Who knew it was so simple?

Hey family!! :)

 

Well it was another really good week in the mission! All seemed to go really well. It definitely had its hard moments but I really feel like I put my heart 100% into the work this week!

 

We set teaching goals for the month, so Elder Alvarado and I both prayed and we felt there are 4 people we need to work with. We weren't 100% sure where they would come from at first but we knew that should be the goal! We then got the advice from Elder Jones that we should pray to know who those four would be so we could focus ourselves in. We then prayed and wrote down who we felt. Once again we compared and the names were exactly the same! Definitely a week of receiving revelation which was one of my goals for this week!

 

So far it is looking really rough to see anyone getting baptized this month, but what we have been talking about a lot is faith. I know that I received revelation from the Lord and that He will not fail me in this if I am truly giving 100% everyday! I am not sure how the future will go but I must trust in the Lord and do my part and the blessings will come!

 

That is really crazy that McKenzie is in college! Her dorm is definitely much nicer than mine! But just so Markus Beus doesn't say anything if he ever reads this, BYU Provo will ever be the Lord's true University ;) It sounds like McKenzie is having a good time up there! You two look pretty down about her leaving haha. That is so weird though that Ashley is the only kid in the house! How is she liking it so far? Bored out of her mind or is she keeping pretty busy?

 

Sounds like you had lots of fun this week Dad, but how did Mom like that? Haha. Did you find a bunch of information for genealogy at least?

 

Thanks for the addresses. I sent Dallin a letter a while back. Did he never get it? If not I will send him another one! Tell him to send the college pictures also ;)  Thanks for the updates on Mishelle too.  I can't believe she is still in the hospital.  I will keep her in my prayers.

 

That's pretty crazy that the blog is already up to 2000 views. I'm not sure why. My letters have been pretty boring lately! There isn't much to do here in Tepa haha. On P day about all we do is wash clothes, clean the house, eat, write the family, then at the end of the day write some letters, sleep, or just chill for a bit. It is kind of sad being an hour away from the rest of the zone haha. 

 

Oh I had some questions. Is Wade on his mission? Kevin Jurgensmeier? Craig Sanderson? Will you check on that for me please? :)

 

How is Ashley liking being back in high school? Does she think she in the queen of the world? Haha :)

 

I hope you all keep receiving the blessings of the Lord in your life! I know it is by the obedience that we receive blessings. One of the greatest blessings we have here on the earth is the family and the Spirit. As we allow the Spirit to be present in our home through obedience and the commandments of the Lord we will truly find happiness in life. That is the secret to happiness. The Spirit! And how do we have the Spirit of the Lord in our lives? By truly living the gospel of Jesus Christ. Keeping his commandments, developing Christlike attributes, searching the scriptures, praying, and by serving others. Who knew it was so simple?? :)

 

I hope the Lord will continue to bless you all in every aspect of life this week and forever! Keep being great!

 

Love you!

Elder O'Brien :)

Looking for the Chosen

Hey family!!

 

Well this was another quick week! I'm not sick today either so I can actually remember it all hahaha.

 

That is way exciting that you are getting everything ready at the Hobby Center again and making it all pretty! Ha. That is absolutely disgusting though that you've had some stuff in there for 20 years! Haha. I bet it feels great to get that all cleaned out and everything is looking new again!

Kuna got another new football coach eh? Well they already have won one game! That ties the amount of wins they had as a team my Senior year! It is good to hear they started off the year well! Grandma told me that BSU lost their first game to some no namer but BYU won. That's all good with me! :)

 

That is weird to think that McKenzie is finally off to college! Tell her good luck! She is going to absolutely love it up there! And she will be right next door to Jenny all the time so that's good! Tell her to keep her room clean and help keep the kitchen clean and everything! ;)

 

I haven't gotten a letter from John and Michelle and them yet but the Zone Leaders are going to the offices on Wednesday I believe so it should be here for next Tuesday! We'll see what they say though?

 

That is crazy about Mishelle Wasden! I will be sure to keep her in my prayers! I hope everything goes well for her.  Keep me updated on how she is doing.  That must be really difficult for her family.

 

That is great what is going on with Joey up there in Tijuana. Tell him to keep having fun up there! Will you get me his address please? Also Michael Shreeve's address if you could? :)

 

Well nothing too crazy to report this week! We have been trying to look for more chosen investigators. Many have been so so in the interest to follow the commandments of the Lord. That is something that has really surprised me more that anything in my mission. The true reason the church membership is fairly small isn't because the people are looking to prove us wrong. I thought I would have to be dealing with that all my mission. But the true reason is that the number of people who truly want to know the will of God in these days is very limited! We were very blessed this week! We found two more very chosen people yesterday and one during the week! One actually started crying the first time we met her!

