2014-06-30: Those Who Are Given Much, the Lord Requires More

Hey guys!  Well, June is now over and we are going into July... I can't believe how time just flies.

Well this past week went well and we are working hard in the area.  I feel so happy working here, and I know what they mean when they say the mission is an emotional roller coaster.  The first half of the week was just trash... we did not get anything done, and we were feeling so hopeless.  We had very little lessons taught and not many things were going our way.  So on Tuesday, we get a call from the ZL’s that we were going to do a mission wide fast and we all had to fast for 24 hours.  We finished the fast the next day, and all of a sudden blessings just came.  The last half of the week we found 16 new people to teach, and the members were willing to leave with us more frequently.

We had planning on Friday, and one of the ZL’s said "Those that are given much, the Lord requires more.”  And that is true.  The lazy missionaries find success and we wonder why not us.  And the Lord knows our potential and what each one of us can do.  He will not lower his standards for us, just because we are having difficulty.  In D&C, the prophet Joseph Smith was told that if he endured and persevered he would be blessed.  And that is the way it is.  If we want things we are going to have to sacrifice to achieve.  To progress the level of effort required rises.  The bar is never set, it keeps rising.

Well, have a good week guys, I love you all!

2014-06-23: Good Advice From a Great Mission President-Aloha

Hey guys, Elder Vincent checking in another week.  

Well, this week went swell, and we had so many meetings because a lot of things are happening.  Tuesday we had a zone meeting with 2 other zones for a last meeting before president leaves.  He talked a lot about the missionary work and summed up his mission and it was basically a goodbye.  It was hard saying goodbye... Haha the mission presidents are kind of like second parents to the missionaries.  He said some interesting things, and one of the things is about unlocking and finding your true potential.  And it got me thinking about the parable of the talents, and how we all are given talents.  As we develop and grow we receive more and more, and it is up to us to determine how far and how much our potential grows.

The work is going good here in La Leyenda, and we are finding people.  One of the things that is a challenge is finding people that want change in their lives... many people are really complacent, and it seems like with all of the challenges and problems in the world people lose hope.  But we found this family this past Wednesday and we were teaching them, the Hermana says " why are there so many churches, it seems like there is one of every block.  There should be unity in the world and in the faith right?" and we were so happy because she was hitting the nail on the head.  There are different churches here on every corner, but there is no unity in the world.  We are going to continue working with her and let you guys know how it goes!

Sunday we had a meeting with the stake president and all the bishops in the stake, and all the missionaries just sat there while the leadership in the stake just tore up the bishops because they pushed the missionary work on the side... it was kind of funny.  But all is going well here.

I hope you guys are all doing well.  I love you guys and have a good week!

2014-06-16 Do You Have Two Minutes for God?

Hey guys, It seems like I just wrote you yesterday, but I am here again.  This week was okay considering that we were sick all week.  Monday after internet, Elder Moss started feeling sick, so we just went throughout the day like normal, and Tuesday morning I worked out at 6am, did my morning routine... and when I sat down on the toilet for my morning glory, instead of my normal morning submarine, a gallon of what looked like orange juice came out.  I was like " OH NOOOOOOO!!!!" and then it all started, We both felt sick, headache etc.,  and we looked like zombies walking through the streets the whole week, but by Wednesday we were both all good except for the diarrhea.  

The problem that we faced this week was finding new people to teach.  We got our lessons in, but it seems like that side of the work has slowed close to a halt.  The members are kind of dried out, and it seems like these doors have already been contacted many times by missionaries in the past.  But next week I will have an opportunity to speak in sacrament meeting, so I will try to inspire and get the members on the ball.  Whenever we contact here, the parents that see us coming run and shut the door.  When we get to the door and knock they send out their 4 year old, 6 year old kids to say that they are not home or they will say their my mom is busy.  Then I tell them, "ask your mom if she has about 2 minutes for God" and then finally most of the parents end up coming out and we can do our contact.

But all is going okay here, we are working hard, and hopefully things pick up soon.  We plan on hitting it even harder this coming week.  My comp so far is following me and working but we will see in a few weeks...

