Week 99: Christmas party

Welp, I'm almost done. It was a good week! It's been a little rough, because we had to stop teaching the 2 people that we had on date for baptism in December. So its been a struggle, but I've been doing everything I know to do, and it feels good to know I've been doing my best. We've been grinding. We had a Christmas party this week with half of the mission, and that was super fun! I gave a departing testimony, because I'm a dying missionary. That was weird. We also had a talent show, and had a really good instruction from Elder and Sister Vest of the 70. I love Elder Vest. They talked about the 3 essentials for missionary work, the things that make all the difference, and I found it to be super profound. The first one was how important it is to have the spirit. We need to do everything we can to have the spirit as missionaries and as disciples. The spirit isn't something that we can take on and off. It needs to be a constant influence. The second one is that the message of the restored gospel will only matter to them if it matters to you. If you don't love it, why would they? And fhe 3rd one was basically just don't waste time. Which is why I'm going to end the email right here! I love you all. I'll see you all very very soon...

Week 98: 98%

We had a good week! We brought a friend to our ward christmas party and he loved it and said he wants to prepare to be baptized! Please add Jose Garcia to your prayers. We also had a friend come to church and bring 4 of his friends and family, so that was a blessing. Sorry to keep this email pretty brief. I have too much fun on P-days. We played Mau for too long... I shouldn't put off my emails, yall deserve a better update, lol. I'm in my last 2 weeks. If you have any wisdom or advice for me in these last days, please send me an email! I love hearing from yall

Week 97: the Final Grind

My google photos:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/X9ZMXpKhHh67i6L2A

It's funny that I'm so close to the end of my mission, and still have no idea what to put in my weekly. This week was good! We've just been grinding and talking to literally everyone. It's been super cool to see the amount of good and sincere people we've been able to meet. Midland is incredible. We've got a lot of good friends, and are currently on track to have a white christmas!! Please pray for us and for our friends. One of my companions did sprain his ankle today, so please pray for him and that we'll be able to still get a lot of good work done. Please also pray for our friend Angel. He was supposed to get baptized this Saturday, but he's missed church the past 2 weeks, and so that might not happen. Please pray for Jenaro, as he prepares for his baptism this December as well. Also Hiram too. Lol, just please pray for all of us! I wanna make the most of this time, so all the help we can get would be much appreciated. I love you all!

Week 95 and 96. These are the last days

So I forgot to write last week. Sorry about that, and I'm not gonna write very much today because I played too much chair soccer. I left Lubbock, which I'm really sad about, and I am now in my last area. I'm in Midland! Im back in the permain basin, and I'm loving it so much. It's so fun, and my companions are incredible. We get along so well, and they are so funny. We have a good time. I don't really know what to write, other than to ask yall to please pray for the TLM, especially this December, as we strive to reach our goal of having a baptism in every companionship. I'll be fasting for it this sunday, and I would love it if everyone reading this would fast for it as well. We need all hands on deck. Here's some pictures! The church is true and it's changed my life!! The way I'm feeling right now as my mission is coming to an end is weird. Time is running out and I want to make the most of it. It's interesting, because we're told that we're in the last days of the final dispensation. I think we all need to be a lot more urgent in the gathering of Israel, because time is running out, and we have work to do. I love you all. I also got my fly home date. I'll be flying home on Dec. 30th, so I'll be home for new years!! It feels weird

Message to the Granite Ward

Hey Yall! One of the greatest things I've learned on the mission is the nature and power of Faith. There's a quote I love that says "Faith and Fear both demand you believe in something you cannot see. You choose." The beautiful thing about God's plan and purpose for us is the role of agency. That we all have a choice. And we get to choose whether we will have faith in his existence, plan, and power, or have fear, believing that none of those things are real. Fear is simply when faith is placed in the wrong thing. The birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ can bring anyone hope, joy, purpose, and peace, but only if we choose to place our faith in Him. While we live on earth, faith will always be required, and faith placed in Jesus Christ enables us to live the most enriching life possible.

Week 94: 94%

Google photos: https://photos.app.goo.gl/X9ZMXpKhHh67i6L2A

Gee, I don't even know what happened this week. We did a lot of service, and a few exchanges, so maybe that contributed, but it's been good! We put 3 of our friends on date for baptism, so that's good, but none of them were able to make it to church on sunday. Please pray for Fred Villegas and his family, Arya and Andrew Escobedo, and Ray Javalera. Fred, Aria and Ray are all on date for either November or December.

I've been talking to my mission president about when I'm coming home, and I still don't know the exact date, but it sounds like it'll probably be at the end of december. I got about 6 weeks left. it doesn't feel real. Anyways, I'm sorry this email is more boring than usual, I don't have much to say, but we helped a lady move, and I almost died because of all the cat hair. I love you all, and I'm excited to see everybody soon! I'm also super sad to leave the mission soon. It's so good here

Week 93: 🤙BYU vs TEXAS TECH 👈

So this week was pretty intense. Haha, It was so fun. I'm sure many of you already know that BYU played Texas Tech on saturday, and the game was in Lubbock, which is where I live right now. We weren't allowed to go to the game for obvious reasons, although we blitzed with the college park district, and spent pretty much the whole day (literally 7am-4pm) walking around on campus during the game trying to find people to teach. We actually got a ton of people's phone numbers, and it was great, but my goodness... It was crazy. The atmosphere was intense, and the aura we carried as missionaries was hilarious. Some tech fans said some pretty crazy things at us, but even more of them were actually super super kind. Had a few people yell at us, the sisters got booed hard-core, some elders had a beer can thrown at them, and I got bashed by a drunk dude. It was actually so funny, he said John 3:16 says you can't add more scripture, so that was goofy. It was a nerve-racking, but super fun experience, and now one of my fondest memories. So sad BYU didn't win though, but we'll be back for the next one.

Also Johnny and Melvin went to the temple for the first time and got to do baptisms for the dead. It was super awesome, and they had an incredible experience there.

We also get to do service at a food bank here in Lubbock everywhere, and they came and filmed us this week, and we were on TV on I think channel 11? So that's pretty cool too. Let me know if you see me!