Buenos dias!!!
Thank you for sending that message to Jenn for me, Mom! I'm really excited to hear from her, and to see how things are going! And it sounds as if things are a little hectic at home. 9 people at the house over the weekend must have been a LOT! Then Phoenix and Mozart both trying to decorate the carpet probably threw in another dose of fun! But it does sound like the weekend was very fun. And how did everyone like the dance? Since we've been hanging out with the Branch Mission Leader, who loves to dance and talk about dancing, I realized that's something I'm definitely going to take up again once I get back. As well as piano.
I'm sorry to hear about Bishop. It (throat cancer) hasn't progressed too quickly or too far, has it? I will keep him in my prayers. He already went through so much the first time, I hope this time is better.
In terms of people at church and people progressing towards baptism, we are doing well. We're still working on OYM-ing, but we're finally starting to get a handle on the area (And about time, after four transfers here). We're anxiously working with many good investigators here, and we're excited for the progress they are making. Hermana Sanchez has been to see Bradshaw (the lawyer, who was a Stake President, and who is working on Hermana Santa Sanchez's divorce), and Bradshaw began the process last Monday (the 14th). We can't wait until everything has really gotten rolling with her divorce, their marriage, and their baptism!!
We've been really working to apply what we've learned in the trainings, and I've been striving to improve what I've put down in my change boxes. I've neglected to review my first change box frequently enough during the past few days, so that I haven't thought on those things in the first change box as often as the second. We've really been focusing on having each investigator read and pray before progressing, so we have put a lot of emphasis on that during these past few days. Overall, we've just been putting a lot more emphasis on the Book of Mormon, and I'm coming to understand much better the role that the Book of Mormon plays in conversion - not just in attending church or even in being baptized. To really have a strong testimony of the Book of Mormon is a much better sign for staying both in the Church and active in attendance and participation. It's life-changing, and I really want each and every person we teach to experience it, including the members.
So we taught this guy yesterday named Feliciano. He is a very interesting character. He was very animated, and not just with his hands. He was moving this way and that, and really aumenting his conversation with his actions. In my movie after this life, you'll have to see what he's like. It was really fun!
Let's see, what else...Oh! BYU-I!! What do you want to know? When does he start? There's a lot to tell, and if you or grandma sent a list of questions, Elder Kobayashi and I could answer them next week. It's a great school. There are some things that take some getting used to, like the dress code, but once you've got that down, things go really well. It takes a lot of work - it's college! Anywhere he goes, he'll really need to apply himself. What track is he on? When would he start? That's weird, I was just thinking about it - James will either start right after school ends or at the end of this year, and then Justin graduates next year...we could all be at school at the same time! That would be awesome! So, not weird, but awesome! Just strange to think that a lot of us as an extended family, and immediate family, would be off at college or in college at the same time!
Sorry one last thing - could you e-mail Kyle Patterson, one of my MTC teachers, and let him know that I'm doing well, but can't respond to e-mails, and if he could e-mail me his address?
Thanks! I love you!!! A infinidad!
El Devinator
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Monday, February 14, 2011
Week 38 - Families to Teach
Hola Everyone!
This week has been a wonderful week!! We received a referral from the Sanchez family (who we have been working with to start her divorce papers - started today - so she and Arturo can get married and baptized) for her brother, who she said has had a lot of problems with alcohol. So we went over to their house and taught their family. Not all of them were there, but those that were there accepted a baptismal date for the 12th of March. It was AMAZING! We could all really feel the Spirit there in the lesson, especially when Hermana Sanchez (who isn't a member yet, but who said she is anxiously awaiting the day that she can be baptized) bore her testimony about the Church. And a couple of days before, she shared a scripture that she found in the Book of Mormon, when Alma is inviting to baptism those people at the Waters of Mormon, which applied directly to the situation of where she was at, and how she wanted to help her brother. It's been such an amazing experience working with the Sanchez/Andrade family!!!
During the course of this week, we also really pushed to reach the Standards of Excellence. We're still striving to reach our OYM goal (and we also received some advice from Elder Perez, so we'll apply that during the week so that OYM-ing doesn't seem quite so stressful), but as we stretched and really relied on God, he blessed us with the opportunity to achieve that goal. We were at 15 lessons on Saturday, so we knew that we would have to work really hard to make that up on Sunday. And throughout the course of the morning, we had 2 appointments fall through. So we decided to go work in an area that we're still working on building up, but that we still don't have too many people in. With the Lord's help, we were able to have some very good lessons (good in terms of the Spirit being present, with our focus being to bring them to Christ). But by 7:15, we still only had 3 lessons and only about 3 more people that we could visit before we would need to start knocking doors to find new people. One family wasn't home. That left us with two posibilities, and they weren't very stable possibilities. One was a less-active member who isn't home very often. The other was someone whom we had talked to, but hadn't had the chance to meet with. The Lord softened their hearts, though, and they allowed us to sit down and invite them to Christ. Our final lesson finished at 8:50, and he is a wonderful father with 2 awesome kids!! We're looking forward to working with everyone again during the coming weeks.
