2015-07-13 & 20: Rise Up O Men of God

07/20/15

Hey guys, well this week went by fast... like normal.  Monday we just played soccer in the hot sun here, but the highlight of my week was Tuesday.  We had a conference with President Crapo.  We woke up at 2 in the morning to get on a bus and head to an area called Chiquimula.  The conference was great.  It was based on a talk that I wished I had read ages ago called "Becoming a Consecrated Missionary" or something like that given by Tad R. Callister.  He talked a lot about how the culture of the mission is being affected by the culture of the world and Central America.   Presidente shared much concern about how the mission and the missionaries are going down the drain because some missionaries are being sucked up in the things of the world. 

Things Have Really Been Cooking Lately

President emphasized the phrase "Men of God".  He said, now is the time to lay all of our sins, weaknesses, and bad things aside and sacrifice them upon the altar.  We must become Men and Women of God.  We cannot serve 2 masters, we cannot have one foot in the world and one foot following God.  We must "decide now whom we will serve". 

There are so many heroes and men of God that I look up to in the scriptures and in my life.  Captain Moroni, and his righteousness, Nephi and his faith, the 2000 stripling warriors and their integrity at all times, Abinadi in the face of death, Joseph Smith, my parents, Leaders, and finally my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 

We are born in this world but we need not be on it.  Jesus was tempted of all kinds of sins and temptations, but he did not act upon them.  Like the hymn says "Rise Up O Men of God",  We must rise up, and leave the darkness of this world. 

As a mission we have started a "40 day fast" see the JST of Matthew of the fast of Jesus.  We started fasting on Saturday and we each think of 2 or 3 things that we are willing to sacrifice and do away with, weaknesses, sins, etc.  And for 40 days we work hard to avoid and eliminate all things that associate or invite those things in our lives.  At the end of the 40 days, we should have our weaknesses become our strengths.  Each of us have things that hold us back and keep us in the world.  Let us sacrifice these things and leave them behind.  We are greater than we think or know, and the only thing that limits us is our personal righteousness.  

I love all of you and I testify these things.  Just in these few days avoiding and thinking about these things has helped me a lot.  Have a good week!

Another Service Opportunity.

07/13/15

Hey guys!  We are seeing a lot of blessings as the days go by because we have been having investigators going to church.  One of the people that we are teaching her name is P and she is suuper old!  Haha she could be my grandma, but she is doing really well with the lessons.  It is funny because every time we go and visit her she likes to sing Christian rock songs to us and stuff, because she grew up in another church, but she is really progressing and wants to know the truth. 

That family that we reactivated of 11 people is doing good and the girl that we are teaching that is the girlfriend of one of the sons of the family wants to get baptized and married to him, so we are hoping that all goes well with them.  Keep them in your prayers! 

Other than that things have been good... just working hard and enjoying the time.  All the missionaries are starting to say "it smells like death here!" whenever I walk in the room, but I just want to work!

Haha I love talking to people and getting to know them.  Haha I think it will be hard to get back and speak in English because I don't know how to speak it anymore.  Hermana C one of the sisters in the district, one night this past week, when I called for daily numbers, was saying "my tonsils hurt." and I was saying "you didn't get them taken out?" and she kept saying tonsils, tonsils and I just kept thinking wisdom teeth, wisdom teeth.  Haha so we had a conversation about what are tonsils and then it hit me that she wasn't talking about wisdom teeth.

I am completely lost when talking in English now!  Haha oh well.  My comp says Hi and I am doing great! Have a great week guys! I love you all!

One of many horses in a recent parade in town.