Mensaje del Presidente (Message From the President) 10-10-11

Attached to this is our reading calender in the mission! I wanted to send it to you all so that if you would like you could read with me and finish the Book of Mormon in 3 months. I'm a little ahead of you because I wasn't able to send this to you last week, but I'm sure if you wanted to you can catch up easily!

Love you all,
Elder Despain

(Elder Despain sent us the letter in Spanish so I translated the important part to English. For those who speak Spanish I also included the Spanish letter. Let me know if my translation is correct.)

My Dear Sisters and Elders,
It is with great joy that I write this week. A good friend once remarked that he likes the "changes" because it is the opportunity we have to "change". It is my desire to take this time to make "changes" that they know are needed to improve as missionaries. In doing so, we will be worthy of the companionship of the Holy Spirit.
There are some points I want to play with you so we can improve as a mission:
Let's read the Book of Mormon as a mission. I promise that if we search the Book of Mormon with all our heart and as a mission, we will see our spirituality and successes increase. One of the best ways to teach the gospel, is by "inspired questions." Besides that we draw closer to the Lord by studying this sacred book, I want you to mark and ponder all the questions made by the prophets and the Lord, found in the Book of Mormon. Doing this will make us reflect on what we do, and also give us "questions" that we can use when we teach God's elect. Attached is a calendar for what to read each day. We will finish the last day of the year. Continue to read only that which is indicted each day. I know that there will be a great power that will come upon us to be reading the same verses each day.

As you know, last month ended with more than three hundred baptisms, and I know we can do even more. You still have not reached anywhere near the limits of what can be done in the Work. It is important to our mission that we love more than ourselves or our companions. We still have missionaries who are not 100% compliant and do not want to give everything they have for the Lord. (The disobedient and lazy you know who you are). When we think that we do not want to give everything, let us remember that the Lord gave everything for us. I feel that as much as what you give to the Lord; We will receive that same amount from Him. It is an honor to be working alongside you in this great work. Keep firm (Stay Strong). We love you all and pray for you.   President V.

Mi Estimados Hermanas y Elderes,

Es con gran gozo que les escribo esta semana.  Un buen amigo una vez hizo la observación que le gusta los “cambios” porque es la oportunidad que tenemos para “cambiar”.  Es mi deseo que tomen este tiempo para hacer “cambios” que saben que son necesario para mejorarse como misioneros.  Al hacer esto, seremos más digno de la compañía del Espíritu Santo.

Hay algunos puntos que me gustaría tocar con ustedes para que podamos mejorar como un misión:

Vamos a leer el Libro de Mormón como una misión.  Les prometo que si escudriñamos el Libro de Mormón con todo nuestro corazón y como una misión, vernos que nuestra espiritualidad y éxito aumentara.   Unas de las mejores maneras de ensenar el evangelio, es por medio de “preguntas inspiradas”.  Aparte de que nos acercaríamos mas al Señor por estudiar este Libro sagrado, quiero que marquemos y meditemos todas las preguntas, hechas por los profetas y el Señor,  que se encuentra en el Libro de Mormón.  Al hacer esto nos hará reflexionar lo que debemos hacer, y también nos dará “preguntas” que podemos usar cuando ensenamos a los escogidos de Dios.  En un archivo adjunto se encuentra el calendario de lo que debemos leer por día.  Terminaremos para el ultimo de este ano.  Siguiera que todos leamos solamente lo que está indicado por ese día.  Yo se que habrá un gran poder que vendrá sobre nosotros al estar leyendo los mismos versículos cada día.

Como saben, el mes pasado terminamos con más de trescientos bautismos, y sé que podemos hacer aun mas.  Ustedes todavía no han llegado ni cerca a sus límites de lo que pueden hacer en la Obra.  Es importante que amemos a nuestra misión más que a nosotros mismos o nuestros compañeros.  Todavía tenemos misioneros  que no son 100% obedientes  y no quieren dar todo lo que tienen para el Señor. (ustedes los desobedientes y flojos saben quienes son).  Cuando pensamos que no queremos dar TODO, recordemos que el Señor dio TODO por nosotros.  Siento que en medida que lo que damos por el Señor; recibiremos esa misma cantidad de Él. 

Es un honor estar trabajando a lado de ustedes en esta gran obra.

