Plackless Missionary‏

 

 

I officially have no nametag now. I lost one in Coyhuieque, and have been asking the office for a new one since then but it still has never came. And then yesterday the one pocket plack i was using snapped in half when it accidentally gets bumped. And so yesterday my name was Elder Marsden. What i am doing today i am using the broken part of my plack, and i have it taped onto my chest. I am going to give the office a really hard time if they dont get me a real nametag soon haha

I had a really awesome experience this week.

My companion and i were walking over to an appointment that we had, when he stops suddenly and says he want to knock a door. So we stop and we knock the door that we are standing outside of, and a young woman answers the door, and after talking to her for a while she told us that her and he whole family were members, but they havent gone to church in years. But she was all alone, so we set up an appointment with her to come back and teach her whole family.

We come back a few days later. And the parents are there, and they very happily invite us in. And as we are talking they tell us why they went inactive.

He told us, 3 years ago, he came home from work and felt the need to go upstairs to see if his daughter, and say hello to her.

He walks into her room, and sees that she hung herself, and that she was dead long before he got there. And his wife calls the relief society president, really just to have a friend to help them. And that sunday in church they tell the RS Prez tells the members what happened, and asked them to help out the family because they were having a really hard time.

But then no one helped. The member told me that not even the bishop stopped by their house to help them. And so they felt really alone, because not a single member of the church came by to help (after that first visit by the RS Prez) And so they stopped coming to church because of how coldly the members were treating them.

In this hard time in his life the husband, who had a smoking problem before getting baptized, fell back into smoking. And one day he feels the need to come back to church. So he comes back, and talks to the bishop, and tells him about his smoking problem. According to his words the bishop then denied him the right to partake of the sacrament, and gave no explanation why. So as he was there in sacrament meeting, he just felt super bad, that all of the members where super cold to him, and he couldnt even take the sacrament that just made him feel worse.

He then went totally inactive until, we knocked his door.

After he tells me his experience i say this

``Brother Nelson, as you told me about your experience, it reminded me alot about the final days of Christ life. Jesus Christ took upon him all our pains and sufferings. And paid the painful price for our sins to made it possible for us to be clean, and return to live with our God again after this life. And he had to do it alone. He even said ``Father, why have you abandoned me

But immediately after this immense suffering, he was betrayed by one of his own disciples. And was denied the people closest to him. And then was murdered by the same people he went through incredible pain to save.

But he went through all of that, so you wouldn´t have to.

Thanks to Jesus Christ, you will never be alone. He understands exactly what you went through. He loves you. And he is waiting for you to come back to him.´´

The conversation kept going, and we helped him understand the steps of repentance and why the bishop took away his privileged of taking of the sacrament. And after we taught him alot he said ``I wish someone would have explained all of these things to me they way you two have, i would have never left the church if they did. 

He then said ``I´ve been lost for too long, and its about time that i come back´´

The next day i was very happy to see him arrive to church. And he sat down with me for sacrament meeting. And even though he didnt feel worthy of taking the sacrament i could see the joy on his face for just being back.

After the meeting i was thinking to myself. Alright we got him this far, im going to make sure that he doesnt leave again. So i told my companion to talk with him, and then as my companion was distracting him. I sneak up to where the bishop was and told him that the man i was sitting with was a member who hasnt come in years, and i asked him to give him a welcome to the church. 

The bishop then came up, and they talked for like ten mins. That made me happy. And while they were talking that gave me time to get around,and get another member to talk to him after,and invite him to the classes. And that member did it, and then he stayed for the class.

After church he comes up to me and says, elder Crockett hey for the next appointment we have with you could you please invite investigators ,we would love to help the,

So i totally took advantage of that. hahaha

But this week was pretty great, i had some super awesome experiences, some super hard ones too, some that made me wonder why i was even here, but in the end the end the good ones won, and i am super excited to get to work this week. 

 

Welp Love you all. Keep me posted!

