Interviews !

We are beginning our interview rotation. (6-28-17)
While President Clayton interviewed each missionary individually, I visited with the zone about our personal scripture study challenge of the Book of Mormon.  Each missionary was able to share an impression or a truth they have learned during their personal study;  a scripture they have pondered, or a verse that has popped out to them as they have read and studied over the past few weeks.  It was very tender to listen to the truths of the gospel that have been learned, and the testimonies that have been strengthened. I loved hearing how these missionaries have likened specific verses to their day, their life and their circumstances here in the mission.  Our time together was rich with enlightenment and encouragement to keep reading, keep pondering and listening to the voice of the spirit...and... to keep looking for ways to liken the scriptures to their personal life. I love these missionaries!


Colima zone with zone leaders
Elder Monroy and Elder Cabrera  6-28-17

Divisions in Colima

 President Clayton went on divisions 

with Elder De La Rosa and Elder Santiago

and I went with Sister Urbina and Sister Hernandez

What a sweet experience President Clayton 

and I had with these missionaries!

Guzman zone Interviews 6-29-17

with zone leaders Elder Ocampo and Elder Christensen

That afternoon, President Clayton went on divisions

with the ZL's Elder Christensen and Elder Ocampo

And I went on divisions with the STL's

Sister Lopez and Sister Cordova

Union Zone on 7-5-17

 with zone leaders Elder Acosta and Elder Martinez 

President Clayton went on divisions with 

Elder Sanchez and Elder Castillo 

I went on divisions with 

Sister Rojas and Sister Herman 

On the bus ride out to the sisters area.

Lomas zone 7-7-17 

with zone leaders Elder Montan and Elder Long 

President on divisions with 

Elder Dehesa and Elder Scolville

I went on divisions with 

Sister Andrade and Sister Arcaya 

Vallarta Interviews 7-10-17   

with zone leaders 

Elder Espinosa and Elder Jimenez

who, bless their hearts, waited for us this rainy

 morning with umbrellas outside the church building.  

Sunday afternoon, President went on divisions 

with Elder Shehee and Elder Padron 

And I went on divisions with 

Sister Velasquez and Sister Lyman

Reading and discussing 2 Nephi 31 

with this sweet family.

These two faithful sisters waiting for their bus

after we said goodbye. 

Nayarit zone (Santiago area) 7-11-17

with zone leaders Elder Rameriz and Elder Castillo 

That morning, as President and I passed the final check point

 coming into Santiago from Tepic, we saw Elder Martinez

and Elder Hudson standing there on the side

of the road, waiting for either the next bus or 

knowing we were coming that way...hoping 

we would see them on our way and bring them with us. 

We did!  

President Clayton on divisions with 

Elder Cluff  and Elder Koyle 

And I went on divisions with

Sister Lanuza and Sister Vazquez

We had such a sweet experience together!  

 As the sisters and I walked to our

 appointment that afternoon with Agustin, we each 

commented how we wished it would just rain! 

  It was an overcast and muggy day, and as we walked up Agustin's long

driveway, it started to come! We no sooner sat down, when it just started

to pour! It rained and rained and rained!  We visited with him 

 at his workshop. We had to move our chairs a time or two

to find our 'sweet spot' where none of us were getting 

dripped on.  It was a precious experience! 

These sisters taught a beautiful lesson. It will always be 

a memory for me sitting there in Agustin's workshop and listening

to him talk about the love he felt for his family and his

desire for them to want to hear this message with him.

 

Nayarit zone (Tepic area) 7-12-17

No sisters are serving here at this time.

These four fabulous Elders came with us

back to Guadalajara.  

We stopped for a bite of lunch

Lomas zone on 7-14-17 with

zone leaders Elder Torres and Elder Domingo

President Clayton went on divisions with

Elder Santos and Elder Gutierrez

And I went on divisions with 

Sister Arizmendi and Sister Villanueva

 

Trying to get a taxi 

With this sweet member who came on 

divisions with us.   

saying goodbye

And last but not least, the Manzanillo zone! 7-18-17

with zone leaders Elder Rodriguez and Elder Castro 

President greeting everyone. 

Later that afternoon, President Clayton went

on divisions with Elder Arguello and Elder Novak. 

And I went on divisions with 

Sister Rosado and Sister Villagran 

we love our missionaries!

Baptisms!

Here are just some of the baptisms from the last several weeks.

1.
 

The brother of Yesenia and Dora is a member, Felipe. Felipe is a convert of one year. One day he called us and told us that his sister Yesenia wanted to be baptized and that she had finished several things that she needed to do before her baptism. She had attended church several times, but she had not received the lessons. She lives in a little town that is about 5 hours away from the chapel, so to go to church she had to travel several hours. For this reason, we could only teach her on Sunday in the chapel. Her sister Dora as well took the lessons to be baptized. Their brother Felipe, had the opportunity to baptize them.

-Elder Jones y Elder Mickelson

Yesenia y Dora son las hermanas de un miembro, Felipe. Felipe es un converso de uno año.  Un día nos llamó y dijo que su hermana Yesenia quería bautizarse y que eran las cosas que tenía que hacer para bautizarse. Ella tenía todas las asistencias, pero faltaba las lecciones. La cosa es que Yesenia vive en un Pueblito que es bien lejos de la capilla, para asistir a la capilla, ella tiene que viajar como 5 horas. Por esta razón solo podíamos enseñarla en los domingos en la capilla. ¡Su hermana Dora también quería las lecciones para bautizarse! ¡El hermano de ellas, Felipe, tenía la oportunidad a bautizarlas!

2.

