Hmmm, I cant believe that as of today I have been on my mission for 4 months!! Crazy huh?! It has gone by pretty quickly. We are already half way through this transfer. And by the end of next transfer I will have been out 6 months. Ahhh. Weird. haha.
Anywayysss, so this past week has been pretty chill. We have gotten about 4-5 inches of snow so far and it is continuing to snow as I type this email! My wishes of having a white Christmas are looking pretty good!! haha I can think of about two experiences that I've had this past week that were pretty cool.
First one: We were on exchanges and I was in charge of Cwmbran for the day again. Can any of you remember our investigator who's husband stopped her from being baptised and allowing us to continue our visits? Well, I got the feeling to randomly stop by her home and say hello. At first, I wasnt sure about it because I didnt want her husband to get mad. We went anyways to find that her and the kids were home and her husband was at work! We were able to talk with her on the door-step for a while. She is doing well. She is still continuing in her daily prayers and reading from the Book of Mormon, which is awesome!! The whole family, husband included, had planned on coming to the Ward Christmas party, but it got cancelled due to the snow. So that was a major bummer. But she is doing well, which made me happy to know!
Second experience: We went and visited a less-active and his partner an investigator one night. We have finally succeded in helping them follow the word of wisdon comletely! They are not smoking anymore or even drinking coffee or tea! So thats really good. And the best part is that they have already seen the blessings of following that particular commandment! But they said that some weird things have been happeneing in their home and that they wanted us to dedicate their home. This is something that I have never been apart of so it was naturally a brilliant experience. While Elder Cadwallader was offering the prayer, I could feel the spirit so strongly. I could feel its power and the power of the priesthood. Elder Cadwallader even mentioned that he could feel like people around him sitting really close to him in prayer with us. This was kinda weird because there wasnt anyone near him. So that was awesome!
This next week is going to be pretty chill/easy. Our only full days to work will be tomorrow and wednesday. On thursday, we will be traveling to Birmingham. On friday, we will be at the mission office/home pretty much all day for a mission Christmas party!!! Them of course saturday is Christmas! Then on sunday we have boxing day here so we get that day off as well! We have already made arrangements to spend Christmas and Boxing day with members so that will be reallyyyy fun!
Small spiritual though: A scripture that I found this week in my studies was 1 Peter 3:15. It pretty much states that we should always be ready to share the gospel with anyone who inquires of us why we are so happy or why we have so much hope to the future. We should all try our best to be an "example of the believers" in everything thaat we do. I know this church is true and that Jesus is the Christ. He is my Saviour and I am grateful for this time of year that we have to celebrate his birth. I challenge all of you, as I will do the same, to take some time this week to study Luke 2, the time of Christ's birth. In that you will find peace and true joy.
I love you all and wish you a MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!
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Monday, December 20, 2010
Monday, December 13, 2010
Brilliant Week!
Bora da!!!
This past week has been slow, rough and tough but oh so worth it! Actually the past couple of weeks have been like that, rubbish. Anywayysss, the past week the whole mission fasted for 24 hours for the elect of God. We fasted so that the elect will be put in our paths on the condition that we are working hard and have faith. The beginning of the week was slow because my companion was sick (not my fault! haha well maybe). The end of the week was brilliant! Saturday was the best. While we were leaving the flat after taking a lunch break, Elder Cadwallader made a phone call. As he was doing that, I yelled across the street to this lady wishing her a Merry Christmas. To my surprise she stopped and asked my what I said. I repeated it and mentioned that I was a missionary for my church. She then said I know and that she wanted to talk to me. I crossed the street and started talking to her. Apparently she had just started attending chruch again and wanted to find her faith in Jesus Christ again. I talked to her a little bit about faith as my companion crossed the street to join the conversation. He told her briefly about the message of the restoration, mainly on the topic of modern-day prophets. We told her that we have one today and his name is Thomas S. Monson. She then told us that she has been wanting someone to tell her that for a while now. I dont know about you guys but she sounds like one of the elect of God that we had just prayed for!!! So cool huh?! That just testified to me that as long as we are doing our part of the promise that the Lord will give us what we have asked for. The rest of our saturday was up to par of that experience...we gave out a few copies of the Book of Mormon and got some new investigators.
