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,

Elder Neifert

Tatooed Eyebrows

Here's the update from this week. Starting from what happened most recently - we had our stake conference Saturday and Sunday. It was great! The topics more or less were keeping the Sabbath day holy and serving missions. In the session on Saturday our mission President, President Bruno Vasquez, came to speak. When he got up to speak he began talking about the missionaries. He called Elder Clawson and I up to the stand! His message was really simple. The purpose of an Elder (missionary or no) is to BAPTIZE. There's a great reference in Doctrine and Covenants talking about the purpose of an Elder. We want people in the ward to baptize the investigators as they help us in lessons as they befriend them. Its really a great idea. Before the mission I would have helped the missionaries out more if I had that vision that I could baptize one of the investigatores (investigators). President is really passionate about getting the ward to help the missionaries more. He's really doing a great job. Talking about mission numbers and statistics we have been rising in the past months.

 

WOW! WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR EYEBROWS, MAN?

 

We went our visiting with a few members yesterday. We had planned to visit a few investigadores (investigators) who are progressing rapidly. As we passed by Rosas home on the way to the appointments she called out to us, "Tengo un familiar aqui que quiero presentar a ustedes." (

I have a family here that I want to introduce to you)

We went in to her house and a tall man with a baseball cap came out. The first thing I saw about this man was his eyebrows. He had shaved his eyebrows and had tattooed them back. I shook his hand and I started talking in Spanish, but he started responding in English. He told me he had been in St. Louis, Missouri for 8 years. I thought that was really weird. We got to talking about the church and I asked if we could come over to visit him another time. He said he couldn't, but that we could visit him at his house. He lives in the other area. Despite the fact that he had tattooed in his eyebrows, he turned out to be really nice. Its great to see the members wanting to share the gospel with their family and their friends here. There is a lot of work to do here for Elder Clawson and I because of the members who are sharing with their friends.

 

Things are crack-a-lakin in our area. We have a great teaching pool. Lots of people are going to church and are reading and praying, but lots are just afraid to be baptized. They either feel inadequate or unsure. We have been praying hard to change their hearts but I'd like to ask some help with Familia Hernandez, Lorena, Alexis, Saul, Antonio, Maria, Ana y Dolorise. They could use some prayers to help them feel that the church is true.

 

I love your guts! Keep on writing me! I like reading your letters. I'm not to good at writing back, but give me another shot! I'd like to change. Keep on praying and reading the scriptures. I'm in 2 Nephi 11. There is a great scripture about the sword of truth. Nephi just tells his tumultuous brothers the truth and it HURTS! But the truth hits the guilty in the core. 1 Nephi 16: 2 and another one 2 Nephi 9:40. Now it makes a little more sense why it's the "sword of truth". Keep up the hard work. All of your afflictions will come out for your benefit. In some way or another it was to help us.

 

 

Elder Neifert

It was there. I felt it.

Family!

"Ohhhhh what a beautiful morning oh what a beautiful day!" HAHA Seth left me one of his cards he used on his mission and it has that on it. SETH, BY THE WAY I LIKE YOUR CARDS A LOT. They are great tools to remember important things. Bueno pueessss. There is good news - we baptized this week! and confirmed him! His name is Christian and yes he is Christian. He is a way awesome man. He hails from JERSEY. He speaks English pretty well. So we taught him the lessons in English. It all happened so fast. There have been years and years of missionaries working with Christian. He had a few difficulties so he just never wanted to be baptized. He got married and then the same day set his own baptismal date. He was a prepared man. That in itself is a testimony that the Lord is preparing the hearts of men. There are some good people progressing in our area. The Hernandez family came to church. They came! We taught them the doctrine and they lived it! I love that.  I felt the spirit in the confirmation of Christian. I finished the first set part of the ordinance and when I came to give a blessing I didn't know what to say. Then words just started to come out from my mouth. I love what Seth wrote me the other day saying he wished he would have fasted more. That letter came in to my mind on Friday so I had fasted to have the spirit during the confirmation. It was there. I felt it. I happy that I was able to feel that and be apart of that experience. Fasting and prayer works! 

 

I love you guys! I hope you get to see the great new videos of Christ's birth the church has.

Elder Neifert

 

Edwin Baptism

Greeting,

I love reading your letters too! I'm glad you are not worried. Its a lot less dangerous than what everyone says. God really does protect us when we keep our promises. We don't have His promise outside of His guidelines.

 

There aren't too many people writing consistently probably because I don't write consistently. People have written and I don't get to responding the same day so I put it off and off until I have forgotten. So I'm just behind. What do you think I can do to be better at writing more people during the 1 and 15 I have?

 

 

This was a good von (one)! We baptized Edwin. A youth who has family in the church. It was a great experience! Now we are looking ahead at a another awesome guy Christian who is practically begging to be baptized! He is super prepared. He's gone to church for a long time but just wasn't married. He finally got married and now he is progressing a bunch. Its awesome to see the fruits of the labors I gave a few months ago. Now its time to seed for the next year! Its such a blessing to see the harvest.

I will be here in San Marcos for the next change! Whoop WHOOP! I'm actually happy about it. Its because I know there are people still here for me! We made some pizza! Homemade crust and every-thang. It was way good!

 

I was also Jose Smith This week! We had an activity were we re-enacted parts of the Gospel! It was uncomfortable at first, but I could do it again. Lots of people wanted pictures with Jose Smith! bahaha

 

ANYWAYS, I LOVE YOU GUYS!

