Hey Family,
This week has been a pretty great one as usual. I've been on divisions alot so I've been speaking very little English lately which is pretty sweet. I got to go out with one of the Zone Leaders, Elder Tequianez, for the whole day on Friday. He actually came to our area and my companion went to a different area for divisions for the day. I had to find all the houses and lead all the lessons and stuff. We had a good time, worked hard, and saw some miracles. We got Rodolfo (a reference form a sister in the ward) all set up with a goal for baptism which is sweet because he hadn't previously seemed very interested in the church. We taught him about repentance and baptism, and he said if the Book of Mormon, prayers, and utilizing the Atonement in his life can really help him get over his habit of drinking and smoking he'll follow through with his baptism, because he knows that only the Lord can help him with the problems he has been having lately in his life. He also has a family. His wife always seemed to hate us alot but the last time we were over there she was really friendly and open.
Later on in the day we ended up taking a taxi because we were going to be late for an interview appointment. When we got in the taxi I told the driver where we were headed, then asked him if he'd ever driven missionaries anywhere before. He said that he drove four missionaries to that conference with Elder Bednar, but that none of them really talked to him about the church. I thought it was a little odd that four missionaries on a long drive wouldn't have contacted the taxi driver. He began to tell us how when he drove the missionaries they had brought their own music for the long drive so the driver could still have something to listen to that was in line with mission rules. He said it was mostly instrumental and had lyrics about the Savior. He began to describe a feeling that he had while listening to the music that wasn't like anything he'd ever felt before. He said when they arrived at the Guadalajara Temple he felt the feeling even a little stronger when he looked around at the missionaries and the Temple. He said since then he gets the same feeling of peace and happiness every time he sees one of the chapels from our church. He asked us what the feeling was and if it meant anything. We almost didn't know what to say because he was obviously so in tune with the Spirit even though he'd only felt it a few times before in his life. We told him what it was he was feeling and began telling him about how he can have a family forever. He said he would like to learn more, but that he was always super busy and only had work off on Sundays! We were pretty excited that we took the right taxi. He gave us his address and is looking forward to the Elders in his area to drop by. I was thinking about the experience later that night, and how the Lord first put four Elders in the life of the taxi driver to help him recognize the Spirit, then He put us right there in the same taxi just a little while later while he still had it all on his mind. There were probably a few taxis that had gone by before he picked us up that didn't see us. It strengthened my testimony that the Lord is watching us each very closely and preparing a way for us to be happy and recieve the blessings He wants us to have.
The start of this week we looked through the area book and took down some addresses of some old investigators. We've been going around visiting them and none of them really know why the missionaries had stopped going by their houses but they're all happy to have us start passing by again. We're pretty excited to be just a little busier as we invite more people to come unto Christ.
So I don't know how much you all remember about Ilda, but we've been visiting her since I got to Mexico, and she's always come to church. We were starting to get a little nervous about her because she's recieved alot of answers to her prayers and already has a testimony and loves the gospel but she just hasn't wanted to get baptized for the longest time. She was starting to become less and less excited about things each time we'd come by but always told us she wanted to wait to get baptized. This week we decided to tell her a little more directly the blessings that she can recieve from baptism and the danger of being idle without taking further steps to follow the example of the Savior on a daily basis. We let her know that the next step for her was baptism. She agreed to pray about it again and let us bring over one of the zone leaders to give her an interview. She was super excited when they showed up for the interview, and she decided to get baptized this coming Wednesday. She's already gained a really strong testimony and I'm sure she'll be a great member of the church. Beatrice and Marcos have also had their interviews and are preparing for baptism.
Carmen and Maria have been a little reluctant to read their scriptures or go to church lately but Ruben blessed the Sacrament yesterday! It was so sweet to see a guy who just a little over a month ago was struggling alot in his life up at the Sacrament table with a white shirt and tie on breaking the bread. After Sacrament we had a little class with him Ilda and Beatrice and Marcos. We watched Finding Faith in Christ and then some testimonies were born. It was the strongest I've felt the Spirit since I've been in the field and it was great to feel the power of the testimonies of all our investigatiors and Ruben especially.
Anyway, I haven't had any real funny experiences this week but it's definitely been the best week of my mission so far. I think my favorite part of Guadalajara is that family is the most important thing in everyone's lives. All businesses are family owned, everyone loves going to the parks with their kids and things, and I found out yesterday that every Sunday the city closes down one of the main streets called Javier Mina so that all the families can ride their bikes on it or walk around to look at all the cool buildings and things. The love the people have here for their families and neighbors is just awesome.
Ok so I've finally been getting a little extra time on P days, and I want to let every one know that I'm working on answering your letters! Thanks for your dear elders and letters everybody and letters should be coming your way soon! I've been getting tons of great letters from Bam, Gram, Katrina, Timmerie, Dayna, Shayla, Katie, Sara, Chris, Wade, Jord, Marq, and Jace, and I'm probably forgetting a few but I'm getting them and I have time to read those every now and then right before bed so keep sending them! But I'm trying to get letters out asap. Thanks!
Nay- Could you please tell Seth that I can only e mail family members. He can e mail me, but to answer I have to send letters. So tell him to keep e mailing and I'll get him a letter soon. Oh and he asked for some advice for preparing for the mission, just tell him to study Preach My Gospel every time he has any free time. Haha. Also if you could tell Tanner and Cris that I'm getting their dear elders that'd be sweet! Anyway enough about that stuff. That story about Tessa's pictures is so weird! That's funny that those are on her camera. Haha. I don't remember taking pictures with you two at the end of the school year but I guess that's cool that she has them now. That is crazy about Jord's graduation and stuff. Your graduation really will be here before you know it just like you were saying. Especially because it sounds like your senior year schedule is going to be sweet! Anyway, I'm glad that Alex Boye music helped ya a little. That thing about having little perfect moments really does help alot. I'm glad you liked the Nacho picture. The guy who owns that chariot was inside our house changing out some broken doors so we were really nervous and trying to hurry and take it before he came out so it wouldn't be akward. Sounds like your dance concert was pretty fun! That is kinda strange not having so many dances to be in this year, but I'm sure the one dance was pretty sweet! So soccer is going a little so so. I'm sure things will get picking up again though. That's too bad that your tournaments done though. I played soccer today and my team did horrible. But it was pretty fun! Anyway Nay, thanks for your letters. I love hearing all about ya. I love you.
Shash- You're on Jazz Attitude! That's soo cool. I can't believe you're already so big sloosh. I can't wait to see you in the Jazz Attitude dances when you get home. And it will be fun being in there with hal and briton.! I love getting your e mails sloosh. Keep telling me all about how stuff is going! I love you Shash.
Dig- That stinks that that scout camp wasn't super fun. It sounds like Sheesh's farewell was a blast though! Thanks for tellin me all about that stuff. How's stuff been going? You gettin ready for some super fun stuff this summer? Love you Dig. Have a wicked sweet week.
Denny- So you're gonna be on a new soccer team eh? that's cool! I bet you'll keep doing great as usual. You seem to be ridin alot of bikes lately which is sweet. There's alot of skate parks here and everybody loves biking! Sweet. Love you denny. Have a good week!
