Trust

Hey there, London England? Well, there is some important stuff to do there for Brighton. There aren’t any coincidences. Know that the call is from the Lord. Wow, I’m excited for ya!!! You’re are about to embark on the greatest adventure of your life so far and to a certain degree will determine much of who you will be for the rest of your life. Now this time is hard; prepare well, get in the temple as soon as they let you and protect yourself well from all evil influences. In a way you are on hold but not inactive, still participate in activities, church stuff etc. and most importantly with your family because that will become (in 4 months) a huge hole. It was incredible for me to have an incredible memory of a week long trip to Hawaii to lean on. Think about what you wan to do in that week we have together, I suggest a temple tour to Utah and California, that’s what I would like more than anything, imagine, Manti, St. George, Logan, Salt Lake, LA, San Diego. Wow!

Ok, so the work moves on and wont stop!! Things are good here in Molinito, we are looking at a few baptisms, this next week and still recovering from some crazy experiences last week, one of them being me leaving the keys in the house. I called the landlord at 9pm and he said that he could only come in the morning so we spent the night at some members house, and me having to do a special interview on Sunday (everyone who gets baptized has to receive a baptismal interview). And if a person has commited a crime, had an abortion, or a homosexual relationship they have to get a special interview, usually done by the Mission President. Well, he was about 3 hours away, and we couldn’t find a Bishop so he said “Well, you do it Elder”. Thanks! It was definitely a learning experience for me and some Bishop training! It was incredible and I learned a lot about repentance. She had made a lot of bad decisions in her life and was feeling super bad about it all. I wanted to console her but was held back from doing so and led to the scripture in Corinthians. I don’t remember how it goes in English, but talks about Godly sorrow which works for salvation. I explained that she has to feel those feelings for repentance to really work, but its nothing to be ashamed about. Found it, 1 Cor. 7:9-11:

9 Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing.

10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.

11 For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.

It took her a while to believe it and soak it in, I read it three times and sat in silence for a while, after a few things I offered a prayer on our knees. When she got baptized, the tearstained face left with a smile, I’m so thankful for being able to be a part of that and that awesome experience.

Last thing I want to comment on and is this scripture: Alma 38:5.

5 And now my son, Shiblon, I would that ye should remember, that as much as ye shall put your trust in God even so much ye shall be delivered out of your trials, and your troubles, and your afflictions, and ye shall be lifted up at the last day.

I’ve had this one on my mind ever since I studied it some months ago. Here I see a direct proportion between trust in ´God and deliverance or freedom. Its incredible, the more we out our trust in God the more free we really are (talking about temporal and spiritual matters). Alma had to have pondered much on his father’s experience. I imagine he was boy when they lived in the city of Helam and were prisoners of the Lamanites. He must have witnessed how the heavy loads became lighter and they could deal with all they were going trough and eventually they were delivered and arrived at Zarahemla. He had to have pondered on that and the experiences he had as a missionary in Ammoniah when he and Amulek were trapped in the jail and after so much suffering they went through they were delivered through the power of God. He also was very familiar with experiences of his companions, the sons of Mosiah, on their 14 year mission to the Lamanites. Also, when his life was spared in battle when he cried out to the Lord “ preserve my life so that I may still be an instrument in thy hands”, which he was. Anyway he knew this principle very well, I am learning it and am very sure will learn it more first hand as the trials of college life and the rest are right around the corner for me. Those who trust in the Lord love him and follow him are the true “freemen”. Satan would have us think that the way of the Lord is restrictive but it just isn’t that way. Going through a hard time? Trust in the Lord, do your best and you will be delivered sooner or later just remember this equation.

Trust in the Lord = Freedom

I love you all. Have a great week,

-ELDER SOLOMON

Pure clean water or stinkin' socks...

Bishop, Miquel, Me and Elder Mendoza

Me and Miquel

Me, Minquel Dominquez and Elder Garcia, a DL

LOLLIPOPS!

The warmest poncho, ever.

