helped a lot lately, it has led to more teaching opportunities and people open up better and it is more fun:) People like Maria and Martin open up and they even told us why Hispanics say that they are catholic and close their door. It is because they are some people in (I think they are from Mexico) start a church just to take money from the people and some people give just about everything they have and then the person who started it takes all the money and leaves the area and leaves the people just about destitute and without much. Martin said that people will just be out on the street crying when that happens. So if that is true it makes a lot more sense why people who are Hispanic don't feel open all of the time. That is why member missionary work is important.

Also, I totally agree about applying what you learn on your mission to the way that you live after the mission. I think that you learn so many invaluable skills. No better way than to put them to work by getting a job and going to school and studying the scriptures each day so that you can continue to grow spiritually.

As I go about learning about the Gospel my testimony keeps on growing! I know the Book of Mormon is the word of God. I have been taking notes as I read it and it applies to us so much. It really was inspired for those in the Latter-days.

8-24-15

As for my Spanish, I'm not native...yet, but I am fluent(can hold a conversation and understand decently) but there is a lot of ways that you can define fluent.

We had exchanges this week with the Zone leaders and it was pretty cool. I got to stay in Shelton and Elder Cooper came here. He used to be a Spanish missionary and so it was cool to be able to be with someone who could actually speak Spanish and listen and understand. He is a really good missionary. It is interesting to see the different teaching styles some missionaries have. Some are more laid back and connect better with people and still get the job done and some are more uptight. I have been trying to be more laid back but not in a bad way, still focusing on bringing souls to Christ but just trying to connect with them more personally.

I do want to let you know that I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. I felt that confirmed to me as we were teaching Abraham about the Restoration. Also in companionship study today we studied about the Holy Ghost and recognizing the promptings of the Spirit and read some of the scriptures on page 96 of PMG. It was really cool to realize that the Spirit has been with me a lot more than I realized! I was thinking about Alma 32:28 and just how I really like the Book of Mormon and how it has 'enlarged my soul' and become 'delicious to me' and that strengthened my testimony a lot as well!

8-17-15

I am glad that the people there haven't forgotten about me. I really like the people in Pennsylvania! 

This past week we have talked to a whole lot more Hispanics then I have for a while! It has been really cool. It is interesting to see there culture. We knocked on a house with some people from Guatemala and taught one of the guys that lived there on the doorstep and then we asked if we could say a prayer with him. He said yes and then walks inside, gets the other three people together and gives us each a bottle of water and then we all knelt down and he looks over at me and says 'comienza la oración' so I thought cool! Then I started praying and then they all chimed in, it was really interesting...I think they were praying in Mam (pronounced mum), not in Spanish but I am not sure. It was so different and I had to smile at thinking that Elder Nelson must be freaking out right now. I was a little shocked myselft! But I kept praying and they kept praying and when I finished they said amen. Then the next door gave us cold water bottles and I was really thankful for them because I was thirsty:)

¡Deseo que sepa que te quiero! Todo va bien aquí:) La obra misional es difícil pero me gusta. Estoy aprendiendo tanto y no hay otro lugar donde quiero estar. Soy un pescador de hombres aquí, es diferente cuando estuve allí porque allí pesque los peces y aquí los hijos de Dios. 

8-10-15

Today my crazy story is that I went to the Beauty School to get a haircut...I won't ever do that again, it turned out okay but I didn't like it to much. So I went over to Bella Vista, the Hispanic store that a member owns and had Isaac fix it up for me, it looks better but I still can't believe what I was thinking. I will definitely pay the extra 7 dollars to go to a barber shop or just see if the members can cut it for me.

8-3-15

Church was really good this week, I went to the English Ward and so I missed  the Spanish Branch. But, luckily I didn't have to speak this week:) It was a lot more relaxing!

I had never thought about how in missionary work you are anxiously engaged in a good cause! I guess now it is just finding what activities are better than other ones even if they are both good, I guess that can be the hard part sometimes.

Things are going really well here, the Bishop is trusting us a lot and giving us names to go and visit of less actives to help get them to Church, it is working out really well. Other than that we knock a lot of doors and study and teach people, we will hopefully find some people who are searching like Patrick, if they aren't searching or wanting it then they most likely wont keep commitments and then they can't be baptized.

7-27-15

Here in Washington they have tons of Blackberry Bushes everywhere and they are soo good! You can just pick them as you walk down the street because they grow wildly. I also updated Mom on the talks that I gave on Sunday, They both ended up being about 20 minutes! That is a long time! Felt like a high councilman. It is also a lot easier to tell stories in English. I told the story of Amanda Barnes Smith for the story about the Pioneers. It was hard to describe it because I didn't know the word for hip or for ashes but I found out after Sacrament meeting what they are, cadera y cenizas. For the missionary work talk I used Alma 13-34 and used it to explain how to share the gospel with your friends and to seek to invite people unto Christ and seeking the Spirit as being key points for member missionary work.

