Week 52

Hey everyone!! 

I've been trying to keep up on every one's emails but today I want to write my testimony, cuzthis morning, something profound happened, that I wish to Share to Testify that God knows us, and loves us. 

Well I have about one year in the mission now. 1 year and 4 days haha 

And the truth is I haven't been the best missionary here. I'm still trying to figure out how to be consecrated, and give my all, every minute of everyday. 

But as a missionary, it's a commandment to give our all every second of every moment. 

And knowing that, this morning, I felt weighed down due to my sins and faults. So I went into the other room of our apartment, to pray. 

As I prayed I acknowledged my faults to God, and I asked for Forgiveness, and to be blessed with the Holy Spirit, according to his will. And when I had asked for that, I felt his profound, and amazing love. I also felt the Love of My savior Jesus Christ. I felt the mercy and forgiveness of Christ, and our Father in Heaven. 

And in that Moment I realized that every time, I had asked for forgiveness, and the Spirit, I always received such. And with that realization, my heart filled with Joy, and peace. 

And I expressed my gratitude to God, and my gratitude for the Sacrifice of Jesus Christ. 

I know that Our God, our Father, is Loving, merciful, patient, and understanding of our Faults. and that He knows us, and loves us perfectly. I know that Jesus is the Christ, and that his atoning blood is infinite. I know that Christ is our savior, and that he wants to forgive us. 

And as I expressed my gratitude towards my Father, and my Savior, I desired to truly give back to them, repay them, or make it up to them, for their love and grace they have so willingly given to me. 

But the scriptures teach that we could give God, everything and it still wouldn't amount to nearly enough. We will always be eternally indebted to them. and knowing this, I was weighed down with sorrow, for I wanted to help or give back to God, in some way that would be of significance, but I felt that I couldn't.

I apologized to God for my weakness, and told him I wanted to do something more. 

And in that Moment I spiritually heard the Voice of God and he said unto me "Save my Children" 

My faith has increased greatly this morning. I am in eternal debt to my savior, and father, but all that asked me to do was to bring the gospel to the sons and daughters of God that they may be saved, and enter into the joy, and peace of Gods Kingdom in the final day. 

This experience brought tears to my eyes, and I know that this is the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and I know that he desires to bless us greatly. That's why he blessed us with this Church, and this Gospel. 

I know that this is the true Church of God, and I know that Christ Lives. and I know that God is our literal Father, and he wants us to return with him. That's why he called me on a mission. 

I am grateful to God and his Mercy and love towards all of us. 

I asked all of you to please come and partake of the amazing goodness, and love of God, through his church and Gospel. I know these things are true, and I testify in the Name of our Saviour Jesus Christ, Amen

Week 31

Hey guys! Sorry I didn't get around to emailing this email for a few weeks,
but I decided to take some time to write this today haha

Well first off there has been some confusion with the mission address where I can recive letters, because the mission office moved locations. It turns
out this is the correct address:

Elder Johnathan Elkins
Victor Rocha Cruz
Apartado postal 118-184
Gustavo A. Madero
México D.F.-C.P. 07051
MÉXICO

If you sent a letter to the other address, I should still get it, cuz I'm
still recieving letters from there. It'll just take more time.

So the past few weeks have been pretty interesting! haha We had a mission
conference last week and it was one of the most awesome conferences I've
ever been too!! we had a member of the presidency of the 70, Craig C
Christensen, and a member of the are presidency visit us!! They taught us a
lot of really amazing things!!! And I can say that they are truly men of
God, their words invite the spirit so strongly and they can speak with such
power!!!
I really can't say great it was!! haha

and Also we got the old district back together in the conference!!! it was
great to see everyone from the MTC!! I felt like Ammon, (A powerful
missionary in the Book of Mormon) who when he found his brothers who were
still his brothers in the Lord, was over joyed to see them again :) That
day was definitly an amazing day :)

and THis last Saturday we had the baptism of Jasmin, who is one of the 6
daughters in the Chaltell family. Her baptism was great, and I know she'll
recive many blessing for showing God that she is willing to Follow Jesus
Christ.

