Week 76: #Embark In the Service of God‏

2015 started off with a bang.

Literally. At midnight I was awakened by a thousand fireworks being lit off right outside my window. They were loud and unpleasant, and the celebrations being held below were laden with alcohol and bellowing laughter. It made me so grateful for the gospel...because, who on earth wants to start the new year with a hangover?

Not me.

That night I just laid in bed, waiting for time to go by as fast as possible so that it would be quiet again and I could get to sleep. The crackles and snaps of the pyrotechnics continued for a healthy 45 minutes...so I just started to think to myself about all of the good things that had happened since the beginning of 2014. Back then I was with Elder Beckstead, and on New Years day we had a baptism. Now. Events such as that seem so foreign and strange.

Time is ruthless, and beautiful, it is the very seam of the fabric of life. It holds our days together and maintains us sane, and punctual. Although, interestingly enough, we can read in Alma 40 that, "Now whether there is more than one time appointed for men to rise it mattereth not; for all do not die at once, and this mattereth not; all is as one day with God, and time only is measured unto men."

Time is an invention of men.

And how we use this time determines our eternal destiny.

So, I am so glad that I can say that Elder Chunga and I definitely made the most of our time here in Panorama. It was really fun to see the work of the Lord move forward here in our area.

We were able to find 18 new investigators (I'm not even sure how we did it...they were pure miracles from heaven) People just started coming from everywhere! Everywhere we looked, we were able to find something, or someone, or some family that was interested in listening to our message.

One of the highlights was Cesar and his son Carlos, he lives with his brother who is the Elder's Quorum president. We went to their house and Cesar let us in and listened to us for a little while, and said that we could come by again on Friday. We came and taught the Restoration and invited him to church.

And he came! 

It was incredible. We weren't even expecting to see any investigators come...when all of a sudden, after the benediction, Cesar and his son walked in and stat down next to his brother!

Yes!

He said that he really enjoyed the church and learned a lot.

We were just happy to see that the drought of investigators that we had before had finally ended, and that now we are really busy in my area.

So, happy new year to all of you guys. I'm sure that we're going to start off this year well! I'm happy with where we are and what we're doing! This is the work of the Lord, and if we trust in him. If we embark in the service of God...we're here to serve him with our of our hearts, might minds and strength....like it says in the new mutual theme!

So Embark Everyone!

It's a brand new year!

There's a lot of possibilities...

         

Week 75: God Bless us, Everyone‏

Suffice it to say that my Christmas was doused with a good helping of Baggy-ness. Amidst the fireworks and tamales and the Christmas package that was filled to the brim with sweets, the only thing that I really cared about was the bi-annual Skype Call that I got to do on Thursday.

It was, frankly, very hard to think about anything else.

Namely because almost every one of our investigators left to go and visit their families. Leaving us alone on Christmas Eve.... So, taking advantage of the extensive amount of free time that we had....Elder Chunga and I took a gigantic stack of our "He is the Gift" Pass-Along Cards and just started handing them out to everyone and their dogs.

The whole day we talked to a grand total of 120 people and by the end of our 3 dinner appointments, we were tired, stuffed and sick of eating tamales.

Christmas Eve: Mission accomplished.

That night they lit off fireworks off of every street corner, so Elder Chunga and I stood on our balcony and stared into the heavens at midnight. There were 20 minutes straight of prosthetic light. They soared through the sky.

So at around 12:30 we finally turned off the lights and slept until morning.

On Christmas, I started things off reading the Liahona and cleaning our house (because it was a big mess), and I opened up my Christmas package from my family (they sent me a back massager...I am so blessed). And we did a quick companionship study. After sitting in anxiety for an hour and a half we went down to the Stake center to be able to talk to our families!

It was a great experience, I absolutely love my family. There were so many emotions attached to the phone call: Joy, Happiness, The Spirit, Sadness, Unity, Love, Desperation.....so many things that just left me completely worn out by the time the hour was up. Then my mother asked me to be able to bare my testimony to them in Spanish to end the call. It was an incredibly revelatory experience....it got me to reflection on how much my testimony has grown here in the mission...how much better I've come to know my Savior and his gospel through the past year.

I know this church is true and the blessings that I've received from serving a mission are simply abounding.

There is nowhere I would rather be.

By the time that I hung up, I felt just...wiped out.

We went back home, had a lunch appointment (we ate a Holiday Ham!) and then went out visiting with the bishop, and then ate two dinners. 

Merry Christmas.

The next few days were kind of hard.... emotionally, trying to get back into the swing of things...but we were able to manage!

I know that this church is true! I know it! And I am so excited to be able to take advantage of the last 7 months that I have to be able to share it with everyone that I meet!

That's the greatest miracle of all.

The whole week, I've had a phrase from the classic novel, "A Christmas Carol" running through my head:

And so, as Tiny Tim observed, God bless Us, Every One!

May god bless all of us. And keep us under his wing and in his fold for this New Year that we are starting...and always.

Con Amor,

Elder Monson

Christmas 2014 The Phone Call!

Christmas day could not have been better with a special Skype call from Elder Monson.  He called at 12:45 our time (1:45 his time).

