So I sent you my letter to president, I hope you get something out of that :) haha
I am super Excited to talk to you guys! The time goes by so fast though! I am still in the same area as the last time and I am gonna be talking to you from the same place. I am gonna try and find a better microphone this time so that you can hear better.
I am glad to hear that the new guides are great. I am sure you did well like always. Are ther any that I know?? This next summer that is coming there are a few of my mission buddies that want to work as well, so keep a few spots open this next november.
As far as with Eli, HE needs to get focused on a sport or something because that is where his weirdness will be forgotten. I was pretty dang weird until I picked up a basketball (and stayed away from football) haha. He´ll get there. I am excited to coach him in something when I get back. I feel like what I have learned as a missionary would make me such a good coach haha. Just enough fun to keep the discipline from killing the team. Discipline is so important and I never really recognized that....and I am paying for it. That is why I probably won´t be able to play a sport in college. But I now know that I can help other people learn that when they are young.
IT is so true about the sisters and elders. The difference in the mission is incredible as well. Rarely are there Elders that come into the mission and they are just Studs! IT takes them a while to get going. However, the sisters come in and just kill it. I know that I am a changed person for sure. Just the other day I listened to my farewell talk and to nate and libby´s aswell and I realized that nate and I right now are about equal to where Libby started haha. I can only imagine how much Libs has changed. IT is a pretty cool thought.
I am trying so hard to help the youth here get out on missions because I know it is what they need. I have seen a couple go out and then come home early and they aren´t even going to church anymore because it is hard and they are busy with other things....It is so frustrating because they don´t understand. Some less active parents that say "I am gonna just let them choose which religion they would like because they are their own person..." They don´t even understand wht their role as parents is. I always try and share the King Benjamin speech with them, because i know that he was inspired when he was very direct with what the parents need to do.
I think that is the hardest thing for me...I am so excited to raise kids in the gospel and apply what I am learning in the misison with them. I have seen the difference and it is incredible and I know that it is what the world needs. I wish that I could just adopt all the little kids that are lost and don´t know what to do in life and give them the hope that comes in living the gospel.
It just makes me think about how important hte FAMILY is in this plan. IF the family doesn´t function, basically nothing functions. IF the parents aren´t doing what they need to do to live the gospel, then the kids sure as heck aren´t going to do it. There is a perfect example of that here that happened to a family that is so awesome. The parents got offended a couple times and ended up leaving the church after years of being leaders. They are sealed in the temple and everything. Their boys had goals of serving missions and marrying in the temple. However, as their parents stopped going (because of a legitimate trial, but a terrible excuse) the kids eventually stopped going as well. They are now struggling in the family. The one son is Atheist. The other believes a tiny bit, but because of what has happened to their parents, they don´t want anything to do with the church. All they want to do is hang out with their friends and do nothing. They have no desires to work or do anything except ride their skateboards.
We don´t know for sure whether that would have happened to that family whether or not they went inactive, but what I do know is that they lost their promise of prosperity when they stopped obeying the commandments of God. I know it is so hard, and that situations and trials happen that just downright Stink, but I also know that The Atonement is Infinite, The love of Christ is the most Powerful thing there is, and that the Miracle of Forgiveness is what Changes our lives and the lives of others.
I know this Church is true because I have Lived it. I have seen it be lived by Others and I know without a doubt that there is a difference. I know that If we live the gospel with 100% obedience then we will have the promise. There is no such thing as a less important Commandment. I know that life is hard sometimes and that sometimes we have our doubts, but that Our Faith should never be doubted. "Doubt your Doubts before you Doubt your Faith" I know that our family is blessed because we keep the commandments and that anyone who might be jealous of the blessings that we have, has the same exact opportunity to receive them.
I am so excited to talk with you all this weekend. I hope we can have a good talk and that you don´t miss me too much ;) haha Love ya! Have a good week!
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| Baptism |
President,
It kind of blows my mind knowing that you are
leaving in like 6 weeks....I am stressing out a little bit because you have
helped me so much. I have learned obedience from you and the importance of
giving it your all at all times. I know that you have had the success in your
life because of that discipline, ande that I am seeing more of that success in
my mission because I am applying what you have taught me.
This last week was One of the best weeks of my
life. Some of the best Converts that I have ever had, and some of the greatest
families that I know. I understand completely why we must work as hard as we
can, because the joy that comes from that work is SOOOO worth it!
Unfortunately, Satan is also working very hard
in the moments when we have success. We had 2 other families that were
progressing that possibly would have been baptized this month if not for sure
the next month...the morning of the confirmation on sunday, those families
completely rejected us and refused any type of help that we were giving. They
weren´t able to make it to the baptism and that was so frustrating! We have a
few other people that we are working with and I am going to get things back on
top. I know that 100 percent is more than a number. IT is Success!
I have learned so much in these last few
months and I am looking forward to all the learning experiences that are to
come. I always think to myself "adversity and change aren´t necessarily
what I want, but they are what we NEED" I am grateful for the many
companions and changes that I have had to learn from.
In our companionship right now it is a little
bit rough just because Elder Martinez is struggling. He isn´t really homesick,
he just doesn´t help a whole lot. I have learned a lot of patience and how to
just get things done even if my comp isn´t doing a whole lot. We had one of the
best baptismal services that I have ever had and it went off without a hitch
becuase I told myself "I will NOT let this fail!" IT also helped that
those converts are so awesome. They are all ready to go with the branch to the
temple this weekend :) This Church is so true President! I Just love it!
Our branch struggles, but this last week we
had a lot of less actives that are comeing back to church and all of my
converts over the last 7 months are still going strong. I feel like I have
definitely made a difference in the branch here even though sometimes it is
hard to see it :/
Elder Woods and Escobar are doing better. They
have trouble keeping investigators though...I am going on divisions with Elder
Woods this week and we are gonna go find some good people. The only family that
they have right now is one that Elder Paredes and Escobar found while in
divisions. I am gonna see what I can do to get Elder Woods ready to lead the
Area if that is what he is to do. He really only lacks the authority. Elder
Escobar doesn´t give him any power or reasoning. I think that a day of
divisions will help elder woods to boost his self confidence a little bit. I am
convinced that Pride is the biggest problem that they have, which hurts every
other aspect of the work, so I am gonna see if I can help them with that.
Elder Morgan and Elder Nacimento are doing
better. Elder Paredes is going with them this week to do divisions for
basically the whole week so we will get it figured out!
Your message in the Sol really helped me to
realize a couple of things. First, that I need to be more humble. Not
neccessarily in listening to the leaders because I try to do everything they
tell me, but trusting more in God. I need to stop thinking that I can do things
myself and trust more in the one who can do things himself. And Second, that I
have come a LONG way from where I started. I was really prideful and have been
able to change that luckily. I have seen and felt the difference and it has
really helped me to gain a testimony in the Atonement.
Once again, I hope that the mission stays
obedient like it is now and that they can continue to apply the things that you
have taught us. Thank you for everything! Have a great day, Love ya!
Elder Hazlett
