October, 22, 2012

Holy Cow!!!Four months done!!! 19 more!

Congrats to Mas for moving up to D1, I know the team worked hard in getting there. Erin, I am so excited for ya in vegas, I am sure that you will do great, and that you will kill it out there. Cody, don´t worry about getting a life, there is plenty of time to do that when you get older. Be a teenager and make the guitar look way sick. I wanna see pictures of it when it´s done.

 

Mas, it´s good to hear you are doing well in school. Tell Brock Hi for me, and that I miss him too.

Athlete´s foot is almost gone, and Nava´s knee is improving tons. I thank you all for your prayers, and use them. I can feel them, if that makes sense.

Well, we only had one baptism this last weekend, our other one didn´t go. The papers for the marriage took longer than expected, but they came to church, and are still going strong. We have FOUR FAMILIES in our building this week- one of ours, one of Elnicky, one of Peña and Vasquez, and one from the Hnas. (? Not sure what that means.)  Four in our ward building. The other two are in a different ward, but we are going to do the baptisms together. So sweet. I am also sending photos from this last baptism that we had. Her name is Ana.

Well, this week has been stressful, mostly due to the marriage paper situation, but some other stuff too. We had interviews with president on Tuesday, but he got there late, so we ended up doing them on Wed, which meant that we were at the chapel in Iberia, which is our chapel, from about 11 to 5 all day. Took forever, But they bought pizza, so it´s okay. We are also realizing that we have no investigators now, and need to find more, so we will be doing that all this week. Also, Nava leaves in like 3 weeks, so we are working on getting all of our baptisms in while he is here.

I got your package, loved it. Thanks a ton.

Well, our baptisms from last week, Juan and Luis? Yeah, they got ordained to the priesthood last week.  I also played the piano for the primary program, and they gave me the music five minutes before sacrament started. We also started 1/2 hour late in sacrament meeting. All the music was printed on copied sheets of paper, so I couldn´t play some of it because I couldn´t read the notes, or see the staff.

Also went on splits this week, with Concha, one of the ZL´s. Their area is two area´s combined in one, so it´s huge!!! Takes forever to walk it. Fun thought.

I also tried fried platanos with condensed milk and jam. Still not very good.

Well, it rained a lot here, and they tell us that this is what winter is really like. I refuse to call it winter. It´s just more rainy than normal. we also had Chorizo last night, it was so stinking good!!!

We have been spending a lot of time finding new people.  We don´t have any new investigators, and since we don´t get referrals, we have to knock doors and talk to people in the street all the time. It takes a lot of energy, and is a little repetitive, but it will pay off. We call it Abrir la Boca, But I like to think of it as planting a seed. In one of the Matthew chapters with all the parables, it talks about a man sowing seeds. He sows them, but then never knows what happens to them,  and it turns out they grow huge, or something. They sprout. Well, one day, all this work is going to pay off, if not now, later, if not later, then in the spirit world.

This week I have had another witness that God answers prayers, and am so grateful for that. I am grateful for the power of the atonement, and how that can help us change our lives and feel clean, and how we can repent and turn to God. I love you all, and am so thankful for all of your prayers, all of your thoughts, and everything. I wouldn´t want to be anywhere else right now, and love the work.

Elder Zach Glassett

 

Note from Paula:  The lady who was cooking their one meal a day is not able to cook for them anymore.  If you saw earlier pictures of his kitchen, you would be frightened, like me, that now he has to cook in that scary place.  Good thing he found turkey and bbq chips!

Good thing we took the instructions seriously and bought the heavy duty boots.  Looks like they are being put to good use! 

Zach and Ana

Monday, October15, 2012

Well, this week has been awesome!! We had TWO baptisms, had two more investigators fully commit, and have had some health issues. Don´t worry, I am fine. Some interesting things have happened this week.

Well, Tuesday we went to the house where are three investigators that were going to get baptized live. Juan, Luis, and Miriam. We went to review with them the baptismal questions, and when we got there, Juan and Luis were ready to go, but Miriam, who had been the most positive one of them all, all of a sudden didn´t want to get baptized. We seriously spent ten minutes trying to figure out why, but she wouldn´t say anything. It didn´t help that her family is yelling, ¨Why not, just do it, seriously, stop being dumb, ...¨ You get the picture. Not helping. I said, ¨If you would like, you and I and Elder Nava can step outside and discuss this where there aren´t all these distractions (motioning to her family) and where you can speak openly without being judged.¨ That shut them up pretty quick. She didn´t want to. So, Nava and I decided to leave it and go over the review, see how she did, and go from there. She answered literally everything perfectly. When we got to the end, we brought it up again. She told us that she was just indecisive. We thought that maybe she had talked with her mom, (she lives with her grandma, Ruth, who is a member; and her mom, Miriam, who isn´t, and her aunt Luz and Luz´s daughter Nicole (7), and her three other cousins, Juan(15) and Luis(13) and Farí(7), and a dude named Lalo, who is old.) So I took a few minutes to talk to her. I told her to use her logic and her reasoning. It was a good thing, she would receive blessings, and had she received an answer to her prayers? She said yes, so my question in response was Then why not? She said then that she needed to be baptized, and would do it. We had talked with the Mom, and she sounded like she would give consent. So we were stoked. More on this in a sec.