But there's some one else I want to focus one for a minute. Her Name is
Bscilisa Santiago.
My companion and I found her my first week here. adn we started teaching
her. Her family has been members for a while now, but she never converted.
My companion and I started at the Basics with the Restoration of the Gospel
of Jesus Christ, all the way up until she wanted to be baptized.
She was baptized two weeks ago. and I can tell you what, when someone is
about to be baptized, all hack breaks out and tries to stop it. That
Saturday we kept running into problem after problem. and in the end of the
day before the baptism we didn't have a whole lot of water in the baptismal
font because the water to the church building got shut off as we were
filling it up, and the brother in the church who was going to baptize her
called and hour before the baptism, and said he couldn't make it that
night. Here in this mission, missionaries aren't allowed to baptize anyone.
Our mission president made that rule because he wants members in this area
to baptize new converts, so that new person will have a friend in the
church after the missionaries leave.
But this night I ended up getting special permission to Baptize Bacilisa :)
but we had another problem, I didn't have my white clothes that we use for
baptism. ( we use white because it symbolizes purity) my clothes were still
with the brother in the church from the other baptism. But I managed to
very tightly sqeeze into the white pants we bought for Sofia's baptism (ou
can look in previous pictures, and see how much bigger I am than Sofia
hahaha)
And then the next problem was the didn't know the ordnance prayer for
baptism in spanish. So I spent a half hour trying to memorize Bacilisa's
name ( which is long haha) and the ordnance prayer in spanish.
after the program started I got into the baptismal font with bacilisa (
which was only about half full) And I said her name and the prayer, and
baptized her. (I had to go really low with her too haha )
and after she came up put of the water, my comp closed the viewing doors to
the font, and Bacilisa cough a little bit and pulled her hair out of her
eyes. I asked her if she was okay ( cuz she was coughing a little bit) and
she said she was fine. But only a few seconds after that she began to cry a
lot. at first I was worried that she was surprised by the water or maybe I
hit her head on the bottom. (that's the lifeguard in me) but then I
realized that what was happening was she was feeling the spirit testify to
her that what she just did was the will of God, and I knew in that moment
that she was feeling the incredible love of her Father in Heaven. She cried
for a while, and then after she had calmed down a little bit we stood in
the baptismal font completely silent for a good 5 minutes with my hand on
her shoulder. And the spirit was testifying to Bacilisa, and converting
her. that moment was so intense. And in that moment I knew that this truly
is the Church of God here on the earth. Only the spirit could cause what I
saw that night in the baptismal font. It was like the spirit of God Just
hit Bacilisa with such force, that I've never seen take so immediate
affect, in my life. This truly is The Church of God. I have literally seen
miracles in my life, but that moment was one of the most powerful.

Week 30

Week 27

Hey guys out of time again! But I wanted to say I love you guys! (Even though that sounds super fruity) hahahaha 

But yeah still alive here, only got electrocuted once this week, but will probably get electrocuted again this week haha

Anyways, thank you all for being my friends and writting me! sorry if I didn't get to all of you again.... I have to do reports now which eats up time like crazy... 

But yeah thanks for writting me! and I look forward to partying with all of you when I get home, but for now I got work to do, and people to help!! Have a great week! Love you guys! Keep being awesome

Week 26

dang!! I only have 10 minutes to write this!! President will ring my neck if I go over time! haha so this will be fast!! 

quick funny story here, I got electrocuted twice today!!!!!! hahahaa 

So we ran out of gas this week for the boiler. So we've been heating up water in buckets with an electric coil for heating up water, but nobody told me that they're dangerous! haha 

so the water in the bucket this morning was heating up, and so I went to feel the water to see if it was good. Like I have in the past. But in the past my feet were dry. But today my feet were wet! and guess what happened! hahaha Yep I felt the electric current corse through my arm this morning hahaha it was a good thing I was able to pull my arm out of it!! lol but yeah that was pretty funny! 

and the second time today:

So we're on the roof of our building, washing our clothes in a washer that our neighbors let us use. Our neighbor lives on the top floor, so we started talking to her, and it turns out her husband has a flash light that's a taser!!! hahaha she got it for us so we could check it out. It's super sweet!! Until your companion tazes you!!! hahah so yeah 2 times in one day lol 

I was also on a bus today. and our bus driver got mad at another bus driver, and so he get's out and starts yelling at the other bus driver. Then our bus driver gets on the other bus, and almost hits the guy, so the other dude grabs a bat, and so our bus driver gets out and grabs a big rock ready to kill the dude hahaha crazy people here lol nothing really happened other than that haha there's quite a few crazy people here lol I don't know why all the drunk and high people want to talk to the wero in enlgish, even when they don't know anything at all hahah 

so somehting spiritual for today. 

