July 6, 2010

Hi Family!

Hurrican Alex was no big deal. Didn't even do anything to Brownsville. I was super excited for it tho. We got the call that the hurricane was coming on monday, and then we found out we would be getting evacuated on tuesday, and then we actually left Wednesday morning. We left at 7am for McAllen, which is like a 1 hour drive more or less. Actually it was kidna funny, the Zone Leaders called and told us to leave right at 7, but we were a little bit late getting everything ready and we didnt leave until like 705. Sure enough at like 702 the rain started pounding super hard and as we were loading our stuff into the car, we got soaked! It was kinda funny tho. So I drove all the way to McAllen in the rain, and we made it their safely.

It was cool cus we got to meet President and Sister Trayner. I love them. They are way way way awesome. I loved the Millers but I just have a really good feeling about President Trayner. Hes actually pretty funny and he speaks a lot of Spanish to us. He showed up to our training and just started it all in Spanish, and then would switch into Spanish at random parts of the training. He's already got TexMex down hahaha. Hes got great vision for the mission and I know we are going to progress a lot with him incharge. We had trainings from 10-5 on Wednesday, thursday, friday and saturday. It was like the MTC again, but it was cool. I learned a ton. We are really focusing on teaching simply now, its cool. SO yea, Wednesday, we had training till 5, and then after that we went and worked in the APs area. Kinda lame, but we found this super cool old guy. Then Thursday after the training, they said that the HUrricane had cleared up so they let us go back to brownsville. Oh yea and we stayed at the APs house in McAllen and I basicly traded a tie for 2 45 lb weights so I was stoked on that. (BTW tyler how much can you bench? I maxed out at 165 the other day and I weight 190) anyway so we went back and worked for like 2 hours on thursday and then Friday morning we had more trainings in Harlingen. SO we went to that and then had a few hours to work after it. Oh yea at that one they had me give a training to everyone about the importance of our investiagators reading the BOM, that went well. So we only had a few hours to work Friday, and then Saturday we had training again but this time in Brownsville, and we had a testimony meeting at the end of that and it was really cool. I can tell President Trayner really loves us. So we had a few hours to work Saturday night and then Sunday came. So in order to get investigators to church you have to have some really good lessons with them during the week, and that didn't happen cus we had barely any time to work, so we didnt see the results we wanted. This one game came tho, the same guy we went to mass with. He still says he Catholic tho.

So Carlos was supposed to get baptized this week, but he has some doubt that is holding him up and we haven't figured it out yet. I'm still trying to figure out what we need to help him understand. Once he gets over that doubt hes set, he'll get baptized.

Oh yea back on Tuesday we drove by H-E-B which is kinda like Ralphs grocery store, anyway we saw just a ton of people fillling up sandbags. I guess the city just dumped a bunch of sand and gave people bags and told them to fill them up if they wanted them for their house. So we went and helped people fill sand bags for like an hour, man that killed my back but we got to help a ton of people. It was kinda funny in church on sunday they had a special meeting 3rd hour about hurricane preparedness, kinda funny that they did that right after the hurrican hit haha. I hope we get another one before I get transfered.

We had a really cool lesson with this black guy named Alvin. I met him a while back, and we just now made it to his house to teach him. We talked with him about what he wants in life and he said he wanted to quit smoking, so we invited him to do that, and he grabed the cigarette that he had in his hand and ripped it up and threw it in the street. It was really cool the see him with that real desire to quit. Hes a cool guy.

How was the 4th of July? We had to be in at 6 so that the drunk people didn't shoot their fireworks at us. We just went over to the church and we got the watch the Other Side of Heaven. It was pretty cool to watch. Alright well I think thats about all that happened this week. It was fun, Im safe, just sick, but dont worry. I love you guys a lot. Im gonna try to send you a video so let me know if you get it. Talk to you all later.

Love

Elder Given

Hurricane Coming!

June 28, 2010

Hi Family!

