Week 65 Buena Vista

 

Hey everyone, I hope your week was awesome as mine. This week we had a church tour with the familia Guerra, and they came to church! It was kind of sad because we had an amazing and spiritual tour, but when they came the next day, it was testimony meeting, and this woman got up and started screaming "SI NO CREAN ESTAS COSAS.......... MALDICIONES Y TRISTEZA SEAN SOBRE LOS QUE NO CREAN!!!" and screamed out all of her sins to the bishop about drinking alcohol and drugs. Kids started crying and running away, and the bishop didn't want to be rude and stop her........ Needless to say, the Guerra family was like, "It's getting late. We need to go grocery shopping." And left. The Hernandez family, though, stayed for all of sacrament meeting and said they couldn't stay for the rest. But We are going to go by and fix it. So that was a Buena Vista sacrament meeting haha. 

We had many busy days where we tried to fit in many things in small sections of time, but we were just running ourselves crazy especially since we have bikes. But we 

In my studies, from Alma 21:5-11, we learn the following:

   Vs. 7 Share and ask for beliefs about a doctrine, (very specific).

   Vs. 8 Listen to response

   Vs. 9 Open the scriptures to testify of doctrine and expund.

   Vs. 10-11 As you expound, if they're prepared they'll listen, and if not they won't and you can try again. 

   Also, there is a member who moved here to change his less-active life, got a job in the fields where he can have time to work with the missionaries, and said in tears "It feels so good to know the Spirit is working through me". 

   He came to pick up the Guerra family for the church tour, and no one was there. So he left and went to his car, but last minute decided to turn around and saw them coming out after him. The next day for church, no answer at the door until he was at the car and felt he should turn and he saw them coming. 

I have seen the Lord's merciful hand over and over and over and over again. 

I love you all, and I hope you have a great week!

-- Elder Daniel Jacob Sant--

"Go and Do"

Week 64 Buena Vista

Hey everyone, how's it going?This week was really good, not for our area though because we had many exchanges outside of our area, but good in that I was able to grow and learn a ton.

On Tuesday we had exchanges with the other Elders, and I went with Elder Pena. He is directly from Columbia, and we had a lot of success. We taught a lot, found a lot of cool people, and had a lot of fun. For some reason, a lot of the miracles I see on my mission are during exchanges. We also had exchanges with the Zone Leaders, and I have a new zone leader, Elder Salvesen. He's a funny elder. I went with Elder Withers and Elder Ruiz went with Elder Salvesen. Elder Withers and I talked to a lot of hispanics. He knows a little little bit of spanish, we found many referrals more, because the zone leaders work in the other spanish elders' area. There was one man we found who, after talking a little bit, told us that he had just gotten out of a heated argument with his wife and walked outside to chill off a little. We showed that Faith in Jesus Christ card and explained how faith in Him helps us resolve family challenges and problems. We explained how the Book of Mormon is about how a family overcame family problems through a knowledge of Christ, and how it helps us with families, and he read the whole introduction right in front of us, got a phone call, silenced it, and turned to the witnesses. It was awesome how the Book of Mormon caught someone's interest so fast. There was another guy who was having family problems, so we taught about the Book of Mormon, and he started reading it as we left. That happened a few other times this week. On Saturday we came by someone named Hector and it didn't seem like we would be able to teach what we had planned, but then he had some questions connected with the plan of salvation, so we were able to teach it. 

   On Saturday night, we went by Maria Hernandez and she fed us pizza. After we ate she went to her room and brought back her Book of Mormon. We taught the plan of Salvation. President Layton and other authorities have been saying that the Plan of Salvation captivates people, that it is what hispanics need and are looking for, and it really does and is. It looked like she was there to give back her Book of Mormon, but as we taught how we will all be resurrected, that those of her family who have passed will be resurrected with perfected bodies, she was amazed. We are going back on Friday. 

   The Lord blessed us and strengthened my faith that the Book of Mormon is what people are looking for, even if they don't know it. I love you all, and please keep us in our prayers. 

   Love,

      Elder Sant

Week 63 Buena Vista

Hey everyone! This week was awesome. We decided that we are going to get someone baptized next week. Her name is Maria Hernandez. So far she has come to church 4 times. We haven't been able to meet with her, but we'll do so tonight. There is also Brandon who can get baptized. 

 In this area we are going to change lives. We are going to talk to all that we can. I have read "the Lord will open doors when we have done everything in our power" from Spencer W. Kimball. I will do everything in my power. We have been able to find a few families and we will not let them go. The Lord loves us, and I know that if I put my best effort, than the strengths and abilities my Father saved me for will be exposed. 

