Last Week in Imuris...and in the Mission...

Dear Family and Friends...

I am not sure how or what to feel right now as I will depart for home tomorrow...These 2 years have been the greatest of my life...But I know that it doesnt end right now, how it is when a person is baptized...your life doesnt end in that moment but it is merely beginning...I am highly grateful for this opportunity to have served on this mission...

This past week in Imuris was great...We kept working super hard until Sunday when I left...We had 2 baptisms on Satuday..I will send pictures later...It was a great way to end my service here...On Sunday, I was asked to speak in the Sacrament meeting....And everyone sang God Be with you till we meet again, to end the meeting...We were able to make a Family Home Evening appointment Sunday evening...we shared a message and then we sang another parting song and shared cake....Everyone, myself include, were crying...I kind of lost it...I felt sad for leaving them especially when we had progessed so much together...But I know that they will be just fine without me...If they stick to the things that we taught them, they will be perfectly fine...I love these people so much...

This is the greatest work on this Earth...This Church is true...The Complete Gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored in this dispensation...The Priesthood Power and Keys of God have been restored, and thanks to these Keys, President Monson recieves direction and revelation for us...

These things are all true...

I love you all 

Elder Child

Heaven Sent Help...

Hello Everyone!...It has been a wonderful week here in Imuris...I love being a missionary soooo much....I am not quite sure what I will do in a week..but that can wait haha...This week I spent a lot of time helping the organization of the Branch...

We also were able to help a few humble members with a little allotement of food...One of which has just come up with serious heart problems and cant walk very much...It touched my heart when we were able to take him to buy a little food...It made me remember when a few weeks ago I recieved a tithing envelope with 1 peso as tithing and 1 other peso for Fast Offering...And thanks to many children and people that pay what they can as a Fast offering so that more people can eat and recieve a little help..When I reflect on these sacred funds...I think of all of the many sacrifices of all the members of the church all around the world...that might not even have enough for their needs but they take one Sunday a month and live the Law of the Fast and pay a generous fast offering...thanks to these funds These members have recieved Heaven sent assistance...

We are so blessed....We do not even comprehend how blessed we are...Thanks to the mission I have been able to see a little more of what we have...

Sorry for such a short experience this week...dont have a lot of time...

Love you all and see next week..

Elder Child

The Miracle of Imuris

Hello Everyone...

Well it is hard to believe but I only have 15 days left...Truely I dont feel like anythings going to change...I feel like another transfer is going to arrive and I will stay in this little town for atleast another transfer before God sends me to another town here in Sonora...After so long away from your family you accept that wont see them to soon haha...So I guess what will happen in 2 weeks...

We are having lots of success here in Imuris...The Branch is really growing...I cant even start to explain how much really it has grown since we got here...Here is one example before we got here about 13 people were attending this little branch...we arrived and had a meeting with the District President in Nogales..he said that this little branch is at risk of closing there just wasnt enough people going to church anymore...We kind of got scared...Since then we have worked our hardest, prayed many times every day, fasted up to 2 times a week, and have hoped for the best for this little branch....Yesterday in Church we had an attendance of 42 people...the little room filled as everyone bore their testimonies. The Maintenance people told us today that they will be fixing up our little house were we have our Sunday meetings...putting in artificial grass, tile, new paint, and maybe even taking out a wall to make our Sacrament Room bigger haha We have just seen this little town turn around...We know that our efforts were just a fraction of the work needed to have the results that we have seen here...We know that God is greatly blessing this town and all of the members here...

Saturday night we had a Branch Activity watching Meet the Mormons! No one has seen that movie here so we thought we would do a huge activity and invite everyone...All the members brought a snack and a friend :) Again our little Sacrament room filled up with lots of members and about 15 investigators...It was great...Elder Hyatt and I were busy running around refilling popcorn bowls and cups of Mango water...Boy were we tired...Finishing the movie when it was showing the scene about the missionary leaving his home for 2 years...Everyone just started crying...After, everyone was saying good bye to us with tears in their eyes just wanting to know more about the wonderful message that we share for 2 years...

I sure love this work...Cant imagine my life without it....

Love you guys

Elder Child

 

                                                         Making Schmores!!!

 

 

 Its kind of hard to see in the picture but it rained really hard this week, People say that it is the hardest it has ever rained for about 70 years...You can see water coming off of the roof...its like it was a whole river coming off that roof...Only day in my mission where my feet were completely soaked haha...

 

 

Its All in the BOOK!

Hello Everyone...

This week was great...we continue to find lots of people here in Imuris...There are more less active members that have been starting to go again to church and we are having some more investigators going as well...

