This week was great. Last week we found a guy Saturday who came to church Sunday. We were contacting and talked to his dad, who was drunk, but we didn't even see him sitting behind where we were. The next day, we were riding bikes and he honked and we pulled over. He asked us what was our message. We quickly reviewed the Restoration, and he was interested. He went to church the next day. He is a great guy and had a tremendous desire to know the truth, but he isn't married. We've talked with him and his wife about it and they don't think having a piece of paper is going to make anything change. We explained that by getting married, they are obeying God, therefore He will then help them in their matrimony. It wont just be the two of them, but also God in their marriage, so they have a much greater chance of success. They simply don't understand this principle, so we are going go once more with them today and if they still haven't changed their minds, we will have to leave them behind. Yes its hard to leave someone you've put so much time and effort into, but we aren't here just to make people feel good. Were here to help the prepared children of God receive what they need and are ready for. So with that in mind we will simply have to look forward with an eye of faith knowing that by leaving them, God will put the truly chosen ones in our path.
I studied up on patience this week. I learned many great and valuable things. Patience is not as king God to lighten our burdens, but asking Him to strengthen us to bear the burdens He sees fit for us to take upon ourselves. If we simply asked Him to lessen the load, we would never grow, and would become lazy and slothful, and complain at the first sign of hardship. He wasn't to strengthen us, and unless we become stronger, we wont be useful tools in His hands. So its good to bear our trials haha.
That's about all. A pair of pants got eaten by the gear monster of my bike haha. But its nothing unfixable.
I love you all and hope all is great in Pueblo. To my family- I cant believe you bought a camping trailer. That's so random haha. But its so amazing and I'm really excited to use it when I get back.
Take care!!!!
Much Love
JAmes
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Rosita, Coahuila Week 1
This week has been insane. We had transfers on Monday, and my comp left. He has 6 months here, so it was almost 100% sure he was leaving. Edler Leyva came in his place. Hes from Mexico City and only has a month and a half more than me in the mission. Its good being with someone my own age. Or like the same time in the mission. Does that make any sense haha?
On Tuesday we left to Monterrey to go to the Consejo for the zone leaders. or the Zone leader council. We left here at about 11 am and got there at about 5. It was a great ride in the sweet buses, and since I like traveling, it was perfect for me. When I got there the mission Pres gave a short message, the we all changed into normal clothes and they took us to a place called Xplosion. Basically the coolest thing that's ever happened to me in Mexico. It was a huge place filled with adult sized inflatable bounce house things. We had races and just goofed around for 3 hours. The President and his wife got in on the fin too. I saw my mission President, a mas of about 55 years, throwing down front flips in one of the bounce rooms. I then felt bad, realizing he was in such better physical shape than me haha.
The next day we got down to work. We chose 2 themes that we would talk about in the Zone conference. We chose putting baptismal dates and using the scriptures. We then prepared the slides we would use. IT was fun, but I wasn't expecting it to be anything super entertaining, but we got down to work and it all turned out good.
On the way home, we were supposed to catch a bus at 5, but it was full, so at 620 we took a bus to Monclova, got there at 1030, then took another bus to Rosita, and got here at about 1 in the morning. Then up at 6:30 haha.
On Friday, our mission pres gave us all permission to watch the opening game of the World cup, with Mexico contra South Africa. I was so happy to finally be able to watch a soccer game!!! It was great. We would have won, but one of the goals didn't count because he was ahead (adelatado?). I don't know the translation in English, but it was awesome and we tied 1,1.
Because we only had about 6 hours to work in the area this week, we didn't get a whole lot of numbers done. But, Saturday evening, a guy honked his horn at us while we were riding our bikes. We pulled over and he asked us what we believed. We briefly explained the Restoration and he said he would come to church the next day. He really seemed interested, so we were counting on him to go. Well, he came but only for the Sacrament Meeting. He liked it and we gave him a tour of the church and introduced him to like everyone. He really enjoyed it, but wants to know more before he accepts getting baptized. So, he pulls us over, tells us hell go to church, comes, and actually pays attention. I'm pretty sure this guy is going to get baptized haha. IT really is wonderful all the blessings the Lord gives us, especially when we have to make sacrifices in out own areas. We are going to work with him and his wife this week.
