The Book of Mormon

Hey Mamy,

Well that's is super sweet that you guys got to fly out to Utah. I hope Grandma and Grandpa are doing well. I've seen a couple gardens here and none of them look as neat and full as theirs.

 

There are been a lot of experiences with the holy ghost this week. Its almost like there are doves everywhere! Baha - well there are! As I was sitting in gospel principles this week a dove flew into the class. It just came straight in and went directly to the spinning ceiling fan. It got a good skinnin' and I got some feathers. I've grown to love the people here but I've also grown to dislike doves. I haven't been pooped on yet but I've had some close calls. They wait on the wires hanging over the streets for missionaries in white shirts. My old companion got pooped on his first day in the mission. I think I wont be sticking my tongue out anytime soon. 

We had a small uneventful encounter with a dog in the night. We were just walking and this dog just takes off in our direction. I didn't really think much of it at first but as it got closer and closer I started to realize how unhappy and big it was. My companion took off his backpack and swung it at the dog, while giving a good pirate sounding "hey". That's when the dog just turned around and ran back with its buddies. We in the mean time took off running because we saw this even bigger pit bull in the shadows.

 

I've started to study The Book of Mormon whenever I have time. We have an hour at night between 9:30 and 10:30 to prepare ourselves to sleep which is really broad. And in the morning there's prep time to be ready to study at 8. Well I've just started to use these times at night and before 8 to finish what I need to do and read The Book of Mormon. I've felt the power The Book of Mormon has and the small gospel truths which I've found tying to patriarchal blessings, Joseph Smith, the doctrine of Christ and maybe a couple words which just testify of the divinity and truthfulness of The Book of Mormon. The spirit is invited when we read and I've felt strength and power from the holy ghost as I read.

A More Effective Missionary

Ahoy!

Well this week was a change (transfers). There were a lot of changing things happening. I got a new companion -

Elder Lopez, from Guatemala, Quetsaltenago (or something like that). He's a good guy. Apparently he played semi professional soccer in Guatemala. We will see if he was lying or not today because were going to play after we are done writing. He's happy and I think we are going to learn a lot from each other and help some good people this change. He's new to this area so he doesn't know the people or the city. That means I've got to teach him. So it's been different to plan who we will teach and where we will go all by myself. It will get easier once I get some more practice. He speaks next to zero English which is super good. I'm going to learn a lot of Spanish this change. We have been working on finding new people to teach. This was what we've been doing - talking with lots of people and trying to teach them in their homes while asking for their references. We've found some people to teach! I have some good faith that some of them will be baptized in the future. We are going to find even more this coming week. Hey, if you have ideas of how we can work with and invite the members to help us out I love to hear what maybe the missionaries in our ward are doing and ideas you have.

One thing that I've notice about my companion is he knows a lot of scriptures and things about the gospel. I've started to make plans and ideas to use my time as a missionary more effectively. I've got a set plan for the mornings and the nights so I can study the scriptures more. I think that good habits can really help me in my mission - learn more, be more happy, and be more effective. These things don't come in one month like I'd like them to. I've got to consistently try and learn more. One thing I love to study about is Joseph Smith. There are so many testimony building facts and stories about his life. Maybe I won't share all of the stories with my investigators or anyone, but they've helped me feel more converted. One of the biggest conversion changers for me however is The Book of Mormon. I know it's true and I know anyone can become close to God if they read and apply the principles in their lives. It is the most correct book in the world, and there aren't many people who know it exists. 

I love you!


Aaron

Tell Grandma Pam "Happy Birthday" for me!

Wow! I just realized your summer is almost over! What have you guys done for fun in the sun!?

The Lord Works Through People

Hola,

We had a few investigators a church, but I'd like to have more. They can't be baptized if they don't come to church.

I kinda like to clean. Saturday I was sweeping and mopping our floors. I've found it's something that helps me relieve stress and have a clean, more spirit worthy place to learn. 

 

 One thing that I like about the people here - They don't need much. Almost everyone has a tv with cable, but besides that they don't have all the amenities and digerydoos that we have.