Mom- I'm super relieved your package made it there ok! It got there pretty fast too! I'm glad you like all that stuff. By the way the guy that made the ring said to be careful not to drop it alot or knock hard on doors with it or anything because one of the letters has a pretty fragile part or something. But it should be fine. I'm attaching some baptism pictures from Carmen and Maria's baptisms along with some other pictures to this e mail and I should have the other ones for next week. I'll keep taking pictures too don't worry. I loved the what about bob quote by the way! I was crackin up. Thanks for updating me on Tan. I finally got one of his dear elders. Tell him I'm sending him a letter if ya could and that I want him to keep writing me and telling me what he's been up to because his dear elder was pretty short! Thanks for that story of shash and rhino too. That's hilarious. Good ol Shash and Rhino. I should make a cartoon about them one day for a newspaper or something. Thanks for telling me about Sheesh's farewell and her talk and stuff. It sounds like it was great! Well anyway. Thanks for everything mom. I love you! Have a good week.
Dad- Thanks for updating me on Tanner also. I'm stoked to find out where he's heading on his mission. Yes that was me that took out the money. I know it was quite a bit I was just thinking of the charges the ATMs make and stuff. It'll probably be a while until I take out any money again. That's sweet about the Guadalajara employee. That'll be sweet if they're still working for you when I get back so we could chat. About the changes and stuff. We have two zone leaders in our mission who are also assistants to the president as well. They also have to travel around to help with changes and things. That's sweet that he's doing so well. Changes for us are a little different than they were for you it sounds like. We find out late late on a Sunday night if we're changing and then that night we have to travel to the mission offices to meet our new companion and head to the new area. We'll be having changes again not this coming Sunday but the next. Well anyway. Thanks for everything dad. I love you. Have a good week.
I love you all! thanks for your examples and support.
Elder Dallas Robert Aguilar
Monday, May 24, 2010
Monday, May 17, 2010
Month 4
Hey everyone!
How are you all doing? This week has been a great one. On tuesday we got to go to a little conference and hear some talks by President Jesperson and the President of the Mexico City MTC. Their talks were great. My favorite part was when the MTC President talked about how the Lord knows alot better the blessings we need to help us become the best we can be, and He has bundles of blessings just waiting for us up there, all we have to do is humble ourselves enough to recognize that fact, ask Him, and wait for Him to bless us at what will definitely be the absolute best possible time we could recieve them. President Jesperson also called on three missionaries to go up and bear testimonies. He asked two Spanish speakers to come do it in English, and one English speaker to come do it in Spanish, to make sure we were all learning language well and to open the meeting with the Spirit. I happened to be the one he called on to give mine in Spanish, it was great to be able to start the meeting by both hearing and bearing testimony because it really invited the Spirit.
Well on Saturday Elder Bednar came and we had a little conference by him for three hours! It was awesome. He didn't prepare any material for the meeting, but we were given two of his talks on faith to read earlier in the week, and the entire three hours was open for anyone to ask questions or give comments on faith or whatever else we might've had to ask him. It was awesome. There was also a member of the presiding bishopric, a member of the presidency of the seventy, an area seventy, and two mission presidents. We were able to ask questions to any one of them. Elder Bednar told us that was an oportunity that would never come our way again. The meeting was incredibly spiritual, and Elder Bednar addressed some very big questions. One elder asked him why some disobedient missionaries have so much success, and some really obedient missionaries don't. Elder Bednar let us know that if we're being disobedient and baptizing, the ordinances are fine and the people we serve are still blessed. But the disobedient elder is bringing condemnation on his soul and his work is blasphemous. He also told us that for those of us who are being obedient and focusing only on the will of the Lord and the welfare of those we serve will be blessed. He said to always smile, find joy in the journey, and remember that every amen is the beginning of something even better. It was an awesome experience.
Just so everyone knows, Carmen is doing fine. We did recognize that he needed some attention so we continued to visit him throughout the week and he's been doing great. He was in church yesterday and talked to us all about the things he learned. He also started reading the Book of Mormon from the beginning, since he had previously just been re reading certain chapters like third nephi 11 and second nephi 31 etc. He's been super excited about the gospel lately and his friends are always happy to have little discussions about the gospel as well.
Jose was baptized this week and is loving the ward. He's super smart in the doctrine and really understands and lives the gospel. His and Liliana's confirmations were yesterday in sacrament. After Jose's confirmation and just before Liliana's Elder Moberg accidentally bumped a vase of flowers that was up on the podium. It fell down in front of the podium and shattered everywhere. I struggled not to laugh. The deacons cleaned it up pretty fast and none of the members have given him a hard time about it which is good.
Beatrice and Marcos and their family are doing wonderful. They actually set a goal this week to be sealed in the temple a year after their baptism which we've planned for this coming sunday. They've already recieved incredible blessings from the Lord. Marcos quit drinking, which he's been trying to do for years, and Beatrice quit smoking. This was all before we mentioned anything about the word of wisdom to them! I guess they've been taught by the Spirit!
This week was a little rough for me personally because I had been having the hardest time connecting with people lately and really letting them know the importance of having the Savior in their life. I've been praying and prayning and working at it but nothing was changing. Finally after reading Elder Bednar's talk, I took his advice to not pray for blessings but to pray to know what I need to do to exercise my faith and led the Spirit guide me to what I need at this time. The day I started doing that I recognized that my problem was I was starting to try to do things like the other missionaries here. I recognized that I had forgotten the Lord called me to this mission to serve these people specifically, and the best thing I can do for them is be myself, testify of the gospel, and be obedient. Since then things have been perfect! The craziest part is the Lord blesses me for finally figuring out what I had been doing wrong. I can't even begin to imagine what my life would be like without Him.
Just last night when we swung by Ruben Carmen and Frosty's house, Frosty was telling us some of his experiences that landed him in Guadalajara. When he first got to Mexico he stopped at a beach in Puerto Vallarta and just ran out into the ocean. He saw a little party going on on the beach by this tent. He went and introduced himself, and found out one of the guys there actually lived on the beach in his tent. Frosty thought that sounded fun, it was cheaper and he loves to surf and swim, so he lived on the beach in a tent for the first year he was in Mexico! Crazy huh? He also showed us his old tattoo gun that he's selling to put toward his project for the kids here in Guadalajara. He used to be ranked the fifth in the world for portrait tattoos! But he gave it all up because while studdying the Bible he recognized that it was disrespectful to our bodies. It was cool to see the sacrifices he's making in his life to try to help others have a better one.
Mom- thanks for your e mail! The e mails I got this week have been the best so far by a mile! They're always great but I love it when the fam really tells me how they're feeling, what they're learning, and all the things they're experiencing. Thanks for the story about Denny. That's sweet that he'll be able to keep an eye on my room for me until I get back. Changes were actually about three weeks ago. They are every six weeks, so we'll have them again in about another three weeks. Almost nobody got changed last time, but this time alot of zone leaders are finishing their missions and alot of new elders are coming in, so me and elder Saguibo (one of the elders that lives with me) will probably stay, but both Elders Moberg and Jaen will most likely be changed. Which means I'll be introducing someone to the area! I'm both nervous and excited about that. About the shoes from the police department ya go ahead and sell any of that stuff. I'm glad somebody is finally buying it! Thanks for updating me on Fui, tell him I said good luck and I'm sure he's going to tear it up in New York. Did Tanner get his call yet? He told me in a letter he sent me that he was just turning his papers in but that was a while ago so I've been pretty excited to hear. I attached some pictures of us cleaning up the house, our p day when I bought your present, and Jose's baptism. Also a couple from my MTC district and teachers. I'll send the other baptisms one probably next week because they're on other cameras. I'm glad to hear the dogs have been liking the new yard. I think that's super awesome what you said about you and nay's new outlook on stuff because that's the best way to see things! As long as we can choose to see the blessings and be happy not sad why would we ever be sad! Thanks for that scripture it's sweet. The other three elders were pretty stoked about it too. Well I love ya mom. I sent your package it should be there literally any day. Please let me know the monday after you get it, and tell me everything that made it so I can make sure you got it all! I love you mom! have a great happy week!
