Aguirre's: The Aguirre's are a Latino family from Guadalajara that we started teaching through the #LighttheWorld Initiative about 3 weeks ago. Each week we have been trying to get back to them, but they haven't been home. This past friday was finally the day that it worked out, and it was quite a spectacular lesson. After we learned that they had not read in the Book of Mormon, we tried teaching about the importance of it. We taught that the Book of Mormon is the evidence, its the test. If the Book of Mormon is the true word of God through his called and chosen prophets, then the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the true Church of God upon this earth, Joseph Smith was a true prophet that was the instrument in the hands of God in restoring his true church upon the earth again, and the modern day prophets and apostles are those that are still called and chosen of God as his mouthpieces to us in our day and age. She then told us firmly that she wasn't going to change religions, that she was going to stay Catholic until she died, and that no matter what we did, she wouldn't be convinced. The member we brought with us, an old friend of the family, then testified of the book and the church and firmly stated that we can't do anything, we are only asking them to read a couple pages in a book and pray about it to God. This is all we missionaries do, every day. We share this message of the true church to those to ask God and find the answer for themselves. We do not convince, we do not force, we only invite other to Come unto Christ, for as Alma testifies in the Book of Mormon, the way we get our answer is: "Behold, I say unto you they are made known unto me by the Holy Spirit of God. Behold, I have fasted and prayed many days that I Might know these things of myself. and now i do know of myself that they are true; for the Lord God hath made them manifest unto me by his Holy Spirit; and this is the spirit of revelation which is in me.(BoM,Alma 5:46)"
Christmas Eve: So, as I have previously stated, this weekend we had some extra P-day time and boy was it weird. Starting off on Christmas Eve, everything was normal. The thing that wasn't normal was that nobody was home at all. We tried a lot of people but it didn't work out so we tried visiting all of the new members in one of our wards. One of the doors that we knocked on was a Family in the middle of having their family reunion. They invited us in, while they were taking family pictures, and talked to us for a little bit. Then after that family we tried visiting some other people and got calls from our Mission President and our Assistants to the President about Transfers (info below). After all this had happened, we headed over to our dinner appointment. It was with the Julander family, and their son had just received a mission call to the Bangkok, Thailand mission. We brought him a Thai Tie to Tie for his mission as a present and had a wonderful dinner with them. Because of some communication, they knew that I really loved Egg Nog and brought me some Reed's Dairy Egg Nog, and my companion got Reed's Dairy Chocolate Milk (Heavenly), and we went our way. We then headed over to one of our ward buildings and had some fun just relaxing and playing some games. Went to bed a little early and had a great night's rest.
Christmas Day: Then comes the day that Mom's over the world of Missionaries cry for. My companion and I woke up around 7 and opened our Christmas boxes from our Parents, after showering and getting ready to go for the day, we headed over to the Spanish Ward for 9:00 Sacrament meeting. There were only 7 People there when we got there at about 9. Oh, I forgot to mention that we were in the middle of a mini-blizzard, so that helped. Since a lot of the members were visiting home and traveling, My companion blessed the sacrament in Spanish, and had some talks by some of the members of the ward about Christmas and the Atonement. Then the Bishop, Obispo Arellano, got up and talked about the Atonement in depth. It was very powerful and spiritual as he talked about what Christ did for us at the end of his life, from the Garden to the Cross. After the Sacrament Meeting, we headed over to a member family and had some breakfast. The father is one of our Ward Mission Leaders and it was fun being with their family. Then we went to email. Missionaries get to write emails home once a week on monday, but the rest of the time have no communication with our families. But on Christmas and Mother's Day, we get to skype home and talk to our families for about 40 minutes. It was a good call and it was great to see my family again, but now I'm ready to get back to work. We then went over to our Stake President's house, followed by our dinner appointment with someone from the Spanish Ward. She and her friend who was visiting from out of town, are both from Georgia. They used to live in Covington and sometimes worked in Alpharetta, so we talked quite a bit about our home. Then we headed to one of our buildings to have an activity with all of the missionaries in Rexburg. We had a white Elephant and just had some time to be together and have fun. Then, because of the mini-blizzard snow that was happening all day, we had to spend 30 minutes shoveling our driveway before we could pull in for the night. That is one thing that I am okay with not living in a snowy place all year round. Christmas was wonderful and it was great learning more about the Savior around the time of the celebration of his birth. Can't wait for what happens next year around this time!
Transfers: So, about the transfer calls that came from our Mission President and the Assistants, there was a lot of news. My companion, Elder Bramwell, is going off to Ammon to be a Zone Leader and I am staying here in Rexburg as a new District Leader. We'll have to see howt hat goes, and what's more, my new companion is fluent in Spanish and has been out about 1 transfer (6 Weeks) more than I have. Looking forward to the new oppurtunities that await me and the chance to learn and grow as a missionary and as a person.
Studies: One of the coolest things that I studied this week was in the Book of Mormon. This was prophecy through the Prophet Nephi about the Book of Mormon, the Bible, and other modern day scripture that we have in this day and age. The bible has been changed by imperfect men over the years and some plain and precious truths have been taken away, but, this scripture explains one of the purposes of all of the scriptures that are available to us in this day and age. (1 Nephi 13: 38-40)
38 And it came to pass that I beheld the remnant of the seed of my brethren, and also the book of the Lamb of God, which had proceeded forth from the mouth of the Jew, that it came forth from the Gentiles unto the remnant of the seed of my brethren.
39 And after it had come forth unto them I beheld other books, which came forth by the power of the Lamb, from the Gentiles unto them, unto the convincing of the Gentiles and the remnant of the seed of my brethren, and also the Jews who were scattered upon all the face of the earth, that the records of the prophets and of the twelve apostles of the Lamb are true.
40 And the angel spake unto me, saying: These last records, which thou hast seen among the Gentiles, shall establish the truth of the first, which are of the twelve apostles of the Lamb, and shall make known the plain and precious things which have been taken away from them; and shall make known to all kindreds, tongues, and people, that the Lamb of God is the Son of the Eternal Father, and the Savior of the world; and that all men must come unto him, or they cannot be saved.
The Bible, the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price are books that support one another and that help us know how we can come unto Christ to be saved. I know that these things are true and glad to be sharing this truth with the people of Idaho!
Glad to give out a pretty big email this week, but it was a good week, so guess you'll just have to read it all. Love y'all and wish you a Happy New Year!
Elder Carson Baker
I took pictures this week, enjoy
Pictures:
1,2:SNOW (these are current pictures, and this is only the areas where shoveled snow isn't piled up)
3: The Zone
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