What a week

Happy Monday.

We worked hard this week. I like my companion a lot. If he wasnt my trainee I would probably hate training. He is so humble and sweet-hearted. We have fun and work hard. He helps me stay motivated and gives me encouragement.

We had a really big miracle this week. Eric is 28 and he is preparing for baptism on the 19 of Oct. He is reading and praying every night. We decided if he was going to be baptized on that day (or anyday) he would have to understand the importance of church attendance. We planned and practice a lesson and went to meet with him. We talked to his friend that helped introduce him to us, and she told us that he quit one of his jobs so he can come to church every Sunday. Honestly, God prepares people and influences them. We walked over to the bishops house and there we had a killer lesson with the bishop and Eric. He is still on date for the 19 of Oct. Sadly the job he still has pulled him away this last Sunday (a little bit ironic) so he didnt come, but we saw him last night as he was on his way to do some service. This guy is stellar. He is a leader and a missionary, and we need him in the Lord's kingdom. Please pray for him :) He is a miracle for us and I really hope he is baptized on his date... and if not on that day, I hope I get to see him be baptized.

We had a pretty succesful week. We have help activate a brother named Juventino. He comes every week and is on his way toward the temple. We had 2 other less actives talk to the bishop this week and they say they are coming every week from now on. One of them told me she wanted to come more because we are translating the meetings for her. She really enjoyed it. We contacted and found some very good potentials this week. I am excited to see if they go anywhere. 

Alma and Adrian are doing well! They continue to amaze me with their faith and trust in what they have found here in this church. They know it to be true. 

I got to watch part of the Women's Session on Saturday with Elsa. It was really touching to see those cute little Koreans sing. They did a great job and it definitely pulls this world together. I love the influence that this gospel has on the world.

Super stoked for conference! I am going to buy Cinnamon Rolls today :)

Keep me, my companion in your prayers. But more than that, keep Eric in your prayers. We can only do so much to help him. He needs an answer about the Book of Mormon, and he needs the courage to enter the waters of baptism. We can't give him that. Your prayers will help, though. I believe that if you keep him in every prayer you have, he will get baptized this month. 

I am grateful for my mission. I love New Jersey. I love the people even more. I am grateful for the good times, they make the hard times easier. There are hard times, but they only last a little while. I love my mission.

Love you family.

Jersey Strong 

Week #1 of Transfer 7

This Transfer started out hard.

We had a really hard week. God gave us a lot of miracles and a lot of success, but sadly something really bad went down this week. I can't give details but now one of our actives has run away and Karina will probably not continue meeting with us. After such a wonderful experience with her, it has been a heartbreak for me. It is not set in stone, but what she saw was horrific. What I learned this week is that Satan is super sneaky. He knows us better than we think. And not only that, but he knows the people around us even better than we do. Don't give him an opportunity to bring you down, because others will fall with you. 

I learned this week the importance of being a strong member. Of being an example. We are being watched and are actions are noted by not only angel in heaven, but future members of the church. Be your best. Be Jersey Strong.

Although I was very sad for a while, my companion and my friends have really shown they care. I love the bishop here. I love my friends and my family that I have made out here. Yesterday, Alma came up to me at church and said that she always thinks about me when she hears about this food called "tlayuda." She said she had bought some and that this tuesday we would have some. I will be sure to take pictures. Her and her family are my family now. And not because of the food or anything that they give us, but because of the way I feel around them. 

Sometimes I think about coming home to dance parties and soccer games and music concerts. It seems so easy back at home. I know its not, but it sure does seem like it. I would be too embarrassed to come home... lets be honest... but I also would miss my mission. I would miss my friends and family here. So I tell myself to enjoy the moment. I truly feel grateful to be a missionary. I love you all and I hope this week is a good one for you all.

Stay Strong. Jersey Strong.

TY

Second Best Lesson

my good friends and I at the beach

Well. It has been a good week. We worked hard. I am wasted. 

Tomorrow is transfers and nothing really has changed in our zone that is worth telling you all. I get to stay with all of my friends and kill it here in Freehold for one more!

I love Freehold. I love the members, I love the ward, I love the area, I love my investigators. I love my companion. It is a high point in my mission. 

This last week we found 4 solid new investigators and 2 not so solid. Our week was super busy and I can't remember a lot but I would like to share one of the most powerful experiences I have had here.

We contacted this lady named Karina. She was interested, and I felt she was special. Sadly, I almost walked right by her without saying anything. We set an appointment up with her but forgot to get her number. We went over to her house and tried super hard to get in. Sadly the people living there told us she didn't live there. I was almost positive though that she lived there. We left, and I felt that we had lost her. Honestly I felt so strong about her. We decided to not go by ever again because we tried so hard to get into that house. I think we scared them.

