Santiago District Conference 2-24-18

Wonderful District Conference here in Santiago.
Saturday evening session.

*Note Elder and Sister Bingham, and our two sisters 

Sister Villanueva and Sister Aguila

serving here in Nayarit at this time 

could not attend the Saturday evening session.

They are pictured in our Sunday picture. 

These sweet Elders surprised President Clayton

with a birthday cake! 

The cake was beautiful and had

 crazy... sparkly, magical, relighting 

candles! 

They even sang to him! 

These sneaky sweethearts!

After the Sunday morning conference,

 I took a quick picture of our record

number in attendance!

We had 227 saints there!

This included 23 from Acaponeta and

37 from Tecuala who came together on a bus.

There were 78 in the early morning Priesthood meeting!

These District leaders, have worked very hard,

with our missionaries serving here at this time

 making personal visits and inviting many in this 

district area to come back and fellowship 

with the saints here in Santiago!

Each individual member was rewarded

richly from being in attendance.

The spirit of the Lord bore powerful witness

of the truths that were taught.

The choir members are standing along the side.

President Clayton with the

Santiago District Presidency

...and Dylan :)

Our Nayarit Zone

President and I visiting with the missionaries

afterwards.

I love this little Dylan Arias, President Arias' son.

He is sporting his new glasses and looks so

very handsome!

A quick picture with the Mission Presidency 

and wives.

With President and Sister Arias (far left)

Santiago District President

and President and Sister Macias (next to them)

Santiago Branch President

Baptisms!

We welcome most warmly our newest members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints!
1.

Angel is a very believing young man, the first time he heard us he

could know that this is the true church, he worked hard for his

baptism. He always prayed that the day he was waiting for would

be something we will always remember about him. He is now very

happy to be able to move forward in the gospel.

Hermana Terrón, Hermana Torres

Angel es un joven muy creyente, la primera vez que nos escuchó él

pudo saber que esta es la iglesia verdadera, se esforzó mucho para

su bautismo. Siempre oraba para que llegara ese día que él estaba

esperando es algo que siempre recordaremos de él. Él ahora está

muy feliz por poder seguir adelante en el evangelio.
2.

The little brother Kevin was waiting for the possibility that his father

would baptize him, but for many circumstances he could not. But

we encouraged his father to be able to and it was a very good baptism.

Both could see the importance of baptism.

Elder Clawson, Elder Palenque

El hermanito Kevin estaba esperando la posibilidad de que su padre

lo bautizará, pero por muchas circunstancias no podía. Pero animamos

a su padre a que pudiera y fue un bautismo muy bueno. Ambos pudieron

ver la importancia del bautismo.

3.

Sister Mayra a long time ago attended a Christian church but never

felt the feeling she felt in the chapel. She is the friend of a member

of the Church and very quickly made progress. She will strive to be

faithful to the covenant she made.

Elder Clawson, Elder Palenque

La hermana Mayra hace mucho tiempo asistía a una iglesia cristiana 

pero nunca sintió la sensación que sintió en la capilla. Es la amiga de

un miembro de la Iglesia y progreso muy rápido. Se esforzará por ser

fiel al convenio que hizo.

4.

She is Leticia, a former investigator in the branch of Tequillan, there

were many missionaries teaching her. After the death of her mother

she needed that comfort and peace that receiving the word of God

gives us, which can heal the wounded soul. It was a difficult process

for her, she stopped being a Christian after obtaining a testimony

that Joseph Smith really saw the Father and His Son Jesus Christ ...

Really, she is an example of courage and a great faith in Jesus Christ

overcoming the tribulations of her life and decided to make an

eternal covenant with God to be baptized.

Elder Argüello, Elder Cangas

Ella es Leticia, una antigua investigadora en la rama de Tequillan,

había pasado muchos misioneros enseñándole, tras la muerte de

su mamá ella necesito ese consuelo y paz que nos da recibir la

palabra de Dios, que es capaz de sanar el alma herida, fue un

proceso difícil para ella, dejó de ser cristiana tras obtener un

testimonio de que José Smith realmente vio al Padre y a su hijo

Jesucristo... realmente ella es un ejemplo de valentía y una fe grande

en Jesucristo. Superó las tribulaciones de su vida y decidió hacer un

convenio eterno con Dios de tomar un bautismo.

5.

Katheryn has time receiving the lessons. She was able to see in 

December the example of her brothers when they were baptized,

 and she tried very hard to enter into her own covenants with the 

Lord. She is very happy with her decision and always wants to

remember to be what her Heavenly Father expects from her. 

