November 29, 2015

This week has been a great week!

Thanksgiving, for starter, was awesome! We ate at a couple members' homes and an investigator's home that night. I just about died for how much we ate! We definitley have a solid ward!

Earlier in the week, we met some interesting people. I met a couple people that told me they would make me rich if I moved out with them or became their friend. haha. One of them loved the beach, I respected that ;). We were tracting in an area where bishop felt we should spend our proselyting time when we felt we should visit a member in the ward. This member happened to have someone at her house that was very interested in the church. We taught him the fist discussion and invited him to be baptised. He said he felt something he could not deny and accepted the invitation! We were super exited...to say the least! Later we tried by a less active member that hadn't answered the door in a number of years...he just let us right in with his family...we taught the restoration and got to know them, and they want us back for dinner and another lesson next week! WHAT THE HECK! The end of the week ended on a super high note! We had a couple less active members and 5 of our investigators come to church!! Elder Burciaga and I were as happy as any missionary could be!

I'm not gonna lie, I miss you guys at home. This season brings back some good memories with the family and friends! Hope the holidays have been good for all of you!

Recently, I read a talk by the title of "What Lack I Yet" given in this last general conference session. It lead me to think of the things that I could do better to progress as a missionary, and as a person in general. Because of my wants pertaining to spiritual lprogression, I decided to take it up to the Lord for detailed, inspired guidance, and have been trying to show my faith throughout these past couple days to have the spirit shed some light on the subject. I like this quote in the talk: "THe Holy Ghost Really does give customized counsel. He is a completely honest companion and will tell us things that no one elese knows or has the courage to say." The Holy Ghost gives us those thoughts or those feelings that allow us to progress and be better. Our Father in Heaven loves us and wants us to progress! This scripture isn't meant to belittle us, but through charity and humility, God has said this is attainable: "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." When I am doing something as good as I possibly think it can be done, the reality of it is: I'm not perfect, nor are any of us and the spirit can tell us in personal detail how we can improve and come closer to our Savior.

My invitation to all this week is to ask yourself and God what or how you can do better (in anything, not just spiritually)...or in better words "what lack I yet." Allow yourself to have some spritual guidance. And I will do the same. Love you guys. Happy Holidays ;)!

Elder Andrew

November 26, 2015

Thanksgiving Dinner at the Nichols

November 23, 2015

How you all doin!? Thanksgiving is coming up and that day is going to be jam packed for us! We are eating dinner with like every family in the ward! I am going to die. This coming week will be a fun and full week. This last week..once again...has flown by. We had interviews with president and it sounds pretty probable that I might be out of my area. It will definitely be rough considering the relationships I have established and what I have gotten used to..but I still am not counting on it just because you really never know where you are going until you open that letter. The ward has been treating us really well and my companion and I agree we have established some definite trust and respect which is AWESOME. We have been staying busy in our proselyting efforts and had a pretty cool experience this week in an area that our bishop felt inspired to focus our proselyting efforts on. We were visiting a former investigator, who ended up not being home, so we did some tracting.  We knocked on the neighbor's house and he answered. We started talking and it got really interesting. I guess he is some ridiculously smart computer guy who can hack anything. He admitted his beliefs to us - he is an "agnostic atheist" (someone who is open to ideas or beliefs but wants proof). We ended up teaching the restoration to him and when we spoke of the first vision he made a weird face. We asked if he was feeling anything or what his thoughts were. He came back at us saying he felt something very strong...that he could not deny...!!! Inside, I was thrilled. Whether this guy gets baptized or progresses, I don't know..but this little experience I think was rewarded to us because of our labors. We had mission tour (like a zone conference) this week and something president Taylor said was along the lines of ...despite our exact obedience, charity, 100% effort, why does it seem sometimes the Lord isn't blessing us or is there or we aren't having success...its because success, or blessings, or miracles ultimately don't convert us to the gospel. Also, when we have these really cool experiences every so often, we have a greater appreciation for them. True conversion is not what we believe, its through our works and what they allow us to become over time. Charitable is something that people can become. I extend the invitation at the beginning of this Thanksgiving holiday to pray for charity, to have a charitable experience. Over time these acts, or experiences, will engrave in us and allow us to "become" charitable people. Do something for something this holiday season that THEY can be grateful for. I love you all and love it out here! Hope you have an awesome Thanksgiving! Scripture for the week: Ether 12:34.

