Week 23 - East Lancaster

 

This week was pretty good! It's been raining all week. It is getting warmer now, but it switches from hot to cold. When we transfer, I do take the sheets and blankets. The companionship is doing pretty awesome. We are learning to have unity in lessons, and we are good friends! My companion has been out for 14 months, and he's been a convert from the time he was 18. We have district meetings every Friday morning. Something happy that happened this week is that we were going to a less active at night and Elder Chavez said "Let's go to the Gonzalez family. We went by and their brother in law who is not a member was there. We were able to have the first lesson with him and he said he believed it was all true. Something sad is that America slept through her alarms on Sunday and didn't make it to church, and told us she wanted to go to her family's church. We'll work with her and her family. My favorite Spanish phrase is "De lo hecho, pecho". It literally means "Chest out to what's been done" or No use crying over spilled milk. On P-days we usually have nerf wars. Nerf is big in this mission. We have an indian reservation museum in our area that is cool. We haven't been, but we're planning on going at the end of the month. We use a member's laundromat.

   This week during transfers, we played Munchins at night (Elder Madore has it)! I won the second round, but lost the first. On my mission, I have give 13-14 blessings, and about half of them in Español! In 5 months 14 blessings. Also, sacrament meeting here is awesome! They didn't have anyone to play the piano, so they had an iphone play and it was so bad but funny. Sacrament meeting always starts at least 10 minutes late, and when we sing, no one can sing at all. It's super funny. There's always someone completely off and out of place. It's tons of fun. 

   The Lord has been in my hands this week. He has been there guiding me and showing me what needs to be done. He has been opening my mind and understanding more and more, because I really need it! I love it, but patience is required.

Week 22 - East Lancaster

 

Hey everyone. This week has been really good. On Monday we had an FHE with the Gonzalez family, and Jon, their non-member brother, came too. We're trying to contact him. It was a lot of fun. They are a super sweet family. On Tuesday I went on an exchange with Elder Powell, and we had a lot of plans go throught, but the Lord blessed us to find effective things and people to find. On Wednesday we went by Jossylin and shared a scripture. We left, and she was kind of sad that we were leaving.  On Thursday we went to a less active named Hermano Vazquez and he has a lot of pain all of the time. It's been like that for the past three years. He wears longsleeves and pants and a cap and thick socks. Also, Fun random event from that day is the following: We were going up to this house to knock to see if anyone was interested, and there was a gate all around it. Elder Chavez took out a pen and started tapping the gate to see if any dogs were there, and none came, so we opened the gate and started heading to the door. Elder Chavez said "there might be a dog here." I was thinking, "There is no dog here. I'm not worried." In that moment, without a bark or any noise, this large dog started rounding the corner of the side of the house at us. Elder Chavez fled and closed the gate behind him! I turned and faced the dog and knelt down with my arms open, and he just fell into my arms like a sweet puppy! It was awesome:) On Friday we taught Mario the Plan of Salvation, and we are worried that he's so old he probably won't get a lot of what we say. We take things slow with him. He gave me an awesome Key chain from Argentina, though! We went to Marcos Pacheco on Saturday and it went well. We haven't been able to contact him since before I arrived, and I think it was good. Yesterday we went by Maria Enela, an investigator with tons of problems in her life. We're planning on teaching her for FHE today. It'll go well, I hope. That was my week, but first, I want to bear my testimony of the Truth and the Light that is in this Work. It is there, and it reaches into the hearts of everyone, and it is all whether they are ready or not. If they're not ready, that's okay, they might be some day. If they are, change will pour out in their lives and bring life and hope and success. I testify that Christ brings change, and He illuminates the new life to make it clean. 

