Un otra semana

Well this week warmed up quite a bit! Tuesday it finally stopped
raining! (Except it Sunday, we got drenched on Sunday) It was like in
Forrest Gump when he's explaining the rain in Vietnam, where one day
it's like someone just flipped the off switch. Now it's just 90
degrees and 90% humidity every day haha. There is no winning with
Virginia weather.

After P-Day we had another great family home evening with Francisco
and Rosa! We kind of stopped asking her to get baptized because she's
not going to soon, and if she does want to she will say so, but
overall it was still great! We had all the Elders over and she made
some fantastic Pasole.

Tuesday we tracted out all of a new complex we have, and we taught one
lady really quick..in English ha. So we have to hand her over anyways.
After that we had dinner and went to help a member move and that took
like 3 hours because they didn't even have the truck yet, so that was
our day.

Wednesday we again did service for a members friend. We had to plant a
bunch of bushes and take out a bunch as well. It made me realize I
really do not miss landscaping at all haha. After that first half of
the day we went and walked around trying to see some set appointments,
but they fell through which was sweet. Then we went out with some
recent converts and saw Brian and Chewy. It was a great lesson like
always, and they're progressing so well, they just need to come to
church. So please pray for them! But other than them we didn't really
teach anyone.

Thursday we planned, helped another member move and taught one lesson.
That's about all I can remember from Thursday.

Friday we went around once again trying potentials after another
service project! We helped a member close out his storage units. So
after trying our potentials, we went tracting. We started in a town
home complex, but got into two doors; who were good, they just didn't
invite us back haha. Then we went over to a members for dinner. We
then went out with another member and we taught this GOLDEN potential!
She's really friendly, she asks tons of questions, she's looking for a
true church after leaving the Catholic Church, and she said she'd come
to church on Sunday! I'm really excited to see where this will go!

Saturday we just taught some potentials that also said they liked the
message, but they already have a church. Pretty much that's all I've
heard this transfer. So that kind of sucks. But we did get to go to a
baptism that the other Elders had so that was great! So after that he
wanted to buy everyone ice cream! So we did that went home, biked to
some referrals from the Hermanas old area and found out those people
don't live there. So yeah that was our Saturday.

Church was great on Sunday. None of our investigators came to church.
But the Shane Co guy is on a senior couple mission and gave a
presentation in our ward out of nowhere haha that was cool. Well we
tried people and taught all day Sunday and it started to pour at like
6 then my comp said he wasn't feeling good and wanted to go home..So
we did and I pretty much studied and read while he cleaned the
apartment for the rest of the night. Absolutely stellar way to end the
week.

Well something that I've noticed in this area, that a mission or
really anywhere is how to relate to Jacob 5. One of my favorite
chapters in any of our canonized scriptures. Where the lord of the
Vineyard plants so many different trees in so many different
circumstances. Where some are planted in rough soil, but blossom and
produce wonderful fruit, and vice versa, and just about any
combination of planting and growing there is. The lord of the vineyard
weeps, and asks what more could I have done for my vineyard? After
another season of pruning, grafting, and dunging, the good fruits
produce.
I was born in great near perfect circumstances, but overall I need to
nourish my self with the gospel, scriptures, and ordinances as much as
anyone else in this world no matter the circumstances. We all must
produce our own great fruits. Fruits acceptable for the Lord.

76 For behold, for a long time will I lay up of the fruit of my
vineyard unto mine own self against the season, which speedily cometh;
and for the last time have I nourished my vineyard, and pruned it, and
dug about it, and dunged it; wherefore I will lay up unto mine own
self of the fruit, for a long time, according to that which I have
spoken.

77 And when the time cometh that evil fruit shall again come into my
vineyard, then will I cause the good and the bad to be gathered; and
the good will I preserve unto myself, and the bad will I cast away
into its own place. And then cometh the season and the end; and my
vineyard will I cause to be burned with fire

Sorry my emails probably sound really boring, but all is well here in
Woodbridge. We will see what happens with transfer calls this
Saturday.
(Also sorry to all my MTC district, and everyone else I've met for
finally putting all of you guys on here now)

 Me and this snapping turtle that just jumped out of the bushes and almost got my foot!

