Week 52 - Littlerock

Hey everyone. This week was pretty good. This week we tried to go by Grace, but when we went by, we had a member who was planning on going with us, and she got there first, called us, and said that there was a bunch of police officers outside her house. We arrived at the house, and she was outside, so we started talking to her, and she said that two drunk men drove by and crashed into their parked car. Luckily, none of the family was harmed, but we were unable to teach a lesson. We also went by a family, named Rosa and Elva Parreira, and when we went by we mostly talked about the Love of God. We visited them twice this week, and the second day we went by, she needed help with service, so we moved some exercise equipment from the upstairs to their garage and moved some drawers and such. It was a fun experience. We invited her to church: we said "You know, our purpose as missionaries is to help people get closer to Christ, and one of the best ways to do that is the sacrament." She said, "Oh, I'm sure that'll be great for you two..." She did not want to go. But we tried, and when we got to church, there was this family there who had talked with missionaries a year earlier, and they decided to come by again. We picked them up, and we're going to visit them this week. It was a tender mercy of the Lord. In district meeting we talked about the Plan of Salvation, and the importance of diligence in the work. We were able to learn a ton. 

   This was a good week overall. We have been praying for help, and the Lord was able to help us. I am grateful for that. Thanks for everything you guys do for us. We love you, and thanks for all your prayers for us. 

This was a part I felt I could share with you, but not everyone. Share it with the immediate family for suggestions:)

 Our investigators are kind, showing that they're interested while we're there, but they never keep commitments. I believe that is the problem; we promise blessings and they don't believe them. It's like Jesus when before He rose Lazarus from the dead, and said "Your brother will live. Mary or Martha said, "Yeah, I know we'll all be resurrected...." and Jesus says "I am the resurrection." and she limited God's miracles by their lack of beliefs or expectations. Maybe that's something we can share with them, and say, "We promise this message does bless families." 

   Something I feel is going on in this zone, because there are some problems, is a lack of love. It makes me think of that chart where it has the high and low expectations and fraternity and hate. I feel like we are in the no-love and high-expectations right now. The Zone leaders are trying to unite the zone in ways that don't show real love, and they are swallowed in numbers. They have told me a few times that if I "don't have high numbers, [I'm] not leading or inspiring" my district. The zone is not doing very good in numbers or love, and both are a problem, but I know that the Lord provides for the missionaries who are devoted. I believe that the best example I can give is knowing the Lord provides in a hard area. I want to achieve my goal for august baptisms. This is my year-mark month, so believe that I do, but the way to get that done is obscured and I need to learn to trust the Spirit. We cannot do that if we are stressed about numbers and feel a lack of love.  

   I am not writing this to complain, but to tell you what I see is going on in this zone, and to see if there are any solutions, because it is a problem that needs to be addressed. 

   I've been saying that Madore has been doing well, but to be honest, this week he took off his mask. He admitted it, that he doesn't enjoy the work, that he feels like he has failed in his mission, and that he sees no purpose in serving. He is good at it, but as soon as he's done talking to someone, his smile drops and looks angry. I feel like sharing things like, "God know or understands" would just be cliche and he'd say "Yeah, I know, I know..." I did believe he was doing great, but he just puts on a mask. We haven't done comp study either, not really. I am praying for him, but he is truly trunky. He is losing his patience. 

      I am not complaining at all, just saying what's been going on in case someone knows how to help. 

 

Littlerock did not flood but some of the mission did.  These are pictures from it.

 

Week 51 - Littlerock

 

 Hello everyone. This week was a good week. Last week we talked about someone who said she would read the book of Mormon, and we came back the next friday. She had not read the book of Mormon yet, and so we shared a few scriptures with her. When the lesson was over we invited her to church, and she said "I fall asleep in church", and we said "so does everybody else", but that the important part was the sacrament. She said next time, but after explaining what the book of Mormon is about she said "that is very interesting." She PROMISED to read it again... We'll see, and please please please pray that she does. We found many less actives, and one family came to church. It was cool because so many people came to church this time that they ran out of water trays and they had to rebless and repass it. It was awesome. We sang in church, Asombro me da" I stand all amazed. 

   In our branch, there is almost no trust for elders because of past missionaries, especially with the branch president, so we're working hard to gain that trust. On Sunday we went to presidente's home to return some pots his wife gave us food in, and he said "passense", come in. We came in and he said sit down. We felt like he was testing us, but he should know he doesn't have to, and he called in the family. We asked them all to take a sheet of paper, one sheet for each person, and we asked them to write down names of all people that came to mind. Active, less-active, member, non-member, friends and enemies. We then taught a simple plan of salvation, and asked them to look at the sheet of people, and asked them to think about people on it they feel need that message we shared. They all did so, and we said, "It's time for us to go," and presidente said "Do you want Ice cream?" He wanted us to stay for once!! It was great and we hope the trust in the branch keeps growing. I am grateful for this time I have to serve, and for all the Lord does for us. 

He loves us, and when we pray, it is one of the greatest forms of work we can perform. 