Miracles are happening every day...One day while we were knocking doors. we found a little boy...who told us that his mother was busy inside...He told us to pass by another day...So we went around knocking more doors...we passed by the street where this little boy lived again, and he ran out and told us that his mother was able to talk to us...We passed by and the Mother started talking to us about the different religions that there are in Imuris...(there are a lot) She started asking the right questions...She asked us how she could know which church is the true one? and we were quick to respond...Pray...and ask God....She thought that was weird because the other churches just say to trust them...haha...So we shared our message and she was reading the Book of Mormon before we even left...haha She is a wonderful person. I swear the secret to Missionary Work is the Book of Mormon and Prayer...I know that God directs this work...and that we are His Servants...

Other fun experience was that on Sunday the Primary teacher didnt show up...so we got to teach all of the kids of the branch on Following the Prophet...Attached you will find a picture of the pictures everyone drew...After 2 hours of teaching these kids I enjoyed the 5 minutes of peace coloring time brought...Hahaha

Love you all

Elder Child

 

                                                              Primary in Imuris!

 

 

                                                               Its ALL in the BOOK!

 

 

 All of the Americans that were in the MTC together were reunited once again to go to the Temple...

 

 

Walking, Walking, Walking

Hello Everyone...

Elder Hyatt and I had a great week this past week we found more new investigators and we spent lots of time teaching...it was great...

We are still trying to get used to being the only missionaries in the city...And having quite an area to cover haha...We are having to walk quite a bit to get to our appointments...But we usually take advantage of the time to contact new people...

We had many spiritual experiences this week but today I will share just one...

On Tuesday we were walking to the lunch and a few men that were pretty drunk called us over...so we head over to talk to this man who seemed very depressed judging by how much he was drinking...he told of his story...and we felt like he was to under the influence to be helped so we excused ourselves...and we thought that we would never see him again...Saturday night as we were walking to the house trying to find one more person to teach at 8:30 we were guided to a door where we knocked...A man walked out to greet us and we didnt recognize him at first...he said that he was the drunk man we had talked too...We were quite suprised he had stopped drinking after our previous visit and had shaved and got a Hair cut...he looked like a new man...Were able to teach him the message of the Restoration...He was very receptive saying that he was ready to change his life...and leave all the alcohol behind...He was so happy after that message...He is excited to go to church this weekend and to keep progressing to leave all his sins behind...I hope so much that he can be able to progress and find a new life in Christ...

We hope to keep going strong this week working towards our Baptismal Goal for this transfer...

Thanks for all your support

Love Elder Child

 

                               Walking to the edge of the City where a few families live...:)

 

 

Imuris!

Hey Everyone...

This week was wonderful!! It has truly been nice to get back in the swing of things and just focus on my area and my little branch...

A few things about Imuris...there are about 10,000 people here and the Branch is quite small..yesterday we had about 30 people in church...which is really cool...My companion is Elder Hyatt from Texas and has about 6 months in the mission...We are quite enjoying our time...and working super hard...we are all out of pamphlets and Books of Mormon already so we will have to go up to Nogales to grab some more materials tomorrow haha...

We have a goal to knock every door in this little town in the time I have left as a Missionary...so we have been walking and knocking and walking some more to accomplish this goal so that we can find more people to teach...We have an amazing Baptismal Goal that we have set with a lot of faith...that we truly believe that can happen in this little town...It is amazing to see how many people God is putting in out path....For example one day as we were knocking doors we found a family that had just moved from Michoacan the day before...and it was a whole family that is ready to listen to the Gospel...The hot days are pretty long just knocking doors but God always places someone in our path to keep our Spirits bright...In total we found almost 30 new investigators after knocking this week...

One experience that I had this past week was on Sunday...It was a little crazy for our first Sunday in the House of Prayer (small house converted into a chapel) My companion was busy teaching classes and I was busy with all of the Administrative things...After our 3 hours of meetings I had a list of things to do with a number of people... and on our way to the lunch I started thinking about everyone of the members and their needs...I feel a great love and worry for every one of them...I thought to myself that there was a ridiculous amount of things to do...after arriving at the lunch I looked up on the wall and saw a picture of the First Presidency and then thought "How can they do it?...with all of the needs of all the members in the whole world" ....Then looking at the opposite facing wall..where a picture of Jesus Christ was hanging...I thought "How can He do it so Perfectly and so completely with every person that has ever existed and that will ever exist?" So my attitude here is exactly what Pres. Uchtdorf taught "Lift where you stand"...Thats all I can do...So we will be quite busy with Branch Business and with the Normal Missionary Work...

Thanks for all your support...and Congrats Zack on turning 12 and recieving the Aaronic Priesthood!