Thursday we went to the house of a becoming active member, Karla, and her pair, Carlos, who is catholic, has had like 5 pairs of missionaries teach him, and never been baptized. We had a chance to talk to her this morning when she took us to the hospital (I will explain that in a minute, calm down Mom), and this is what she told us.

We found her house on accident, (or was it an accident?), about four weeks ago. She was a non-active member, divorced, with two kids, and living with a non-member and had two kids. She was super nice, fed us, and we talked about her pair, to which she was super, like, negative about us talking with him. Like he wasn´t going to change and get baptized. She told us to come over when he was home, which is only on the weekends, because he teaches in Amapala, which is an island about 2 hours from here. So, that weekend, we went over. He was nice, but sort of gave us the vibe that he was only going to listen, but not do anything. Well, we taught him like every weekend, and he came to church and general conference with his pair, kids, and step son, alejandro, who is 11. His two kids are Carlos 4 and Cristofer, 6. Well, last weekend, the weekend of general conference, we were able to go over, and really talk to him about the Book of Mormon, the Church, everything. He opened up, and was super honest with us. He has doubts about a lot of things, a drinking problem, and needs to get married. Well, we left him with some reading to do, and he told us he would. I also told him to pray with his family, to live the gospel, and he would receive a testimony of it, (John 7:17). Well, they had us over for dinner last Thursday, and he was all excited. We didn´t know what for. He opened up to us, and told us that he had felt the spirit testify that all of this is true, and that he wants to get married so he can get baptized. We originally had him down for the 20th, but we were going to move it to the 27th, and he was like,¨ I thought it was the 20th?¨ So he and Karla are getting their papers together to get married next Saturday in the morning, and baptized next Saturday in the afternoon. You would not believe the change that I have seen in this man, and in his household. Karla this morning told us something more as well. She told us that when we knocked on her door, that her and Carlos were at the point of separating. He had been drunk one night, and tried to hit her, so she called the police. They weren't getting along, were practically living together just for the kids, and just talked to make sure bills got paid and stuff got taken care of. She also told us that she had lost her love for him, even after 11 years together, and it was the same for him. Well, she told us that since we had come to the house, and started teaching, that everything had changed. They are going to get married, be in the church, and live the gospel, and that everything about their house has changed a ton. There is a different spirit to their house, and they are happier. I can´t wait to send you photos of them.

Well, then came Friday. We did our interviews with our two candidates,   ... small edit because i think Zach is losing his English.  The idea is that Miriam again decided not to get baptized. ...   It was really sad. But the next day, Saturday, was their baptism, and so we went to get the font ready at like ten in the morning. Well, it was nasty, because somebody left water in there for like 2 weeks. So it was gross. We had to clean it, and spent like two hours doing so. So gross, BUT- we went over to Ruth´s house, and she fed us FISH FILET. IT was SO GOOD. That was the most full I have been in 2 months. Then we went and taught a lesson, came back, walked back to the church, and baptized. It was so cool. Then we went to their house early Sunday to get them to church, and Luis didn´t want to go to church, which is bad, because then we can´t confirm him, and then the baptism was for nothing. He was literally crying, he didn´t want to go so bad. It took us 15 minutes of talking to him, and finally his brother dragging him to the car to get him there. But he went, and got him confirmed. I also think that the bishop interviewed them for the priesthood, too.

Well, since last Wednesday, nava´s knee has been getting progressively worse. He could barely walk yesterday, so we didn´t go anywhere, and stayed in the house. It was alright. He doesn´t know whats wrong, and is worried that this could send him home. We went to the hospital here so he could get an x ray, and they told him nothing was wrong, but he bought a brace and some topical stuff and some pills. We will see if this improves.

Well, now for the fun stuff. If you get a chance, if you could send an English copy of the conference ensign when you get it, that would be great. Also, if you could find some of the máte stuff in the tea bags, (dad knows what I am talking about), that would be great too.