Have a good week and I love you guys!

Happy Father's Day to the BEST DAD IN THE WORLD!!! Thanks Dad, I Love You!

First off, Happy Fathers Day Dad!  I never really appreciated you and mom before, but I want to thank you for all that you have done for me.  You have always been there for me in the good days and the bad, and always trusted me when I didn't deserve it.  Thank you for being a good role model.  You are always there to get me up when I am down and fallen.  YOU ARE THE BEST DAD IN THE WORLD!!!  I hope that I can be as best as you are and be as good to you as you are to me!

Hey you guys!  Well today was a good week, and we are progressing surely, and we have found that the best way we can find better success is through the members.  I have a testimony of the members working with the missionaries because the people that we are teaching now that was referred by the members or have contact with members are way more receptive than those who do not have any contact with the members.  We were struggling at first to find people, but now that we have a new bishop things are getting up and running.  President Monson said that "now is the time that members and missionaries work together." and it is true.  We are planning on having a wedding this month for an investigator, and J and G are doing well.  

Today I found out that I will be killing my comp. Elder Moss.  [This means Hunter's companion will finish his mission with Hunter before he goes home]  He has one change left, and we hope to make it a great one.  This week a lot of things stuck out to me from day to day, and one of the bigger messages this week was example.  I was studying in Mosiah chapter 4 verse 11 and there is a phrase that goes along the lines of: once you learn or know these things, see that you do them and that is great.  We have the knowledge, why don’t we apply it and live what we preach or learn.

There is a new video that I love from the church and it is "Gracias a Él " or "Thanks to Him" or “Because of Him” and I always feel PUMPED when I watch it, makes me want to preach to the world.  I recommend it to everyone. [video can be seen here: http://easter.mormon.org/ or https://www.lds.org/youth/video/because-of-him?lang=spa for the Spanish version]  I have a greater appreciation for the Atonement than I had before.  We have the chance to become better everyday through the atonement, and I am grateful that we have a Savior that died for us.  A lot of people here do not want to progress in life, and it is hard, but we have to progress, we need to progress because as Mormons and members of this true church, with the knowledge, we cannot afford to stay where we are.  Progress and application is necessary.

Tell the Lotomau family I just got the package this week and tell them THANK YOU!!!

Well have a good week guys! Do well in school and in baseball Elijah... I can’t believe you are starting high school!  Don’t be as dumb as I was!  I love you guys!

2014-06-02 Another Great Week Past by Faster Than the Last!

Hey you guys another week past by faster than the last!  Everything is going well over here, and I am glad to hear that you guys are having fun over there... CONGRATULATIONS Elijah! Time flies... before you know it you will be doing senior practices for graduation.  Tell Michael I said congrats too.  Well I hope this new coach turns things around there at McKinley, and Elijah do what you want, but make sure you do it with fullness of heart.

Well this week went SO fast! We are trying hard to just throw fire in our area and find and work.  We had an interesting lesson with an investigator this week.  A member gave us this reference and it is a couple named J and G.  They are super receptive and we have been working with them this whole week.  Haha it was kind of funny because he always has so much questions for us, and some of the questions were crossing into deep doctrine like "where did God come from?" or "Do we have the potential to become Gods?" and we are just trying to feed him the milk before the meat.  And it seemed like this guy has absolutely no problems, up until Friday.  We found out that he studies every Sunday, and that he starts at 7 in the morning until 5 at night.  We were kind of bummed, but we taught baptism that day.  So we were sitting there in silence and then I asked him "What are you willing to do to receive this change in your life?" and he said "well, like you said I have to read, pray and go to church... and I guess I will have to push back my studies to receive this change." Haha both of our jaws dropped to the floor, and we looked at each other and in the background you could hear " Hallelujah, hallelujah!" haha this guy is so willing to accept the gospel, and so we have high hopes for him.  Hopefully he will start attending church this coming week.  Pray for them! 

Well, all in all it was a good week.  Have fun, take care, and I love you guys.