Super Tranquilo

Eyyyyyyy Familia y Amigos,

This week has been filled with little miracles and happy moments. I have learned here on the mission that not everything will always come out the way we have planned or hoped, BUT that it is sooo important to stay humble and thank God for all our many blessings.

This week FLEW by and the I had a great opportunity to talk to Hermana Douglas (Mission Pres wife) as president was setting apart a missionary from my Rama. They're finishing up the mission this week and she told me that it has been the fastest three years of her life. I told her that I felt the same, and asked her what I could do to take advantage of every minute of the mission. She told me something really interesting. When she and President went to Freshman orientation at Harvard for one of their sons, a professor talked about the difference between successful and unsuccessful students at Harvard, and basically it comes down to the small and simple things....just as it says in Alma! From small and simple things come forth great and marvelous works. She told me that basically it is important to take advantage and do something productive EVERY fifteen minutes of free time. She went on to explain how even if we waste 4 blocks of 15 minutes every day...in two years we would have wasted 4 months of our mission. Wow! That hit me hard! 

This week I am been trying to rededicate myself to working as hard as I can, every 15 minutes. And wow! its coming along great!

As for highlights of the week. 

This week I have been preparing a STUD investigator for baptism...he has been pumped for the last three months working hard to let go of his old, natural man temptations etc. We taught the Word of Wisdom last week and he told us that he has had no problems with alcohol, drugs or tobacoo for about 5 years, but he still loves coffee. However without skipping a beat he told us that he would give it up. The next day at church he looked a little tired and sick, I asked him what was wrong. He told me that he didn't drink coffee and even though he had a headache he knew that God was going to help him. He then stood up in our gospel principles class and testified of the Word of Wisdom and of the blessings we can receive from obeying God's commandments.

 

Anyways this week has been great!

Love you all! 

Elder Blake

This week

Dear Family and Friends,

This week was filled with many little miracles and wonderful faith building experiences. It's hot, this country is crazy, but we are working hard!

 Wow I don't really know where to begin. This week has actually been a very standard week. I honestly cant believe how fast time is flying by. Two weeks ago to today I decided to read Doctrine and Covenants, and wow, it is such a dope book of scripture, there are soo many inspired sections that I have loved. I just finished section 123 and at this trajectory I will finish the book sometime this week. Wow the restoration of the church was truly amazing. But this week my companion and I decided that it was time to rededicate ourselves to this work. We were reading in el Libro de Mormon and we read. Mosiah 28 vs 3 which talks about the declaring salvation unto every living creature. We decided to make it our goal to invite ALL unto Christ -c ontacting when it felt inspired etc. This week we found a golden family and wow what a blessing it was been. 

As for the highlights this week. About a month ago I had the most spiritual experience of my life. I had never felt the desire sooo strongly to talk to someone in my Life. We contacted Antonio and we taught the three main lessons within 4 days. He told us he knew that the church was true, he wanted to get the priesthood etc. Wow! golden right? But he wouldn't come to church!! We tried everything, bringing the bishop, super strong members...even Cesar Acosta didn't really work! I decided to fast on Saturday so that he could come to church. I was praying all morning long on Sunday and just as sacrament meeting was about to start Antonio showed up!! Man I had never been so happy for an investigator to come to church before. We sang How Great Thou Art, my favorite hymn and I could tell he felt the spirit. After the meeting he told me, for a second time that he knew the church was true....It looks like, if we work hard there are three strong future elders that could be baptized within the next two months.

However, the brotherly love and bonding that I have had for my companion is amazing. This week he opened up and told me that his Aunt raised him. When he was four months old his mother basically decided that she couldn't and didn't want to raised him. His dad, although stable financially is a drunk and couldn't raise him either. His aunt was a member and raised him in the church. He has never really had a strong family and that hit me HARD. This week we had a family night where he opened up about this situation to a youth who is leaving for the mission this week. He then, after tearing up, gave me thanks for the example and brotherly love I have shown him and that he has felt like he is really doing what the Lord whats of him. I think that it was one of the strongest times I have felt the spirit in the mission. It rejuvenated my strength and desire to serve the Lord. Honestly there are so many things to be grateful for. I know that this church is true and if we really live the gospel of Jesucristo our lives will be blessed.

 

I love this work and hope all is well back at home.

Love,

Elder Blake

 

Gotta love the DR!

Me and my comp after a long, and hard days work!

 

Nine months!

Well today marks nine months in the mission! Basically the fastest nine months of my life...wow!

Anyways I basically don't have ANY time, but this week has been great. I had a wonderful fast and have received some amazing blessings form the Lord. 

Highlights. This week, in our Zone Conference we were given a new mission goal: to teach the restoration to a new person every day. On Monday in the afternoon, my companion and I had a really amazing contact. We were walking down this pretty poor dirt road and I just felt attracted to go over and talk to this man. He was the BIGGEST looking gangster Dominican ever...tattoos, smoking, toda la viana! But wow, I went over, introduced myself and he told us his name is Alberto. He let us sit down and he asked a ton of questions and was just super humble. He told us that all of his aunts and uncles are Mormons but haven't gone to church in 20 years. Wow! basically we found a village of less actives haha. We will see how the second lesson goes on Saturday.

