Cemetary Duty

Ho hola,

This was awesome! Sorry I didn't write yesterday we had a change of p-day because we had to take turns of Dead Guy Duty. Instead of celebrating Halloween the people here celebrate the day of the dead. Everybody goes to the cemetery (which is a stones throw away from our house) and they paint the graves and decorate with fake flowers! It turned out to be pretty awesome. As we planned out where we would put our table we talked with the Caldia or the Department of the City - haha (I think that is what you would call it). We talked with this super funny guy, Eric from Costa Rica who works there. Apparently the elders have talked with him before because he bent over and backwards to help us get the things we need. We didn't pay him either. Anyway he drove us to the cemetery one day to scout our the scene and to everyone that we passed in the street he said, "I'm with the elders, I'm going with the elders. Come and meet them" haha. It was pretty great. Anyways he gave my companion and I a speech about why I should send him money to buy a new car. bahaha I know he was just joking because we laughed about it. At the end he said jokingly, "You will remember me when you go home. You will say, aw I helped so many people but I've got to back and help Eric. You will come back Elder Neifert and you will ask for me but I will be dead." Haha, I thought it was pretty funny. He's a great guy and he reminds me of my old boss at the YMCA. He just talks and gets along with everyone.

Anyway, lets get down to the needy greety. The activity was great. Lots of people were there Sunday and Monday. We were there almost all day Monday. A few members helped out handing out cards and pamphlets of family history. It was a good duty. Bringing the hearts of the fathers to the children and the hearts of the children to their fathers. We have a bunch of references now to look for and finally teach. I'm pretty excited to see the fruits of the seeds we planted!

Harvesting what we planted. Lots of people don't know where they come from and explaining that they could easily find out (and that it was free) really caught their attention.

Something that brought me joy this week was that I felt like we found people the Lord had planned for us to find. That's a pretty rewarding feeling. That same night when we found a good 5 solid people to teach I saw a comet! It shot across the sky and disappeared. I didn't wish for anything but I got showered by a little star dust. 

 That's great Ryan's coming home! WOOhoo! It doesn't seem like it has been 2 years because it goes by pretty fast. When does Amanda get home!? Its got to be pretty soon as well.

I love you, Thanks for writing me and telling me about your life! I love the pictures that you send! I've got to find a way to download them! haha 

Spirit up,

 Elder Neifert

Avisai

Greetings,

 I got the package! I got it last week. THANK YOU! I just loved everything that you sent! You read my mind with the socks and all! The best way to enjoy a package is to share! I have been sharing all of it with my companion.

 

This week was really great! We are helping a young man named Avisai get baptized this weekend. He is 18 and he has changed a bunch. I remember when I first got here we went to his house Elder Lauro and I. He didn't want anything to do with the church. He never joined us in the lessons to teach his aunt and he never came to church. Really its a miracle to see how far he has come. Now we talk about serving a mission and really it is something really possible for him. I am amazed at how his desires have changed. His heart has really turned toward the Lord. He has repented of things like all of us need to do and has moved on to new and better things. I'm reading the New Testament right now and I love the story of the woman who is caught committing adultery the mob brings her to Christ asking what do we do with this woman? by the law of Moses we should stone her. He says, He who is without sin, let him cast the first stone. Nobody is without sin, but Jesus, so they left. He tells the woman "go and sin no more". He invites her to repent telling her he doesn't condemn her. She hadn't repented so he invited her to do so. Like the Apostles or like John the Baptist I've got to call people to repentance. Only as I do the same thing. I cant teach it if I don't live it. 

 

One thing that my companion and I are doing is we are being different! There are tons of missionaries which do the same contacts say the same thing or they follow the crowd of missionaries in many ways. From working or planning - what they do everyday -  they are going through the motions. Like a good Halloween costume - you've got to be different. Many times we might follow the crowd, but we have felt that we should change some things. Visiting members everyday, talking with everyone. Giving out copies of The Book of Mormon everyday. I think we will be see the fruits of our labors in the coming weeks. If not we will change our form of working again. Its awesome! I'm excited to see how this week goes.

 

I know the Savior Lives. I feel like He stands shoulder to shoulder with me as I suffer. Because He suffered it and knows how to succor me. I know He loves his sheep here. As I remember how much He loves them I am humbled to be here in the mission. I listen to a talk from Elder Packer saying that sometimes the Lord doesn't intend for us to succeed. What he wants is for us to sacrifice. The outcome is what it is sometimes. When you work hard to talk with tons of people and nobody wants to listen it stinks, haha, but many times I don't know the outcome. For instance Avisai. I didn't know or think he would change. But he did.

 

The church is true and built upon Christ. Not a beautiful building - which we just got. The priesthood is the power of God and the church has it. The keys and the power. I love ya! Keep on reading. Sometimes I get pretty excited when I read. Its kinda weird. I never thought I would get to into the scriptures! Its something that the Lord has blessed me with. 

 

Elder Neifert

Pancake Miracles

Hey,

I've had some hard days as well. Its stinks but looking back I wouldn't take away those hard days because I wouldn't have learned so many hard things!