Hermana Cook, Herman Clawson 

Katheryn tiene tiempo recibiendo las lecciones, pudo ver en 

diciembre el ejemplo de sus hermanos cuando se bautizaron, 

y ella se esforzó con mucha paciencia por poder entrar en sus 

propios convenios con el Señor. Está muy feliz de su decisión y 

quiere recordarla siempre para ser lo que su Padre Celestial 

espera de ella

6.

She is sister Noemi. She is a sister with a lot of faith,

she was baptized after seeing the change her sons

Hugo and Diana had when they met the church and

were baptized. They were her example and what they

most want in their hearts is to be able to be sealed

together in the temple and be an eternal family. It is a

goal that they now have as a family. Sister Noemi had

many tests before she was baptized, but she says that

because of the answers and the faith she has in God,

nothing could prevent her from fulfilling what the Father

had commanded her. She was very happy to make this

covenant.

Hermana Montiel, Hermana Gálvez

Ella es hermana Noemi. Ella es una hermana con mucha

fe, se bautizó después de ver el cambio que tuvieron 

sus hijos Hugo y Diana al conocer la iglesia y bautizarse.

Ellos fueron su ejemplo y lo que más desean en sus

orazones es poder llegar a sellarse en el templo y ser una

familia eterna. Es una meta que ahora tienen como familia.

Hermana Noemi tuvo muchas pruebas antes de bautizarse,

pero dice que por las respuestas y la fe que tiene en Dios,

nada pudo impedir que ella cumpliera con lo que el Padre

le mandaba. Estuvo muy feliz de hacer este convenio.

Follow Up Training 2-22-18

We had a great day for our Follow Up Training.

These 14 missionaries have been here in the mission for just 7 weeks!  

We enjoyed our day together as we checked on their understanding of
their purpose here in the mission and also visited with how they are
adjusting to missionary life.

There is a lot for new missionaries to learn.

The adjustment to missionary life is one of

faith, obedience and discipline.

They all rise to the challenge.  We see it

over and over again.  It is one of the great

latter day miracles we see as these young,

valiant servants of the Lord humble themselves

and seek to give themselves in ways they

never could have imagined.

We love these missionaries.

We have great hope and faith that God will

make them mighty tools in His hands.

It is unfolding... all is well!

Elder Wood leading the opening hymn.

President Clayton's welcome and mission focus overview

We Teach the Doctrine of Christ.

*Worthiness

*Obedience

*Work

My discussion points -

* What have you learned about yourself in these first 4 weeks?

*Are you being teachable?

*What is your capacity?

*This is your mission... and it will be what you make of it.

Our Assistants Elder Long and Elder Cluff

teaching

*The spirit is the teacher.

*Seeking the spirit to accompany us in this sacred work.

Our game uses

the representation of the Temple as the ultimate

symbol, in this life, of the Lord’s kingdom.

***Each team must exercise their knowledge in:

1. Teaching the lessons in order

2. Helping investigators receive revelation

(through Prayer, Reading the Book of Mormon, and Church Attendance)

3. Asking for references - always

4. Evaluating and setting goals to work more effectively.

***The first part of the game consists of every team,

having to collect all the pieces they will need

to build their model of the temple as they rotate

through each station.

They practice using these celestial principles

with the investigator scenario at each station,

inviting them in various ways, to act for themselves

as they continue to learn about the gospel plan.

Each team has 2 tries to collect their pieces of the
Temple they must build

***The second part - they must build the

Temple with the pieces they have collected.

This game helps us see how important these 7 celestial habits

really are in our efforts to fulfill our missionary purpose.

We learn that it takes a celestial way of living and working

to carry out this celestial work!

These 7 celestial habits that we have received

from the Lord through our Prophet and the Twelve Apostles,

truly are to help us fulfill our purpose.

The Temples are built!

7 Celestial Habits game #1

Teams were divided up and each team

member had to think fast and name one of

the 7 celestial habits that haven't been said

yet as the ball is tossed to you.

1. Always give the baptismal challenge

2. Teach lessons in order

(3-5) Name three ways to receive revelation

3.Through prayer

4. Reading the Book of Mormon

5.Attending church

6.Ask for referrals

7. Evaluate and set goals

The teams each play, eliminating those who

cannot quickly name one of the 7 celestial habits

we must know and use, when the ball is passed

to them creating the final three, then two then the winner!

Trainers...

Elder Morales, Elder Hernandez and Elder Jones

were our three finalists!

Then it was Elder Hernandez and Elder Jones...

And, our winner is....

Elder Jones!

Wonderful day together!

#we love our missionaries!