Love you All

Elder Child

 

                                              Huge Statue in the Middle of Imuris!

 

 

                                                                  Elder Hyatt and I

 

 

 

 

Last Week in the Offices...

Hello Everyone I hope everyone had a wonderful week of Summer...I also hope all could enjoy their 4th of July Activities...

This week has been pretty crazy we had Leadership Conference on Tuesday and another Training Progress Conference on Friday with All of the new missionaries that are in training...The rest of the days we were working on transfers...haha but we were still able to work a little bit more in our area...

On Monday we had an amazing 4th of July...All of the Office Elders were invited to go over to the Mission Home for the whole afternoon...haha We made hamburgers and hot dogs, made homemade ice cream, and sang Patriotic Hymns haha it was by far the best 4th of July on the Mission...It was great...I will attach some pictures...As time passes I ponder and marvel on how great the United States is and how important it was and is in the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ...I am so glad to have been born in such a great country...I hope and pray everyday that God keeps blessing us as a country so that we may be able to keep on helping others in the world. We have so much to be grateful for indeed...

Once again during this past week we had to make the Transfers in the Mission...And once again I was reassured that everything that happens in this Church is by Revelation...Every transfer was made with lots of prayer and thought...Last transfer as I have commented, I felt strongly that we should finally send Sister missionaries to a little town outside of Hermsillo where not one Sister Missionary had been...ever...This time it was a similar experience...Agua Prieta has been an Elder Only Zone for about 5 years...for many reasons...however this week we all felt that we should send the first sister missionaries there again...It is kind of weird to think that Sister missionaries will now be in Agua Prieta...but I know that God wants them there at this time. We felt a reassurance everytime we prayed.  When making a transfer, I felt very strongly the hand of the Lord helping us, giving us ideas and talking about them...At the end of this week...I know the 98 missionaries we changed are going to the place where they are needed and with the companion that can either help them or they can help their companion...

The hardest transfer decision to make was mine...It is very weird making your own transfers but in a group effort...everyone chimed in expressing their thoughts...As everyone expressed their thoughts I felt the Holy Ghost testifying of where I needed to go...In this moment I reflected to all of my mission,every transfer, where I was and who was I with and then I thought of every other assistant there had been and both of the Mission Presidents I have had, and when they are making the transfers...talking about me and my needs...and then with the Spirit.. They have all sent me Exactly where I needed to be and who I needed to be with..I am so grateful for all of my Leaders that have followed the Spirits Guide as they have made my transfers...I have strived to do the same...

So I have been transfered to go to a little town called Imuris, it is about 30 minutes away from Magdalena, where I was about 10 months ago...I will be working in the Branch Presidency and will be opening area there haha...So in my whole mission the only time I will have not opened area on a transfer is when I got into the offices haha..this is very unusual...but every time I have had the opportunity to grow...so this will be my 7th time having this opportunity haha...

I love you all and hope to talk to you soon...My P Day will now change back to Monday as I leave the offices...

Love Elder Child

 

                                         Cutting up Snickers Bars to put in the Ice Cream...

 

 

                                               Almost all of us...at the end of our Big Lunch!

 

 

                                            The Relief after all of the Transfers were done...:)

 

 

                       Road Trip with President to find more little towns to send missionaries...

 

 

P.A.C.E.

Hey Everyone...

Hope everyone is doing just wonderful this week...We just got finished up with the rest of the Zone Conferences this week...And it is quite the relief...We now hope to get on a regular missionary schedule...and maybe I can get some more sleep now...haha...These past 2 transfers in the offices have probably been the most tiring transfers in my whole mission...but it isnt just a physical tiredness it is an emotional and mental tired as well...Worrying about every single missionary in the whole mission and about their progression, and at the same time working in your own area with your investigators/members with their own needs...the weight just kind of catches up after a while....

A few weeks ago though I had an amazing experience of the Enabling Power of the Atonement...I remember very clearly one night where I had to figure out quite a few problems that were happening in the mission, so I spent most of the night on the phone with missionaries, and I also had to prepare some trainings for a few conferences that we were going to have, needless to say I got to bed late...and the next morning we had to get up at 4 30 to drop missionaries off at the airport then we were headed to a conference...At 4 30 when my alarm went off I was laying in my bed thinking...Ya I am not sure if I can get up today, I felt like I had no energy whatsoever...or in other words I was pooped...

I kneeled down beside my bed and begged for the energy to get through the day...In that moment a found a rush of energy come over me...I knew that the Enabling Power of the Atonement had been applied to my being...In that moment after I had said that prayer I sprang right up and said What a Wonderful DAY! at the top of my lungs, and how it was a great day...I had the energy and then some to be alert and excited in all of our daily activities...since that day I have always asked for this power to help me have the energy to keep on going...

