I will not be homesick!

English is a Little weird (Benji said after I was saying that he probably isn’t used to speaking it much now but was speaking it during our skype call. ) (I told him that I told Chellie that when she comes home that she doesn’t need to listen to the radio for a while because I think that it has become worse since she left on her mission.) Benji said: Sadly enough, with riding buses, we hear a lot of music. But, I prepared myself for a while before my misión by almost only listening to church songs. It's weird to think I hear more here than I did there. I do listen to the music you guys send me almost every day, and I love it. I'll listen to it while I work out to feel the spirit. Benji and his companion have had problems with the water in their house. And he said: We are going to fix that wáter problema today. This week we focused a lot on the husband of a less active who is not a member. He has done everything we have asked him to, and he is progressing. He couldn't come to church this week because he had to work, but his family did come for the first time in a long time. We are blessed to find more people every week. We are blessed to find those who are Ready. President Stellmon invited us all to have a baptism for January. We hope to achieve that goal. I loved talking to you guys (on Christmas Day). I was feeling a Little homesick after we talked, and I decided to read in the "Adjusting to missionary life" manual. It has suggestions for every type of stressful thing. (President Stellmon also invited us to read The Fourth Missionary, which is amazing if you can find it. As in, please find it and read it.) It told me to read my patriarcal blessing. When I read it, my mind felt transformed. I had been feeling like a kid. But after Reading it I realized that I was ready for everything. I just needed to remind myself that I was on a misión for the Lord. That a few years after my misión, I'll probably already be married with my own kids. It hit me that I God has a much bigger plan for me, that there is a man in the future that He wants me to be, and that to understand who that man is, I need to plan to be him. I realized that there is a man that I don't know yet who should be one of my greatest examples, that if I get to know him and plan to be like him in the future, I will be him, because that man is ME. I know that the blessings that I found there can and will come true if I am faithful. I invite all of you to plan for who you will be. I invite you to surrender your will to God and Let him change you. Learn who that person is, what they sound like, what they know, think, feel, and how it feels to be around them. Let that person be Even as Christ Is. Plan this New Years to be that person. Will YOU do it? I share this in the name of Jesús Christ, Amen. Love, Elder Dazey

Being one of God's Soldiers

This was a pretty good week. We had a lot of meetings. District meeting, Zone Conference, and a Christmas Dinner with the Ward. In the district meeting we all got too know each other a Little better, and we all practiced inviting people to baptism. In our Zone Conference we watched many segments from A Christmas Carol, and we talked about how humanity is our business, and how to enjoy Christmas, and that we can do things during Christmas time that we can't normally do. We can be a Little more bold, and people are more likely to receive us. We played a Missionary Family Feud game, and during lunch I played that pass the cup girls camp pitch perfect game with like 10 sisters and an Elder. It was fun. One of the assistants made a spanglish Night before Christmas and read it, and there were quite a few musical numbers. At the end one of the elders walked in dressed as Santa, so we got some pictures of our district. It was pretty funny. At the Dinner it started off pretty slow, but the Elders of our district sang Venid Adoremos (Oh Come All Ye Faithful), and our relief Society President started games with the members. We got to help out with helping people get their food. It sufficith me to say that I had a good week, and I know this one can be even better. My Parents shared their testimonies with my, and I wish to bear mine with all of you. I know that following the laws of God brings blessings. I know that there is no greater happiness and success that can be found than in this Church. I have faith in Jesús Christ. I have faith in my Father in Heaven. I have faith enough to be obedient and show God that I love him. I know that prayers are answered. I love being His son, and I'm trying to be like Jesus so that I can live with God. I bear this simple testimony in the name of Jesús Christ. Amen. I had a pretty heart touching moment with the kid in this picture. I sat down to eat at a table, and this mom was talking with her Little son. She said, "What do you think he looks like?" (Talking about me) He said "Capitán America" I love being confused for Captain America. But then after a few minutes he said, "What is your real name?" And I said "Elder Dazey. I'm a Super Hero too." His mom then said to him " Just like Captain America is a soldier, he is too. But he is one of God's soldiers." I about cried. It's an honor to be one of God's Soldiers. I hope you all have a very Wonderful-y Christmas and a Happy New year. Love, Elder Dazey

