Buenos días!!!

November 23, 2020

I hope you guys are sleeping in!! Ihave a little more ill send in a sec. We are walking into Walmart! 

Hola hola mis Padres!!!! Sorry I didn't do as good this week with keeping up with this. Theres a lot of scripture things I read I don't think i will have time to go back over. Basically I started over in the BoM and love Nefi's diligence to keep the commandments and be faithful. As well as see the good bc he went through extremely hard things but never doubted or lost faith in the Lord. As well as some stories throughout the week I'm pretty sure dad said he's off today so I can just talk to you all!! Super excited about that!!!! But i don't want to take your whole day, I know you guys will probably bike ride and work out and other things. Hopefully the girls have a break from dance! I loved the pictures from this weekend. I can't believe the Nances went!! And Kristit and all the Jacksons that is so fun. As well it looked like there was some good eats, I'm glad to see you guys are eating all the food I can't!! But I'm doing well here!! I wish we had some people who were like progressing really well. We had a super good pass off lesson with Linda AND her husband with the elders in Denver. I think they are awesome. It was sad to pass them off but the elders there seem way nice, they're like all native Spanish speakers which is pretty cool. That also makes Alfredo probably our most progressing guy haha. He said he believes in God again and he felt the spirit really good the other day. Now we just need him to read! But also we might start teaching his friend named José who is actually paralyzed but super cool. Margarita is suoer nice but she has been hard to contact lately. She said she had questions about the Book of Mormon, like why thd peoole sre different than the Bible and we've tried to explain but shes been with her daughter she said and just said shes been busy. So hopefully shes not distancing herself from us. Theres a handful of people we have like inconsistant lessons with, Abraham, Beto, Juana, Francis, Elvira, the familia Calderón. Its just hard because i dont know how to make them consistently answer their phone. I think really get to know them, take sincere interest, find a need, and then help them feel the spirit. I think thats the blue print but at the same time people have their agency. I feel like I'm working hard, just dont have a ton to show for it yet. Elder Woods has been alright to work harder I think but I still dont know about his phone, I just hope that isnt something that keeps us from seeing miracles in the work here. I'm still really happy and grateful to be here, thats just the summed up situation of the mission world in the El Paso 3er Barrio NorthEast!! 

Conferencia de Zona

Day 1

Elder Shirley - Pornography 

Pornography completely rewires your brain. It makes you see people as objects. It fills a void of love with the devils counterfeit, lust. It is secrecy. The adversary wants us to think it is ok, completely normal, doesn't hurt anyone else. Then he has you in his snare. Then he doesn't want you to talk to anyone about it. It's the exact opposite of the Savior. The Savior always looked outward, helped other people. Even when he was in the hardest of circumstances. He saw people in the best light, for who they really were and who they could become. It really starts with thoughts. Keep thoughts virtuous. "The road of a thousand miles starts with one step. What is your first step?" Cannot do it on your own. Almost impossible without help from other people. Can't just white knuckle it, have to fill with light instead. 

Personalize

Teach people, not lessons. Get to know people. Show genuine interest and love, as the Savior would do. You will then find a need as well as gain their trust to share how to help them. Personalize each message, lesson, call, to the individual or family. 

President Nelson message

I absolutely loved it!! I feel like it has been pretty much what you guys have been emphasizing lately. Gratitude is huge!! Something I've seen with those thank you notes from graduation and have now used on my mission as a tool. As well seeing the positive. Seeing the good and Being the good!!! That positive attitude, finding the good, and being grateful are huge and honestly life changing. And they don't even change circumstances, just our perspective and outlook of them. Alsooo with Gratitude, prayer!! I have been thinking so much about prayer lately too, I'm so grateful for it and love it so much. It is an incredible blessing. And it was soooo cool to hear President Nelson pray. 

Looking outward!! 

The past few days have been pretty busy and it's been awesome!! I was, and still am, so excited to get into contact with this family. They have been taught by the sisters but have been a little hard to get keep committments, especially since church isn't in person. But they seem super super cool and I want to baptize, and have be sealed, a family soooooo bad I think it would be the coolest happiest thing ever, to help a family have the same incredible blessings that we have. So I was thinking about them all day. As well Linda and ways to help her. And Alfredo and Margarita and Hector and all our people. Really it hit me this is losing yourself in the work. They were like the only thing I thought about, ways to help them. This is exactly what the Savior did, turned outwards and focused on others. It is still a work in progress to do all the time but I'm so grateful for this time that I can focus on other people and in turn, come close to my Savior as I teach and testify of Him and do as He would do. It is just a really cool, unique time. I was also thinking about Mr. Krooger's Christmas, how he gives Kamae Jesus Christ. It seemed silly but really there is nothing better he could give, not a better gift anyone could give. I know it says this at the end I think in the little voice over but its true. And I've seen as I try to give people Jesucristo there is a happiness unlike anything else. I know that's why in the mission call it says you'll have joy greater than any other time in your life. The message of His life and now His restored Church on the earth is life changing if people will allow it into their lives. Anyways I think I understand that stuff more, coming to Christ through focusing on others.