   We planned on going by Maria Hernandez, but she said for us to come by on Monday instead, but she came to church, which is awesome. The Lord loves us. I was reading in 1 Nephi 18 with an investigator, and I realized that this was the mission. We have a heavy responsability that to some seem impossible, like building a boat, and with faith, we accomplish it and we see success and miracles. But then, we start to forget what we need to do to keep those miracles as laman and lemuel. Basically, when they started to disobey, one missionary, Nephi, feared that after being so blessed of the Lord, and having disrespected him after that, that the blessings promised would be lost. He feared the Lord. He spoke to them with much soberness, and they wouldn't listen, so the compass stopped working, and they were not guided upon the seas. Just a thought I had. Are we the Nephis or the Lamans and Lemuels? 

I love you all, and thanks for everything. 

Love Elder Sant

Week 62 - Buena Vista

Hey everyone! This was a very good week. First, we came by a girl named Carman, and she is amazing. We are praying hard for her to be baptized this transfer. In November. She has been reading and is willing to find if this is true and act on the promptings she receives. We have found mostly non-spanish speakers this week, but really cool people. For example, we found one person whose mother had passed away recently and we taught that she could see her family again. Another man, who understood German! had a 12 year old son who committed suicide just recently, and we did the same. It was very, very sad, but very cool. There was a less active 13 year old who had a child, and they had their baby shower yesterday. We taught about Jesus and the Miracle of Forgiveness. Also this week, on Saturday, when I woke up, someone started calling us, so we answered it and it was Elder Keeney, and he asked if I wanted to go to the temple with one of my recent converts, Esther Cardenas. I of course said yes, called President for permission, and he said,"Have fun". So thus we went forth and had a great time. I confirmed her dad through proxy by someone else! It was the most wonderful experience. I came back ready to work. Also this week we had zone conference.

 Here are some things I learned. 

"Is there anything more dear than life?"

"Even the people who reject us will receive a portion of light"

"You live worthy of YOUR covenants, and the Lord will bless you beyond your wildest imaginations."

"You're not sealed to a person; you're sealed to a family". 

And from Stake conference on Sunday

"We are baptized unto a life of repentance....at the sacrament table".

"He didn't know about us. He knows us."

Week 61 Buena Vista

Hey everyone!!! This week felt like three weeks long. I am here in Buena Vista, a bike area, and am having a great time. The air in Bakersfield is taking a bit of a toll on my lungs, as it is more polluted than Beijing, China. The members are great! I love them, and they are SO willing to help in any possible way. They are begging for ways to help us out. We have a few investigators that are pretty cool. We have a lot of families that would not ever hesitate to be baptized, but they're not divorced with other people and living with their spouses. But we set two people on date this week, and the two dates seem very hopeful. My studies haven't been the same, because usually we learn a little in personal study, and then when we share our thoughts in comp study the things we learn open up so much. I love the area and our investigators. Being on bike can definitely be pretty hard, but there are a lot of opportunities a car does not provide. I love the Lord, and I have really learned a lot this past week. I am excited to see how things go. I love you all!Love elder sant

Week 60 Buena Vista

Hey everyone, how's it going? I got transfer calls this week, and sadly I am leaving Littlerock, but not sadly going to Buena Vista. I have heard good things about it. It is a bike area! That should be very fun! I will be with an Elder named Elder Ruiz. It'll be his last transfer.

Aside from that, this week was very good. We had the familia Gutierez come to General Conference, and it was very powerful for me. We missed most of Priesthood Session, but when we got in we heard the talk from Uchtdorf and Eyring. He talked about how leaders are called, not for their skills, but because the Lord works through the weaknesses and what is lacking. 

This was a good week. The Gutierez family listened to the plan of salvation, with prophets mixed in, and invited them to be baptized. The wife, Asusena, said yes, and the husband said "I was already baptized a long time ago." We are going to talk about how baptism without authority is a good way to try to follow Christ, but when done by the right authority, God can cleanse us when we receive the Holy Ghost. I am excited to serve the Lord, and I know He takes us in our weaknesses and makes us better than what we were or would be. 

Please keep praying for us, and I love you all. 

Love Elder Sant

Week 59 - Littlerock

 

Hey everyone! I hope everything is going awesome back home. This week was full of miracles. We went to Brian, and he was pretty busy. We taught him Alma 32, and since he didn't have a lot of time, we couldn't teach a full lesson, but we taught the pure and simple doctrine we could. We went on exchanges with Elder Brumwell and Elder Francom. It was very fun. Elder Brumwell is an awesome elder, and we did a lot that day. My studies have deepened a lot, especially in the Book of Mormon. I've been in the war chapters, and it says a lot "Stand fast in that Liberty wherewith God hath made us free". We are made free through a certain liberty, and we are to stand fast in it. Alma 62:51 is also good. I love you all, and one miracle we received was having three people come to church. We didn't even invite them and they came! I love you all, and I am so grateful for all you do!