Week 21 - East Lancaster

 

Hello, everyone. This past week was pretty awesome. On Monday we had a Family Home Evening with the Gonzalez family. They are an awesome family! We had a lot of fun there, and the next day we talked to Eric, an investigator who said he didn't get the same feeling from the book of Mormon as he did from the bible, We talked to him about the sower of seed, and how the Lord didn't want to make a big blast that this was true because it would be like casting the seed at the rocks, where people get excited to receive the word, but it can't take root on the rock. The Lord was waiting for fertile ground to do it and carefully put in those roots. He loved that analogy, and he decided to read. On Wednesday we gave a blessing to a less active woman named America, and that is the 9th blessing I've given on my mission, and it was pretty cool. On Wednesday we also got a referral from the English elders of an amazing family who feel like we are an answer to their prayers. We came to them, and they were on their way to the hospital because their daughter had pneumonia. They looked at us and said, "We have 5 minutes"! O Friday we talked to this kid named Angel who didn't want to get baptized at 8. He cried because he was scared. We didn't get throught to him, but then the Branch President talked to him and got through. On Saturday we had to plan for the week, because it was New Years Eve and we couldn't go out. On Sunday we had lunch at branch president's. It was really good. The work is going well, but I can feel it dying a little, so we're trying to keep it going. Also, I gave my tenth blessing last night to a really less active we found smoking in his yard. He has cancer, and we were able to find him. It was really cool. For breakfast, I have a pear and chocolate milk and honey bunches of oats, and for lunch I have nutella and bread. Dinner always depends, but we almost always have dinners with members. We had a chilean dinner one night, and the family was so much fun. We had a sort of spaghetti with hispanic things in it. It was super good. My week was blessed, because often this week, we would have plan a and b, and they'd usually fall through. But, the Lord always had a pretty good plan c. It was a good week overall. I love you guys, and thanks for all the support. 

​Also, I was reading 3 Nephi today, and I read 3 Nephi 17:20 when Jesus says "My joy is full." I read that and I started wondering how I can make the Savior's joy full on the mission and in daily life. I'm going to apply that and study it.

--

Elder Daniel Jacob Sant

"Go and Do"

 Joshua trees.

 I'll verify the truth of this statement.

 I drew this picture of Jeaux and the Savior.

Week 20 - East Lancaster

This was an awesome week. We were able to find people who needed more help in their lives. On Tuesday we went on Exchanges, and I went with Elder Steel, who is the chillest person I know. It was cool. On Wednesday I had the opportunity to go to the temple, and that was really cool.    The rest of my Christmas was awesome! I skyped with my family.  We went and knocked on doors, asking if anyone needed a special Christmas message about His birth! We went to the branch president's house so Elder Chavez could skype his parents.

Joshua trees grow in Israel and Lancaster, California!

I love you guys, and I hope this upcoming week will be great! It'll be a good week here in the field.

--

Elder Daniel Jacob Sant

"Go and Do"

Week 19 - East Lancaster

Hello! This past week has been crazy! Truly. But the Lord has blessed me and my companions. On Tuesday, elder Chamberlain and I prepared for transfers. So, first, you should know that Elder Chamberlain and I had a car accident where the airbags did not go off at all. We were driving, and following the missionaries in front of us, and the people in front of them stopped unexpectedly, and they stopped, and elder Chamberlain didn't have time to stop, so he swerved off the road into a fence, right almost over a deep ditch. The airbags did not go off, and elder Chamberlain hit his head a lot, on the steering wheel and on the side. When the car stopped, Elder Chamberlain was in seizures and wouldn't stop shaking. He had a bloody nose and bruises on the left side of his face. The ambulance came and we talked to the cops. I went straight to transfers, and found out a few days later that Elder Chamberlain just went right back to work a few hours after the accident! I am okay, and somehow received no harm at all. I was terribly shaken up, though.

   My companion is Elder Chavez, and he is pretty cool. We have been blessed by the Lord. On Tuesday, we found three new investigators! We had dinner with a small family, and their home was literally one room, no doors, and no bathroom. We were walking out, and a neighbor's kids stopped us and wanted us to talk to their mom. At first the mom said "not right now", but then when we got to the car, she stopped us and told us she wanted to get closer to God. We've taught the restoration so far. President Layton went to a lesson with us, with a guy on parole who wants to get baptized named Armando. We'll find out what happens to him. On Wednesday, we had morningside, where we watched "It's a Wonderful Life", which I had never seen before. It was really good. We have an investigator who knows already that the church is true and the book of mormon is true during the restoration! It's awesome. The Lord has blessed us. I love you all!

This computer is slow, so I only have time for a few pictures this time, but I have a ton!