This week I decided I'm just going to go crazy with the pass along cards we have a the ressurected Jesus Christ!! Because he's not dead!!!! 

I'm so sick of all the people here always going crazy about their stautes of a dead Christ! The bible says directly that Christ has Ressurected!! He is our Living Savior!! I know that for a fact. If Christ was dead, we wouldn't be here, and there would be no hope for mankind. Christ isn't on the Cross, he's in the heavens, watching over us, caring for us, strengthaning us. yes the death of Christ is very very important, but that doesn't mean that we should only worship a dead Christ. He's living.

I know to some people, they like to remeber his death and his great sacrifice for us. That's great! But my heart is pained so deeply when I only see My savior, and redeemer, my Lord, my King, and my very dear Friend, Dead, on the cross, covered in blood. 

He is alive. Why can't the people here see that?  

But that's why I'm here, I'm here as a missionary of Jesus Christ, sharing the message of the Living Christ. 

I have to go now, but it is my burning testimony that Christ Lives. 

And I say these things in the name of our Living Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen

Week 25

Hey everyone!!!

Dang why does time go by so dang fast when you're emailing?? haha

But yeah another interesting week here in Mexico!!

First off want to say that General conference was great!! Even though I
couldn't understand any of it!! haha
we watched it in the Church building with the ward, and so they had it all
translated into Spanish! And so yeah I had a hard time with that haha

For those of you who may not know, General Conference is a worldwide
broadcast of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day saints!
we have a conference every 6 months, and every time, it's such a great
experience! even if you don't understand it! haha
During Conference, a number of Apostles speak to the world, and the Prophet
speaks to the world as well!!

Every conference is a great opportunity to find answers about the gospel,
and even just life in general, and the people who speak are truly people of
God, and the only testify, and speak of the truth!!
The Church has a website: lds.org

If you want to know more about what Mormons believe, all the conference
sessions are on that website, each message applies to different situations
that people have in life, and are always inspiring, uplifting, and
comforting, and healing.

I invite all of you to listen to the Words of our Loving Father in heaven,
through the words of the Prophets :)

anyways, now time for some funny stories haha

So yeah I like got super fat in the MTC, and in Arbolillo haha
My new area is La presa 1, and is one of the biggest areas in the entire
mission! it's all on the side of a mountain haha
if you been to san fransisco, in California, you know the mountains are
steep, so just imagine those steep mountains in San Fransisco, but only 10
times bigger!!! haha

But despite the fact that these mountains are bigger than those in san fran,
the mountains here are super small. Before my mission, I would be able to
get to the top in about 20 minutes, but here I'm like dead haha 6 months of
getting fat will do that to you lol

But man it feels so good to be doing some hiking again!! I miss it so
much!!

my first week here, My comp and I were on one side of our area, and we had
an appointment set with some one on the other side of our area, so we walk
down one mountain, and start walking up another. It was hot, I was all
sweaty, throat was dry, had a head ache, hard time breathing and my heart
was pounding (thanks to that MTC food) after about 45 minutes, we get to
the house where we had a few people to meet. a
and guess what, they weren't home -_-
Don't you love it when people don't keep commitments? haha

But I'm getting in shape now haha hiking, and climbing these mountains all
day fells great now!!!

