The Manual of Our Lives

     I hope this week was a great week! I hope everyone looked for new ways to do some service! This week we had a baptism! Her name is Daisy, she is the girlfriend of another investigator we have and started to going to church with him. After the first time she liked it and wanted to get baptised as well so we set up a date and she went to church more and was baptised! she was actually supposed to get married as well but her boyfriend is battling with alcoholism and so he got drunk that day and she didnt want to get married. So we are still working with the boyfriend so that he can be baptised as well. Pictures will be sent shortly.
     This week i would like to touch a little on scripture study. Why is it important to study the scriptures? Gaining knowledge of the scriptures and the gospel is vital to our eternal progression. Life is like a school class. Our teacher is Jesus Christ, he shows us the correct way we can pass the class with a good grade and pass the final test. The scriptures are like the books and manuals that must be read in order to gain more knowledge and understanding concerning the doctrines of life. if we first, listen to the teacher and only listen, we may gain a broad understanding of the subject, and learn of what we generally need to learn to pass, we may do well on the final test, but we may have those moments when we just cant remember what the teacher had taught. When we read the manual as well as listen attentively to the teacher we gain a deeper understanding of what it means to learn the doctrine and how it is applied. we can see beyond just the teaching and see the exact why and how of the situation, we can see through the very eyes of our Grand Creator.
     As i study the scriptures i gain a greater understanding of the gospel principles. i also gain the knowledge i need to be able to better teach people the gospel and make them understand. My freinds, we have been so blessed to be in this day and age where so much of the Words of Life have been made available to us that we couldnt even know them all in this life time. imagine, less than 200 years ago all we had was one volume of sacred scripture. you could read that more than once in a lifetime. i hope you can appreciate the scriptures more and learn to make scripture study an essencial part of your life. i know it will bless you profoundly.

Changes - A New Way to Serve

     So things have changed a little bit these last few weeks. We had transfers and now i am serving in the mission office as a secretary in charge of the mission convert retention program. Along with my new calling and assignment i have a lot more opportunities to do service. Now much of my work isnt about serving my investigators alone but as well the missionaries here in this mission. I am now in an area called San Judas with Elder Weyand, who happens to be from Tri-Cities, WA. I also get to work closely with my old MTC companion, Elder Thomas, who as well is serving here in the mission offices.
     These last few weeks have seen many changes in schedule, proselyting, diet, and work. Its strange to be thinking about numbers and spreadsheets one minute and then getting into the gospel and teaching people the other. it definately has been a different experience but I feel this is where i need to be. As for my spiritual message, i would like to talk about service. I like to think that service and charity are tied together. As we act in favor of another person we bring not only goodness and blessings to others but to our ownselves.
     When i think of service i always look to the Savior as my example. even though he was greater than us all he still descended below us all to pay for our sins and mistakes. before his atonement and death he washed the feet of His Apostles and said that those of us who are greatest should be servants. As we search for opportunities to serve the pure love of Christ will descend upon you and you will become sons and daughters of God. (Moroni 7) I know that the blessings of service are real, and you can make a difference in someones life everyday if we act in humility and charity.

Multi-Mission Conference

     This week we had a multimission conference with Elder Steven E. Snow, Church Historian. He talked about how we should keep good records of our lives and what we do, because we never know how the spiritual experiences we have today will impact our lives in the future. Also, he talked about the life changing experience of being on a mission how, even though it can be hard and exhausting, we can find joy and life changing experiences them. This has definatly rang true in my own mission. it is definately not easy but it is definately worth the effort.
     Learning to love different people and doing hard things every day can be challenging. but i have seen in my own life that as i have given my heart and soul to the mission that the Lord blesses me with the success and miracles i need. I invite you to give your whole heart to the Lord. In this he will bless you with happiness and joy beyond compare. I pray for your success and happiness every day. that you always strive to do the will of the father and not your own. pray for ways to become more in tune with His will and set your heart to doing what the Lord has indicated must be done. As you pray in faith, you will find the Lords hand in all things, and you will know that He is God.
     I know that the Lord has given each and every one of us a unique and individual life. i know that we must trust in Him if we are to have success. I know that the Lords work is His work. I know that every one of us can be instruments in His hands to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.

