Nov. 22, 2010

This past week has been pretty good. We had some really good miracles happen. One of our investigators Guadalupe is supposed to be getting baptized this week and so I am praying that this will go through. But he did not come to church this sunday, and so we went over there later last night to see what had happened. And his wifes sister told us that he was on the phone because I guess his dad is way sick and possibly dying down in Mexico and that he has been talking with all these people in Mexico the entire day. So I guess that is why he missed church. So I hope everything goes alright with that and that he will still be ready to be baptized this week. Because in all reality this would help him out more than anything else. But I have a feeling that I am going to have to whip out some loving boldness and let him and the Lord do the rest. But hopefully he is already turning to the Lord right now and so we wont have to remind him of that. But also I had one of the coolest experiences in my mission happen to me this week as well. We went over to teach this couple named Fransico y Maria. And they invited us right in and everything, and we had planned to watch a movie with them about Joseph Smith. But then he pointed to his eye and how he had gotten all these chemicals in it and everything at work. And so it was all swollen and red and just looked pretty nasty. And so he was just like asking us to come back another day cause it was kinda hurting him and he couldn't see or anything. And so we just decided that we needed to ask him if he would like a blessing before we left. And he said he would like that and asked us if it was better than medicine. And so we gave him a short lesson on the priesthood and about healing and how the most important part was his own faith. He told us how he had faith to move mountains and that he was ready. And so my comp annointed him with oil and I sealed it and pronounced the blessing. And I was pretty nervous cause this is my first blessing in spanish, but I remembered one of the teachers at the mtc told us how he once had to confirm somebody when he didn't know spanish and how the words just flowed from his mouth. And even after his mission he said that his spanish was not as good as it was that one day. And so I said a quick little prayer and I told God I had faith and I knew that God was with me. And so I stood up and I waited for the words to come. And come they did. About 2 sentences long was all that I could think to say. But even though it was not a long blessing there was just so much power behind it. My words did not come with eliquency or in a long drawn out blessing. They came with power and with a simple promise that he would be healed. Such a testimony to me that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is not in word but in power. I then closed the blessing. He thanked us and we pretty much turned to leave, when his sister stopped us and was like I too would like a blessing, can you please give me one. Honored and touched by her sincerity we told her that of course we would give her one. My comp said the blessing for her. It was definitaley spirit filled. She thanked us and told us how good she felt. She then went up to her other sister and told her how she felt and that she too should ask for a blessing. She did and she sat herself in the chair. I was then allowed another opportunity to give a blessing. This time the spanish did actually flow. I doubt it was perfect but it was God wanted me to say nonetheless, and I wasn't even thinking in english when I said it. Extremely touched and humbled by this experience we thanked them for their faith and their time, shook there hands and left. Fransisco's eye was no longer puffed up, only red. The Priesthood power is definitely real, and he really must have had a lot of faith. We then offered a prayer of gratitude to God for this awesome experience. And i was reminded of the story in the Book of Mormon when Christ came down, and how all the people gathered around and asked him to bless them. And he was able to bless everyone. I told my companion this, and he said what makes it even cooler is that these are the descendants of those people. I was like wow that is so true. What an honor it is that I get to serve among these people. The very descendants of those who Christ blessed nearly 2000 years ago. I love yall so much, and thank you so much for your prayers for me and for the people here. Have a good week. And Alena you better put your so you think you can dance on and get an A in your class! After the graduation of Elder Nelson, Nelson's don't get B's anymore or anything lower. You better step up your game girl! Be prepared, be prepared, oh always be prepared...I got horns that open pickle jars, I got horns that hold my keys, I got horns that have something that let me watch tv!! I was prepaaaaared! Ya I have no idea why that song just popped in my head. Ok love yall have a good week!