Week 18 - Oildale

This week was crazy! First, I am being transferred tomorrow to a place called East Lancaster, about an hour and a half away from where I am now. I've never heard of my companion, Elder Chavez.

The work has grown because Oildale just gained a few extra neighborhoods, and there is someone we found who has been waiting for the old missionaries to return for about a month. They talked to her once, and said they'd come back, but never did, and they had an investigator right next to them who they went to and she saw them drive by like every day as she waited. We talked to her and she explained that she wants to go to church but doesn't know where it is, and that she reads the Book of Mormon they gave her that day with her children!!! I don't want to leave now, but I know without a single doubt that the Lord really needs me in Lancaster! I can promise that.

We were walking down a street in Oildale, and this lady called us over, and explained that she was a victim of abuse, and showed us her scars that looked new, and we explained that the word of two missionaries might not be sufficient, but that God does love her and puts her in trials because He knows she is able to do it. She cried and whispered, "That's why I called you over here." We prayed with her, and referred her to the English elders.

Another time this week a man came to us and said 'Are you guys Mormons?" And we answered yes, and he explained that he wanted to quit drinking and change his life around. After a while of talking, we explained that God loved him, and he said, "Why? Why does He love me?" Elder Chamberlain said, "Because He knows you perfectly, and He knows what you can become". He started crying and said, "I gotta go'. We referred him to the English missionaries. It was an awesome week! 

My companion and I are awesome together. We talked to the Mancera family one last time, and I set him with a new baptismal date! I need to know what happens with them. I said goodbye to a lot of people. The Lord is in this work, and I can promise that. There are miracles in life, and I am a testament to the care God has for us. I love you all, and thanks for everything.

--

Elder Daniel Jacob Sant

"Go and Do"

Week 17 - Oildale

 

I am doing well this week! Christmas decorations are everywhere this week! I love it, and Elder Chamberlain's mom sent us a small Christmas tree, which is awesome! We do have technology to teach with. We get supplies from the Zone Leaders, who get them from the Mission Office, and we will get them this week.

My companion is going home next transfer, so he and I might have one transfer more together.

My favorite Spanish word is probably.

I am sleeping well, and it is getting cold, but inside it is warm. I do snore all the time though, so what my companion does is clap as loud as he can, and it usually gets me up for a second.

The only homesickness I have is that I want to hear from you guys, but I get that once a week!

My Birthday in the field was fantastic, and thanks for everyone who has been helping me grow and learn to be a missionary. Thank you so much for that gift of all the pictures of people I love. It was literally the best gift ever. I also got an awesome tie, my new favorite. The other Spanish elders bought me a cake, and the people who got a video of people singing me happy birthday was my ward mission leader, who is bomb. On my birthday we had a nerf war.

I talk to my mission president maybe once a transfer. We can call him anytime. My president does write back, but it's usually the same message for everyone. I don't blame him for having 200 missionaries.

 I love that quote from Acts 5! hey rejoiced for being worthy to suffer shame! Hebrews 11:37-40 connects well with that. The world is not worthy of them.

I am having an amazing, epic experience, and here as a missionary, and I really am learning about Christmas on a deeper level. I also am learning so much about the Sacrament. I love that we do that personally for ourselves every week. It's the only ordinance we repeat every week.

When we taught the Moncera family, we were discussing the word of wisdom, or more, arguing about it, and the Spirit wasn't there. I prayed to Heavenly Father, and I said, "I've been pretty quiet, but I've been waiting for a moment where the Spirit would be here." I bore testimony of the Sacrament. I need the Spirit or I just cannot speak, much less another language.

We went to the Carrillos, and Wesley, who is the most prepared to go on a mission that I have ever met. I truly love that guy, and he just needs to lose two more pounds before he can go on a mission. Armando Carrillo was saying things such as the following:" To be honest, I do not care about your book. I do not care. Your priesthood is of the devil!" Wesley stood up and said, in essence, "You cannot say that the authority of these men is of the devil! You will not say that! I testify that they are servants of Christ! They have sacrificed so much for this mission, just to come and see you guys. They are representatives of Jesus Christ!" They were silent. We left the home with a prayer.

I love you guys! 

--

Elder Daniel Jacob Sant

"Go and Do"