I am now using this energy that I have to help others...Sister Robinson has trained to always have a Positive attitude...Reminding us that P.A.C.E. really works (Positive Attitude Changes Everything) Every morning and really every chance I get...I say positive comments...In the morning I usually things like, What a wonderful day or Today is going to be a great Day, and during the heat of the day I usually say, What a gorgeous day even if it is 130 degrees outside haha it usually causes a good laugh...I have found that PACE really does work...if everyone has a more positive attitude even in the worst of times we can overcome this troubles in our life a lot better...

There is my invitation...I hope you all have a great week...

Love Elder Child

 

                              One Hot Day with Missionary Approved Sunglasses!

 

 

                                                           Nogales Zone Conference

 

 

                                                         Agua Prieta Zone Conference

 

 

                                                    Hermosillo Reforma Zone Conference

 

 

                                                        Hermosillo Pitic Zone Conference

 

 

                                             Hermosillo Villa de Seris Zone Conference

 

 

                                                              Caborca Zone Conference

 

 

                                                           Peñasco Zone Conference

 

 

                                                Hermosillo Misiones Zone Conference

 

 

                                                          Guaymas Zone Conference

 

 

Just wanting to do the Will of God...

Hello Everyone...I hope everyone had a great week last week...we were able to have two more conferences so in total we have done 7 out of the 9 that we need to do...we will be finishing up with the Zone Conferences this next week...This past week we were in Caborca and Peñasco (2 of my favorite zones haha)  It was a wonderful week with 2 of probably the most spiritual Zone conferences that I have attended..We could just really see and feel that the whole Zone was working hard and being super obedient...It was an edifying experience...

After our Conference in Peñasco, we had planned on doing exchanges with all the Elders on Friday and Saturday...After the Conference however we had a different feeling...we felt that we needed to leave right then and there to go back to Hermosillo...kind of weird we told President, and Sister Robinson took us to the bus stop with our clothes...we left immediately and we got to Hermosillo at about 1 a.m. When I went to bed I really didn't know exactly what to expect something the next day but I felt very strongly we were in Hermosillo for a grand purpose... Friday we got up, like normal, and got ready and started studying And while I was studying I remembered a few Elders that are here in Hermosillo...that I thought in my own mind were doing just fine and that they were happy...but I felt like we were to have companion exchanges with these Elders...I called them up and they were ecstatic to do them...I told my companions and they were in agreeance...Later in the day as we were on exchanges we found out that one of these missionaries was just fine...He is always happy..A pretty happy go lucky type of guy...An amazing missionary....the other missionary however (who is an amazing District Leader) had gotten a little discouraged with his area and with the mission in general...We might not know what would have happened if we wouldn't have done those exchanges...After finding this out I was filled with a wonderful spirit of gratitude...i am so grateful for listening and following the promptings of the Holy Ghost...We were able to help that missionary a ton, we took him to our area and he was very grateful for the chance to do Exchanges... 

So we finally found out why we had to be in Hermosillo on Friday...

As I keep growing as a missionary I find that now my only purpose is to do the Will of God...As we see the new missionaries getting to the mission we usually ask them What they want to accomplish on their mission...the majority say BAPTIZE! I have found that yes it is nice to baptize and it is God's will that we baptize but I have found that that isn't my full purpose...In these 22 months I have learned that while doing God's will at all times I find peace and joy...I receive tons of blessings everyday from this wonderful service, also as I do God's Will I receive his confidence in every aspect of this wonderful Work of Salvation.

Sure Love you guys

Elder Child

3 More Zone Conferences, 4 to go...

Hello Everyone...

This week has been pretty crazy as well..haha there is always something to do here:)

We had 3 zone conferences all of them were here in Hermosillo.. It was a wonderful week...It was even better because after we ended the Zone Conference we could leave and work in our own are...It is amazing how much you can get done in 2 or 3 hours in the evening...haha There is a little saying that is going around that says that --We Rest, While Working...haha I didnt really understand that before getting to the offices but now it is so nice taking a break from trainings and conferences and GO and WORK!  We have experienced so many miracles in our area...There are truely too many to count...I love how we are putting into practice everything we have ever taught in any training and we are finding so many wonderful people...and having success... I truely love the Mission Life...And as my time is winding down I am not sure how I will make the transition to regular life...it will be kind of weird...so good thing I have 2 months left to LIVE IT UP!!!

