Week 38: the Repentance Process

So this week was so good. I just need to say, I love my companion. Elder Pfeifer is one of my favorite people ever. He and I have very similar personalities and get along swimmingly. He is so fun, and hard working, and excited to be here, and it's great. We've played a few games of monopoly deal and have spun the wheel of woe. We made a wheel with various punishments, so now he has a video of me yodeling for 30 seconds, and I have to shave him tomorrow. It's weird, I know, but it's fun too.

Also, fun thing, we had an AMAZING discussion with Ryan, and we brought our Branch President. Ryan is our most progressing friend I think. He drove 45 min to come to church on Sunday, and he loved it. He said he's coming back next week. And he's listening to conference. Just pray for him that he'll keep progressing and make the sacrifices he needs to, and see the blessings that come from following Christ!

We also had a Mission Tour yesterday, which is why P-day was Tuesday this week. Elder Alonzo of the Seventy came to speak with us missionaries. Our mission president led a really amazing discussion outlining the steps of the repentance process, and it was so good, that I'm gonna put all the steps he gave in this email along with some scripture references.

1. Recognize your sin

Mosiah 4:2

2. Broken heart and Contrite Spirit

2 Nephi 2:7

Mosiah 4:5-6

3. Experience Godly Sorrow

Alma 36:16-18

4. Confess your sins

Mosiah 26:29

5. Forsake the sin

Alma 39:9

Mosiah 5:2

6. Make Restitution

3 Nephi 12:23-24

7. Forgive others to be forgiven ourselves

Mosiah 26:31

8. Seek Forgiveness from God

Enos 1:4

9. Recieve Forgiveness and Peace

Mosiah 4:3

Mosiah 4:11-12

10. Invite others to partake

Mosiah 28:3

1 Nephi 8:10-18

Luke 22:32

President Nelson has really emphasized the need to apply the repentance process daily. We need to make the process of repenting our daily friend. And what's beautiful is that in the process of each step of the repentance process, you feel a little lighter. Your burden isn't as heavy, and as you continue in the process, you feel that burden get lighter and lighter until your free and forgiven. Each step is important, and if you want to feel forgiven, feel light and pure before God, it's through daily repentance. This is the path of Joy, so walk it!

Also my brother Daniel got baptized this week!!! I love him so much. He's a good boy. Making covenants with God and keeping them brings so much joy. I love you guys!!

- Elder Wride

I hope y'all know that Pic of us running didn't do me any favors. I'm not that chubby, but it still motivated me to work out harder

Week 37: 1st week as a Trainer

So I am training now!! Which is so much fun. Elder Pfeifer is amazing, and I am so lucky to have him as my comp. He's a hard working, fun guy, so we've enjoyed our first few days together. The inly downside is that new missionaries aren't allowed to drive, so I have to drive all the time, and we've got lots of long drives here in Texas. And I get kind of drowsy. Just took a P-day Nap, but man. I'm getting tired.

General Conference

Definitely the highlight of this week was general conference, and I didn't take tons of notes, but I wrote down the one liners that stood out to me, and the stuff that seemed to really resonate with me. One thing that really started to make sense to me was why we sometimes need to feel alone. We go through a lot of trials, and there are many times where we may feel in complete darkness, or completely alone. But sometimes we need to reach that point because it is only when we are truly alone, isolated away from all the things that normally distract us that we can feel the presence of the Savior. Many times, we feel that we're struggling, getting weaker, going to a darker place, or feeling more and more alone, and usually we think that's bad. But everyone needs to experience it at some point. He really is always with us, but so often we don't feel it or don't recognize it. We need to reach a point where we are so isolated and alone, so that we can finally be alone WITH Him. So really we're making progress, because we can finally know the Savior for who he truly is. And then we can finally have such a personal and intimate relationship with the Savior and be able to say "He is my Jesus."

That's all I'll say for this week. I LOVE you all and I miss you!

- Elder Wride

I would've added more things, but it won't let me attach videos!

Week 36: this is War

So I don't remember if I wrote it last week, but the guy Jesús that I put on date just vanished. The visit right after putting him on date, we found out he just up and moved to Mexico. We're praying the missionaries in Mexico find and baptize him. But this week, we did put 3 people on date! The mom and two kids of a family have been coming to church, and reading and we showed them the font at church yesterday. It's exciting!!

One day we had another guy bash us. We also had a friend that same day go on about our frequencies, and how if you give love, positive affection, and attention to a glass of water, it'll vibrate with positive frequency and change the molecules to be healthier. I had a headache after that day.

We've also had some really good lessons. And we got transfer news last night!! Elder Ellis is leaving, I'll be staying, and I'll be training!! I told president I really wanted to train, and now I get to. I'm so excited, but also anxious. Any tips for those who trained?

Spiritual thought

So... I've changed some things. I've been thinking. And I realize I've been giving Satan a lot more little victories that I thought. I don't want to talk too much about this, but I've made a commitment to myself and to God. I am now in an all-out war against Satan. I know I'll still make mistakes, but I've committed to implement every tool I've been given and make the most of each moment. I will not let Satan win the little battles anymore, because they build up. It's just interesting to think: who's side am I really serving? Because you can't serve two masters. Everyone has to make the decision at some point to let God prevail in their lives, and I'm determined to make that decision now. I will make this decision again and again, everyday. I have to recommit every morning. If I am successful, this battle will last for the rest of my life.

