week 2-16-14

Well, after Valentine's Day we have another letter from Elder Williams.  Last week he didn't write much because he was out gallivanting around Guadalajara for his Visa and a conference with Elder Craig C. Christensen.  Here is his update:

"So this week has been very interesting.  We started off the week in Guad getting my visa where I got to hang out with my best friends Elder Farmer, Elder Quinton and Elder Egan.  I also made some new buddies there and one of the elders reminds me so much of Uncle Jason it scares me.  He's a baseball fanatic and even looks like him.  I got my green card!!!!  I never thought in a million years that I would say that.  hahahahahaha."

"Wednesday we went AGAIN to Guad for a mission conference with Elder Craig C. Christensen.  It was a really cool conference.  He talked about how we could better become like Christ in His work.  It was very well done and we got a very good training." (Elder Williams is standing right behind the sitting row of sisters on the right side of the picture!)  (I have NO idea where he is in the second picture! :-)  If you can find him let me know!)

219 Missionaries (counting Pres. and Sis. Wagner and the senior office couple)  with Elder and Sister Craig Christensen, Elder and Sister De Hoyos, and Elder Martinez (area authority).

What a site!!!!  Look at all those missionaries!!!  What a good looking ARMY!

 "Thursday we had our weekly planning and then we went with the Sevilla's who promised us that they would be going to church this weekend!!!  They have been reading and they have been praying.  We are so excited for them and they are feeling the difference in their family.  We were really hoping they would come to church.  The only downside to Sunday was that the Sevilla Family couldn't come to church because they had family members that got really sick and had to help them.  That is a good and bad sign.  In the sense that they had the desire to come to church but Satan just had to attack them with the health of their loved ones.

We also found a new investigator.  Her name is Rebeca.  She really just wants everything of her physical problems to just get fixed by listening to our message.  She doesn't really understand.

Then on Friday we had a great lesson with our "golden" investigator.  She is the one that went all the way to Manzanillo and we put a baptismal date for her on the 22nd of March.  We are really praying that she gets through the things she is dealing with.   

Saturday we just got a bunch of referrals that we had to contact and none of them were home.  We just walked and walked and walked and walked like pioneer childrem!!!  hahahaha.  so we just finished the day in the CyberNet finishing up the missionary capacitation that we give every Sunday and our game that we have planned for next Saturday. 

And finally Sunday.  We had a great Sacrament meeting where the Missionaries talked and I decided to use the talk from fellow PHS alumni Elder S. Gifford Nielson.  It was such a great talk and I just had to use some of the points he used.  Such as making a GamePlan for missionary work.  It was a very different feeling in sacrament meeting because usually it's just a bunch of scolding and it has no feeling but "get your act together".  I changed mine to have a little bit of "we love you and appreciate what you do but we have a few things that could help us ALL out".  Everyone thanked me for that nice change of tone.  We then had our missionary training about the first 2 principles of the Plan of Salvation.  It was a really good day.  We had Eladia (the "golden") go to church again, we had a member bring her non member friend to church also."  

 Well, it looks like Elder Williams is keeping busy trying to roll the Lord's work forward.  Keep the Sevilla's, Eladia and Rebeca in your prayers!  We love you all!

week of 2-4-14

Sorry I didn't get this out sooner.   I have been sick all week end!  I went through 2 BOXES of kleenex by myself!!  Yuck!  The grungies are going around our house!! But Elder Williams seems to doing doing great and is in great spirits!!!

"I am staying here in Autlan!!!!  Wahoo!!!!  I'm so excited to still be here and to still work with my favorite families and get to work and teach more wonderful people in this branch. 

I bore my testimony yesterday and I kinda gave a goodbye but...(then didn't leave),  I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God and that it can help us with all of our daily troubles if we will just read its words and pray for inspiration by the Holy Ghost.  It has worked many times in my life and it is happening in many of the people's lives that I'm teaching.  I know that Christ atoned for all of us and that He is the only one that was the PERFECT candidate to do so.  I know that Joseph Smith saw the Father and the Son.  They called him to restore this church and that we are in the right.  

 Just 4 more transfers!!!!  WOW!!!!"

It seems as if Elder Williams is really falling in love with the people he is serving!  But then again, he has always had such a soft heart and is easily loved, too.

The new Autlan Soccer Team!!!!  Coaches Williams and ????? (I am so embarrassed that I can't remember his new companion's name!)

Christmas present from Mom...Play anywhere ping pong!

That is one SMALL table!

Action shot!

Well, it seems as if all is well and the Elders are keeping busy and staying fit and happy!  Now we just need some more baptism pictures!!!!  Let's keep them in our prayers and see if we can get a baptism in before Elder Williams is actually transferred from Autlan!