Pretty neat that everyone believes in God and Jesus Christ. EVERYONE. Almost everyone has a church too.

I haven't been able to find a ukulele, but I sang in the mission President's home the first day in the field. I can't remember why I did that, but I sang Nearer My God to Thee. I think I could sing more. We sometimes sing hymns during lessons with this old man who is house ridden  - Hermano

Santiago. He was my first lesson in the field. We sing during every lesson with him. He is a really good man. I want to send a picture of him, but I really haven't used my camera too much. I have only taken it out on Mondays to send what I have, but I haven't taken any more pictures... I will work on that for next week. I bought a small solid harmonica last p-day (preparation day - when they shop, do email, etc). I've been fiddling a little with that. There's a missionary from Oklahoma that can get down with the harmonica with the best of 'em. So I'm going to ask him to help me start. I've got the whole set up. An elder who is going home gave me a hammock. So I've been practicing my harmonica in my hammock. I'm pretty excited to learn who to play that and join the harmonocans group in town.

The work this week was really good. We've got some good investigators with baptismal dates who are reading the Book of Mormon and beginning to change. We have changes this Wednesday and we've got a good amount of people that could be baptized this coming change. We found one of these people yesterday. We were visiting with a Hermana on her front porch because she was a little busy and we couldn't have a full lesson. So we left her a copy of lesson 1 to read a pray about. We couldn't visit with her more, but she told us we could visit her neighbor. The Lord works through other people because when we knocked a girl about 18 opened the door and started to cry a little as we told her who we were and why we are here. We knocked on her door right as she and her mom were talking about how she need to trust in God and remember Jesus Christ. She was ready to receive us. During the lesson she was crying a little about some trials she's going through and some questions that she has. We introduced the Book of Mormon and explained how the Book of Mormon has the answers she needs and the comfort she is looking for. So we will see how her reading goes this week. I'm excited to see what happens with the mom and daughter. They are good people, and they were prepared. They still have their agency (the ability to choose). That's one thing that I've learned. Everyone has agency to accept or reject the gospel. Maybe everyone won't accept the gospel, but they should all have the opportunity. I would like to see these people after this life and have them say, Thank you for giving me the opportunity to accept the gospel. Not "hey why didn't you talk to me?  I was waiting for you." The spirit is extremely important to know what to say and what to do because these people need the gospel. With the direction of the spirit we can say something that softens their heart, we can do something that helps them open their door to us. Without the spirit we can't do much.

So this next change we've got some good people to work with. But I will be getting a new companion. I will know on Wednesday who it it. So I will be in San Marcos Colonial ward, but with a new companion. I am excited to see who it is, but Elder Lauro was super good. He can really gain the confidence of the people.

By the way I got your letter last Monday! Thank you! I was good to have a paper letter. For the package, I'm pretty set with what I need. 

 

I love you Mom. I missed the fireworks. They didn't have a party or anything special for the 4th of July. It was a little sad, but surprisingly people wore USA shirts.

You are loved,

Elder Neifert

The Book Dream

Hohola,

I love you too, mom. Awe - I love yard sales! I haven't seen one here in San Marcos. I think that most of the people here just stash their stuff in random places in their houses or in the street. The life here is really different. There are houses everywhere. There really aren't front yards, back yards, or much grass. It's house, next to house, next to house, next to house. There are so many people living in a little area.

 

Annelise's Birthday!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wow! That's super GREAT! 5 years old already. So she's going to go to school!! Wow and when I see her she with be almost 7. That will be a great day. TODAY IS A GREAT DAY TOO! GIVE ANNELISE A GOOD TICKLE FOR ME - right in the pits where there are squiggly worms. And tell her that I love her! I love you guys! I will eat a little ice cream today and think of you guys eating ice cream.

