First Week with My New Arrival

My son is from Idaho. His name is Elder Hale. He has had two years of Spanish, so he can teach the lessons and communicate. His Spanish isn't perfect, but we'll learn a lot together. I'm so glad you've been able to go to the temple so often. I'm jealous....I'd like to set up a time that my companion and I can go. I don't know how the president is with that. I'm so glad that you are starting to make progress with those programs for Alex. It's okay that you have no snow, because I don't have any either. I have felt quite obedient this week. We've learned a lot of stuff. and Elder Hale is learning a lot. Thank you for your encouragement and love. I can feel your prayers. Elder Hale and I hit it off really well. He said the first day that he was a big Disney fanatic. He reminds me a lot of Jake. His favorite movie is The Little Mermaid. My first day with him I wrote in my journal that he seems "really chill." Haha, I almost never say that. We like a lot of the same things, and we are better friends every day. He is actually from President Stellmon's ward in Idaho. Pretty nuts. President actually called his Mom when he got here, and he promised her that he'd learn a lot and grow his testimony. Super cool. It's been really different being the senior companion. I already know the area, but I have a new companion and I have to help him with his Spanish and teaching and stuff. I should take more cool pictures...sorry I get distracted. We took a picture of my mission family all the way through my son's great grandpa, who also happens to be one of our Zone Leaders. Being a trainer will help me learn a lot. I'm already learning many things, and as I look to the future I know that everything will get even better. Keep sending me encouragement, because it is a little bit stressful being a trainer. I love you guys! We got to do some service this week in the church, and I've had a fun time trying to help the other elders in my district try to get place to place, because neither of them know their area. We didn't do anything particularly fun or exciting, but we have been working hard, and our plans are going well. I feel more and more guided by the spirit every day. As for the work, I had a great surprise this week. We got a new Mission Leader, and I know that he will magnify his calling, because he was already helping a lot before he was a ward mission Leader. I'm trying to have Elder Hale teach everything that he can, and then I fill in things that he misses, so basically he starts to teach all of the lesson, and I just explain to make sure that the investigators understood. This week we are visiting a family every day to prepare them for their baptism on the 7th of February. Elder Hale will have experience teaching every lesson by the end of this week. He is making cards to go with his pamphlets to remind him the points he needs to teach during the lessons. He's doing really great. He was able to invite 2 people to be baptized. He's learning a lot, and we're going to progress and learn a lot together during his training. I hope that we can do everything that the Lord needs from our companionship. I got your christmas letters this week :D One from you guys and the other from Pappap and Grandma Lois. It was nice :D I did by some pants with the money you gave me. They're super cool pants. I love you guys so much, and I am praying for you! -Elder Dazey

Elder Dazey and his missionary companion excited (being silly) about Elder Dazey's "new arrival", missionary he is going to train, coming tomorrow! lols

The Next Step- Becoming a trainer!