Baptism of brother Alejandro Daniel. Brother Daniel was a reference from his cousin who recently joined the church. We contacted him when he attended church, he accepted that we visit and start teaching him. He accepted a baptismal date and progressed very rapidly. He had a lot of challenges to be baptized but he trusted in our Heavenly Father and he was strengthened by keeping commitments. He saw that everything he was going to fix, was fixed and now he is prepared to receive the Priesthood and be a strong member. 

Elder Castillo & Elder Sánchez 

Bautismo de Hermano Alejandro Daniel. El Hermano Daniel fue una referencia de su prima que es recién converso. Le contactamos cuando asistió a la iglesia, él aceptó que lo visitáramos y empezamos a enseñarle. Aceptó una fecha meta y a medida que le enseñábamos él progresaba muy rápido. Tuvo muchos desafíos para bautizarse pero el confió en Nuestro Padre Celestial a medida que se esforzaba por guardar los compromisos. El vio que todo se iba arreglando ahora se está preparando para recibir el Sacerdocio y ser un miembro fiel de la Iglesia. 

3.

Sister Francisca was a contact in the Street. She recognized us because she had visited Utah several years ago. Her family is Catholic, but she was searching for a Church for many years. She recognized the amazing Gospel and now she is a very strong member in the Estipac branch. She has a very strong testimony of Jesus Christ and of God. She is ready to invite lots of people to listen to the Missionaries, and go through the Temple. She loves being a Member of the true Church, and she loves having the Holy Ghost with her.

Elder Barlow & Elder Schank

La Hermana Francisca fue un contacto en la calle. Nos reconoció porque visito a Salt Lake City hace muchos años. Su familia es católica, pero ella estaba buscando una iglesia por muchos años. Reconoció el gran Evangelio y ahora es una miembro muy firme en la rama de Estipac. Ella tiene un testimonio muy firme de Dios y Jesucristo. Está lista para invitar a muchas para escuchar a los Misioneros y hacer la obra en el Templo. ¡Le encanta ser una miembro de la iglesia y tener el Espíritu Santo con ella! 

4.

Sister Josefina, who was a past investigator, had received the missionaries for a long time. Some things that helped her in her conversion was the fact she knew that Jesus Christ was among the people of the American continent, she has a Book of Mormon, to hear the story of Joseph Smith and the First Vision, and to have had a priesthood blessing. After she knew about the law of tithing she paid her tithing the next Sunday.

She is very excited to enter the Temple one day.

Elder Contreras and Elder Torres

Hermana Josefina, fue una antigua investigadora, había recibido a los misioneros por mucho tiempo. Una de las partes que le ayudo a su conversión fue la de saber que Jesucristo estuvo entre las personas en el continente Americano Tener el Libro de Mormón, escuchar el relato sobre la primera visión del profeta José Smith y una bendición del sacerdocio.  Después de saber acerca de la ley del Diezmo al próximo Domingo ella Diezmó. 

Esta muy animada de poder entrar en el templo. 

5.

Noelia, Carlos y Grecia. They are a very special family, from the first time we went to their house they received us with a smile and excitement to hear more about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Since the beginning they understood the importance of making covenants with our Heavenly Father and they accepted a baptismal invitation. Despite adversity they continued and today they are very happy to be a part of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Now the husband of sister Noelia is desirous to receive the lessons so that in the future he can be baptized and sealed with his eternal family. We are very excited for them!

Hermana Rosado y Hermana Villagran

Noelia, Carlos y Grecia. Ellos son una familia muy especial, desde el momento que fuimos a su casa por la primera vez ellos nos recibieron con una sonrisa y con anhelo por escuchar más del evangelio de Jesucristo. Desde el inicio ellos comprendieron la importancia de hacer convenios con nuestro Padre Celestial y aceptaron una invitación bautismal. A pesar de las adversidades ellos siguieron adelante y hoy están felices de ser parte de La Iglesia de Jesucristo. Ahora, el esposo de la hermana Noelia está deseoso de recibir las charlas para en un futuro poder bautizarse y sellarse como familia eternamente. Estamos muy felices por ellos!

Church in Ameca 7-16-17

We had a great day in Ameca with the saints in this wonderful branch, and with Elder Jones and Elder  Mickelson who are serving there.

After our meetings today,  President and Sister Munoz invited us to their home for lunch.
It was the first time President Clayton I have eaten rabbit and venison here in Mexico. :)

Afterwards, we went on divisions

with Elder Jones and Elder Mickelson.

Wonderful day! 

What a wonderful night at the Temple! 7-15-17

Saturday evening (7-15-17) truly was a night to remember.  President Clayton has been working with the groups in both Jala and in Arandas to set aside an evening when we could do a Temple session together. Saturday was the night.

We had members, newly baptized members and youth who participated in the baptistery with President Clayton's counselor, President Castaneda and his wife and daughter.
Sister Josafina, who was baptized on July 2nd in Jala was able to participate for the first time doing baptisms for the dead in the Temple.

We had other members from these groups join us in an endowment session.  The highlight for us all was having Lucia Aguilar receive her own endowment that evening.  She has been a member of the church for one year and five days. She set her goal to be in the Temple a year after her baptism, and she was!
Additionally we were thrilled to have the missionaries who are serving in these areas join us for the evening.  It was precious to be together.
We took this picture before we went in.  Sister Vazquez and Lucia are not in this first picture.  They had gone in early as sister Vazquez was Lucia's escort.

We took several more pictures as we gathered

 together after the session. 

With just the sisters. 

(again, some are missing)

Sister Loza, Sister Vazquez, me

Sister Pichardo, Josafina and Lucia

a few more pictures

It really was such a beautiful evening together!

Our New Assistant!

With Elder Contreras returning home this next transfer, the Lord has called Elder Long to be President Clayton's new assistant.
We love him and are grateful to be working closely with him here in the mission.

Elder Long, Elder Contreras, and Elder Torres

our outstanding assistants.