Week 58- Littlerock

Hey everyone, how's it going? This week was really good. We were able to be blessed in many ways. To be honest, this week we have received a lot of revelation about ourselves personallyHey President, this week was pretty good. To start off, we talked to Maria about getting baptized for herself and for the Lord,not for her parents, and she told us that she had no intentions of being baptized. We went into the repentance chain, and she LOVED D&C 45. We gave her D&C. She is very chill, with very low commitment levels. All throughout this and last week we planned on Thursday at 5, and we prayed that Heavenly Father would prepare her for that time, that that would be when we go by. As we left, Elder Palmer said "We have been praying for Maria to be prepared, but we were the ones who changed; we were prepared for her." Zone conference prepared us for all of this, and so did our studies. Also we went by Brian, who is on date for the 14th. He has been reading, but we invited him to church, and asked him just before church and he said he'd come, but he didn't. We have an investigator named Lydia. We're going to set her on date on Wednesday. She wants to know if this is the true church, and we're going to get her to act. 

We had a car wash where some of us would wash the car, and the others would give a church tour to them while they wait, but literally no one wanted to go in. I think the people here are used to not being asked to do things from us. Our invitations will be bold. 

 I love this work, and love seeing the work. On one night this week we were finding a place to walk in littlerock, about 8:30, pitch black, and we were listening to a song that just had a minute left. We felt we didn't even have time for a minute, and so we said a prayer and went out. We felt physical taps on our shoulders as we walked and they didn't feel good. They were blocking out the Spirit. Elder Palmer then raised his arm and commanded Satan to depart, because he could feel it too. The dark feelings and taps on the shoulders went away and we kept going, and we found the address of a less-active part-member family. The Lord does provide for us. I love you president and thanks for everything you do. 

Notes from zone conference with Elder Costa and Pingrey of the 70. 

"He wasn't only willing to suffer the atonement, but He was prepared premortally. When He asked for the cup to be removed, He was worried about His capacity, not His willingness. He relied fully on the Father. Thus, when the Spirit left Him on Calvary, it wasn't just a bad feeling, but a lack of His source of strength. He felt incapable and begged "'Why did you forsake me' if you wanted me to do this work? I can't do it alone!" He relied on that Spirit, so it wasn't only the pain of losing the Spirit He was worried about but His incapability."

From Elder Francom:

 "He does desire for you to overcome your disadvantages, but He's waiting; He is waiting for you; He is waiting for you to turn to Him 100%"

Love Elder Sant

 

 

Week 57 - Littlerock

 

Hey everyone, this week was really good. Last week we said we'd try to be perfectly obedient, and we have seen some very awesome tender mercies of the Lord. Before heading out on Tuesday after doing our studies, we said a prayer where we asked for someone who needed specifically me and Elder Palmer, someone who needed the Gospel. We were walking and decided to go to one house, and we knocked and this 16 year-old kid answered. His name is Brian. As we began teaching he got quiet and his 20 year-old sister joined in. They asked questions, sincerely wanted to know if it were true. We talked about the steps to make it back to God in this life, and invited them to be baptized and thereafter participate in the sacrament. They accepted the commitment. We have them on date for October 14th. We came back on Saturday and Sunday to remind them, and they said that they had to go shopping first and they'd come after. We have to teach keeping the Sabbath day holy, but they didn't make it to church. Also our studies have improved, they've been more meaningful. This week was good, and thanks for all you do. I know the miracles will continue. We've also been doing district prayers, where everyone prays about very specific things. In district meeting we make a list of names for people and any specific needs, and we all pray for them every night as a companionship and in our personal prayers. It is very cool to see how God answers the prayers we have! 

Love, 

Elder Sant

Week 56 - Littlerock

 

Hey everyone, how are things going? This week Elder Palmer and I decided to go one week of exact obedience, and expect miracles of the Lord. We went on exchanges this week, and something cool happened. In district meeting we made a list of people we as a district could fast and pray for throughout the week, with specific needs next to it. On Sunday we all came together and ended the fast, except the English elders who had dinner later on. It was a powerful experience. Elder Francom and Elder Brumwell both said one investigator, Ivory, needed to bring their family into unity. After district meeting we went on our exchanges and visited Ivory. She lives with her grandmother, and when we came, Ivory's dad just happened to be there. It turns out that he lives in the area, but has not visited his daughter in almost a year; literally he visits possibly twice a year. That day he was there, and they learned the gospel together. We answered questions of the soul. They'll be coming back soon. 

   We feel like this month of September and October can provide possible baptisms. We tried setting one person on date, but she said she was already baptized in another church. We explained that the apostles had the authority and that it was lost, and invited her to pray about that as she read the book of Mormon. She is in 1 Nephi 16 now. 

   Another baptism is of a part-member family. We tried to contact the less-active member in there, and he was there, said he was her son and hadn't been to church for a long time. He's not in the records, and he said that he needs to come back, that it was time. The Lord loves us and I know that He'll help out. 

Elder Francom feels like he isn't a very successful missionary, but he's great. He needs to be inspired. 

Love Elder Sant