Found some boots in an apartment that got closed, call me Elder 'Merica

 Me & Prince

Ivan! The chillest member from Harrisonburg just showed up here for a baptism on Saturday!

Ocho Meses

Alrighty we will jump right into it.

Monday we ended our day with Family Home Evening with Rosa and Francisco, and another family. It was a pretty good lesson considering we had 30 minutes to plan it, because we thought the family was going to because it was their idea. But it turned out really good and we shared the family proclamation. 

Tuesday it rained alllll day, and this member told us to go knock out this complex because there were apparently a lot of Hispanics. It wasn't, it was actually a lot of people from Iraq! So we didn't really teach anyone haha, they were all really nice though. So we did that until dinner and after dinner we went with a member to a referral we received, he ACTUALLY CALLED US first. So we were so stoked and pumped haha... So we get there, there's a catholic priest, Jehovah's witnesses couple, and a baptist preacher. Well this guy decided he wanted to get everyone together and tell everyone how we are all wrong, and in sin, y debemos arrepentirnos. Hahaha it got absolutely nuts! Everyone started going all out on each other and we just kind of stood back and watched. Well he finally let us go like an hour and a half later, longest hour and a half of my life. So after that we went and helped that member move out his dryer and washer, then we ended the night.

Wednesday and Thursday we had intercambios. Elder Prince came to my area and we put in a ton of work. We got on the bus and headed to the outskirts of my area and the Sisters old area and went to work on these new town homes. We found so many people and taught a bunch! I'm so excited to go back there. Thursday we were pretty busy with appointments and so we just stayed together and taught Brian and Chewy, we had one of the best lessons spiritually I've had on my mission so far. They're SO ready! It's so awesome! So we just went and found new people and taught until coordination meeting that night. 

Friday we walked to a new complex that we haven't noticed before and started tracting it, but tracting in middle of the day is pretty scarce teaching. Then we got a call from English wondering if we wanted to blitz an area with them, so I went with an Elder Ure and we started knocking on one side of a neighborhood. It was really fun to teach in English haha, I could go SO much more in depth haha, but it was a lot funnier just teaching in Spanish. I forgot he doesn't speak Spanish so we would get out and he'd be like..."so what happened" haha. We found some pretty good potentials that way, and a lot more English speaking than Spanish. Well, then we had to walk to a member dinner on the other side of town, but she didn't cook because her gas was turned off hahah, so me and Elder Barnes walked to this Peruvian restaurant which was soooo good! That was pretty much our day. 

Saturday we started our day by walking across town to have a lesson fall through due to no answer. We then decided just to walk to Brian and Chewy's and teach them. Haha they said when we left they just felt so much better. They said that everything they did that day was just better and they were so much happier. I can't explain how great that feels to hear that! We had another solid lesson with them; in fact they asked us what happens to those that aren't baptized before they die! It was a great lesson. After that we had a ward party where we cooked like 60 lbs of carne asada, there was horchata, these Honduranian hotdogs, which are the best hot dogs in the world, and to top it all off a mariachi band! It was so awesome! After the party we got teach a new referral that we received from the English elders and that was our Saturday.

Sunday Elder Barnes had a greeny moment after church. We saw a guy carrying in a bunch of stuff for a BBQ, like charcoal, lots of beer haha. So we asked if he needed help and he said "yo necesito ayuda a tomar estas". (I need help drinking these) (also tomar is to take, unless it's alcohol- it's to drink) Before I could even laugh at his joke, Elder Barnes was like okay so the guy tossed him a beer haha it was pretty funny. Then we had another guy call us and said he got a card from us and wants to learn more! We got a little nervous about it because the last person who did that obviously didn't end too well like I mentioned earlier...but we headed over anyways with a member. It was actually a really great lesson! He's a Christian preacher and loves God, his family, and living the gospel. He's a really great guy and all his kids are as well. So it went really well.

Well that's my week. It was a fun, crazy, spiritual week. Well.. I'd love to hear from y'all sometime. Love and miss you guys. 