So we were in H-E-B today buying our groceries and we get a message from our Zone Leaders saying that there is a hurricane heading our way so we need to have a 72 hour kit ready. Im super excited!!! Its gonna be fun. Mom dont let grammy barbie or anyone call president miller and freek out and get me stuck in corpus for my whole mission. Thats what happened to this one kid and hes been up there for like a year and a half, so yea, no freeking out, we'll be fine, the Lords got our back. So we might end up stuck in a church for 3 days, which would be kinda crappy.

Anyway President and Sister Miller are leaving tomorrow which is sad. I think President Trayner will be awesome tho. We had our last zone confrence with president this week. It was all the missionaries in the valley so it was cool. Usually its just Brownsville and Harlingen zones, but this time it was mcallen and mission too. So it was 4 out of the 7 zones in the mission. My whole MTC district was there which was cool. Got to talk to Elder Brandley and Yergensen for a while. Sister Miller gave everyone hugs which was cool. She totally broke down at the end tho. Its gonna be weird without them but it'll be good.

We got cussed at kinda gnarly the other day. It was crazy i walked up to this lady that was getting something out of her car and I was like como esta, how you doing (I actually said both languages cus I couldnt tell which one she spoke) and she turns and looks at me and says,"Im gonna........... I was like okay... and then just walked away cus I didnt want to push it. It was pretty funny. Im glad I can laugh about that kind of stuff.

I figured out my companions problem. Hes getting way too much presure from his parents. He sent home a box full of ties like I did a long time ago, and I guess his dad sent him a letter saying he thinks he isn't focused on the work, in regards to sending home the ties. I told my comp he needs to stand up to his parents and tell them hes a big boy and can do what he wants. And if hes not wasting the Lords time then its okay. So that was annoying cus thats why hes so messed up in the head. Im still working on fixing him. He just wants to be a super missionary right now, which isnt gonna happen if hes always feeling super pressured.

Im gonna paste in my letter to President

Hey President,
This was another week of ups and downs. I learned some really good things that I know is going to help me progress. I loved how we focused on teaching simply in Zone Conference, it was exactly what I needed. So the next day during personal study I was reading through 2nd Nephi 25. 2nd Nephi 12-24 is all the Isaiah chapters and honestly I still haven't figured out how to understand them, so I didn't get a lot of of those chapters. So chapter 25 starts out and Nephi basically says, I know some of you didn't understand the words of Isaiah, so I'm going to make it as simple as possible, and then he proceeds to teach the Gospel so simply. All he focused on was Jesus Christ, he taught why he is important and why it matters. So it just clicked in my head, if I want to teach simply,that's what I need to teach. So I went out and applied that right away and we had a really awesome lesson with this guy named Javier and he really opened up to us. I am very grateful for the inspiration that I received and I am continuing to seek more and more.
On a sad note though, our investigator, Carlos, didn't get baptized. He was doing super solid all week, on Friday he even bore his testimony to us about why he wants to get baptized. So then we set up to go by on Saturday, and had a member set to go with us, and then he calls us and tells us he's with his family so he wasn't home. So we set up to go later that evening, and he still wasn't there. So I talked to him around 9 Saturday night and asked him how he's feeling about still doing the baptism. He said he was totally down to do and and excited, if he went. I was like wait wait wait, why would you not make it. He then told me about how his mom might be planning something for them to do, but basically it was just excuses. Sure enough he didn't show up for church and we didn't make it by him on Sunday so we'll see what happened tonight. I'm sure hes going to get baptized soon, it's just a trial of our faith we have to overcome. We ended the week with 148 contacts and 9 new investigators.

So yea thats what went on this week. I just read your email you sent. I think thats hilarious that I was right about everyone worrying about the hurricane. We'll be fine. Thats awesome that Tyler played so well. Give him a high 5 for me. Crazy that Laundy is gonna be playing for the Knicks, I totally know him. I'll probably be sending Dylan a package today. Mom thats super cool that you are coaching. Go and just do everything to put a good name out for the team. Wait does that mean you aren't going to orlando now? Good luck, just teach them everything that you taught me and you'll do great. Well I think thats all I got for now. I love you guys a lot and cant wait to get that tape.