And also here in Mexico city, it's all straight concrete. Like there's
absolutely not a single significant patch of open ground here, it's all
concrete. (I miss dirt haha)
And there's also a ton of little kids here. and the kids have figured out
that they can slide down the concrete roads on plastic water bottles haha
so that was fun to see lol but also sad that the only thing these kids have
here to play with, is just garbage they find in the street.
I've also been to a few homes that have only tin roofs, dirt floors, and no
food in the refrigerators...
So yeah my first area felt like Sacramento, but here it's like legit
Mexico!

there are also parts of my area, where the construction of the city
resembles a prison. Which I though was funny cuz there's a large number of
Mexicans in prison in California haha
(not to be racist at all)

But speaking of being rasist!!!!
My name has changed again here in mexico, before people would pronounce my
name in Spanish, but here they don't even try. They just say El Wero (weh-do)
(means Gringo)
I hear that all the time now!! I always hear, Wero, El wero, werito and WERO!!!
and people always want money from me -_- news flash to the world, not every
American is rich!! there are multiple people here who have a ton more money
than my family!! (there's a full on legit castle in my area)
but then again that might be because they're drug traffickers hhaha
but yeah people in this area are pretty racist haha

oh also something I though was pretty funny during conference was during
the Priesthood session (for men) of conference, you could see a bunch of
Shiny bald heads in the congregation hahahaha with the new camera angles
they use during conference you can see the people in the foyers, and it was
funny to see a bunch of spots of light in the conference center haha

Oh and also this past saturday was the Saturday of Glory!!! haha that's the
name of a party day for people here, lol any excuse to party right?
but on this day, people like to get other people wet with buckets of
water!! like you'll be walking in the street and random people will run up
and soak you!! haha my comp and I were careful to avoid that, cuz we were
in our suits for conference. one girl almost got us, but she decided not
to, when she saw our suits haha I told her thank you lol
but yeah it's just a fun game that everyone joins in here haha

But yeah another great week here!!! hope you guys had a great week too!!
sorry if I didn't get to reply to all of you.
Love you guys! Miss you too! we're gonna party like Mexicans when I get
home!! haha
Have a great week!

Elder Elkins

Week 24

Hey everyone! 

So this letter is probably gonna be short, but I got some news! I got transferred this week!! 

I'm in a huge area called La Presa, and it's a little dangerous here haha it's right next to cuatepect, which is the most dangerous area in my mission haha 

So staurday we were waiting for the transfer call from opur Zone leaders, and we finally got the callat 9:00, and my comp tells me that I'm leaving!!! I'm like what!?!?!?! Liar! you're leaving! (cuz he has almost 7 months in Ventisca, and I only have 4)  

But sadly it turns out that I was leaving..... I've only been in La presa for a few hours and I already miss the people in Ventisca.. 

I cried a lot, and I cried with my friends in Ventisca... And they cried for me... I didn't want to leave. 

I had some many amazing people that I was working with in Ventisca, and the same night we found out about tranfers, we were with one of my Investigatores, Rafiel, and he was begging me to help him, he said multiple times, help me, help me, come back to my house and help me... 

and then I got moved accross the mission... So I'm super sad about that.. 

But this new area seems to be alright! It's huge, and on the side of the mountain, so I'm gonna be super tired all the time from hiking all day everyday haha it's a good thing I like moutain climbing!!! 

it's also pretty different from ventisca, and a little more crazy haha 

My new companion is Elder Cornejo!!! yep!! I have 2 different companions with the same name!!! haha 

My new comp seems to be super awesome! So I'm looking forward to working with him!! 

but I'm expecting to be robbed at any moment here haha so I'll have some cool experiences lol 

oh and that suprise that I mentioned last week, was we were going to show up for transfers in a limousin when my comp get's transferred!! haha but Elder Cornejo from Chile didn't get transferred, and the limousin turned out to be super expensive haha 

So I'm pretty short on time, But this work is great!! It's hard, and long, but at the same time, it's the best thing I've ever done! 

I'm a missionary Of Jesus Christ, and I have seen the blessing of gospel in my life and in the life of others, and now I'm here helping people come unto christ and helping them receive the blessing God has in store for them! 

Ever day I have to rely on God to help me and guid me, God is Merciful, and he love each one of his Children, and he wants all of us to return to him, and that's why he sent me here. I didn't want to leave ventisca, but I have been called of God to La presa, I don't know why I'm here in this part of the mission, but Faith isn't a perfect knowlege of things, but it's a hope for things which are not seen, but that are true. 

Love all you guys!! hope you have a great week!!!! 

Please continue to write me! I always love hearing from you! 

Adios! 

-Elder Elkins