I went on an exchange with E Nilssen (he is super cool. He speaks korean but is now english to be our zl) and we were walking down this street. I was on the phone and this lady walks up to him and starts balling saying "Elderes Elderes Elderes!" I quickly ended the call and tried to figure out what this lady was saying. I told her that he didn't speak spanish but that I did. She turns to me and tells me she came to the US 2 months back. She is a member. She said she had been searching for the church and that she felt to go try to get a job. She encountered us and knew it was an answer from God. I couldn't help but tell her "God is real." I felt the Spirit very strongly as we talked and we shared 1 Nep 21:16 with her. She was so sweet and kept telling us she found her family. she found her home. We set up an appointment and went over there on Thursday. We got to her home before she got home from the work that she had received that same day she contacted us. Her cousin pulled up and I went over to open the door for her. I helped her out and I looked into the back seat and saw Karina. She got out of the car and I almost screamed "Karina!" I guess I said it out loud and the member says, "you know her?" And we said yes. The member didn't know her either but the member (juana), karina, and the cousin all went into the home of Juana and her cousin. There we sat down with Karina and Juana and got to know them a bit. We almost started to share the book of mormon with her when I felt prompted to ask her if she feels alone. We talked for a bit and Juana shared her testimony of feeling the love of God through the church. I then felt prompted to share the same scripture that we had shared with Juana when we met her. We explained to Karina that jesus christ was nailed to the cross, and when he was resurrected he still had the scars. We told her that those scars remind him of her. That he engraved her upon the palms of his hands. I saw this understanding in her eyes and a smile came onto her face. I felt the spirit so strong. to my surprise the smile faded and she bowed her head. She started crying. 

Seeing Karina recognize what Christ did her for her is hard to explain. To think that through my words, the Spirit touched her and testified to her that Jesus loves her. That lesson I felt the Spirit very strongly. Second best lesson only to Aldo's last lesson with me.

Again, we had problems getting her correct number so when we tried to help her get a ride, we couldnt. I lost hope she was coming and that we lost her again. I then realized only God could change the situation and I lost faith he would. I was translating the sacrament meeting for the hispanic members when I saw Juana and Karina walk in. I stopped talking. I was so surprised and happy and grateful. 

I am grateful for this opportunity to be a missionary and feel the love I feel for these people. Its hard sometimes when I want to come home and comfort my family and friends when they are having a hard time, but I think God will do that for me.

I love you family. Keep praying for us and them! These people are worthy of your prayers. And its working.

Stay Strong. Jersey Strong.

Training Week 5

Time flies by so fast. Mijo is growing up so fast... He is a great missionary and a good friend. He serves me and talks to me a lot. He is such a sweet kid.

This week we had zone conference and they asked us to start contacting 10 people a day. We have tried and fallen short almost everyday... but we are having so many miracles because of it. We are teaching and walking and contacting and having a good time. We both got angry at each other on Wednesday but we cleared it up. I am grateful he has the guts to tell me what I do that bugs him. It helps me share my feelings too. We are great friends and it shows in our area! We have 293473589 potential investigators and have set appointments at almost every hour these last few days.

This week i got kind of trunky. I thought a lot about home and old memories. Its hard to stay focused all the time on the work. I am getting better at it. I am learning that as I work hard to stay focused, the Lord immediately blesses me. I am never going to stop entirely thinking abot family and friends, but I am gonna turn these people here in Jersey into my family and friends so I dont miss home so much. 

This month we are working for more love. I want to leave the apartment everyday because I love to do missionary work, not because I have to in order to be "obedient." I want to share my beliefs with Alma and Adrian, Marcos and Elsa, and anyone else because I love them, not because i feel i have to.

I want to stay out and serve the Lord because I love these people and the Lord, and not because I couldn't stand the shame of coming home. I want to truly love my mission because of the people I meet and the things I feel.

Luckily this kind of love is a gift. Its something I can ask for and have. God is cool like that.

 

On Saturday it poured like no ones business. It was so stinkin cool! But I got drenched. Luckily we had two dinner appointments so we got dried pretty fast.

I love New Jersey. Its becoming my home more and more. The ward here is so great. They are the best member missionaries I have met. Cant wait til you can meet them.

Sure do love you family :) Hope this week is better than last week! I am grateful for you all. I miss you. I love you! Stay Jersey Strong.

Ty 

Super Good Week

This has been a fast week...

Already my companion has been out here for a month. He is growing up so fast. He and I are having a blast. Doing work and playing hard!

Monday we had a blast. We went to the beach. It was crazy cool. I miss playing in the water and building crazy sandcastles with you all. Cant wait to bring you out here and show you the East Coast swag.

I cannot remember what we did this week. There were so many miracles but I am so tired I cant remember all of them.

Luis is now in Peru. He didnt come to church due to preparation for the trip, but he said he is going to go there. We are going to have to push back his baptismal date. Oh well, he is super cool and will come eventually to the waters of baptism. 

Alma and Adrian are outstanding. They are so ready. She will read multiple chapters a week and then retell the whole story back to us and then telling us how she it applies to us and what we can learn. I learned something about the Book of Mormon from her the other day.

Today we had zone meeting. Our new monthly focus is on love as the motivator. I need this so bad. Sometimes I think I just do things for the number of lessons or people at church, but I need to focus myself on the people. They matter. They are the ones I love. Not the numbers. I like having success and having good numbers, but obviously it has no importance unless those numbers are people that I love very dearly.

God is blessing us with new investigators. We got 2 new investigators this week from members. One is the friend of the member and I believe he is more prepared than we suspect (we will see). We also now have the son of one of our faithful members as an investigator. His name is Jesse. He loves his mom so much. It makes me miss my mom. He is about 25 years old and is reading the Book of Mormon to see if it is true.

Overall, a super good week. I am doing well. I feel God is in control and I feel happy. I am grateful for this opportunity to serve.

Sure do love you all.

Ty