Sorry for the short letter

But sure love you guys

O and HAPPY FATHERS DAY DAD!!!!

love elder child

P.S My favorite mormon message about our Wonderful Fathers.... 

https://www.mormonchannel.org/watch/series/mormon-messages/earthly-father-heavenly-father

 

                  Sister Robinson made us special Banana Chocolate Chip muffins on Monday...

 

 

After getting home after a full week of being outside of Hermosillo for a week...we got home and found that our fridge had turned off...so all of our food was about as hot as the Sonoran Sun...

 

 

Leadership Conference, 2 Zone Conferences, and 3 Exchanges

Hello Everyone...I hope everyone had a wonderful week...We had a pretty crazy week here in the mission...We started out the week with the monthly Leadership Conference with all of the Zone Leaders and Sister Training Leaders...Which was an another amazing spiritually edifying conference...I swear we have some of the best mission leaders in the world haha...They are all really great... So we had that on Tuesday Morning...Tuesday afternoon we were in the offices trying to get ready for Zone Conferences....Wednesday we woke up at 4:30 am to travel to Nogales to start with this new round of Zone Conferences...The Spirit was so strong during every one of our trainings...In past conferences we have talked about how we can teach better and how to find more people to teach...This round we are talking strictly to missionaries about how to be convirted to the Lord...One of our main topics is how we need to remember all of the covenants we have made...Baptismal Covenants to Temple Covenants...Many missionaries were edified by these wonderful conferences...

So we were in Nogales pretty much all day Wednesday...and to take a safer route on our way to Agua Prieta we traveled on the U.S. side...It was quite the experience to cross the border and see how different the U.S. and Mexico are...Also on our litte journey we stopped at Sister Robinsons favorite "american" restaurant...haha Panda Express...she loves it and she wouldnt let us continue without stopping by...We got to Agua Prieta at about 12 am and found a few Elders to stay with...then we were up and at em again to have our second Zone Conference with the Missionaries of Agua Prieta...Another Great learning experience for all...

For the rest of the week were able to do Companion Exchanges with almost every companionship in Agua Prieta...It was great...We didnt have a P Day but we figured that we will can have our P Day when we get done with the mission...haha

A great week this week...cant wait for another week full of conferences and exchanges...

Love you all

Elder Child

 

                                        Panda Express in Nogales Arizona haha

 

 

                                      Exchanges with Elder Villalpando and Elder Bigger...

 

 

                                           Exchanges with Elder Pineda y Elder Earnshaw

 

 

Count your many Blessings...

Hello Everyone...

Dont have a lot of time today...but we had a wonderful first week of the transfer...everyone got to their new area safe...even though it was kind of hectic...haha but it was a great day Monday...we greeted new missionaries at the airport at 8 o clock in the morning and were giving them the First Day training... The next day we sent other missionaries home...so spent a lot of time in the airport this past week...It is crazy the enthusiasmo that the new missionaries bring to the mission...Everyone so happy so excited...

This week we also had quite a bit of time in our area teaching more people...On one occasion we entered into a house that we just had contacted, we noticed a young boy sitting on the bed with his legs crossed...we continued trying to get to know the family and one by one members of the family expressed what was their greatest desire in this life... The young boy was up...it was his turn to express his greatest desire...He said...to walk...We then found out that he was paralyzed from the waist down and that he hadnt been able to walk for his whole life...We almost started to cry...He is so tender and loving...We expressed the love God has for him...After finishing up with the lesson the young boy asked if we could take a picture with him...so attached you will find a picture of this us and this young boy...We left the house amazed that almost always we take for granted this wonderful blessing... Later on in the week when missionaries would call me and they would tell me of how many blisters they have on their feet or how tired they were from so much walking I would explain to them of how great a blessing it is to even be able to walk and tell them this story I just described...It has changed a few missionaries mindsets while they are walking...

From this story I have realized a little more of how many things we do take for granted...We are so blessed...We have so many blessings from our Father in Heaven...We are so spoiled...

Love you all

Elder Child

 

                                   Elder Schlappi and I with our wonderful little friend...:)

 

 

 So funny story we got locked out of our house haha so using some Redneck ingenuity, a concrete nail, a brick, and a used paint roller we finally broke ourselves in...haha We just punched a hole through the metal door and shoved the paint roller through the hole and opened the door :)

 

 

                                                Greeting new missionaries in the airport...

 

 

Last Week of Transfers AKA Week of Craziness

Hello Everyone...

Hope everyone had a great week...We had a wonderful week full of lots of Revelation...

