Mon 10/22/2012 9:38 AM
Well, I made it through transfers safe and sound, and I have
some more information on my comp. So his name is Elder Ty Johnson, he is from a
small town outside of Boise Idaho, and he has 10 months on his mission. He did
swimming and running in High School, so he is pretty fit. I definitely miss
Elder LeFevre, especially when members or investigators ask me if I miss him. I
say yes of course, but then I always make sure to say something good about
Elder Johnson so he doesn't feel bad, and I have found that it has really helped
me stay positive and find all of the good things about him that are different
from my last comp.
So our teaching really hasn't suffered. He is really
spiritual and he lets me teach a good amount just like my last comp, perhaps
even more so, so my Spanish really has been improving quite a bit, especially
since we talk almost all of the time in Spanish haha it is kinda funny, two
querros that don't speak Spanish fluently are walking around talking Spanish to
each other instead of English, I get a kick out of it. Along the lines of that,
it is really funny to see people just stare at us because we are both really
tall (I am just a little bit taller I'm sure) and both really guerros, or white.
Sometimes people even say outloud ´´guerros´´ when we pass by them, all shocked
haha and the best is little kids, because I'm pretty sure we are the first white
people they have ever seen in their lives.
OK so before I forget, dad, if you can send me the 17 point
talk (the 17 points of the true church) that would be great. I am starting to
memorize a scripture a day, and I think it would be really useful to have those
on mind. OK for Christmas. So there are these leather scripture cases that one
of the hermanos does in the mission (i attached a picture so you can see) that
I really want to get, along with some sneakers (because I have a feeling we are
going to be playing a lot of soccer here in Mexico) so if you can just put some
money in my account that would be great. Also, my pens are starting to run out,
so if you could send some of the kind ´´pilot v5´´ pens that would be great. I
am pretty sure grandpa Clark uses those pens, or used them, so he should know
what they are.
So this was kind of a bitter sweet week. It is the first
week when we didn´t have any baptisms, and it feels really weird. We had 10
people that could have been baptized this past week, but all of them feel
through and didn't show up to church, and it was really difficult la verdad. I
was able to rebound and I am back to normal, but I kinda understand the sorrow
that the prophets in the BOM felt for the people that chose not to follow
Christ. It truly is amazing how much you grow to love the people here and how
badly I want these people to feel the love of the Savior more in their lives,
and how sad it is to see them openly reject it when the have felt and known
that this is true, that through the Gospel of Christ that the really can have a
better life, which is what most of the people here are looking for, but they
aren't willing to change their lives, their traditions, or their ways, to
receive more happiness, and that really is the saddest part, but it truly is
all worth it when there is just one person who accepts the light of Christ into
their lives.
One thing that I have learned this week with Elder Johnson
is the power of music. I remember how Bishop asked me before I left how I was
going to share my testimony of music here, and I wasn't really sure, but I have
found it. We have started to sing before every lesson that we have in peoples
houses, and it truly is amazing how strong hymns can bring the spirit into a
house. The main experience I want to share with this is with the hymn ´´Oh how
lovely was the morning´´. We were going to teach a part member family (the part
of the family that are members are the ones who were baptized this past Sunday)
about the restoration, so we obviously found it appropriate to start of with
this song. As we sang the last verse, the spirit was seriously so strong,
testifying of what we were singing about what we were about to teach was true.
It was super easy after that to teach about the restoration of the gospel with
the spirit already so strong, testifying of Joseph Smith and of Christ. It really
helped strengthen my testimony that I know that God the Father and Christ
appeared to Joseph Smith and through him restored their Church, Gospel, and
authority again on this earth. I know that Joseph Smith was called to be a
prophet of God, and that the evidence of this, The Book of Mormon, is the word
of God and it really is the keystone to the church and do what we as
representatives of Christ are doing throughout the world. I testify that there
is a living prophet of God on this earth, Thomas S. Monson, that receives
revelation for us in this day, and I know all of the words of the prophets of
God are true, because I have felt the influence of their guidance in my life. I
love this Gospel so much, and I am so glad that I have been given this opportunity
to serve my God, my King, and I strongly encourage all of those that are
thinking about serving a mission to start preparing now, to start the process
of changing habits now, to be better prepared for what the Lord has in store for
you. Thank you mom and dad, and the rest of the family, for supporting me in
this decision to serve and for helping preparing me, even when it wasn't the
easiest. I love you!!
With Love,
Elder Noel
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