I am getting so skinny! Still keeping my muscle for the most part. I have just been eating fruit and cream oatmeal in the morning with a scoop of Protein and sliced banana, then for lunch a small "lean" gourmet frozen meal with a protein shake with frozen fruit. then for a snack I eat some of those Quaker rice cakes (WHICH ARE SOOO YUMMY AND HEALTHY!!!) with apples and carrots and then i eat some vegetables too! We usually skip dinner, and eat a snack when we get home. It has been great we have been fed a little bit more, just not as much as English missionaries lol :) There is definitely a difference between the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and la Iglesia de Jesucristo de los Santos de los Ultimos Dias. The members here in Logan have only really been members for less than 5 years and are all converts, so they don't know much of the organization and stuff like that. Our branch just started the dinner calendar about a month before I got here lol, it is all good though, I absolutely LOVE IT!! WE ARE EATING WITH THE BRANCH PRESIDENT AND SOME RECENT CONVERTS ON THANKSGIVING :))) I love my branch president so much, I have learned so much from him. Also He has really bad Parkinson's and doesn't make an excuse for anything. Last May his Parkinson's got so bad that he could really function, yet he still magnified his calling. At that time he had already been branch president for about 4 years and thought that he was going to be released when they call the new stake president, but the new Stake president kept him in despite his condition, then President Lopez (my branch President) found a new form of medicine that is in a patch, and he has gotten better ever since. He is probably the best BP or Bishop that I have seen. He was invited out of the stake to be BP because he is that good. He said a comment during ward Council last week that really struck me. He said, " Home and Visiting teachers are the most important callings in the church. Even greater than the responsibilities of the Prophet". That is a bold statement, but after thinking about it, it makes since. Bringing lost sheep back into the fold is so important, even Thomas S. Monson can't accomplish it all by him self. We truly do become more like the Good Shepherd when we expand on those callings. I have a testimony of that, there are so many people that are less active that need our help, I see it as a missionary every day (mainly in Calexico, because I have no members in my area her in San Diego). All they are looking for is someone to be looking for them.
This week was slow, but good. We had a baptism this past Wednesday and we might have one on Saturday. one of our investigators came to the baptism and now wants to get baptized! so we have 3 people that will be getting baptized in December! :) Busy Busy. We had tons of meetings this past week so we didn't get out much for teaching, but it is all good :) it is hard when it comes to finding those Mexicans because we live in a predominately white area, but we have the faith necessary to find some. We actually did find a complex of Mexicans so we started knocking on their doors, no real luck yet. :) all of my recent converts are doing good. The Garcia family in Calexico is at church every Sunday and passing the Sacrament and Julio I believe is in the Elder's Quorum presidency! :) They are awesome I love them so much, it stinks not being able to teach them, cuz they would feed us all the time lol. :D I miss you guys, that is why i always keep you guys close :) (reference to the picture I sent you) Oh yeah and I also climbed Mt. Miguel last week for pday :p I was pooped, it was super hard to do but so worth it! :)
I miss you guys and i think about you a lot, but the time is honestly flying by, the times around the holidays will be hard, but I promise that these 2 years will soar by. I am doing the Lord's work, in turn he will bless you and he has blessed me, I have grown so much in these 6.5 months. I know that this is the RESTORED church of Jesus Christ, we honestly are the only church on this planet that follows the Bible exactly. We do have a prophet that has been called of God to be a special witness of Jesus Christ and His Atonement. I know that power of the Atonement is real. I have felt its effects everyday. I am changing through its power. We can become more like Him through accessing the power of his infinite sacrifice. As we put everything on the altar of sacrifice (a broken heart and a contrite spirit, and whatever is holding us back) we are promised to feel the comfort of the Holy Ghost (the First Comforter) which then sanctifies us. This sanctifying power cleanses us and makes our bodies clean like the temple and as we make a peace offering to God, by attending church, partaking of the Sacrament worthily, going to the Temple regularly and doing all we can to follow him, we are promised with the presence of the Second Comforter, Jesus Christ. Mom and Dad right now the Lord has asked a lot of sacrifice (Nothing comparable to His), but I know with all my heart that as you continue to remain strong in the times of trial, you will feel more than the Holy Ghost in your life, you will feel the overwhelming love of the Savior as you have been prepared for His presence. I have learned this on my misison. Everyday I study the Atonement and it literal applies to everything. For almost 3 weeks I studied the law of sacrifice using the Bible Dictionary and the Scriptures and my eyes were opened. The law of sacrifice of the times of Moses actually directly applies to us today, and it all falls on the Atonement. Right now you are sacrificing a lot, but there is always more. I know and promise you that you will be comforted throughout these 2 years and the rest of your lives you apply these things in your life. I have never been happier before in my life, and i have never sacrificed so much before either. Our nature doesn't want things to be hard or to have to sacrifice anything. That is why the Lord has given us the law of tithing. We pay tithing not to help fund the Church, but to give to the Lord only a 10% of our money which is representative of our time and efforts. The same applies to the time we are in now. I am almost 20 years old, I have spent all my life with you, but now the Lord is asking for my tithing, 10% of my life only 2 years of my time and my efforts. the windows of Heaven will be opened. I know this to be true.
I miss you guys and i think about you a lot, but the time is honestly flying by, the times around the holidays will be hard, but I promise that these 2 years will soar by. I am doing the Lord's work, in turn he will bless you and he has blessed me, I have grown so much in these 6.5 months. I know that this is the RESTORED church of Jesus Christ, we honestly are the only church on this planet that follows the Bible exactly. We do have a prophet that has been called of God to be a special witness of Jesus Christ and His Atonement. I know that power of the Atonement is real. I have felt its effects everyday. I am changing through its power. We can become more like Him through accessing the power of his infinite sacrifice. As we put everything on the altar of sacrifice (a broken heart and a contrite spirit, and whatever is holding us back) we are promised to feel the comfort of the Holy Ghost (the First Comforter) which then sanctifies us. This sanctifying power cleanses us and makes our bodies clean like the temple and as we make a peace offering to God, by attending church, partaking of the Sacrament worthily, going to the Temple regularly and doing all we can to follow him, we are promised with the presence of the Second Comforter, Jesus Christ. Mom and Dad right now the Lord has asked a lot of sacrifice (Nothing comparable to His), but I know with all my heart that as you continue to remain strong in the times of trial, you will feel more than the Holy Ghost in your life, you will feel the overwhelming love of the Savior as you have been prepared for His presence. I have learned this on my misison. Everyday I study the Atonement and it literal applies to everything. For almost 3 weeks I studied the law of sacrifice using the Bible Dictionary and the Scriptures and my eyes were opened. The law of sacrifice of the times of Moses actually directly applies to us today, and it all falls on the Atonement. Right now you are sacrificing a lot, but there is always more. I know and promise you that you will be comforted throughout these 2 years and the rest of your lives you apply these things in your life. I have never been happier before in my life, and i have never sacrificed so much before either. Our nature doesn't want things to be hard or to have to sacrifice anything. That is why the Lord has given us the law of tithing. We pay tithing not to help fund the Church, but to give to the Lord only a 10% of our money which is representative of our time and efforts. The same applies to the time we are in now. I am almost 20 years old, I have spent all my life with you, but now the Lord is asking for my tithing, 10% of my life only 2 years of my time and my efforts. the windows of Heaven will be opened. I know this to be true.
Love always,
Elder Hays
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