In the offices in the last week of the transfer it is pretty hectic haha...The Assistants, the President and the Wife of the President all meet in the Presidents office for about 5 hours everyday for a whole week...We have a process to arrange the transfers...everything happens for a purpose and for a reason...It is just spiritual experience after spiritual experience..It is amazing the feelings I got to send missionaries to other parts of the mission...to open and close areas...and especially the strong feeling I got to send Sister Missionaries to a little town outside of Hermosillo where not one sister missionary has even gone before...One thing that I have learned this week..that I cant even really think about my personal preferences when choosing transfers...it is not my place...God knows exactly where to put every missionary so we work until ALL of the transfers of the will of God...It was a long process but everything is done and we are advising the mission of the Transfers...we had quite a few almost every companionship had transfers I believe there were 8 companionships that didnt...haha

We also had a little time in our area to find new people and teach them...While knocking doors for about 1 hour we finally noted that knocking doors would be tons better (and it is) when you are doing it with the help of God....We found a secluded place on the street and offered a prayer...In my prayer i said ...Father help us find a Family...I felt the Spirit strongly in that moment and throughout the rest of our Search... We were guided to a house and knocked on the fence...A lady came out the door and we started talking her husband (a huge army guys) walked up as well...They let us in without a single problem and set out chairs below the starlit sky and we had an excellant lesson...They were so interested in the Book of Mormon and were reading it before we had even left haha...It was a wonderful family...We are excited for them to go to church with us this week...

All in all a great week...just striving to do Gods will in every minute...

I sure love this Work

Love you all

Elder Child

                  Some wonderful lady gave us a huge slice of watermelon on a Very hot day...

 

 

                                            Us with President and the Transfer Board

 

 

                                                   Playing Basketball at 6 am on P Day...

 

 

Exchanges on the Opposite Side of the Mission...

Hello Everyone....

I hope you all had a great week this past week and enjoying some wonderful Spring/Summer weather...

We left Hermosillo Monday afternoon to head down to a city called Guaymas...which is at the Southern side of the Mission...It was kind of funny 2 weeks ago going to Penasco which is at the northern end and then this past week in Guaymas on the complete opposite side of the mission...We enjoyed Back to Back companion exchanges in this Tourist Town...we ended up doing exchanges with all 7 companionships in the 4 days we were there...

It was great..We are seeing these wonderful Elders progress in every aspect of the work...It is amazing the difference in the Spirit we are feeling as we are teaching with more clarity and simplicity then ever before...It is also fun to see how a single day of intense work and spiritual experiences can really boost the Faith and Motivation level of the Missionaries... We love just giving our all to help everyone of these Elders not just with their teaching abilities but with Spiritual needs...Every night and every morning I focused my studies on each one of the Elders...I gave them my All...And thanks to the Holy Ghost every Elder has felt the love that I have for each and everyone of them, and by this same Spirit Every Elder has been Motivated and has been Taught what everyone of them has needed... It was a great week...full of experiences...I sat down on the bus to come home and I crashed haha I slept like a  little baby for an hour and a half...We got to Hermosillo and had about 3 hours to work...so we got to keep working in our area haha...Luckily we got to go to the temple this morning :)))) And so I am ready for another week... Woot Woot!!

Sorry the letter is so short...Love you guys 

And Good Luck with Graduation everyone...

Love 

Elder Child

 

            First Exchanges in a little Town called Empalme...Elder Gonzalez y Elder Hernandez

 

 

                                          2nd Exchanges with Elder Shin and Elder Roldan

 

 

                                       3rd Exchanges with Elder Collaguazo y Elder Serrano

 

 

                                           Eating lunch with some members in San Carlos

 

 

Returning to Penasco a Year Later...

Hello Everyone...

I hope your week was wonderful...We had an amazing week this week running around doing companion exchanges with all of the missionaries...

Sunday I also had a chance to Skype the Fam...Everyone looks so great and sound so good even though my little brothers voices are a little deeper haha..On Sunday night we were invited to the Presidents house for a Special Mothers Day Dinner...just the 4 assistants the President and the Wife of the President...It was a very nice casual dinner where we ate Sister Robinsons favorite dinner (Fried Tacos).haha and President had cooked it all...we walked into the house and President had his apron on working quickly in the kitchen and the Sister was relaxing...Brought back so many memories of when we cooked the dinner for our Mom on Mothers Day haha...We had our normal meetings Monday morning and our companions left to Nogales that day to start exchanges there and one of my Companions and I stayed back to teach some really important lessons Monday night...then we left Tuesday afternoon to arrive in Penasco to start more exchanges haha...We arrived late Tuesday night and then I left alone to go to a town north of Penasco that is called Sonoyta (border with Lukeville Arizona)...We had the best exchanges out of the whole transfer...The missionaries are really progressing personally and progressing in the branch there...

