Buenas dias!!
Greetings from Houston 1 West West!! Yes, Houston 1 West West! We've nicknamed it 'Far West', but the Assistants still haven't opted to change the name...probably because we'll be going through a split in the ward (which is a big part of the reason as to why we're here, I think), and we'll be getting another name here soon. But we'll see - anything can happen!
It's definitely been interesting. I don't even know where to start!
So, at transfer meeting: President Saylin put my picture up on the transfer board. It didn't register in my mind that the person who has already been in the area goes up on the projector first. Then, Elder Lyman's name and picture went up on the board! He's a pretty awesome elder, and he was trained by Elder Perez, who was also trained by Elder Jenks. So, it's almost like we're family! It's pretty fun.
After our names and pictures were up on the board and we saw which area we were in, we sat back down. It wasn't until the end when we were talking when re realized that we're both new in this area. Neither of us have been in Houston 1 before. So, what we're doing now is opening up a new area! It's definitely been a new experience.
So, we arrived, unloaded our things in the apartment that used to belong to the Sister missionaries (so it's a really nice apartment - I wish I could send pictures, but this computer doesn't have a way to send them.), and realized that we are really starting out from almost the beginning. We didn't have an area book, or investigators, or know any of the members. We decided to first get to know the members in our area, especially since we learned that we had a dinner appointment in our area that same night. As we were biking to the appointment, we stopped to wait at a light so we could cross. While we were waiting, a bird pooped on Elder Lyman's shirt. I'm pretty sure the green stain is still there.
This past weekend, we actually went back to Elder Lyman's old area, Alvin, to see a family he and Elder Nash found be baptized. It was a great experience! And it really was a miracle: We had to get a ride with a member to go down there, and none of the members in the ward were available. So we talked to a lot of members from the English ward, and they all said no as well. But then we got a call from Brother Rich, who said he could take us at the last minute. And we made it to Alvin just as they were opening up the font. An awesome miracle!
It's definitely a lot bigger than Houston 2 West, but it's not as big as Kemah. It's a pretty nice size. And we've definitely been led and guided by the Lord to do the work here. Usually, I'm not the greatest with directions, but this pastweek as been something else. As I've been praying about where to go or how to get to a certain place, it comes to mind how to get there, even though neither of us have been in this area for more than a week...less, actually. The population here is very different than it even was across the freeway. There, we rarely saw white people. Here, it's the exact opposite. We definitely have had to adjust our finding methods, and are really looking to work through the members. They already know people here, and we've been able to have some success in that area because of the great members we have here.
Oh, and just before I forget - I know I already sent it, but here is the address for the complex (It's called 'Renaissance Village'):
12951 Briar Forest Dr. #1203
Houston, TX 77077
We talked to the office, too, and they said that if packages get sent here, they'll hold on to them until we can come and pick them up.
Hmm...what else...
Well, yesterday was a good day. We had 2 Family Home Evening lessons with two different families - One family was the Salazar family. He is a recent convert, and still waiting on Bishop Cabezas (of Houston 1) to sign his baptismal record so that he can receive the Priesthood. They invited two other families, one of which is waiting to be married and become baptized in the coming weeks.
The other family was the Longobardi-Ramirez family. He isn't a member, but all the rest of his family is. He has a baptismal date, but he's fighting a lot against being baptized. We're going to need a miracle to help him out. Fortunately, if we do all we can, God also works miracles. So we're excited for him. We shared a lesson with both of them about writing their last words to someone who was close to them. Then, as they told us why it was important to write those words, we would crumple up the letters. We related that to what we do when we don't read the scriptures. These were their last words, and we don't always value them as we should.
Well, that's about time...I wish I could have written more! This has been a very full week!!
I love you!!
Con mucho amor, a infinidad, y mas alla!!
Elder Collins
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Week 75 - A Wonderful Time in Houston 2 West!
October 18, 2011
Buenos Dias!!
