Spanaway - November 21, 2011

Hello!

 

I'm glad to hear that you're all doing well and that you're happy! I'm sure Grandma and Grandpa M. are happy, reunited with the rest of their family in the other direction, and sharing the Gospel with them.

 

Speaking of the Spirit World, on Sunday, the two oldest high priests in the ward spoke about the spirit world and vicarious temple work. The second and third hours went pretty deep too. We didn't have any investigators there, but it was probably one of the deepest sundays I've had in the mission. But hey, Mari absolutely loved it, so it all worked out!

 

The ward is going to have a temple trip for all the recent converts on December 9th so tonight we're doing a FHE with Mari so she can prepare some names to take with her. She asked her boss if she could have that night off, but she doesn't know yet so just pray for her so that she'll be able to go!

 

We had a great finding miracle this week. Bishop asked us to check up on a family on the ward list and see if the address, phone number, etc. were still up to date. So we did, found out they had moved, but instead of that family we found a less active, Antonio, who was baptized in New Jersey who wants to come back to church, and his 9 year old niece, Angela, who had gone to church with him before, liked it, and wants to get baptized!!!! Pray for her so that her mom gives her permission to be baptized. Antonio had to work so they weren't able to come yesterday; but since she's been before, she can get baptized on the 4th before the end of the transfer!

 

We also had zone conference on Thursday, and a Spanish zone conference on Saturday! They were legit. My biggest takeaway was probably that we need to have faith in tracting, finding, or whatever activity we're doing, and then magnify it with our own diligence, working hard even when we're tired or when we've just been blessed with a big miracle. That's when God gives us the miracles. One of my favorite quotes (from Elder Liechty): "If Christ didn't give up on us [in the garden], then we have no right to give up on Him."

 

Anyway, we're doing what we can so we can baptize this transfer, and I'm grateful for all the prayers you offer in our behalf.

 

I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving! Here's something that you might be able to do, maybe for an FHE or something. Get that roll paper that's an inch or two wide but that comes on a roll, cut off a portion 10 feet long or so, and just write a list of all the things for which you are grateful. When you feel down or depressed, you can take out your list and read it until you feel happy again! (This is something that Elder Hardy did and showed us in the Spanish Conference).

 

I love you all and let me know if there is anything I can do to help you out!

 

Love,

Greg

Spanaway - November 14, 2011

We had a pretty good week this week. On Monday while tracting this one couple invited us in and we were able to teach them the Restoration and they almost went on date! Unfortunately they dogged us by not being there for the return appointment, but we're hoping to make contact with them this week.

 

We also got to teach a man named Jorge, who really wants help so he can quit being an alcoholic. So far we've taught him the Restoration and we also put a plan together with him so he can read, pray, come to church, and avoid all the places where he's drunk before. He had to work this Sunday, but we're excited to work with him, and he's willing to make a lot of big life changes to come closer to God.

 

Francisco also still wants to be baptized, but had to work on Sunday so he fell off date. We'll also need to help him quit drinking and smoking, but he has the desires so I'm sure he'll be able to succeed.

 

Unfortuntately, our other investigators have been kind of lame so we need to drop them. We have found some pretty good potentials though, and we have church tours set up with them for this coming week.

 

We had a funny tracting experiences this week.  I had what I'm pretty sure was my first naked person answer a door. She opened it, hiding behind the door, and told us she was showering. Don't ask me why anyone in the shower would bother answering the door, pero así fue. It was pretty funny though, and probably not even the most awkward door contact I've had.

 

Love you all! Thank you for your prayers and your support!

 

Greg <3

Spanaway - November 7, 2011

Hello!!!

 

So Halloween was pretty legit; we went to President Weaver's house and had our little party. The movie was called 17 Miracles. It supposedly came out earlier in the year and is about the Willie Handcart Company. If you haven't seen it, I would highly recommend it; I was close to tears during many parts of it. The pioneers had such an incredible amount of faith and sacrificed so much to be able to join with the Saints and partake of temple blessings.

 

As for me, we had a great week as well! Our teaching pool remains mostly empty, but we knocked into a man named Francisco who invited us into his house and after a few questions told us of a recent divorce and how he wants to change his life and he committed to baptism! He just needs to talk to his boss so he can get Sundays off or move it to another day. Please pray for him as well as for his boss so that he can come to church.

 

I also feel way good about this family from Panama that we met last Sunday. They've been busy all week so we were only able to see them once, but the girls want to come to Tuesday activities, they all already know a member of the ward, and we should be giving the whole family a tour later this week too.

 

We also made sure that Gregorio and Concepcón and Mari got their hometeachers assigned, and I'm just happy that they're progressing as much as they have been. We've been trying to network from our recent converts to find people to teach, and one recent convert was supposed to introduce us to a friend at church yesterday, but none of them were able to make it.

 

I hope you are all doing well and if there is anything in particular that I can do to help you all out, just let me know.

 

Also thank you so much for the package! Everything works great! 

As for Christmas stuff, idk. Music is always nice (Christian rock is no longer approved btw, but some awesome Gospel music would be nice). Maybe a game for p'days like Race to the Galaxy or something, idk. Or something that will reduce the pain from having to eat 10 meals in a single day. Whatever. Just receiving a package of something from somebody will make me way happy.

 

I love you all, and thank you so much for your love and support! Miracles come if we pray enough and put forth the required obedience and diligence, and we'll keep looking for them!

 

<3

Greg