Serving El Salvador
Letters and E-mails from Elder Aaron Neifert - called to serve as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in the San Salvador, El Salvador Mission. For more information about what Elder Neifert believes and will be teaching, please visit www.Mormon.org
Monday, March 14, 2016
Monday, February 29, 2016
Scariest E-mail from El Savador Yet
Hey mom,
Don't worry about me.
Everything is just going fine.
I like how humble the people are.
The challenge is attendance to church.
I
was able to feel the spirit this week in a lesson we had with Alex
Turcios. We just were talking about the answers we receive from God and
he told us his story. He had dreams about the church. He had a dream he
was in the church as a member, and he also had a dream that he was sick.
He dream that when he called out for help, he called us. He started to
weep as he told us his story. I was able to feel the spirit and I felt
so grateful for the help the Lord has offered.
We are teaching the Turcios family, Herrera family, Escobar family, Coca family, and Felipe.
This
week we were at the zone leaders house for a little. We were looking
for baptismal clothes. We got into the bag of clothes and started
sorting through which shirt would fit Gustavo. I pulled out a few shirts
getting just about to the last one and I felt this big pain in the
finger. Like a bee sting. I put the shirt down and started the pain walk
just kinda pacing while holding my hand. My companion unfolded the
shirt and there lay ready to strike again a a a a a a..........
Scorpion. I got stung! It hurt pretty bad. I just started to feel numb
everywhere. The venom was just like the drugs that the dentists use. We
killed the scorpion and I ate it! It's suppose to help. Bahah, just
kidding!!! I just took some medicine and the effects have slowly been
going away. Now I can say I've been stung by a scorpion.
WOO!
I love you guys,
Elder Neifert
Monday, February 22, 2016
It's Hot in El Salvador
Greetings Family,
Well
its been hot. Have you ever woken up drenched? (not having used the
bathroom but having sweated all of the NIGHT) OO-da-lolly - it's an oven and
is just getting started too. I hear it will be even hotter in March. So
here are some pictures I took from the top of our house (didn't come through!).
The
week was good. There are a lot of challenges. I've taken like 6 one hour
bus rides this week. We have been doing interchanges a bunch. There are
some good Elders in my district. Just about every one comes from a different
country. Guatemala, Columbia, Costa Rica, Honduras, Mexico, and the
United States. Great group of diversity. And every one says that Christ
came to their country hahaha. Who knows. I'm reading in the Book of Mormon -
finishing the words of Nephi. Man, he has some great closing words. "It's
what the Lord has commanded me and I must obey." Something to that
effect. But he left some really powerful things to end with. Really
awesome final testimony.
For service we have been diggin' holes for bathrooms. Its good work. Doing our dead guy duty.
The
food is soooooo different. Yes the popusas still are here but there is a
bunch of weird stuff. I ate chicken feet the other day and I ate
chicken throat, and another part I didn't know what it was. There's a
lot more variety here. Back in the city people just ate eggs, cooked
bananas, blended beans, and bread. Here I've eaten pasta, different
cheeses, different tortillas, different salsas, and a bunch of stuff I
don't know the origin.
Covenants are so
important. Keeping our covenants is a big challenge because it means
giving everything. Serving with all of our might mind and strength. The
first covenant we made is really well explained in Mosiah 18, but they
all come together to make the everlasting covenant. All the ordinances
of the gospel from baptism and confirmation to going to do baptisms for
the dead, to receiving the Aaronic priesthood, to receiving your patriarchal blessing, receiving the Melchizedek priesthood, receiving
the Endowment and then being Sealed in the Temple and renewing all of
that every week with the sacrament is the everlasting covenant. Lots of
things we need. We better get going on all of the ordinances. They all
are very very important if we are to live as God lives.
I
know it's true. This is the only church where you will find priesthood,
where you will find all of the ordinances of the gospel, where you will
find a Prophet, where you will find the true doctrine of Christ. If we
really know what we have and we study the doctrine of Christ it just makes membership of any other church seem small. Its like when Christ asks the
twelve, John 6:67, " Will ye also go away?" and Simon Peter responds in
68"... To whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life." Its
true. I love the scriptures! They are so fulfilling. They help me
repent. I need to repent everyday. I love to humble myself before the
Lord. He gives me peace and comfort.