Wow, this has been a wonderful time here in Houston 2 West! I've been very blessed to work in the best ward in the mission...and by that, the best ward in the world! The members are amazing, the Bishopric wonderful, and the work moving forward very well, led and guided by the Lord. We've been seeing some great success, especially over the past couple of weeks. I love this area, and I know it's in good hands.
We met someone named Michael (18 yrs.) this past week. We were looking for his roommate, Daniel (14 yrs.), but found him instead. He's had a rough life, but fortunately, has a wonderful mom. Michael is from here in Houston, but speaks Spanish with his mom at home. He was born in Dallas, moved to the Los Angeles area for a little while, moved to Louisiana for a summer, and now lives here. Michael came to Church this week, too!!! That just made my week, and another thing that made this the best ward in the world! Oh, and I guess right before we went to see Michael last night, just to see if they needed help moving (but they'll be moving on Wednesday), he said that right before we got there, riding up all calm and everything, there were gunshots right in their courtyard. It's great to be home!!
Michael really enjoyed Church, even though he was a little uncomfortable at first, being in a new place with a bunch of people he didn't know. But by the end, he knew most of the ward - basically everyone who was there went and talked to him, if only to introduce themselves and give him a warm smile. He said he'll come back next week, and I'm so excited to see his progress in the Gospel!
I've had a great opportunity and a great blessing to serve with Elder Burbank. I'm pretty sure, just as this is the best ward in the world, that he's one of the best missionaries in this mission. He's taught me so much! I hope he was able to have the experience he needed to start off his mission right, because I know I'm not perfect and still have A LOT to work on. But it's been a wonderful opportunity to make a new friend for life. He's awesome!!!
We've had a good run here, and I'm looking forward to seeing what happens during transfers. The entire mission is having a meeting at 1:00, just before Transfer Meeting at 3. We also received a text during the week that said we shouldn't answer political questions, but to refer all questions to mormon.org, so we're thinking that the meeting might be about that. We'll see!!
For this month, we have a goal that every companionship in the mission baptize. We've been working, and we've had a good focus on member present lessons, but I think that's kind of got us unfocused on baptizing this month. We definitely have people who can be baptized this month, we just need to find the person that the Lord wants us to baptize, who has been prepared, and then to exercise our faith and go and do. This is a great time in Houston 2 West!
We've also been working with a pretty cool part-member family. It really is better when investigators are taught in the home of their member friend!! We've been teaching to the children, but making our lessons focused on the grown-up investigators. I really like it! The kids can get into it (like being blindfolded and following the still, small Voice), and it's what we need to teach!
I think it's that time. I love you all SOOO MUCH!!! Keep up the great work, and I'm looking forward to hearing all about how this coming week goes!! Have a great one!!
Con mucho amor, a infinidad, y mas alla!!
Elder Devin Collins
Buenos Dias!!
Wow, this has been a wonderful time here in Houston 2 West! I've been very blessed to work in the best ward in the mission...and by that, the best ward in the world! The members are amazing, the Bishopric wonderful, and the work moving forward very well, led and guided by the Lord. We've been seeing some great success, especially over the past couple of weeks. I love this area, and I know it's in good hands.
We met someone named Michael (18 yrs.) this past week. We were looking for his roommate, Daniel (14 yrs.), but found him instead. He's had a rough life, but fortunately, has a wonderful mom. Michael is from here in Houston, but speaks Spanish with his mom at home. He was born in Dallas, moved to the Los Angeles area for a little while, moved to Louisiana for a summer, and now lives here. Michael came to Church this week, too!!! That just made my week, and another thing that made this the best ward in the world! Oh, and I guess right before we went to see Michael last night, just to see if they needed help moving (but they'll be moving on Wednesday), he said that right before we got there, riding up all calm and everything, there were gunshots right in their courtyard. It's great to be home!!