   Also, in district meeting we discussed baptism and the blessings of it, and especially how to express those blessings to investigators. It was a powerful meeting. We also had zone conference, which was also very powerful. We learned a new way to study where we have a scri[ture, and we write next to it the doctrine, and then the blessings, all on a sheet of paper, and we find more scriptures on it and keep going until we have a perfect chain for investigators. I love you all, and I am so grateful for everything I have.

Week 50 - Littlerock, CA

 Hey everyone, I hope everything is going awesome for ya'll. This was a good week. We focused a lot this week on helping less-actives and recent converts. That was most of what we did, but we were able to find some people. It was cool, because we talked to one woman, and we started with the restoration, and she could tell that we were heading to Joseph Smith when we started going into apostasy, and she said, "I don't want to hear about anyone named Smith, just about God." So we said, "How about we talk about the power of prayer. This isn't about a "Smith", just God and His power, so we asked her thoughts on prayer, how she felt about it, and so forth. We led that into how Joseph Smith prayed and got an answer, how he had tried to read the bible to find an answer, and decided he had to pray. We then talked about the Book of Mormon, how it's a testament of Jesus Christ, and she said she had tried reading before, and felt nothing. We explained that you as a parent never just instantly give whatever your child wants before they even try hard, and that it's usually the same with God. She said, "I promise I will try to read this time." It was cool.

   We have really been trying to find a lasting person to teach, someone who actually will change, and hopefully the commitments we leave other people will be what they need. 

   This week in district meeting we talked about our purpose as missionaries, and we were able to learn a lot of important things. It was cool to see how the Lord can guide us as missionaries. 

   I can testify of the love that God has for all of us as His children. He really does desire the best for us. I have seen His hand over and over again. I am grateful for Jesus Christ. He allows me to progress and become better every day. I love you guys, and I hope you have a great week!

Our area goes beyond those mountains ... a lot of area and farmland

Week 49 - Littlerock

Hey everyone!    This week we had transfers, and I am now with elder Madore. He is a cool elder. This is his final transfer, and so he doesn't want to waste it. We're doing pretty good. We have a part-member family we're working with, and they're moving out, so we were able to help them a lot. We're going back today. We also heard that someone was doing their eagle project, so we went to help them, and got a new investigator family. They were at this animal reserve where they hold dogs without owners. We took down the fences and the giant poles feet into the ground. It was great. This week I have been feeling pretty good. For district meeting we talked about what we do to prepare to teach lessons, and it was very good. We were also able to help out some investigators from other people's areas. Truly the  Lord will bless us. Also, it was hna latimer's birthday so we left a little washable Happy bday on the window. I love you all, and thank you for everything.

 (Elder West - MTC companion, not current companion)

THIS is Elder Madore!

Week 48 - Littlerock

Hello everyone. This week was a good week. On Tuesday we had a lot of blessings. One weird story which was kind of interesting was when Mendoza and I were walking down this street, and across the street this one lady said something we didn't hear, so we walked up to her and asked her to say it again. She said "You two have images above you." We asked her what she meant, and she said "It looks a little ghostly". As we talked to her, interested now by what she could be seeing, she asked us if we had heard any news from Jesus in the past 9 years. We just kind of asked if she needed help and gave her a card. It was interesting. On Thursday we had interviews with President. They went well. In this area, Littlerock, I've been feeling a little like we haven't been seeing any permanent changes. We get some pick-me-ups from the Lord, and I just really want something actually effective and meaningful from the Lord. I want to change someone's life here. We got transfer calls this week, and Elder Mendoza will be leaving and I will be getting Elder Madore. He was in East Lancaster with us at around Christmas time last year. This is going to be his last transfer, so hopefully he will be all in. We were able to help this one family move out. We were walking down the street and saw a u-haul. We asked if they needed help and we started helping. It was a good experience and the guys had a lot of questions. They were black, and when they found out I was from Louisiana, they said "OH, you got some soul in you!!" It was a good week overall.   I really want some miracles. I don't want to be able to say " I tried my best and served my mission", but rather, "I tried my best and the Lord changed lives through my efforts. He magnified my efforts". I love you all!!!

Week 47 - Littlerock

 

Hey everyone, how are you doing? This week was pretty good. Monday was a normal day for us, except that we were able to email family because on Tuesday we went to the temple. It was a beautiful experience! I was able to really learn a lot there. We came about 5 minutes late, so we went to the visitor's center, where we saw some of the new meet the mormons. It was cool. After we visited the temple, we went to a restaurant and ate lunch there. 

   For district meeting this week we talked about how to follow the spirit. We studied chapter 4 

of PMG. It was really good. I learned that most of chapter 4 is about prayer and how to have meaningful prayer. It is very cool. We learned about something very cool. Sometimes we say a prayer and then give no thought to what you thought or said to Heavenly Father. What should be done is waiting, with a notebook. The Lord said "Knock and it shall be opened unto you", and sometimes we doorbell ditch our Father. We need to start waiting to receive, and thereafter write the impressions we receive. The Lord will be ready to answer us when we're ready to listen and act. This week we were able to find a few part-member families, but we haven't been able to see the non-members. We got one family to come to church. They lived in Idaho, and moved here and never got their records moved. Hopefully we can talk to the non-members of the family. It was a pretty good week overall. I know that the Lord loves us so much. I know we have a loving heavenly Father, and a Spirit guides and inspires us as we wait for Him, and a Savior who takes us by the hand when we fall. This week we will be more bold and powerful in all that we do, and do what it takes to be worthy of miracles. I love you all, and thank you for everything!!!