Con mucho mucho mucho amor

elder given

June 21, 2010

Hey everybody!

I got the package this week. It was awesome. I loved the pictures, its crazy how everyone is growing up so fast, everyone is so tall haha. The protein is great, I love it. I wouldnt buy it again tho. Elder Sibbett was telling me about this sweet mass builder stuff that they have online for like 30 bucks and it is way more and way better. So maybe I'll get that next time. I've learned how to budget my money so I can buy protein. 

Anyway, we had a pretty cool week this week. I think I told you about our investigators Carlos, he is doing really well. He came to church yesterday and had his baptismal interview, he's way set. The only thing that might have been holding him back was that he hadnt recieved an answer about the BOM yet, so on Friday we decided to fast with him. So Saturday Elder Graham me and Carlos all started fasting and we fasting all Sat afternoon till Sunday after church. After church he prayer and then we went by later that night and he told us he had recived an answer and that he knew the BOM is true and all that stuff, so hes set on getting baptized this Sunday, at Stake Confrence in Harlingen. So that will be 2 stake confrence baptisms in a row for me. Last confrence the Quinteros got baptized. Either I'm gonna baptized Carlos or one of the members probably, havnt asked him yet. We'll see. Hes a really cool guy, I hope he goes on a mission. Ohhh I dont remember if I told you, Junior, who is a recent convert from Raymondville, who we helped baptize and stuff, me and Guillen kept him active, anyway, hes been a member for 6 months now and he just got put in as 1st councilor in the branch presidency over there in raymondville, so thats way cool. Im hoping Joe Quintero gets a calling soon, I guess hes had to work on Sundays occationally tho, but Elder Guillen said the whole family is doing really awesome and making a huge impact on the area. Elder Guillen was super close to baptizing the Quinteros neibors before he left so they'll probably be baptized soon.

Cool well mom I had a question, is it cool if I send a package to Dylan for his bday? I would like to but idk how much it is going to cost. Let me know what you think. Oh yea and there is a book I'd like for my bday, its called 1001 pitfalls of spanish or something like that. Elder Sibbett has it and he says it amazing so if you could find a cheap one on amazon or something that would be cool. Oh yea and if you could send me a Rubix Cube that would be cool. I can totally do it in under a minute, I have a video on my camera of me doing it in 40 somethin seconds. 

OK, well Idk anything esle thats is going on in my life. A bunch of good ball players got trasfered down here so we are about to go ball it up and its gonna be fun. Whats going on back home? Anything exciting? I feel like nobody lets me know. 

Alright well I love you guys.

Elder Given

I'm Staying in Brownsville!

June 14, 2010

Hi Everyone!

Yep Im stayin down here for another transfer which is cool.  Im staying with Graham for another one. Elder Sibbett is also staying, but Elder Holden is leaving which is sad. He is a cool kid, we get along really well. Elder Guillen and Horton are both getting transfered down to brownsville, so my two favorite comps are gonna be in my zone now. Horton is our ZL, hes taking Elder Reillys spot, and Elder Reillys going to Raymondville which is way cool.

Anyway, life is good. This is gonna be a really good transfer, I have a feeling its gonna fly by. Im pretty sure im gonna get transfered next transfer, we'll see tho. I like it down here, Im gonna try to get my spanish super good this transfer. I had a super cool experience this week. We found this guy who invited us in and just started crying. He told us about how he got a DUI and went to jail and how his family, home, job and basicly everything was gone when he got out. He is living with his mom now and his life sucks. He says he doesnt believe in God anymore, so it was kinda crazy. We were teaching him and as we were teaching him I had this thought come to my head like I dont know how to explain it, basicly it was just the spirit. It said, Tell him he'll get his family back if he keeps the comandments. Or something along those lines. And I thought about it again, cus thats kinda crazy to promise him that, but I felt the spirit as I thought about it again, so I promised him and told him what he had to do. And so we taught him and had a good lesson, but he didnt go to church. But we are going to keep teaching him and I know that as he starts keeping the commandments, there will be a change in his life, and he will get his family back.