Dig- Thanks for your e mail! that's a bummer about the soccer game. Just keep playing hard and having a good time! By the way you did spell hermano right. haha. sweet. If you ever want to know how to say stuff in spanish you can ask me in the e mail! or just ask grandpa Bob or one of the uncles I guess. Haha. Shenay let me know you've been doing a good job at being the mean brother when boys come over which is sweet! haha. Make sure they treat nay good! Love ya dig! have a good week!
Sloosh- Thanks for the e mail shash! I can't believe the jazz attitude thing still! that's so crazy that you're already so big! I'm sure you did great in that talent show with the piano! and it sounds like you had a fun field trip! I love you sloosh and I miss ya! have a good week!
Dad- Thanks for your letter and your advice. There are a few things you've told me before the mission and in e mails that help me every day. Thanks for reminding me of the importance of the individuals here. I love seeing when people really change and become solid. That's probably the best blessing as a missionary is seeing the blessings and changes in the lives of others. So CORT just got a sweet deal huh? that's awesome! I bet you're pretty stoked about it. I'm glad those things are finally coming back together. The economy was affected here a little as well. Work started to be scarce and prices went up a little. The taxi drivers are the ones who seem to feel it the most I don't know why. But things are doing ok. I love you dad. Thanks for everything.
Nay- I really really really loved reading your e mail. I hope your relaxing and having fun now that your crazy weekend was over. You know I was never dance or drill or soccer anything either! It might feel like those things are really important, but you're still the greatest soccer player and dancer and viola player in the world if you ask me. And you do all three! I love hearin about your life nay. Sometimes the best thing for me when I'm feeling down is singing hymns! I sing them all day long here! It's great. I love you Nay. I always wish I could have chats with you too. We'll talk for a few days straight when I get home I bet! Sometimes it helps to forget about everything that's already been going on and try to just have a great moment. If you have little great moments every once in a while and forget the rest, pretty soon you're having great days, great weeks, and a great life! I love you Nay. Have a good week! You can't stand taller than when you're on your knees!
Denny- I can't wait to get your dear elder tomorrow! I'm sure you're doing great denny o. Love you! Have a great week!
Love you all Fam!
Elder Dallas Robert Aguilar
How are you all doing? This week has been a great one. On tuesday we got to go to a little conference and hear some talks by President Jesperson and the President of the Mexico City MTC. Their talks were great. My favorite part was when the MTC President talked about how the Lord knows alot better the blessings we need to help us become the best we can be, and He has bundles of blessings just waiting for us up there, all we have to do is humble ourselves enough to recognize that fact, ask Him, and wait for Him to bless us at what will definitely be the absolute best possible time we could recieve them. President Jesperson also called on three missionaries to go up and bear testimonies. He asked two Spanish speakers to come do it in English, and one English speaker to come do it in Spanish, to make sure we were all learning language well and to open the meeting with the Spirit. I happened to be the one he called on to give mine in Spanish, it was great to be able to start the meeting by both hearing and bearing testimony because it really invited the Spirit.
Well on Saturday Elder Bednar came and we had a little conference by him for three hours! It was awesome. He didn't prepare any material for the meeting, but we were given two of his talks on faith to read earlier in the week, and the entire three hours was open for anyone to ask questions or give comments on faith or whatever else we might've had to ask him. It was awesome. There was also a member of the presiding bishopric, a member of the presidency of the seventy, an area seventy, and two mission presidents. We were able to ask questions to any one of them. Elder Bednar told us that was an oportunity that would never come our way again. The meeting was incredibly spiritual, and Elder Bednar addressed some very big questions. One elder asked him why some disobedient missionaries have so much success, and some really obedient missionaries don't. Elder Bednar let us know that if we're being disobedient and baptizing, the ordinances are fine and the people we serve are still blessed. But the disobedient elder is bringing condemnation on his soul and his work is blasphemous. He also told us that for those of us who are being obedient and focusing only on the will of the Lord and the welfare of those we serve will be blessed. He said to always smile, find joy in the journey, and remember that every amen is the beginning of something even better. It was an awesome experience.
Just so everyone knows, Carmen is doing fine. We did recognize that he needed some attention so we continued to visit him throughout the week and he's been doing great. He was in church yesterday and talked to us all about the things he learned. He also started reading the Book of Mormon from the beginning, since he had previously just been re reading certain chapters like third nephi 11 and second nephi 31 etc. He's been super excited about the gospel lately and his friends are always happy to have little discussions about the gospel as well.
Jose was baptized this week and is loving the ward. He's super smart in the doctrine and really understands and lives the gospel. His and Liliana's confirmations were yesterday in sacrament. After Jose's confirmation and just before Liliana's Elder Moberg accidentally bumped a vase of flowers that was up on the podium. It fell down in front of the podium and shattered everywhere. I struggled not to laugh. The deacons cleaned it up pretty fast and none of the members have given him a hard time about it which is good.
Beatrice and Marcos and their family are doing wonderful. They actually set a goal this week to be sealed in the temple a year after their baptism which we've planned for this coming sunday. They've already recieved incredible blessings from the Lord. Marcos quit drinking, which he's been trying to do for years, and Beatrice quit smoking. This was all before we mentioned anything about the word of wisdom to them! I guess they've been taught by the Spirit!
This week was a little rough for me personally because I had been having the hardest time connecting with people lately and really letting them know the importance of having the Savior in their life. I've been praying and prayning and working at it but nothing was changing. Finally after reading Elder Bednar's talk, I took his advice to not pray for blessings but to pray to know what I need to do to exercise my faith and led the Spirit guide me to what I need at this time. The day I started doing that I recognized that my problem was I was starting to try to do things like the other missionaries here. I recognized that I had forgotten the Lord called me to this mission to serve these people specifically, and the best thing I can do for them is be myself, testify of the gospel, and be obedient. Since then things have been perfect! The craziest part is the Lord blesses me for finally figuring out what I had been doing wrong. I can't even begin to imagine what my life would be like without Him.
Just last night when we swung by Ruben Carmen and Frosty's house, Frosty was telling us some of his experiences that landed him in Guadalajara. When he first got to Mexico he stopped at a beach in Puerto Vallarta and just ran out into the ocean. He saw a little party going on on the beach by this tent. He went and introduced himself, and found out one of the guys there actually lived on the beach in his tent. Frosty thought that sounded fun, it was cheaper and he loves to surf and swim, so he lived on the beach in a tent for the first year he was in Mexico! Crazy huh? He also showed us his old tattoo gun that he's selling to put toward his project for the kids here in Guadalajara. He used to be ranked the fifth in the world for portrait tattoos! But he gave it all up because while studdying the Bible he recognized that it was disrespectful to our bodies. It was cool to see the sacrifices he's making in his life to try to help others have a better one.