He looked great, smiled, was happy, cute as ever and looked older and wiser.  We sat downstairs and watched him on the big screen tv which was a treat.  So fun to see him a big as life.  He said he was at the Stake Center, about 45 mins away from his apartment.  2 zones share the Stake and all the missionaries had gathered there in the Family History Center to take turns skyping with family.  I think he would have liked a little smaller audience.  Here are a few questions we asked him...

Tell us the last miracle you witnessed?
Last week when we visited the ward mission leaders brother who is not a member and testified about families.
What did you do on Christmas Eve? With your district?
We took all the rest of our #Heisthegift cards and made 150 street contacts.  We talked to everyone! It was a really good way to spend the day.
We ate 3 dinners, tamales at each home.  The first one was tolerable but after that it was hard to eat them all.  -He is NOT a big fan of the Tamales but the Guatemalans eat them on special occasions
spent time with our district, they loved the gifts (we sent from home)
What did you do today?
Got up, studied, opened my Christmas package, traveled to the Stake Center, had to pay extra bus fair because of the holiday.  We get to go to the Bishops house for dinner later and then go on divisions with the Bishop and his son tonight.
What are some inside mission jokes?
He didn't answer... :)
How are your clothes holding up?  How are your feet and shoes?
Good!  One pair of pants wripped and had to throw them away.  Dress shoes are ripped and coming apart at the seems but the others are doing fine and I'm hoping to wear them till the very end.
What was your favorite P-day?
Back in May we visited the ruins.  I loved seeing that.
How many lessons do you try to teach a week?
20 and 60 is our district goal.  20 per companionship.  We try for 150 contacts a week and 500 in our district.  Thursdays are our district meetings.  
How are your investigators progressing?
good and getting better all the time
What was the scariest thing that happened to you?
Hmm.. I'll tell you later, when I'm home.  We just got out of there.  We did just move last month and it is a lot safer and nicer where we live now.  Thanks to members who helped us move everything.
What is your apartment like?
It's in a nice gated community it's safe and clean.  We live on the second floor (top floor)
Whats a tradition Guatemalans have for Christmas?
midnight fireworks and tamales
What foods do you eat?
Lots of beans and eggs.  We found a China Wok that is really good and I made fried rice the other night!  It was so good!
Do members feed you often?
We pay a members Mother to cook lunch each day.  Its good.

Towards the end we asked him to share his testimony in Spanish.  It was an amazing moment to hear him say it so clear and strong.  He also shared parts in English and testified of what he KNOWS.  He loves the gospel is so grateful for Jesus Christ, for families and for the opportunity to be a missionary. We said a family prayer at the end.  The spirit was so strong and tangible.  That is what I'll always remember.  Tyler is doing so well.  He misses being home but wouldn't trade serving for anything. He is trying to do all he can in the last 1/4 of the mission.  He said how grateful he is for his family, for the example of a strong Dad, supportive Mom, brothers and sister who he loves and is grateful for.  We were also lucky to have Grandma and Grandpa Payne there for the last 15 minutes since they will be on their mission when he comes home.

What a blessing and most special gift we received Christmas Day!

Week 74: It's Christmastime Again, Charlie Brown‏

It's that time of year again.

Where sugarplums, calling birds, and Josh Groban's incredibly well-done version of "The First Noel" are the tinsel and bows of the season. The air is filled with dreams and wonder and a renewed desire to give and receive with a grateful heart.

With each new day marked off on the advent calendar, anxiety's impatience lingers in the still winter air.

It's Christmas everyone. 

With only 3 days and counting until the expected date, the holidays have been on the brain. Memories of past celebrations, family traditions and old TV specials are harrowed up from the senile, baggy brain. But what else is there to do but go on in so great a cause?

Tuesday and Wednesday were a little bit rough, just about everyone from my area has left to go vacation in their respective "Pueblos" leaving my companion and I here to see what we can muster up here in Panorama.

It wasn't much but...we're getting there...

Thursday was an incredible day. We had one of the most spiritual Zone Conference that I've had in my whole mission. In Montufar's Chapel, President talked to us about the love of christ, and how it is divided into three different categories:

"Love for Christ, Love from Christ, and Love Like Christ"

I really enjoyed that thought, and it gave me a lot of things to think about during this Christmas season, how we and love our Savior through the things that we do every day.

Nephi spoke of this love in 1 Nephi 11: "And it came to pass that I beheld that she was carried away in the Spirit; and after she had been carried away in the Spirit for the space of a time the angel spake unto me, saying: Look!  And I looked and beheld the virgin again, bearing a child in her arms.

 And the angel said unto me: Behold the Lamb of God, yea, even the Son of the Eternal Father! Knowest thou the meaning of the tree which thy father saw? And I answered him, saying: Yea, it is the love of God, which sheddeth itself abroad in the hearts of the children of men; wherefore, it is the most desirable above all things. And he spake unto me, saying: Yea, and the most joyous to the soul."

So for the rest of the week we went about trying to share the love that Christ has for us. Doing service, helping people to realize the true message of Christmas. It was a great week. 

I don't have much more time, but I just wanted to wish all of you a very merry Christmas, and hope that you can feel the love that Christ has for you during this season.

I can testify that he loves all of us, and if we come unto him, we can enjoy all of the blessings that come from him!

Merry Christmas!

Elder Monson

What a wonderful letter this week, full of happiness, blessings and service, not to mention a Christmas party too!  Merry Christmas Elder Monson!  We can't wait to Skype with you on Thursday afternoon!  Love you!