Learning to love better

So to start out, my new companion is hilarious. He's from Sinaloa, Mexico. His name is Elder Corral. Thngs with our investigators are going well, and soon they'll be going even better. Things are a litttle harder training and district leadering at the same time, but I'm learning to manage it better. The two sisters in my ward were taken out and exchanged. One from another ward was exchanged too. It has rained as much as it was. We were asked to give "father's school blessings" from a widow yesterday. We weren't able to, but I was very touched by the invitation.
    Well my companion and I are excited. Hopefully we can keep it up. This transfer has gotten me thinking again.
Well, Elder Corral learned what obediencia con exactitud (Being exactly Obedient) was when we ran home to get back on time. I took some time to teach him about the area book and how to work with it. We've had some great lessons, and we saw some miracles in the first few days he’s been here. We were able to teach some new investigators. Elder Corral invited them to baptism and got them to commit to a baptismal date. We are trying to get better at gaining the trust of the investigators. I am going to need a lot of practice with that too. We spent most of today with the zone leaders, and he has already gotten to know his leaders and loves them. We have worked, and worked, and worked. We have been tired, and sometimes it is hard to get everything in. We are now more organized and hope to go at this with all of the HEART, might, MIND, and strength that we have. (Sometimes those are the hardest ones) I realized that I need to focus on receiving revelation for my area. I've been here 2 transfers, and if I don't watch out I'll fall into a routine that doesn't have routine baptisms :D
We are going to get some lists printed. We have some, but hopefully this time we can find some of those lost, lost sheep. Elder Corral is a fast learner. He's a good helper and has good ideas. I love him. He's a good guy-and he's funny  :D He was telling me how excited he was to have an American companion so he could learn English-Man he learns fast. He prayed for an American companion. He prayed our companionship into reality. He shared a scripture in English with a member today.
I was talking to Elder Gutierrez today (One of the Zone Leaders) and he mentioned that we need to make sure we have short lessons, and that we gain their trust with our love. I feel like that is something I have always searched for in my mission. I feel like I need to show that kind of love and interest in them so that I can help them accept this message better. Sometimes I forget about that part. Sometimes I feel like there is one Elder Dazey with Missionaries and Members, and that I don't share that same person with the investigators enough.
Well here goes nothing! Let's get to work. I'm always happy to know how I can improve. It reminds me to be humble, and makes me a better person. I love you all. I'm excited for our district leader meeting tomorrow. 

Love, 

Elder Dazey 

The Chance to Train Again!

     Things are going great here. We are working our tails off. I got to do 3 baptismal interviews this week. It was awesome. We had our interviews with President. Man was it awesome. He came to our stake center, and when I walked into his office, I felt like I was on holy ground. He taught me a lot about the power of planning, and we talked about Elder Portillo a bit. I got a call on Thursday. Elder Hale is going to have a BROTHER. Haha-mission family jokes. I'm gonna train again! He get's here tomorrow. Hopefully we can get a picture in the transfers of me, my trainee, Elder Hale, Elder Sosa, and my Uncle in the mission. President told us that we can't tell anyone how much time we have in the mission anymore. I'm excited to see if we can make it 2 transfers without the members of our area figuring out how much time we have in the mission  :D I can't wait for tomorrow. I'm really excited. I love getting a brand, new companion. I keep trying to imagine the many different ways in which he could be, and what he will be like after a 2 week adjustment to the mission. I'M SO EXCITED! I will train him with all my heart, might, mind, and strength.
     Elder Portillo and I have been doing well this week. I'm gonna miss him :( We managed to get some great work done with the less actives this week. THESE MEMBERS ARE GOING TO CHURCH! YES! We planned to get more new investigators than what we did, and we worked super hard to do it, but we at least managed one last night in the last hour of the day. She accepted baptism, and happened to know the brother of the Ward who was accompanying us. It was a great lesson! She even had a piano, so we sang a hymn while the brother, who came with us, played.
     I realized that most of the times that we plan, things don't go as planned, but I think that it is good that way. Sometimes I think that God makes sure that someone is not home so that we go with someone else who needs our help at that time. And because we planned-we manage to be in the right place at the right time. We got to visit that sister because another lesson fell through. We hadn't even planned to see her, but we were prepared in that moment to remember her name when she would be home.
It's been a good week, and I'm excited for this one. 

Love, 

Elder Dazey 

Teaching About Keeping the Sabbath Day Holy

 In that family we have been working with, the son is progressing more. No date for baptism yet- but they said that they'd read the Book of Mormon.   I'm learning a lot here and I'm glad to be in His work. I think I know now when I am the 4th missionary and when I am the 3rd. I continually change my view of myself, God and the world. We got some good things done this week. We found some of the less active recent converts we've been searching for. We finally got to teach them! Sadly they didn't come to church, but we now know that there is a lot of work to do with them.
   I was thinking a lot about my boldness as a teacher as I studied chapter 11 of Preach My Gospel this week. One of the less actives we are teaching was in his house trying to sell paintings yesterday. We had already taught him about keeping the Sabbath day holy, and he said he would go to church but didn't. We invited him again yesterday and he said yes. I then invited him to close up shop in that moment. He immediately began to protest saying that he needed to sell on Sundays. He had a hard time understanding why he should not sell on the Sabbath. His wife kept talking to him and I told him that God didn't want him selling that day. I invited him to close up and come to church again and he took a painting off the wall. We helped him close shop. J
The district is doing well. Elder Portillo taught a wonderful class about receiving references in the District Meeting this week. The Sisters are hard workers. They are doing very well- they just need a good cheerleader now and then. I'm glad to be serving here with my companion in this district.

 We had a fun weekly planning session this week. I was trying to figure out how to help Elder Portillo take the lead. I pretended to be a new Elder, and Elder Portillo guided the whole thing. He seemed to like it too. I'm here to work with all my heart, might, mind and strength. 

   I hope everything keeps going well with you guys! I'll tell you how my birthday goes next week. I love you MUCHISIMO (So much)! 

-Elder Dazey