Sterl,
How the heck are you? Who called mom's phone? I don't know crazy people!! How's life going? We're working hard talking to a bunch of people about the gospel. I've felt the spirit really well this week. I feel really good about what we're doing. We haven't had too many baptisms, but I feel like we're about the have a lot. We've been setting good goals and we're working hard to achieve them. This past week we had to go clean a mission owned house because the elders were taken out of the area for about four months. We took the stove out, the fridge, the beds, everything. It was pretty gross what kind of stuff we found in there. The fridge was like half melted and almost exploded! I think a lot of my work here in the mission is to help the Mexican elders. Generally speaking, they are not very obedient. They come from very different back-grounds, but they are good people.
There is a person that we are teaching that is named Mariana. She has problems with coffee we found out this week, and she also has a hard time going to church. She feels like she hasn't gotten an answer to her prayer about Joseph Smith. I can't seem to sacar su duda. We've also been teaching many people that have felt the spirit and have read the book of Mormon, but they just have a hard time going to church and leaving the world behind. I need to be more eficaz. I'm trying to learn the best that I can.
I hope everything is going really well in life! When are you gonna get married? Russell
1.25.2010
Hey Mom and Dad!
How are you? Life is going really well. I am having a good time here in Tepalcingo helping people accept the gospel. I've been really blessed in this area and in my mission. I feel free!
Yesterday I was talking to a young member in my ward named Pedro. He wants badly to go on a mission, and he's going to go, but he has horrible problems with depression. He's also had problems being afraid. Every two or three days he starts to feel dark inside and really afraid and nervous. He also has dark dreams. I don't really know what to do to help him. His family has had some rough times. The mom got pregnant at 15 years of age. The first baby died. The dad's now a drunk that we've tried to help multiple times. The gospel is in the home. We just have to give it time to work it's way into their lives. I just told him to go on the mission and to trust in God. If he has to take pills on his mission it's okay. If he has to talk to a psychiatrist, it's okay. He felt better after we talked. He put a lot of confidence in me to tell me these things.
The members here in Tepalcingo are just starting to understand the gospel. They haven't grasped the whole scheme of things, but it's a little hard to do that when you're in a little pueblo in the middle of nowhere.
We've been working our best these past weeks. We are contacting at least 35 people each week, or we talk to people on the streets and we get 35 of them to accept a visit. The majority of them aren't home when we go to visit, but sometimes they are. I've felt the spirit a lot stronger since we've been doing this.
The investigators we have are doing well. We didn't have many in the chapel yesterday, but we have a lot that we are teaching. One is named Mariana Bravo Perez. She's a single mom of CUTE little baby girl. She's had a ton of problems going to church on Sundays. She's gone two times and was going to be baptized yesterday after church but she didn't go. She had to work selling clothes. I don't really know what to do with her. We're gonna keel trying to help her. There's another special lady named Sabina. She has been looking for the truth. She asked my why there are so many churches. I explained apostasy and spiritual darkness and prophets. I felt the spirit really strongly, and I felt that He testified to her the truth of what I was saying. I asked her is she had any questions and she said, "Nope, it all makes sense." We've invited her to be baptized and she want to think on it more. We found her over three weeks ago, and she's read all the way to Jacob 2 in the Book of Mormon.
We found a lady names Sofia. She's a little bitter against all religion. When she opened the door, she looked angry and started to ask us a bunch of questions. She has so many questions and wanted to know all of the answers. We taught her the restoration and invited and committed her to pray. She said she would. We are also helping people recognize that they really don't have faith. Here in Mexico, all the catholics say they have faith, and a strong faith, when it's really not true. We don't accuse people of not having faith or anything like that, we just lovingly explain to them that it is the first principle of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and that to really be happy, we have to really have faith. Many think believing and going to mass every once in a while is faith. It is pure belief, but not faith. Faith is belief that moves us to act, to change! I don't see change too often in the average person here! I love the Mexican people, but they are so ignorant. They've been kept in the same dead religion for centuries! There's no change, no progress, no real happiness. Sometimes I feel like I'm swimming against the current here, but that's been the problem since the beginning of the world. If we're going to be disciples of Christ, we have to understand that the world is not perfect. We have to recognize the reality of Satan, sin and the horrible things that happen in the world; but in spite of all of that, we have to have faith and be HAPPY! I was talking to Dr. Morgan the other day, he told me that "optimists are people that just don't know what the heck is going on", referring to all the bad stuff the happens. We can't be optimists, in that sense. I understand that we should have hope and press forward, but we shouldn't ignore the problems in the world. We have to face them courageously or nothing is going to change or be better. The people here in Mexico are at least willing to try. They've got fertile soil. They are humble, and willing to believe. The hard thing is getting them to be constant! You've got to get a little hard on them sometimes. The world doesn't like compromise, and less here in Mexico. People flee when they hear the word compromise! When we ask people if they'll go to church, they tell us, "well if I have time I'll go" or "If God wills it, I'll be there." or "THREE HOURS???" Crazy monkeys!!! They make me laugh!
