Week 17

This week was sweet, a lot of new experiences each and every day with different people. Being yelled at because they don´t want a card of our church is kind of normal now or being rejected in general. I’m trying to not get too frustrated at myself when others don’t want to receive a card of Jesus Christ. I am learning that I need to be more affective in this missionary life, because time flies. This week we had a lesson with an investigator who kind of knows about our church, her husband was a member. He isn´t very active (we will work on that as well). Anyways, little did we know she would have a bunch of questions about our church. We found out what she needed all in 30 minutes. The funniest part was when we first met her she would always say she didn´t have time and only Sunday nights were good to visit. After one lesson with her she opened up and said that any day of the week in the afternoons we could come visit. It’s amazing how God works on people when they have a sincere heart and want to change the direction of their life.  In the end its in God’s hands, everything will work out for the investigators and the missionaries and I know that to be true. I love this gospel so much, this gospel can bring so much light into our lives if we just open up to him

 

 

 

Week 16

Well this past week has been another great week!  My favorite phrase in Spanish is Poco a poco (little by little) One of the best phrases I have heard while in the mission field.

So this week went by super quick just like every other week, many progressing investigators as well. So just this past Monday we had the opportunity to teach Hermana Tina. This was our second time meeting with her; the first time was as a contact and lesson all in one day. She knows our church well; one of her sons is a member of the LDS church. Anyways, we talked a lot about why there are so many churches and explained/taught the restoration to her. Little by little I think she really wants to attend our church. One thing I have learned during a lesson is that its ok to pause and think about what you want to ask your investigator, I remember just asking her a simple question of how do you feel about your current  church you attend. At first she said its good until I think my companion and I gave her a weird look (not that it was bad or anything.) and then she started expressing how the priest there asked her to be baptized, she said she doesn´t feel ready for that church, there has to be more. She went on to say how when she prays to God, she doesn´t feel that God answers her prayers.

I then had the opportunity to bare my testimony about how important it is to always pray often with a sincere heart. I explained how God won´t always answer your prayers right away (something I am still learning). I then invited her to be baptized and she said yes, one of the promises I told her is that when you pray about our message and about the book of Mormon, that you will receive an answer. I couldn´t believe that I told her that, like words just came out of my mouth. I can testify that the Holy Ghost was helping me reach out to her with faith.  

Week 15

Buenas Tardes,

This week was a great week. I can understand the language more and more now and can have a pretty good conversation now during a lesson and outside a lesson. One of the things I’ve learned is that sometimes you don´t always know why the Holy Ghost is guiding you to a specific area or for what purpose. Last night my companion, a member and I were walking to our next lesson but we were not sure if we were even going to have a lesson. As we were walking I saw a little apartment complex the door was open. We walked past it and I started thinking to myself if we should go in.  After a long minute I told my companion we have to go back. There were only three apartments on the first floor, we went to the first apartment and the lady that answered opened the door and then closed it immediately. I thought to myself maybe we shouldn´t be here, but we kept going. Once we got to the second door a man answered, he invited us in and introduced us to his cousin. His cousin started talking about how he is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of latter-day saints. He told us he has been inactive for a few years now with his wife, but loves the gospel and the church. Crazy thing was he didn´t know that our church was just a few blocks from his house. We end up teaching him and his cousin, they really want to hear more of our lessons. I can testify that the Holy Ghost does work with us, and that there is a difference between having the Holy Ghost present in your life then without. One of my favorite scriptures in the bible is in Hebrews 10:36  For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye  might receive the promise.

Elder Aguirre

Week 14

Buenos Tardes!

So this week went great, I feel like I have been growing in my Spanish a lot quicker, but understanding is still a little hard. I can get the general part of the conversation down but not all of it. I see it as a blessing, little by little I can see God blessing me in my everyday life.

So after District meeting our zone leader Elder Manzanera took me and the new missionaries out to go contact. It was our practice but in real life form to let out our fears. Each one of us had to contact the whole entire bus full of people four times. At first I was pretty nervous, but then I realized that this is the Lords work I shouldn’t be nervous. One of the best experiences I have ever had in my life, just forget yourself and get to work and invite people to hear our message.