Sigan firme. 

Les amamos a todos y oramos por ustedes.

Presidente V.

 Baptism of J. 10-1-11

 Baptism of M. 10-2-11

Me with cake on my face. They made me a cake to say goodbye. 10-2-11

Lots of stairs! 9-20-11

More stairs 9-20-11

Me and my comp (Elder R.) on rail road tracks. We walk on those stairs and those tracks every day. 9-20-11

 A baptism in the district 9-25-11

A big flag in Zòcalo, 9-26-11

 

A member from my first ward that met me at Zòcalo today to just chill and look around. He is a cool kid! 9-26-11

Catholic church in Zocalo, 9-26-11

A big bell, haha. Me and Elder B. 9-26-11

 Me and my companion, Elder R. 9-26-11

 Inside the Catholic, 9-26-11

Baptism of R. 9-25-11

My pants I burnt for 18 months! 9-25-11

16 of September Independence Day in Zocalo 9-26-11

 Building in Zocalo 9-26-11

 Flag in Zocalo 9-26-11

 A church in Zocalo with a bunch of us elders out in front of the flag and church. 9-26-11

Hola Familia 9-26-11

Hola Familia,        

  Well, this week was great! We baptized this girl named R.! She is really cool. We have been working with her for a long time and this week she finally got baptized! Every baptism really is a miracle and I'm so, so grateful to have the opportunity to see so many miracles! It was such a great day to see her get baptized! Also in my district, we got 5 baptisms so that was another miracle I got to see this week. Although four baptisms weren't in my area, I still got the opportunity to interview them and see them progress! It is trully amazing to see so many miracles! This is the work of the Lord, I have no doubt about that because there is no way that any person could do this work alone. These miracles only happen because this truly is the Lord's work and we are just instruments in His hands!

It was also really cool to get to go to the center of Mexico, Zocalo! We saw lots of really cool old buildings!!!! Also we went into the Catholic church there, which is like one of the biggest in Mexico and it was really pretty. It was just full of cool paintings and like just all the building was really cool like with gold and stuff! Then, we got to go to some small stores and stuff and it was cool to get to buy and see things! So it's crazy. The streets there are all like hilly because after so much time, the weight of the buildings have made the ground seep in, in different parts which has made it all hilly and not level any more. It's crazy! So it was a great week and a fun one too!

So next Monday is cambios, changes, which is really crazy because I feel like I haven't been here long at all and it already has been two changes. I have no clue if I will go or stay because me and my comp. have been here the same amount of time so will just have to see. My letters next week may be short because of the changes, but we will see how it goes! I wanted to ask if you all had time to read the articles I said you should read. I hope you did, if not find them and read them!

I love you all and I hope you are all doing great! I'm doing great and loving what I'm doing! I love being in the Lord's service and I'm so grateful I am here! I love this work and I love these people and I'm just so happy and grateful I get to be here serving each one of them! I love you all! Stay safe!! I miss you all!

Love,

Elder Despain

 Me and my companion, Elder R. 9-15-11

 The whole zone 9-15-11

The whole zone and the members that let us use their house to have the activity. 9-15-11

Todo los gringos! All the Americans! 9-15-11

Hola Como Estan!!!! 9-19-11

Hola familia!!!

   Thanks for all your letters last week and this week. I was worried that last week I wouldn't get any letters because I wrote a day earlier then I originally said, but thank you all for writing me! I love you all and I hope that you are all doing well! This week was a good week! It was Independence Day and so on Thursday we had a zone activity and we did a carne asada or like grilled meat! Then we watched "Remember the Titans," which was cool. The last time I saw a movie was Christmas, haha, so that was cool. The pres. wanted to watch it because it has a message about being one and being united!! It was good. Then we took some pictures with the flag, haha! It was cool. Then the next day we played soccer... like always, haha. It's fun! We also had a good week of work. We had a lot of success. Like, we didn't have much time to work this week becaue we had that activity and two juntas (meetings) and two p-days. So, it really only left us Wednesday and Saturday to work a full day, but we did have a lot of success. We were going to have a baptism but it ended up that her brother couldn't make it to see her baptism on Sunday so we ended up pushing it back till this next Sunday so that her brother can be there becasue that is really important to her. Although we were sad to have it fall through, we are really excited to have her baptism this Sunday! I love this work and I love seeing all the miracles I get to see here! I had the chance to do a lot of interviews for lots of different people in different areas this week and I just really love it. I love to get to know new people and I love helping people and I love being an instrument in God's hands! That is what I love most about interviews becasue the spirit is always so strong and I always feel like the things I need to say just come to me in a steady stream so that these people can make the decision to follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptised in His church! I love this work and I know for a fact that this is the work of the Lord it isn't our work, but it really and truly is His work and we are just instruments in His hands! I'm so grateful that I am here and I am so grateful to be able to see miracles every day! I love this work and I love these people! Tell Mike "Happy Birthday" on Friday for me!!! Tell him that I love him and that I hope he has a great day!!! I love you all and I hope that you all are doing great! I'm doing great and like always, I'm staying real safe!!! I love you all! 

