Monday, April 25, 2016

The work keeps growing!

Man this was a great week this week!! We had a great time here in Huguito, and are working really hard!! Its a little bit hard being the only companionship in a ward, because all of the responsibility of finding and baptizing is on your shoulders, but Lately the Ward has been helping us a lot this week. But I have to say that this was a very very successful week this week. We had our Annual ward conference this week and so the members were working so hard this week. But Saturday we had an activity called "SiĆ³n al Rescate" (Zion to the rescue) and we had huge sucsess. Basically what we did, we met up as members and Missionaries (we got the zone to come) in the morning and we basically Blitz the area. we just split off into little groups and we visit everyone that we could! It was really awesome because we had 102 people in church!! It was the Highest that its been for a long long time! So shout out to member work!! and among the the 102 people in church, there were 6 investigators!! WE had Eduardo Ozuna who is planning on being Baptized in 2 weeks and a part family member that we found this week with 3 kids that need to be baptized! They are called the Familia Sotelo and the investigators are named Ana who is 13, Matias who is 10 and Lucas who is 9! So with them thats 4 investigators, we had a member bring her little sister who is named Angie, shes 12 and she seems pretty interested in the Church. The last investigator ins named Alberto. And he Kinda Wondered in. He is like the neighborhood drunk, but he told us that he wanted to change so we were able to get his direction. He seems Pretty sincere in what he says, so we will be working with him to overcome his addiction. So It was pretty awesome having such a great showing by members and by investigators.

We had a stellar lesson with Victor. He was kinda dis animated because he is struggling. its been hard on him overcoming everything. So we shared Mosiah 3:19 and we focused on the ways to overcome the natural man. We talked about how we have to do things that invite the Spirit. Like reading the scriptures and Praying and going to church. and then we talked a lot about the Atonement and it was incredible!! He seemed so determined to whats good and he seems soo so convinced that this is true. He has testified of it many many times, its just a struggle with him because we have these spectacular lessons and then he seems so so good, and he just doesn't do some things. but we will keep working with him. He is Incredible. I Love him like a Brother. I really do!!

I love you all!!

Elder Jared

Monday, April 18, 2016

The Last Week

So this last week was the last week of this transfer! Its hard for me to believe that 6 weeks have already passed since I've been with Elder Proffit. honestly, Its been a great great change. We have seen a lot of progress in the ward and the members. There just seems to be lots of excitement in the members and that shows by our attendance yesterday. we reached an all time high for over 2 years with 87 people in church. It was so great just to see the chapel full. the Bishop was ecstatic and the leaders were so happy! There is a lot of excitement and with next week being ward conference, the members are going to be working so hard! Haha so I am excited for this week!! We are anticipating a lot this week, so everything is set up to be a great week!! Haha

But last week I promised a little report on our investigators, a lot of them seem like they wont progress, they just have made some excuses each time we've come to their door, but ill give a little update on all of our investigators!

Eduardo Ozuna is a little 10 year old of an active family. he was baptized when he was 8, the only thing is that he never went all the way under. they did it 3 times and the third time he got scared and just left the font, but he seems like hes ready to be baptized, we are just working a lot on getting his trust back, he has a date for the 7th of may. I feel like he will be baptized this time even though he is super shy. But he is progressing well.

Then we have Victor Azuada. He is a great investigator that has quit smoking since we have been teaching him. he really has huge desires to change. It really is incredible how the atonement of Jesus Christ has changed his life. he recognizes that he has changed, but still hast to change a lot. he is a trooper.

Next is Luz, she is an investigator that we had found contacting a few weeks ago. she is really interested and she seems like she will progress. she wants to go to church, the only problem is finding time to teach her. She is incredibly hard to find, but when we find her, the lessons are spectacular. The spirit is always with her because I believe she is earnestly seeking the truth.

That's really all of the investigators that seem like they will progress as of now. But something really awesome that happened this week is we had a huge service project for a family in our ward, they actually are recent converts and they live in very humble circumstances. Their names are Dani and Liz Paola. They have 4 little kids with 1 on they way and their house is literally sticks and bags with a roof. So as a ward, members donated time and talent to help their house, we were able to install water into their house replacing their roof and rewiring their house. The change was incredible. They were so happy and they were able to relieve a little bi of stress with that. Their home is a lot more comfortable and they are happy so I am happy!!

i love you all and if you have specific questions, just write me and Ill do my best to respond to them!!

Elder Jared

Monday, April 11, 2016

Summer's Last Laugh

Man this has been a good week of such great work!!  We had a great week of work this week so that always a good sign for a missionary!! But what made this week so great?? SO let me tell you...

Well, first of all, on Tuesday, we had the opportunity to attend the temple!!
 It was so great to be able to enter into the lords house. Every time its a special time. there is just so much peace, so much joy that I have when I enter into the temple. As a missionary I am sad to say that It was my last time. The temple will be closed when I go home so i was Kinda sad for this to be my last time. But I have to say, that this time was such a good learning opportunity.  I learned a lot and was spiritually revitalized. I love this Asuncion temple so much. It may be small, but Just like every other temple it is incredible. So That is such a great way to start off the week. 

I named this email because i feel like this week was summers last shot at making us miserable. Because man, it was hot this week. It had been cooling down but it shot up this week. But we had a nice rainstorm this week and everyone says that It should start cooling down. Making things a little bit more comfortable for us! So I hope that it stays cool!

But the other thing that happened this week that w<as so great is that we found 8 new investigators!! ( Ins quite incredible and never in my mission have I found so many in 1 week!! we found them all contacting! It was a great testimony builder knowing that contacting works!! but we will see how much they progress, some of them didn't seem to interested, but they accepted the baptismal invitation! ill tell more about the ones that Progress next week.

We are still working with Victor. He is doing well and has great desires of getting baptized. He really wants to change and is willing to do all he can to change. He has a date for the 28th of April, and he seems pretty firm for that date!! SO I am happy for everything that is happening here!! I love you all!!

Elder Jared

Tuesday, April 5, 2016

General Conference

Man what a great weekend it has been!! A weekend when we can listen to our Prophet and Apostles always has to be a great weekend!! I really loved these sessions there were soo much wisdom and soo much knowledge to gain from these wise leaders.. So Ill give you a quick highlight of my favorite talks!! First of all, we missed the first session and the priesthood session due to technical difficulties, But we got the other sessions!!

There were really Three talks that really stood out to me. All of them from the Quorum of the 12. I really Enjoyed Elder Christofferson, Elder Utchdorf and Elder Holland.

just a quick version on why they really impacted me,

I loved Elder Christofferson, because he really focused on the Father and the importance of them. I just want to send a quick shout out to my awesome Dad who really has done a great job. As I was listening, I could have made a list of awesome things that my dad could do. So dad, thanks for giving me such a great example. You are Awesome!!!

I loved Elder Utchdorfs Talk on the Lost sheep. But the story about the Cathedral really touched me for some reason. I believe he said something like "There is no life so shattered, torn or destroyed, that through Jesus Christ, It cannot be made whole."
I just loved it because I really have had a huge testimony increase on the Atonement. I know that everyone can repent. Its possible through him. It really touched me, thinking that that is what Im trying to do, Help others be made whole through Jesus Christ

And Elder Hollands Talk was soo full of love for us. It really was a great conference ender. I left my notes at home, but for some reason, His talk just really stood out to me. I love how much emotion he puts into his talks. It really is so incredible!! He is such a good speaker and I love him so much!!

I don't have much time, but I love you all!!!

Elder Jared