Haha, I love the Shepherds! They are a pretty awesome family. Really they are super cool. I loved visiting them in their house.  They are good Shepherds for the ward  -  super awesome!  

Well I talked about feeding the sheep of Christ yesterday in church. Really there is a lot of room for improvement in this area. There are lots of less actives in our area. People who were baptized and then just fell away nice and slowly. Missing one Sunday then two then, "she gone". Our ward is putting up plans to reach out to those who are sick literally and spiritually. The Elders of Israel are marching on! It's going to be a good week! I'm excited to bring some mo people to church!

This week I've noticed a big change in the relationship with my companion and I and if you would like to know what the difference is its... its...pancakes! Yup. Eat them and weep. We bought a fat bag of pancakes last Monday and we have been eating them everyday! Alright there is more to it. We take turns cooking every day. I cook one day he cooks the other and we share! Its really awesome. We are also reading the new testament together. I think that we just have been blessed with the capacity to love! Its a little cheesy but its true! Really the Lord has changed our hearts. Through our prays and our efforts He has purified us! I've grown to love my companion and I know he has grown to love me as well. We still have mistakes but we are more patient! Really I can see now how the Lord has put things in my life, people, places, and even trials to help me! Its really awesome to be here!!! I love it! There isn't anywhere else that I would be!

My testimony has changed a lot. I think that before when I was went to bear my testimony it was "what will I say?" but know I feel it!  Its not just what I can say to look like I have a testimony its actually what I know and believe to be. My faith has grown! It continues to grow. There won't be a point where I can say "I have arrived".  At least not in this life. Discipleship is the journey! Exaltation is the destination. Our run of life, our testimony, really anything pertaining to the gospel is like a marathon not a sprint. All we have to do is finish with our torch still lit. It's like the Greeks in their marathons. The goal was to cross the finish line - yes,  but they also needed to cross with their torch still lit. Everyday here I have had to defend the church, Jesus Christ, the Gospel and it has helped me. Mutually it has helped everyone. I couldn't grow without people to listen or to reject me. It is necessary. I have found that my testimony in the Savoir has grown more than anything. I love a video we have of Jeffery R. Holland talking about missionary work. He says,"It was never easy for Him so why should it be easy for us?" When we ask why is it hard, is there an easy way out, can I skip the gloomy parts. WE SHOULD REMEMBER THAT SOMEONE A LOT BETTER; MORE PURE; SOMEONE PERFECT ASKED THAT QUESTION A LONG TIME AGO. He asked, Is there another way? Father take this cup from me. But he took it: So maybe we should take it too. Salvation was never a cheap experience. Missionary work isn't cheap either. It requires so much of us. Just as is costed so much for Him. Its symbolism. A token of what He felt. But that is really all it will ever be - a token. It would be wrong to compare our sacrifice to His. To complain of our sufferings compared to His. I know he LIVES. He is the mediator. He the the good shepherd. the son of David! He knows His sheep. And His sheep know Him. He himself has called us. He calls to us. I know it's His work. It is His church. I know he has chosen prophets and apostles today! They know His Will and make it known to us. I know the Book of Mormon is True. It is the keystone of the church, of the doctrine, of our testimonies. I bear my witness that I know these things are true.

These next six months I would like to read a lot. Reading all of the canonized scriptures. I need to finish D&C and Bible. I would like to continue the ponderizing! Throughout my mission. My scripture for this week is Matthew 21: 20 and 21. If you have a favorite talk or something of that sort it would be awesome if you could send them to me. Seth has sent me some and I love them!

I love you! Keep the Faith! It's such a small word that means a ton! Moving a mountain or shrinking a fig tree that doesn't produce fruit. Watch out fig trees here I come!

Pray on!

Elder Neifert

No Transfer

Greetings!

 

Things are going pretty well here in El Salvador. We got a call last night about the next change or the next 6 weeks and my companion and I are going to be together again this next transfer! Woohoo! Its been raining a lot here. Yesterday we look to see the lunar eclipse but the clouds were in the way so we didn't get to see it! I hope you guys got to.

 

Sometimes I've felt like I should have changes. Like I've been in my area a long time, but I read a talk from the June Liahona. I feel like lots of missionaries have thought the same thing. Waiting for the call and knowing that your going to have changes because it makes sense. I've been in my area a long time - 4 and half months. Or I've had the same companion for 3 months, but I think there's something else that I've got to do here before I leave. There is a door that I need to knock or someone including my companion that I need to learn from. Its a humbling experience to see that what I thought was obvious, "I've been here for 4 and a half months. I've got to be changed," Is not what He has planned for me. Knowing that I'm praying that I can find out why I'm here. Sometimes its a little daunting to think and remember, I represent Christ. All the people in my area are depending on me. Heavenly Father has a plan for me and Have I DONE IT? I think my brain has been on overload.