The other Elders had a disaster baptism yesterday. I can laugh now cus she got baptized but man it was bad. First, one of the speakers couldnt show up, then, they forgot to fill the font, then, the bap clothes didnt fit, then, no members showed up for the baptism, then, the worst part, when he went to baptize her she threw her foot up and swallowed water, so they had to do it again and she was laughin really hard, and then they did it again, and her foot came up again, and all the memebrs were like trying to tell her what to do, it was soo funny, then he finally got her all the way under the third time. It was stinkin funny.

I figured out what car I want when I get home. I saw it and I loved it, and it should be cheap. It was just like my old one but better. Its a 1993 Mercedes 190 E 2.6, black. So if you can find me one of those that would be way cool. This guy had one and it was way nice. So yea, you got a year to find that haha.

Heres part of my letter to Prez that I dont feel like typing,

I am happy to be able to stay in Brownsville for another transfer. Elder Graham and I have a lot of people on the brink of being baptized so we just need to help them make those steps. We had 150 contacts and 12 new investigators this week. Satan really got to one of our investigators this weekend. We are teaching this awesome guy named Carlos who is really doing great and really progressing. He was scheduled to have his baptismal interview yesterday, but he didn't get to sleep until 7AM Saturday night, or Sunday morning because his cousin and friends randomly showed up and decided to stay up and drink and whatnot. Luckily Carlos told us he didn't drink, but he didn't wake up for church, and didn't get interviewed. We went by Sunday night and he felt bad, so we taught him repentance and invited him to repent and that is exactly what he plans on doing. I have no doubt he will be baptized this month. 

I forgot to email you last week about 2 of our investigators, named Arody and Angie Gonzalez. They are from Matamoros, but live with their Aunt(who is a members) here in Brownsville. Their father is a less active member. His name is Tomas Gonzalez and their mother is Marisa Garcia Rosas. They are not married by law. They live at 320 Calle Josefa Ortiz de Dominguez en la colonia Los Ebanos, Matamoros. They told me the missionaries already go by sometimes. Arody actually came to church for the third time yesterday which was exciting, and we are going over to his Aunt's house to eat tonight and we will be talking about baptism with him.

My testimony of faith grew this week. So we went to watch this movie, Jospen Smith, Prophet of the Restoration, with Carlos on Saturday, and we get to the church and I realize that we dont have keys to the library so we couldnt get out the TV. So we're trying to figure out how we can card into the door or something but we couldnt. Elder Graham had given up but I told him to have faith, that God would help us do it. I really was just bluffing, but it worked out. I went out to the car to grab my wallet to try to card in our something. And Elder Graham was like, Elder, its not possible we already looked, but I said to have faith, cus I was doing my works now, cus faith without works is dead. And just as I said that a member pulled up and helped us get the keys and we watched the movie. It was pretty sweet. Carlos is totally getting baptized in a couple weeks. Hes a way cool kid.

Anyway thats crazy about Hagens party. Thats like more than I had at my last 5 parties combined. haha wow time is totally flying by. It hit me today, we were at the grocery store and I saw some magazine that said its been 1 year since Michael Jackson died, which is crazy cus I totally remember that happening like a few weeks ago haha. I'll keep the Risenmays in my prayers. Is Tiff married yet? I feel like I have no idea about whats going on in the real world haha, nobody ever writes me back, its kinda funny. People stoped carring after a few months. I'll start getting more letters in like 8 months tho haha. Is Ryan Ricks gonna go back out on his misison soon? Has anybody left since Dylan left? Anyway I think thats all I got for today. I love you guys a lot, cant wait to get that package. Tell Grammy Barbie and Papa thanks for the package, I'll get a letter in the mail for them this week.

Love

Elder Given