Also, I have been asked to play the piano in the primary presentation next week. See how that goes. I have never played primary songs. They also want to do a special musical number, which I don´t get because nobody can sing at all. They want to combine two hymns. Whatever.

Well, love you guys, and hope that everything goes well this week. I pray for you all the time, and really try not to think about you.

Also, tell Austin I will write him back next week, I didn´t have time this week.

Love you all!!

Elder Zach Glassett

 

Elder Nava, Luis, Juan, lots of family, bit tall skinny Zach!

Elder Nava, Luis, Juan, big tall Zach!

 

October 8, 2012

Wait, ... that's not a piano. 

So Good to hear from Everyone!! I love getting all your news every week.

Cody, I admire your dedication. I know that you will be blessed as you make that goal a priority in your life. The Lord needs more Missionaries, and those of our generation are the best there have been. That doesn´t come from me, that comes from apostles of the Lord. He needs missionaries, so work hard to prepare. Best way to do that is Preach My Gospel and splits with the missionaries. You will use what you learn from that book and the full timers. Fun fact- there have been two books written in the temple- James E. Talmadge´s Jesus the Christ and Preach my Gospel. Between you and Erin, that Horse story sounds like an adventure well had. 

Erin, what a story. Thanks for giving me the details. Hilarious!!! That sounds like a good adventure, and one that will make a good story in years to come. Keep at it with volleyball. Remember that the church is perfect, and the people aren´t. That was me a year and a half ago, and sometimes people forget who they really are. I am so glad to hear that you are improving, and that you play hard regardless of the circumstances. Trust me, have patience and keep playing, people will notice.

Mason, Sounds like you are good friends with this Adi. I hope that you can continue to develop meaningful relations with everyone, that is definitely a gift you have. And keep working hard with your team. work hard in the hard times, and harder in the good times. What did you think of the announcement the prophet made?? and Thanks for translating for me. Boca was always a difficult word. Translate this...

Chupa lo.

Love ya bud.

Dad, That is quite the story. I have heard similar stories from here, and with gringo´s. it´s never with other latins, only gringos. Kinda funny. Thank you for your counsel. I guess the Lord needed me to hear that, because He told me during conference as well. I realized that I can´t change things, I can just love people. And the new announcement is crazy. Practically all latins are in that group, of 18 year old missionaries, and there are tons of good ones. It is good to hear that Alley and Daniel are working to leave earlier. They will both be awesome. Oh Erin.....Army. Well, according to Elder Holland, at SUU one year he said, ¨Grab your triple combination and sign on to God´s Army. Except we use bandages, not bullets- the Lord´s Army is an army of healing.¨

Mom, first of all, the Ladies who feed me would like to say hello. They saw a photo of you and the fam the other day, (I keep it in my triple), and they think that we are the most beautiful family in the world. They said that I looked just like you, and that You are way too young to have four kids. Then I told them that you were 42, and they didn´t believe me. They responded with, ¨she´s too pretty to be 42.¨ Nordeli and Glenda say hi.

Well, this week was crazy! I only have time to highlight the really good stuff. We have an investigator who we dropped in the past name Jolaní. She asked her member friend why we haven´t been back to teach her. She is now making an effort to follow up with commitments, and to come to church. She is 27 and has two kids, and a partner. But to get baptized, she needs to get married. Her partner doesn´t want to just because he doesn´t want to. Oh, and he´s 58. Wow. So we don´t know what we are going to do with her.

We have three baptisms lined up for this weekend. It would be more, but one has a soccer tournament, and the other one still needs to go to church.  They will be the 20th of this month. I will tell you about both of them really quick.

The lady is named Olesia. She met with missionaries almost a year ago, but they changed and transferred, and she lost contact. She was getting ready to get married and get baptized. Well, we found her contacting, and her husband was killed in the last 6 months, and she has an 8 year old daughter who we are talking with as well. She has a testimony of the Book of Mormon, and wants to get baptized, but she didn´t come to a session of conference, so we have to move her date back a week. Still positive.

The other one is a 14 year old boy name Jorlyn. He and his mom started off super positive, but then all of a sudden, we couldn´t find them. The father in law is catholic, and we think he said something to them. Well, we finally found Jorlyn at home. The last time we talked with them, he said he didn´t know if he wanted to be baptized for sure. He liked it all, but didn´t know if the Book of Mormon was true. I told him to pray, read it, and pray again. To pray for understanding and an answer. Well, that was about two weeks ago. We finally found him, and I asked him if he got an answer. This is what he said. "I was reading the Book of Mormon, and I felt really good. I finished reading a chapter, and said a prayer. As I was laying in my bed waiting for a response, I fell asleep. In my dream, I saw a bright white light. Out of the light came a voice that said, Yes." He looked at me and said, "Does that sound like an answer?" Uhh, yess, Jorlyn, yes it does. He can´t be baptized this week, but we will for sure the 20th.