I then headed back to Penasco on Thursday to have some exchanges with the Zone Leaders...I got off the bus and I was walking with the Zone Leaders heading to the church to grab another bike for me and we got stopped 2 by members and investigators that recognized me it was wonderful to just run into the wonderful members...But as I explained to my family on Mothers Day that these exchanges are not just to visit old friends from old areas...So we spent the whole day teaching new investigators and new converts that I hadnt even known...It was so great to see that area still growing and progressing, while there we went to the First Branchs Branch Counsel...where I saw pretty much the same leaders as I did about a year ago...haha But I felt like they looked at me differently...Every decision that was made in the Counsel..they always gave me time to comment saying Elder Child how can we do this better...or what could we do in this situation...I always gave them my 2 cents (weird how I always had something to say haha I am turning into my Mother) and the Counsel always took the comments well...It was a great experience to be able to see the growth of the branch...exactly 1 year ago we were in a Branch Counsel and we put the goal to have an average attendance of 200 people in Sacrament Meeting...(We were at 130 people) They gave an update that for these last 2 trimesters they have had an average of 240 people attending Church) They now have the goal of getting to the 300 mark...haha As I have said..this Branch is progressing fast...We might split the branch but that is a work in progress haha...

While in Penasco on Thursday at about 7 o clock at night we got a phone call from some Elders here in Hermosillo that were having some difficulties..They, not knowing that we were 7 hours away, asked if we could help them in their Studies the next day to give them some help...we told them that we would be there...so we finished up with our Exchanges for the day (luckily we had gotten to all of the Elders in the Zone) headed to the Zone leaders house packed our stuff, while one Zone Leader made us a dinner of beans and tortillas....ate some dinner then headed out to the bus station at 12:30 A.M. Friday or half hour after midnight and then Headed back to Hermosillo...It was quite the experience traveling at night...It was very interesting why God puts us where and when...I found myself sitting next to a young man that I recognized as a member from the other Branch in Penasco...and we started talking...about his life and future plans..I remember very clearly that a year ago when I met him for the first time he was super excited to go on a Mission...now he was not very excited to serve...So I spent a good hour and a half talking to him and reading scriptures with him. He was reexcited to serve...and he told me that we would start filling out his papers in this week...after that conversation I slept like a baby..only being interupted by other Babies that would start crying on the way...We got to the bus station in Hermosillo at 7 in the morning, I quickly brushed my teeth, washed my face, and fixed my hair in the bathroom, took a taxi over to the Elders house and we started studying at 8...It was pretty hectic but we could really help those Elders out...we hope they will keep being happy and excited to be a part of this great work...

Here is my week in 3 paragraphs haha...I did a lot of traveling and running around but I throughout this week I felt that God was putting me in every situation for a specific reason...So it was a great tiring week...but thanks to the Temple Session at 7 o clock this morning we are pumped and ready to go this next week....

Love you All 

Elder Child

 

                                     The long road to Sonoyta..(kind of weird traveling alone)

 

 

                                                              Exchanges in Sonoyta

 

 

                                   My Comp and I on the 12:30 AM Bus Ride To Hermosillo

 

 

                                             Mothers Day...A little Blurry but all smiles...

 

 

Immediate Revelation in the Right Places...

Hola Everyone....

This week has been quite edifying...We had a few major leadership meetings this week....Almost 30 missionaries were in everyone of our meetings...And all of the Elders from outside of Hermosillo stay with us in our house the night before the meetings (The advantage of having 20 beds in your house) 

So last Monday night we were preparing our Training Discussions, and it was pretty hard to figure out what we had to talk about the next day due to all of the Elders in our house and the lack of reverence, The Visiting elders were happy to see the others and playing ping pong (The disadvantage of having a ping pong table haha) So as we tried to seccion ourselves in the house we came up with a few points we wanted to teach..It lasted quite a long time...When we got done with that...I was exhausted so I headed to bed...The morning of our meetings I woke up about 5:30 to turn on our gas water heater and to prepare my certain Training parts...I went outside took in some good ol fresh air (just as Dad does) and went inside to my desk knelt down asking for assistence in my preparation and sitting down in my chair I felt the peace come to my heart and mind...(It also helped that everyone else was asleep still) Almost immediately I felt and knew what I needed to say and do...I wrote down my notes in about 15 minutes and I was done haha..Just shows the importance of a reverent home where the spirit can reside and so that you can recieve revelation...It totally beat the 3 hours of preparation that we did the night before in a very loud environment...

In my trainings I could feel strongly the Spirit as He guided me and gave me the correct words at the correct moment...

