Hey family! How is everyone?
Just have one question, will time ever slow down here on the
mission? Time has been going faster and faster and faster, when I just want it
to go slower and slower. Days go by so quickly it is hard to finish
everything. Don’t know about you guys but it scares me to think that I have
been out for almost 10 months! Before I start I will answer some of your
questions. The Spanish has been getting better. I think at times I understand
better in Spanish that I do in English. Especially in the Book of Mormon. We
have about a normal amount of investigators in church, 4. Pretty cool about the mission calls! Sounds really exciting. Crazy
that Shaylee will finish before Whitney goes out. I always thought that 2 years
was a long time, but I feel like I blink and a month goes by.
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| Kaden's zone...blurry picture (but you can still see his smile--makes me happy) |
This week was a great week. Something that has been very interesting
to me in our studies has been seeing what prophets and our Savior had to go
through to bring about miracles. It is so interesting to read the experiences
of Ammon and his brothers. When I think of Ammon and his brothers I
automatically think of the miracles that they had, but most interesting to me
is reading about what they went through. The most amazing miracle came from our
Savior Jesus Christ and we all know that that was not easy for Him. The way of
Salvation never has been, is, or will be easy. Something that we learned this
week is the power of prayer and the importance of the Lord’s will and not ours.
Before we were so focused on trying to do the Lord’s work our way and how we
thought we should do it, but this past week that has changed. Every miracle
starts with a prayer of faith. And when we stop doing the little things in our
lives the Lord cannot work His miracles. So this past week we focused on the
small things. Having a prayer in our hearts, trying to be more aware of people
around us, saying more meaningful prayers and having more meaningful studies.
And it has made all of the difference. Before we were looking for the big
miracles but weren’t being very diligent in the small things. We have not only
seen that in our own lives but in the lives of others.
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| Kaden's companion, zone leader and Elder Neuberger |
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| Elder Neuberger, Elder Puchalan from Peru, and Elder Hansgen |
This past week was a week of big miracles from doing the small
things. This past week we found a family whose son is on a mission in Mexico.
He is an only member so the rest of his family is not members. We talked with
them and they were very receptive to our message. In fact the uncle and his son
after we met with him on Saturday decided to come to Church the next day with
us. He received a warm welcome in Church and many members reached out and
helped him and his son feel loved. One of his friends when he saw him in Church
was so happy and kept asking us when we could go visit him. Those first Sundays
with an investigator are so critical in their progress in the Gospel.
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| CHECK OUT THE SIZE OF THIS MANGO. "IT'S HUGE!" |
But by far the biggest miracle that happened this past week came
with a family we are teaching. The husband expressed to us his love and support
in the Gospel but sadly told us that right now is not his time. The wife on the
other hand is pilas (not really sure the meaning, but it means like hard
working so really cool)! She has read
probably about a fourth of the Book of Mormon and has been reading some of the
Joseph Fielding Smith book. She has been progressing extremely fast and thanks
to wonderful support from her dear friend in church we had an extremely amazing
experience. While we were sitting in priesthood we saw our investigator and her
friend waving at us frantically to come. The moment we left the classroom we
hear from her friend, guess who is getting baptized this Sunday? Then before
she could answer our investigator says, ya I’m getting baptized this next
Sunday! Between the cheers and hugs of this wonderful friend to our
investigator we felt the Spirit so strong. I think for me the biggest miracle
here is seeing what happens when we let the members help in this amazing work.
When members get involved in the work it not only changes the people the visit but
also changes them. The Gospel goes from being a bunch of do’s and don’t’s to
being a way of life, and the way to happiness. What a wonderful week. This
area has been such a blessing for me. Its been hard and there have been things
that have happened that I didn’t understand but now I see the big picture. The
Lord has been teaching me to be like Nephi and be grateful in our
circumstances. Now even when things don’t go to plan, appts fall, and its hot
outside, we are grateful.
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| Elder Larsen and Elder Neuberger doing service...painting someone's house. |
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| For their service...the lady made them yummy food. |
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| BEST NACHOS EVER!!! |
I’m so grateful for you guys and for your support. I am so grateful
for prayer, the scriptures and for prophets that guide us. But more that
anything I’m grateful for our Savior who makes all of this possible. Not
looking forward to the day when I have to take off my missionary badge. Here on
my mission, things have just been making sense. It’s hard to explain but I feel
like I was blind for so much time to things that were right in front of me.
Thanks guys for everything and remember this week to focus on the little
things. I love you guys and hope you guys have fun in Tahiti though you
probably won’t have as much fun as I’m having. haha son bromas! You guys are
going to have a blast. Love you guys.
Elder Neuberger
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