Hello everyone. Well, the first week of the change is over. Always the hardest one. The first couple of days are always hard with a new companion, especially when you’ve been with a good friend for a long time. I think the hardest part was going from living in a house of 4 elders back to 2. But its good I’ve got my new comp to open up a bit and things are going good. We had a good bit of success this week finding a lot of new investigators and taking a lot to the chapel. We had 2 baptisms on Sunday too. They both wanted the Bishop to baptize them, which is awesome for us! That means that they have relationships in the ward. But the Bishop couldn’t [baptize them] until about 5:30 pm, so after the food we went to the church and started filling up the baptismal font at 3:15. It usually takes about 3 hours to fill up the font so we were pushing it. We started filling it and we checked it at about 3:45. It was up to the second step but the water was green! ... so I emptied it super fast and started throwing in hot and cold water to fill it up faster. After another 15 minutes I realized it was still green. I thought to myself "good thing I’m not the one baptizing today!," and kept it going. We kept the doors shut. Even the picture which we usually take in front of the font we took outside. No one said anything. It was cold, green, and not full all the way, but everything went smoothly and I didn’t hear that anyone noticed. How they couldn’t I have no idea, but oh well! It’s the spiritually clean thing that counts right? At least it didn’t smell bad at all.

I’m thinking it may have some thing to do with the weather. It has really turned Snowflake-Taylor style here with some intense high winds. A lot of trees fell down, dragging down power lines, and causing a lot of power outages. Since Saturday, it’s been nice and I’ve been able to leave to work without a sweater. My trick is the double sock theory. I found that if my feet are warm the rest of me is too. Good thing I got so many stinking socks for Christmas!

With the two baptisms yesterday I reached my personal goal for baptisms I set so many months ago. I’m not going to tell you how many that is cuz it’s not really that important. Many of them are incredible people and I am just amazed at how the Lord has blessed me and used me as His instrument in this time of my life. I still have plenty of time left and have a lot to give to the people here and the missionaries I am trying to help as well. Thank you so much for the incredible support group you all have been. It’s overwhelming to think how many are praying for me specifically. I am grateful for so much.

Well, [it] sounds like things are going good there at home. I laughed about dad’s “AJ” story. I wish I could have been there to support you. I’m sure we’ll have plenty of fun there standing on the top bench of the bleachers; the Lord has "loosened my tongue" in a lot of ways! I now know how to talk... and in two languages!

Everybody be good, if Brighton gets his call this week he is staying in the states. After this week he is going Spanish speaking outside the states. That’s my guess. To the southern states or Mexico... put me in on the betting :)

Love you all so much. Take care keep praying, keep fulfilling priesthood responsibilities, repent of what you have to, and do your best.

-ELDER SOLOMON

BRRRRRR!!

The newspaper headlines on Sunday read "9 killed by the cold." It ain’t a lie. We’ve had a cold front come through here and its tough. I’ve been in much colder weather, but not lately. It’s been in the low 50s during the day. I leave [home in the morning] with a sweater and a coat. In fact, this last week classes were canceled for "the cold" but they are back in today. The worst part is my feet. They just don’t warm up. On the other side, I love that cold wind on my face! It makes me feel like I’m up at the cabin or something.

Well, changes are here. All last week I was pretty sure I was going. I’ve got 3 changes here and 2 with Elder Roylance. We were doing our brackets" like march madness trying to figure out what all the changes were gonna be. My guess was W was gonna go to Linda Vista where I was born (started the mission). In fact a lot of others [were born there] too. The ZL over there even called and talked to me for a while.