Mom- thanks for your e mail! The e mails I got this week have been the best so far by a mile! They're always great but I love it when the fam really tells me how they're feeling, what they're learning, and all the things they're experiencing. Thanks for the story about Denny. That's sweet that he'll be able to keep an eye on my room for me until I get back. Changes were actually about three weeks ago. They are every six weeks, so we'll have them again in about another three weeks. Almost nobody got changed last time, but this time alot of zone leaders are finishing their missions and alot of new elders are coming in, so me and elder Saguibo (one of the elders that lives with me) will probably stay, but both Elders Moberg and Jaen will most likely be changed. Which means I'll be introducing someone to the area! I'm both nervous and excited about that. About the shoes from the police department ya go ahead and sell any of that stuff. I'm glad somebody is finally buying it! Thanks for updating me on Fui, tell him I said good luck and I'm sure he's going to tear it up in New York. Did Tanner get his call yet? He told me in a letter he sent me that he was just turning his papers in but that was a while ago so I've been pretty excited to hear. I attached some pictures of us cleaning up the house, our p day when I bought your present, and Jose's baptism. Also a couple from my MTC district and teachers. I'll send the other baptisms one probably next week because they're on other cameras. I'm glad to hear the dogs have been liking the new yard. I think that's super awesome what you said about you and nay's new outlook on stuff because that's the best way to see things! As long as we can choose to see the blessings and be happy not sad why would we ever be sad! Thanks for that scripture it's sweet. The other three elders were pretty stoked about it too. Well I love ya mom. I sent your package it should be there literally any day. Please let me know the monday after you get it, and tell me everything that made it so I can make sure you got it all! I love you mom! have a great happy week!
Dig- Thanks for your e mail! that's a bummer about the soccer game. Just keep playing hard and having a good time! By the way you did spell hermano right. haha. sweet. If you ever want to know how to say stuff in spanish you can ask me in the e mail! or just ask grandpa Bob or one of the uncles I guess. Haha. Shenay let me know you've been doing a good job at being the mean brother when boys come over which is sweet! haha. Make sure they treat nay good! Love ya dig! have a good week!
Sloosh- Thanks for the e mail shash! I can't believe the jazz attitude thing still! that's so crazy that you're already so big! I'm sure you did great in that talent show with the piano! and it sounds like you had a fun field trip! I love you sloosh and I miss ya! have a good week!
Dad- Thanks for your letter and your advice. There are a few things you've told me before the mission and in e mails that help me every day. Thanks for reminding me of the importance of the individuals here. I love seeing when people really change and become solid. That's probably the best blessing as a missionary is seeing the blessings and changes in the lives of others. So CORT just got a sweet deal huh? that's awesome! I bet you're pretty stoked about it. I'm glad those things are finally coming back together. The economy was affected here a little as well. Work started to be scarce and prices went up a little. The taxi drivers are the ones who seem to feel it the most I don't know why. But things are doing ok. I love you dad. Thanks for everything.
Nay- I really really really loved reading your e mail. I hope your relaxing and having fun now that your crazy weekend was over. You know I was never dance or drill or soccer anything either! It might feel like those things are really important, but you're still the greatest soccer player and dancer and viola player in the world if you ask me. And you do all three! I love hearin about your life nay. Sometimes the best thing for me when I'm feeling down is singing hymns! I sing them all day long here! It's great. I love you Nay. I always wish I could have chats with you too. We'll talk for a few days straight when I get home I bet! Sometimes it helps to forget about everything that's already been going on and try to just have a great moment. If you have little great moments every once in a while and forget the rest, pretty soon you're having great days, great weeks, and a great life! I love you Nay. Have a good week! You can't stand taller than when you're on your knees!
Denny- I can't wait to get your dear elder tomorrow! I'm sure you're doing great denny o. Love you! Have a great week!
Love you all Fam!
Elder Dallas Robert Aguilar
Monday, May 10, 2010
Mothers Day
Dallas had an hour to talk to us yesterday! Being the selfish mother that I am, I took up about 30 minutes, but he did get a chance to talk to each family member. It was so wonderful to hear his voice! Bam got on the phone for a minute but could only say 'Hi' because then she started to cry. She said that Dallas just said, "Oh Bam" with his low little chuckle. I told him that I didn't think I would be able to wait until Christmas to talk to him again, and he told me it would be here before I know it! He's healthy and happy and here is his weekly email...
Hey family!
How are you all? This week has been interesting. I feel like the Spirit has really been reprimanding me, and encouraging me to have more faith involved in the little parts of the work. I definitely could use some improvement on being obsessed with it all. I always love working with the people and studying etc. but I've been lacking when it comes to always giving my input and really being energetic no matter what we're doing. That's why this week I've been working on diligence. I want to have a steady, consistent, earnest, and energetic effort in the Lord's work, while finding joy and satisfaction in every second (just like it says in Preach My Gospel). Anyway, I found it interesting that this attribute has been by far the hardest to work on! It shouldn't be, but I'm going to keep trying to improve.
Anyway, I've meet some pretty awesome people recently. I can't remember if I've mentioned Liliana or Frosty, or if I've said much about Beatrice's husband Marcos, but each of those people have been incredible examples to me in really diferent ways.
Marcos never wanted to listen to us when we were over to teach his family. He would just go sit in the kitchen and pretend we weren't there. Luckily, with the help of a sister in the ward who's actually related to Beatrice and Marcos, we got him to come be involved in the lessons. We talked to him last Tuesday, and he said he not only loved church, but had seen some changes in his life already. He said he use to have a bit of a problem with drinking, but hasn't had a desire to since he started reading the scriptures and praying with his family and stuff. He's one hundred percent focused on making the best possible future for his wife and daughters now, and he's alot happier than before. He said it's like he felt a weight lift off of his heart, and now he can't ever stop smiling. Pretty awesome!
Liliana has had a really rough life. She's been through alot of things that have really scarred her mentally and spiritually. Just recently she was kicked out of her home and has kind of been abandoned by her family. Luckily some of her more distant relatives who live in our ward decided to take her in, and she's now living with them. We started teaching her about a week and a half ago. Everytime we would show up to teach her and talk about the gospel she would either be waiting for us outside, or be inside with the brother and sister from the ward reading the Book of Mormon. She was more than ready to start a new life, and the brother got to baptize her yesterday. She's a very kind humble person, and she'll be a great example in the ward.