Week 46 - Littlerock

Hey everyone, how is everything doing? This week was pretty good. The Lord was able to provide a miracle for us. It was really cool. We found a less-active member whose records are in Idaho, and she's the only member in her immediate family. It was really cool. She's a sweet lady with 2 or 3 kids and one on the way in like 2 weeks. For a district activity on Monday we played volleyball, which was a ton of fun, and some board games!

This week, I have had a few thoughts to share. First, in this area, I've been feeling a little down, so in my email to president Layton two weeks ago, I promised him that we would get a miracle to report in the next week. In the last two weeks we've found three part-member families that nobody has known about before. Thus, this week I will promise that we will get a baptismal date, along with one other miracle.

My intentions are not selfish, and it's not pride by any means either, from what I understand: I just do not want to waste time here, and we need the extra motivation, so we make the commitment beforehand; it worked before, why not now.    

Also this week, we went on exchanges with the zone leaders. I went with Elder Olson. We were walking down a street after a few investigators said not right now, and we decided to knock a certain door. A hispanic man answered, and as we talked to him, he said, "I've always wondered, if there is one God who loves us, why are there so many churches and religions that teach so many different things?" He then said, I decided this morning that I was done dealing with all of these churches, and I was going to just stay with God by myself, and you guys knock on my door." We asked him what he supposed that meant, and he said "I think it's a sign from God."

Since he wasn't in our area, we sent him off as a referral for the hermanas in that area. 

   
In district meeting, we discussed being bold in everything we do, and we shared a few scriptures to get that done. It was pretty good.

We went to stake conference, and that was really good. I learned a few things I'll share here. When we receive a calling, we receive all of the rights, powers, privileges and authorities necessary to accomplish the work called to get done. I was reading in Abraham, and I think the first few verses of chapter one explain how he was so awesome: he was searching greater happiness, peace, and rest. He sought the "blessings of the fathers", the right thereunto to administer in the same, he had been a follower of righteousness, and DESIRING to be one who possessed great knowledge, and to be a greater follower of righteousness, possess greater knowledge, father of many nations, a prince of peace, receive instruction and commandments, and become a rightful heir. I thought his desires were very interesting. 

  
This district is getting better and better, but truly, we need to learn to follow by the spirit, to teach by the spirit, and know where to go and what to do, by that spirit. The Lord has been providing for us. I love you all, and thank you for everything you do! Thanks for keeping us in your prayers, and please continue doing so.

Week 45 - Littlerock

Hey everyone, how have things been doing?

   On Sunday in church, after sacrament meeting, the first councilor in the branch presidency called us over, and it turns out that there was a less-active member who wanted to come to church, and his non-member daughter brought him. She said we could come over, and we will do that! And that was at the end of the week, too! During the week, we decided to go by an old investigator we had basically dropped, because we hadn't seen her in a long time, and it turns out that she had surgery recently and has been unable to have us over. It was great to know that she wasn't avoiding us and is in a situation that is life-changing that we can help her with! nd that your efforts will not be in vain but your works will continue after you leave."

   I realized recently how short comparatively this mission is to the rest of your life, and I wish it were longer. 

   During district meeting I had planned talking about working with the ward and how to do it, and we were able to get to that, but as we reviewed key indicators, we did our own small training, where we talked about how to receive and expect miracles. We got a list of the following:

   Miracles

Attitude, and we found that this affects all the other attributes in the list; when you're happy and excited to get out of the car, you want the other attributes.

Pray, and expect it to happen

Faith- increase it

Hope

Repentance

Obedience

Dilligence

Charity

Patience, esp. with alma 17

Humility

All other Christ-like attributes in preach my gospel. 

As we try to follow Christ, He gives miracles. 

I've been really trying to let the goals motivate me this week. It has slipped my mind before, and I have forgotten about them at times when they would have helped, but hopefully I get better.

We went to McDonalds and there was a 69 cent burger deal.  Together we bought and ate 79 burgers!

Week 44 - Littlerock

Week 43 - Littlerock

Hey everyone. This week was a pretty good week.    This week was a pretty good week. The Lord blessed us to be able to find some people who I hope were prepared. So far I have been waiting for a miracle, not waiting passively, but better said, expecting one. This week I was thinking about the story in Daniel where they were to be put into the furnace for not worshiping the idol, and they said the Lord will save us, but if not, we still won't worship that idol. I know the Lord will provide a miracle for us, but if not, I will still be faithful to the Lord. I am truly very grateful for this chance I have to serve. This week I have seen faith grow in my companion and I.  The Lord will provide. I was reading in Jacob 5:21-23, and I learned the following: It's a poor spot of ground- it's a desert- but the Lord nourished it and it brought forth fruit, because the branches (Little Rock 2...) had to trust in His nourishment!