The three we are getting ready to baptize are three teenagers. There are 8 people in the family, they live with grandparents and aunts. So hysterical. I really can´t describe this family. So great. Love them to death. Same with the family that feeds us. We spent two hours at their house last night with pizza and cake, and just sat and talked. That was the first time I have really felt like I have been sort of at home in almost 4 months. To sit with a family and just laugh and joke and play was awesome. I really needed it. 

 

Funny story of the week. Everybody here has motorcycles, and the family that feeds us is no exception. Norde´s sister, Dilengia is married to a guy that has a motorcycle. We were talking to him while he was sitting on it last week. I noticed that it was a Yamaha, and couldn´t help thinking, Well, that´s not a piano. I had to try to keep myself from laughing hysterically. (Dear readers, here's a little background on why this story is hilarious.  ...  When Zach was about three we were at some friends' house.  Zach was sitting on the piano bench and noticed the word "Yamaha" on the center of the piano above the keys.  There is probably a more technical name for this, but you understand that Yamaha was the maker of the piano.  Zach began pointing to all the letters and saying their name.  When he was finished spelling y-a-m-a-h-a, he proudly followed with -- "Piano!"  He was so proud that he had just spelled the word "piano."  Now reread the story and you will laugh a little more!)

 

I also gave my first full blessing in Spanish this last week. For not speaking Spanish fluently, and having to think in English sometimes, I believe also that the spirit speaks to people in their mother language, so English for me. I have to translate it. Well, during the blessing, I didn´t have to translate anything, it all came in Spanish. So crazy. Helped me to realize that Whom God calls, God qualifies, in all aspects.

Well, I hope you all have a stellar week. Conference was awesome! Who were all your favorite speakers? Mine was elder Nelson, I think,  or Elder Anderson, or Bednar. One of the three.

Love you all!! talk to you soon!!!!

Elder Zach Glassett

Monday, October 1, 2012

So, This week has been really good!! I will tell you all about it as soon as I respond to everybody.

Erin- I am sorry, that sounds tough to deal with. I am sure that the Coach is trying new things to try and win, or to improve. Sometimes, we don't know why we don't play. Just give him no excuse not to play you. If you allow me, I can compare this to missionary work. Sometimes, the people don't accept, even when we do all we can. That doesn't mean the gospel isn't true, or that they won't ever be baptized, it just means that their time isn't now. The same with volleyball. Just because you didn't play doesn't mean you aren't working hard, it just means that that game wasn't your time to play, and if you keep working hard, the long term results will come. I am sure that if Cody put that nightclub together with Kaleb, it was probably a good time. Just don't get dancing too crazy.

 

(Hey, it Paula, adding a little history to preface Zach's message to Cody.  First let me explain that Cody is crazy and random.  He sent Zach a letter explaining that the roof of his mouth should really be called the ceiling and the top of his head, the roof, based on the ceiling and roof locations in an actual house.  Then he complained that he had a crooked finger and is very perplexed about how it got that way and finished by telling Zach he has an amazing mustache and taunted Zach because he has to shave.)

Cody- I am glad to hear you logically solved a problem that has been puzzling mankind for centuries. Share that little nugget of gold knowledge with everybody, I am sure it will change the world. Also, everybody has crooked fingers. Nobody has perfect hands. Just don't let that stop you in life!! There are plenty of people with crooked fingers who live normal lives. Crooked finger people are people too, remember, and nobody will treat you any differently. Just remember that people judge without understanding.  I hope and pray that your mustache continues to come in well. Maybe people will notice that instead of your crooked fingers.

And you should get a bouncer for your night club, nobody will ever be intimidated by your mustache, crooked fingers, or that fact that you just aren't intimidating. 

 

Mas- I am sorry your team lost, but that's just a reminder to keep extra focused when you are winning. Those are the times when you should play harder than ever. And what is this girls name whose locker combo you have engraved in your memory?? Is she in any classes with you?? I don't think that's awkward. I am going to submit to you my own personal philosophy- It's only awkward if you make it awkward. Mull that over, think about it and lemme know what you think.

I was super grateful for the lesson in third hour yesterday, the bishop gave it about how to teach, and about how we should teach with what the Lord has given us to teach from- canons of scripture and books with the church seal. If it's not there, don't teach it. Church isn't a time to share personal thoughts or opinions- it's a time to share the doctrine of the Lord. Think about General Conference- they share concrete, simple doctrines. They use scriptures, church material, and appropriate stories. 