7 years

``Hey Elders, just so you know you should avoid this neighborhood as soon as the sun goes down´´

``Oh ya i totally know about that already, but thanks for the info´´

``How do you already know how that areas dangerous?´´

``Well just this last week....(long story after)´´

``Wow i knew it was dangerous there but you guys just get it bad´´

``Yup, but i did get a stronger testimony about prayers´´ hahahaha

So this week was pretty awesome for me. I had one experience that was super awesome. My companion and i were walking around in our apartment complex pretty late at night. We were actually heading home. When both of us felt like there was still things God needed us to do that day. So we decide to start knocking the neighbors doors, and get to know them. And after meeting a bunch of people, my companion and i just randomly decide to walk to the most remote part of our apartment complex. We had pretty much absolutely no reason to be there but we went anyway.

And as we were walking without any form of communication between us two. WE both stop, and look at the same house at the exact same time. My companion then looks over at me. And i say ``Yup i feel it too, lets knock it´´

WE then walk over to the door, and knock it. And a women answers the door, and she just has a huge smile on her face. And after talking to her for a couple of mins she  invited us to come inside. (and after verifying there was a man inside) we come in.

And as we were getting to know her she told us a story, about how she has been living in that apartment complex for 7 years. And just about everyday she would see the missionaries, and she was really happy that they would always say hi to her when they would see her in the street. And she just noticed that there was something spacial about them. And she just always wished that one day they would come by and knock her door. And decided that the very first ones to knock her door she was going to let them in, and listen to everything they had to tell her.

7 years passed by, and she was just dying inside to get to talk to the missionaries, she just wanted to know what they taught about with every fiber of her soul, because she knew there were something special about them. But they never came by.

Until we knocked the door.

She invited us in, and and even before we teaching she said ``I know that you two are angels that has sent here to help´´ And she told us that she has been having a really hard week, and she just couldnt really find the strength that she needed to keep going on in life. And she was jut about giving up on everything. And then she started thinking about us, the missionaries, and thought that we were never going to come by. She knew that they had the power to help her. But God didnt care enough about her to send them by.

A few moments after having that though, there is a knock at her door.

She was overwhelmed with the message of the Restoration. It was just something marvelous to her. And she told us ``I want to be a member of your church. What are the requirements to be a mormon? What do i have to do?´´

As we were inviting her to be baptized she just had an amazing joyful look in her eyes.

But there was a couple of other people who were there in the house listening in to us, from a hidden position so that we wouldnt know they were there. And when we invited her to get baptized, one of them jumped out. And just started yelling at us. He was as receptive as the woman was haha. And he is just trying to slam us with his point of views and beliefs that were contradictory to ours. And he just wants to fight about it. And as he was in the middle of his rant his wife come out of hiding as well.

He then tell me. ``That is impossible what you are talking about. God isnt real. Why on earth do you believe in him. How on earth can you just go around deceiving people about him coming to some Liar to create some church for man that doesnt even exist´´

The two women that we listening both immediately jumped out against him and defended me and my companion. And after they gave their testimonies to him. I open my mouth and say I will show you how i know God is there.

I then calmly take out my book of mormon. Open it up to Alma 5:45-46. Pass it to him, and tell him to read it. And as he was reading (silently) i turned to the the women and say ``I know God is there. And i know that he really did appear to Joseph Smith, and restored His Gospel, and his church on this earth.´´

The man was then really quiet. And just staring at the book of mormon, and then at me, and then at the book of mormon again.

I then turn to him and say. And i know that you will know that this is true as well. Just do as this scripture says.

The story keeps going, but i have to go. Love you all!!!!

Blessing

So this week i think i got the most nerve racking phonecall i have ever gotten in my life. I was sitting at home studying, when my phone starts ringing, And of coarse my first thought was it was just one of my sister missionaries with another problem for me hahahaha. But i look at the phone and i see its a member calling. So i answer, and he sounds really scared. And he says ``Elder Crockett, i really need your help. I dont know who else would be able to help me. I need you right now´´ And he sounded really scared. So i try calming him down, and finding out whats going on. And he tells me ``Elder my mom is dying. She needs a priesthood blessing. And you are the only person who i know would be able to help.´´ And i keep calming him down and ask him to come drive by our house in his car and pick us up because we would be able to get there alot faster.