I have another list of people here that I need you to pray for:
Pedro Cedillo, Sabina, Marianna Bravo Perez, Jose Luis Coyote, Sofia, Masiel, Sagrario, Aventure Pliego, Laura Cortez and Alejandro y Julia.
So Tiffany Brown got her mission call??? When does she report in the MTC? That is so cool! Good for her! Give her a hug for me, and if you see Brittany Windsor, do the same. How is the family? I hope everyone is doing well. I love you all and hope you are all well. Russell
How are you? Life is going really well. I am having a good time here in Tepalcingo helping people accept the gospel. I've been really blessed in this area and in my mission. I feel free!
Yesterday I was talking to a young member in my ward named Pedro. He wants badly to go on a mission, and he's going to go, but he has horrible problems with depression. He's also had problems being afraid. Every two or three days he starts to feel dark inside and really afraid and nervous. He also has dark dreams. I don't really know what to do to help him. His family has had some rough times. The mom got pregnant at 15 years of age. The first baby died. The dad's now a drunk that we've tried to help multiple times. The gospel is in the home. We just have to give it time to work it's way into their lives. I just told him to go on the mission and to trust in God. If he has to take pills on his mission it's okay. If he has to talk to a psychiatrist, it's okay. He felt better after we talked. He put a lot of confidence in me to tell me these things.
The members here in Tepalcingo are just starting to understand the gospel. They haven't grasped the whole scheme of things, but it's a little hard to do that when you're in a little pueblo in the middle of nowhere.
We've been working our best these past weeks. We are contacting at least 35 people each week, or we talk to people on the streets and we get 35 of them to accept a visit. The majority of them aren't home when we go to visit, but sometimes they are. I've felt the spirit a lot stronger since we've been doing this.
The investigators we have are doing well. We didn't have many in the chapel yesterday, but we have a lot that we are teaching. One is named Mariana Bravo Perez. She's a single mom of CUTE little baby girl. She's had a ton of problems going to church on Sundays. She's gone two times and was going to be baptized yesterday after church but she didn't go. She had to work selling clothes. I don't really know what to do with her. We're gonna keel trying to help her. There's another special lady named Sabina. She has been looking for the truth. She asked my why there are so many churches. I explained apostasy and spiritual darkness and prophets. I felt the spirit really strongly, and I felt that He testified to her the truth of what I was saying. I asked her is she had any questions and she said, "Nope, it all makes sense." We've invited her to be baptized and she want to think on it more. We found her over three weeks ago, and she's read all the way to Jacob 2 in the Book of Mormon.
We found a lady names Sofia. She's a little bitter against all religion. When she opened the door, she looked angry and started to ask us a bunch of questions. She has so many questions and wanted to know all of the answers. We taught her the restoration and invited and committed her to pray. She said she would. We are also helping people recognize that they really don't have faith. Here in Mexico, all the catholics say they have faith, and a strong faith, when it's really not true. We don't accuse people of not having faith or anything like that, we just lovingly explain to them that it is the first principle of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and that to really be happy, we have to really have faith. Many think believing and going to mass every once in a while is faith. It is pure belief, but not faith. Faith is belief that moves us to act, to change! I don't see change too often in the average person here! I love the Mexican people, but they are so ignorant. They've been kept in the same dead religion for centuries! There's no change, no progress, no real happiness. Sometimes I feel like I'm swimming against the current here, but that's been the problem since the beginning of the world. If we're going to be disciples of Christ, we have to understand that the world is not perfect. We have to recognize the reality of Satan, sin and the horrible things that happen in the world; but in spite of all of that, we have to have faith and be HAPPY! I was talking to Dr. Morgan the other day, he told me that "optimists are people that just don't know what the heck is going on", referring to all the bad stuff the happens. We can't be optimists, in that sense. I understand that we should have hope and press forward, but we shouldn't ignore the problems in the world. We have to face them courageously or nothing is going to change or be better. The people here in Mexico are at least willing to try. They've got fertile soil. They are humble, and willing to believe. The hard thing is getting them to be constant! You've got to get a little hard on them sometimes. The world doesn't like compromise, and less here in Mexico. People flee when they hear the word compromise! When we ask people if they'll go to church, they tell us, "well if I have time I'll go" or "If God wills it, I'll be there." or "THREE HOURS???" Crazy monkeys!!! They make me laugh!
