Autlan Branch Conference

President traveled this morning to the Autlan Branch Conference.  He took some beautiful pictures along the way.

President with Elder Haynes and Elder Novak

serving in Autlan right now

Elder and Sister Ortega

It is with great sadness that President Clayton and I let our missionaries and our mission family know that our sweet Elder Ortega passed away on  Saturday, October 15th.  He and Sister Ortega were our faithful married couple serving full time with us here in the mission.  Elder Ortega had a serious stroke on Wednesday the 5th, and was not able to recover.
We express our love and sympathy to Sister Ortega and her family.  The funeral was yesterday morning, Monday October 17th here in Guadalajara.

Elder and Sister Ortega arrived as new missionaries from the Mexico City MTC on July 11th 2016.  From the moment we met them, and President interviewed them, they were ready to serve.  They were willing and happy servants of the Lord.  Their first area was in Ameca, where they loved and served everyone they came in contact with.  They were a great help to that branch and to the other sisters serving there with them.  Several weeks ago, President Clayton had asked them to come to the mission home, where he visited with them about their new assignment.  They were anxious and happy for the change.
We pay tribute to these two faithful and valiant servants of the Lord.  We will remember their happy smiles, their positive attitudes and their abiding faith.
President Clayton and I extend once again our warmest love and gratitude to our beloved Sister Ortega.  We are confident that our Father in Heaven will bless, sustain, and lift you and your family as you continue to press forward in this glorious Work of Salvation. We love you.

October Mission Council

Is it October already????  No way!!  Where is the time going?
We had another wonderful day together for our October Mission Council. (10-6-16)
Our theme was  The Role of the Book of Mormon in the Conversion Process.
We were so excited to learn more about this mighty tool in our hands.. this Book of Books,
                                                   The Book of Mormon!

President Clayton began our training together.

***In the Book of Mormon we find noble Prophets and leaders who have left to their posterity and to us, their final testimony; that what they have taught, and what they have written on these sacred records, is true.

Examples:
2 Nephi 33:10-15 - Nephi's final words
Moroni 10:3-5 - Moroni's promise
Enos 1:26-27 - Enos's declaration

***As missionaries, we too are bearing testimony each and every day and leaving our final words with people as we depart from them, bearing testimony that the Book of Mormon is indeed the word of God.

***In the Book of Mormon, who was ready to give his life for this work?
- Mosiah 13:3 Abinadi - touch me not, for God shall smite you, for I have not delivered my message
                         which the Lord sent me to deliver unto you.
                         vs 9 But I finish my message; and then it matters not whither I go...
- D&C 135:4  The Prophet Joseph Smith - I am going like a lamb to the slaughter; but I am calm as                            a summers morning".
                 
***Formula for us as teachers using this mighty tool.

Book of Mormon  + _______?_______ =  Power
                                     Holy Ghost
D&C 17:6 - ...as your Lord and your God liveth, it is true.
D&C 19:26 - [the book] contains the truth and the word of God.
D&C 20:8 - [God] gave to Joseph power from on high.. to translate the Book of Mormon.
D&C 20:9 - contains.. the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ
D&C 20:14 - whoso receive it in faith, and work righteousness, shall receive a crown of eternal life.

***What was the first event that happened after Joseph's glorious first vision?
The translation of the Book of Mormon
It came before the priesthood was restored, before the ordinances of salvation were revealed.

1. Without the Book of Mormon, the church does not exist.

2. It is the pattern for our days - we can come closer to God by abiding by it's precepts, than any other     way.

3. We come closer to God as we read and study the book of Mormon, as it teaches and testifies of
    Christ more powerfully than in any other way.

***By testifying of the Book of Mormon with power, we are testifying of Christ.

Sister Clayton's teachings 

Is it true that people find what they are looking for?

What determines our understanding as we read the scriptures?

Does knowing what to look for in the scriptures help us?

How?

Elder Christofferson has said that we need to care more about the amount of

time we spend in the scriptures, than about the amount we read in that time.

*reading a few verses

*stopping to ponder them

*carefully, reading the verses again

*praying for understanding

*asking questions in our minds

*waiting for spiritual impressions

*writing down impressions and insights that come so we can remember

***The Book of Mormon has converting and convincing power.

How can we obtain that power?

***The Book of Mormon is the centerpiece of the restoration.

How can we as teachers convey that truth, and unfold that doctrine as we teach?

***Our study must not be in the reading alone.  It is reading, pondering and praying, so that the spirit of the almighty gets involved in the study and gives us understanding.

The assistants demonstration

Do we see our potential?

What does the Savior see in us?

How can we catch that vision of ourselves

and build upon it?

yum.

We cannot teach what we do not know!

President Clayton's PMG, scripture chase.

How well do we know what we are teaching???

Group #1

Group #2

Group #3

Group #4

Hands up...

Go!

last round

Presidents closing remarks

Great day together.