- Elder Wride

I made some killer tres leches. Best cake I've ever had

I've killed 7 spiders this week in our house, 2 of which were fat black widows

Week 35: Please pray for rain

I love driving through rain puddles. They don't really have a drainage system here so they get massive. It's one of my favorite things.

So I had a very eye opening experience this week. There are times when I'm motivated, excited, and hard working, but what's annoying is those feelings don't just last on their own. You gotta work to maintain them, and sometimes it's really hard. I had a few days this week where I didn't try my best. And I actually felt a difference in myself. There were still some amazing lessons we had, so I'm grateful God was still willing to use me, even though I wasn't trying as hard as I should have, and have done in the past. But I think something changed for me on Sunday. The thing that I noticed right off the bat was 3 of our friends came to church!! No friends have actually come to church in many, many months here. So we were definitely surprised. Then as the meeting went on, I noticed I felt very empty, and I felt so sorry for our friends. They're genuinely trying to learn who God is, and they deserve a spiritually led missionary. And I'll be so much more spirit led if I'm willing to sacrifice what I want, in order to do my duty. God asks us to give our wills him, which is very hard. He wants us to choose his way over our way. It's funny though, because we're always happier if we're doing it God's way. Visiting with our friends here and them coming to church, just reminded me how I need to step up again. There are people who need me, and there are people that need you. God wants us to do our real best, because that's when he knows he can work with us and change people's lives.

ALSO, VERY IMPORTANT!! We have a friend here who is so genuine and wants to come to church, but he works so much. He only gets days off when it rains, those are the only times we can visit with him, and so he can only make it to church if it rains on sundays. Please pray that it will rain in Dalhart on Sunday so that he can get work off and come to church. His name is Tiaan. Thank you so much!!

- Elder Wride

Pictures 

1. Got a new record on the Rubix cube. I also taught Elder Ellis how to solve one 

2. Ethan's reaction to my most recent post on Facebook hahaha. Sorry if I made y'all uncomfortable

3 & 4. Some fun with Meta. I'm a jedi

5. Meme of the week

6. There's this young couple in our branch who keep asking us to unlock the church, and we've pranked them a few times. She needs to practice piano sometimes for when she plays in church, and we put pop its on the chair, duck taped the piano shut, put sticky notes on the paint keys, and put pop it's on the door to fall on them when they walk in. They got us back by locking the seat belts in our car and hiding the key in the car.... don't worry, we found it fast.

Week 34: Fear VS Love

 Hahaha sorry this email will be short. I think I want to write about Jesús! He's a friend of ours, and he just accepted the invitation to be Baptized! It's so fun to teach him, every lesson we have with him is so peaceful. It's funny, everytime we pull up, he's just sitting in his hammock outside reading the Book of Mormon. Every lesson we've had has been so amazing. When I taught yhe restoration and recited the first vision was my favorite one. Elder Ellis, an English missionary who doesn't speak a link of spanish remarked how the lesson was so spirit filled, even though he had no idea what we were saying. I don't know if I should be upset or grateful, but he stealthily recorded a majority of the lesson. It was fun to watch (and be reminded how much I need to practice spanish), but the best part was that I was able to point out the spirit to Jesús. I asked him how he felt, to which he said peaceful, and I told him that was the spirit. I'm still not always sure when it's the spirit or not, but really all Good things come from God, and Jesús recognized that it was the spirit.

Anyways, as a district, we've played Gaga Ball the past 2 P-days. I kind of feel bad, but I annihilate in Gaga Ball. They fear me.

Spiritual thought

I've just been thinking about fear and love today. I think the most effective tool the adversary uses to hinder missionary work is fear. There are many people I see in a day that I have a feeling I should go talk to, and it's so easy to decide not to because it'll be awkward, or they look mean, etc. But fear is a tool of the Devil. God's best weapon is love. And perfect love casts out all fear. There are many things we can fear:

1. People

2. Hard questions

3. Work

4. Awkwardness

5. When people hate you

6. You get the idea

There are 3 different loves that I think really overpower any of those fears:

1. Love of the people

2. Love of the Gospel

3. Love of God

If you love the people, regardless of who they are, you will talk to them and be genuine with them. If you love the Gospel, if you see it for what it truly is (which is the most beautiful thing in the universe) you'll naturally want to share it with everyone. And 3rd, which is most important is to love God. If you love God, the other two should take care of themselves, and your love for God will fuel everything you need. It will help you keep going when you'd normally give up. So my invitation to y'all is to let your love for God cast out all the fear you have.

I never know if make much sense in my emails, but those are my thoughts right now. I love you guys!

Pics:

This was for Peter  

A pretty painting of the SLC temple 

My new favorite ice cream. I got to be careful

Elder Ellis said that I'm Mike Wasowsky in these reel. (I think he's joking)

- Elder Wride

Week 33: Someone tried to Bash us again

I got a couple of comments from my last email about my hair in the sink. I just want to clarify that while I cut my hair over the sink just so I could use the mirror. I did not leave my hair in there. I swept it all out and threw it in the trash. I'm not a barbarian.