I have another list of people here that I need you to pray for:
Pedro Cedillo, Sabina, Marianna Bravo Perez, Jose Luis Coyote, Sofia, Masiel, Sagrario, Aventure Pliego, Laura Cortez and Alejandro y Julia.
So Tiffany Brown got her mission call??? When does she report in the MTC? That is so cool! Good for her! Give her a hug for me, and if you see Brittany Windsor, do the same. How is the family? I hope everyone is doing well. I love you all and hope you are all well. Russell
1.18.2021
Hey Sterl,
What I would tell your convert, and all new members that have joined the church, is that she has to hold on to the iron rod. Have her read 1 Nephi 8. It is interesting that the people that were holding on to the rod with all of their lives and the people that were wandering about in confusion were covered by a mist of darkness. Many new converts feel so good after baptism and in the church, but when the mist of darkness comes, they seem to doubt a little. But we just have to remind them that it's okay. It is natural to doubt sometimes. We're not perfect, but we have to keep going/ If we keep holding onto the rod, even thought it seems like the mist of darkness is never going to end, we will leave the darkness and reach the fruit of the tree. The fruit for me, is happiness and peace. I assume that's what she wants, and what we all want.
Also, what I've been focusing on with the people here in Tepalcingo, is that faith is like a little seed, if planted it will grow. If we cultivate it, it grows, if we don't it will die. If we want to have greater faith, we can start little by little, having the surety that it will grow in time. I hope that she is okay. It's all part of the plan. These people can't be expected to be perfect!
I love you Sterl! Russ
What I would tell your convert, and all new members that have joined the church, is that she has to hold on to the iron rod. Have her read 1 Nephi 8. It is interesting that the people that were holding on to the rod with all of their lives and the people that were wandering about in confusion were covered by a mist of darkness. Many new converts feel so good after baptism and in the church, but when the mist of darkness comes, they seem to doubt a little. But we just have to remind them that it's okay. It is natural to doubt sometimes. We're not perfect, but we have to keep going/ If we keep holding onto the rod, even thought it seems like the mist of darkness is never going to end, we will leave the darkness and reach the fruit of the tree. The fruit for me, is happiness and peace. I assume that's what she wants, and what we all want.
Also, what I've been focusing on with the people here in Tepalcingo, is that faith is like a little seed, if planted it will grow. If we cultivate it, it grows, if we don't it will die. If we want to have greater faith, we can start little by little, having the surety that it will grow in time. I hope that she is okay. It's all part of the plan. These people can't be expected to be perfect!
I love you Sterl! Russ
1.11.2010
Hey Mom and Dad,
Elder Anderson is still here !!!!! He's going to have been here for a really long time, like nine months! President Spannaus has a different style!
Thanks for putting the names on the temple prayer roll. I know they'll be blessed. They already are blessed. We've found many people that have accepted the gospel so rapidly and freely. The people here in Mexico are ready to exercise faith. The Catholic church, in spite of some of the bad things it has done, has helped prepare the heart of the Mexican people. They understand the principles of the gospel. They're just waiting to put it into practice.
The gospel of hope and faith would help so many people here. There are so many women that do the same thing day after day: wash, clean, take care of the kids, make tortillas, wash some more, and wait for their drunk husband to come home. They believe in God, and in Jesus Christ and they try to be positive but you can see in their faces that their just tired! They need real doctrine, and real faith, and real help! We haven't had any baptisms in the past few weeks. We need to start working a little harder, looking a little more for los escogidos. Everyone that has been baptized is doing pretty well. Laura Cadenas didn't go to church yesterday. She's had some struggles within her family. She needs some help too.