Another experience that we had this week happened yesterday after church. We stopped-by this former investigator that was found by the missionaries before us. We got a warm greeting when we knocked on the door. Only bad part about it is that the woman's mother who her family is living with right now doesnt like mormons so we had to talk on the doorstep. Anyways, the former investigator said that her family is moving soon, possibly before Christmas, and when they do move, she wants us to visit her again and start teaching her again! She is very open-minded and likes learning about the gospel. So she seems like she will be promising. Also, she has like 7 children so thats a big plus! haha
Thats pretty much all that has happened this past week. Time for a wee spiritual thought :) So onnce again my thought comes from my personal study this morning. The past week I have been studying the talks from the General Conference Ensign that just came out. The talk that I read today was "O the Cunning Plan of that Evil One" by Elder M. Russell Ballard. I think everyone should read it haha It compared fly-fishing to Satan and his tactics for catching us. The fly fisherman studies the trout closely. He studies what types of flies they eat, when eat fly is in its breeding season, the water current of the river/stream and the migration patterns of these fish. He makes his lures exactly to the specifications to what the trout will go after and eventually fall to the deception of the fisherman. This is pretty much the same thing that Satan will do to us in order to catch us. He and his followers watch and study us to figure out how they can get us at teh right time. For some its weaknesses of the Word of Wisdom or Law of Chastity. Or even little things as contention with other people. Elder Ballard warned us to be careful with the decisions we make each day. Be watchful of the things you do. One way you can keep yourself protected from Satan is by daily scripture study adn prayer. I know that we have been taught these two simple principles time and time again, but I can testify that they work! Elder Ballard definitely explains this analogy better than I just did so read the talk haha I want each of you the know that this church is true. Jesus is the Christ. Keep him in your heart always, especially during this season. I know that as you follow the commandments and all the things that the General Authorities advised us about this past conference, you will see the blessings of our Heavenly Father in your life.
Love you all,
-Elder Jaquish
This past week has been slow, rough and tough but oh so worth it! Actually the past couple of weeks have been like that, rubbish. Anywayysss, the past week the whole mission fasted for 24 hours for the elect of God. We fasted so that the elect will be put in our paths on the condition that we are working hard and have faith. The beginning of the week was slow because my companion was sick (not my fault! haha well maybe). The end of the week was brilliant! Saturday was the best. While we were leaving the flat after taking a lunch break, Elder Cadwallader made a phone call. As he was doing that, I yelled across the street to this lady wishing her a Merry Christmas. To my surprise she stopped and asked my what I said. I repeated it and mentioned that I was a missionary for my church. She then said I know and that she wanted to talk to me. I crossed the street and started talking to her. Apparently she had just started attending chruch again and wanted to find her faith in Jesus Christ again. I talked to her a little bit about faith as my companion crossed the street to join the conversation. He told her briefly about the message of the restoration, mainly on the topic of modern-day prophets. We told her that we have one today and his name is Thomas S. Monson. She then told us that she has been wanting someone to tell her that for a while now. I dont know about you guys but she sounds like one of the elect of God that we had just prayed for!!! So cool huh?! That just testified to me that as long as we are doing our part of the promise that the Lord will give us what we have asked for. The rest of our saturday was up to par of that experience...we gave out a few copies of the Book of Mormon and got some new investigators.
Another experience that we had this week happened yesterday after church. We stopped-by this former investigator that was found by the missionaries before us. We got a warm greeting when we knocked on the door. Only bad part about it is that the woman's mother who her family is living with right now doesnt like mormons so we had to talk on the doorstep. Anyways, the former investigator said that her family is moving soon, possibly before Christmas, and when they do move, she wants us to visit her again and start teaching her again! She is very open-minded and likes learning about the gospel. So she seems like she will be promising. Also, she has like 7 children so thats a big plus! haha
Thats pretty much all that has happened this past week. Time for a wee spiritual thought :) So onnce again my thought comes from my personal study this morning. The past week I have been studying the talks from the General Conference Ensign that just came out. The talk that I read today was "O the Cunning Plan of that Evil One" by Elder M. Russell Ballard. I think everyone should read it haha It compared fly-fishing to Satan and his tactics for catching us. The fly fisherman studies the trout closely. He studies what types of flies they eat, when eat fly is in its breeding season, the water current of the river/stream and the migration patterns of these fish. He makes his lures exactly to the specifications to what the trout will go after and eventually fall to the deception of the fisherman. This is pretty much the same thing that Satan will do to us in order to catch us. He and his followers watch and study us to figure out how they can get us at teh right time. For some its weaknesses of the Word of Wisdom or Law of Chastity. Or even little things as contention with other people. Elder Ballard warned us to be careful with the decisions we make each day. Be watchful of the things you do. One way you can keep yourself protected from Satan is by daily scripture study adn prayer. I know that we have been taught these two simple principles time and time again, but I can testify that they work! Elder Ballard definitely explains this analogy better than I just did so read the talk haha I want each of you the know that this church is true. Jesus is the Christ. Keep him in your heart always, especially during this season. I know that as you follow the commandments and all the things that the General Authorities advised us about this past conference, you will see the blessings of our Heavenly Father in your life.
Love you all,
-Elder Jaquish
Monday, December 6, 2010
Cwmbran for Christmas!
Herro everyone!!
First off, news on the transfers.........Im staying in Cwmbran for at least another 6 weeks with Elder Cadwallader!!! Yay! haha Im happy that i get to stay here for Chrsitmas. Its been an okay past couple of weeks. Nothing too much happened this past week because we had meetings throughout it and I got sick on Thursday, but im better now! It snowed here for the first time this season on the day after Thanksgiving. It was lush! Ahh I love the snow. Too bad I cant go snowboarding dang it. Well its not like there is anywhere around here to go haha Oh, well. Utah better watch out for me the winter after next haha Its a beautiful day here today. Cold...very cold, but blue and sunny, with some ice patches on the road so no bikes for a while.