Sincerely,

Elder Andrew

November 18,2015

November 17, 2015

November 16, 2015

This week was crazy jam packed! And next is looking very similar! My comp and I decided to do a little fasting this week and Heavenly Father made sure we were busy and will be busy. Our main focused on investigators have been all sick, so it's been testing our patience quiet a bit. Part of our fast was focused on these specific people.

Something pretty cool happened the day of our fast! Towards the end of the day we got a couple texts, both of which were from these investigators wanting to schedule an appointment!! I have been hoping and praying I don't get transferred out (the 9th) so I can see these guys baptized. Either that our have a miracle and see them baptized this transfer. This week and last, I've learned I need to have a lot more trust in the Lord rather than relying solely on my own efforts. I came across a scripture in my studies that hit me fairly hard. It reads:

30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, even so will he clothe you, if ye are not of little faith.

31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

32 For your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.

34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow, for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient is the day unto the evil thereof.

3 Nephi 13

The Lord provides for his children that show their faith and trust in him. Things don't always go how we expect our how we want, but if it's the Lords will, it will happen. Something that I will always be
working on is aligning my will with the will of the Lord. If our investigators are baptized this transfer, so be it! I need some serious patience haha.

This week we have also ran into some interesting people. Some, there appearance was pretty funky, some their beliefs. There was a guy that beliefs in Zeus and Greek mythology so that was interesting. Being exposed to all kinds of liberal and extreme beliefs has been fun as can be! 

The work is going good and me and elder Burciaga have a pretty good time! I love you all!! Remember to trust in the Lord, through thick and thin, and he
will provide!

Sincerely,
Elder Andrew

Sent from my iPad

November 9, 2015

What's up guys! This week has been a little long..not gonna lie. The
weather here is foggy and rainy ALL the time and we walk all day in it
getting soaked. Fun stuff haha. Peoples personality definitely changes
during this season, and it's interesting  talking to people who are in
winter mode out here! Our main investigator has kinda been going
through a rough time, so it's been somewhat hard to coordinate with
her and her family. She is still progressing though, she has been to
church several times along with her brother and say they really like
it! We have final interviews set up, and our fingers are crossed that
things go as planned. There has been some confusion with the church's
recent stance made. It gives me comfort that we are lead and guided by
a modern day prophet who receives revelation for the church as a
whole. For people that had questions concerning this, and quote came
into my mind which was "doubt your doubts before you doubt your
faith". We are members of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day
Saints and anybody who is a member is converted to the gospel of Jesus
Christ. At one point or another has come to the realization that this
church holds the power and keys necessary to perfect the saints,
redeem the dead, and proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ "boldly,
nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent,
visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every year".
For questions and confirmation, we should always bring it up with our
father in heaven who cares about us more than enough to show us truth.
Sorry for probably over expounding, buts it's been kind of a big deal
up here. Scripture for the week;) Moses 5:8-9. I love serving the
Lord...the church is true! Love you all and have a great week!

Sent from my iPad

November 2, 2015

Hope you guys had a good Halloween! I'm jealous Jeff can dunk it that good! I have pretty much lost all my hops and any skills I had! It's been raining like crazy and I haven't seen the sun for a few days. The work is going good. The area has at least doubled in progress since I have been here! Our baptism should be within the next couple weeks if things go as planned! I couldn't be more excited! 

exchanges

First one of these I've seen in a while #ancient

Scripture for the week: 2 Nephi 24:11-16. 

Love you guys!

Elder Andrew

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