Two outstanding Zone Activities!

1. Two Zone Activities from the Nayarit Zone


Saturday the fourth of September, we had a zone activity in Villa Hidalgo, in which we sought out all the families on the Branch Lists. We divided, missionary companionships with members from the ward, and invited them to a branch activity in the called “Trip to Hawaii”. In this activity, we taught on the Plan of Salvation. Everything was very successful, and the branch members were very motivated!

Zona Nayarit

El sábado 4 de septiembre llevamos a cabo una actividad de zona en Villa Hidalgo, en la cual consistía en buscar a cada familia de las listas de esa rama, en la cual nos dividimos en compañerismos con los miembros de esa rama, para invitarles a una actividad en la capilla llamada "viaje a Hawaii" en la cual se explica sobre el plan de salvación. ¡Todo fue un éxito y los miembros de la rama quedaron muy motivados!

2.

Saturday the 23rd of September, we had a zone activity in the Tuxpan Branch, in which we sought out each family on the branch lists and invited them to share what the missed about the church. We also invited them to come to an activity called “Lehi´s Dream”. For this activity, we dramatized Lehi´s, in which we expressed how we need to go to those who have yet to partake of the fruit of the tree of life. The activity was a great success and we were able to find new people that we can teach.  

 Zona Nayarit, Hurrah for Nayarit! 

El sábado 23 de septiembre llevamos a cabo una actividad de zona en la rama de Tuxpan, en la cual consistía en buscar a cada familia y las listas de esa rama, les invitamos para expresarles que les extrañamos en la iglesia, y les invitamos a venir a una actividad llamada "el sueño de Lehi ".  La cual dramatizamos el sueño de lehi, expresándoles que teníamos que ir pro aquellos que no habían probado del fruto del árbol d de la vida. ¡La actividad fue todo un éxito y encontramos nuevas personas para enseñar! 

Baptism for 9-30-17

Baptism from last week.

They are both very valiant people and they have fought with much power to make covenants with God. Sister Karina is the daughter of a recent convert who has passed through many trials throughout her life. This has brought her to develop her faith to the degree that she desires to follow God´s commandments and be an example for her young daughter and her siblings. Brother Edgar is brother to a family who are recent converts who have striven to follow God, and put their lives in order. Due to this Brother Edgar saw these great changes in their lives and desired to do the same in his life. Notwithstanding the obstacles that presented themselves in his path he has always been valiant and a pillar of strength in his family. Now he is striving so that his wife can also partake of if these blessings and covenants with our loving Heavenly Father.

Elder Sevilla - Elder Hernandez Cornejo

Ellos dos son personas muy valientes y muy especiales que han luchado mucho para poder hacer convenios con Dios. La hermana Karina es hija de una recién conversa que ha afrontado muchas pruebas a lo largo de su vida y que ha desarrollado su fe a tal grado que desea seguir los mandamientos de Dios y ser un ejemplo para su pequeña hija y para sus hermanos. El hermano Edgar es hermano de una familia de recién conversos que se han esforzado mucho por seguir a Dios y por poner su vida en orden. Gracias a esto el hermano Edgar vio este gran cambio y deseo cambiar su vida también. A pesar de los obstáculos que se presentaron en el camino él siempre fue muy valiente y un pilar fuerte en su familia. Ahora se esfuerza por que su esposa también pueda participar de estas bendiciones y convenios con nuestro amoroso Padre Celestial.

Follow Up Training 9-28-17

We had a wonderful day today with our 4 newest missionaries and their trainers.

We began our day, as we always do with a picture on the steps of the Guadalajara Temple.

Our Follow up training help us see how our new missionaries are coming along.  It has been just over 4 weeks since they arrived.  It was good to check in with them.
I am thrilled to report that these four missionaries are doing fantastic!!!!!

President getting the Elders warmed up...

   

 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.

President met with the new missionaries

and I met with the trainers.  We were each

able to ask specifically how things are coming along with

their training, language skills, and obedience levels.

We asked about support from home, their sleeping,

eating, learning the outlines and coping with

the rigors of 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 !

The assistants teaching-

The spirit is the teacher.

Seeking the spirit to accompany us

in this sacred work.

The assistants 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.

next game:

7 Celestial Habits 

Teams were divided up and each team

member had to think fast and

name one of the 7 celestial habits that hadn't

been said yet as the ball was tossed to them.

 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

could not quickly name one of the 7 celestial habits

we must know and use, when the ball is passed

to them, creating the final four, then, three, two and

finally our winner!

Just two teams this time

Down to the final two.

Elder Ronderos and Sister Loria

Sister Loria won!