THE MISSION IS GOING SUPER FAST. I can't believe that I have been here a whole 5 weeks. I feel like I just got here yesterday. We been working hard in our area. The key is to work hard, but also work effectively. We are trying new ideas to find, teach, and find more people. We hope to work more with the ward. Get referrals from them, have lessons with them and yeah. Haha. There are so many ideas and we just need to try them to see if they are good. An idea only is bad if you don't try it. We were visiting an investigator yesterday just to see how he's doing with reading and all. And he told us this really cool story about a dream he had. Not just those weird dreams that we have where we wake up and can't get a clear message form it, like the king of Babylon, but a cool one that meant something pretty clear. He had a dream about two people giving him a book. And he had this dream the day we gave him the Book of Mormon. WHAT? Yeah it happens! So he was prepared by the Lord to receive the Book of Mormon. So we helped him see what the Lord wants for him, and why he should read the Book of Mormon. We have a date for baptism and we have good hope for him. I felt the spirit as we testified of God's love for him. I'm learning that we can receive answers specifically if we ask specifically. We can receive those answers and directions through prayer and through the Book of Mormon. A brother in another ward is being baptized because he read a verse in the Book of Mormon which answered his prayer. I love you guys!

The Lord is preparing people to receive His Gospel! Super cool work!

I love you guys!

Elder Neifert  

Coffee, Ward Party, and Escogidos

Hey,

Gracias por the update! Sounds like a groovy party - youth conference, the temple, and all that's going on!  I'm not super good at remembering birthdays and special days, so thank you! I wish we had a long trek like Rebekah will have. I think those kind of experiences are super good testimony builders. And also really memorable. 

 

 Yeah Rebekah!!!!! (She gave a talk in church on the Proclamation to the World on the Family.) That's super awesome! The Proclamation to the World is pretty awesome. Even if you don't believe its revelation you can see that, it's pretty special. 

Alright, lets get down to the neety greeety! This week - we were going to baptize this weekend but the hermana drank coffee. So we are working with her on that. We gave here spiritual medicine. Reading, praying, and no coffee. Sometimes I feel like confiscating their coffee! If I did that to all our investigators we would have a bunch... a bunch. More than I'd like to have.

We had a ward activity on Wednesday and our ward is super funny. Everyone loves lip sinking. BAHAHAHAHA!! Super hilarious. They had like 5 different people get up on the stage and lip sing famous Latino songs while dancing. They dressed up and all. I wish I video taped it. It was really interesting. Me and my companion were laughing pretty hard. Even though our ward is a little weird they are really great. I think a little weirdness never hurt anybody.

The work is moving on in our area. In one day, we found a good number of new investigators. They are escogidos or people that are ready to change. With these experiences I've felt that these people are being prepared - whether by angels, other people, missionaries, etc. But people are opening up to the gospel because this is the Lord's work and nothing can stop it. Its been going on since the beginning. To bring to pass the eternal life of man. I know that the church is true. My testimony is pretty simple especially in Spanish, but they are things I know and feel.

I love your guts and your example!
Keep on reading the scriptures. There are so many little truths and testimony builders of the church, and of Jesus Christ.

Elder Neifert

More Happy

Hola!

Wow! I love that! One of my teachers in the CCM taught that we cannot grow if we are in our comfort zone. If we are laying on the couch watching movies or other stuff like that. Only when we are sweating, walking up hills every day! We walk up and down this valley of San Marcos multiple times everyday. Down to the valley... up the other side... and back up to our house. I think my walking skills have doubled. Sometimes we run because we walk all the time. I love that story about the rain boots. I can do more of that because I cannot always say all that I want to.


This week was a good one! I am pretty sure that we will have 2 or 3 baptisms this change. I hope they hold out! One of the big troubles almost everyone here needs to overcome is coffee. I remember asking a hermana "how are you doing with the palabra de sabiduria (Word of Wisdom)?"  She said, "I only drank once." My companion asked "once this week?" She then said "no, once today."  Haha Everybody loves it. Her mom was baptized last change and she had the same problem. I think she's going to help her daughter out. We have a big bag of coffee of maiz. Its not coffee coffee its a substitute that's okay to drink. I think I have learned a lot of spanish since I've been here. I can speak  a little bit better than I can understand. Everyone here uses slang and they have different accents. But I can understand my companion really well. I really like something he always says in lessons. We invite people to come to Christ - not to us. Because we are imperfect. Christ is who we all need more of in our lives. One of the best ways to come to Christ is by baptism! We receive a remission of our sins, we promise with Heavenly Father we will follow His Son, and with this we can receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost, a companion we can have constantly. John 14:17-18 We aren't alone in this life! We cannot see Heavenly Father or Jesus Christ physically but we can feel of their love through the Holy Ghost. Love, peace, warm, full, and just right. I cannot say that these feelings I have been able to feel in my life have come from myself and deny the Holy Ghost. That's no bueno. Thanks to the gift of the Holy Ghost I can be directed in what I need to say and where I need to go and where not to go. I need to search the Holy Ghost more. That's a rockin' missionary, someone who is reverent and has good spiritual ears.