Nov. 15, 2010

It is amazing to me how much I can the feel the love of God right now. Just from reading yall's letters and feeling the love and spirit that resides in our family and in the gospel. I had chosen not to think about the death of Justin's dad when i got the first letter. I realize after reading these letters now that this was a mistake. That blessing that was given to Justin about his testimony growing and becoming one of the best missionaries and a future leader in the church is so true. My testimony has grown so much in these last couple of minutes. The one thing I have lacked and feared these last couple weeks was about fearing my potential. I thought that being a leader by example would be enough, that I did not have to tell somebody they were doing something wrong, just worry about myself and doing what is right. I realize now that that would only be reaching half of my potential and half of the man that God wanted me to be. I feel like i could have done so much more knowing this before now; but it is such a motivation to me to change now. I am so grateful for the testimony I have. I know that Justin and the rest of the Ence family is going to make it through this. Justin was always an example and leader to me. I will wirte him today and so forgive me for not making this letter as long as usual. But if you could please pray for Alex Pruneda and his family as well as Charity Butler and her family, and the Medina and Cuintero family. I love yall so much. Have a good week

Nov. 8, 2010

Yep I got everything mom. Thank you so much. This week was good; a lot of what we did was help the Bishop and try to do everything he asked us to do. Crazy thing happened again this week as we had this bomb older couple who we were going to invite to be baptized, dropped us. Another incident where he came outside w/ the Book of Mormon in his hand and told us he was basically not interested anymore. And so I bore my testimony to him, and I told them that even if we didn't come over again I wanted him to continue reading in the Book of Mormon and pray about it. And so he took his book back and that was that. I am not gonna lie that was a pretty hard blow, but at least he agreed to keep the Book of Mormon. But don't worry grandma, I am not mad or depressed, I just want to share the Gospel so bad and I want these people to know just how important this gospel is. And if anything, my faith has increased. You know I read this talk and it said something to this affect about faith. When Mishac, Shadrac, and Abednego stood before the king he told them that if they did not deny their God that he would throw them into the furnace. They then responded that they would not deny their God but knew that their God had the power to deliver them from the flames; and that he would deliver them from the flames. A lot of us may read this part and say wow now that is a lot of faith, but this comment that they had made was not the faith part; but what they said next. And even if he does not deliver us from the flames we know that he is the one true God, and he had the power to do so. A lot of us may look at challenges and say I have faith that God will deliver me from these challenges, but when they don't go away we feel like we have lost faith or maybe we don't have enough faith or else God would have removed these trials from us. The Book of Mormon says something similar when it says that we receive no witness until after the trial of our faith. I mean sure I have seen my share of trials these last couple weeks, but I know that God will provide a way for these trials to be overcome, and if he does not I still have faith in Him that He will help me learn from them, and that he has the power to remove them, but he knows the bigger picture. I love this work with all my heart and I know that it is truly God's work. If something isn't going a hundred percent all the time, well maybe God is giving me an opportunity to make my weaknesses become strong and to exercise my faith a little more. Besides it does no good to complain about things, it will only make those things stick in your head, and become who you are. But I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the son of God, and I have been called of Him to declare his word among his people. In the midst of these trials there has been so many good things that have happened, and are still yet to happen. If yall could pray that we might be able to teach Alex Pruneda's family and also Charity Butler's family that would be so awesome. Tell cha chi that I am going to write him, in fact i did write him but i lost the letter so I will wirte him agian. I love yall so much have a good week.