Great day together!

We love our missionaries!!

Our new Assistant 9-28-17

With Elder Torres returning home next week,
 it was time to call a new assistant to serve with Elder Long. 
The Lord has called Elder Dehesa.  
We welcome him and are looking forward to working with him.

Five very special baptisms! 9-23-17

Let me introduce the Aguayo Regalado 

family from Ahuacatlan.

Here is my journal entry from Saturday:

What an unbelievable experience we have had today.  We drove to Ahuacatlan to attend the baptism of five brothers and sisters.  Brother and sister Aguayo Regalado are a blended family, and together have 8 children. Three of their older children are grown and on their own.  
One of their older daughters is a member of the church. Sister Aguayo Regalado is also good friends with the group leader, brother Pichardo’s daughter, who gave a a reference for the Aguayo Regalado family to be contacted by the missionaries in Ahuacatlan, which is just outside of Jala, and is in our assistant's area.

The assistants contacted the family, and they responded beautifully, recognizing the truths of the gospel, accepting the principles and doctrines, and desiring to be baptized and become an eternal family.  

They have made the necessary changes in their lives, and have seen first hand the blessings of the Lord come swiftly to them. Their older son is now taking the lessons, and is feeling the desire to follow his parents and younger brothers and sisters examples.

As is always the case, there have been challenges and difficulties along the way that they have had to deal with.  

Brother and sister Aguayo Regalado have been finalizing the paperwork for their marriage to be official, and have a baptism date in the coming weeks... but their five children were anxious to be baptized, and did not want to wait.  So, today was the day!

They chose a most beautiful place to be baptized right there in Ahuacatlan.  A secluded natural spring of clear water, with waterfalls spilling into other pools of water, and rock steps and winding pathways, build years and years ago, leading down to it.  It was gorgeous!  And reminded President and I of what the Waters of Mormon might have looked like.

Honestly, and seriously it was an incredible experience.
What a special feeling we had there, likening this place to another place so long ago where the same essential saving ordinances took place.

Saturday morning,we picked up our assistants, Elder Long and Elder Torres at the city plaza in Jala, and met the Aguayo Regalado’s, all piled into their big van, the children all dressed in white.  The group leader in Jala, brother Pichardo, had picked up district leader Elder Solares and his companion Elder Ramirez at the bus stop.  The Vazquez family, and President and sister Ocampo, President Clayton's mission presidency counselor and their daughter also joined us.  We car pooled through the pueblo of Ahuacatlan, and then pulled off the road and drove for some time winding along the dirt road, and passing corn fields, and palm trees going deep into the woods.

Finally we parked our cars tightly back to back just off the dirt road. And walked down steep rock steps down, down, down towards the sound of the water falls.  Each step revealed just how secluded and private, how gorgeous and perfect this place was to have these precious children be baptized.   

Well… it was a perfect and a priceless experience.  

I hope the pictures will do justice to the scene we witnessed.  

Each child chose a different priesthood holder to baptize them.

17 year old Miriam Yanely Aguayo Regalado - brother Pichardo

15 year old Enrique de Jesus Aguayo Regalado - brother Vazquez

14 year old Nancy Coret Zamorano Jaimes - Elder Long

13 year old Nahomy Lizeth Aguayo Regalado - President Ocampo

11 year old Christopher Alexis Aguayo Regalado - Elder Torres

My heart was filled each and every time I heard the words having been commissioned of Jesus Christ… (habiendo sido comisionado porJesucristo), and as I watched these honorable and worthy priesthood holders perform this most important and sacred ordinance.

I am positive angels were there to witness this glorious event… just like they have countless, countless times before.

I hope I never forget this day.  I truly and earnestly hope,  I never forget this day.

Here is the Aguayo Regalado family with their

five children ready to be baptized.

Here they are below with their older   

daughter and her little son, on the far left.

Pictured below with President and I,

and President Ocampo, 1st counselor in the 

Mission Presidency, on the far side. 

This spot was just so beautiful! 

We took lots of pictures. :)

Elder Long and Elder Torres 

My favorite picture of the day.

Each of the children chose someone
different to baptize them.

Pictured from left to right.

Brother Vazquez ~
with 15 year old Enrique de Jesus Aguayo Regalado

Elder Long ~
with 14 year old Nancy Coret Zamorano Jaimes

President Ocampo ~
with 13 year old Nahomy Lizeth Aguayo Regalado

Elder Torres ~
with 11 year old Christopher Alexis Aguayo Regalado

Brother Pichardo ~
with 17 year old Miriam Yanely Aguayo Regalado

What a beautiful day.