Spirit up!
Elder Neifert
Monday, February 8, 2016
Monday, February 1, 2016
Leaving my First Area
Greetings,
Alright the update:
We
had a baptism and confirmation this week! Hermana Lorena. She's doing
great. I could feel the spirit as we laid our hands upon her head to
give her the Holy Ghost. We are working on a few others for next month
well this month now!
We were able to finish this
week pretty well. We found lots of new investigatores (investigators). We had a family
home evening at a members house with investigators. IT WAS GREAT: The
investigators feel a lot better about joining the church now.
We
are going through a few changes here. They called last night and said "Well, Elder Neifert you have changes." I will be someplace else this week.
I will be either leaving tomorrow or Wednesday. I have served in this
area for something like 8 months. Give or take a little. Its been 6
changes. I feel nervous and a little sad. This is the first time I've
had changes before. Who knows where I will be.
I
will be leaving my beloved companion Elder Clawson. He is a really great
guy. I'm super happy that I was his companion in the mission. We've got
some hunting / sasquatch searching / monopoly plans we he gets back.
It feels weird that I will be 20. I don't feel too old. The mission has gone by super fast.
Anyways, I love you guys!
I know the Lord really is behind the changes. Hes got a really good plan for us.
Quick email to his Sister
Things have been going well. We just got notified that I have changes. I
will be leaving my area. Colonial. I'm actually pretty sad. I like it
here. (Not in order) The things I will be leaving: great papusas, sweet
house with two bathrooms, awesome cook (she makes us lunch), mediocre
washing lady, leaving the remains of our dead squirrel, a really great
companion Elder Clawson, and lots of great people who will be baptized
soon. I will be missing the people the most.
I love you all! It makes me happy that Emma and Eliza are talking bout me!
Spirit up
Elder Neifert
Monday, January 25, 2016
Visits from General Authorities
Jessica and Codyman,
Enjoy your birthdays! Do
something fun! Its weird that is has already been another year! I love
you guys and you are not forgotten. Isaiah 49:14 and 15.
I WILL BE 20! AHHHHHHHHH I feel old. You must feel old too. So we are not alone.
Heres a little of what happened this past week.
Elder
David L. Cook came to our mission! I was able to sing in the mission
choir again. It was a grand experience. Really I was able to feel the
spirit as he talked. First, I got to shake is hand again. He said to me,
"Hello". It was a warm hello. It was really so quick. I just wanted to
linger longer, but I imagine his hand hurt from being squeezed by 600
missionaries. He spoke on the importance of having the spirit as we
teach and he spoke on working with the members. A few things I remember
word for word are that, "We are edifiers of the church, we need to be
the most warm, loving, kind, and friendly, but the most important is that
we have the spirit. Because we are the message." He stressed that people
see us and know us before we talk or teach. We can reflect these things
with little actions. He helped me remember my purpose: to Baptize! To
baptize till I've got pneumonia. That should be my biggest worry getting pneumonia, because I'm baptizing day and night.
He has a great spirit about him. I know he is an apostolic witness.
One of his words I will never forget are, "I know His voice. I know His
face." His testimonio (testimony) really helped mine. I could feel how sure he was
of Jesus Christ being our Savior.
Elder Christensen of the presidency of the seventy was also here on Sunday. He came to my stake. He talked about the scriptures. They are a treasure
he said about 5 times. They are so important. He talked about keeping
the Sabbath day holy which is always a something everyone can improve.
Having righteous worship of the Sabbath. He told a story of a son who
wanted to stay home to watch the Superbowl instead of going to church.
He gave him a great powerful lesson of the Sabbath day. At the end of
the 20 minute Sabbath talk his son just said, "yeah, I'll just stay home." He
was worried about his son. BUT He had an impression during the sacrament
that his son really did hear him. Sometimes I feel like I've taught
something powerfully and nothing happens. Everyone has their agency. One
thing is they will remember what was taught and testified of, AND one
day it will be remembered.
I love you! I know that the Lord is holding you up in your callings and your troubles,
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