We have a lot of Investigators in English and a few in Spanish. Almost not enough time to do it all but it works out really well in the end. 

Sounds like the youth had a great time on the mini-missions, I am really glad that Carlos was able to go! I definitely agree with what Amy was told, "They don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care." I think that that is so true, that even applies to the less actives, sometimes they just think that you are visiting them because you have to but until they see that you actually care about them they wont change at all. 

7-20-15

Last night we had the Spanish fireside and I got to Sing in Spanish with the missionary choir, it was awesome! As well I got to talk to the members from Lacey(the area that I was in before!!:) It was really good to see them:) they are doing really well. I went and said hi to Presidente McClellan and he stood up and gave me a big hug! He was really happy to see me again, that made me happy:) 

7-6-15

Thank you for fasting for our investigators. It definitely helped; I copied you on the Email about Josh. He is really cool; we are meeting with him again this Friday! It is amazing how much true conversion is based upon what we are taught by the Holy Spirit. That is one thing that is really evident in his life. He was telling me how he feels the Spirit in the classes but he wasn't feeling it in Sacrament and he told me about it and we talked about it and it was a miracle that he stayed for Sacrament meeting because he was going to leave and afterword’s he came up and told me that he felt it. I knew he did just by looking at his countenance. It was awesome! Thank you so much for fasting for them!

Also it was my first time only going to English Church. It was really good and I enjoyed it. I missed the opportunity to learn in Spanish and to practice speaking in Spanish, Especially since I could slightly here them from down the hall. Elder Burke and I go on splits with some of the Adults so that we can cover both wards since they are at the same time. It works out really well. Just a little strange not being with your companion even though it is okay to be on splits.

Yep, I am cleared from the Surgery and can do things now:) We might go to the field and see if I can play soccer with some of the Hispanics today:) Just a possibility, we will see how much time we get.

Super good thing that the woodpecker decided to destroy something other than the house! I bet that makes you happy:)

Oh the Spanglish area is awesome! There is a lot more work to do and we get to teach everyone we talk to and say that we can come back and teach them. It makes it a lot easier and more fluid. Being over the Sister missionaries is really good, the challenges is just calling and seeing how there investigators are doing and how obedient they are, it just takes time at night after Elder Burke and I finish our planning but I enjoy it:) Other than that it is really good.

This past week was really good, We found two new families to teach and also 17 year old whose name is Gavin. He is really cool and plays baseball and is a pitcher. He pitches at 85 which is really good for a 17 year old. It was a miracle how we started to teach him, we knocked on his door and he answered it and his stepdad came up as we started talking to him and he said that he didn't want anything but Gavin was interested and still wanted to learn even though his stepdad didn't. We taught him about the restoration of the Gospel and then we set a time to come back. When we went back we taught him about the plan of salvation and how to pray, he doesn't have a huge religious background but is really interested in learning and the Spirit has been there when we are teaching him and so we are going to him more about Baptism and hopefully he will accept a date to be baptized! We are going to see him again tomorrow. He couldn't come to Church this week because of a basesball tournament.

This week was awesome. Josh came to church and stayed all three hours. He usually just comes the first two (In the English ward here we have Sacrament meeting last and Sunday School classes first. After the first two hours of classes Josh  told me that he was going to leave and I invited him to stay. Then he told me some of concerns and that he was just going to be upfront with me and so we talked about them for a little bit and then he was on his way. It surprised me when I turned around to see the first person bearing her testimony (Someone brought her a microphone because she can't walk very well) and Josh was sitting back there. After Sacrament meeting was over I went and talked to him and he was really happy and was smiling, I could just tell that he had felt the Spirit and that his concern was relieved. So we talked and he said that he felt the Spirit and thought about what I said and it made a difference. I am really happy about that. He has been an investigator for so long and hasn't been baptized yet but I have a feeling that he will soon be able to enter into that covenant with God. I know that once he does he will be able to feel more of Gods love for him. I am so pleased that I get to play a part in teaching him and in his conversion to Jesus Christ. I know the Gospel is true and those that are truly seeking will be able to learn of themselves the truthfulness of the restored priesthood authority and the same church organization that existed when Jesus Christ walked.

6-15-15

We had 3 investigators at Church yesterday and that was awesome! We are going to meet with them this week and hopefully that will agree to get baptized, well we will invite them for sure, no one will get baptized if you don't invite them.

6-8-15

Something cool that I like that I am learning from the mission is about setting goals. Before the mission I would always just say that I am going to do my best but, a member of the 70 came and gave a training about three months ago and brought the "I will do my best" up and said that is not good..... So I am learning a lot about goals and getting work done. I think goals are key now. However, in order for the goal to work and be the key to success, you have to be committed to it. Anyways, just a little bit about what I have been learning.