Nov. 1, 2010

I am irate at Nicks comment! I don't even know what the word monotonous means. But ok I am done saying that word. It is out of my vocabulary. Also Mom i am in some dire need of some winter stuff aka gloves and thermals. But as for my week, it was pretty good. Although I must admit I got rightfully/spiritually IRATE i mean disappointed at one of our investigators otra vez this week. So His name is Pablo and we found him about 3-4 weeks ago and he was way receptive and we put him on date on the first lesson. And he wrote it down and he put it where he could see it and was just so awesome. So we called him that Saturday night and were just reminding him of church and well to make a long story short he had talked to his Pastor. He then told us how he owed his pastor alot and how there is no point in switching over and all this stuff. And so we asked him if we could stop by and see him and he said we could. So we tried probably like 4 or 5 times but never found him home. But this week we found him and he invited us in and started listing off these scriptures that apparently his Pastor had given him in case we came back. And he was just way confused because the pastor had told them that this is what those scriptures meant, and well we cleared everything up and told him what everything really meant. And we told him that ultimately the only way he would be able to find out if what we said was true; was to read the Book of Mormon and ask God if it was true. And even though he was still confused he said that he would read it and ask. Mission accomplished right? Apparently NOT! When we went to check up on him and see if had read this is what happened: We knocked on his door...he asked who it was... le dijimos, los misioneros... he responded that he was to busy...in which we said that we werent here to teach him but just told him that we had a question for him and it would only take a second... Once again he told us he was to busy, in which we chose to tell him otra vez that we only wanted to ask a question. He then opened the door with book of mormon in hand and said that he was no longer interested in our religion and that he did not want the book anymore. And of course we said, "You havent read have you?" And it went back and forth, us telling him that he needed to read it and him telling us that he wasn't interested. And I can't even explain how like dramatically intense this was. Like my companion and I just wanted him so bad to read it, like the spirit was like actually way strong. But in the end he was like the book of Mormon cannot be true it says so in apocalipse (Revelations) and he put down the book of mormon on his steps and shut the door. And so he had most definately talked to his Pastor again. But as weird and crazy and dramatic as this was. It was just a testimony builder to me, as i recalled a scripture that tells how there is going to be false teachers and prophets and that many will fall to their prenicious ways for reason of which the truth shall be spoken evil of. And so in all honesty like the reason why we were the way we were was because we loved this guy we really did, and we wanted him to know the truth. And afterwards I still loved him and I actually wasn't mad at him at all, I was mad at his pastor, for he truly fulfilled the prophecy written in the book of Timothy. And when I left his house I left with a burning desire in my chest to just go out and start bearing my testimony to the world that the book of mormon is true. And so we went to one of our investigator alex house and taught him about the book of mormon. And it was just solid. we were able to listen to his concerns, address them and bear testimony to the book of mormon. He then committed himself to read it, when before it always had been that he would try. And the whole night was just solid after that cause I knew the spirit was with us. I love the Book of Mormon with all my heart. I know that it is true, that it is the most correct book here upon this earth. I will stand in front of those that are poor and those that are rich, the servant and the King, The Pastors and those that are in the fold, The learned and the unlearned, and I will bear witness to everyone that I come in contact with that this book is true. That we have a prophet here on this Earth that leads and guides this church by being a mouthpiece to God. Let me be a mouthpiece as well to all those who do not know the truthfullness of the book of mormon. And they will know without a doubt that i know that it is true. I love this work and I thank yall so much for your prayers. And I will pray for all those who are in need of it now. Have a good week.

