I love you all
Elder Howard
ps. WATCH CONFERENCE THIS WEEKEND...
pss. I'm going to share one of my questions with you... "Do the modern day 12 apostles walk and talk with Christ"
Monday, September 30, 2013
The Target is Eternity
This week has been a very special week. As we had our 2nd conference with President Dalton, I guess he is still new to all of us elders and sisters. But it was a really special conference for me personally. Other then the fact that President Dalton is known for his long wind, the spirit testified a couple things to me that really hit home. With president Bruce... the focus was BAPTIZE BAPTIZE BAPTIZE. And many times we as missionaries, we so overwhelmed with the fact the we need to baptize the world, that we kinda created a mess. Well its really hard to explain over email... but in the end the Lord has helped me understand the importance of the new vision that our mission president has right now. We are going crazy trying to do EVERYTHING in our power to help our wards and stake here in IQUIQUE and we are seeing progress. This week we had 100 people in church... a great feat here in the ward. The vision to work with members is harder and we as a mission are baptizing more then 70% LESS people already. after 3 months with the new president our baptisms have dropped... but I have the faith that his vision will take flight and we will be able to reach goals. I however, will never have to opportunity to see the great results of what we are doing right now.. he has compared us to the "forefathers" of this new mission. So my work may go unnoticed but I know I am giving my all, and I am doing in the in way and in the name of the Lord. That is what matters.. not how many baptisms one finishes their mission with. Anyways.. I will send voice messages next week.. some good funny stories have happened recently! ;)
Mormon Message
Well this week was the famous 18th of September.. and needless to say.. a set back in the work of the Lord. The 18th of this month, Chileans celebrate their own 4th of July or Independence day. Here known as "Fiestas Patrias".. Everyone here gets work of for the whole week and spend the majority of their time eating lots of BBQ's and throwing back their classic 12 pack of cheap beer. Our sector was dead, literally felt like we were in a ghost town. But we made it through the week! Thank goodness. It would have been fine in we could have done a ward activity but last minute they said changed their minds. So we found other things to do to have fun and still try and be somewhat productive. We had family home evenings in the church, played some ping pong ect. I'm stoked to be able to start a new week though.
We just got done planning a sick activity. In some of the pictures that I have sent home there is a place called Plaza Prat.. it has some cool buildings and everything. Any who, we talked with the local government and scheduled a time for October 5th (none other than conference day) to watch Saturdays sessions of General conference in public with everyone so they can listen to a prophets voice. Lots of planning! hehe
This week we had a really cool experience. So we went to visit one of the recent converts here in our sector (Jorge) and he just got the M. priesthood like 3 weeks ago. He is the only member of his family and his wife and kids don't really support him in the whole "church thing". So he told us Saturday when we went to visit him, that earlier at work that very day, he was about to commit a sin, very serious sin. He goes on and says the temptation grew so strong that he couldn't think straight, He told us that he had the circumstances present to commit adultery and he was seriously contemplating it. He said in that moment he quickly knelt down to do a prayer. In that instant a power, and an overcoming sensation came over him telling him "DONT DO IT". And with Jorge's new found strength, he fled from the temptation and when quickly to him home to be with his family.
His story reminded me of a Mormon message... http://www.deseretn
I couldn't help but commend him for making the right decision. He is such a great guy, I truly love him. I also reassured him that Satan's temptations never cease.. we just have to keep fighting his evil ways and gain the momentum that we obtain as we dedicate our lives to living the Lords commandments! The thing is, as we see the affects of looking at pornography in the video, I know that we could replace that with many other sins in its place and have very similar destructive results. As Elder Holland requests, "Watch our steps".
I love you all and look forward to your emails next week!
Love, Elder Buck W. Howard
Monday, September 23, 2013
Fiestas Patrias
Well this week was the famous 18th of September.. and needless to say.. a set back in the work of the Lord. The 18th of this month, Chileans celebrate their own 4th of July or Independence day. Here known as "Fiestas Patrias".. Everyone here gets work of for the whole week and spend the majority of their time eating lots of BBQ's and throwing back their classic 12 pack of cheap beer. Our sector was dead, literally felt like we were in a ghost town. But we made it through the week! Thank goodness. It would have been fine in we could have done a ward activity but last minute they said changed their minds. So we found other things to do to have fun and still try and be somewhat productive. We had family home evenings in the church, played some ping pong ect. I'm stoked to be able to start a new week though.
We just got done planning a sick activity. In some of the pictures that I have sent home there is a place called Plaza Prat.. it has some cool buildings and everything. Any who, we talked with the local government and scheduled a time for October 5th (none other than conference day) to watch Saturdays sessions of General conference in public with everyone so they can listen to a prophets voice. Lots of planning! hehe
This week we had a really cool experience. So we went to visit one of the recent converts here in our sector (Jorge) and he just got the M. priesthood like 3 weeks ago. He is the only member of his family and his wife and kids don't really support him in the whole "church thing". So he told us Saturday when we went to visit him, that earlier at work that very day, he was about to commit a sin, very serious sin. He goes on and says the temptation grew so strong that he couldn't think straight, He told us that he had the circumstances present to commit adultery and he was seriously contemplating it. He said in that moment he quickly knelt down to do a prayer. In that instant a power, and an overcoming sensation came over him telling him "DONT DO IT". And with Jorge's new found strength, he fled from the temptation and when quickly to him home to be with his family.