Ok now to say a little about Frosty. Frosty just recently moved in with Carmen and Ruben. He speaks English, so we got him an english Book of Mormon and started visiting him to share the gospel and just to talk with him. He gets pretty lonely at times, because he doesn't know spanish very well, and he doesn't really have any friends who speak english. He was born in Jamaica, and was raised by his grandfather who is a minister there. He was always teased a little growing up for being the "preacher's son" who couldn't fight or drink or anything. He always wanted to be like the other kids so when he turned eighteen he took off to the U.S. He lived in California for a while where he got in alot of trouble. He started just fighting and stuff, and then got into drug dealing. He had two daughters, but he wasn't able to get married to their mother because of their conflicting opinions about religion. He ended up getting in trouble and went to jail for a while. When he got out he found that his girlfriend had sort of taken off so he was left to take care of his daughters. That's when family became his life. He was a soccer mom and a girl scouts leader and everything. A while later once his daughters were more independent he got in trouble again. He started a group in jail and he would help the other in mates by teaching them the gospel. After that alot of stuff happened that wasn't really under his control, and it made him sort of fall away from religion, very confused as to why his life had to be so unfair. He ended up traveling the world a little and wound up here in Guadalajara. Right now he's running a few businesses and trying to raise money to start a youth center for the kids here, since there aren't many programs or activities for them after school is out and alot of them get into drugs and things. He said it's almost unbearable to think that the problems he's now trying to fix are the same kind of problems that he had been starting when he was a drug dealer. He also said that he knows everything in life happens for a reason, and that he wouldn't change a thing because he knows the Lord has molded him into what he is today. When we started talking to him about his views on religion he explained that he had studied with many different religions, he's read and studied every verse of the bible multiple times, but he said he feels like many churches have bits and pieces of the truth, but it seems to him that since the church that Christ established was rejected, most of the religions today have been put together based on philosophies of man. Then he told us that in his studies of the bible he's learned that the Savior promised to reestablish his church with the Priesthood and prophets and everything someday. Could we have asked for a more perfect investigator for the Lord to put in the middle of a house we visit pretty much every day!? We shared with him the story of the restoration and he was blown away. I can't wait to see what happens with this guy. I've already learned so much from his example and we've only known him for about a week! I don't feel very qualified to have been so blessed by the Lord, or to have been trusted with such an incredible work, but I could never express how thankful I am to be here with these oportunities to help these incredible people here. My testimony grows every minute of everyday, and I know even more surely that Christ loves each of us more than we could ever comprehend. And when we try to earn a little bit of what he's given us by keeping the commandments or serving others, he just showers us with more and more blessings! The gospel is incredible.
Anyway, I loved talking to some of the family yesterday. I miss you and love you all so much, and I'm so thankful for your support and your wonderful examples. I mentioned some things about a story on the phone last night. Carmen, one of our recent converts, is a little bit of a drama queen. He's always made things just a little bit bigger deals than they need to be, and he just says funny stuff all the time. Anyway, I could sense that it's been bugging him a little bit recently that we've been talking to Frosty so much and that we always have Ruben come with us to visit investigators. We've asked Carmen to come to but he never seems to be able to. Anyway I think he was getting a little nervous about the attention that everyone else was getting, so he decided to do something about it. The other day we were walking down the street and Maria came running up to us and told us to come to Carmen's house as fast as we could because he was really sick. We went over there and joined the small group of people gathered around his bed. He looked like he was pretty tired, and said that he felt sick and thought he was going to have a heart attack. We told him he needed to go to the hospital, and he said he couldn't stand up. Maria went to call an ambulance and Carmen told her not to, and that it was better to just let him be with his friends since he could be in his last moments. He proceeded to give a little farewell speech, and then seemed to go out of consciousness a little. He then sat up and started saying a few more things and called out some friend's names, then he layed down to die. The only problem was he was still breathing, still had a pulse, and his eyes were blinking a little. He also forgot to lay one of his arms all the way down on the bed, and was trying to lower it really slowly hoping nobody would notice. Most of the people in the room, however, were thoroughly convinced that something very serious had happened, which was pretty sad because they were all starting to stress out a little. The paramedics showed up, and told Carmen to sit up, which he did after reviving a little. The paramedic checked him out and told him he might have hyperventilated a little, but that he was fine. He told Ruben to make sure he stayed in bed for a while until he calmed down. I don't know if something really might have happened to him health wise, but we'll definitely try to dedicate a little more time talking to him when we visit from now on, just to make sure he's ok.
Anyway that has been my week. The cockroach war wages on but we seem to be doing pretty good. I love you all, and I can't wait to get out there and continue serving the Lord.
Dad- Thanks for your advice and testimony. I really need to work on some of the things you mentioned. Thanks for your example. I love you dad.
Mom- Thanks for reminding me to find joy in the journey. I hope you had a good rest of mothers day last night! Thanks for all you've done for me and all your support. I love you mom.
Love you all Fam!
Elder Dallas Robert Aguilar
Hey family!
How are you all? This week has been interesting. I feel like the Spirit has really been reprimanding me, and encouraging me to have more faith involved in the little parts of the work. I definitely could use some improvement on being obsessed with it all. I always love working with the people and studying etc. but I've been lacking when it comes to always giving my input and really being energetic no matter what we're doing. That's why this week I've been working on diligence. I want to have a steady, consistent, earnest, and energetic effort in the Lord's work, while finding joy and satisfaction in every second (just like it says in Preach My Gospel). Anyway, I found it interesting that this attribute has been by far the hardest to work on! It shouldn't be, but I'm going to keep trying to improve.
Anyway, I've meet some pretty awesome people recently. I can't remember if I've mentioned Liliana or Frosty, or if I've said much about Beatrice's husband Marcos, but each of those people have been incredible examples to me in really diferent ways.
Marcos never wanted to listen to us when we were over to teach his family. He would just go sit in the kitchen and pretend we weren't there. Luckily, with the help of a sister in the ward who's actually related to Beatrice and Marcos, we got him to come be involved in the lessons. We talked to him last Tuesday, and he said he not only loved church, but had seen some changes in his life already. He said he use to have a bit of a problem with drinking, but hasn't had a desire to since he started reading the scriptures and praying with his family and stuff. He's one hundred percent focused on making the best possible future for his wife and daughters now, and he's alot happier than before. He said it's like he felt a weight lift off of his heart, and now he can't ever stop smiling. Pretty awesome!
Liliana has had a really rough life. She's been through alot of things that have really scarred her mentally and spiritually. Just recently she was kicked out of her home and has kind of been abandoned by her family. Luckily some of her more distant relatives who live in our ward decided to take her in, and she's now living with them. We started teaching her about a week and a half ago. Everytime we would show up to teach her and talk about the gospel she would either be waiting for us outside, or be inside with the brother and sister from the ward reading the Book of Mormon. She was more than ready to start a new life, and the brother got to baptize her yesterday. She's a very kind humble person, and she'll be a great example in the ward.
Ok now to say a little about Frosty. Frosty just recently moved in with Carmen and Ruben. He speaks English, so we got him an english Book of Mormon and started visiting him to share the gospel and just to talk with him. He gets pretty lonely at times, because he doesn't know spanish very well, and he doesn't really have any friends who speak english. He was born in Jamaica, and was raised by his grandfather who is a minister there. He was always teased a little growing up for being the "preacher's son" who couldn't fight or drink or anything. He always wanted to be like the other kids so when he turned eighteen he took off to the U.S. He lived in California for a while where he got in alot of trouble. He started just fighting and stuff, and then got into drug dealing. He had two daughters, but he wasn't able to get married to their mother because of their conflicting opinions about religion. He ended up getting in trouble and went to jail for a while. When he got out he found that his girlfriend had sort of taken off so he was left to take care of his daughters. That's when family became his life. He was a soccer mom and a girl scouts leader and everything. A while later once his daughters were more independent he got in trouble again. He started a group in jail and he would help the other in mates by teaching them the gospel. After that alot of stuff happened that wasn't really under his control, and it made him sort of fall away from religion, very confused as to why his life had to be so unfair. He ended up traveling the world a little and wound up here in Guadalajara. Right now he's running a few businesses and trying to raise money to start a youth center for the kids here, since there aren't many programs or activities for them after school is out and alot of them get into drugs and things. He said it's almost unbearable to think that the problems he's now trying to fix are the same kind of problems that he had been starting when he was a drug dealer. He also said that he knows everything in life happens for a reason, and that he wouldn't change a thing because he knows the Lord has molded him into what he is today. When we started talking to him about his views on religion he explained that he had studied with many different religions, he's read and studied every verse of the bible multiple times, but he said he feels like many churches have bits and pieces of the truth, but it seems to him that since the church that Christ established was rejected, most of the religions today have been put together based on philosophies of man. Then he told us that in his studies of the bible he's learned that the Savior promised to reestablish his church with the Priesthood and prophets and everything someday. Could we have asked for a more perfect investigator for the Lord to put in the middle of a house we visit pretty much every day!? We shared with him the story of the restoration and he was blown away. I can't wait to see what happens with this guy. I've already learned so much from his example and we've only known him for about a week! I don't feel very qualified to have been so blessed by the Lord, or to have been trusted with such an incredible work, but I could never express how thankful I am to be here with these oportunities to help these incredible people here. My testimony grows every minute of everyday, and I know even more surely that Christ loves each of us more than we could ever comprehend. And when we try to earn a little bit of what he's given us by keeping the commandments or serving others, he just showers us with more and more blessings! The gospel is incredible.