Some weeks are harder than others

So this week was good. I don't have my Journal with me, so I can't promise that I'll remember that much. It was very different from last week. It wasn't bad, it just wasn't great. It was weaker in some aspects and stronger in others. We've done a lot more contacting this last week. One sister gave us 13 references! I wish that all members were like that. She really had a spirit about her, and she has a lot of faith. It is so important what the members do in this work. In Preach My Gospel it says that the ideal situation is that missionaries never have to find investigators, but that the members bring investigators to them. We don't tract in this mission. Elder Sosa and I have not dedicated any time to tracting. If we feel inspired, we talk to someone, but all of our investigators come from references that we get from the members. If you can focus all of your efforts in always serving in missionary work, temple work, and perfecting the saints, you will see yourself walking with Christ, and you will know with a surety how Chellie and I are doing.  

I also told Benji about another story in my letter: President Marsh also told us about a crew team that he had read about recently. They won the Olympics in the 1930's. He said that if you look at what it takes for a crew team to win, it is kind of interesting because they all sit backwards and can't see where they are going or where the competition is. He said that they have to rely on the one guy that is sitting at the front of the boat who can see and give directions as to how hard to pull, which way to go to avoid other teams and when to speed up to race towards the end. That one person on the team can see what is coming. He can see what it takes to get to the end and he said that if we view Christ as our lead person, and are willing to take our cues from him and let him tell us what we need to do to avoid the obstacles ahead, that the path will be so much easier to get to the end. I loved that analogy. And Benji said: I really like that anology too.

(Benji's letter continues) Yesterday our building was Dedicated. Elder Sosa and I walked in an hour early and saw the stake choir singing. I had to join  So we sang with them for the dedication. It was very nice. This week we went to exchanges although we didn't have a change. Elder Sosa wanted to say goodbye to a previous companion who was leaving the mission. Our district changed a lot this week and we have a new district leader. All of the new missionaries in our district are nice. Our district leader is cool. Today we went back to the Centro and ate some more 5 peso tacos  It was good. Anyway, sorry that I don't have my journal this week, I'll try to remember it.

Love,

Elder Dazey

Soooo Many Blessings!

