2010-11-11
October/November Updates
I made eggs this morning. Instead of using oil I used butter. IT GOT STUCK TO THE FRYING PAN!!!!. My poor sunny side up eggs got destroyed. I still ate them. I'm going back to oil though lol.
My new companion is Elder Rios. Yeah 2 brown boys in a white dominated area lol. Well Ill let you know what going on in a letter. But yeah I'll be here for the rest of the transfer. This months focus is every member is a missionary. It's great to see the members here excited about missionary work. We can all share the gospel with our friends. Even though it might be kinda hard at BYU (hence why I'm having second thoughts about living in Utah forever) always look for opportunities to share the gospel. So are you going to be done with school by the time I get back. Weird.... every time I think about college I feel like my hair falls. A really bad feeling builds up in my abdominal area and works up to my throat causing me to gag. I don't know why but lets just say I'm very happy where I'm at. This week was another good week. I finally got in the water and actually baptized someone. Before I had had members baptize the people I taught because missionaries leave but members don't. But this one baptism I wanted to baptize and she picked me to do so!
2010-10-19
Just a note to say...
I had to take my bike to the shop so once again I had a little free time on my P-Day. I then wrote to a family back in McAllen that recently got baptized so I sent them a small letter. So I'm not getting transferred, and I'm staying with Elder Powell. I'm happy cause we get along and we work hard. I'm so excited to get back and just work so hard at school and stuff. Serving a mission has been a blessing for me. Kinda like a second chance. Thing is that life can be just as a missionary life. Be proactive, learn everyday, set small goals and make plans like it says in Chapter 8 of PMG. PMG (Preach My Gospel) helps us to be more Christ-like and Christ taught us how to be happy in this life and how to obtain eternal happiness. I was really dumb before my mission. Serving a mission is the MTC for Life. I hope to send my sister my other memory card soon so that she can post up all the pictures. I just cant seem to find a post office around here. There is like nothing in Laredo. Like this has been my favorite place on the mission thus far but I WILL NEVER LIVE HERE lol.
Elder Vasquez
2010-09-27
Many Are Called, But Few Are Chosen
One thing I want you to know is that when a bishop is called to be a bishop, or a prophet is called to be a prophet, the calling is not given to him to show his mad skillz off to the world. But really, the Savior being the Savior washed the feet of the apostles, helped others keep the commandments of the father and did all he could to help those in need. Every calling is an opportunity to serve, you can serve in the same manner the prophet does today. You can serve the same way your bishop does, which is the way Jesus Christ would serve if he had any certain church calling. Being like Christ is a commandment and our goal. Our goal is not to be a relief society president. Live your life in a way so that you may do anything the way Christ would do it. I'm happy to hear that you really want to become friends with those that you supervise. I know you will help them come closer to Christ and be an example to them. Remember Ether 12:27. We all have weaknesses. We can do whatsoever we desire as long as it is the will of the Lord because he is even willing to make our weak things strong. Honestly just look for what makes you happy, even if it something you are not good at, God is willing to make that weakness a strength. Seek for revelation from our father and follow those promptings/ feelings from the Holy Ghost." ~ Elder Vasquez (9/20/10)
My counsel to the members of the Church is to support the President of the Church, the First Presidency, Quorum of the Twelve, and other General Authorities with our whole hearts and souls. If we do, we will be in a safe harbor. President Brigham Young said he recollected many times the Prophet Joseph Smith saying that he “had to pray all the time, exercise faith, live his religion, and magnify his calling, to obtain the manifestations of the Lord, and to keep him steadfast in the faith.”All of us may expect some challenges to our faith. These challenges may come in different ways. You may not always like the counsel that the Church leaders give to you. They are not trying to be popular. They are trying to help us avoid the calamities and disappointments that come through disobedience to God’s laws.
We also need to support and sustain our local leaders, because they also have been “called and chosen.” Every member of this Church may receive counsel from a bishop or a branch president, a stake or a mission president, and the President of the Church and his associates. None of these brethren asked for his calling. None is perfect. Yet they are the servants of the Lord, called by Him through those entitled to inspiration. Those called, sustained, and set apart are entitled to our sustaining support. I have admired and respected every bishop I have ever had. I have tried not to question their guidance and have felt that in sustaining and following their counsel I was protected against the “sleight of men, and cunning craftiness.” This was because each of these called and chosen leaders was entitled to the divine revelation that comes with the calling. Disrespect for ecclesiastical leaders has caused many to suffer spiritual weakening and downfall. We should look past any perceived imperfections, warts, or spots of the men called to preside over us, and uphold the office which they hold. ~ President James E. Faust
Note from the Editor: I encourage all those who attend General Conference to keep in mind the significance of our sustaining votes; that we may remember that these men were CHOSEN by God and are true disciples of Christ.