Anyway, I loved talking to some of the family yesterday. I miss you and love you all so much, and I'm so thankful for your support and your wonderful examples. I mentioned some things about a story on the phone last night. Carmen, one of our recent converts, is a little bit of a drama queen. He's always made things just a little bit bigger deals than they need to be, and he just says funny stuff all the time. Anyway, I could sense that it's been bugging him a little bit recently that we've been talking to Frosty so much and that we always have Ruben come with us to visit investigators. We've asked Carmen to come to but he never seems to be able to. Anyway I think he was getting a little nervous about the attention that everyone else was getting, so he decided to do something about it. The other day we were walking down the street and Maria came running up to us and told us to come to Carmen's house as fast as we could because he was really sick. We went over there and joined the small group of people gathered around his bed. He looked like he was pretty tired, and said that he felt sick and thought he was going to have a heart attack. We told him he needed to go to the hospital, and he said he couldn't stand up. Maria went to call an ambulance and Carmen told her not to, and that it was better to just let him be with his friends since he could be in his last moments. He proceeded to give a little farewell speech, and then seemed to go out of consciousness a little. He then sat up and started saying a few more things and called out some friend's names, then he layed down to die. The only problem was he was still breathing, still had a pulse, and his eyes were blinking a little. He also forgot to lay one of his arms all the way down on the bed, and was trying to lower it really slowly hoping nobody would notice. Most of the people in the room, however, were thoroughly convinced that something very serious had happened, which was pretty sad because they were all starting to stress out a little. The paramedics showed up, and told Carmen to sit up, which he did after reviving a little. The paramedic checked him out and told him he might have hyperventilated a little, but that he was fine. He told Ruben to make sure he stayed in bed for a while until he calmed down. I don't know if something really might have happened to him health wise, but we'll definitely try to dedicate a little more time talking to him when we visit from now on, just to make sure he's ok.
Anyway that has been my week. The cockroach war wages on but we seem to be doing pretty good. I love you all, and I can't wait to get out there and continue serving the Lord.
Dad- Thanks for your advice and testimony. I really need to work on some of the things you mentioned. Thanks for your example. I love you dad.
Mom- Thanks for reminding me to find joy in the journey. I hope you had a good rest of mothers day last night! Thanks for all you've done for me and all your support. I love you mom.
Love you all Fam!
Elder Dallas Robert Aguilar
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Patience & Miracles
Hey family!
This week has been an interesting one. A couple of our investigators seem to have disappeared, which really stinks, but we've seen some pretty awesome miracles this week. We have been visiting a lady named Ilda for a couple of months now about once a week. I think Shenay would really like her, because she's a really funny lady who teaches elementary school, always wears teenager shirts that say things in english that she can`t understand, and wears these glasses that are about two inches thick because her eyesight is really bad. She's a super cool lady and has been studying the Book of Mormon very diligently. She's already recieved answers to her prayers to know the church is true, and she's been at church for about the last eight weeks in a row. The only reason she hasn't been baptized yet is because she's nervous the signs she's recieved haven't been strong enough! So the other day she got down on her knees and sincerely asked the Lord to let her know without a doubt that the Book of Mormon is true etc. I don't want to really go into detail about the answer she recieved, but it was surely undeniable. She then prayed on for the welfare of her daughter, who she hadn't seen in a while, and who hadn't had any desires to come back home anytime soon. Just as she finished her prayer the phone rang, and her daughter let her know that she was coming back, because she missed her mom and felt like family is really what she's been looking for all this time. Awesome huh? She should be getting baptized this month by a brother in the ward.
So a few weeks ago we contacted a woman in the street named Beatrice. She seemed super interested in the church so we gave her a Book of Mormon and came by one day to teach her the first lesson. Her husband wasn't home so we just talked to her at the door for a while and gave her a reading assignment. The next time her husband wasn't there again, so we just asked her how the reading went. She said she had read it, but as we began to ask her about it we could easily see that she hadn't. We went by one other time and nobody was home, so we sort of stopped going by for a week or so. Later we were at a less active member`s house and she asked about Beatrice. It turns out Beatrice is her husband's aunt! her husband isn't a member, but the less active sister told us that if Beatrice's family got interested in the church, her husband would start coming as well. We started visiting their family with the less active sister and Beatrice's whole family has been able to be there.
Also a few weeks ago a man named Jose stopped us at the market, and asked us to meet him there the next day to talk. The next day we couldn't find him. A few days later he saw us again, and once again asked us to meet him there the following afternoon, and also asked to borrow some money for a haircut. We gave him the money. The next day we once again couldn't find him, and we were a little bummed out.
Also a few weeks ago we found out there are two families (Casillas family and Siordia family) in the ward who have really been struggling, one of which stopped coming to church, and both of which had been talking about divorces in the near future. The two families have always been really strong, so we were pretty sad. As we'd been visiting them to see how they were doing and to continue to invite them to church, but we hadn`t seen any real improvements.
Anyway, for this week we had one baptism planned and it was for Manuela (I'm pretty sure I've mentioned her before). She seemed super excited, and even asked if I could baptize her which is pretty sweet. We had also asked Jose Luiz and his wife Blanca to come to church and see the baptism. As we went by to check on Jose Luiz and Blanca in the morning we were sad to find that they weren't home. We later swung by Manuela's to make sure she had a cab to get to the church and was ready to go. She let us know that she wasn't going to be able to make it, and that she was sorry. As we rode to the church I was feeling pretty bummed out. I've been working on Patience this week, and it seemed like even though I had tried to trust in the Lord and His schedule for everything as well as having patience with the people, my companion, and especially myself, no major blessings were coming as a result. I started to wonder what we were doing wrong and why things were all getting messed up. To top it off, we got to the church and there were only about thirty members there ready for Sacrament. As I sat and thought and prayed I realized I was being a baby. I realized the Lord had blessed me beyond what I could ever ask for and that I should trust that He has a plan for what is going on. I'd forgotten how priveleged I am that He has trusted me with this incredible work, and shown me such great miracles in the hearts of His children. Just as I began to change my outlook, I looked up to find that the Casillas and Siordia families had arrived, and that both couples were smiling and sitting together. Then I saw Beatrice and her family walk in with the less active sister. Pretty awesome. And to top it off, in walked Jose, with a slick looking haircut and his Bible in hand. He came and sat with me, and we got to listen to some awesome testimonies from the Casillas and Siordia families, and many others. We found out Jose had met with the missionaries previously in Tiajuana, and actually knows a ton about the gospel. He's overcome all of the things that had previously kept him from taking the step of baptism, and is ready to start a new life following the example of the Savior. Beatrice and her family had a great time at church, and we set an appointment with them for tomorrow night and they're loving what they've been learning. Anyway, Sorry for the long story, but I sure learned my lesson about being patient this week.