That's so great that you got so much done this week. It's sad to hear about sister Scottin's mom. That is so great to hear about Alex bearing his testimony at church. Needless to say, I shed a few tears on that one, thanks. I hope he can keep it up. That quote is beautiful. I've learned so much about Jesus Christ the last week. I've been reading in matthew and trying to prepare myself for christmas. I love the church movie, El es la Dadiva (He is the Gift). They gave us cards for that video to pass to everyone, I imagine that you have already seen them. I'm glad you enjoyed the prank. I did have an adjustment period to the water and food, but I don't have to share it ;D Just know that I'm alive, and Preaching the gospel. also that period is basically over. I haven't had problems for weeks. Tell Aaron I love him, and good luck at his concert. If you can, have him write something in your letter. Sorry I didn't write yesterday, We had to pick up a new missionary to take him to our house and let him stay with us the night before changes, so we are writing now. So this week was the best week I've had my whole mission. We got done with one day, and Elder Sosa even said that that day was the best day he's had his whole mission. We got the lists of members our president asked us to get last week, and we have worked on little things that we can do to be more obedient. Just updating our area book and having amazing planning sessions that are really focused on our investigators being a few of the things. I really do know Spanish. No joke. I plan to speak like a native by the time I get out, Because I can already understand almost everything, and God isn't holding back the gift of tongues. We we're given a new reference this week of a family that lives in our neighborhood. We have had two lessons with them, and they want to be baptized. They are both about 20, and need to get married to get baptized, but they have the desire. They really want to go to church, but they have had to work on sundays, so we will teach keeping the sabbath day holy. The "wife" read the first pamphelet just because they both liked us. Our second lesson with them was only with him, but he talked about how much he felt that we were already his friends. At the end we asked him who his best friend was (To get references) And he talked about someone across the street who he thought was his best friend, but now that guy smokes pot and is lame. He said that he thinks that pretty soon we will be his best friends. So far they are almost golden investigators, we just have a few problems to work through. 
We were with a Married couple in the ward to go to an appointment with a family, but they weren't there. We knocked on their door, and their neighbor answered. We told her that we were looking for her neighbors, and she said okay, and went back to what she was doing. We remembered that we had done that before, that we had gone to that house, and that that sister who just answered the door was open to recieve us. The problem was that we hadn't had another man with us at the time, so we couldn't go in because it was just her and her baby, but this time we were prepared because we had this couple with us. We knocked her door this time, and she recieved us. We talked to her, and she said that she was almost always alone, and that she enjoyed our company. She spoke of problems that her brothers baby was having, and we taught of God and Families. I invited her to baptism, and she accepted. The members that were with her offered to take her to church. She went to church this past sunday. She was a miracle. We wouldn't have taught her if they hadn't been there, and she was ready to recieve us in that moment, and we had the people we needed to enter. Our other lessons were very guided by the spirit. An invertigator that wasn't really progressing before became excited to hear the restoration, accepted baptism, and her kids, who previously didn't have any desire to go to church, were excited to attend. They couldn't this week because of some work problems, but hopefully we can get at least a few of them to come with us this week. We have served this part week. We learned a scripture (Nephi 10.22) And we applied it. Y el espiritu santo me da autoridad(and the Holy Spirit gives me the Authority) para que declare estas cosas, (to declare these things)y no las retenga. (And deny them not. ) We spoke with power from the holy ghost. We taught about family history, and felt the spirit of Elijah. This week has been full of miracles. We have had entire days of lessons that were entirely guided by the spirit. It was amazing.
I love you all. And I hope that in this Christmas season you all can discover, accept, and share the Gift that is Jesus the Christ. My studies have been so powerful the past week as I have studied the life of Christ. I am so excited for this season. I've had more gifts this Christmas than I could imagine.
Love, 
Elder Dazey

Missionaries are Pranksters!

 Thanksgiving I had exchanges. It was a normal day. But that's fine. I love it. I love the food. I don't like citas that fall through. I don't like being disobedient. We don't do dinner. We do comida (2 oclock) We have it with members every day but p day. (Needless to say our Relief Society president is the boss) I should be with Elder Sosa for my entire training (3 months) We are more in the city. I'm going to try to send some pictures today. It is all hills here. We live in a very large neighborhood called Galaxia. We actually spent a few hours in the Centro (downtown) today. It was super cool. Giant cathedrals, stores, 5 peso tacos (so good) It was cool. My Spanish? I'll let you guys tell me on Christmas ;D I'm at a level of Spanish that is hard for me to imagine. Every day I think about the fact that I speak a second language. The spirit helps a lot. We have 6 missionaries in our ward. It is cold when we run in the morning. BTW I've been pretty fit lately. Elder Sosa and I work out for realz. We're trying to be Nephites, because in every picture of a nephite they are huge. Well I'm glad Pappap is ok :D He's such a good guy. Tell him and everyone else that I love them. I had a dream with him in it.  Thanks for the scripture. I really like that one. Have you all seen the He is the gift video? (El es la Dadiva) It is awesome. Could you share stories of our ancestors? It can be anything from anyone. Your Mom, Dad's parents. Anything. I'd like to know more. I'm going to fill out my My Family pack this week. Can you and dad write a short autobiography of your lives for my pack?  I've had a good week. We had a lot of meetings this week, and We didn't have very good numbers this week because we had those meetings and a last minute move with the sister missionaries. Everything has been going well we are working harder. We did finally get some member lists that president has been asking us for. I love you guys. I hope everything goes well preparing for Navidad.

- My companion and our district leader did exchanges the other day, and left the toilet covered in poop. They filmed me seeing it. IT WAS A NIGHTMARE. They told me after that it was a chocolate, oatmeal, ketchup, jello mixture :D I'll try to send the pictures. :D

Love you too Dad,

Elder Dazey