We had a baptism on Saturday. It was a family we found knocking doors and they are sweet, they have their problems like all do but are good people. The family Esquivel, the mom, Hortencia, and her kids, Armando 23, Sandra 22, and Daisy 20. It was funny while we were filling the font all the windows and doors fogged up on that side of the chapel. It was really cold and rainy outside but nice and toasty on the inside from the hot water. [It was] a hectic baptism but it did happen and they were also confirmed on Sunday. The Bishop asked us to speak in sacrament meeting, (as always I was last, that always happens) and in my talk I talked about love and taking care of recent converts (since I’ve got 33 here...) and I mentioned that I might be leaving. Well, everyone took that as a farewell, some sisters cried, blah blah blah. I was feeling a bit sad to leave and Roylance was super happy to stay. Well, then came the night and we waited until 10:30 for the assistant to call me. You guessed it, the irony of God kicked in and I’m staying and Roylance is leaving! And they are taking the other two [Elders] out of our ward... the only one who thought he was going is the only one staying... Well, it was a hard night. Roylance was crying I think, I don’t know. I told the changes to my DLs and threw the covers over my head not talking to anyone even though quite a few called me. But couldn’t sleep until 1:30... Well, I woke up earlier than usual for a p-day, took a shower and got ready and went up on the roof. (All the houses here have flat roofs where they hang their clothes up to dry and have the gas and water tanks, etc.) Up there it is a beautiful view and [I] worked things out and even came up with some new plans for the zone this change. I’m still not excited about facing the whole ward and the stupid obvious question, "weren’t you leaving?" Even though I’m there, they will still ask, ----. But its ok. There is a lot of work and there will be success this change for sure. My new companions name is Elder Mendoza. He’s from our generation but I really don’t know anything bout him. We’ll make the best of it.

Well, I missed your letter from this week I guess. John Reed told me news that Aaron Dees is engaged for May 14, the day I complete 2 years and I come home the 17^th! Someone tell him to postpone one week pls. It’ll be gay he'll just wanna be with his wife the whole time and not want to hang out with the guys... gay. O.K., I’m out. Go Cards! They are still in the playoffs. keep on moving so the cold doesn’t get to you.

Love you all, send a prayer or two my way for the new change, I’ll need them.

-ELDER SOLOMON

That's my goal and I'm sticking to it!

Good afternoon everyone! How are things there in good ol AZ? Things are good here in Mexico. The work has been a bit slow for all the people going out of town, but I’m expecting it to pick up again since school has started once again. New year’s eve was eventful. Well, not really. We got with the two Elders we live with and wanted to go to dinner. But we didn’t want to go very far considering it gets a little crazy on days like those around here, so we settled for Burger King and went to the house to play Monopoly (I lost again, that put me in a bad mood...). Then we got on top of the house(its a two story) and Roylance and Flores were chucking fireworks (I wasn’t, of course, just watching) and some pretty stupid people went to check them out there in the middle of the street. Pretty funny but one kid got pretty mad. After that we goofed around till twelve and slept. Pretty eventful. We really didn’t have that eventful of a week but it ended up good on Sunday. We had 10 people go to church including two awesome families. It was pretty cool when the Bishop had the investigators stand up and it was a whole row. One hermana we get along with really good, gave me a big thumbs up. Haha!

Well, this is the last week of the transfer and I’m pretty sure I’m out of here. I’ll be focusing a lot on the investigators we have, especially the ones that can be baptized so that I can really end up good here.

New years day after getting ready and all that, I went up to the roof with my journal and did my new years resolutions. Took up a whole page cuz I had "in the mission" and "after the mission." I thought a lot about those things and sure hope that I can fulfill them. It would be really fulfilling to me. There are a few things really important to making goals and completing them. First, you have to make a goal specific and measurable, something reachable but it must make you stretch to reach it. Then you have to write it down. President Monson taught, when performance is measured, performance increases. When it is reported, the rate of the increase accelerates. Well, something like that. It’s in Preach my Gospel. So basically, tell someone your goals so they can help you reach them. Then review those goals every now and then to remind yourself and to make sure you are on track or make changes if necessary. I used to hate the whole goal making thing. I still do when someone else tells me to do it. But it is such an important principle to learn and apply. If we don’t fully apply this principle we will look back after time and realize that we have only reached a small portion of our potential. I’m sure mom made you all do your new years resolutions, so I give you an invitation, read the part of Preach My Gospel chapter 8 where it talks about goals and the last section as well. It will greatly help all of us. I’m sure of that.

Ok, well that’s my message for the day. I’m realizing that I should have studied it out a bit better but that’s what came to my mind as I was writing.

God lives, Elder Roylance has a Christian song we love and all it says is "our God is an Awesome God, He reigns from heaven above" its sweet and true. He loves us and that makes all the difference. I love you all. Take care and be happy.

-ELDER SOLOMON