June 24: The doors are opening

Well, a sum of this week, now that it's a new transfer we are practically starting over from scratch with our area and when I say that, I am not lying. Our whole work from last transfer got passed over to new missionaries coming here and we got put into an area that doesn't have a single person progressing. Despite that, we maintained to have positive attitudes and a mindset that we can do this and that we will baptize. We've been praying a lot to see the Lord's hand in this work, especially to know that this isn't our work, but we work on the Lord's time. 

We focused a lot on contacting, we printed off our sector on paper and put a goal to knock every door in our sector. We began at an area furthest away and began to knock doors. Within 3 door approaches, we were invited inside and shared a message. This happened not just the first day, but every single day. It was truly a miracle. 

On Sunday we were a little depressed to not have anybody attending, but about 45 minutes into Sacrament meeting we saw 3 different investigators walk in at the same time - 2 of which we found on the street and invited them to come to church and they actually did. They had a wonderful time in church and said they want to come back so we'll see what happens.

The scripture for this week is from Matthew 5:6 which says,

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.  

I read this scripture this week and it really hit me hard. Anyone who hungers and thirsts for the good things in life will be filled with love. I encourage all you to search more for the positive things in life and to feed your hearts with righteousness so they can be filled. 

Love Elder Rich

we enjoyed some skating

transfers

my new comp, the Latino. Elder Alconz

met a girl here that used to be in my ward

June 17: The blessings of serving a mission

This week my companion Elder Nieto shared something with me that was very powerful, and I want to portray what he said to you. Elder Neito is the only member in his family, all the others are super Catholic and when Elder Nieto was home they would never accept his invitations to go to church or listen to the missionaries. His mom has never been to our church once, yet Elder Nieto made the decision to serve a mission for his family, in hope that they would accept the gospel one time. This past week he told me that for the first time in 9 years, his mom finally told him that she is willing to go to our church and to listen to the missionaries.

Although we don't always know the blessings we will receive, the Lord promises to bless each and every family of a missionary that is serving. There are many Latino missionaries that are here serving missions for the same cause, in hope that while they are here, their families heart will be softened and they will accept this precious gospel. 

This week we also had a baptism of Kevin, a 12-year old that we've been teaching this whole transfer. He was super excited to be baptized and was truly a blessing to have his family there so they could feel the spirit so strongly. I am anxious to work with him these next weeks so that he can receive the Aaronic Priesthood and start passing the Sacrament.

We have transfers this week, and we will be closing the sector that we've been working on these past 6 weeks and practically opening up a new sector close by. I went there maybe 5 times in the last 6 weeks so I practically know nothing nor does the area have a single person progressing or coming to church. I will receive another Latino companion from Bolivia, who is fresh out of his training and I will be moving up to District lead a district of 8 missionaries. I'm super pumped to start from scratch again, to see the progress that we will make like we did in these past 6 weeks.

The scripture for this week is in D&C 58:4 which says

"For after much tribulation come the blessings"

This scripture applies to all of us as sinners who go through difficult times in this life. I will definitely be studying more of this scripture this week during these next couple days in a new area, but I trust in the Lord and know that this time in my life will be hard but there is always blessings that follow.

Love Elder Rich

One of our investigators was sick so we went to the Hospital.

Kevin's baptism

I'll throw this in here for a few laughs - just doing handstands on the side of the road.

The Christmas spirit

June 10: 8 months

Hello to all and welcome to another mass. We had a solid week full of fun experiences. We continued to do a lot of finding like always. We noticed more doors were starting to open, and we began to find and teach more people - people who actually want to listen and accept our message. We worked with over 4 different people this week that we found while out finding - all of which attended the church on Sunday for their first time. We had a total of 9 come, which was such a miracle. We also have a baptism planned for this Saturday for Kevin, a 12-year-old beast. We are continuing to see the Lord's hand more and more every day and this area that I came into is really starting to change. It's such a blessing. 

The scripture for this week is in John 3:16-17. It's a common scripture but it's so powerful.

16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

The love of God is real and is everlasting. He has immense love for each one of us, and because he loves us so much, he sent his only begotten son Jesus Christ to the world for the salvation of us. That through him we may be saved, and that we may live eternally if we believe in his name and keep his commandments. I hope we can all look this week for opportunities to share this love with a friend, family member, or neighbor that we can all be uplifted and be happier in this life.

I wish all a wonderful week.

 Love always Elder Rich

Pretty Ecuadorian flowers

Kevin, with your classic Ecuadorian banana. He's being baptized this Saturday

The pizza here is good!

Met some crazy drunk people and decided to take a picture

June 3: Elder Bednar

We had a super fun and busy week. I got an infection in my armpit this past week. It was the weirdest thing ever, it swelled up super huge and turned hard. It looked like a giant cyst on my armpit it was the worst thing ever. Luckily now I'm on an antibiotic and it's feeling a lot better. 

We had the privilege of having Elder David A Bednar visit our mission on Tuesday. He spoke to us for almost 4 hours about a ton of stuff, of course, because he can't speak Spanish he had a translator translate, which was a blessing so I could actually understand him. He started off by expressing the difference between an object and an agent. He explained that the Book of Mormon is an object, and like every object, it cannot be acted upon its self but needs to be acted upon. Because we are human beings we are Agents. We choose what we want to do, we choose our path in life and because we have the option to use the atonement we can be made free. Because we are agents we accept to follow the Savior and to be baptized and make covenants with him. When we choose to follow the Savior we exercise our agency to represent him in all things and all ways. 

 He explained that he didn't want us to take notes, because it's pointless and we won't be able to catch the still small promptings of the holy ghost. I really liked the way he explained this. He explained that the Book of Mormon has 2 types of plates, the large plates, and the small plates. The large plates contain all the travelings and wars and unimportant things in the Book of Mormon. But the small plates hold all the revelations, spiritual experiences. He said when we take long notes while people speak we are writing in our own personal Large plates which are useless and we will forget and lose them. But, when we listen to the holy ghost and write down simple things we write in our own small plates which are precious and we have and keep them forever. 

He said something that I really took to heart "The Savior doesn't expect us to be perfect now, but he expects us to try and to become perfect" 

Really, this has a ton of value that we can apply to our lives. God knows that we are imperfect people and that we always will be. He knows that we have hard times, and we have our own agency to choose what we want to do. He doesn't expect us to be perfect nor will he ever because it is impossible. But he expects us to try always, to always get back up when we fall, and to set goals on how we can better improve our self. How we can rely more upon His son Jesus Christ for help when we have problems, and addictions in our lives? There is rest in Jesus, and there is hope in him that one day we really can become perfect.

Love Elder Rich

Bought soccer jerseys

MTC crew

Always Pork - also Elder Bezzant

Reunited with Elder Mora

ZL Elder Morris