Challenges equal Growth

 Eventful week in Georgia teaching and growing testimonies. Mission life has been pushing forward in the field as we have been able to help others closer to baptism. Our week started off strong with some great fellowshipping work and meeting some non-member friends. We played some volleyball and only busted one ceiling light, everything's okay, almost died laughing. 

We introduced some topics and answered all the questions we could. It truly is amazing to be a source of information for others who are seeking it. We had some awesome exchanges with the zone leaders and they were able to interview our friend Vanessa for baptism. She is doing amazing and now we just need to wait for her family to return from a trip so they can be in attendance and begin taking the lessons for themselves. We know she will be the key to this family and the beginning to everlasting blessings. 

We had a couple amazing lessons with our friends Nelly and Gonzalo along with their awesome kids. They have missed our presence in their home and we are helping them to progress and obtain this same feeling in their home always. We have scheduled to do some service for them and I have volunteered to teach their young children piano lessons. Some of the members in the ward don't want us to keep seeing them but then we ask how long they met with the missionaries before their family was converted, often times it's multiple months or years. We're doing our work and always make sure to have a purpose behind it. 

Church was great as always and we finally, after I nagged them a ton about it, have a live broadcast going for those throughout our whole mission who can't attend church because of the language barrier. Work is going well as a whole and I'm learning a lot, imagine where you'd be without the experiences you've had, whether difficult or not. Here's a quote I used at district council: "Sometimes the best people have the worst experience because they are the most ready to learn."

Chao fam

James 1:5

 Awesome but long week out in the field with some great contacts and progression. We have been able to get ourselves out and around which I always love because it allows others to simply see us and start wondering who we are and what we do. We had the opportunity to play some volleyball at the church with a ton of nonmember friends of a young member as well as have a couple people we're teaching join in as well. We had a few lessons that really stick out, one with Vanessa again where we discussed the prophet and why we need one today. She had some amazing questions about how one is called, etc.

I love sharing about the prophet and seeing others reactions to the fact that there is a living prophet on the earth today. She felt prompted to have her baptismal date for the 23rd this coming Saturday so we are pumped for that. Her family as well is excited to come, we spoke with her dad Jose a lot and he is eager for his daughter to take this step in her life, now he just needs to take it too. We believe she will be the key to this family, excited to see how it turns out. 

Another great experience was at the gymnastics center with our friend Austin and others who have gained some more interest. We had over a half hour discussion about religion with everyone and it was amazing. I had to stand my ground a little bit and shared James 1:5 imploring them to simply pray and following the feelings that they feel, all in all it was productive and uplifting. The stories and lives of the southern people are interesting and you could make a Netflix movie about each of them. 

At district council we talked about a talk from Uchtdorf regarding regrets and resolutions, good intentions are not enough, go do it. We finished out the week with a nice Hispanic BBQ with Jose, some nice carne asada and talking with all of his kids and grandkids from out of town. 

Great week as a whole and happy 29th anniversary to mis padres! Chao

Northwest Georgia Continued

 Amazing week in North Georgia and even greater news for what's to come. We received transfer news and I will be staying here for a third transfer. I am beyond blessed as this is one of very few Spanish speaking areas and I am going to work to the best of my abilities to make it count. I have learned this past week the importance or utilizing the trust and faith others have in you and seeing the hand of the Lord in your personal efforts. As I teach with confidence and strive to be worthy of the spirit which testifies through me, I will in turn be blessed and given witness of Christ's divine power. 

Our lessons with the usuals this past week went great as we were able solidify some concepts and share some new ones. With Jose we felt prompted to review the Restoration again and this time we could see the intent in him as well as Reynalda his significant other. I related some bible verses to back up Jo Smith since they both have religious backgrounds and we're in the south. Additionally we had a great discussion with his daughter Vanessa about commandments and she was interested to know that we have living guidance today. 

Another awesome thing that happened was I had the opportunity to hold not only my first but two baptismal interviews this past week. It is quite the experience when seeing it from this perspective and I will never forget it. Both of their services were great and it was all around enjoyable. Member fellowshipping has been going great as we have been hanging out with Armando who is soon to begin his mission experience. We have gotten together to play volleyball with his nonmember friends and things are progressing with them. 

All was well when playing until we decided to do feet only and they're all Hispanic. No judging here, just that they're pretty much pros and made me look like a clown. Hope all is going great for everyone and the new year's goals are booming, bendiciones!

Neuvo Ano 2021

First week of the new year gone in a flash! It's going to be hard to remember what went down this past week but I know that it was exciting and full of learning on both ends. I have had more time to study and discover new ways to find as more people have come down with illnesses. A great lesson we had over a Zoom call was with our friend Vanessa and we spoke about the Plan of Salvation. It was amazing to see her questions and level excitement even through a phone screen. 

We had the opportunity to go on exchanges with some other missionaries as well and that was a blast as we were able to cover twice us much in the area and visit as many people as possible. I know the other guys were definitely thankful for the amazing dinner my comp whipped up at the end of the day. 

District council was great as usual and I had the opportunity to share my thoughts about goal setting as we head into this new year. Go check out a BYU devo by Dean L. Larsen of the Seventy from May 1980 about this topic. One of his focuses is on quantitative versus qualitative goals, one gives us a set number that is simply and easy to uh understand and strive for while the other allows for a change in character throughout the journey of reaching a goal. There's a lot more too it and I think y'all will find it interesting. 

On another note, a baptism was held a couple days ago and it was amazing. Figuring out how to get the font filled was a task and a half and brought back some good memories of Peru. All went well and our friend Victor is happy to be a member of the true church. In between lessons we quickly swung by the Torres family to celebrate their son Armando as he prepares to begin his missionary journey. Some great Mexican food along with some volleyball finished off the week wonderfully. 

Hope everyone enjoyed their new years and are looking forward to what lies ahead. It's going to be an awesome year! Chao