Concepcion and her girls didn't go to church either. I have faith that her husband is going to change. She has to get baptized. Just little by little we'll be working with the Santos.
I have been thinking a lot about faith. Many times I have said, I have faith when really it's not true. I "believe" but sometimes without real conviction. Many, many people here say they have faith, but they don't do anything to show their faith. We're helping people see that faith is very important principle of the gospel. We have helped them see that they have to exercise their faith, not just believe.
A sister named Mariana and her grandma came to church with us yesterday. She's accepted a baptismal date for the 24th of this month. She's a single mom with a little baby girl 1 1/2 years old. Also, we've found a woman named Sabina who has been really, really receptive to the gospel. She is a great woman, and does all of the homework. The only problem is that she hasn't come to church yet. So if you could remember her in your prayers. Actually, just remember everyone in your prayers!
Yesterday, we had a missionary devotional that went really well. We saw a slide show of the recent baptisms that we've had and then we watched a conference talk by Elder Perry called "Bring Souls Unto Me". Then I gave a little talk, then Elder Anderson, and then some people that were baptized in these last months bore their testimonies. It was pretty special.
There's a little kids that keeps coming to all of the church activities names Carlos, I call him Carlitos. He's a sweet little kids, and he likes everything we do. I've actually taken kind of a father role to him. He doesn't have much of a dad in his home, actually none of these people do. I gave him a book of Mormon on Saturday and on Sunday he told me he had read 20 pages. The only problem is that his mom doesn't come to church. We've gotta convince his mom to start coming so that he can get baptized.
Keep me in your prayers. Ask God that I can keep focused and positive and keep up the energy. That's what I need. I feel like there are so many thins that Satan throws at me that try to keep me down. But I feel good here!
Thanks for all of your love and support! Russell
Elder Anderson is still here !!!!! He's going to have been here for a really long time, like nine months! President Spannaus has a different style!
Thanks for putting the names on the temple prayer roll. I know they'll be blessed. They already are blessed. We've found many people that have accepted the gospel so rapidly and freely. The people here in Mexico are ready to exercise faith. The Catholic church, in spite of some of the bad things it has done, has helped prepare the heart of the Mexican people. They understand the principles of the gospel. They're just waiting to put it into practice.
The gospel of hope and faith would help so many people here. There are so many women that do the same thing day after day: wash, clean, take care of the kids, make tortillas, wash some more, and wait for their drunk husband to come home. They believe in God, and in Jesus Christ and they try to be positive but you can see in their faces that their just tired! They need real doctrine, and real faith, and real help! We haven't had any baptisms in the past few weeks. We need to start working a little harder, looking a little more for los escogidos. Everyone that has been baptized is doing pretty well. Laura Cadenas didn't go to church yesterday. She's had some struggles within her family. She needs some help too.
Concepcion and her girls didn't go to church either. I have faith that her husband is going to change. She has to get baptized. Just little by little we'll be working with the Santos.
I have been thinking a lot about faith. Many times I have said, I have faith when really it's not true. I "believe" but sometimes without real conviction. Many, many people here say they have faith, but they don't do anything to show their faith. We're helping people see that faith is very important principle of the gospel. We have helped them see that they have to exercise their faith, not just believe.
A sister named Mariana and her grandma came to church with us yesterday. She's accepted a baptismal date for the 24th of this month. She's a single mom with a little baby girl 1 1/2 years old. Also, we've found a woman named Sabina who has been really, really receptive to the gospel. She is a great woman, and does all of the homework. The only problem is that she hasn't come to church yet. So if you could remember her in your prayers. Actually, just remember everyone in your prayers!
Yesterday, we had a missionary devotional that went really well. We saw a slide show of the recent baptisms that we've had and then we watched a conference talk by Elder Perry called "Bring Souls Unto Me". Then I gave a little talk, then Elder Anderson, and then some people that were baptized in these last months bore their testimonies. It was pretty special.
