Una Nueva Mision

The mission is taking some drastic changes. Just about every aspect of missionary life has been affected. We can't even listen to classical music now; I am really missing my Bach cello suites... The interviews don't seem to end either, luckily, I haven't had another but every day I hear about elders and sisters that go to Reu. We are all walking on thin ice. Beyond that almost every companionship has had changes, including my own. My new companion is Elder Figeroa from Utah, thus far we get along really well, however, I have come to dislike speaking English, as weird as that may sound. Yet I know that we will work hard together and there is something I must learn from him, I simply won't be making much headway in my spanish.

With the start of the new transfer I was called to be District Leader... I honestly feel a bit unprepared, although the Lord prepares the way and the means. I am looking forward to the many unique and new experiences that I will have in the new position.

Estoy brillando y disfrutando de las ricas bendiciones del Señor! La Iglesia es Verdadera y no existe nada que puede estorbar los fines de nuestro Dios! Les amo a todas y espero que puedan ver la mano del señor que seguramente se ve en sus vidas también. -Elder Davis

PS. If anyone has leadership advice for me it would be much apreciated

This Week from Elder Davis

Family and friends,

Marcos didn't end up getting baptized this week to to the fact that those that live with him told him that he wasn't prepared the night before the service... he will still be baptized this month. Sometimes I feel like we push a lot but the the demand to achieve our monthly goals is high in the mission. However I strive to be patient with my investigators and really treat them in an inspired manner. Our previous mission president focused A LOT on numbers and sheer output and the mission ended up being very disobedient, but high-baptizing. The sad part s that the majority haven't stayed in the church. President Goodman has really been tightening the bolts on the mission and I feel that it will improve drastically, but its really hard on those that are disobedient. Several missionaries that have been leaders or have a lot of time in the mission are now minor companions... Y murmuraron en extremo... I have even been interviewed twice, likely because of the lies that my second-to-last comp told to the mission president. Notwithstanding I predict that there will be lots of good changes in the near future.

Tomorrow there will be transfers once again and many friends that I have made in the Zone will likely leave. My comp could even have changes. I am a bit worried about the changes that might be made because I like the zone the way it is, we are all very united. Well I am just about out of time the leaders are really strict on writing time, but the Church is true and the spirit can show us ALL of the things that we must do. I love you guys. -Elder Davis

The Gang, 

Im really looking forward to the upcoming baptism of Marcos and praying my guts out that nothing goes wrong! He is an incredibly special person and a very strong spirit. A part from him we also have the three young girls I told you about last week. Unfortunately they weren't able to make it to church this Sunday, but nonetheless they are reading, praying and showing a lot of desire. What we are really lacking right now is support from the members. The other night the Branch President told us that he wants to be released, and when asked to make some visits with us the Young Women's President told us it wasn't her responsibility... it was/is very frustrating but we are working through it; doing what we can to motivate them as lovingly as possible.

We are working with a lot of youth, which is a ton of fun, however I am still yearning to baptize a FAMILY! Its something I want to see so bad. The hard thing is that it is almost impossible without the members. My district leaders area has the most dedicated members and help the missionaries find and baptize people every month, and this month they have got an amazing family getting baptized! In life, if we are not careful, its very easy to miss the graceful miracles in our lives watching only those in the lives of others. We are all beloved children of God and, as any good father does, gives us graces and trials alike. Gratitude has been an escape from despair and negativity experienced in my life and has allowed me to see the hand of my Father. I know and testify that he does the same in all of your lives and that if you can but take a moment to think you will see it as well. The church is true. I LOVE you all. -Elder Davis

This week from the Great Elder Davis

Friends and family,

Things are finally starting to look up in Palo Gordo. We had five investigators in the chapel this Sunday and they loved it. Three of them were young women that he had found only Saturday; I was surprised at how  great the youth of the Branch were with them. They seem to be really positive and their families don't attend a church, therefore we are hoping that they might investigate the church as well. Our baptismal date, Marcos, is doing good, but wasn't able to make it to church this Sunday which has me a bit worried but Im trusting in the Lord that all will go well. Last week we were worried about getting permission to baptize him because his dad is never in the house, and we had been told it would really difficult to et a hold of him. Yet on Tuesday I had no Idea where to go work whereas we didn't have any appointments. After a prayer I felt that we needed to go contact a reference that I had all but forgot about who ended up not even being home. However, on the way to the house we took a path in the woods and walking in the same direction was a man in ragged clothes. Upon seeing him I felt the we really needed to talk to him; It was Marcos´s dad! In tears he gave us permission and expressed his gratitude. He wants to attend church with his son but he drinks a lot. Notwithstanding it was a miracle.

