Last days with Elder Sanchez

Elder Sanchez and I after he found my name tag in the parking lot that had been lost for 2 days- a bad deal when you are a missionary.

A note to Emma- Hello Cutie!
I'm so glad you are getting better at your prayers! Thank you for praying for Jorge he really needs help he's confused. I'm so excited to see your cute face on Christmas!!! I'm so sorry this mean girl is being mean! I remember when that happend to me. Thats so good you're praying for her that's exactly what Jesus wants you to do! Thank you for your prayers Emma I feel them I do I sometimes think why am I having a better day? I know it's because you are praying for me! I love you Emma with all my heart!😘

Hey Everyone!
Looking back on the last 4 months I have come such a long way. 
It is true...
And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.
This is truly the process of the mission through Jesus Christ if we come unto him and be humble we will be made weak so he can make us strong. 
However, we are also asked
Therefore, O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all your heart, might, mind and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day.
I have learned that though I may be a missionary now in title I am always called to serve him with all my heart, might mind and strength. I've been doing pretty well with everything but the heart. I feel that I haven't given everything to God yet I haven't come unto him completely-without coming unto him I cannot be made strong and I cannot help those that need the help they so desperately need.
So my question has been how do we give our heart? How can I give our father all my wishes, desires, dreams, wants, passions, and thoughts? I've been studying a lot of things but it comes down to this....
when we understand the doctorine of the attonement- the unchangeable truth- that for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever shall believe on him would not perish but have everlasting, we will be changed.
More simplified... when we understand in our hearts that God and Jesus love us we will want to give everything because we will then love them too. 
It's important to note that this type of understanding does not come from the eyes but to the heart-through the holy ghost which is why we must strive to prepare and partake of the sacrament with everything we have.

My goals to begin to understand this love is to remember him. 
I will strive this week to have my first thought be Jesus loves me 

Elder Sanchez and I are doing grand he is yes moving but my life will be forrever blessed by his example of listening and humility may God bless him. My new companion will not speak too much english, so I hear, wish me luck.

Jorge did not attend church this week and thus will not be baptized on November 12 and we have not been able to find Noel this week so it may be very likely that these, my brothers, will not begin to feel the love of God I enjoy until some other date. Hopefully soon. 
We met with this less active brother this week his name is Edgar.  His wife left him and took his little 9 year old girls and their 3 year old boy. He was broken. Elder Sanchez and I came and visited with a member Elder Bergeson(members are critical) we came in and he began to sob. Elder Sanchez and Bro. Bergeson did a wonderful job of following the spirit and helping realize that Jesus knows and that we can receive his help by obeying the commandments and exercising faith. I was able to share a little bit too oh how if we come unto Christ and excercise a little faith bit by bit(poco a poco) we will feel his love and see his light. My heart is so saddened we have tried to help him and have stoped by again but he isn't home or won't answer. I pray he will exercise a little faith so he can feel the love that God has for him and that there is love for all of us who come unto him.
for as he saids

come unto me all ye that are heavy laden and I will give you rest.
 The Halloween feast- Elder Olson (back left) made some deviled eggs- did not go well for any of us! He also gave me a pepper this week to eat and trying to prove I was "the man" ate it.  For 45 minutes I had my tongue in running water, milk shake, and all I milk candy... and I didn't get to enjoy any of it.  I'm not quite a Mexican yet.

                       A view from our Branch President's balcony
My morning breakfast for the past 3 weeks
Elder Rigby,

Hi Seleck!  It was so fun to get those short clips of you singing with your companion playing the piano.  Please tell me where you were and what you were doing.  Whoever sent it said you are an amazing missionary- I am so Proud of you!

I hope that you aren't disappointed that you aren't being transferred?  Hopefully, the work with your investigators will continue and they will reach their baptismal date goals- how fantastic that will be.

Questions- please answer
Do you have something to play the p90X discs on? yes, we have a little DVD player to watch training videos on and we can exercise videos- please send these and maker sure they are 30 minutes
What kind of sweater do you want? A good one
I thought there was a beanie in the stuff I sent you? nope
Are you still having dinner appointments regularly? Yes, quite a bit of dinner appointments- I love it.  It helps me relax- I am struggling with that.
What adventures are you finding on Saturdays- even missionaries should wander?  Well pretty much all of the adventures we have are wandering in somewhat scary neighborhoods at night and to this trailer park in the middle of farmland some afternoons to try to catch a family that is somewhat interested and tracting as well.
What are Sundays like?  Are you assigned to just one branch? Yes, we go to one branch and then normal schedule.
Are you close with the branch members? Yes, we are a light to the branch.  It's very unique.  Most of the people are converts, so we are very special to them.
How is the work coming with the investigators?
Are you making good meals? yes, very good meals, no gluten
Are you still exercising? yes- a lot every morning
How much time do you have on the computer on Mondays? I have one hour and 30 minutes

This week as a family we will be studying the talk by President Nelson from October 2016 conference, Joy and Spiritual Survival.  
I will send you notes from our last talk by President Utchtdorf as well as you own conference edition magazine.

I love and miss you so much, but there is no place I would rather you be.  Thanks for your example and service!

Love,
Mama

To me- I love you mom so much! thank you for giving me the name of the talk! Read The hope of God's light by elder uctdorf these words are what helped me begin to see the light and find hope without them I don't know what would've happend

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

1st transfers

Image
Hello! I made it through the first transfer!!! This week has been fantastic. I'm coming closer to Christ. I'm my first investigator and this one is progressing!  I've learned so much this week. Lately I've been struggling on  how to create a productive language study plan, but I received an answer that really opened things up for me!  Everything we do every moment of the day as missionaries is to help or prepare to help others. My study plan should be soley focused on helping others come unto Christ using whatever materials or methods possible to make that happen. Like my study plan every thing I do from exercising, eating, personal study, companionship study, 12-week training study, sleeping, p-day, taking a minute to relax, teaching, finding, and even using the restroom:) should be focused on preparing to help or helping people come unto Christ!  This concept of everything we do should be focused on helping others come unto Christ is something I plan to c
Read more

Coming Home

Image
  It wasn't Paris, or Zimbabwe, or Portugal- it was Yakima, Washington and to our family it is sacred ground.  Ground that we sent our brother and son to... for two years.  Our other four grew up while Seleck was gone-some of it was pretty tough.  Looking back now, it was worth it. And I am pretty certain we had angels watching over us for those two years.   We arrived at the mission home at 8:30 am on June 19th- a day we had been counting down to for quite sometime.  What a reunion it was!  President and Sister Lewis served us an amazing breakfast- thank you!  We enjoyed visiting with the other Elders who would soon be joining their families across the United States.   For the next four days, we visited, hugged, laughed, and shared so much with the people Seleck served and served with--- there are so many ways to be a missionary- just ask the Schonwald family in Bridgeport, Washington or Brother and Sister Lott in Moses Lake.  And if you want to know a
Read more

The drop off- Weeping Wednesday

Image
Families are Forever...   I am starting a new blog today to record Seleck's adventures as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. This is his blog.  I am just the story keeper.  Each week I will share his letters, emails, and pictures.  Today, I share with you our "Weeping Wednesday."  We dropped Elder Rigby off at the Provo MTC yesterday, Wednesday, July 6, 2016 at 1:45 pm.  There were 647 missionaries entering the MTC with him. If I ever wondered if these kids loved each other, today gave me the answer.... These three little boys now grown tall have always held my heart! I want to be a missionary now. I don't want to wait until I've grown... Like Father Like Son The best things are always the hardest! There is nothing quite like this bond. Heart wrenching- the birthday brothers!   Seleck challenged
Read more