I didn´t realize how many people you could find that are interested in hearing our message. There are a lot of people that wanted to hear our message and attend our church. I have a testimony when we open our mouth god will help through the holy ghost to invite others to listen to our message or attend church. We are Gods hands here on earth and in the mission field.

Week 13

Hola buenas tardes,

So this past week was sweet, and stressful. This week was my first week with a new companion. Not just new but, my first companion who can only speak Spanish. To really look back on this week it was definitely a roller coaster. Emotions were all over the place, some were positive and negative, confident and doubtful. To look back on the week I could definitely look at the negative but obviously positive is the Light of Christ so I knew what path I wanted to take. I learned that Missionary work is hard, that not every day is going to be all sunshine and positive outcomes. We read in Mosiah 4:27 ¨For it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength...¨ And I know that scripture to be true, We can easily overwhelm ourselves and give ourselves a lot of stress when we are trying to run faster than we have strength. I felt like I have been doing that a little too much these past few months, and come to realize that it’s not my time.

The coolest part this week for me was that my companion and I had to start rebuilding again and find investigators. It was unique because when I got to the field, I walked into an already scheduled baptism and finished lessons. This time together we started fresh and honestly it’s the most satisfying feeling when you know someone wants to hear a message about Jesus Christ. We found eight new investigators this week who are interested. My companion and I got to ask two people (different families) to baptism and out of the two one said yes! I am hoping and praying that we can have this opportunity to baptize our new investigator on the 26 of November.

I honestly love this work and look forward to the next day to teach the people.

Week 12

Week 12

This week was a great week to understand the importance of missionary work. My companion and I had the opportunity to go to the temple with our two converts to do Baptisms for the dead. One of the greatest experiences is to be on the other side being a witness and watching our converts do baptisms for the dead. I can see why that´s the ultimate goal to bring recent converts to the temple, it doesn´t end just by being baptized and being confirmed a member of the church; our goal is to make more covenants with our heavenly father and to be able to be part of his work.

   Another huge blessing this past Saturday, our whole zone had the opportunity to set up and hold a marriage for two couples so that they can be baptized. All together we had 14 baptisms for our investigators all in one day. The best part of it was watching each one of them come closer to Christ. Each elder had the opportunity to baptize one person and honestly it was the best experience we ever had. This is the true church; Like President Nelson said in General Conference, God is the definition of Joy, choosing to come unto Christ will always be the joy in a family.

Week 11

Week 11

I can´t believe my fifth week of training has ended, time really does fly. This week was awesome, stressful, and very humbling.  This week was my first time leading an area, and after this week I actually really like leading. I never thought that I could be a people’s person, but learning from my companion I can speak more Spanish and be more open. It´s crazy how the Lord works through us!  I’ve noticed that my listening skills are not that great, it is one of my goals to accomplish during my training.

So this week I have one story that I want to share, it’s about contacting.  Before contacting on Saturday I wasn´t always comfortable, still shy, but on Saturday I felt like my companion and I needed to contact in a specific area. In an hour and a half we contacted sixteen people. Out of those sixteen people only two wanted to hear our message. How we found those contacts were from our thirteen, fourteen, and fifteenth contacts, we were impressed 4 references, that never happens! Anyways we started with a boy who was thirteen and we asked him, and he told us that a women and her family who would like to hear our message. So my companion and I go to this reference and talk to her, but she wasn´t interested either, so after we asked for another reference, she pointed to an apartment and gave us a specific room. We go to this man´s house and talked with him for a bit and he wasn´t interested in our message either.  So we ask for one more reference and he pointed just across the hall to a specific room. At this point we just wanted to find someone who could hear our message. We end up going to this last reference after so many tries, we started talking with them, and this family recognized who we were and what we do. The sister of the family knew that we were Mormons; she said that she is really interested in the church, and she also said that she had been reading The Book of Mormon online, but doesn´t have time to read a lot. She really wanted a copy of The Book of Mormon, so we gave her a book and asked if we could come again and teach them, and they said yes!!! Honestly a true blessing that we found this family and a huge miracle for my companion and I.  I can testify that this work is true and if we just have faith and work hard, Heavenly Father will bless us and help us as we search and find people who want the gospel in their lives. I know that when we have faith and follow Heavenly Fathers plan all will fall into place.