So this week we found out that my good buddy Elder Newell is our new zone leader, and my trainer Elder Moberg is going to be an assistant now with Elder Jaen. It's pretty sweet to see that I've spent my time in the MTC and my first while in the field with the best missionaries out here. It's also awesome to be able to work in such close proximity with them and learn so much from their examples. It's pretty great.
All our investigators are doing great lately. Petronilo has a baptism set up for this coming Sunday and is super excited. His wife has also begun to listen to us and is pretty hopeful to see some real changes in her life. Their family is in rough shape, and I love seeing them turn to the Lord for help and immediately being blessed for it. It's great.
We've been teaching a lady named Margarita and her family for a little while now. Her and her boyfriend both want to get baptized, but their going to have to get married first. They've had all kinds of opposition lately. First Margarita's parents started telling her that she couldn't abandon the family tradition of the Catholic church, but she has a very strong testimony and is set on being baptized. Then her and Rene (her boyfriend) started to question whether or not they really want to get married. Then her job schedule changed, and now she works until about nine thirty at night so it's almost impossible to visit them. Then they had a firm resolve to make it to general conference this weekend, and the night the conference, Margarita's father passed away. It's clear that the adversary is doing everything they can to stop this family from entering in the pathway the Lord has prepared for them, but I continue to be amazed by their strength and their faith, and I know that everything is going to turn out ok.
We've been visiting Marco and Beatriz alot again lately, and they're pretty excited about the gospel. They're what many missionaries refer to as "dry members," because they always come to church, they have testimonies, they read the Book of Mormon daily, they just will not get baptized! I don't know what their reasoning is behind waiting to recieve the blessings that are prepared for their family but it's crazy. They both bore their testimonies to us last night of the Book of Mormon, the Restoration, and most importantly the Savior, and at the end said there's nothing that's keeping them from being baptized right now, but they still won't do it! We challenged them to say a prayer last night and just decide once and for all if they plan to progress in the gospel. I hope they can choose what will be best for their family in the eternities.
Conference was SWEET! My testimony has grown a ton of the fact that Thomas S. Monson really is a Prophet of God here on the earth today to guide us and direct us, and help us be in harmony with God's will. My favorite part of all of conference was the talks by the first presidency in Priesthood Session. I had recently read the talk "Beware of Pride" from President Benson, so when President Uchtdorf said he was going to add on to that talk I was super excited. I've come to realize just how darn prideful I am and it's something I have to change. It's like my personal Goliath at this point in my life. I loved President Uchtdorf's example of being like the pen he use to own as a pilot. He said the pen never worked differently depending on the altitude, it never complained of the time of day, or the place in the world, it was always ready to serve him regardless. That's really how I want to be with the Lord. No matter what the situation, no matter what the time or place, no matter what I feel like, I want to do His will. After President Uchtdorf's talk I thought "woa that's going to be the best talk of the session" but then President Eyring got up and holy cow! I haven't felt the Spirit that strong in a long time. I loved his talk about always being worthy for the Holy Ghost to magnify our spiritual power. I was filled with promptings and ideas from the Spirit that I'm just excited to apply in the work. I decided that must have been the best talk of conference, then President Monson got up, and it was basically like watching him slay the devil with a two edge sword! It's was so awesome. By the end of Priesthood Session I just wanted to go get on a bus and declare repentance to all the passengers. It was awesome. Then the next day, the talk President Monson gave about Gratitude was incredible. I don't know if any of you heard, but they had to change out the spanish translator four times in that talk, because they were crying so hard, filled with the Spirit, they literally couldn't continue. I know it's true what he said, that if we really always have an attitude full of gratitude for everything we've been blessed with, we won't feel anything bad or prideful or think anything inappropriate. Gratitude really is the beginning of all other virtues. Awesome. I thought it was interesting that the main points of the conference were agency, missionary work, integrity, and avoiding the dangers of the media. All things we must need to work on. It's funny that they talk about the dangers of the media every single time! They're even saying now to pretty much avoid video games and texting at all costs, and be super careful on the internet. Wonder why they say it every time, maybe because nobody is making any changes! We need to follow the Prophet a little more diligently!
Anyway, Thanks for everything family. I love your support and your awesome examples. I love you all! Have a great week!
Dad- That's crazy about the scorpion story from Lincoln's class! Actually there's a ton of members here who get upset if we put our backpacks of the floor in their house, because scorpions like to grab on to the bottom and sting you when you put the backpack on. By the way that scorpion story in Priesthood was sweet! That's awesome you guys saw Seth, I didn't notice him! Love ya dad! Have a great week!
Den- That's gonna be sweet when you're a Luchador for Halloween! You'll have to send me some pictures! Love ya Denny o! Have a great week!
Dig- Pres. Monson's talk on Agency was super sweet! That's cool that that was your favorite talk. Oh hey speaking of coconuts. There's tons of stands on the street here that sell coconuts, where they pop a whole in the coconut and squeeze some lime juice in it then stick a straw in. It looks pretty good but I've never tried it. Love ya Dig! Have a great week!
Shash- Your welcome for the package Slooshby. That's good that you love the kitty and the bracelet! Just think of me when you use them ok? That'll be cool when you're a witch for halloween! You'll have to send me pictures too ok? Love ya Shash! Have a great week!
Mom- The conference was sooo sweet! I loved Jeffery R Holland's talk too, because he talked about his mission and his parents! Just about all us missionaries were trying really hard not to get teary eyed at that part. I really can't even describe how thankful I am for what you and dad have done for me Mom. I love you both so much. That's funny that story you told me about sawyer. I can't believ sadie could be taller than me when I get home! weird. I've got a letter coming your way mom, it hasn't got there yet because it's longer than the rest. haha. Oh I attached the photos of Paco's baptism, and me at the soccer field where we played today. Pictures with me and Elder Ripley and Elder Garcia and Elder Aguilar 2, and some of me and Elder Newell. Love ya mom! Have a great week!
Nay- That's awesome you got to go to Gramp's church too! It's super neat huh? What other projects are you working on in Humanities? Did you do the movie one yet? That's crazy that it's been a year since Disney World. That was the funnest trip ever! It'd be way fun to go again someday with the fam. Ya I still have that picture of Pais right there on my desk. That was a funny story about her. Oh and no I've never heard of Guster. haha. I'll have to check it out in about a year and a half ish. haha. Love ya Nay, Have a great week!
Love you all!
Elder Dallas Robert Aguilar
Playing Soccer
Elder Aguilar & Elder Newell
I love this kid! My favorite part was the slaying the devil comment! Those pictures are great. Evan was looking at them with me and he said, "Mom, is Dallas turning into a Dad?" I thought that was funny because just as he was saying that, I was thinking, Man, Dallas looks older...like, not like a teenager or a boy who just barely left on his mission. He looks mature. Funny Evan! Anyway, I loved this post and his excitement about conference! I love seeing pictures of him...he's so happy and handsome!
ReplyDeleteDitto everything Katie said! I was thinking all those same things while I was reading this post. I loved his insights on conference and how touched and motivated he is by it. I just really love these emails!
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