This was one experience I could have this week...This upcoming week we will be headed to do exchanges with other Zones outside of Hermosillo...So it will be a week of Back to Back Exchanges...

Love you guys and see you tomorrow Fam...

Elder Child

P.S. Happy Mothers Day to everyone!!!....

Running on 0% Energy and 100% Spirit

Hello Everyone!

 Hope you guys have had a great week...We have had another great week... It is very interesting my Role here in the Mission I am learning everyday how to become a better missionary and a better leader...It is hard because we have to put in a lot of time to helping missionaries, preparing meetings, and doing the administrative parts of Leadership in the Mission...Putting in this extra time is necessary but it does tire you out haha...We spend a lot of the mornings in the offices working then we go to lunch with a member, after that we are usually free to work in our own area contacting and teaching...so by the end of the day we are pretty dang tired...We keep on doing companion exchanges here in Hermosillo and in every part of the mission... We are seeing a great movement in the work...The missionaries are excited and everyone seems to be finding and teaching lots of people...We continue this week with 3 meetings...1 with all of the Zone Leaders and Sister Leaders, another with just sister leaders and a third with all of the District Leaders of the Mission...so all of us will be pretty busy with that this week...haha

Last night I had a wonderful opportunity...Sandra is a Convert that I was able to baptize in my last ward...her husband, almost a year and a half ago, died and since then she had felt the need to come closer to God...She was baptized 3 months ago and she called President asking if I could be the proxy for her husbands baptism in the temple...the President gave me permission and I was able to be a proxy in that baptism last night...While I was there I saw a familiar face...It was Eduardo from my last area as well...(it must have been ward temple night haha) Eduardo was able to bring a few names of his family members to be a proxy for them...After every Baptism he had a huge smile on his face...it was just as big as the smile he had when he himself was baptized almost 2 months ago...It was a great night for 2 great converts...They felt and I know that the Baptisms that we performed last night were completely valid unto God for these people...and that these people even though they didnt get that chance to accept the Gospel here on this world...they have or are having or will have the great opportunity in the Spirit World to accept this wonderful plan...

Another time this week we were talking with a young couple that have not been sealed yet...We had planned the lesson the day earlier that we were going to teach about the Sealing Ordinance...so we arrived at the appointment and introduced the topic and the Sister related a story that had happened a few days earlier...The Brother was sick with something of the stomach the doctors warned that it might be Advanced Appendicitis and that it might have been too late to do anything...Sister later told us that after hearing the doctor tell her this the first thing that she thought of was that She and her husband had not been sealed...The thought scared her a lot...which got her super excited to meet with the Bishop this Sunday to talk about what they need to do as a couple to be able to get to the temple and recieve this great ordinance...Temples are so great...I love them...I was thinking today while sitting in the Celestial Room that wouldnt it be great if we could just live in the temple...Or even greater if we could still live in our own homes and feel as if we were living in the temple, And then I pondered how we could make our homes feel like that...I will leave that with you guys to ponder this week...

Love you all

Elder Child

 

                                            Temple Trip with Sandra and Eduardo

 

 

                                                           Hair Cutting on P Day

 

 

First Week in the Offices...

Hey Everyone...hope everyone is doing alright...

We have had a crazy week greeting and training new missionaries, and also saying goodbye to the Elders and Sisters that went home this last week...I feel like I have spent 2 complete days in the Airport haha. This whole week we have been doing companion exchanges with companionships all around Hermosillo.  My companions and I have had a week full of miracles.  

One companion exchange I had with an Elder Maldonado...We were in a pretty difficult area here in Hermosillo...We walked, contacted and walked and contacted some more...all day long.  We are trying to teach all of the missionaries that walking is the same thing as working....So with this Elder we walked from house to house, knocking doors all of the way to our destinations. We ended up contacting more than 40 people and set appointments to return with more than 20...Elder Maldonado...was really excited to keep going...We had a very good day....At the end of a very long day knocking doors, at 8:15 a man at last answered the door and was super excited to hear our message...He let us in quick and offered food and water and sat down with us...We discussed the Restoration of the Gospel. Later he took the Book of Mormon, from our hands as a Celestial Gift from God, as he accepted the invitation to read and pray... after recieving the Book he was so excited to read it he started reading the introduction before we could leave...At the end of the day I was able to teach about the Diligence...and what blessings are in store for us if we are Diligent...I returned to the house walking a little funny (like a young cowboy after his first day back on the horse) and extremely tired...

It was a wonderful experience, I really noticed how much the other Elders and Sisters look up to us as Mission Leaders...We hope to have this type of experiences with all of the elders in the mission...that is the goal any way ...

Well sure love you guys lots...Hope you have a good week...

Love Elder Child