I think the best lesson we taught was to a less active member named Mario yesterday. He is a return missionary who basically just fell into a lot of bad habits after the mission and has felt too ashamed to come back to church. We shared an old church video with him called the touch of the violin master...something like that, and wow, he started crying. One thing I have come to notice is that humility is the key to life. Mario showed A LOT of humility and promised us that he would come to church this Sunday...wow! I felt the spirit soo strongly.

All is going well here. I accidentally broke our fridge trying to de ice our freezer with a knife...we haven't have anything cold to eat or drink since Saturday. Haha! That's whats up.

As always, I know this church is true and the miracles that I see from day to day are amazing.

Until next week!

Elder Blake

The Best Two Years!

Dear Family and Friends,

Life is going here in the great city of La Vega. I've been suffering from a migraine since Sunday and haven't been able to work these past three days. Like concussion recovery, a lot of resting in dark quite rooms! As hard as it was not doing anything these past few days I was able to ponder and listen to some amazing BYU devotional talks the highlight of which was David A. Bednar's talk on the Enabling Power of the Atonement of Jesucristo. A lot of times, we misunderstand the way that God answers our prayers, says Bednar. And we often ask for God to take away burdens when he actually wants us to find a way to support it (sobrevivir) I forgot what that is in English. A few transfers back with my second companion I really figured out the enabling power of the atonement. We were having some problems and he basically told me that he didn't want to work. He would leave the house with me, but would not want to talk in any of our discussions. I decided that I needed to fast, not so that my companion would change, but so that I could find the strength to be happy and positive. And oh my goodness it worked! I was seriously filled with joy, I had never felt the love of Christ sooo strongly in my life. Its like the scripture in 1st Corinthians 10 vs 13. I will attach the scripture down below. 

 

 13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the 

temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

Anyway, this week, even for being sick has been wonderful. It has rained almost every day but we are still finding many wonderful people to teach. We received a reference a few weeks ago from a family who has shown some wonderful reception to the gospel. Elder Weaver and I were cleaning the sidewalk of a member when one of their elderly neighbors yells ¨Hey Mormons! I've been waiting for the longest time for you to walk by my house! Come inside and teach me!¨ Haha wow, it was honestly super startling and surprising. Her name is Charo, and like all Dominicans she has been Catholic her whole life. As we got to know her I could tell that she really wants to find out which is the true church. She says she goes and listens to the Catholic priests but doesn't feel like it's right. We taught her the restoration, and as I was teaching about Joseph Smith the spirit hit me like a brick wall and I began to cry. The spirit permitted me to testify with real power and wow, what a blessing that was. She promised to come to church this week. Pray for Hermano Charo!

In other big news, I made it my goal about two months ago to read the Book of Mormon all the way through in Spanish and I finished on Monday. Wow, I felt the spirit very strongly as I read through Ether and Moroni. And I love verse 32 and 33. Moroni's invitation for us ALL to come unto Christ. As a missionary, it is my duty and objective to invite all to come unto Christ. It is remarkable with how little knowledge I really have, yet at how wonderful and beautiful this gospel is. I love my savior, I love the Book of Mormon, I love this church, and I love being a missionary.

Until next week!

Love Elder Blake

 

 32 Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, anddeny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall denyyourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all yourmight, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient foryou, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if bythe grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowisedeny the power of God.

 33 And again, if ye by the grace of God are perfect inChrist, and deny not his power, then are ye sanctified in Christ by the grace of God, through the shedding of theblood of Christ, which is in the covenant of the Father unto the remission of your sins, that ye become holy, without spot.

Tropical Storms and Pushup contests

Please note that this post is out of order. It happened the week before transfers and I (Julia) forgot to publish the draft. 

Eyy family and friends,

I am finally found my groove here in the mission. It doesn't seem like there is enough time in the day to do all that we need to do. Dang there are just sooo many people to teach!! It is SUCH a blessing. Darwin is progressing a lot: he brought his daughter to church with him on Sunday and they both seemed to really enjoy it.

As for highlights this week. On Monday we left the house at three and taught Jose Angel. When we got to his house he was doing a workout routine in the street. He then told me that he was made of steal and could beat anyone in a push up contest. I took him up on it and I beat him, haha. The deal was if I beat him he had to gift the pamphlets to all his friends and give us a few referrals! It was hilarious. But after the contest, out of no where it started to rain like crazy! The streets were filled with water, up to like 7 inches on some streets. Elder Weaver realized that we left ALL the windows open so we had to run home and I got soakedddddd. It was something I will always remember. 

