Loving the Work

I really like to think about how we can prepare ourselves and that we can overcome weaknesses. I love to think of how much the life of Christ is similar to our lives, because He had human weaknesses just as we do, but through prayer and constant preparation, he was able to overcome the temptations of the devil. 

   The District Leader Training has begun. Elder Portillo is going to be a class "A" District Leader by the end of the transfer-he'll know what to do when it comes his turn. He's already done some of the calls, I supervised him giving permissions, and we looked at this week’s numbers today and set a district goal for the week. He and I will plan the district meeting together and he'll give the class this Wednesday. Hopefully, we can practice a baptism interview this week and talk about the other responsibilities of a District Leader. I'm excited for him. It's going to be a good week. We're also getting more exact on obedience. Who knew that making breakfast at 7:30 gives you enough time to make and eat a good breakfast? God did. :D
We have already had to leave some more investigators-or they left us. However, we continue to find more investigators, we tried to put a baptismal date yesterday-hopefully the next time, and we are trying to put that family we found on date this week. They came to our Chalupa activity in the chapel this week! YES! Sadly they didn't go to church-but they said they would soon-we'll get on that. We're excited to find more people and see the ones we have progress. Elder Portillo and I have been able to read more of the New Testament like President asked us to do, and man is it good. I don't think I have ever had such a love for the Bible-I've always been a big Book of Mormon kinda guy. It sure helps with the investigators that we have now.
Well-no baptisms this month-but I realized that if I am constantly being more exact in my obedience-down to the minute and the color of my socks-and I am working hard with Elder Portillo with everything I've been told or have learned to do-I should not be sad for not having baptisms-they'll come as I do what I should and I show my love for God and others. I am very happy to see all of the ways that the Lord has blessed us as a companionship in our area and for the opportunity to watch Elder Portillo mature into an obedient, wise, hard-working missionary. He already had the attributes-He just needed a little bit of knowledge and practice. 

   This week we just have to keep the shoulder on the wheel. We'll get there-we just have to remember what to do and do it. Hard work and some happy faces. Zion prospers. You guys are always in my prayers! 

Love, 

Elder Dazey 

Service=Love

(I told Benji that Chellie was contacted by a sister in the mission where she served who was a mission mom to her. This sister recently had a son come home from his mission who had been serving in the same mission as Benji and he spoke very highly of Elder Dazey. I asked Benji if he remembered this elder.) And he said:

I definitely know his name and know that I met him, I just can't think of his face. I'll ask around. I think I know-I think he trained a new elder when I trained and he was a Zone Leader before he trained. (Zone Leader to Elder French-who also trained that transfer-and asked him if he was breaking the law of Chastity because he had heard that he was pregnant...lols training jokes) He seemed like a really cool guy. He's tall and looks like he might be part latino. (I hope that's right)

   This has been a great week. Lots of good things have happened. We got to see some of our new investigators from the last week, and this time they had more of their family in the house! YES! It was awesome! There were 7! I felt during the lesson that I should teach about prophets and apostasy with Moses as the example. I taught that he came down from Mount Sinai and saw the people worshipping idols. The mom got serious and said-is it wrong to worship idols? Elder Portillo was ready with the 10 commandments and we taught them that they shouldn't pray to their images of Christ. We invited them to read the pamphlet and pray to know if they should remove their idols. We have a lot of hope for them and we pray a lot for them. We contacted a ton this week. We decided to stop returning pursuing people that weren't progressing or never had time for other lessons, and suddenly we had more time to find more people! We now have a few families and are focusing on just a few investigators while we search for more. Things are going good. Elder Portillo is learning, I'm learning, and I think that this week God has humbled me more than ever. Being a District Leader?- I am enjoying it :D It sure is a nice experience, and it's great to serve my district. We had a great District Leader meeting. I walked away from it thinking of this great opportunity to serve, and I was on a super service attitude for 2 days straight. I need to keep the attitude up, because I had never felt more satisfied and happy with my mission than I had those two days.
During one of those days we had a great District meeting. The sisters shared experiences that they have had with prayer, and our testimonies grew of the power of prayer. I cried for the first time in a while. It felt good. I will do all I can to get myself in the attitude of service. I've never felt so strongly the love that I did for others as I did those 2 days. 

   I hope things are going well with you guys. I pray for you a whole lot. 