His story reminded me of a Mormon message... http://www.deseretn
I couldn't help but commend him for making the right decision. He is such a great guy, I truly love him. I also reassured him that Satan's temptations never cease.. we just have to keep fighting his evil ways and gain the momentum that we obtain as we dedicate our lives to living the Lords commandments! The thing is, as we see the affects of looking at pornography in the video, I know that we could replace that with many other sins in its place and have very similar destructive results. As Elder Holland requests, "Watch our steps".
I love you all and look forward to your emails next week!
Love, Elder Buck W. Howard
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Successful Family
Well, long and behold transfer day came along. Elder Butler is on his way to Arica. I will be staying in Iquique with my last companion Elder Levi.. He is from La Pampa, Argentina. It is a special assignment that I have been given from our mission president. When the assistants called me to advise me of my transfer they went into some detail about why I need to be his companion and some of the difficulties that he is having. I don't think I need to go into specifics but I know it will be a challenge. I don't know who he is but I am excited to be 100% obedient with him and become his new best friend. And I'm excited to have a Latin comp too.. its been practically 1 year since I've had a Latin comp. Maybe I will learn Spanish again! But, I will be missing my boy Elder Butler but he will be blessed with this new transfer. He is finally getting a Latin comp so he can get better at Spanish.. I didn't help him all that much with that one but now all is good there. He is also going as a co Sr. comp. kinda weird but good for him hehe. As far as the rest of the transfers in the mission.. all of my good mission buddies are happy throughout the mission.
I just got done reading Elder Walker Wards last email as he will be home this Wednesday.. he said that the last part is a hard mentally. I know Its going to be a good metal battle fighting through the last stretch of the mish. With this new assignment it will test me to the max but I am prepared and don't worry at all. I give a shout out to my boy walker, and I know that he was one of the best missionaries in the world.
This week was an awesome week to finish the transfer. Sunday was such a great day. We had the baptism of Andres... We had been waiting along time for that baptism. It was partially sad because we were waiting for his older brother (Joshua) to baptize him, he just needed permission from the bishop to do it... but his girlfriend came into town from Bolivia and fell into temptation. And as a result, he wasn't able to baptize his brother. We are going to continue working with Joshua to help him stay strong in the church... It was sad to hear when he told us he wasn't going to be able to baptize his brother. And he felt even worse that day when he watched my companion baptize his brother for him. That's a lesson learned right there... ALWAYS be worthy and ready to use the priesthood.
Also, in Church Sunday we had received so many blessings! We had randomly show up one of our new investigators named Roxana, who is a single mom that wants to quit taking drugs. It was such a surprise that she really showed up after only teaching her once. Of course she showed up dressed like she just got back from the late night dance club... but that's fixing for later time. She is awesome, she stayed for the classes and participated a ton. She wanted to stand up in front of everyone and tell her experience about why she needs and wants to stop taking drugs and how she knows that this Church is the way to do it. She made tons of friends and loved the class.
Also, Gonzalo and Cindy(a really good couple that we found and are teaching) came and it was practically the same story as Roxana, they were both talking so much about how special the Church was and it was their 1st time being there. FINALLY we are finding some good investigators to be able to teach, take to church, and baptize. Things are going great..
We had a great lesson by Elder Rodriguez in the Gospel principles class. It was based on how to have a successful family. I challenge all to read the chapter that talks about the family in the Gospel principles manuel. This is the part that I want you to print and apply and always keep it in mind!
How to Have a Successful Family
- •What are you doing to help strengthen your family and make it successful?
President Harold B. Lee taught, “The most important of the Lord’s work you will ever do will be within the walls of your own homes” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Harold B. Lee [2000], 134).
Satan knows how important families are to our Heavenly Father’s plan. He seeks to destroy them by keeping us from drawing near to the Lord. He will tempt us to do things that will draw our families apart.
The First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles declared, “Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities” (Ensign, Nov. 1995, 102).
All of us want to have happy, successful families. The following things will help us achieve this:
- 1. Have family prayer every night and morning (see 3 Nephi 18:21). Pray together as husband and wife.
- 2. Teach children the gospel every week in family home evening.
- 3. Study the scriptures regularly as a family.
- 4. Do things together as a family, such as work projects, outings, and decision making.
- 5. Learn to be kind, patient, long-suffering, and charitable (see Moroni 7:45–48).
- 6. Attend Church meetings regularly (see D&C 59:9–10).
- 7. Follow the counsel of the Lord in D&C 88:119: “Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God.”
- 8. Keep a family history, perform temple work together, and receive the sealing ordinances of the temple.
The family is the most important unit in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Church exists to help families gain eternal blessings and exaltation. The organizations and programs within the Church are designed to strengthen us individually and help us live as families forever.
If we cant check yes on every single one of those 8 points... We know that we have something to work on!
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