 

Honestly, I don't think this place will ever feel like home, I just think I am starting to forget what home is like. Like, carpet is a foreign concept. Water out of a tap? Weird. Driving my own car? Really? I can drive at home?? I just don't remember what that stuff is like.

 

Our ward is about 150, the eq is tiny, the primary is okay, and the relief society is well taken care of. I think something helpful would be to have more hymnbooks and triples combinations. Everybody has a bible, and the copy of the book of mormon that we give them, but nobody has D and C or the Pearl of Great price, or a hymnbook.

Well, my week has been good and sad. Monday, at lunch, we saw that a lawyer had been assassinated in el Centro. Turns out, he was the husband of a lady in our ward. They were married in the temple, have six kids, and he decides the church isn't for him, and was working on divorcing her. We went to the funeral services Tuesday, because they asked if I could play the piano. I went, and played. The lady has an amazing testimony. The church was full of lawyers, and the spirit was super strong. He was shot in the daytime. Super sad. We didn't really get much done that day after that. Our really promising investigators weren't home Tuesday.

 

Wednesday we did splits. The ZL, Concha, came to our area with me, and Nava went with Ruiz their area. all of our contacts fell through, so we contacted all day. Then it started to rain, and we took shelter at a pulperia (very small 7-11 type market), where a man and his son also took shelter. We started just talking to them, chatting, and it rained for like forty five minutes straight, so we didn't leave.The man invited us to his house to chat. Turns out, his family lived in a different city, and his parents fed the missionaries practically every day for 20 years. his dad got baptized, but he never did, and he has a profound respect and love for the missionaries. All I could think of was Dad's saying, "Coincidence is God's way of staying anonymous." So true. We are going to work with him and his son and wife. 

 

Funny story time. We were contacting, and I knocked on a door. I could hear people inside, so I knew people were home. Nobody answered, so I knocked again. The words, "No hay Nadie!" which means "there is no one", came from inside the house. My response was "En serio? Entonces, con quien estoy hablando?" "Seriously? So then, who am I talking to?" Silence. I think people think we are stupid, but we're not.

 

Thursday we couldn't find our investigators at home either, but we had lunch with family that we are working with, and will pull like three baptisms from this month. They fed us fish. They literally cleaned the guts out and fried all of it in butter, head and tail and all. it was really good. We had that Friday too.

 

Saturday we talked with the mom of one of our investigators who won't let her daughter get baptized. She said that she won't permit her daughter to be baptized because she has already been baptized once, and to do it again is playing with God. I said that the first time she got baptized was a game with God. She asked how, so we explained about authority for the millionth time, and then asked if she could be baptized. She said no. So obviously, she doesn't get the whole authority thing. But she won't listen. We have explained it to her every way we know how. This lady needs blessings, but she is too hard hearted and stiff necked to accept anything. Finally, I felt like I had to say something. I thought that it was too strong, and would offend her, so I didn't. The words ended up practically forcing themselves out of my mouth in the most fluid and correct Spanish ever. I looked at her in the eyes, and said, Juanita, the spirit is speaking to me, and this is what it says to you. If you don't permit your daughter to be baptized, and something happens to her, or you impede this ordinance, you will be held responsible before God in the last day. You will be judged for this, and you will be judged according to the laws of God. All your daughter wants in her life is happiness. Why would you impede happiness? I got done saying that, and she just kind of sat there. Her gaze was everywhere but me. She still said no.  I got home super defeated. I had literally had the spirit speak through me to her, and she still said no. I got to my house, and just prayed. Literally for like 20 minutes. I prayed harder than I have prayed for a lot of things. I prayed at first to soften her heart, but as I prayed, it turned into helping me understand what I need to learn from this, and that the Lord will give me patience. 

 

Well, Nava and Ruiz went to Teguc to take out residence, so I went and stayed with Concha. I also gave three blessings in spanish yesterday, with oil. I don't know those words. I also had some lady tell me, she's like 30, that she would love to have a baby with my eyes. Awkward. for the most part. I took it with a grain of salt. 

 

Well, we watched the Singles Ward last night, because Concha had to take all the data from all the areas, and that didn't finish until like 12:30, so I went to bed late, but it was so worth it. That movie is freaking hilarious, especially after being in a singles ward. Literally everything in there is true, but super exaggerated. So funny. I haven't laughed that hard in a long time. it was in English with Spanish subtitles, so i loved it.

Cambios this week, which means that I have 1 change down. it has flown by, so I know that the rest will too.

I love you all, and can't wait to hear from you next week. Stay strong, pray often, and read the scriptures everyday!!

See you in 21 months!!!

Elder Zach Glassett