Oct. 25, 2010

Hola familia! To answer alisa questions, yes i know about those band things, cause Alayna sent me one a couple weeks back and told me about them. Pero i have not worn them cause it is against the mission rules. And to answer your question mama, about my baptism, I will tell you the things I remember. I remember the day before my baptism I was playing baseball with pops, and I got hit in the eye and so I had a giant black eye on my baptismal day. And I wish I could remember more of the actual day but I don't really remember the day at all. But I do remember that after I got baptized and I was changing back into my clothes, just how happy and warm I felt. I remember dad and, not exactly his face, but I just remember that I could tell he was so proud of me. And that I was so happy for that. I remember thinking along time after my baptism, about dad being happy and proud for me, and I realized that he was not the only Father I pleased that day; but how happy I had made my Father in Heaven. I also remember thinking about my baptism; here on my mission when I was at the MTC and for about two seconds I was jealous of those who had been baptized converts. They seemed to remember their baptisms really well and always had a cool story; and I was almost upset at the fact that I had been baptized then with no way cool story to go along with it. And I remember that it was then I realized how glad I really was that I was baptized when I was. And how much easier and better my life really was because from the time I was 8 I have been able to live worthily to have the H.G. with me. I remembered how when I was just a kid in Texas that I was able to stand and testify of the things I knew to be true, whether that was to my friends, school teachers, baseball coaches or baptists priests at a baptist camp. And how not once was I ever confounded by anything anyone ever said; sure maybe I didn't know the answer but I knew that I was part of the true church of Jesus Christ, and that if I prayed that God would give me the answer if I needed it. And I have had that same knowledge grow with me and stay with me till now and into the future. And now I am here now trying to teach people things that I had born witness to me ever since I was 8 and testified to all my friends about. But I hope that will do for my answer to your question mom. But now for my week. It was good with some major bumps and Irateness from Elder Nelson. We met with Catalina this week and she tells us how she now thinks she does not need to be baptized how she was already baptized into the catholic church and how really all the churches are the same because they are all good and worship the same God. So we talked to her about the authority and how that is the purpose of Joseph Smith and the role of the Book of Mormon and how in order to get an answer you need to read it and pray about it. How hard is that!!!!! Granted you have to do it with a sincere heart and with real intent( Both with the belief that you are going to receive and answer and with the intent to do what ever it takes to act on that answer) And so we invited her to read and pray every day this week, and that if she did this she would receive an answer from God. So we went over ther on Saturday to see how she was doing and she chupatized us! We saw her in her house, and she ran and hid, and told some guy to tell us she was not there! I was so IRATE!!! needless to say she had not kept her end of the promise. So Octaviano y Catalina will not be getting baptized this week. But we still want to talk to Octaviano and see what is really going on because he is always way cool and honest and will give us a straight answer. This week. But other than that dissapointment the week has been really good. We taught a couple way awesome people, and had some really way powerful lessons. In fact this girl named Leti after a really powerful lesson just completely opened up and told us how she just wanted to feel the way she did right then forever. But she couldn't come to church this week because she has a chupa boy friend how has got to go. She told us beforehand that she had already planned to go up to Pasco with his family sunday morning. Lame! Pretty sure there was no happiness in that trip haha. But I love the people here and I am so excited, and pops your right everybody has got there agency, and it wouldn't be the plan of God if it was any other way. It just makes it a little sad some times. But the times they excercise there agency in the right way is equally happy and 10 times more rewarding. Oh and a side not, my comp Elder Pound got his visa and will be heading off to Mexico tomorrow. So it will be back down to two full time missionaries here in warden. Love yall so much! thanks for yall's prayers and letters

Oct. 18, 2010

This past week was good. Octaviano y Catalina failed us by not coming to church this week and we taught them about the sabbath day the night before! I was so Irate! cause they are on date to be baptized this next coming week. Ahh! In fact our only investigator that came to church was a 8 or 9 year old boy, of a part member family. Which is good because he is on date to be baptized with the rest of his family later on down the road. But other than that we had a couple awesome things happen to us this week. Including an awesome rejection by this lady. We knocked on our door and tell her we are the missionaries from the church of Jesus Christ of latter days and she just starts busting up laughing and says that she is sorry. And so Elder Gillespie is like what are you sorry for? And she starts laughing even harder and starts shaking her head and shuts the door. It was kinda way funny, because it just reminded me of something Alena would do or something. But then we also had an awesome surprise where we went to this one potential named Velma's house. And we actually skipped over her house a little earlier cause we noticed the cars of both her husband and son there, who have already told us that they are not interested and to come not by when they are not there. But then our appointment fell through and so we just decided to go back and try her. And so we talked to her a little bit outside and it is pretty darn cold outside and so we ask to come in and she starts telling us how she can't let us in because the dogs will most likely attack us and they can't take the chance. And so we talk to her a little longer outside and our fixing to leave and then her hater husband comes to the door and tells us to come inside. And we are thinking that this has to be a trap or something. Like guaranteed anti or they are going to sick the dogs on us or something. And the next thing we know they are asking us to sit down and the son comes over and is like what can I get yall to drink? Here take this seat, and we are just all way confused. And so we just start teaching them and are just waiting for some anti stuff at every turn. But nothing came and they were just agreeing with everything and acting like they just really wanted us to be happy and comfortable and stuff. And the lesson went really well, and they just seemed like an awesome family. And I don't think they were acting because the whole countenance of both the dad and the son had completely changed from last time. And so I guess God just really blessed them and humbled their hearts. And so that was awesome. And then also we had an awesome miracle this week with the wife of Guadalupe. She actually tore her acl last week and so she is bed ridden for now and so when we went over to teach guadalupe this week he was not there but she was. And this is the guy who would have been baptized but he won't until his wife agrees and everything. But she refuses to sit down to the lessons and everything but this time he is not there and she is just sitting on the couch and can't move so we decided that this is the opportunity we have been waiting for. So we ask if we can come in and she is like ya; and so we ask her how she is feeling and she is in quite of bit of pain. So we end up bringing up the power of the priesthood and the ability to heal the sick and afflicted. And to make a long story short she agreed to receive a blessing. So Elder Gillespie annointed her with oil and I administered the blessing. And pretty much just commanded her that by her faith that she would at that very moment be able to get up and walk and that the pain would leave. And then she stood up and she could walk like it was nothing. Swelling gone and completely back to normal. Actually i didn't really say that and that is not what happened although I was just waiting for the inspiration to come and so I could say it. But apparently that is not what the Lord wanted, but as I waited for the things to say the words of God came to my mouth and I gave his will to her and not the blessing that I would have given her if this was my work. But I knew the words I said were not my own and by the power of the Holy Ghost the blessing was delivered and even though she was not miracously healed; I knew that I had the ability to do so if God had commanded me. And so the Spirit was so strong and maybe even more importantly than her leg being healed right then, was hopefully the healing of her own heart and humility and a bigger possibility of listening next time we come over. Thank yall so much for yall's prayers and letters. I love yall so much and angela have fun at the house. And momma pops and grandpa have fun with the fish! If yall could also pray for the ability for us to get more investigators to church that would be awesome. Love yall so much

