This week has been good.
Francisco didn't come to church - it was a stake conference so it was farther away and his parents didn't give him permission because they don't want him to be confused with a lot of different religions. But, I still have a ton of hope for him and still see him as a missionary:) I know with lots of faith and prayers everything will work out how Heavenly Father wants it to. Thanks so much for keeping him in your prayers!
Melvin is getting baptized this week!
Yay, its been kind of a long road but I am really excited for him to take this step. He is getting more and more involved with the church activities and everything so I think its helping him feel a part of the ward family, which is great too. I hope that this week he will keep being strong - the week before baptism usually is pretty hard because the adversary works really hard - but I have a feeling everything will be ok.
Yesterday we had a really awesome surprise! We went to the stake center thinking that it was going to be stake conference but it was actually a conference for the entire Caribbean area broadcast to each stake center! It took place in Jamaica and President Eyring and Elder Bednar were there.
Wow. It was so awesome. The whole thing was just amazing. President Johnson the area president said that this Caribbean area is comprised of 30 islands, 6 different languages and 160,000 members. I was touched when I thought that Andy was probably watching the same conference.
I thought of you guys when the Jamaican choir sang I know that my Redeemer lives - all dresses in different bright colored shirts and when the Jamaican sister said the closing prayer with her beautiful accent. (Maclaine's parents had a memorable experience attending church in a small branch filled with wonderful Jamaicans in Ohco Rios, Jamaica.)
But, it was so neat and such a sweet surprise to be instructed from the apostles yesterday. President Eyring shared some really neat personal stories and also talked a lot about the premortal life. It was so powerful and I was reminded that we are children of God. That He knows us and he knew us then. I know that we would be surprised if the veil was lifted and we could see how much we really know Him. I know that He is my Father.
Well, thank you guys for your constant prayers love and support. I love you so much. I know that this is the Lords work. I am trying to be an instrument in His hands. Lots of luv - keep the faith!
Love,
Hermana Neff
Monday, January 26, 2009
Thursday, January 22, 2009
What is a Gizzard?
Hi guys!
Wow, your little vaca sounds really awesome! I agree about the warm weather. Mmmm, I love love love it. But, I think that the winter season is starting to go away and the really hot season is starting to come - supposedly in March to August is a killer. But, I'm enjoying it right now.
So, why did I mention gizzard in the subject line did you ask? Well, we were eating with our dueños last week and it was something really interesting - kind of an interesting texture then they told us it was gizzard. I don't really know what gizzard is but, it just sounds kind of weird. But, hey - there is a first time for everything right?
Well, this week has been really good. We have had some good lessons with our three investigators that are progressing the most - Melvin, Stefani, and Fransisco. They are all really awesome and I have really really high hopes that they will all be baptized.
Stefani and Fransisco couldn't go to church but I hope that this week that they will go and be able to feel the spirit there. Every time we teach Fransisco who is 17/18 I think of him as a missionary. He is really intelligent and he knows that the gospel is true, I think its just a social matter of going to a knew church that is hard for him because he's been going to the Pentacostal church for a long time. But, if you can, keep him in your prayers - I know that Heavenly Father put him in our path and has great plans for him!
I know that this is the Lords work. I know that by reading the scriptures, especially the Book of Mormon our lives will change.
I love you!
Hermana Neff
P.S. Gabe, I think I'm going to be a vegetarian too when I get home from my mission!
Wow, your little vaca sounds really awesome! I agree about the warm weather. Mmmm, I love love love it. But, I think that the winter season is starting to go away and the really hot season is starting to come - supposedly in March to August is a killer. But, I'm enjoying it right now.
So, why did I mention gizzard in the subject line did you ask? Well, we were eating with our dueños last week and it was something really interesting - kind of an interesting texture then they told us it was gizzard. I don't really know what gizzard is but, it just sounds kind of weird. But, hey - there is a first time for everything right?
Well, this week has been really good. We have had some good lessons with our three investigators that are progressing the most - Melvin, Stefani, and Fransisco. They are all really awesome and I have really really high hopes that they will all be baptized.
Stefani and Fransisco couldn't go to church but I hope that this week that they will go and be able to feel the spirit there. Every time we teach Fransisco who is 17/18 I think of him as a missionary. He is really intelligent and he knows that the gospel is true, I think its just a social matter of going to a knew church that is hard for him because he's been going to the Pentacostal church for a long time. But, if you can, keep him in your prayers - I know that Heavenly Father put him in our path and has great plans for him!
I know that this is the Lords work. I know that by reading the scriptures, especially the Book of Mormon our lives will change.
I love you!
Hermana Neff
P.S. Gabe, I think I'm going to be a vegetarian too when I get home from my mission!
Dia de los Reyes
Mi Querido Familia,
I pretty much said everything in my email, but I forgot to mention Dia de Reyes! It is the bigger holiday, I think, that they have. Even bigger than Christmas. We had a district meeting that day and had to drive through town to get to the chapel. It was packed with people and horses. I think a better name would have been Dia de los Caballos (horses.)
