This week was crazy. Well, the beginning of the week was pretty normal, just throwin' it down with my comp in his last week in the mission. It was kind of hard, because it got me thinking too, "Man, Ill be there in 6 short weeks!" It was hard to focus, I'm not gonna lie, but with transfers it will be a lot easier.
We went to Monterrey on Monday to see some of my comps converts, and stuff. We left Saltillo at 5:30 am and didnt get back till 9 pm. A super long day! We just went from place to place, and I was happy because I got to ride the Metro again. I love the metro! Its just so fun! Also, we went to a place called the Macro Plaza, which is just like a GIANT GIANT HUGE GYNORMOUS BIG strip mall. We went to the electronic part, and I bought a 16gig thumb drive, for 30 bucks, brand new haha! It works perfectly!
So, we got transfers. Im getting Elder Wilson, whos 6 weeks younger than me. They say hes really cool, so Im excited. Also, we are living with the Elders from Lomas, another area, and the senior comp there left. He became a junior comp for being disobedient and lying about dats. He lived with the Zone Leaders, and still didnt wake up till like 7. I woke him up for like the first week and a half, then left him to himself to dig himself a deeper hole for not putting forth any effort. It was having a bad effect on Elder Fotu, the junior comp in that companionship. But the heavens poured out a blessing upon that area, and upon me. Guess whos coming in the place of that missionary? none other than ELDER DEARDEN!! I was SO happy when they told me!! Were going to live in the same house!! AAGGHH!!! This tranfer is going to ROCK!!!!
Well, Im officially on my omega transfer (alpha and omega, the beginning and the end, omega representing the end). I put a huge omega symbol on the front of my agenda, haha.
Anyway I love you all, and Id like to start a new thing, each week Im going to put a funny saying by elder Fotu. Hes from oakland CA and talks like a black man. This weeks is as follows:
"Man, Christmas be today next week."
That was him trying to say, "a week from today is Thanksgiving." Haha, all laughs from Fotu
I lvoe you all and take cares!!!!
Much Love
JAmes
Friday, November 26, 2010
Monday, November 15, 2010
La Cañada, Saltillo week 5
This week was quite eventful. On thursday Elder Tenorio from the 70 came and talked to the missionaries in Saltillo. He was doing a mission tour and the two zones in Saltillo met together. It was so amazing. I thought it would be kind of serious or that he was going to get after us for something, but it wasnt like that at all. He was making jokes and going off subject and telling us hilarious irrelevant stories. His main point however was about praying with real faith and doing our part so they can happen. He also spoke about setting goals and accomplishing them by focusing on the end rather than the effort necessary to accomplish it. It was amazing and reminded me of the story by Pres. Uchtdorf about him not being able to learn english until his motivation was appropriate. It was so wonderful.
We had a miracle baptism this week. The boyfriend of a member got baptized on thursday. We never taught, visited, or hardly talked to him. The Bishop is his girlfriends dad, so he basically taught him everything. We just set up the interview and he was good to go. IT was great! A really spiritual baptismal service. I really enjoyed it.
We just got done with our inter-zonal activity (Elder Van Vliet still makes fun of me for that word. Its a real word). We played soccer in the morning then went bowling, then ate at Dominos to finish off the activity. The only bad thing was that not all the people from the both zones wanted to do it, so only about half went. But it was okay, all the ones I wanted to see went haha. It was a blast!
Well this is my comps last week in the field. IT will be a fun week. Hes doing really good and I think... no, I know he'll finish strong. Then its on to my last transfer... (!)
Congrats to Matt and Jana! I hear Whitney is just a doll, and that she and Jana are doing well. I'm so glad to hear that and to be able to meet her soon!! I love you guys and am glad all is well!!!
Much Love
JAmes
We had a miracle baptism this week. The boyfriend of a member got baptized on thursday. We never taught, visited, or hardly talked to him. The Bishop is his girlfriends dad, so he basically taught him everything. We just set up the interview and he was good to go. IT was great! A really spiritual baptismal service. I really enjoyed it.
We just got done with our inter-zonal activity (Elder Van Vliet still makes fun of me for that word. Its a real word). We played soccer in the morning then went bowling, then ate at Dominos to finish off the activity. The only bad thing was that not all the people from the both zones wanted to do it, so only about half went. But it was okay, all the ones I wanted to see went haha. It was a blast!
Well this is my comps last week in the field. IT will be a fun week. Hes doing really good and I think... no, I know he'll finish strong. Then its on to my last transfer... (!)
Congrats to Matt and Jana! I hear Whitney is just a doll, and that she and Jana are doing well. I'm so glad to hear that and to be able to meet her soon!! I love you guys and am glad all is well!!!
