Fisher but 956

 Happy Monday!

placentero nos es trabajar 

GOOD:

- The ward fiesta on Friday was a huge success. I have never seen a church gym so full in my entire life. The whole ward showed up and I think they all brought their neighbors and invited friends - so that was pretty cool! The fiesta was full of music, traditional ropa mexicana and dancing. September 15th has become one of my favorite holidays. At the ward party they had horchata con fresa. I had never tried that before but it was amazing! One of the best things I have tried on my whole mission. 

- You guys... I found my brother's 956 twin. We found this awesome part member family and they have an 11 year old who looks and talks just like Fisher (pero es Mexicano). It was super weird. Can't wait to go back and teach this family some more this coming week! 

- I got to go on 2 exchanges this week! The first exchange was with Elder Stewart. He is the funniest guy ever. We had a good day of working together and getting to know each other. The second exchange was with Elder McKeon and it was in my old area in Hidalgo. It was so crazy riding my bike down the same streets again. I LOVE the city of Hidalgo, it has such a special place in my heart. It was super fun to work with Elder McKeon as well, he is a super good missionary!

BETTER:

- ZONE CONFERENCE. I always love attending zone conference. This time my companion and I were asked to prepare and give a short training and roleplay practice. It is always fun to be involved in zone conference. We helped everyone to practice the use of questions in their teaching. This was super spirit led because right after zone conference we needed to use questions in order to find success in some of the lessons we taught. One specific example is the one I will write below this.

- We received a notice from another missionary of a guy who wanted to meet with us. We reached out to him and set up an appointment with him. Then we got to meet Mariano. He is a cool guy! We began the lesson and he was honestly a little disengaged. But then my companion and I started asking him a bunch of questions about his desires in life and what he is looking for. Mariano started responding to our questions very openly and expressed a desire to follow Jesus Christ. We have been able to teach him more this week and he is working to prepare to be baptized! This was a cool lesson that once again showed me the power of questions. It is pretty cool that if we can ask questions that invite the spirit - then people can be taught by the spirit and not by us. 

- This week we had a tough lesson with the Garcia family that we have been teaching. They had been preparing to get baptized and came to the temple open house with us last week. They were doing very well and actually were scheduled to be baptized this past Saturday. Unfortunately... they came across some articles online that have made them take a 180 in progression. We are going to try our best to resolve their concerns but definitely pray for our friends and for us to teach by the spirit. 

- Some of the most elect people I have met in my life come from the Bueno-Bonilla family here. They are so humble and so loving. This is a family in which not everyone is members and those that have joined the church have done so within the last 3 months. They have such fire in their testimonies right now. We are currently teaching a few more members of that family and helping them to reach their goal of becoming a member of the Church! I have said it before, but God loves families and God has placed A LOT of really cool families into this area. There is teaching to be done. I love being a missionary here! 

BEST:

Éter 12:27

"y si los hombres vienen a mí, les mostraré su debilidad. Doy a los hombres debilidad para que sean humildes; y basta mi gracia a todos los hombres que se humillan ante mí; porque si se humillan ante mí, y tienen fe en mí, entonces haré que las cosas débiles sean fuertes para ellos."

I came across that verse at 3 different points in the week ranging from lessons to sacrament meeting and into my studies. It made me ponder on the enabling power of the Atonement. 

I have seen this so often in my friends' lives, in the progression of missionaries around me and within myself. We just need to be humble and act in faith. If we can remain humble enough to trust God more than we trust ourselves and truly act upon the direction that he gives us - we will grow and more importantly we will be happy! 

I know God loves to strengthen us! God loves when we ask for His help and most importantly God loves when we do what He has asked us - because that is when we will be happiest and most protected against the adversary. 

Love you all. Send me an email! Read your scriptures! 

"Work Hard, Keep the Commandments, Have a Positive Attitude and Show Gratitude."

Be a cheerful giver. (2 Corinthians 9:7)

- Elder Stringham