 

Love,

Elder Despain

 Pictures of K.'s baptism 9-11-11

 

 

Another baptism in my district! 9-11-11

Hola Familia! 9-15-11

Hola familia!!!! 

 

I hope everything is going well for all of you! Don't worry about the package, I will call the secretaries and see if they can get it figured out. So I have been doing great! We baptized this Sunday!!!!!!!!! It was a true miracle, it is truly amazing to be a missionary because you get to see things like this! So we just were having a hard week we were working our hardest but every possibility we had to be able to baptize fell through, and we had made a goal in our district of 3 baptisms and one of those had to come from us. 

 

So, we were working and working but nothing until Saturday afternoon we went to eat with the hermana that had signed up, I had never eaten there before but we found the house and went in to eat. Well turns out, this hermana hasn't had the missionaries over to eat in like 2 years and has been changing houses a lot. But anyways we went in and she has 3 daughters and we were waiting because the food wasn't ready yet so we were sitting there waiting and her little daughter came out and was talking to us! I asked her, her name and how old she was and she said her name was K. and she is 9 and I said, "Oh that is sweet. Did you like your baptism like a year ago?" And she said, "I still haven't been baptized...." and I asked why and she said "I don't know..." So then we eat and as we eat I was just getting to know the family and the mom and we found out that her oldest daughter isn't a memeber and neither is the youngest, K., and so when we finished eating we asked if we could share a massage with them. They said yes. We taught about my two favorite things to teach, the atonement and baptism! At the end, we invited K. to be baptised the next day which was Sunday! She just lit up with joy and had the biggest smile I have ever seen and said, "Yes, yes, yes! I have been waiting so long to be baptised and we asked the mom and she said, "Yes, that is fine. We were talking about this the other day and asking why she hadn't been baptized and we couldn't figure out why. There just has never been the opportunity!" So we were able to teach her and then she got baptised on Sunday! I haven't seen many more happier people in my life! K. was so, so, so, extremely happy that she was finally getting baptized!!! It was awesome and we asked her who she would like to have baptize her and she said me. So I had the opportunity to baptize her. It was a really awesome experience for me! I know that this is the work of the Lord and that is why miracles like this happen, and I can truly testify to the scripture in Ether 12 that said that mircales and blessings come after the trial of our faith. This past week me and my comp. both felt that our faith was tried many times but we kept pushing forward and on Saturday we saw a true miracle!!! I know that the Lord hears and answers prayers and I know that this was an answer to me and my comps. prayers! I love this work and I am truly grateful to have the opportunity to be here in the service of the Lord! 

 

On Sunday, I had to give a talk, haha. It went okay I guess. I went a little over on time but it was alright. I think I am getting use to giving talks now, haha. Also, I was reading some things this week that I really liked and wanted to ask for all of you to read but I really, really would like for my sisters and their husbands to read these. The first is an article that I liked a lot by Jeffrey R. Holland called "An High Priest of Good Things to Come" (October 1999 Conference). I really liked it and I really would like you guys to read it! Also, two more things I enjoyed a lot. They are in this months Ensign. First, by N. Eldan Tanner called "The Eternal Nature of Marriage", Second, Robert D Hales "A Part of Heaven on Earth!" Those are really good talks. I translated the titles because I read them in Spanish, so they might be a little bit different the titles but ya I'm sure you can find them! Hope you can read them. They are really great! I love you all and I hope all is well. I will write again on Monday! Love you all!

 

Love,

Elder Despain