Oct. 11 *FINALLY*

*sorry I've been a slacker at updating Ty's blog. Here ya go everyone:

Crazy story! I just read that scripture in Romans like 3 days ago and I thought the same thing you did mom. I like that one a lot. This week here in warden was really good! We taught a lot of people and I had an opportunity to rebuke the ward in sacrament meeting and it was awesome and then Bishop got up there and rebuked the ward after me; double awesome. My talk was based on John 17:15-19 or something like that. It is where Christ asks Peter if he loves him 3 times and then every time after Peter says he does Christ says Feed my sheep. Awesome scripture. I can't remember really anything i said in my talk, because I never write my talks out but i basically just told them to look into my eyes as I told them that I loved them, and that I could say that because I knew that Jesus loves them and that I loved Jesus. And then of course I asked them if they loved Christ; and repeated the scripture of how Chirst told peter to demonstrate his love; Feed my sheep. Ahh! I just love bearing my testimony to people so much! Member, non-member, non Christian, everyone! I have been praying every day in order for me and my companions to have opportunites to share our testimonios y it is just so awesome to me when they share their testimonies, and then one of us will just come in with a second witness. And we really have had so many opportunites to do so these past couple weeks. We also taught a new family this week, and I really think they have a lot of potential and will most definately be baptized one of these days. The parents names are Arnoldo y Maria. We have actually Arnoldo a couple times, but the lessons are always ten times better if you can teach the parents together, and that was the first time the wife was there, and she is so awesome. And then also this week we found a new ganster investigator, he actually reminds me a lot of my roommate Shae, but man he comes up with the wierdest ways to 'liken the scriptures unto himself'. It is way funny. But he is a really good guy and has the desire to change. He told us that he loves listening to the word of God because he remembered this one time when he was smoking his weed in the park and this little Jehova's witness boy came up to him and asked to share him a scripture, and he was like man i can't say no to a little kid, and so he decided to listen to it. And afterwards even though he didn't feel to different; he saw how happy the little kid was for coming up with the courage to share this scripture with him. And so from there on out he will just listen to people. And so he let us in to listen, and like i said when we read the scriptures he likes to compare and liken the scriptures to him. So he really likes reading the book of mormon, but now we got to work on the applying part. Please keep praying for Octaviano y Catalina tambien porque ellos no vinieron a la iglesia ayer, and right now is the time they need to make sure they are being consistent and so the devil doesn't have to much room to work with them. As well as the other investigators here. I love yall so much. And I don't know what I want for Christmas yet ma, because it is not even halloween. Oh and I thank angela for sending me Tylers and Kylees drawings, for I muchly enjoyed them. Oh and you better watch out ma cause it looks like Alisa is getting better on her arts and crafts. Thanks for yall's prayer otra vez.