Much Love
JAmes
Monday, November 8, 2010
LA cañada, Saltillo Week 4
This week was crazy. We had zone leader council in Monclova, about 2 hours away. The assistants picked us up from Monterrey and drove us there, so I got to hang out with Elder Van Vliet for a while. IT was awesome talking and sharing inside jokes nobody else thought were funny haha. He and I were the spunkiest ones in that car haha it was so funny, our Mexican brethren were so lost haha. But we all had fun.
So, we had an activity at the end of the first of two days at the council where we have the opportunity to "put what we learned into practice" in the area of the Zone LEaders there. We had a points system for contacts, lessons, new investigators, people with a baptismal goal of 2 weeks with the baptismal form filled out and signed, and having the head of the household offer the prayer, everyone kneeling. I got put with Elder Durrett, one of the Elders I lived with in Monterrey when I was there last time. We Just did contact after contact with nothing. We had a super rich area. But, almost at the end, we contacted a normal looking house, and they let us in. It was a husband and is wife, both in their late 20's. We began teaching and talking about baptism, and all in all, they both accepted a baptismal date in 2 weeks, with their form filled out and signed, and the husband offered the prayer at the end. IT was a fantastic lesson. It really helped us strengthen our testimonies that God really does prepare people for the message. I dont know if they went to church,but Im going to check that tonight. IT would be really cool to have converts in an area, in a city Ive never been in haha. We won the "competition" and each won a tie. They are pretty ugly ties haha. We were the only ones in the whole mission to have bapismal forms filled out in the first lesson due to this activity. It was really great to get to know these people, and I really do believe the Lord guided us to them.
On Sunday, we didnt have anyone to go to church, because we were out of town. When we got there the Bishop told us there was a guy there who apparently knew us. We looked at him, and couldn't recognize him. Finally, we observed he only had half of one of his feet. Oh yeah! We contacted this fellow 3 weeks ago, and he said hed go (like so many others we talk to..) so we didnt think much of it. Well, he really liked it, and we explained authority to him so he could understand that he needs to get baptized with that authority. He stayed all three hours, and even for the baptism we had. At the end he said, " So what do I need to bring next week?" then signaling to the water. Uh, clothes and sandals and a towel. Okay he says. Haha the Lord blesses us for our sacrifices. IT was a great experience.
We went this morning to wash our clothes with the Bishop. His daughter is dating a nonmember whos been going to church for like a year straight and hasnt gotten baptized. The missionaries before us pressured him so he backed way off, but here we just talk to him and see how hes going. So just to keep tabs on him we asked her when is he going to get baptized, half joking. "Oh, Thursday. I forgot to tell you. Isnt he going to need an interview or something before?" Uh, kind of. We were just super surprised haha and are really excited because this guy is really cool. Member missionary work-YES YOU CAN!!!!
Anyways, this is the last working week of my comp that he could possibly receive fruits from. In other words, next week, the people we find hes not going to be able to baptize because he'll be home. So we're going to work super hard so we can have the same work ethic for next week. We gotta keep him goin!
Anyways I love you all. On the 5th I completed having 22 months in the mission. No me vengas. That means like holy cow. Ah it cant be ending! I still have 2 whole months to work!!!
Take care and write me!!!
Much Love
JAmes
So, we had an activity at the end of the first of two days at the council where we have the opportunity to "put what we learned into practice" in the area of the Zone LEaders there. We had a points system for contacts, lessons, new investigators, people with a baptismal goal of 2 weeks with the baptismal form filled out and signed, and having the head of the household offer the prayer, everyone kneeling. I got put with Elder Durrett, one of the Elders I lived with in Monterrey when I was there last time. We Just did contact after contact with nothing. We had a super rich area. But, almost at the end, we contacted a normal looking house, and they let us in. It was a husband and is wife, both in their late 20's. We began teaching and talking about baptism, and all in all, they both accepted a baptismal date in 2 weeks, with their form filled out and signed, and the husband offered the prayer at the end. IT was a fantastic lesson. It really helped us strengthen our testimonies that God really does prepare people for the message. I dont know if they went to church,but Im going to check that tonight. IT would be really cool to have converts in an area, in a city Ive never been in haha. We won the "competition" and each won a tie. They are pretty ugly ties haha. We were the only ones in the whole mission to have bapismal forms filled out in the first lesson due to this activity. It was really great to get to know these people, and I really do believe the Lord guided us to them.
