Hey everybody! We had a super good week full of miracles.
Btw I’m super sorry for slacking on the emails lately to everybody. I’ve had some super busy pdays lately...
This week we found awesome new prepared people!! One was a young guy from Cuba named Luis. He’s lived here for about a year. When we knocked his door nobody answered and we stood there forever and then as we were walking away we heard the door open and he says hey come back!! So we talked to him and taught him about the Book of Mormon. He is working here to provide for his family back in Cuba. He is a super humble and loving guy. I’m so stoked to go back and teach him more!
We also met a part member family that we’ve been trying to get in with for a long time. We seem to always go by when nobody is there... but this time the 17 year old daughter that hasn’t been baptized answered. She said she has had all the lessons from the missionaries before. She’s had many baptismal dates but then they have never gone through. We asked if she’d be willing to set a goal for baptism and to work up to it again she said yeah so we are excited to go back and help her understand the blessings that come from being baptized and coming to church!
We met another family from Cuba! Lemme just say real quick that old Cubans are soooo hard to understand haha. They speak so fast and deep and don’t pronounce their words but Elder Gibby and I got through it somehow lol. We met them when we were looking for a less actives apartment. While we were walking around the complex, an older lady come up to us and said “hey I’ve seen you guys before!!” We started talking to her and it turns out that missionaries taught her awhile back. She said they told her in Cuba that the Church of Jesus Christ was restored in the americas. So ever since she’s been here she’s been looking for it. We explained a little how it’s been restored and about the Book of Mormon. We are excited to teach them as well!
The lord is truly blessing us with so many people and it’s been so fun. I’m truly so happy doing the work of the lord. This area has been difficult and I haven’t seen very much success here. But through that time I learned and grew so much. This thanksgiving I’m so thankful for the trials I’ve had on my mission. I have learned that sometimes no matter how obedient or righteous we are, the lord still puts us through trials. I’ve learned how to continue on with faith and being happy in those difficult times. I’m thankful for the atonement of Jesus Christ that strengthens me everyday to improve myself. I’m thankful for the opportunity that I have to change through him. It gives me hope each day. The church is true!!
Last night we were able to watch the face to face event with Elder Oaks and Ballard. I wanted to write a few notes I took from it. They explained how every person needs balance between spirituality and worldly things. They explained how those who keep the sabbath day Holy have a built in balance between those things. We are more happier and confident in ourselves when we keep that one simple commandment. Another thing I really loved was some advice that he gave to a recent convert of the church. He was directing it towards recent converts but I think it can apply to every member. He talked about how we need to analyze our lives and apply righteous routines. He gave an example on if one persons weakness was with the word of wisdom, and he walked by a bar everyday going home, he would need to apply a righteous routine by going a different way home. We all have our own weaknesses. We all struggle with certain things. If we apply righteous routines in our own daily lives we can overcome these things with time.
Sorry this email is super long... Idk if people even read these things anymore after 18 months lol... but for those who do thanks for stickin with me for all this time! 6 more months to go... Love you all! Have a great week.
1. Our zone flag!
2. Throwback to the bikes
3. Lunch after district meeting
4. Guy riding a horse in the middle of Houston in PJs lol
5. Me going down a slide after tracting
