"They just do whatever God sends them to do that day." December 5, 2016

So this Tuesday was another exchange and I was with Elder Crook. I led the area and got very lost. But we found where we were eventually and worked. No one was interested on Tuesday but that's ok. After that, we went to visit this referral. Turns out she moved away a few years ago but the man living there told me that following the spirit is important. Amen brother.

After an exchange with Elder Olvera we saw this family moving out as we were getting ready to head home. The next few hours was spent moving heavy furniture and boxes. I'm pretty sure I'm a professional mover by now. It was a rough move so to make up for it they asked if we wanted some pizza they were going to get. We told them we'll have a piece cuz pizza tastes good. While we were sitting they asked, "so do you guys always do this, did you just wake up this morning and think I'm gonna help someone move out." When someone else there we were talking to during the move who I thought was cool said, "They just do whatever God sends them to do that day." That was an awesome moment.

So on Wednesday we decided to go tracting. We have a new ward that had everyone that missionaries were working with moved to a different ward because of boundary changes. So this one ward was empty. So we started from the bottom and knocked doors. It's been four weeks and no one has wanted to hear anything about Christ or Christmas. But on Wednesday we tracted into this one family, the Sanchez family. They've been looking for someone to teach them about God so that they could give opportunities to have Christ in their life to their new son. We met with them again on Thursday and taught a lesson on Friday. They came to church and loved it and we're meeting with them again today. They're so cool!

This week has been awesome and amazing and especially because of Christmas. People just want to hear about Christ during this time of year. And this new initiative has been awesome. Whoever's reading this go on Mormon.org and find the advent calendar. It's amazing!

Missionary work is amazing and spiritual and I've learned and grown more than I ever have in my life. But the best part of the week every week is Sunday. The sabbath. The things you learn at church will guide you in your life. The only other physical places I've learned more is at home or at the temple. And the two things I do that guide me the most is prayer and the scriptures. We all know ways to bring God into our lives. Praying to our Heavenly Father and His word, the scriptures. The next step is to gain a testimony that it works for you too. I know it will. Try it out. Read and pray. See what happens.

A Saguaro that Waves. November 28, 2016

Annie was baptized and I don't know if I said that last week but she's a relief society sister who is super cool. The other missionaries have been teaching Annie for a while before I got here and she was baptized right after I got here. She's got really great friends in the church who have helped her out. Same with Markayla, she was also baptized. We're still teaching her parents and they're doing great as well!

For Thanksgiving, we ate at two members houses. The Ricks and the McWilliams. I ate too much food. It was so good! Elder Bies and I also made a chocolate peanut butter mile high icebox pie.It tasted awesome. And we also made lil smokies wrapped in bacon covered in brown sugar.

This week on Sunday I heard an amazing talk about gaining wisdom and avoiding stumbling blocks. We also ate meatball subs after because one of our wards fed us right after church because we are there for seven hours through lunch.

My little cousin Evelyn sent flat Stanley over here because "flat Stanley needed a vacation. Welcome to Buckeye, Arizona Stanley. My little cousin is cool!

Today for pday we set up Christmas decorations.

The saguaro that waves.

I still no hablo bueno. November 21, 2016

So I want to apologize about last week. I was whining and I was complaining. This area is a great place filled with better than great people. I couldn't see it because I thought it was hard. I was not seeing the true purpose. I am here to invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through Faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end. I'm here to do anything I can to make a difference. I don't want to be the missionary who stops progressing during times when it's hard and complains about it being hard. I want to be someone who doesn't listen to what he hears and makes a difference. It will be a process to become that and the atonement will be what can get me to that point and I know I will not become perfect but I know I will be perfect in trying to be that kind of missionary.

Buckeye is an interesting place full of interesting smells and interesting dirt roads when it rains which happened yesterday. It's a place full of people who are amazing. I should be grateful to be here and I hope I am.

This week has been busy and crazy. Annie was baptized this Saturday and it was some planning ahead of time but it went well. It's amazing to see someone make that first step.

This week has also been crazy in the sense that I was in charge of the area for a few hours while Elder Bies was in a meeting in Phoenix. I was lost due to my map reading skills but it all went well. We tracted into a lot of Spanish people so I could brush up on my Spanish speaking. I still no hablo bueno.

We also baked pumpkin pie! Which was fun and messy! We ate it at our early Thanksgiving dinner at the Penrods who are an awesome family. I ate pecan pie for the second time ever too.

Lately here in Buckeye we are driving through rough road in the truck to get to places where we can knock doors because one part of the area is completely new. We're doing what we can to find someone to teach there and it's going better. It feels like we're close to finding someone who's ready to listen. In the other part of the area it's really rural and spread out and it's so cool to drive through there. I've seen saguaros that wave at us every time we drive by. There's also one family that we meet with and their daughter is being baptized this week. It's amazing to see how strong they are.

my new place...