I talked with a man yesterday about why he believes in Jesus Christ. He told me how he didn't really believe before. Then he had a personal experience with the Holy Ghost. He was in a church just praying to know that God and Jesus Christ exist. He described all the fruits of the spirit in Galatians 5:22.  I love hearing peoples stories of the feelings of the spirit. They help me remember what I myself have felt. The Church is true. Christ was born for us, suffered for us, and died for us. He gave His life, so I can give 2 years. It really is a blessing to be here. Through Him our spots can be as white as snow. What an awesome feeling that can be?! Work great in the service of God. Helping to bring people to Christ. There isn't anything I could be doing to make me more happy!

 

 I love you guys!

Cowboys at Church and Some Photos!!

Hola,

I took some pictures, but they were last minute so they are just of things you can see from our casa. I really haven't brought my camera out at all, but I will take some pictures with my face in it for next week.

 My apartment:

Girls camp! That's a pretty cool theme this year mom! I think you're a pretty awesome instrument.  I love being an instrument too. It feels weird being a missionary because I have thought about being a missionary my whole life and now I'm here! I have to say it's not what I imagined. Its better! It is what you make it, too. The blessings we receive and the joy we feel as a missionary is almost incomparable because we are eternally making a difference.

Alright this week has been pretty great. Lots of walking and talking. We have some good investigators we just need to teach more. Probably my favorite lesson we had with someone was with this woman - Odelia Crus and four kids Dennis, Samuel, Allison, and Daniel. Anyways they were playing in this wooded area. We started talking to Odelia; looking for a way we could talk with her and the kids. Found some rocks in the woods to sit on. And all the kids came to listen! So there we were in the woods sitting on rocks in at circle. Pretty rad! I believe we talked about the restoration. Either Restoration or the gospel of Jesus Christ. Either way it was a good lesson because we taught pretty well, I could feel the spirit and the family on the rocks listened and participated. I'm looking forward to talking to them again. And all the kids are 9 and older! So we hit the jackpot. Good day.

This Sunday was a pretty good day. It was Stake Conference here and Elder Cordon from the seventy came to speak. To be honest, I don't know what he said. But it was a good talk. I've gotten to a point were I can understand a lot, but I have a hard time understanding context and the connection between each sentence. Another reason why this Sunday was really good was because our investigator came to church. David, this 74 year old man who is Catholic. Out of all our investigators he was ready when we stopped by his house to get him. Honestly, I'm not sure why he was so ready, but he is! We are going to focus more on him, I think. Because he's willing to keep the commitments. I'm excited to see what will happen with him.

This week I realized how much there is to learn from the scriptures. There are so many little testaments in the scriptures that this church is true... and the scriptures don't lie. I love you guys.

Scripture study on! Spirit on!

Elder Neifert

 And an excerpt from the email he sent his dad:

 We have had a good second week here. We've had some really good lesson and some new good investigators. Like David Ayala who is 74. We haven't taught him many times but out of all the investigators we invited to church(and stopped by their house Sunday morning) he was the only one sitting outside his house dressed and ready to go. The only one who went to church out of 6 or 7 people. He reminded me of Grandpa Whatcott. Cowboy hat, fat cowboy buckle, and a little short. Afterwards he said he really liked it. The church building itself is a selling point of being a member. Its a brand new two story church building. Almost every other church in our area meets in a little house like room. I think he like the building, but most importantly I think he felt the spirit. I love you man.  

Elder Neifert