So he comes and gets us, and said Elder Crockett, alot of my family is over right now, just so you know, and they are all really scared, and they will want to be there for the blessing. And i told him that its fine.

We get to the house. And i enter the room where the mom was in (the kitchen) and there was literally about 30 people there. And as i walk in they all look at me with tears in their eyes, and i just felt like they were at peace when they saw they we were there, even though that the only one there who was an active member was the one who called me, every single other one was inactive or not a member. 

And they create enough space to let me and my companion get through the the woman. She was incredibly sick, and unable to move, but she motioned for one of her sons to come closer, and had him sit her up. And i was honestly impressed by the faith that woman to put enough effort to sit up.

I then kneel down by her, and talk her a little bit before i give the blessing.

There was an incredible spirit in the room as i was blessing her, but there  was one thing that i really wanted to say, but couldnt, it wouldnt leave my mouth. I wanted to say that she would be better, and that she would have more time with her family. But i couldnt. In fact i remember some of the words that left my mouth was ``God is happy with you for the faith that you have shown, and has prepared a place for you, and is waiting for you at his side.

I finished the blessing and literally everyone was crying, but there was an incredible feeling of peace in the room. Its difficult to explain. But as i was getting ready to leave to family, they all just looked at me with really big deep wet eyes, as if they were asking us not to leave. I wanted so bad to stay there with the family until the end, but i couldnt. I gave the member a big hug, and as he was crying in my arms he said ``Thank you Elder Crockett, thats what we all needed´´ 

He offered to take us home, but i told him to stay there with his family and we would walk home.

Its hard to explain how i felt leaving that house.

Not long after i get the news that she passed away.

I knew it was going to happen, but i didnt like hearing it anyway.

Change of story now. Later that day i baptized a woman named Andrea, i have pictures but ill send them the you another day, because i dont have my adapter with me right now. But she is awesome. She and her Daughter Camila got baptized this Saturday.

I also went to another Volcano Today. That was awesome. This time i didnt get up high enough to play in the snow, but it was still super awesome. I can say a bunch of cool things now like. ``I played Frisbee on an Active Volcano´´ And ``Hmmm that sandwich that i ate on an active volcano was pretty dang awesome. Almost as awesome as messing around on an active volcano´´  hahaha I have about a million other of cool things that i can say like everything from ``Jogging´´ ``Thrown rocks´´ ``Went hiking´´ And just a bunch of other normal activities that just sounds more cool when i add ``Active Volcano to the sentence´´ hahaha

So talking about my new companion. I freaking love that guy!!!! I get along better with him than pretty much any other companion ive had in my entire mission. We are super good friends. And we work really good together. there has been a couple of times where the other missionaries  that i live with have gotten mad at him, but i get along super great with him. Its like im playing around all day long, while im preaching the gospel. We are finding a ton of people to teach. And its is just super awesome. His name is Elder Marsden from New Mexico. And we had a ton in common, and are just super good friends. Its awesome.

The only thing that could make it any awesomer is if we had an active volcano involved. OH WAIT.....WE DID!!!!!!! hhahahahaha

Welp i love you all keep me posted!

White Wash‏

So i feel really great right now, i know that i am doing what God wants me to be doing.

But a couple of days ago i got a little phone call that started shaking the boat a little bit. 

I was doing my personal study when my phone starts ringing, and so i look at it to see that its the AP´s. So i answer the phone and it was Elder Amone, i think i have talked about hi m in an email before, he is one of my best friends here in the mission, and after messing around with him for a few mins he says, ``ok well i have something serious i need to tell you guys about´´ Well the news that he had for us is that my companion is having a sobre cambio. (i have no idea how to say that in english) but that is when suddenly without warning one missionary gets transferred. And having only been in the sector for a few days before getting the call, i was pretty freaked out. And when there are sobre cambios that happen so early in a transfer it is usually because the spiritual or physical well being of a missionary is in harm, and they need to get out. But knowing Elder Munoz i knew that it wasnt him that did something bad haha.