And that's a pretty good summary of the week! Things have been progressing well, all due to the help and strength of the Lord. As we've come to rely on Him and the guidance of His Spirit more, we've been able to find more success, and I've been able to find a much greater desire for the work. We have so many AWESOMEBROSO people to work with, and with the Lord's guidance, we're really excited to bring people to the waters of baptism.
Oh, but a couple of things to add: I forgot to get Kayla's e-mail address again to send you, but I might see if I can do that today, just to see if I actually sent you the right one before. And Jenn is one of my friends on Facebook, so hopefully, you can get ahold of her that way.
But I think that's it! It was great to get that container of candy and the packet of pictures!! Hachi looks fun, but he has that dog face, like "Hey, don't bother me. I'm just a little guy, but I've got a big (annoying) bark!"
Anyway, it was great hearing from you!!! Thanks for the Valentine's Day package, el dia de amor. Looking forward to talking to y'all soon!
Con mucho amor, a infinidad, y mas alla!!
El Devinator
This week has been a wonderful week!! We received a referral from the Sanchez family (who we have been working with to start her divorce papers - started today - so she and Arturo can get married and baptized) for her brother, who she said has had a lot of problems with alcohol. So we went over to their house and taught their family. Not all of them were there, but those that were there accepted a baptismal date for the 12th of March. It was AMAZING! We could all really feel the Spirit there in the lesson, especially when Hermana Sanchez (who isn't a member yet, but who said she is anxiously awaiting the day that she can be baptized) bore her testimony about the Church. And a couple of days before, she shared a scripture that she found in the Book of Mormon, when Alma is inviting to baptism those people at the Waters of Mormon, which applied directly to the situation of where she was at, and how she wanted to help her brother. It's been such an amazing experience working with the Sanchez/Andrade family!!!
During the course of this week, we also really pushed to reach the Standards of Excellence. We're still striving to reach our OYM goal (and we also received some advice from Elder Perez, so we'll apply that during the week so that OYM-ing doesn't seem quite so stressful), but as we stretched and really relied on God, he blessed us with the opportunity to achieve that goal. We were at 15 lessons on Saturday, so we knew that we would have to work really hard to make that up on Sunday. And throughout the course of the morning, we had 2 appointments fall through. So we decided to go work in an area that we're still working on building up, but that we still don't have too many people in. With the Lord's help, we were able to have some very good lessons (good in terms of the Spirit being present, with our focus being to bring them to Christ). But by 7:15, we still only had 3 lessons and only about 3 more people that we could visit before we would need to start knocking doors to find new people. One family wasn't home. That left us with two posibilities, and they weren't very stable possibilities. One was a less-active member who isn't home very often. The other was someone whom we had talked to, but hadn't had the chance to meet with. The Lord softened their hearts, though, and they allowed us to sit down and invite them to Christ. Our final lesson finished at 8:50, and he is a wonderful father with 2 awesome kids!! We're looking forward to working with everyone again during the coming weeks.
And that's a pretty good summary of the week! Things have been progressing well, all due to the help and strength of the Lord. As we've come to rely on Him and the guidance of His Spirit more, we've been able to find more success, and I've been able to find a much greater desire for the work. We have so many AWESOMEBROSO people to work with, and with the Lord's guidance, we're really excited to bring people to the waters of baptism.
Oh, but a couple of things to add: I forgot to get Kayla's e-mail address again to send you, but I might see if I can do that today, just to see if I actually sent you the right one before. And Jenn is one of my friends on Facebook, so hopefully, you can get ahold of her that way.
But I think that's it! It was great to get that container of candy and the packet of pictures!! Hachi looks fun, but he has that dog face, like "Hey, don't bother me. I'm just a little guy, but I've got a big (annoying) bark!"
Anyway, it was great hearing from you!!! Thanks for the Valentine's Day package, el dia de amor. Looking forward to talking to y'all soon!
Con mucho amor, a infinidad, y mas alla!!
El Devinator
Monday, February 7, 2011
Week 37 - A Really Cold Week!
Buenos Dias!