2010-09-13
...Trained at the MTC to become a DL...
I am currently in Laredo. I'm 5 minutes away from the border as I write. My area is 5 minutes away from the border too. So guess what, I'm a district leader. I HATE PUBLIC SPEAKING LOL. I'm over 8 missionaries. and I give a training every Tuesday for 1hr and 30 mins. I'm excited to learn how to talk in public especially for an 1hr and 30 minutes and even better I'm more excited to help other missionaries accomplish their goals and help them progress as missionaries and people.
This last week has been pretty crazy. I spent my last p-day packing and the library was closed since it was Labor Day. Then I got transferred on Tuesday so I was in the car instead of the library lol. So  I couldn't write to anyone in letters or email. Tomorrow I have my first district meeting and Wednesday I'll be in McAllen to receive a leadership training from a General Authority, Thursday ill be in Corpus for Zone conference...
2010-08-16
The Lord's Work
The most effective missionaries, member and full-time, always act out of love. … If we lack this love for others, we should pray for it.
"This past week with Elder Thomas has been so cool. We have found cool people to teach, especially yesterday. It's wonderful to see God put His arm in the work. It builds my testimony every time and reminds me that this work would not be possible if it was not for His help. I know everything will be fine because the Lord has promised (Mosiah 2:22)." ~Elder Vasquez (8/16/10)
"And behold, all that he requires of you is to keep his commandments; and he has promised you that if ye would keep his commandments ye should prosper in the land; and he never doth vary from that which he hath said; therefore, if ye do keep his commandments he doth bless you and prosper you" (Mosiah 2:22) We also need divine assistance to guide us in sharing the gospel. Just as our desires must be pure and rooted in testimony and love, our actions must be directed by the Lord. It is His work, not ours, and it must be done in His way and on His timing, not ours. Otherwise, our efforts may be fated to frustration and failure.
All of us have family members or friends who need the gospel but are not now interested. To be effective, our efforts with them must be directed by the Lord so that we act in the way and at the time when they will be most receptive. We must pray for the Lord’s help and directions so we can be instruments in His hands for one who is now ready—one He would have us help today. Then, we must be alert to hear and heed the promptings of His Spirit in how we proceed. Those promptings will come. We know from countless personal testimonies that in His own way and His own time the Lord is preparing persons to accept His gospel. Such persons are searching, and when we are seeking to identify them the Lord will answer their prayers through answering ours. He will prompt and guide those who desire and who sincerely seek guidance in how, where, when, and with whom to share His gospel.
In this way, God grants unto us according to our desires. In modern revelation, the Lord has told us that “there are many yet on the earth among all sects, parties, and denominations, who are blinded … and who are only kept from the truth because they know not where to find it." When we are standing as “witnesses of God at all times and in all things," the Lord will open ways for us to find and have appropriate communications with those who are seeking. This will come when we seek direction and when we act out of a sincere and Christlike love for others. The Lord loves all of His children. He desires that all have the fulness of His truth and the abundance of His blessings. He knows when they are ready, and He wants us to hear and heed His directions on sharing His gospel. When we do so, those who are prepared will respond to the message of Him who said, “My sheep hear my voice … and they follow me."- Elder Dallin H. Oaks
All of us have family members or friends who need the gospel but are not now interested. To be effective, our efforts with them must be directed by the Lord so that we act in the way and at the time when they will be most receptive. We must pray for the Lord’s help and directions so we can be instruments in His hands for one who is now ready—one He would have us help today. Then, we must be alert to hear and heed the promptings of His Spirit in how we proceed. Those promptings will come. We know from countless personal testimonies that in His own way and His own time the Lord is preparing persons to accept His gospel. Such persons are searching, and when we are seeking to identify them the Lord will answer their prayers through answering ours. He will prompt and guide those who desire and who sincerely seek guidance in how, where, when, and with whom to share His gospel.
In this way, God grants unto us according to our desires. In modern revelation, the Lord has told us that “there are many yet on the earth among all sects, parties, and denominations, who are blinded … and who are only kept from the truth because they know not where to find it." When we are standing as “witnesses of God at all times and in all things," the Lord will open ways for us to find and have appropriate communications with those who are seeking. This will come when we seek direction and when we act out of a sincere and Christlike love for others. The Lord loves all of His children. He desires that all have the fulness of His truth and the abundance of His blessings. He knows when they are ready, and He wants us to hear and heed His directions on sharing His gospel. When we do so, those who are prepared will respond to the message of Him who said, “My sheep hear my voice … and they follow me."- Elder Dallin H. Oaks
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