There's a little kids that keeps coming to all of the church activities names Carlos, I call him Carlitos. He's a sweet little kids, and he likes everything we do. I've actually taken kind of a father role to him. He doesn't have much of a dad in his home, actually none of these people do. I gave him a book of Mormon on Saturday and on Sunday he told me he had read 20 pages. The only problem is that his mom doesn't come to church. We've gotta convince his mom to start coming so that he can get baptized.
Keep me in your prayers. Ask God that I can keep focused and positive and keep up the energy. That's what I need. I feel like there are so many thins that Satan throws at me that try to keep me down. But I feel good here!
Thanks for all of your love and support! Russell
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1.4.2010
Hey Mom and Dad! Life is still going well! We are working well and trying to find new people to teach. I had a special experience yesterday in church. A member of the ward that was baptized about three months ago, gave us a referral. He took us over to his dad's house and had us teach his sister. She is very receptive. She, her husband, and her daughter went to church yesterday and felt the spirit. After church, I gave them a tour of the chapel, and they liked it a lot. I showed them the baptismal font and explained why we need baptism and what it is. The sister, named Antonia, asked me what is needed to be baptized. I told her faith and repentance. She told me she would like to follow in this church. Basically, I was able to teach the gospel to the whole family in front of the baptismal font. Members were also there to bear testimony. It seemed to all go perfectly. They're going to get baptized.
There is another beautiful family that we are teaching. The dad is a punk sometimes. He doesn't want to get married. But he's just afraid of change, afraid of commitment. He's a good dad, and wants the best for his family, but he doesn't want to change too fast. So we're working with them. The mom's name is Concepcion and they have two daughters: Daniela and Alejandra. The girls love the church, as does Concepcion. The only thing that keeps them from getting baptized is their marriage.
Everyone is doing well, speaking of people that have been baptized recently. Laura Cadenas went to church after a 4 week period of inactivity. She and her baby boy have been sick. It's been rough for her.
Okay, so these are the people that I would like you guys to pray for:
Laura Cortex Bautista
Laura Cadenas Soto
Yamilet Cadenas Soto
Petra y Abel Tenango Zitlalapa
Marilu y Martin Coyote Reyes
Rosa
Tania
Josefina
Fransisca
I don't know if you need their names complete, with last names and everything, but these are a few people that need help.
New Years was good. We had an activity in the church, organized by the members, not by us. I sang "I know my father lives" but in Spanish. It was really good. We're doing well. There are things that are in my patriarchal blessing that are really coming to pass at this point in my mission. Heavenly Father has helped me a lot. He's given me understanding more than anything.
I am probably going to be here in Tepalcingo for like three or four more transfers, or 18 -24 weeks more. President Spannaus likes to leave us in the area a longer time. Elder Anderson has been here for 7 1/2 months. If you need anything from me, just tell me. I love you all so much! Russell
There is another beautiful family that we are teaching. The dad is a punk sometimes. He doesn't want to get married. But he's just afraid of change, afraid of commitment. He's a good dad, and wants the best for his family, but he doesn't want to change too fast. So we're working with them. The mom's name is Concepcion and they have two daughters: Daniela and Alejandra. The girls love the church, as does Concepcion. The only thing that keeps them from getting baptized is their marriage.
Everyone is doing well, speaking of people that have been baptized recently. Laura Cadenas went to church after a 4 week period of inactivity. She and her baby boy have been sick. It's been rough for her.
Okay, so these are the people that I would like you guys to pray for:
Laura Cortex Bautista
Laura Cadenas Soto
Yamilet Cadenas Soto
Petra y Abel Tenango Zitlalapa
Marilu y Martin Coyote Reyes
Rosa
Tania
Josefina
Fransisca
I don't know if you need their names complete, with last names and everything, but these are a few people that need help.
New Years was good. We had an activity in the church, organized by the members, not by us. I sang "I know my father lives" but in Spanish. It was really good. We're doing well. There are things that are in my patriarchal blessing that are really coming to pass at this point in my mission. Heavenly Father has helped me a lot. He's given me understanding more than anything.
I am probably going to be here in Tepalcingo for like three or four more transfers, or 18 -24 weeks more. President Spannaus likes to leave us in the area a longer time. Elder Anderson has been here for 7 1/2 months. If you need anything from me, just tell me. I love you all so much! Russell
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