 

Some days its a little hard. I've found that missionary work is pretty hard. Elder Jeffery R. Holland puts it, in a strong convincing voice, "Salvation was NEVER a cheap experience. It was never easy for HIM. Why should it be easy for us?" In one way or another we've got to pay a token. If it can even be called a token of what He paid. I love when he says that when the missionaries feel discouraged they feel all that insufficiency that I've felt trying in my imperfect way to help others come unto Christ, that we are "walking shoulder to shoulder with HIM." I've found myself in some pickles of being discouraged.  So I guess that's what I've been learning. I don't need to be discouraged. Those feelings just take away from my faith.

 

I read this really awesome talk called tasting the light. In this talk he mentions really how blessed we are to live in these the latter days when the spirit has been truly been manifested more than maybe any other dispensation. Really he explains that faith is so much more rich without sight. There are so many examples of people experiencing the glory of God with their senses. That's not good enough on so many occasions. The Israelites, being led by a cloud by day and a cloud of fire by night, receiving manna, receinving water... Laman and Lemuel, with all the experiences they had. So where do we recieve conviction how can we be converted? The Holy Ghost!

 

Someone who's inspired me this week is an Elder who is going home in three days, Elder Clark. He's in my district and he's been a really good friend and example to me of a disciple of Christ. You can just see through his eyes and his actions his testimony. He has true intent. Not like a Pharisee!  I believe its Mathew 23 or 21 verse 27 If you can't find it it just is an explanation of a how people can look pretty on the outside but on the inside they are like a rotten tomb. Anyways... I had the privilege to hear his testimony. The spirit bore witness during his testimony of a few good things I can start to do. I don't remember all of them specifically but I have them written down. He's the kind of missionary I would love to become while I'm here. He's going to BYU and I asked him to look up Seth when he gets back. 

 

I love you guys! I hope you guys enjoy conference! its going to be interesting to see who are the new apostles. Talk about a overwhelming calling.

 

 

Elder Neifert

Not about the Numbers

Greetings Family,

 

 

I just finished reading ALMA TOO! Wow, Moroni just blows away my mind. How mad he gets defending what he loves. How Teancum kills the king in his sleep, but he dies in the process. I think I might read in English the next time so more can sink into my brain.

 

I did see Parker Hendrix at the multi-mission! I accidentally called him Parker..... It just slipped out of my mouth. He's from the Santa Ana mission, I believe, in El Salvador.

 

I'm really grateful for what you guys are doing behind the scenes. I recognize that maybe you can't measure some of the things we do in numbers and statistics. But the Lord knows. It's something that my companion and I have noticed this week. We count lessons. We count how many new investigators. How many invitations to the church. We then report those numbers and more every night. But some things we can't count. Like testimony, faith, service, showing love and much more. I've been so happy to not only have good numbers this week, but really do some things that the district leader won't know, that nobody in the mission will know. Maybe its just my companion and I or maybe its just the Lord and I. We've helped a lot of people this week. On our way back from church we helped a blind man get to his house. We went to go visit some members who were sick. I remember the quote you sent me from Thomas S. Monson saying that we shouldn't let our purpose keep others from feeling love. Really the numbers don't matter. Its been a really quick week. I think because of the service and the joy we felt honoring our covenant at baptism and our covenant we made taking the sacrament, taking upon ourselves His name.

 

Our mission President is really awesome. He came to our District meeting and talked to us about what really is doctrine and how we can help people understand that the doctrine isn't ours - personally ours. John 7:16 17. It's His. And when people understand whose it is, they feel they should do things because He is inviting, not just two missionaries.

 

 

I love you! I cant wait to hear from you next week. I will keep and eye out for the package. Thank YOU!

 

Elder Neifert

1 Day Old Nicole

Ho ho hola!

 

This week was a good one. Apparently I am getting fatter. Go figure. A couple of members in the ward hear have said to me,"Wow Elder Neifert you are getting more fat!" Other missionaries have told me the same thing. I really don't think so. If it's happening it's because of the papusas. They are super good, and super fattening. I'm turning into a Salvadoreno, eating everything with my hands, talking with my hands, and getting nice and plump. 

 

This week I had a really awesome spiritual experience. I had an interchange with our district leader. So I went to his area and his companion went with my companion in our area. I got to go up in the mountains and see the beach from a far off. But what was much more satisfying was that we were able to visit a family with a brand new baby that had just been born the day before. We just stopped by to talk a little - getting to know them and sharing a message from the Book of Mormon. Throughout this lesson with them I had the strong impression that we should give the baby a blessing. This happened a good 5 times during about 10 minutes of talking. Finally just knowing and having the courage to do what the spirit directed, I asked if they would like us to give the day old baby a blessing. The parents said it would be okay, so I laid my hands on sleeping Nicole's head and gave a blessing. It was by far the most satisfying experience this week. Being able to bless someone who was so small, innocent and pure, who had just the day before been in the presence of our Heavenly Father. As we left their home my district leader said he had the same impression during the lesson. So we shouldn't doubt the spirit! Have the courage to act on what He directs. I'm glad the spirit is here to guide me. Or I would be lost. There is so much joy that I found helping other people. Its so satisfying to know that you have done what the Lord wanted you to do as directed by the spirit. I love the Lord, I love this work and I love the people here!

 

I love you guys, spirit up!

 

Elder Neifert

 

When life gives you oranges...