Love, 

Elder Dazey 

Learning about Visions

It's been a good week. Later in my letter, I'll talk about that I was reading in Revelation. This because we are teaching a family that is protestant and the Mom began to read in the last book of revelation about not adding or subtracting from "this book"-which she said means the bible, but hopefully I studied enough to help her understand that those verses are only talking about John's book. The sisters in our ward had a baptism! Yay for baptismal interviews! We had exchanges at the beginning of the week with some brothers in our ward. It was great. I was able to go with one and we were able to meet some of his friends, teach them, invite them to baptism and give them a Book of Mormon. It was great. I feel like in this mission we don't get enough experiences like that. I feel like I, personally, and us, as a mission need to learn more how to be good teachers and how to help these people keep their commitments. My companion and I need to think up how we can have better, more powerful lessons. I'm an ‘always improving’ kinda guy, and I feel that I haven't thought up enough ideas lately. I need MORE REVELATION! This is a mission in Mexico. We should be baptizing. Why aren't we? Obviously there is still a lot that I need to learn. A lot more practices I need to do, and a lot of progression that I'll never gain if I don't ask.
   This week I was reading in Revelation for some investigators, and I learned that all of that book is a guided vision like the visions of Nephi, Lehi and Daniel. I wondered- Why don't I have visions? What do I need to do to receive a vision? I shared that as the spiritual thought in ward council. The Bishop shared a quote that said that without a vision, Zion perishes. I was thinking of that, and I had never thought that a vision-like what we think of with a prophet- and a vision-like a view of a future outcome that helps us obtain that outcome-aren't any different. So, as Nefi- I can receive a vision- maybe I won't be guided by an angel in a dream-although possible- but I can receive a vision. This blew my mind. My mission president has a VISION for the mission. Just like Nephi, I can exercise faith in that vision to the point that I can pray to receive that same vision. If I understand correctly, I can receive visions confirming the visions that my president has received. The Lord is compassionate and loving. I knew, of course, that I could receive confirming revelation- but now I know that I can receive a Vision.
There is a return missionary in our area that was an assistant to his mission president in his mission 2 years ago. He was talking about the way that they worked while he was a zone leader. He had many great ideas, and he said that as an assistant they were baptizing 10 people a month along with all of their duties as assistants. That blew my mind. Obviously we shouldn't compare ourselves to others, but I wondered-how did they do it? He said that they didn't pass a day without new investigators, and that they were always using their time effectively. They didn't pass a Sunday without an investigator in sacrament meeting because they knew that that meant a baptism the next month. He shared many things. He spoke of many of the things they did to make sure their goals were met. I realized that I have a long way to go if I wish to be the effective missionary the Lord expects of me.
I think I need to get this vision firm and in place. I haven't done it yet. I haven't set the goals I need to set as a companionship and personally. I need to receive more revelation and think more of what I can do to help my investigators. As I hear the words of the President, I need to pray to receive the whole vision-not just the main goals, but every step that leads us to those goals. Just as Nefi could not understand in it's full effect the dream of his father without experiencing it himself, I too need to receive the same vision that he has received.
The biggest and often most difficult thing is putting all of what I have learned to practice. I'm excited for our District Leader Training Meeting tomorrow.. I want to also receive the whole vision- like President, and what that vision means for my area. 

   Well- There's the big lesson I've learned this week. I know that we can receive visions for the revelation of the Prophet, at least for how his words apply to our lives-if we have the faith of Nephi, and God is willing to reveal those things to us in that time. I invite you all to receive confirming revelation and the same vision that your church leaders have received. It will be your hands that bring that vision to fruition. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen. 

-Elder Dazey 

   

P.S.-The picture is of my district from last transfer. 

Missionary life is good...and busy

Elder Benjamin Dazey wrote very little this week, just like 2 weeks ago when I didn't bother posting for him. He said that he was sorry. He was too busy to write more. He says, " I love you all. I am not getting transferred. I'll be here with Elder Portillo another six weeks! Yeah! Things are good. Love you all!
-Elder Dazey

Words of love and encouragement to my brother Aaron

Thanks for your encouragement and love. I'm learning little by little.

  (I asked Elder Dazey what helped him come out of his shell as he got older and what advice he  might have for his brother Aaron, who tends to be a bit shy. His response was:)

- I think it was a lot of things. One thing he needs to understand is that he has many great talents. He's funny, He's kind. He can sing great. He plays the saxophone. He's smart. If you play video games- it might be better to play with them instead of online. I also had to realize that just because someone else likes something, doesn't mean I shouldn't or that it's better what I do. (Like Sports-I was never that good and at some point I found them to be a waste of time-and now I like sports)  I think I gained a higher self- esteem. I felt good looking, funny, loved, appreciated, and that I could help others. Is there danger for arrogance there-yes; however, you can realize that you are good at doing certain things, good looking, and able to help others without having a problem. Just don't compare yourself with others. Just remember that you are a child of the most creative and confident being in the universe-and you can be like him-and will be like Him, if you keep progressing. Make friends. Be confident in sharing your talents, smiles, and jokes. Serve your friends. They will love you for it-but even more wonderful-you will love them. Colin helped my progress a lot. I helped him. He helped me. Shy and not many friends is the opposite of your eternal potential. Have faith that you can choose good friends that can help you in your eternal progression. God has set this life to your advantage. You will succeed through his plan. You only need faith. If you don't think that you can change or that your life can change-I tell you now as your brother-  it can change the second you understand the message of the restored gospel. You can change. That's the most important part of this life. It's the greatest gift God CAN give us. YOU CAN BE LIKE HIM.  You have parents and a family that loves you beyond your imagination. God loves you. Do what Mom and Dad say. Be open with them. OPEN. Tell them everything. I DID. You will be very happy when you learn to do that. Your first two best friends are right there before you. Mom and Dad. Learn. Counsel with them. Make your own decisions and tell them about it. Your eternal life depends on this change that you will make. It means learning and living the principles of the Gospel. Mom and Dad can search how to be confident. Above all- Follow the Spirit. In your mortal life there is no other being that will guide you more than him unless you live to see the second coming. Learn to follow the spirit and read the scriptures. I promise you in the name of Jesus Christ that through your study and efforts you will find a greater Aaron- an Aaron like unto the brother of Moses and like unto the Son of Man. Study him. Who is that man? He is the Christ. Study his attributes and become as he is. He was the most confident of any man on earth-for his righteousness and surety of decisions. I love you. And I share this with you in the His name, even Jesus Christ. Amen. 

-Elder Dazey