So I don't have too much to write for this week. Probably the most eventful thing was this lady that tried to bash us. So we had tracked into her son, Chris, about a week or two ago, and we gave him a Book of Mormon, and he said we could come back. Then we got a text and he said "I think I'll stay Baptist." And he mentioned how he had some questions. So we asked if we could meet up just once so we could address those and so he could hear us out. We met up this week, and he was standing outside, and his mom was knitting on the porch. Right off the bat, the vibe felt weird. Chris seemed genuine, but it was weird, like he was acting for his Mom. It felt like he was there to practice bashing and defending what he grew up with. So I straight up asked "Did you guys just invite us here to practice bashing? Are you guys actually interested in talking, or have you already made up your minds despite what we say?" His mom seemed very angry with us. She brought up pretty much every anti topic, all of which, she was very misinformed on. Polygamy, Word of Wisdom, DNA studies, racism, temple stuff, linguistic stuff, etc. She got mad that we wouldn't discuss the temple with her, because were supposed to be open with people we teach. We told her that she's not ready to hear it. She also made some pretty wild, and wrong claims, and I told her straight up "you just don't know that much about our Church's history."  She said she does because she has mormon friends she talks to. We addressed a lot of her claims. She also talked about how Jesus said that there would be no other Book besides the Bible, I asked her where, but couldn't remember where because of memory loss. (There isn't one) Anyways, her son Chris has some genuine questions. He said there could be more scripture. And he said he would read the Book of Mormon. It was kind of annoying because his Mom would interrupt with secondary questions. At one point we just stopped talking, and she asked us why. And we said "Well there's only so much we can do if you haven't even read it." Chris said he would read it and pray and call us in a few weeks. So Chris is hype. Looking back, maybe I was a little to firm with his mom though. She told us to read the Bible and pray to know the truth. She said how we'll remember this day, when we stand before God. God will tell us "you had your chance, but you refused to listen." I told her "I could say the same thing to you ma'am." Yeah maybe I was too harsh. Any tips for how to handle a situation where the lady wants to bash? I mean she said she'd look into our book too, so I guess it was kinda successful.

Anyways, I love you guys!! Stay sober, work hard, read the scriptures, and love God!! Look to God and live (Alma 37:47)

- Elder Wride

1. Afrikaans Book of Mormon. It says Die a lot.

2. We kidnapped a frog

3. Exchanges. I bought some Spiderman sunglasses

4. Elder Ellis with a praying mantis

Week 32: Patience is a Godly Virtue

I learned an important lesson this week. I'm not sure how much I should share here tho...

So Monday, I got to call my parents, and we had a good talk, but I was feeling pretty sad. Shed a few tears. I felt like I was really doing all I know how to do, but that God was ignoring me. Then Tuesday night, my Companion and I were having a talk, and I shared some things that were on my mind. We were talking about witnesses, and he started to share an experience, and I got very interested, and then he said he felt like he shouldn't tell me. He said he felt like the spirit told him not to tell me any more. And that really frustrated me. I couldn't be mad at my companion, because his experience is his, and he has the right to share it with who he wants. But I was frustrated and upset and I felt more justified in the idea that God is just ignoring me. That he won't speak to me. I went to bed in a sour mood. 

When I woke up I was already feeling better. Sleep is magical and healing. I decided to focus my personal study that day on Patience. I learned a lot, and I'll shared a bit of that here.

1. The first was about a greater witness and lesser witnesses. The day will come when all mankind will stand before Christ and see him as he is. Every knee with bow, and every mouth confess he is the Christ. I'd say that's a pretty great witness. But if there is a greater witness, that implies there are lesser witnesses. So until the day comes when your greater witness comes, what are you supposed to? Well, just think about the many little witnesses you've recieved. One thing that helped me was thinking about all these beautiful things that I've got because of the Book of Mormon, and because of the church. Those are all little trstifiers that it is good and true. So while I haven't had a greater witness yet, I've had many, many small witnesses.

2. Second is what is IMpatience. Sometimes it makes it easier to know what something is by studying what it isn't. Impatience is when you want something, and you want it when you want it, and you want it what way because that's the way that is best (according to you). So in a very literal sense, when you are impatient, it's because you think you know better than God. Patience is when you know that God knows best, and so you surrender to his will.

3. Third is a thought I got this morning while listening to a talk. "Let Patience Have Her Perfect Work, and Count It All Joy!" By Elder Jaggi. The scripture he brought up was James 1:2-4. It says 

2. My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;

3. Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience .

4. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

So I've taken that new tactic. Instead of focusing on what I don't have, I'm going to focus more on what I've already been blessed with. Instead of focusing on what I want to know, focus on what I do know, and share that with others. Anyways, patience is important. You don't know better than God does, and he's got blessings in store for you. You just got to wait for the appointed day.

- Elder Wride

Sorry I don't got any pictures. Except I gave myself a trim. And someone sent me this funny video.