So for some funnier experiences of the week... The other day we were visiting a sister and her grandson. My companion was really really tired. We finished the message and Elder Moberg asked the sister to say a closing prayer. She did. Afterward he said he felt like singing a song, so we sung a hymn, during which Elder Moberg struggled to stay awake. After the song, he once again asked the sister to say a closing prayer, so she did. It was pretty awkward, but pretty funny.
We've been visiting some awesome kids (Francisco and Andrea) that are both youth aged. They've been living with their Grandma (who's a member) since their dad left them, and they're getting ready to be baptized. The other day after we finished talking to them about baptism we let them know that satan would be working hard to tempt them since he knows the importance of what they're about to do. We talked about a few other things for a minute, then as we were about to leave Andrea said she's scared of the devil. I assured her that if she reads her scriptures and prays and all that she has nothing to worry about, and that the Lord will always be looking out for her. Francisco then asked if we could at least stop bringing the devil with us to church. Then we got really confused. We finally figured out that they meant a young man who always wears all black clothes and dark make up and alot of spiky bracelets and stuff that has been coming to church the past couple weeks. We all started laughing, and let them know that he was just a regular guy.
The other day as we went to get in a cab Elder Moberg tore his pants really bad, and we were on our way to a baptismal interview that we were already a little late for. I don't know exactly how his interview went but it was probably a little awkward.
Thanks for your dear elders everyone! Shayla and Dayna, yes I am getting them so don't worry your using the program right. Thanks for your updates about Sawyer and Pais and Lola! I love hearing about that stuff. Dayna thanks for the info on Wayne Vicky and Sheesh! And I can't believe Jord's already graduating either! Tell him I'm proud! haha. Thanks for your dear elders too bam! I love you!
Shash- I liked your story about Rhino in the bathroom! thanks for you and Briton's drawings! They were super cool! It sounds like you had a great time with the Hunts! I love ya Sloosh!
Mom- That's awesome that you heard that Tom Jones song! Yes I do remember that Fresh Prince, it's one of my favorite episodes. That's awesome that your lesson went well on journals. I love my book that you made me it really is something I'll read many times throughout my life to help me remember my childhood and what a great Mom I have. So we got haircuts today by an older lady that has been cutting hair for fourty years! but anyway it's because of that that I totally forgot to bring my camera with for the pictures! But I loved the package. Especially the pictures of the fam. Elder Moberg said thanks for the oreos by the way. I love you mom. I hope I can get your present to you soon! Sorry things didn't all work out well to get it to you in time. Anyway. Talk to you Sunday!
Dad- Thanks for the advice on letting the Spirit teach. I love that talk by Richard G Scott. I actually read it just a little bit before I left and it really helped me with that story he tells about recieving personal revelation after the sunday school meeting with the more inteligent guy. Thanks for reminding me, because at times I start to think that alot of what happens here has to do with what I do or say, but the Spirit always has to be the Senior Companion! Thanks for offering to send stuff to give away. I would actually love to have a bunch of little toys or something for the kids. I've been saving up these WWF cards that come with snacks from the stores that I give to the younger boys, but it'd be sweet to have just something small cheap and colorful that little kids would like. I actually had about five kids gathered around me last night watching me do that little trick where you make it look like the end of your tie is shrinking with your thumb and they were cracking up! So they're pretty easily entertained. The weather here has been pretty perfect. We're in the hot season, but i've only seen about two or three hot days, there's been a pretty nice cool breeze lately and it's not bad at all. My companionship is doing great. We keep improving and working harder and harder, Thanks for reminding me of the importance of that all. I love you dad.
Nay!- Shenay I can't believe I'm missing so much sweet stuff in your life! your senior year is going to be awesome. Thanks for the pictures from your dances. So you decided to do dance co again huh? that sounds like it will be a blast. It'll be sweet not having math or science next year! good job on your ACT nay. You got way better than what you actually need to get into college and stuff so good job! So we had a guy come over and fix our water boiler so we have hot water now which is cool. That's insane that you'll have to get a thousand dollar bow! the people here don't make that much money in a year! haha. That's crazy. I'm sure you'll be getting some goals in soccer soon by the way. You're the best! Anyway, about all that big brother stuff, keep writing me all about everything in dear elders and e mail and stuff because I love hearing about you and like you said I'm still your big bro. And don't worry we'll do all that stuff you mentioned like hanging out on weekdays when there's nothing to do and getting chocolate from seven eleven and all before you know it! Do you realize that at the end of this change I'll have been out for six months already! crazy. I'll be home before you know it! I love you nay. I can't wait to talk to you on Sunday! Love Ya!
Denny- That's sweet about your video game trades! sweet. That's cool about your lesson about Joseph too. The scriptures are sweet! I love you denny o. Can't wait to talk to ya on sunday!
Dig- Thanks for the picture of the flying pig! As for the wrestling tips, I would suggest getting a move down really good that you can pull on people from any position just in case the other moves aren't working. And mowing the lawn alot this summer will help too! and walking Duncan. Love ya dig! talk to ya sunday!
Love you all family! thanks for your letters!
Elder Dallas Robert Aguilar
This week has been an interesting one. A couple of our investigators seem to have disappeared, which really stinks, but we've seen some pretty awesome miracles this week. We have been visiting a lady named Ilda for a couple of months now about once a week. I think Shenay would really like her, because she's a really funny lady who teaches elementary school, always wears teenager shirts that say things in english that she can`t understand, and wears these glasses that are about two inches thick because her eyesight is really bad. She's a super cool lady and has been studying the Book of Mormon very diligently. She's already recieved answers to her prayers to know the church is true, and she's been at church for about the last eight weeks in a row. The only reason she hasn't been baptized yet is because she's nervous the signs she's recieved haven't been strong enough! So the other day she got down on her knees and sincerely asked the Lord to let her know without a doubt that the Book of Mormon is true etc. I don't want to really go into detail about the answer she recieved, but it was surely undeniable. She then prayed on for the welfare of her daughter, who she hadn't seen in a while, and who hadn't had any desires to come back home anytime soon. Just as she finished her prayer the phone rang, and her daughter let her know that she was coming back, because she missed her mom and felt like family is really what she's been looking for all this time. Awesome huh? She should be getting baptized this month by a brother in the ward.
So a few weeks ago we contacted a woman in the street named Beatrice. She seemed super interested in the church so we gave her a Book of Mormon and came by one day to teach her the first lesson. Her husband wasn't home so we just talked to her at the door for a while and gave her a reading assignment. The next time her husband wasn't there again, so we just asked her how the reading went. She said she had read it, but as we began to ask her about it we could easily see that she hadn't. We went by one other time and nobody was home, so we sort of stopped going by for a week or so. Later we were at a less active member`s house and she asked about Beatrice. It turns out Beatrice is her husband's aunt! her husband isn't a member, but the less active sister told us that if Beatrice's family got interested in the church, her husband would start coming as well. We started visiting their family with the less active sister and Beatrice's whole family has been able to be there.
Also a few weeks ago a man named Jose stopped us at the market, and asked us to meet him there the next day to talk. The next day we couldn't find him. A few days later he saw us again, and once again asked us to meet him there the following afternoon, and also asked to borrow some money for a haircut. We gave him the money. The next day we once again couldn't find him, and we were a little bummed out.
