The Power of Members - Sept 3, 2013

Hola Todos!

 

Our Mission President has been encouraging us to visit more members, even the active members and help them become involved in the missionary process. 

 

We have many different ideas for mini-missionary lessons, and we visit lots of members.  One of our ideas is to teach the members one of the missionary lessons.  But before we start the lesson we ask them to think about all the people they know while we are teaching, and who could benefit from knowing what they know.

 

We were eating dinner with one family, the Lasoyas, and we were teaching them the Plan of Salvation.  I love teaching members the plan of salvation, because they already know all the principles, and we don't get stuck on some point because they don't understand.  When we were down, we asked them, who came to their mind while we were teaching, and Hermano Lasoya said, Samuel.  We then invited the Lasoyas to invite Samuel to their home and teach him the Plan of Salvation without us, and then we would join in for the second lesson (This has been something we have been trying recently.  To have the members have a Family Home Evening in the their and invite someone to come and teach them.  Then invite the missionaries for the second lesson.) They said that they would, and we were excited to teach Samuel.

 

Then when we get out of dinner, we had a voicemail on our phone from the Garcia family.  They said that there was a couple at their house right now, and that they had lots of questions about the church, and if we could please come over.  So we go to the Garcia family, and we meet Samuel and his wife Aracely.  And yes, it was the same Samuel.  :D

 

Both Hermano Garcia and Hermano Lasoya work with Samuel. 

 

Aracely was recently given a bible and she skipped to Revelations.  She realized that she needed to get saved real soon, but she was confused about which church.  She asked Samuel, who asked Hermano Garcia, who invited them to their home, and taught them the Plan of Salvation at the same time we were teaching the Lasoyas the Plan of Salvation.  Coincidence, I think not.

 

We taught them the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to answer Aracely's question about which church she should join.

 

Unfortunately Samuel and Aracely live outside of our area, but for now we have permission to continue teaching them because their member fellowship is here.  That means that all of our lessons with them are going to have to be in member homes. :D

 

They didn't make it to church this sunday, because it was Samuel's birthday, but Aracely has read all of the Plan of Salvation and the Restoration pamphlet and has done all of the questions in the back.  And she has read the first chapter in the Book of Mormon. 

 

We are going to meet with them again tonight, and they should progress fast!  We are super excited for them!

 

Really when members get involved with missionary work, the people are found who are ready for the gospel right now!  It is really cool!

 

Will you invite one of your friends to your home and teach them the plan of salvation or share a scripture with them?  You can make it a dinner if you'd like, sometimes it is easier to invite someone over for dinner instead of inviting them over to study the scriptures.  Then will you invite them to meet with the missionaries, while they are at your home?

 

If you do so, I promise you that God will place people in your paths who are ready for the gospel, and you will understand more about the atonement and you will feel a greater peace in your life and greater happiness in your family.

 

Nos vemos,

Hermana Julie Anna Sanchez

The 2nd Book of Julie Anna -- Chapter 11 - August 26, 2013

1. And it came to pass that Hermana Sanchez and Hermana Bush went out to teach in the fruitful lands of Zarahemla and Bountiful (These lands are known to some as Southside Fort Worth).

 

2. And behold, all the day long they did teach and exhort all to come unto Christ.   They were one in purpose and united by the power of God.  Yea, and they taught as ones having authority, yea, even a power, which did come from God. 

 

3. And, they did invite all to come unto Christ.  They did talk with the people in the streets and they did talk with the people in their homes, and they did preach in the homes of the members of the Church of Christ. 

 

4. And behold, they did meet many new people which had never before heard of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Yea, and they taught them of the Prophet Joseph Smith, and they did unfold all things unto their understanding.  And the people were astonished and the power of the spirit was upon them.

 

5. Yea, and behold, they did continue to teach beginning at the world that existed before time began, and they did continue through the Creation of Adam and Eve, and did preach from all the Holy Scriptures.  And they did teach all about the Savior and his atonement.  Yea, and they continued to teach even until they taught all, and taught all about the resurrection and the judgement and the kingdoms of glory.