Michael really enjoyed Church, even though he was a little uncomfortable at first, being in a new place with a bunch of people he didn't know. But by the end, he knew most of the ward - basically everyone who was there went and talked to him, if only to introduce themselves and give him a warm smile. He said he'll come back next week, and I'm so excited to see his progress in the Gospel!
I've had a great opportunity and a great blessing to serve with Elder Burbank. I'm pretty sure, just as this is the best ward in the world, that he's one of the best missionaries in this mission. He's taught me so much! I hope he was able to have the experience he needed to start off his mission right, because I know I'm not perfect and still have A LOT to work on. But it's been a wonderful opportunity to make a new friend for life. He's awesome!!!
We've had a good run here, and I'm looking forward to seeing what happens during transfers. The entire mission is having a meeting at 1:00, just before Transfer Meeting at 3. We also received a text during the week that said we shouldn't answer political questions, but to refer all questions to mormon.org, so we're thinking that the meeting might be about that. We'll see!!
For this month, we have a goal that every companionship in the mission baptize. We've been working, and we've had a good focus on member present lessons, but I think that's kind of got us unfocused on baptizing this month. We definitely have people who can be baptized this month, we just need to find the person that the Lord wants us to baptize, who has been prepared, and then to exercise our faith and go and do. This is a great time in Houston 2 West!
We've also been working with a pretty cool part-member family. It really is better when investigators are taught in the home of their member friend!! We've been teaching to the children, but making our lessons focused on the grown-up investigators. I really like it! The kids can get into it (like being blindfolded and following the still, small Voice), and it's what we need to teach!
I think it's that time. I love you all SOOO MUCH!!! Keep up the great work, and I'm looking forward to hearing all about how this coming week goes!! Have a great one!!
Con mucho amor, a infinidad, y mas alla!!
Elder Devin Collins
Week 74 - Almost Got Arrested?
October 11, 2011
Hoooola!!
I only have 15 minutes left (busy e-mail time today!), but I'll write as much and as fast as I can!!!
So, this week we were really blessed and watched over. We were led to find 11 new people to teach this week!! What a week! Most of them seem to have a lot of potential, and we're looking forward to seeing them again!
We also almost got arrested the other day by a security guard (and not just any security guard, but someone who looks just a step below the Houston Police Department! ). He told us next time to bring our IDs. We can do that. We also went and talked to the office of the apartnemt complex, and got things sorted out with them. As long as we're not knocking on doors at random, or just as long as it isn't our intention to knock on all the doors in the complex, we're good to work there. That was a miracle, too, because when we went in to the office, we found someone who works there that we associate with a lot, and he gave us a vote of confidence by just talking to us about when their next fishing trip is. Plus, when he talked to us in Spanish, that helped some of the other office people to de-stress a little bit and I think not be so opposed to our being there. All in all, a great miracle!
We got a lot of rain this week, too. One day it just poured. We were inside the first time, eating at 'La Pupusa Rica,' and we could see the rain coming down in sheets as we ate our pupusas. The next time, though...we weren't so lucky. We were in a complex, looking to see if someone was at home, and it just started to pour on us. After we were soaked, we took refuge in a mail room while we made some calls to see who was home in that complex. Everyone was busy, and so we went back out to find a house that we had just passed by, with people who we had talked to before. They opened up the door and let us, and gave us towels to dry off a bit (This is when I was on exchanges with Elder Christensen). We taught a lesson, really trying to focus on their understanding, and the Spirit was definitely there. Three of them became new investigators during the week.
Well, that's about it for now. Elder Burbank is doing well, but we have transfers next week. We'll see what happens! I don't have the foggiest idea of what might happen!
I love you!! A infinidad, y mas alla!
Have a great week!!!
Elder Devin Collins
Hoooola!!
I only have 15 minutes left (busy e-mail time today!), but I'll write as much and as fast as I can!!!
So, this week we were really blessed and watched over. We were led to find 11 new people to teach this week!! What a week! Most of them seem to have a lot of potential, and we're looking forward to seeing them again!