It was the day for everyone to come and ride their horses through town. What a fun experience to be in the country and experience that. Luckily we were able to have one appointment that day and then we went to a party our ward mission leader had. Every year, los Reyes (the kings) come and pay a visit, but it's really three elders dressed up! They came out fully decked out in costume to greet the party. people were taking pictures with them and everyone was pretty excited.
Our zone leader was too tall to fit into the costume. He also tried, without success, to remind everyone that "los Reyes" couldn't give hugs to the women. Anyway, my first los Reyes experience was a lot of fun.
Well, I've got to go. Sorry I just talked about Reyes the whole time. I love you all. I know that the gospel is true with all my heart.
Love, Hermana Neff
(Editor's Note: Dia de los Reyes means, "Day of the Kings" and is symbolic of the wisemen coming to visit the baby Jesus.)
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Missionary Work is the Hope of the World
Well, its been a good week. We've had some let downs but mostly things are on the up and up. We found a new investigator, Stefani last week and have high hopes for her. She attended church with her grandma when she was 13 for a little while and remembers now, 6 years later that she liked church and she felt good there. We told her in the first lesson that Heavenly Father was probably preparing her to hear the truth of the gospel now. I actually didn't remember that we had told her that until we came back on Friday and she told us that after we had left she had been thinking about what we had said. Wow, I was amazed by that and that she took to heart our first lesson. There are so many people that don't really internalize what we teach them and it was such a blessing to hear that she had. We have felt the spirit a lot with her and have high hopes for her progression and that she will accept the gospel. I know that she has the potential to get baptised!
We are also working with Francisco. It was sad that he didn't come to church this Sunday after having taught him about keeping the Sabbath day holy but one of his good friends at school is a great missionary already and so we hope that with her encouragement he will take the leap to go to church.
There's been lots to write about but just to finish with the best part of the week was church. Although Francisco didn't come, I felt so happy to see Jose and LImari (the family that we helped to activate) in church. They have been coming for over a month now but every time I see them I am filled with joy. It wasn't us that did the work, but it was the spirit but I still love to enter into the chapel and see them sitting in the pews as a family. This gospel is so wonderful and I am so grateful for this grand opportunity that I have to be a member and a missionary!
I feel like my studies from the morning always have a way of sneaking their way through to my email. But, this morning we studied about the Book of Mormon a little bit in our Companionship studies. We read Jacob 4:1-4. Its Jacob talking about the Book of Mormon and that it was a sacrifice and a lot of work for them to write it on the plates. Wow, the more I study from the Book of Mormon the more I grow to love and treasure it. I think growing up I didn't realize that the rest of the world doesn't have this copy of wonderful and inspired scripture. But, now I realize how blessed we really are to have it, and how wonderful it really is. I was telling my comp. that this last week or so as we have been contacting and testifying of the Book of Mormong I have felt so much more conviction. Its not just that I am saying the words, but that I know its true and I want them to be able to take part in the joy that it brings. Anyway, just what I have been thinking lately and another reason why I love being on a mission :)
Enchantment\ missionary handbook of instruction moment - We read from the missionary manual every morning and read about local customs and etiquitte (sp?) and were reminded about our dinner appointment last night. The handbook says that you should be aware of the local customs and manners when eating - I decided that here in Puerto Rico it means eating EVERYTHING and more of what they give you - a.k.a. always eat seconds, sometimes thirds. Haha, anyway, it just made me laugh. So when I have to eat up I'll just think - "I'm just going along with the local customs and manners like it says!" Don't worry, I''m not worried about it - food - or anything, it just made me laugh this morning. Sorry, I don't know if you will understand what I just wrote :)
Well, I love you guys so so much and am so grateful that you are my family. Sometimes its hard to be away from you but when I remember what my purpose is here - to invite others to come unto Christ and help them recieve the restored gospel - I know that I need to be here. I was just reading again a couple of the things that the ward members wrote on my Christmas tree and I loved what Mike Orme said - that missionary work is the hope of the world - I know it is. I love hearing what is going on and being reminded that you pray for me. I pray for you too! I love you all so so much!
We are also working with Francisco. It was sad that he didn't come to church this Sunday after having taught him about keeping the Sabbath day holy but one of his good friends at school is a great missionary already and so we hope that with her encouragement he will take the leap to go to church.
There's been lots to write about but just to finish with the best part of the week was church. Although Francisco didn't come, I felt so happy to see Jose and LImari (the family that we helped to activate) in church. They have been coming for over a month now but every time I see them I am filled with joy. It wasn't us that did the work, but it was the spirit but I still love to enter into the chapel and see them sitting in the pews as a family. This gospel is so wonderful and I am so grateful for this grand opportunity that I have to be a member and a missionary!