Anyways, this week I have made some killer progress on my BoM personal study. I just finished Alma this morning. I absolutely love the Captain Moroni chapters, and the battle entre Moroni and Amalickiah. I was reading in Section 50ish, I cant remember exactly where but it talks about Moroni fortifying the weakest cities in preparation for the battles against the Lamanites. It was a a great example of Ether 12:27. Because by fortifying the weakest parts of their cities they were better able to defend themselves from the Lamanite armies. A lot of times we need to do the same with our, spiritual armor to repel the temptations of the world. Dang time is wrapping up!

Hope all is well, until next week!

Elder Blake

The BIGGEST banana ever

​Frieny´s Bautismo..the kid is a STUD

Planning by candle light, it happens about once every 3 weeks

Puerto Plata con Elder Weaver

At the beach last p day!!

Push up contest, I did 50 Jose did 25....RAIDER PRIDE!!!!

Jose Angel, a studddd

Transfers!

Ahh this has been a sad day. My beloved friend and companion Elder Weaver left this morning for Cotui. NOOOOOO it is a sad dayyy. He is definitely a life-long friend. But yeah, I got moved up to senior comp and I'm with Elder Viscaino. A super cool Dominican who has about 6 months in the mission. He has a lot of energy and is hopefully ready to work!

As for the work! Wow Elder Weaver and I worked super hard, and felt super guided by the spirit. We had our best lessons as usual with Darwin. He told us that he was feeling super down and that his life has been losing purpose. We testified strongly and by the end of the lesson he was almost in tears. He feels like the church and us are the only people who have supported him. Honestly, he had a very hard time saying goodbye to Elder Weaver last night. They were both in tears and I have honestly never felt such brotherly love for another man than I feel for Darwin. Please keep him in your prayers that he can find peace and tranquility. We had another awesome lesson with Melivn. He has come to church about 5 times and in our lesson last Friday, as we were testifying, the room just FILLS with the spirit. In the climax of the lesson after we taught and testified, Melvin told us, even though he gets a lot of crap from his Catholic, evagelic and Jehovah Witness that he is going to get baptized as a member of the church of jesucristo de los santos de los ultimos dias even if it's the last thing he does. And that when he has kids, will have them be baptized as well. My companion were just struck with the spirit and happiness. He still has his obstacles but its gonna be a great transfer.

I have made a lot of progress in the BoM, and I am just about to read 3rd Nefi 11. I am pumped. And honestly every time I read, I am struck at the depth and power of the Book of Mormon. I love the mission and hope that all is well back home!

Elder Blake

Service!

The House

Cesar, he has the STRONGEST testimony of the Book of Mormon. One of the strongest and most dedicated members ever!

Familia Jimenez, they're super dope members

Hermana Lulu! The grandma of the the Familia Jimenez..she's got a baptism date! She also makes traditional bowls out of Higueros. I don't know what they're called in English.

Elder Weaver

Melvin, this dude told us he is going to get baptized, we are still working on the date...he's a hugeee stud.

Me, Jose Angel (Investigator) Elder W, and Freiny (Receint Convert) These two studs killed it and went to a distrcit conference on thier own!

=)

What a week!

Wow, what a week it has been! Filled with training meetings, service and just work work work! It is crazy how fast the time has flown by this transfer.

       One of the greatest highlights from this week was our multi zone meeting on Tuesday. I got to talk to my old companion about the area and everyone is doing well! Manuel was just called to be the new ward mission leader and is killing it with the missionaries. As a matter of fact he has received a lot of blessings since his baptism. Fincallaly he is doing a lot better and now he has a girlfriend...Milagros! haha two my my converts and now dating, and according to my old companion talking about temple marriage...wow sooo amazing! Astri another one of my converts was able to go to the temple and loved it! Such wonderful blessings.

Last Wednesday we had an AMAZING lesson with Darwin. I think I have talked about him before, but basically his wife of 10 years left him, he was robbed and his car broke down all in about the span of 1 month, he is superstitious and is always super skeptical but we were able to calm him down on Wednesday. A super strong member came with us to the lesson and his testimony blew Darwin away. At the end of the lesson, he told us he would go to church every week until he received a testimony...it was amazing!

Another amazing thing happened on Monday. We decided to gamble a few lessons with people that weren't progressing much to do service for some members. We got to their house, RIGHT as they had started cleaning their patio. They permitted us to do so, and BAM, as the Anthony was asking a neighbor for an extra broom, the asked him...are you with the Mormon missionaries? If so, please tell them that I want them to come teach me right now!! I have been waiting for them to pass by my house!! We went in, taught he and it was a super spiritual lesson! And it was just such a testament of the power of service. Pray that our investigators can progress and gain a testimony!

Love you all. Hope that all is going well in the other parts of the world! 

I love teaching this gospel and I know its true!!!!

Love, 

Elder Blake 52

Elder Sotelo, my old zone leader who is dying in two weeks!

Elder Thaler, my good buddy from my group who will be at BYU with me in 2017

Elder Cedeno, my old boss hog comp.

Malan Blake's former Comp find another Elder Blake