On Sunday, we didnt have anyone to go to church, because we were out of town. When we got there the Bishop told us there was a guy there who apparently knew us. We looked at him, and couldn't recognize him. Finally, we observed he only had half of one of his feet. Oh yeah! We contacted this fellow 3 weeks ago, and he said hed go (like so many others we talk to..) so we didnt think much of it. Well, he really liked it, and we explained authority to him so he could understand that he needs to get baptized with that authority. He stayed all three hours, and even for the baptism we had. At the end he said, " So what do I need to bring next week?" then signaling to the water. Uh, clothes and sandals and a towel. Okay he says. Haha the Lord blesses us for our sacrifices. IT was a great experience.
We went this morning to wash our clothes with the Bishop. His daughter is dating a nonmember whos been going to church for like a year straight and hasnt gotten baptized. The missionaries before us pressured him so he backed way off, but here we just talk to him and see how hes going. So just to keep tabs on him we asked her when is he going to get baptized, half joking. "Oh, Thursday. I forgot to tell you. Isnt he going to need an interview or something before?" Uh, kind of. We were just super surprised haha and are really excited because this guy is really cool. Member missionary work-YES YOU CAN!!!!
Anyways, this is the last working week of my comp that he could possibly receive fruits from. In other words, next week, the people we find hes not going to be able to baptize because he'll be home. So we're going to work super hard so we can have the same work ethic for next week. We gotta keep him goin!
Anyways I love you all. On the 5th I completed having 22 months in the mission. No me vengas. That means like holy cow. Ah it cant be ending! I still have 2 whole months to work!!!
Take care and write me!!!
Much Love
JAmes
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
LA Cañada, Saltillo week 3
This week was great. Tuesday we had interviews with the President. IT was amazing as usual. I ask him some personal questions and he explains to me what I need to hear in the way I need to hear it. Such a great experience. And... Remember the guitar the member gave me 6 months ago when I was in Monterrey? Well it finally got done being repaired and the missionaries there finally remembered to go pick it up and now I have it! His names Tito. Its a really great sounding guitar, even with the cruddy strings on it. When I get home im throwing some silk & steels on him to lessen the tension on the broken part of the neck and so hell sound awesome. Mason is probably the only one who understands that haha:)
So the two girls who went to church last week got baptized on Sunday. IT was a great service. their parents are also interested in the message. they are about to separate, and the mom is even looking for a house to move into, but for some crazy reason hasn't found even one. Sign from God? Hmm... so were helping them try to save their marriage and fill in the missing parts of their lives. They are great people. Were really hoping that they will progress.
We have an awesome member here named Hermana Garcia. She has a son whose inactive and whose wife isnt a member but has gone to church and liked it and everything. so we go to their house Saturday, explain baptism, and ask her if shed be baptized next week. She accepted. Haha Its amazing how the Lord works and how exceedingly effective member missionary work is. From this member we've baptized 2 already and this will be number 3. see members? you really CAN help the missionaries! Is it hard. NOT AT ALL. Just tell us and well go and explain everything to them!!! Help us!!!
Well its November. Its crazy to think that next month Ill hit the 2 year mark the 31 of Dec. Yes Im thinking a little ahead I know haha but its just such a crazy thought. there are Christmas decorations out in the stores and everything. Halloween went by like nothing, man where is the time going! I just gotta sprint to the end!!!
Not a whole lot else going on. Just working our tails off. Thats all :)
I love you all!!!!
Much Love
JAmes
So the two girls who went to church last week got baptized on Sunday. IT was a great service. their parents are also interested in the message. they are about to separate, and the mom is even looking for a house to move into, but for some crazy reason hasn't found even one. Sign from God? Hmm... so were helping them try to save their marriage and fill in the missing parts of their lives. They are great people. Were really hoping that they will progress.
We have an awesome member here named Hermana Garcia. She has a son whose inactive and whose wife isnt a member but has gone to church and liked it and everything. so we go to their house Saturday, explain baptism, and ask her if shed be baptized next week. She accepted. Haha Its amazing how the Lord works and how exceedingly effective member missionary work is. From this member we've baptized 2 already and this will be number 3. see members? you really CAN help the missionaries! Is it hard. NOT AT ALL. Just tell us and well go and explain everything to them!!! Help us!!!
Well its November. Its crazy to think that next month Ill hit the 2 year mark the 31 of Dec. Yes Im thinking a little ahead I know haha but its just such a crazy thought. there are Christmas decorations out in the stores and everything. Halloween went by like nothing, man where is the time going! I just gotta sprint to the end!!!
Not a whole lot else going on. Just working our tails off. Thats all :)
I love you all!!!!
Much Love
JAmes
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)