Wow, Ariane is engaged?!?! That was quick! That's cool, though - I hear they've been writing back and forth for some time now. And she's going to be busy - that takes a lot to narrow it down to the school she can go to. Hopefully, Nathan got into a school that's either the same as hers, or really, really close by.
And Justin got to drive in a Jaguar? Haha yeah, I don't know how good of an idea that is! Though I guess it's his car, so if anything happens...and how'd Justin like driving? Is he finally getting into it?
Sounds like things have been really busy all across the board!! Grand Jury, Gospel Principles (And guess what - I've taught that before! Only, in Spanish, so I hope it went well!), school, projects, math-a-thon, play-a-thon, dentist, and taxes - all in a weeks work, I guess! Plus, cleaning up poops from Hachi has got to be fun. I hope they're not too big!
So, for transfer info: Out of Kemah North - Elder Durrant is leaving, and Elder Sheridan is staying. Kemah South: Hermana Roe is finishing her mission and going home. It's really weird - we've both been in the same district for 3 transfers, and we got along pretty well, but it's weird to see a friend heading back home after their mission is done here.
And Kemah Central: Elder Kobayashi is staying here, and I'm...staying here, too! As of right now, we have another transfer here, juntos (together)! It should be really interesting, and hopefully a lot of fun as well. We have A LOT to work on and change, especially in terms of OYM-ing, so that will be good to work on.
Oh, what's the best way to mail pictures back? Should I send them in one of those little albums that you sent out here, and send that in an envelope? Whatever works best!
I think transfers are the biggest news of this week. We've been working hard, even though it's been cold. Just this past Wednesday, we were told that we couldn't be on our bikes or in mission vehicles to go to appointments because the roads were all frozen and iced over. It got into the 20's during part of Thursday and Friday, and all of Wednesday. There was supposed to be a really big storm coming in, along with snow (which would have been awesome), but it just turned out to be really cold. Not super fun. Super cold. But we're all good. After Wednesday, we were able to get out and work, even in the 20's and 30's.
And I think that about sums it up! I haven't set up an appointment with the dentist's office yet, just because I didn't know if I'd be transfered or not, and so I didn't want to set up an appointment that I wouldn't be able to keep. So now I can set it up and get my teeth all cleaned!
And that's the way the cookie crumbles!
Les amo mucho - a infinidad, y mas alla!
Con mucho amor,
El Devinator
Wow, Ariane is engaged?!?! That was quick! That's cool, though - I hear they've been writing back and forth for some time now. And she's going to be busy - that takes a lot to narrow it down to the school she can go to. Hopefully, Nathan got into a school that's either the same as hers, or really, really close by.
And Justin got to drive in a Jaguar? Haha yeah, I don't know how good of an idea that is! Though I guess it's his car, so if anything happens...and how'd Justin like driving? Is he finally getting into it?
Sounds like things have been really busy all across the board!! Grand Jury, Gospel Principles (And guess what - I've taught that before! Only, in Spanish, so I hope it went well!), school, projects, math-a-thon, play-a-thon, dentist, and taxes - all in a weeks work, I guess! Plus, cleaning up poops from Hachi has got to be fun. I hope they're not too big!
So, for transfer info: Out of Kemah North - Elder Durrant is leaving, and Elder Sheridan is staying. Kemah South: Hermana Roe is finishing her mission and going home. It's really weird - we've both been in the same district for 3 transfers, and we got along pretty well, but it's weird to see a friend heading back home after their mission is done here.
And Kemah Central: Elder Kobayashi is staying here, and I'm...staying here, too! As of right now, we have another transfer here, juntos (together)! It should be really interesting, and hopefully a lot of fun as well. We have A LOT to work on and change, especially in terms of OYM-ing, so that will be good to work on.
Oh, what's the best way to mail pictures back? Should I send them in one of those little albums that you sent out here, and send that in an envelope? Whatever works best!
I think transfers are the biggest news of this week. We've been working hard, even though it's been cold. Just this past Wednesday, we were told that we couldn't be on our bikes or in mission vehicles to go to appointments because the roads were all frozen and iced over. It got into the 20's during part of Thursday and Friday, and all of Wednesday. There was supposed to be a really big storm coming in, along with snow (which would have been awesome), but it just turned out to be really cold. Not super fun. Super cold. But we're all good. After Wednesday, we were able to get out and work, even in the 20's and 30's.
And I think that about sums it up! I haven't set up an appointment with the dentist's office yet, just because I didn't know if I'd be transfered or not, and so I didn't want to set up an appointment that I wouldn't be able to keep. So now I can set it up and get my teeth all cleaned!
And that's the way the cookie crumbles!
Les amo mucho - a infinidad, y mas alla!
Con mucho amor,
El Devinator
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