I feel like my studies from the morning always have a way of sneaking their way through to my email. But, this morning we studied about the Book of Mormon a little bit in our Companionship studies. We read Jacob 4:1-4. Its Jacob talking about the Book of Mormon and that it was a sacrifice and a lot of work for them to write it on the plates. Wow, the more I study from the Book of Mormon the more I grow to love and treasure it. I think growing up I didn't realize that the rest of the world doesn't have this copy of wonderful and inspired scripture. But, now I realize how blessed we really are to have it, and how wonderful it really is. I was telling my comp. that this last week or so as we have been contacting and testifying of the Book of Mormong I have felt so much more conviction. Its not just that I am saying the words, but that I know its true and I want them to be able to take part in the joy that it brings. Anyway, just what I have been thinking lately and another reason why I love being on a mission :)
Enchantment\ missionary handbook of instruction moment - We read from the missionary manual every morning and read about local customs and etiquitte (sp?) and were reminded about our dinner appointment last night. The handbook says that you should be aware of the local customs and manners when eating - I decided that here in Puerto Rico it means eating EVERYTHING and more of what they give you - a.k.a. always eat seconds, sometimes thirds. Haha, anyway, it just made me laugh. So when I have to eat up I'll just think - "I'm just going along with the local customs and manners like it says!" Don't worry, I''m not worried about it - food - or anything, it just made me laugh this morning. Sorry, I don't know if you will understand what I just wrote :)
Well, I love you guys so so much and am so grateful that you are my family. Sometimes its hard to be away from you but when I remember what my purpose is here - to invite others to come unto Christ and help them recieve the restored gospel - I know that I need to be here. I was just reading again a couple of the things that the ward members wrote on my Christmas tree and I loved what Mike Orme said - that missionary work is the hope of the world - I know it is. I love hearing what is going on and being reminded that you pray for me. I pray for you too! I love you all so so much!
Monday, January 5, 2009
The endless party island.
Hi guys!!!!!
Wow, long absence of writing! Everything closes down for like a month here I've realized. It was lucky - a blessing - that we found this place to write, even though they charge like 7 doll-hairs an hour. Tomorrow is Dia de Reyes and its even bigger than Christmas. People are pretty reluctant to do anything the day of, before and after Dia de Reyes we are also finding out. Hahaha I have loved to be apart of the Puerto Rican culture and participate in the Parrandas - get togethers where they sing Puerto Rican folk songs... so so fun!
So the past few weeks have been a little bit slow for the holidays but the best news is that we found a new investigator. His name is Francisco and he is a 17 year old evangelist. He is really really awesome. He's read everything that we have given him to read and we also left him with the movie of the restoration. When we went back he said that he had watched it three times already and loves it!
He didn't really know if he had received an answer to his prayers but he didn't really understand what the spirit felt like, that it doesn't have to be anything big or even get the chills, just a peaceful feeling in your heart means Heavenly Father giving you your answer. When we helped him understand that, he was really touched. I know that he knows Heavenly Father has responded to him. He also invited his cousin to listen to us! Wow, I just have a great faith for him. I know that he will get baptized. The only tricky thing is that he lives kind of far away from the church and doesn't have a ride. But with faith and prayers everything will get worked out.
He is our most progressing investigator at the moment but we are working hard to get others. I know that the Lord is in this work. I'm grateful for this time that I have to email because I am reminded of how much He is in the work and how much His hand is in each one of our lives. I know Heavenly Father lives. I know that He loves us. I know that He sent His son to die for us. That is why I'm here. I love you all - keep up the good work over in P-town. I'm praying for all y'all!
Love
Hermana Neff
Wow, long absence of writing! Everything closes down for like a month here I've realized. It was lucky - a blessing - that we found this place to write, even though they charge like 7 doll-hairs an hour. Tomorrow is Dia de Reyes and its even bigger than Christmas. People are pretty reluctant to do anything the day of, before and after Dia de Reyes we are also finding out. Hahaha I have loved to be apart of the Puerto Rican culture and participate in the Parrandas - get togethers where they sing Puerto Rican folk songs... so so fun!
So the past few weeks have been a little bit slow for the holidays but the best news is that we found a new investigator. His name is Francisco and he is a 17 year old evangelist. He is really really awesome. He's read everything that we have given him to read and we also left him with the movie of the restoration. When we went back he said that he had watched it three times already and loves it!
He didn't really know if he had received an answer to his prayers but he didn't really understand what the spirit felt like, that it doesn't have to be anything big or even get the chills, just a peaceful feeling in your heart means Heavenly Father giving you your answer. When we helped him understand that, he was really touched. I know that he knows Heavenly Father has responded to him. He also invited his cousin to listen to us! Wow, I just have a great faith for him. I know that he will get baptized. The only tricky thing is that he lives kind of far away from the church and doesn't have a ride. But with faith and prayers everything will get worked out.
He is our most progressing investigator at the moment but we are working hard to get others. I know that the Lord is in this work. I'm grateful for this time that I have to email because I am reminded of how much He is in the work and how much His hand is in each one of our lives. I know Heavenly Father lives. I know that He loves us. I know that He sent His son to die for us. That is why I'm here. I love you all - keep up the good work over in P-town. I'm praying for all y'all!
Love
Hermana Neff
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