 

6. And they did teach many about the doctrine of Christ.  Yea, they did exhort all to continue to strengthen their great faith in the Lord by learning more.  And they declared repentance unto them.  And they did invite them to be baptized in the name of the Holy One of Israel, so that they could be blessed from on high, by receiving the Holy Ghost.  Yea, and they did teach them to continue in the faith, yea, even until the end of their days.

 

7.  And once they had taught them the gospel of Jesus Christ, they did make known unto them the commandments of the Lord.

 

8.  Yea, and they did share many scriptures.

 

9.  And they fasted and prayed oft, so that the Holy Spirit could be with them, and they did study and search the holy scriptures diligently. 

 

10.  And behold they lived after the manner of happiness.

Birthright blessings - August 19, 2013

Hola Todos,

 

On Tuesday we had Zone Conference and it was super powerful.  We really focused on teaching the Plan of Salvation with power and authority.

 

How many members of the lost tribes have been gathered?  (see Article of Faith 1:1) 

 

Well in order to answer that question, you need to understand who the lost tribes are.  When the house of Israel split and the 10 tribes went north, only Judah and Benjamin stayed behind.  That makes all of the other tribes the lost ten tribes.  Which means that Ephraim and Manasseh are most definitely lost tribes.  So, about 14 million members of the lost 10 tribes of Israel have been found when they were baptized into the fold of God. 

 

Read this article in the Guide to the scriptures to learn more about the House of Israel and our role in the last days: Israel. Pay particular attention to the last paragraph underneath the Twelve Tribes of Israel.  This describes what the role of Ephraim is in the latter days.  If you read Deuteronomy 33:13-17, you will realize that this work is the work of the Tribes of Joseph, which means that it is not just Ephraim but also Manasseh.  As members of the Tribe of Joseph, we have the responisbility and the birthright to share the gospel with all of the world.

 

This is what we are trying to teach all of our members.  Let me know if you have any ideas or scriptures that we can share to help our members understand their birthright. 

Let me know if you have any stories or experiences sharing the gospel.

 

Now is the time of the hastening of the work and it is time to Wake the Sleeping Giant of the 14 million latter day saints.  Imagine how great the church would grow if every single member of the church brought one soul unto Christ.  Now imagine how great it would grow if every Latter Day saint brought many souls unto Christ.   Will you accept your birthright? 

 

Will you invite your friends to come unto Christ?

 

Hurrah for Israel!

Hermana Julie Anna Sanchez

Joke of the Week

Sorry, we do not have much time to email today, so here is the joke of the week:

 

Por que los lamanitas tenian ropa arrogada?

Por que los nefitas tenian las planchas. 

 

Why did the Lamanites have wrinkled clothes?

Because the Nephites had the (plates/irons). 

 

 

Quote of the week:

Tirale al cielo para que le des al cerro porque si no le das a un perro.

 

Throw it to the sky so that it will land on a hill, because if not you will give it to a dog.

 

This is an expression that has similiar connations as "Reach for the moon, for if you miss at least  you'll be among the stars."

 

 

My new companion, Hermana Bush, is wonderful.  She is from Boise, Idaho.  She is 19, and was one of the first 19 year olds to come out to the field.  She has a strong testimony and is a great missionary. 

 

Que les vayan bien,

Hermana Julie Anna Sanchez

Intercambios

Monday, we taught Yesenia.  She made us dinner, and she invited her fellowshipper over.  That was cool.  One of her fellowshippers is Randi.  She is friends with Brian and Jenae.  Small world.  Because Yesenia is 18 and unmarried, we have been trying to get her involved in the YSA ward a little as well.  So after dinner, Randi took Yesenia to the YSA family home evening. 