We also almost got arrested the other day by a security guard (and not just any security guard, but someone who looks just a step below the Houston Police Department! ). He told us next time to bring our IDs. We can do that. We also went and talked to the office of the apartnemt complex, and got things sorted out with them. As long as we're not knocking on doors at random, or just as long as it isn't our intention to knock on all the doors in the complex, we're good to work there. That was a miracle, too, because when we went in to the office, we found someone who works there that we associate with a lot, and he gave us a vote of confidence by just talking to us about when their next fishing trip is. Plus, when he talked to us in Spanish, that helped some of the other office people to de-stress a little bit and I think not be so opposed to our being there. All in all, a great miracle!
We got a lot of rain this week, too. One day it just poured. We were inside the first time, eating at 'La Pupusa Rica,' and we could see the rain coming down in sheets as we ate our pupusas. The next time, though...we weren't so lucky. We were in a complex, looking to see if someone was at home, and it just started to pour on us. After we were soaked, we took refuge in a mail room while we made some calls to see who was home in that complex. Everyone was busy, and so we went back out to find a house that we had just passed by, with people who we had talked to before. They opened up the door and let us, and gave us towels to dry off a bit (This is when I was on exchanges with Elder Christensen). We taught a lesson, really trying to focus on their understanding, and the Spirit was definitely there. Three of them became new investigators during the week.
Well, that's about it for now. Elder Burbank is doing well, but we have transfers next week. We'll see what happens! I don't have the foggiest idea of what might happen!
I love you!! A infinidad, y mas alla!
Have a great week!!!
Elder Devin Collins
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Week 73 - Conference Was GREAT!
Alooooooooooha!
How are ya'll? Great to hear from you!! And thanks for the pictures - They're great! How did you move the entire drum set? But the pictures turned out great, so it looks like it was worth it!
So, I do have a Visa card, but it's been tucked away in my suitcase for about the past year (wow. That's a little bit of time.). I should be good with the money I have on my bank card (knock on wood - especially with what happened to Elder Black. I hope things get better for him! I've got to keep that in mind to ALWAYS know where my wallet is, and to keep careful track of it.).
As for the referrals from the Gladys Knight fireside: We received one, and she was the investigator that we brought. And then she moved the next day up to Dallas. She just called us at about 1:00 the next day, after we had delivered the gift bag, and said, "I'm moving up to Dallas! One of my relatives called and said that there is work up there, so now I'm just waiting for someone to come and pick me up." And now she's up there. Also, Cornelio just moved to the other side of the freeway (about a 10 minute bike ride), and so he's out of our area now. Hopefully, though, the other Elders will be able to find him and he'll be able to be baptized within the month!! That would be awesome!!
Conference was GREAT!! I loved it so much!! This was definitely the best Conference yet!! (And no matter how many times I say that, it's true, because we can receive at Conference the specific direction that we need at that time!) I really liked the talk by Carlos Cook, as well as the one by Tad McCallister. And, definitely, the talks by the 12 and the FIrst Presidency. There were a lot of things in their talks that I needed to hear, and a lot of personal direction that I needed. It's always great!
Wow, I'm already down to 12 minutes! Let's see, what else...
Overall, I think Conference was one of the greatest parts of the week. Oh! Two other experiences:
I think it was Thursday. It was a colder, Thursday night...We were riding along, and we were about to pass a complex where one of our investigators lived. At about the same time, both Elder Burbank and I thought, "Hmm...I wonder how Marino (the investigator) is doing." And then, he walked out of the complex! We hadn't seen him for three weeks, so the first thing he asked us was, "Where have you been?" He hadn't been progressing very well, so we hadn't really had any great drive to see him. But even with his vision problems, which before had stopped him from reading very well, he told us that he had read, "A little bit," of the Book of Mormon, and then proceeded to recount about half the book of Mosiah, and most of the book of Alma to us!! Wow!! He's been doing wonderful!! So we went over, talked to him a little bit about prophets (Oh, so we found him on Friday, and visited him on Saturday, between sessions of Conference), and then we all went over to conference together!! He had to leave a little early, just because he wasn't feeling well, but it was a great time, and we were super excited to see him again, and that he is finding his own testimony of the Church, for himself. He seems a lot more sure, a lot more confident and independant.