Some scriptures from me to you. One of these I like to think about constantly.. Especially in Spanish work when some borracho starts cussing at you in Spanish thinking you don't understand. 

And the other is really so short, but yet so powerful. It's really also a great reminder. 

1 John 3:13 Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you

1 John 4:19 We love him, because he first loved us.

 Giant turtle shell I found

 Me and Mono- the coolest kid ever

 Finally a descent looking place in Woodbridge

One of four snaked I almost stepped on

Rain & more rain

Real missionary on a bike ha

Well Tuesday we found a pretty golden English speaking referral named
Alex. He's a MP in the Air Force, and we had a really spiritual lesson
with him! Then later this week the English Elders put him on date for
baptism. I guess that's my mission is find golden referrals, because I
found out the three we found in Harrisonburg got baptized!! Then we
had a little lesson with Brian and Jesus or "Chewy". We had a member
with us, and it turns out they go to the same school, so it will
be a great fellowship.

Wednesday we had district meeting and then "Intercambios" or
exchanges. I stayed in my area with Elder Hall, he's from St. George
and goes home next transfer. It was nice to go with him and have an
experienced missionary who's pretty much fluent. We taught some good
lessons, and he showed me the shortcuts I can take walking, because he
served in this area with Elder Turner for 6 months. He also showed me
a bunch of less active houses so we've been trying those families
lately. We finished our night by waiting for our dinner to be dropped
off from a member, but Elder Barnes and Prince had dinner with them
the hour before, but decided to stay an hour and 45 minutes so we had
to wait for that. Then we just tried a few more potentials.

Thursday we exchanged back, and then weekly planned. All of our
planned lessons fell through and so we were scrambling to see what we
could do. Whenever that happens you always realize there is a door to
be knocked. So we did that for a while. Then we went out with Jennifer
and taught her friend who wants to learn more. It was a bit iffy, but
there's a lot of potential!

Friday and Saturday we had pretty busy days actually. It was a lot of
just simply getting into doors and teaching the restoration. They were
all pretty good lessons. I just wish I could hold people's attention
right off the bat better. I'm really excited for those others we
found.

Well sorry, that week sounds boring, I'm having plenty of crazy
experiences that I probably shouldn't put in a weekly email haha.
People answering the door naked all the time, I smell more weed than
cigarettes- which is a ton, there's always gunshots and people getting
shot or stabbed haha. This place is pretty crazy. Nonetheless I want
to end with the scriptures I received inspiration after praying to
share this week.
Two of them are from the book of James, and one from 1 Peter. The way
I'm sharing them is out of order in accordance to the bible, but the
way I'm sharing it will make sense haha.
1 Peter 1:7
7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold
that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto
praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ

James 4:8-8
7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will
flee from you.
8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands,
ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded

James 1:15,20
15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when
it is finished, bringeth forth death
20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.

Remember trials are precious. long term or short term, endure them
well and we will be blessed. Fight off the evil one, we are promised
we will defeat him. I love this gospel, I love it because it is true
and full of blessings. I love being a missionary, because my only
worry is someone going without at least hearing this gospel.

 Me and a frog I caught

 Finalmente! The sun/first vision ha!

Estilo Malandro (thug life)

Potomac bay

This week was kind of a blur. It all just kind of meshed together. Probably because it all seemed the same and we did the same thing pretty much everyday. It rained like a monsoon all week, so I feel like a real missionary- especially this week. 

So Tuesday we knocked doors trying to find people to teach, because all the investigators my companion and his old companion had haven't been taught in like a month or month and half hahah so yeah. 

Wednesday we weekly planned and went and tried all the appointments we had set and literally all of them fell through. Then we had dinner with a member, and we had spaghetti and salad. I was so happy. I've never been so excited for spaghetti in my life for some reason haha it was so delicious!

Thursday we had like a "power exchange" for some reason with the district leader and Elder Prince. So I went with Elder Prince for half the day, trying some people and we taught this kid Whiny but he was acting all weird because his friends were there. It sucked because he wouldn't set up a return appointment, but the lesson before that he was eating it up and asking tons of questions. Then another member fed us and then we had coordination with our mission leader.