Continue On

     This week i hope to find you all in good hopes and cheerful hearts. These past few weeks have proven to be a great time of trial and probation. As we pass through trials of faith in our lives, and times when just "hoping" isnt enough; i pray that you will CONTINUE ON. The Lord desires that we become perfect in him. but the metal does not become purified until passed through the refiners fire. We as humans and children of God, need to be purified to obtain the Celestial Kingdom. But we should not forget the principle of Grace in our lives as well.
     As we push forward and CONTINUE ON, we show our faith in God, we show that even though we cant see the light at the end of the tunnel, we know the Lord will eventually illuminate our paths. Endure well, and dont stray from the course which the Lord has plotted. We know where we should be going and what we should be doing, so CONTINUE ON! Before we came to this Earth, we knew it wouldnt be easy, we knew it would hurt sometimes, we knew we would fail from time to time, but we knew that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we would be saved NONETHELESS.
     Be worthy of His grace and saving power. CONTINUE ON. I promise that you will feel hope, peace, and assurance in your hearts, as i have felt it many a time. I know you will all make it through. I love you and hope you all have a great week.
Siga Adelante!

The Consecration of One's Life

Dearest Friends and Family,
     I hope to find you this week in good spirits. This week we had our Multi-Zone Conference with President and Sister Russell. President Russell talked about the 3 kinds of missionaries. The "Social", the "Honorable", and the "Consecrated". As he shared this message I found that there were many things that i did that took me away from being a consecrated missionary to being just an honorable one. As I came to the realization of my weaknesses and my bad habits, i made goals to overcome and sanctify my mission. Today I wish to apply a little bit of what i learned to your life.
     "Consecration"- to dedicate or sanctify, to reach beyond righteousness. The Law of consecration is when men and women dedicate voluntarily their time, talents, skills, and goods for the edification or building of the Kingdom of God. I want to ask a question, How many of you NOW live the Law of Consecration? Now, many of you might think, "But isnt that a law that we will live much later in life, like the millenium?" Teachnically yes, but as servants and disciples of Jesus Christ we dont want just mediocrity, we want to be the BEST. Being just "Honorable" is good. But being "Consecrated" is of the Kingdom of Heaven.
     The scripture says to serve with all of our "heart, might, mind, and strength" but how many of us only serve with our might and strength but not with our heart nor mind? The Lord expects much of us, in fact, "all that we are". As we give all that we are to the Lord we give him everything. you might think, "But thats too much" or "I dont have that kind of time". The Lord grants unto us sacred promises when we give all that we are. As we first seek the kingdom of God and its justice, all these things are added unto us. For blessed is that state of those who keep the commandments for they are blessed in all things both spiritually and temporally.
     I pray that you will consecrate your life unto the Lord. Make His will, Your will. I promise that if you do this the Lord will not only bless you with a good life, but a life that will make you like Him, but everyone around you for generations. I love you all and pray for you always. May you find greater peace and happiness in life as you dedicate it to Him.

Spiritual Strength

     Family and friends, i just want to express my gratitude for the many prayers on my behalf. i feel the power of your love in every step i take. This week we were privileged to hear from our Prophets and Apostles who live in our day. I hope you listened with real intent and that you gained the fortitude to continue on in Faith and Strength.
     I was not able to see very many sessions of the general conference, but i just want to express my love for the conference. although i was could not understand much of what was said as it was in spanish and i sat in the very back of a chapel filled to the brim with people. i loved the spirit that was felt there. At the close of the Sunday morning session, the song "The Spirit of God" was sung. As i listened i was overcome by the feeling of love and peace and began to cry.
     I know that what i felt was the Spirit of God and that he loves me. Heavenly Father knew that maybe i did not need to hear the conference to feel His love but to just be there and to feel His presence was what i needed.
     I know that the Lord answers each and every one of our prayers. Be patient and the Lord will give us what we need and more to keep pressing forward. I hope that you will find continual meaning in Gods Word. And continual strength throught the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

Idania

This week we had a Baptism! The girls name is Idania. She is daughter of a less active member. At first she was shy with us but she actually loves jokes and riddles and we spent lots of time riddling one another jaja. but she does better than me because the riddles in spanish are a little different than the ones in english. I just want to thank you all for your prayers and your support here in the mission. I love you all and hope you have an awesome week!