This week we also had Interviews with President Goodman and his wife, They are awesome and I believe that they will be a great leaders to the mission. 

Lately I have really been learning allot about the power of prayer and have seen its blessings in the work that my comp and I are doing. I can honestly testify that the lord always hears us and wishes the best for us. And the best is what he gives us when we are diligent. I love the 18th chapter of Third Nephi and the message it teaches. Les amo a todos uds y La Iglesia es verdadera. -Elder Davis

A year! Already!

I officially have a year in the mission and I´m not too sure how I feel about it. The time flies by way too fast and unfortunately past mistakes can only be learned from. However this Sunday as they passed the sacrament I contemplated the year and felt incredibly grateful with the Lord for what I have been taught and for His gracious hand that I have seen on so many occasions. The mission is an amazing experience that in no other way can be recreated; I hope that the last year doesn't go by too fast.

In our area we did not have much success finding good new investigators this week, however, we have some very positive people from the previous week progressing. Namely, we have Marcos; a 14 year old youth that is extremely mature for his age. That is something very rare amongst youth here. Upon teaching the restoration he understood PERFECTLY and prayed that night! He attended church this Sunday and will be baptized the 30th. The lesson we had with him Saturday night was incredibly spiritual and the innocence and humility of Marcos really touched me. He will be an amazing missionary! The hard part is that we need to get permission to baptize him and he doesn't live with his parents because his dad is a full-time drunk  and his mom passed away which goes to show how resilient he really is. He will be an amazing missionary!

This week we finally got to meet Presidente and Hermana Goodman and we had a really great meeting. They are POWERFULL! Hermana Goodman doesn't speak Spanish at all but she came through with some delicious cookies... It will be fun to see how her Spanish progresses.

On Saturday we had a multi-stake youth activity and I  ran into some youth from San Pablo, my first area. It made me really homesick for San Pablo seeing them again.

The Mission is capacitation for life... It really is. It is by no means easy but it really is glorious. All of the hardship that we face in life is for our benefit. In 3rd Nephi it says that Christ is like a refiner´s fire; to be a disciple of Christ is no easy task, yet if we give it our best the Lord will refine and perfect us, doing what we cannot by His grace. The church is true! -Elder Davis

Gosh Dang Kid

This week flew by and we found a lot of really positive people that I feel will progress, and at the same time we left several that aren't willing to keep their commitments. We found a lady named Patty and her 10 year old daughter Friday. We won't get to know the husband until farther down the road due to his hefty work schedule, but his wife is really positive just a little afraid to make the decision. We also found several young people that actually talked to use like mature people which really surprised me because youth that take us seriously are really rare. I really want to baptize some future missionaries. 

President Goodman has officially arrived and the other missionaries say that he is really cool. I will get to meet him this Thursday with the rest of the zone. His wife doesn't speak Spanish at all... but she will learn quick.

The last p-day was pretty rough because I got robbed... We were in the stake center playing ball and thare was a young kid there; I thought that he was a member, there to play soccer with us. Afterwords he was watching us play and we didn't think anything of it but when we finished, my camera was gone... I was pretty upset because all the pictures that I have taken until now in the mission were in that camera. Yet there is nothing that I can do about it now, entonces, lo dejo en las manos de dios.

The mission is teaching me so much an I am so thankful with the Lord for giving me the opportunity. Sometimes its really REALLY tough having the defects of humanity but I know that if we give our all the grace of God will do whatever it be that we can't. The Church is true. -Elder Davis

New Mission President for Elder Davis

So Presidente y Hermana Ruiz are officialy finishing their mission this Tuesday. They will be missed but I am honestly looking forward to this BIG change in the mission. 

Palo Gordo is shaping out to be rather difficult. This Sunday passed and once again we didn't have investigators in the chapel. Yet it wasn't by any error of our own; we had 2 families, 5 people (of baptismal age) committed to come. However, when we showed up to bring them to church they had all gone to Quetzaltenango. Another family we had progressing came out and told us not to visit them anymore; I am fairly certain that their previous pastor visited them. The Hernandez family that was also progressing is still positive but not willing to make the sacrifices necessary to keep the sabbath day. Even after 2 very spiritual lessons with members... DANG IT!

Yet I am confident that we are going to have a lot of success in Palo Gordo.

Yesterday we had an interesting run in with the Heiner Family and their 2 returned missionarys that had served here. They were here visiting converts and we got to visit and teach with them. It was a good experience, but a little weird talking to non-missionary gringos again.

In the mission one is always learning new things. Lately I have really seen the crucial importance of self-discipline. Until we learn to discipline ourselves it will be very difficult to achieve the goals we place. That is why G

od has given us commandments. God does everythring with the VERY BEST intentions for us. He loves us and wants us to be successful. -Elder Davis