Then on Sunday, we were going to a complex to find someone to teach. We knocked on the door and he wasn't there. Soon after that, while we were still at the door, a man drove up in his car and said, "Hey! My friend Santos needs you to come by! He's sick, and so you should pray with him!" So we went by - he wasn't sick, but he accepted a baptismal date, and in the end, prayed that he might be able to go to Church on Sunday!!
Well, I've got to go!!
I love you all SOOO MUCH!! A infinidad, y mas alla!!
Elder Devin Collins
How are ya'll? Great to hear from you!! And thanks for the pictures - They're great! How did you move the entire drum set? But the pictures turned out great, so it looks like it was worth it!
So, I do have a Visa card, but it's been tucked away in my suitcase for about the past year (wow. That's a little bit of time.). I should be good with the money I have on my bank card (knock on wood - especially with what happened to Elder Black. I hope things get better for him! I've got to keep that in mind to ALWAYS know where my wallet is, and to keep careful track of it.).
As for the referrals from the Gladys Knight fireside: We received one, and she was the investigator that we brought. And then she moved the next day up to Dallas. She just called us at about 1:00 the next day, after we had delivered the gift bag, and said, "I'm moving up to Dallas! One of my relatives called and said that there is work up there, so now I'm just waiting for someone to come and pick me up." And now she's up there. Also, Cornelio just moved to the other side of the freeway (about a 10 minute bike ride), and so he's out of our area now. Hopefully, though, the other Elders will be able to find him and he'll be able to be baptized within the month!! That would be awesome!!
Conference was GREAT!! I loved it so much!! This was definitely the best Conference yet!! (And no matter how many times I say that, it's true, because we can receive at Conference the specific direction that we need at that time!) I really liked the talk by Carlos Cook, as well as the one by Tad McCallister. And, definitely, the talks by the 12 and the FIrst Presidency. There were a lot of things in their talks that I needed to hear, and a lot of personal direction that I needed. It's always great!
Wow, I'm already down to 12 minutes! Let's see, what else...
Overall, I think Conference was one of the greatest parts of the week. Oh! Two other experiences:
I think it was Thursday. It was a colder, Thursday night...We were riding along, and we were about to pass a complex where one of our investigators lived. At about the same time, both Elder Burbank and I thought, "Hmm...I wonder how Marino (the investigator) is doing." And then, he walked out of the complex! We hadn't seen him for three weeks, so the first thing he asked us was, "Where have you been?" He hadn't been progressing very well, so we hadn't really had any great drive to see him. But even with his vision problems, which before had stopped him from reading very well, he told us that he had read, "A little bit," of the Book of Mormon, and then proceeded to recount about half the book of Mosiah, and most of the book of Alma to us!! Wow!! He's been doing wonderful!! So we went over, talked to him a little bit about prophets (Oh, so we found him on Friday, and visited him on Saturday, between sessions of Conference), and then we all went over to conference together!! He had to leave a little early, just because he wasn't feeling well, but it was a great time, and we were super excited to see him again, and that he is finding his own testimony of the Church, for himself. He seems a lot more sure, a lot more confident and independant.
Then on Sunday, we were going to a complex to find someone to teach. We knocked on the door and he wasn't there. Soon after that, while we were still at the door, a man drove up in his car and said, "Hey! My friend Santos needs you to come by! He's sick, and so you should pray with him!" So we went by - he wasn't sick, but he accepted a baptismal date, and in the end, prayed that he might be able to go to Church on Sunday!!
Well, I've got to go!!
I love you all SOOO MUCH!! A infinidad, y mas alla!!
Elder Devin Collins
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)