Also a few weeks ago we found out there are two families (Casillas family and Siordia family) in the ward who have really been struggling, one of which stopped coming to church, and both of which had been talking about divorces in the near future. The two families have always been really strong, so we were pretty sad. As we'd been visiting them to see how they were doing and to continue to invite them to church, but we hadn`t seen any real improvements.
Anyway, for this week we had one baptism planned and it was for Manuela (I'm pretty sure I've mentioned her before). She seemed super excited, and even asked if I could baptize her which is pretty sweet. We had also asked Jose Luiz and his wife Blanca to come to church and see the baptism. As we went by to check on Jose Luiz and Blanca in the morning we were sad to find that they weren't home. We later swung by Manuela's to make sure she had a cab to get to the church and was ready to go. She let us know that she wasn't going to be able to make it, and that she was sorry. As we rode to the church I was feeling pretty bummed out. I've been working on Patience this week, and it seemed like even though I had tried to trust in the Lord and His schedule for everything as well as having patience with the people, my companion, and especially myself, no major blessings were coming as a result. I started to wonder what we were doing wrong and why things were all getting messed up. To top it off, we got to the church and there were only about thirty members there ready for Sacrament. As I sat and thought and prayed I realized I was being a baby. I realized the Lord had blessed me beyond what I could ever ask for and that I should trust that He has a plan for what is going on. I'd forgotten how priveleged I am that He has trusted me with this incredible work, and shown me such great miracles in the hearts of His children. Just as I began to change my outlook, I looked up to find that the Casillas and Siordia families had arrived, and that both couples were smiling and sitting together. Then I saw Beatrice and her family walk in with the less active sister. Pretty awesome. And to top it off, in walked Jose, with a slick looking haircut and his Bible in hand. He came and sat with me, and we got to listen to some awesome testimonies from the Casillas and Siordia families, and many others. We found out Jose had met with the missionaries previously in Tiajuana, and actually knows a ton about the gospel. He's overcome all of the things that had previously kept him from taking the step of baptism, and is ready to start a new life following the example of the Savior. Beatrice and her family had a great time at church, and we set an appointment with them for tomorrow night and they're loving what they've been learning. Anyway, Sorry for the long story, but I sure learned my lesson about being patient this week.
So for some funnier experiences of the week... The other day we were visiting a sister and her grandson. My companion was really really tired. We finished the message and Elder Moberg asked the sister to say a closing prayer. She did. Afterward he said he felt like singing a song, so we sung a hymn, during which Elder Moberg struggled to stay awake. After the song, he once again asked the sister to say a closing prayer, so she did. It was pretty awkward, but pretty funny.
We've been visiting some awesome kids (Francisco and Andrea) that are both youth aged. They've been living with their Grandma (who's a member) since their dad left them, and they're getting ready to be baptized. The other day after we finished talking to them about baptism we let them know that satan would be working hard to tempt them since he knows the importance of what they're about to do. We talked about a few other things for a minute, then as we were about to leave Andrea said she's scared of the devil. I assured her that if she reads her scriptures and prays and all that she has nothing to worry about, and that the Lord will always be looking out for her. Francisco then asked if we could at least stop bringing the devil with us to church. Then we got really confused. We finally figured out that they meant a young man who always wears all black clothes and dark make up and alot of spiky bracelets and stuff that has been coming to church the past couple weeks. We all started laughing, and let them know that he was just a regular guy.
The other day as we went to get in a cab Elder Moberg tore his pants really bad, and we were on our way to a baptismal interview that we were already a little late for. I don't know exactly how his interview went but it was probably a little awkward.
Thanks for your dear elders everyone! Shayla and Dayna, yes I am getting them so don't worry your using the program right. Thanks for your updates about Sawyer and Pais and Lola! I love hearing about that stuff. Dayna thanks for the info on Wayne Vicky and Sheesh! And I can't believe Jord's already graduating either! Tell him I'm proud! haha. Thanks for your dear elders too bam! I love you!
Shash- I liked your story about Rhino in the bathroom! thanks for you and Briton's drawings! They were super cool! It sounds like you had a great time with the Hunts! I love ya Sloosh!
Mom- That's awesome that you heard that Tom Jones song! Yes I do remember that Fresh Prince, it's one of my favorite episodes. That's awesome that your lesson went well on journals. I love my book that you made me it really is something I'll read many times throughout my life to help me remember my childhood and what a great Mom I have. So we got haircuts today by an older lady that has been cutting hair for fourty years! but anyway it's because of that that I totally forgot to bring my camera with for the pictures! But I loved the package. Especially the pictures of the fam. Elder Moberg said thanks for the oreos by the way. I love you mom. I hope I can get your present to you soon! Sorry things didn't all work out well to get it to you in time. Anyway. Talk to you Sunday!
Dad- Thanks for the advice on letting the Spirit teach. I love that talk by Richard G Scott. I actually read it just a little bit before I left and it really helped me with that story he tells about recieving personal revelation after the sunday school meeting with the more inteligent guy. Thanks for reminding me, because at times I start to think that alot of what happens here has to do with what I do or say, but the Spirit always has to be the Senior Companion! Thanks for offering to send stuff to give away. I would actually love to have a bunch of little toys or something for the kids. I've been saving up these WWF cards that come with snacks from the stores that I give to the younger boys, but it'd be sweet to have just something small cheap and colorful that little kids would like. I actually had about five kids gathered around me last night watching me do that little trick where you make it look like the end of your tie is shrinking with your thumb and they were cracking up! So they're pretty easily entertained. The weather here has been pretty perfect. We're in the hot season, but i've only seen about two or three hot days, there's been a pretty nice cool breeze lately and it's not bad at all. My companionship is doing great. We keep improving and working harder and harder, Thanks for reminding me of the importance of that all. I love you dad.
Nay!- Shenay I can't believe I'm missing so much sweet stuff in your life! your senior year is going to be awesome. Thanks for the pictures from your dances. So you decided to do dance co again huh? that sounds like it will be a blast. It'll be sweet not having math or science next year! good job on your ACT nay. You got way better than what you actually need to get into college and stuff so good job! So we had a guy come over and fix our water boiler so we have hot water now which is cool. That's insane that you'll have to get a thousand dollar bow! the people here don't make that much money in a year! haha. That's crazy. I'm sure you'll be getting some goals in soccer soon by the way. You're the best! Anyway, about all that big brother stuff, keep writing me all about everything in dear elders and e mail and stuff because I love hearing about you and like you said I'm still your big bro. And don't worry we'll do all that stuff you mentioned like hanging out on weekdays when there's nothing to do and getting chocolate from seven eleven and all before you know it! Do you realize that at the end of this change I'll have been out for six months already! crazy. I'll be home before you know it! I love you nay. I can't wait to talk to you on Sunday! Love Ya!
Denny- That's sweet about your video game trades! sweet. That's cool about your lesson about Joseph too. The scriptures are sweet! I love you denny o. Can't wait to talk to ya on sunday!
Dig- Thanks for the picture of the flying pig! As for the wrestling tips, I would suggest getting a move down really good that you can pull on people from any position just in case the other moves aren't working. And mowing the lawn alot this summer will help too! and walking Duncan. Love ya dig! talk to ya sunday!
Love you all family! thanks for your letters!
Elder Dallas Robert Aguilar
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