Our Zone Activity last week was a bunch of sports and cake. I bore my testimony the first week I was here, and I was supposed to talk yesterday, but the Temple President from Oaxaca came to speak. It was awesome. I feel that you guys worry too much about my Spanish :D I'm definitely not one of those "You give the lesson and I'll bear my testimony" kind of missionaries XD. I've been blessed with a lot of capacity in Spanish and the Gift of Tongues. I ALWAYS TOLD YOU ALL THAT I WOULD BE PREGNANT. My little bundle of joy comes tomorrow :D I'll be finishing my training tomorrow, and I will be training a new missionary starting tomorrow. BIG DAY. Could be anyone. All I know is that I'll be in my first area for 6 months if nothing changes before the end of training. Also, Elder Sosa will be leaving. The other two Elders in my district are also going, so half of my district will change, including my companion. I feel ready to train. I feel good. I want to be a good leader. I want to help this Elder, and I want to show him a lot of love. I will learn a lot from training. I had a dream a week before I got the call that I would train, and that it would be a thin Mexican that likes soccer. (Who knows if the second half will come true) I'm really excited. I want to help him be a leader, and help him to change the culture of our mission for the better. I went to a trainer training meeting, and my companion from the MTC, and another Elder that came in at the same time as us will train. It is rare but possible to train after your training. Training is meant to prepare us to be able to train. There were also 2 other Elders that only have 6 more weeks in the mission than us 3 do. Pretty crazy. I learned a lot about the kind of missionary I want to be, and how I can help this new missionary. Hopefully I will change a lot from this experience. I’ll send you the picture of our 4 generation family of Elders. (The person you train is commonly called your son, thus making a family) I want to share some things that I learned from President Atkinson, the president of the Oaxaca temple. He spoke about the story of Moses and the people of God, and how they were bitten by snakes, but that God gave them the way to be healed. They only needed to look to be healed. He explained how this is an example of the Atonement. He did not stop the snakes from biting them, but he did give them a way to be healed. The bites of the serpents are a symbol of sin. God knew we would sin, but he didn't stop the temptation, he didn't keep us from sinning. However, he gave us a way to overcome. He gave us the atonement. He gave us Christ. Christ is lke the staff. He shared D and C 109:5 which explains the purpose of temples. We go to feel the presence of Christ. We go to FEEL the presence of our SAVIOR and Redeemer. We can feel his presence, as well as communicate with our ancestors. He challenged us. He asked us how many times we would go. He explained that he has never seen a couple that went every week to the temple together that divorced. He explained that the more often he goes to the temple, the more he feels like he is 17 and absolutely in love with his wife. HOW MANY TIMES WILL YOU GO? He explained that our preperation should start today. If we set a goal for when we will enter the temple, we will have the help of the angels of heaven. If not, we cannot have that divine assistance that we need. WHAT IS YOUR GOAL? I Invite You: If you are not worthy, get worthy. Set the goal now. If you have financial problems, start saving and set a goal. If you are not a member, get baptized, and set a goal to go to the temple. You will see innumerable blessings in your life and in the lives of your family members. I share these words in the sacred name of our Savior, Jesus Christ, Amen. Love, Elder Dazey

No post week

Dear all, I have no time today :/ We had a big zone activity and a lot today. Sorry that I can't respond. I only have time to take pictures of emails and read them later. I am safe and had a great week. I'll try to update more later. Love, Elder Dazey

Becoming the Fourth Missionary

This week was really good. We didn't get to do as much, because I was a little sick for a few days, but I'm better now. We started going through all of the old investigators to try to clean out our area book. It has been very good for the work. We continue to have new investigators, and some of our new investigators are doing the homework we leave them. We planned this week for the people we would focus on, and we found a lot of people that we haven't seen in a few weeks in the street and set appointments to return. I'm starting to set goals to make my mission better every day. We found someone in the street that happened to be family of a previous investigator. We had been trying to get in contact with that family. He walked past us and he just had a big smile on his face, so we talked to him. He said that he had been baptized 5 years ago but not received the Holy Ghost. It was a miracle to find him, and we invited him to church. He couldn't go, but hopefully we can get him active again and baptized again if he needs it. We have felt very bold with the Spirit this week. We spoke boldly. With some of are investigators who live together we taught The Law of Chastity and The Word of Wisdom. We were just going to share a short scripture, but I decided to start teaching from The Ten Commandments, and Elder Sosa jumped on those two commandments. They accepted to live them. Hopefully they will progress quicker and choose to change. I have felt this week that I have had more opportunities to teach, and that the spirit has helped me have more charity. I love this work more and more. I read a little more in The Fourth Missionary and thought about how I can leave my desire behind and allow God to make his desires and mine the same. Every time I think about it it gives me strength. Every time that my thoughts are focused on the people I am serving, I feel better. We had a district activity today. We made tacos that were really good, and played a few games. I'm glad that everything is going well back home. President asked us to study a chapter of Preach My Gospel every week. It has been very edifying, and I bought a binder to help me

organize all of my studies better. I love you guys, and I hope that life is beautiful and that you all have a great week ;D Love, Elder Dazey