 

Tuesday I went on exchanges with the other Hermanas in our ward.  I went to the other area.  Their area is still the southside of Fort Worth, but farther north than our area.  (We cover everything from the 820 south and everything from the 35 west, more or less).  It was fun to go to their area and meet some of their investigators. 

 

We taught lots of people, and they are all progressing at some level or another, but we are still struggling to get people to come to church.  Just come to church!

 

On Saturday, I went with the other Hermanas again for a few hours, while Hermana Gomez went to Hurst for the new trainer meeting. 

 

I also bought some Cowboy boots at the Pulga when we went on Saturday, after Hermana Gomez got back.   :D

 

Que les vayan bien,

Hermana Julie Anna Sanchez

 

 

 

 

Pioneer Day - We walked and walked and walked!

Hola todos!  Ojala que todo este bien para uds. 

 

We realized that Alma's name is reallly Alba.  So we've been calling her the wrong name for a while.  :D It is a good thing that she likes us.

 

On Monday we went over to see them, and they let us right in, then the children and the husband all scattered.  The children is understandable, but I am sick of flojo husbands.  Alba was helping out some of her friends and letting them stay with her while they find a place to live.  So we taught them the restoration.  And it was almost like a member present lesson.  Alba shared about the book of mormon and bore her testimony about it.  It was really cool.

 

We taught Alba again yesterday, and we taught her the gospel of Jesus Christ.  We told her that the church respects the father as the head of the family, but if he isn't ready to get baptized and she is, then she can get baptized with his permission, and set an example for him.  We really want the whole family to get baptized, but Manuel won't even stay around for the lessons, and Alba is so ready for the gospel.  We set a baptismal date with her for August 31st and she wants it so badly. 

 

The major story of the week is that we found Adolfo.  Adolfo was an investigator that Hermana Gomez and Olander were teaching a while ago, but then, his "family" kicked him out of his house, and moved him somewhere in Joshua, but couldn't remember where he was at.  He wanted to get baptized, but he wanted to wait until his wife came her from El Salvador and get baptized at the same time.  He had been saving up money for her to come, and she should have been coming in a few months. So, basically, they had this really super awesome investigator, who was lost and couldn't be found.

 

But we've been trying to find this guy for a while.  Several weeks ago, we got some sketchy directions from his nephew, and drove out into the middle of nowhere, and couldn't find him.  So we called prayed and asked the Lord for help.  Then we called his nephew, and all of a sudden, he remembered perfectly how to get to Adolfo's house, and he even remembered what number it was.

 

So we went down and followed the new directions, and he was there.  And he had just talked to his wife, and she had already gotten baptized, so he wanted to get baptized too.  We set a baptismal date with him for August 3rd. 

 

But then we went and taught him yesterday, and he is going to be moving to Houston this week, so he won't be able to get baptized up here.  But the missionaries down in Houston are going to love him!

 

Our biggest problem with our investigators is getting them to church.  If they would just come to church, then everything would be great! 

 

We teach lots of lessons, but we spend time finding even more.  We always need more investigators.  Always.

 

There haven't been a lot of changes with the new Mission President.  His big push is to double all of our efforts.  Which we are going to do, and it will be awesome.

 

For the 24th of July, my companion and I sang Come, Come ye Saints.  Then we walked and walked and walked and walked. :) and we did lots of missionary work.

 

con amor,

Hermana Julie Anna Sanchez

Missionary Work is the best!

Hola todos.

 

Well, it was just a normal week in the life of a missionary.  We found, we taught, and we invited lots of people to be baptized. 

 

This week, we went and taught someone in the street.  And she told me that I barely have an accent!  That makes me so happy.  Me encanta espanol!

 

Our ward also had a talent show this week.  It was a fun activity.  The spanish ward is super talented!

 

Tenga un buen dia.

 

Hermana Julie Anna Sanchez

 

P.S. as you can tell, I am running out of new things to write about.  Could you ask me questions to help the creative juices flow?