Friday and Saturday we knocked all day once again. We did the math and knocked 309 doors and taught 2 lessons out of it. But those families we taught are really ready and I'm excited to see what happens with them! They couldn't make it to church this week, but I'm excited. 

This place is hard to get into doors. It's a huge change from my other area where we would teach around 25 lessons a week but now its the complete opposite. I'm here for a reason though, so I just need to find that one Person 

who is searching! 

I have some scriptures I want to share that have helped me this week and through my mission, and I know will help one of you. 

1 Nephi 20:10-11   10 For, behold, I have refined thee, I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.

11 For mine own sake, yea, for mine own sake will I do this, for I will not suffer my name to be polluted, and I will not give my glory unto another. 

1 Nephi 21: 14-15.   14 But, behold, Zion hath said: The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me--but he will show that he hath not.

15 For can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee, O house of Israel.

Psalms 46:10 10 Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

 Me & Elder Barnes just getting dumped on

 Lifffttttt!!!!!

Me & Elder Prince at Potomac Bay

Woodbridge 'Hoodbridge'

 First & last pic with Elder Turner

Well Tuesday I got here to my new area. It's about 2 hours from
Richmond and about 30 minutes from D.C. It's solid! There's a lot of
people here and I'm on bike/foot! So I feel like a real missionary. I
got my new companion. I'm "greeny breaking" he's fresh out of training
and has been here for 3 months. His name Elder Barnes. He's from
Riverton and loves Lord of the Rings, Star Wars and math and only will
listen to the primary children CD. He is literally the exact opposite
of me, except he likes being a missionary so that's all that matters!

Wednesday we just went tracting and finding a bunch of potentials.
Haha, without a car this takes so much more time. We have to
walk an hour just to get to this area, mainly because Virginia has no
freaking sidewalks. But we found two sets of really solid new
investigators. One is two brothers names Brian and Jesus- but goes by
chewy- haha. They're not even baptized and their mom is pushing them
to find a church and get baptized. The other is a family we found by
accident. We were trying a potential but my comp went to the wrong
house, but they let us in. We taught the restoration and by the end
they were asking how they get baptized! I'm so excited to see what
happens with them!

Thursday we planned and just tried a bunch of different potentials
that my companion had, but everyone of them looked through the blinds
at us and didn't answer. Friday we knocked all freaking day, literally
we knocked for 6 hours and got 3 fetching lessons out of it that 2 we
had just said, "Yo Sé todo, pero gracias por la palabra" (they know
all, but thanks for the message) haha it was hard. Then we had to walk
to the church for coordination after dinner

Saturday was sick! We had an awesome day of teaching. We found more
really great people, but we had a good lesson with Brian and Jesus.
They're showing so much potential! Brian was saying how it's weird how
he feels close to us already haha, I guess that's a good sign. He even
gave us a ride to our next area.

Sunday we had church obviously. It was weird going to a huge ward
again. They introduced me and had me bear testimony. It was cool. It
was so organized haha compared to the branch in Harrisonburg. After
church we had lunch with a member, then just knocked doors. We ran
into a Muslim guy who talked for days, he said he's closer to Jesus
because his clothes and beard, so I guess that is why they wear robes
and have beards and he gave me a Quran haha so that's sweet.

Something I studied this week was the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost is so
essential to everything and anything that has to do deal with the
Father and The Son. The spirit is how God answers us. Without the
Spirit the Bible is just another book, the Book of Mormon as well. You
can believe the words and teachings, but that's what we do with text
books as well right? We must have spiritual confirmation. When Christ
asks the apostles who he is, and Peter answers him perfectly. Matthew
16:17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon
Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my
Father which is in heaven. I love this scripture because of the
truthfulness and plainness of it (as well as the humility of Jesus.)
that not even as Christ is sitting there with them; It's been let
known to them that Jesus is the Christ the son of the living God
through the Father.

New address so feel free to send stuff hahah
15005 lost canyon court apt 104 Woodbridge VA 22191

 Me, Bungiou and Joseph. My favorite youth

Me & Elder Houston

 Me & the Hungate family. By far my favorite guy to talk to in the mission

Me, Dominga & her husband