 

 

ELDER NEIFERT

3 in 1 Prayer

Greetings!

My new companion, Elder Clawson has right now about 18 days in the mission. It's going pretty good here. This week we visited these old ladies which live just above our house. They wear this white bandana on their heads for some reason. Anyways they are really sweet. We taught them and a visitor they had about the gospel of Christ. How we need faith, repentance, baptism, the gift of the holy ghost, and we need to endure to the end to receive the gift of eternal life. They understood and we were able to feel the spirit. Helping us know what to say and helping them understand. Anyways I asked the brother to say the closing prayer. He started sitting down then moved to a kneeling prayer in the middle of it. The two old ladies with white rag hats started chanting also while moving to a kneeling prayer. SO there it was. Three people chanting to Heavenly father simultaneously. The three-in-one prayer went on for a good 5 minutes. I got to wondering if they would ever stop so I just started to say my prayer out loud and made sure to end it with, "in the name of Jesus Christ, amen" so everyone could hear. When I ended they burst out into "AMEN, HERMANO AMEN HALLELULIA!" It was an interesting experience. I learned a few things. I've got to explain how to pray before I ask them. I assumed they knew how to because they are religious. So we've got a topic for the next lesson. PRAYER. 

 

People are coming out of the woodwork! An investigator got married! We went to his wedding held in the church. When he gave his speech he said it was a step towards being baptized. He put a ring on it and we put a baptismal date on it. He is a great guy named Christian. He's from Jersey. He speaks English really well and he is a really good man. We are very blessed. Before I felt like I wasn't seeing the fruits of my labors. This past few weeks I have been seeing the and tasting those fruits. Its a great feeling to be on the front row of the show. Seeing lives change! Seeing the power of the Atonement of Christ working. I love helping people be more happy! I'm happy because they are happy. I love the Lord. My love for Him and my brothers and sisters is the best reason to be out here. The thing everyone needs is truth. The Doctrine of Jesus Christ is truth. How blessed we are to be in the true church with the true doctrine.

 

Spirit up! Its hard to have the spirit when we are afraid! Faith is the answer. Tell me about something funny that happend this coming week! And tell me something spiritual.

 

 

Elder Neifert

Avisai

Greetings,

Hey 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 says 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 of working, or planning what they do everyday or going through the motions. Like a good Halloween costume - you've got to be different. Many times maybe we 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

New Companion: Elder Clawson

Dear Mom,

My new companion is Elder Clawson! He is from Ogden, Utah.   Elder Clawson is very, very humble. He is a little quiet but he really listens. He's working on his Spanish with me. We are learning a lot together. One thing that I've learned form Elder Clawson is how strong a simple testimony can be. I'm not a super good teacher. I have some mistakes but I've seen how a simple conviction of what you say and do can really help bring the spirit and help people see that the gospel is something that I know. That I know through personal experience that is true. 

 

 

Wow! That's pretty awesome you guys got to go to a game!!!!!! (His parents and sister went to a BYU football game) They played in Kansas City. I hope it turned out to be a good game! That must have been your first game which you've been to in a few moons. Did they sing the "Rise and Shout the Cougars are Out" song? That song came to my mind last Monday and another Elder who was from Utah sang it with me because I only remembered "rise and shout the cougars are out...."

 

This week was full of good ups and learning experiences. I never thought I would miss Elder Lopez! Its super weird. He was a really good guy. At the beginning of our 4 and half months together I just didn't see it. He wrote in my journal and what he wrote has helped me through the changes that happen in the mission. Really he is one of my best friends in the mission I'd say. 

 

Anyways this week we had a baptism! We finally were able to baptize Avisai. It was a really great experience. A lot of people came to the service. We had to put off the baptism a few times but it was worth is to wait. It was a really great experience. I feel like Avisai will be a great active member. He plans to go on a mission! He has been reading the Book of Mormon everyday and has been becoming more and more converted despite the adversity. We were able to help him join the church with the help of the Spirit. We couldn't have done anything alone by our own efforts. I just cant wait to see what the future holds for Avisai! He will be able to leave on a mission while I'm still out!

 

I think something that has help me back is fear. We had interviews with Presidente this week and he asked me what kept me from progressing. I told him fear. Sometimes I get caught up in what I will teach or what I will do and it sometimes causes feelings of worry, anxiety, and fear. So that's something that I've been taking out of my system. Fear and faith can be in my mind at the same time. So I've been saying my affirmation! I remember saying it everyday in the car on the way to seminary with dad. Its helped me to be more confident and remember who I am. 

 

I got to here the testimonies of the Elders going home. I love how simple their words were. The best testimonies I heard were about true things. The Book of Mormon, the first vision, the gospel, the church. etc. I could feel that what they were saying was true. It was really great spiritual experience. 

 

I know the church is true. I know the Gospel of Jesus Christ is truth. I know the Book of Mormon is true contains the fullness of the Gospel! It was written and translated with our day in mind. God loves us and keeps us safe. We have his promise when we do what he says. I know that my mission president is called of God, with the keys to be here directing the work. I love Jesus Christ. I know he loves me. I have faith that he lived and died for me. I have faith that obeying the commandments and covenants with bring me joy! I know I'm here for a reason in the mission. I know I'm a child of God. I bear my testimony in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

 

Elder Neifert