Well, that's about it this week haha. Thank you Katie Hughes for your letter! I'm going to write you one this week and get it out as soon as I can.
Mason and Chris, write me punks!
I love you all and hope you have a wonderful week!
Much Love
JAmes
On Tuesday we left to Monterrey to go to the Consejo for the zone leaders. or the Zone leader council. We left here at about 11 am and got there at about 5. It was a great ride in the sweet buses, and since I like traveling, it was perfect for me. When I got there the mission Pres gave a short message, the we all changed into normal clothes and they took us to a place called Xplosion. Basically the coolest thing that's ever happened to me in Mexico. It was a huge place filled with adult sized inflatable bounce house things. We had races and just goofed around for 3 hours. The President and his wife got in on the fin too. I saw my mission President, a mas of about 55 years, throwing down front flips in one of the bounce rooms. I then felt bad, realizing he was in such better physical shape than me haha.
The next day we got down to work. We chose 2 themes that we would talk about in the Zone conference. We chose putting baptismal dates and using the scriptures. We then prepared the slides we would use. IT was fun, but I wasn't expecting it to be anything super entertaining, but we got down to work and it all turned out good.
On the way home, we were supposed to catch a bus at 5, but it was full, so at 620 we took a bus to Monclova, got there at 1030, then took another bus to Rosita, and got here at about 1 in the morning. Then up at 6:30 haha.
On Friday, our mission pres gave us all permission to watch the opening game of the World cup, with Mexico contra South Africa. I was so happy to finally be able to watch a soccer game!!! It was great. We would have won, but one of the goals didn't count because he was ahead (adelatado?). I don't know the translation in English, but it was awesome and we tied 1,1.
Because we only had about 6 hours to work in the area this week, we didn't get a whole lot of numbers done. But, Saturday evening, a guy honked his horn at us while we were riding our bikes. We pulled over and he asked us what we believed. We briefly explained the Restoration and he said he would come to church the next day. He really seemed interested, so we were counting on him to go. Well, he came but only for the Sacrament Meeting. He liked it and we gave him a tour of the church and introduced him to like everyone. He really enjoyed it, but wants to know more before he accepts getting baptized. So, he pulls us over, tells us hell go to church, comes, and actually pays attention. I'm pretty sure this guy is going to get baptized haha. IT really is wonderful all the blessings the Lord gives us, especially when we have to make sacrifices in out own areas. We are going to work with him and his wife this week.
Well, that's about it this week haha. Thank you Katie Hughes for your letter! I'm going to write you one this week and get it out as soon as I can.
Mason and Chris, write me punks!
I love you all and hope you have a wonderful week!
Much Love
JAmes
Monday, June 7, 2010
Rosita, Coahuila Week 6
Well this week was crazy, but I cant really think of too many things to report on haha.
We had 2 great baptisms on Sunday. IT was a lady we contacted 2 weeks ago. From the first time we taught her she accepted baptism, because it was what Jesus did and what she needed to do to follow him. However, each time I thought about her and how sure she really was, I doubted; she just didn't strike me as one of the obviously prepared people to be baptized. But, each time we went with her and taught her, The Spirit was in the lessons and testified to me that she was really going to do it and that she was prepared and that we were put in her path at the right time. We even fasted twice this week so that the Lord would allow her to feel the Spirit and really be baptized. Well, the Lord in His great mercy granted us the wish of our hearts and she was baptized. She still has much to learn and a lot to do to be 100 percent converted, but we are going to continue to work with her and help her to strengthen her testimony and faith.
Its the last week of this, the craziest transfer of my mission. For a week an a half, I had no companion, then had one for another week and a half, then got transferred with a new assignment. Its gone by soo fast haha. And i ow it will start to go even faster.