Update on the work: Tracting and street contacting hasn't been the best the past month so we turned to the area book and reviewed the former investigator forms. There we found luck! There is this wonderful couple who have two little rambunctious (sp?) children that make it difficult to teach haha But this couple looks promising. She has read about half of the Book of Mormon and knows its true. He can't read or isn't too religious but still joins in on the lessons; he seems to be taking them well. We have now started to make the appointments later in the evening when the kids will be in bed so we can teach in an environment where they can feel the spirit. It should be a great week while we will try to focus on them. Nobody else really wants to talk to us. Winters here are the worst for the work, as I have been told because everyone here isn't used to it, which I think is funny since they live here! haha But its whatever.
I went on exchanges with the Zone Leaders two weeks ago and boy was it awesome!! The morning of the exchange we went street contacting. We unknowingly walked to the area where a potential investigator lived, so we decided to stop by to see if he was in. They were and we got to enter their home and sit down with them. We talked about his religious background which led us into teaching the restoration. Mind you this is my first time ever that I have actually taught the first lesson! It was awesome!! Ah, we did work. It was so cool to teach him because I could feel the spirit there. He seemed to be receptive to everything we were teaching him. I have come to find out that he also attended church that sunday after the lesson! Later that day, we went to one of their former investigators and we taught the restoration again. How cool is that? I'm on exchange when I actually teach one of the big three lessons haha I think its somewhat funny. Needless to say, it was a wonderful exchange.
Hmmm, nothing else has really happened the past weeks that jump out in my mind so I will leave you with my spiritual thought that actually comes from my studies this morning. Instead of explaining the whole talk, each of you can read it! Its awesome. It comes from the recent conference ensign. Its titled "Rest Unto Your Souls" by Elder Per G. Malm. It brought me great comfort to my soul and I know for a fact that it will do the same for anyone who reads it. My favorite part is towards the end when he quotes Pres. Joseph F. Smith (i think). Peace is a gift from God and is given to us through the spirit. Pretty much if we want peace we have to be living our lives in accordance to the commandments so that the spirit can reside within us. I love you all and am thankful for the letters that I receive. I love this work. Its the best thing that anyone could be doing! I hope you all have a smashing week (there's a little british language for you hahaha). Tra!
-Elder Jaquish
First off, news on the transfers.........Im staying in Cwmbran for at least another 6 weeks with Elder Cadwallader!!! Yay! haha Im happy that i get to stay here for Chrsitmas. Its been an okay past couple of weeks. Nothing too much happened this past week because we had meetings throughout it and I got sick on Thursday, but im better now! It snowed here for the first time this season on the day after Thanksgiving. It was lush! Ahh I love the snow. Too bad I cant go snowboarding dang it. Well its not like there is anywhere around here to go haha Oh, well. Utah better watch out for me the winter after next haha Its a beautiful day here today. Cold...very cold, but blue and sunny, with some ice patches on the road so no bikes for a while.
Update on the work: Tracting and street contacting hasn't been the best the past month so we turned to the area book and reviewed the former investigator forms. There we found luck! There is this wonderful couple who have two little rambunctious (sp?) children that make it difficult to teach haha But this couple looks promising. She has read about half of the Book of Mormon and knows its true. He can't read or isn't too religious but still joins in on the lessons; he seems to be taking them well. We have now started to make the appointments later in the evening when the kids will be in bed so we can teach in an environment where they can feel the spirit. It should be a great week while we will try to focus on them. Nobody else really wants to talk to us. Winters here are the worst for the work, as I have been told because everyone here isn't used to it, which I think is funny since they live here! haha But its whatever.
I went on exchanges with the Zone Leaders two weeks ago and boy was it awesome!! The morning of the exchange we went street contacting. We unknowingly walked to the area where a potential investigator lived, so we decided to stop by to see if he was in. They were and we got to enter their home and sit down with them. We talked about his religious background which led us into teaching the restoration. Mind you this is my first time ever that I have actually taught the first lesson! It was awesome!! Ah, we did work. It was so cool to teach him because I could feel the spirit there. He seemed to be receptive to everything we were teaching him. I have come to find out that he also attended church that sunday after the lesson! Later that day, we went to one of their former investigators and we taught the restoration again. How cool is that? I'm on exchange when I actually teach one of the big three lessons haha I think its somewhat funny. Needless to say, it was a wonderful exchange.
Hmmm, nothing else has really happened the past weeks that jump out in my mind so I will leave you with my spiritual thought that actually comes from my studies this morning. Instead of explaining the whole talk, each of you can read it! Its awesome. It comes from the recent conference ensign. Its titled "Rest Unto Your Souls" by Elder Per G. Malm. It brought me great comfort to my soul and I know for a fact that it will do the same for anyone who reads it. My favorite part is towards the end when he quotes Pres. Joseph F. Smith (i think). Peace is a gift from God and is given to us through the spirit. Pretty much if we want peace we have to be living our lives in accordance to the commandments so that the spirit can reside within us. I love you all and am thankful for the letters that I receive. I love this work. Its the best thing that anyone could be doing! I hope you all have a smashing week (there's a little british language for you hahaha). Tra!
-Elder Jaquish