Book of Mormon

Book of Mormon

Monday, January 25, 2016

7 Months to go! 1-25-16



Friends and Family,
Well with the news that I shared last week I now have the fixed date of when I'll be home! Isn't that quite the news after so long! 
But I guess I'll get to the things that everyone is interested in. This week we had our mission conference from Salt Lake and it wasn't actually as good as I thought it would be. The messages were fairly generic and it was hard because of the fact that everyone had just eaten and the worst case a drowsiness had hit everyone... That was a bummer. But it was okay in the long run. It was funny seeing the trainings of real missionaries on the screen. All of them had IPADs and I thought to myself..."Their scriptures must look just like new" I felt good that I didn't have IPad. I like the paper a lot more. More emotion to it.
We have two baptismal interviews this week. I was asked how those interviews were and I can tell you one thing. It is probably how a Bishop feels interviewing a teenager - They don't know too much but what they do know, they KNOW. It is interesting for me to see how the people are toward me during the interview. They are usually nervous because it is probably the first time they've been interviewed ever! So I have been gentle with them. Luckily enough, I have never had to refuse anyone from being baptized. That is a good thing.
I have heard very little about the people that I have taught in my other areas. They mainly move away or they just aren't interested anymore in receiving the Elders... Unfortunately... But I try and ask the missionaries who serve close as often as I can.
Transfer call doesn't come this week but next week and I am really hoping to get out of here. It is just too hot for my taste and I could use another change. The area is good and the members are nice but I wanna have two more areas at least here. So I hope that I get a new assignment.
This week we found a sister who is a member of the church already, but hasn't been attending. She is very interested in getting back active and so we are trying to help her with that. I'll let you know because we are going to visit her on Wednesday. I felt that she was longing for something in her life and I shared Doctrine and Covenants 18:10* about the worth of souls and she seemed to remember what life is like with the Gospel. I hope she felt the Spirit like we did and she'll have a desire to return to church.
Well that about sums it up this week family! I love you all and I hope that you all have a fantastic week!
Elder George
*Doctrine and Covenants 18:10 reads, "Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God;"

Monday, January 18, 2016

Paradise! ---January 18, 2016

Companions at the Beach 


Friends and Family,

How is everyone today!? Is it cold wherever you are? Do you enjoy it? YOU SHOULD! Because this week it was HOT all week long. So enjoy the cold while you have it. It won't be around for very much longer!
 
This week we had our leadership conference and it was fantastic! We had several trainings on how to help people progress and grow. After lunch we had a training with President Silva and he gave us some time to ask questions about doctrine. So we spent a little while asking questions about things that would never be taught to investigators. That was a blast! He really does know the scriptures.
We also got to take a bunch of pictures and chat for a while. I finally found Sister George! That was funny. Apparently a lot of people said good things about me to her and she was super excited to meet me! That was nice for a change. Usually when people spread things around the mission they aren't very good things. Most of the time its not the truth either. But this time was different thankfully. I saw Elder Stahn and that was amazing. We had a blast catching up about life and messing around a bit.
Sister G
 
Buddies!
 
I also got a few letters and a package!!! I didn't actually get to look at the package until we were on the bus. So I got it out and looked at the front to try and guess what was in it and the note said "Neckties..... 11!!! I thought to myself could mom have really bought 11 ties??? I opened it and there was another note. It talked about my righteous Priesthood holder examples and I thought," Oh no... There is a tie from every example in my life...." I started looking through and reading the notes and it was almost a very emotional deal. I was honored to have the support of so many men who are so important in my life, many who have served just as I am. It was funny because there were some ties that had a smell to them still. One that was the strongest smell was Jereme's. I thought to myself when I caught the scent," Only seven more months until I'll see him..."
 
So I guess that leads me to the next topic! We got a calendar for everything that'll happen in the mission this year and it has all the dates for the transfers. President talked about all the dates and told the Americans that we weren't allowed to stay one day past our date to leave. I looked at the transfer closest to that day and it is AFTER OCTOBER 1st!!! I looked at the transfer before and it's AUGUST 28th!!!! I'LL GET HOME IN AUGUST!!!!!! That was an absolutely awesome thing to find out. So next week I'll only have 7 months left to go!!!!!!!!!!   CRAZY!!!
 
Anyway, I sent some beach pics and that was actually in a different area. We had to go do a baptismal interview and it just so happened to be close to the beach so we went and took pictures. It was fantastic. I could like beach life in the summer. BUT in the winter there has to be snow because if not.... :(


 
 
The zone is doing well. We have a meeting on Wednesday where the general missionary board will train us via satellite! That should be cool. We are in charge of setting up the projector and that'll be good to learn how to do that. The obedience is doing better then when I got here, thankfully, because I have been cracking down on some poor souls. They just don't care about rules and so I went on a rampage and that was that. It's better now.
 
But as far as the week that was it really. I love you all and remember that ALL prayers are answered and we were never sent here to fail but to succeed GLORIOUSLY.
 
Com amor e carinho,
Elder George
 

 
 

Monday, January 11, 2016

January 11, 2016

 
Mom asked me a couple of questions this week:
What is my favorite scripture?
If I could share something with our ward congregation back home, what would that be?
 
So it seems like when I finally get my head wrapped around something it changes on me. Why does that happen? I got my head wrapped around which scripture is my favorite and now I have no idea... There are just so many. Probably it would be D&C 6: 22-23*.  It really helps me in times of doubt/discouragement and reassures me during hard times.

I would tell the congregation that being on a mission is WAY different then they think. Missionaries aren't all perfect on missions; There are quite a few that don't obey. Quite a few that don't work. Quite a few that don't care about anything that they are supposed to do. That is why missionary work is judged by a person's individual desire, work, and effort. Absolutely you are supposed to obey and work and all that. But your success isn't measured by numbers of baptisms or lessons. God himself will let you know how you're doing. You will feel how you are doing from Him. That is something that I would tell them. They shouldn't have the vision that missionaries are perfect because they're not. They're just like normal people. WE ALL HAVE TO SPREAD THE GOSPEL.
 
So we called S. but he is traveling still. So we will see if we can't get over this week. I hope so! He does let us share Gospel messages with him when we visit, even though he wants to remain Catholic right now. He respects us quite a lot and he is chill. 

Last  week we finally found someone who is interested in learning about the Gospel and we are teaching him. We'll go back this week hopefully. He is rather lost when religion is concerned. So we'll see what happens. Teaching is gonna start picking up more now since there are more missionaries in our area. And referrals and contacts are gonna pour in this week and next week. We have found a few people that will influence quite a few people. Those two things should be good; we have taught very little in this area as of yet but we are getting going for sure.

This ward is good; a little less involved with us than my last area. They help with meals but other than that they haven't given too many referrals yet. But that should get more up to speed when they trust us some more.

Last week was one of those weeks where literally nothing is different from the week before. This coming week we have our leadership council from President and next week we'll have a worldwide broadcast for missionaries from Salt Lake with a few Seventies and things. But this next week we'll have some great pictures and stories from leadership council. So until then!

Elder George
 
*"Verily, verily, I say unto you, if you desire a further witness, cast your mind upon the night that you cried unto me in your heart, that you might know concerning the truth of these things. Did I not speak peace to your mind concerning the matter? What greater witness can you have than from God?" Doctrine and Covenants 6:22-23