And so the Ap´s tell me who my new companion is going to be told me. And then told me all the travel plans and everything.

After the phone call it was time to meet up with all of the missionaries in the zone to watch general conference together. And as we were there we told all the missionaries that Elder Munoz was leaving. They all were shocked seeing on how we´ve only been together a few days, but then is when things changed a little bit. One of the Elders asked me who was coming. And so i told him the name of my new companion, and immediately everyone starts freaking out! And literally every single missionary there all started to talk about what they know about my new companion. Now i was hoping for a ``Wow, he is awesome, you two are going to see a ton of miracles there in Pichi´´ but what i actually heard was ``You have got to be kidding me. I dont even want to be in the same city as that man´´ And literally every single missionary there started telling each other stories about my new companion, every single one of them were bad. 

As i was sitting listening to all of that garbage, i got a little mad, to be honest. And so i stood up, and i was about to call out every single one of those missionaries, i was about to say ``What on Earth are you all doing. You are Representatives of Jesus Christ. You shouldnt be saying things like that about ANYONE (because they were saying some pretty bad things) Expectantly another missionary.´´ And so i take a deep breath to prepare to let all of my Righteous Indignation leave from my mouth calling out all of those missionaries, for talking so badly about a missionary in the middle of a stake center surrounded by members. And as i opened my mouth one of the missionaries who i met just a few days ago, must have seen the fire in my eyes, realized what he was doing was wrong, and so he puts his hand on my shoulder, and he says ``Elder Crockett, your new companion really is a nice guy, he really wants to be a missionary, he just needs a little help, and i know you are just who he needs.´´ 

After hearing that i calmed down. And i realized that me calling out all the missionaries in public would be just as bad for us as what they were already doing. Thankfully the conference was getting ready to start, and so all the missionaries stopped talking and went to the room where they wanted to be.

Elder Soto, (the elder who calmed me down) and his companion Elder Vasquez told me that they knew about the sobre cambio before i did, because the mission president called Elder Vasquez to tell him what happened with my new companion (because he was just his zone leader before transfers the other week, so really when he called just to yell at Elder Vasquez because apparently its partially his fault for what happened) 

But they told me what president told them. That right now my new companion was in a really dangerous situation for the work, he made a couple of mistakes, that made a lot of missionaries, and members mad. And it was no longer safe for him to be in Punta Arenas, the city he was in. 

After i was informed about what happened. I went to go sit down to wait for conference, and listen to the MoTab. When i like to call it a little vision that i had. I pictured President Rappleye at his desk, getting the news of the need of a change, and i pictured him kind of stressed out not knowing what to do. When he started to think about which missionary would be able to help with the situation, and that two missionaries came to mind. The first one me, and the second one Elder Goobler (ill talk about him a little further up). And i pictured President deciding that he was going to choose me to be the new companion even though the circumstances that i was dealing with where already bad enough haha.

And after i thought about that i remembered what i told you in my email last week about the mission President having trust in me, and realized i was right hahahahaha

Later that day i got a phone call from the Ap´s to give me that last amount of information that i needed about travel for Elder Munoz, and at the same time i asked if my companion was going to have to travel alone, and they told me know, and told me that President is sending another missionary to go to the new zone with my companion, and that it was Elder Goobler. hahaha Suddenly my little vision thing i had came arcoss as something that may have actually happened haha.

Honestly i am really excited for this opportunity i am having now. (well that i will have starting tomorrow haha thats when Elder Munoz leaves and Elder Marshten comes in) Just a few night ago i was praying that God would start giving me more experiences that would help me grow to be become that man that i know he wants me to be. And then the next morning i find out that i am going to get a whitewashed, have to find my way around in a city that ive only been in for a couple of days, and be companions with a missionary that got an entire ward, and zone of missionaries so mad that it was no longer safe for him to be in the same city hahahahaha. God answered my pray REEAAL quick hahahaha

Love you all.