That's about it. I really wish the people who love me would write me!!!!!!! not to make you feel guilty or anything...
Much Love
JAmes
We had 2 great baptisms on Sunday. IT was a lady we contacted 2 weeks ago. From the first time we taught her she accepted baptism, because it was what Jesus did and what she needed to do to follow him. However, each time I thought about her and how sure she really was, I doubted; she just didn't strike me as one of the obviously prepared people to be baptized. But, each time we went with her and taught her, The Spirit was in the lessons and testified to me that she was really going to do it and that she was prepared and that we were put in her path at the right time. We even fasted twice this week so that the Lord would allow her to feel the Spirit and really be baptized. Well, the Lord in His great mercy granted us the wish of our hearts and she was baptized. She still has much to learn and a lot to do to be 100 percent converted, but we are going to continue to work with her and help her to strengthen her testimony and faith.
Its the last week of this, the craziest transfer of my mission. For a week an a half, I had no companion, then had one for another week and a half, then got transferred with a new assignment. Its gone by soo fast haha. And i ow it will start to go even faster.
That's about it. I really wish the people who love me would write me!!!!!!! not to make you feel guilty or anything...
Much Love
JAmes
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Rosita, Coahuila Week 5
This week was interesting. My comp was hardly in the area, so I had to lead the area with the junior comps of the other areas, which was okay because they know the area more than I do haha.
This week I got really into studying the Plan of Salvation. It’s the lesson I least understand, and the least I put emphasis on when teaching to others. While studying, I remembered what Elder Bednar said about having a “revelatory experience”. So as I prayed to begin the lessons, my mind was opened to new Ideas and concepts that before I wouldn’t have thought of. Its really amazing how when one lives worthy of having the Spirit, how that Spirit teaches things that the student hasn’t read nor heard before. That’s what revelation is. Pure information from God. I barely got from the Preexistence to Our life on earth. Its so much great information!!!! And I saw began to see the scriptures in a new way as well. Before I mainly looked for scriptures to share with people that explain a certain principle, but then I realized that they are more there to help the teacher acquire the knowledge and understanding he needs to effectively share the message to the listeners. Its wonderful the illumination the Spirit gives one.
So today for Pday we were going to play squash, which was like an hour away form my area, but when we got there the Elders here only and 2 rackets, so we just did what Mexicans always do, and threw down a good old game of soccer. IT was fun as well, but I would have rather played racquetball haha.
We had 2 great baptisms this week and have one other planned for next week, with another possible. The Lord is really blessing us here as the missionaries work diligently. Its one of the most difficult zones in the mission, but we are slowly picking it up.
I love you all and am waiting for wonderful handwritten letters haha. Los Amo!!!
Much Love
JAmes
This week I got really into studying the Plan of Salvation. It’s the lesson I least understand, and the least I put emphasis on when teaching to others. While studying, I remembered what Elder Bednar said about having a “revelatory experience”. So as I prayed to begin the lessons, my mind was opened to new Ideas and concepts that before I wouldn’t have thought of. Its really amazing how when one lives worthy of having the Spirit, how that Spirit teaches things that the student hasn’t read nor heard before. That’s what revelation is. Pure information from God. I barely got from the Preexistence to Our life on earth. Its so much great information!!!! And I saw began to see the scriptures in a new way as well. Before I mainly looked for scriptures to share with people that explain a certain principle, but then I realized that they are more there to help the teacher acquire the knowledge and understanding he needs to effectively share the message to the listeners. Its wonderful the illumination the Spirit gives one.
So today for Pday we were going to play squash, which was like an hour away form my area, but when we got there the Elders here only and 2 rackets, so we just did what Mexicans always do, and threw down a good old game of soccer. IT was fun as well, but I would have rather played racquetball haha.
We had 2 great baptisms this week and have one other planned for next week, with another possible. The Lord is really blessing us here as the missionaries work diligently. Its one of the most difficult zones in the mission, but we are slowly picking it up.
I love you all and am waiting for wonderful handwritten letters haha. Los Amo!!!
Much Love
JAmes
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