Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Week 12 Perth Amboy NJ, Week 18 Mission

Stayin' in the Amboys!

So good news: I didn't get transferred!! Neither did my companion nor the two other Elders we live with. So me Elder Brimley and Elder Vargas will have live together now for three transfers! Our district is pretty much the exact same people. I was pretty 50/50 about getting transferred. I love this area and Elder Brimley has been a good trainer. But I also wanted to see the rest of Jersey and meet some new missionaries. But hey, the Lord called me here and I will give it my all. No worries. I am super pumped too because we have a few people set up for baptism as well. So happy I get to stay and see them take that next big step.

Spanish is coming along.... slowly. Ha I study it so hard everyday, and we talk Spanish during proselyting a lot. It takes a lot of work and prayer to learn a language that's for sure. I am so happy to have the opportunity and I know that when God commands, He always prepares a way. So it will be coming soon. So stoked!

We saw S___ and C___ a few times this week. I love them so much and their daughter A___ is like the happiest, smartest 2 year old I've ever seen. They are progressing, but not really toward baptism. They are kind of stuck because they need to get married first and they don't want to rush into that. Which makes since except that they have been together for the last 4 years! Ha come on we know you want to get married. We are slowly giving them a push to make something happen. Crazy how many people out here live some pretty terrible lives because they broke the Law of Chastity. After seeing how many lives have been shredded, its pretty clear how important the Law of Chastity is. Pretty easy for me to see the blessings of living it. Pretty easy to follow after seeing what I have seen...

Good news is that there is this guy who moved into the ward recently  named A____. He has actually been here for about a year. I may have mentioned him before. But he is the coolest guy. He grew up in Perth Amboy, Catholic with his family. He then joined the army and was deported to Iraq for a few years. Came back and had PTSD and some major problems. In his lowest of lows he basically remembered Jesus Christ and prayed for help to get back to church. He started searching for churches everywhere and he found things he liked in some churches and things he didn't like. He said I wish there was just one church with all the good stuff put together and no bad stuff. He found the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints through a friend and flipped out during the first lesson with the missionaries when he realized this was the church he has been looking for all his life. Then he got baptized. He has been LA for a little but recently came back and is just the coolest guy. He goes on tons of team ups with us and teaches and his testimony is so powerful. A third witness is so powerful sometimes.


This past week we wrote a letter to all the branch members in our area about missionary work. We were struggling trying to find new people to teach so we turned to the branch to see if they could help us out. In the letter we talked about how grateful we are for their service in the branch, and talked about what the baptismal covenant means to us. Then we invited them to share a letter with some of their friends and family with their testimony and thoughts of the church. We will see how it goes... Should have some great success. This is the Lord's work.

We had an area 70 come to our branch council yesterday. It was a big shock. He had a translator to help him understand. He just listened to the council meeting for a while and then at the end he spoke to us. He talked about how the Work of Salvation comes one person at a time. And the only way to preach this Gospel and really touch everyone's hearts is by the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost will show us all things which we must say and do. This is the Lord's work and he will show us how to do it and how to touch everyone's heart. That goes for relief society president and YM councilor too! Just trust in Him.
The weather is getting super cold. Almost unbearable. Different coldness than Utah. This is super windy and icy cold.  We are eating Thanksgiving at a Senior Couples missionary home. Ha so not too sure how much of a Spanish twist there will be. But hey if this is just straight up good old American Thanksgiving, I wont complain :) Plus its an old couple making it, should be delicious. Ha!
 
How is Sammy doing? Cant stop thinking about him. I love him so much.
Thanks for all, I love you with all my heart,
Elder Sumsion

The great little family they are teaching

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