 

We went to visit the mom of a less active family and this lady was sitting outside talking with her also. So naturally we introduced ourselves and she asked what we did as missionaries. She then asked us some questions and we wound up explaining part of the Plan of Salvation. It then started to rain so we went inside of her ''garage'' to talk. She told us a story for about an hour about how her son had gotten extremely sick and just how big of a trial that was for her when he nearly died. She was a little teary at one point. We had to be getting back home but I was able to testify of the purpose of life on Earth and we have another appointment to see her on Wednesday.

 

We also met the girlfriend and the sister of a current investigator. We have baptismal dates for them all at the end of the month. We truly were blessed this week to find so many great new investigators! :)

 

Something funny this week. I went to make pancakes this morning and we mix it in the blender cuz we don't have a mixing bowl. I put everything in the blender cup thing ready to mix it up. When I went to lift it up EVERYTHING spilled on the counter, on the floor, and on me! I was so confused. I had no idea what happened. When I looked over by the blender machine I saw the bottom of the blender cup. The bottom was not connected! Oh man was that quite a mystery solved and definitely a big mess to clean up! :)

 

Oh just a heads up for the next package that you send...will you send some marshmallows and graham crackers? I hope you know what I am planning to make :) Oh and pudding mix also if you could! The type where you just add milk ;)

 

Well it was a really good week and we saw many blessings! I know that obedience, faith, prayer, and fasting really do make a difference for all of us. I hope you have a really good week and that the Lord continues to bless you all in every aspect of life!

Love you all

 

Elder O'Brien :)

Tender Blessings

Hey family!!!

 

Well this week went by way fast! I am having a hard time to remember all that happened!

 

The interview with President Camarillo went really well! He is a really great guy! It is amazing how you are able to feel the Spirit just talking to him! The food isn't too different here in Tepa. The people are really nice and all is good! We don't ever feed ourselves besides P day. The same members feed us every week which is nice because I am able to get to know the members really well!

 

Haha I am pretty sure that there is no such thing as normal life mom. That is why it is called life hahaha.

 

Is it weird only having one kid in high school? We only missed having all three of us in high school by one year!

 

Well I am a little sick right now so I don't remember everything from this week. It went well. We got to meet with some good investigators. We have 6 people with baptismal dates right now which is really exciting! Edgar has been having a hard time lately and didn't want to come to church but his parents came and stayed the WHOLE time! That was definitely a tender blessing of the Lord. It was all thanks to the members. It was so great to see them all getting involved! Definitely a dream come true!

 

Another cool spiritual experience is that I was feeling pretty sick last night but we went to visit an investigator who is really coming along. It was really hard for me to stay focused because I was seriously about to fall asleep. But I was praying for the Spirit and then when I went to testify I felt fine again. It is amazing how the Spirit helps us!

Not too much else happened this week. We kept working hard and we have some pretty great results! We still need a lot more references but we are trying our best!

 

Well hope you have another great week family! Good luck everyone is school and college! Life is great!

 

Love Elder O'Brien ;)

All is well in Tepa

Hey fam!!!

It was another quick week! Hope everything has been going great!! All is going well here in Tepatitlan! Sounds like everyone has been having lots of fun back home in the last couple weeks of summer! Everyone is starting to get busy again that is for sure!

Oh good you got my package! I wasn't sure if it would make it to you or not haha. That's good to know everything made it there safely! Have you started studying you Spanish yet?? ;)

Well I've only got 8 months out but hey it's a going and going quick for that! The language has definitely improved a ton in the last couple months. Elder Alvarado speaks literally zero English so it has definitely helped a ton. It was different having an American companion for so long. Now that the language has improved, I feel much more at home now. I have a feeling I will be here in Tepatitlan til Christmas so if it doesn't feel like home yet it sure will soon! Haha. 

It has already been a year since the sealing! Man time sure goes quick!

You are leaving to Portland again?? Man you spoil Dad way too much! Haha. What is McKenzie thinking to do for her birthday? It is true. Good thing Grandma lives right next door :)

Is McKenzie all packed up and ready to go to college? haha. I'm sure she is just dying to get out the door!

Things have been going pretty well here in Tepa. It was a quick week. We were definitely blessed in many different ways! During the week we worked hard to visit many different people and we were able to see many great results on Sunday. We had  39 people in church!!! It was much better than the 29 last week haha. We were also able to get 5 investigators and 5 less actives to come with us this week. We are going to keep working hard with everyone and we hope we can get more and more in church every week! It is definitely exciting to see!

The spiritual experience this week happened during my interview with President Camarillo. He is doing interviews with everyone and I was the first one. I'm still not sure if that is good or bad hahaha. We got talking and he asked me a question that really got to me! He said, "What do you think your family does at the end of every night? 'Haha man I couldn't hold back the tears when he asked me that. It really made me realize how blessed I am here in the mission because of your prayers and all the help you give to me. Thanks for all that you do for me fam!! :)

A fun experience this week was last night we went to have a FHE and we got to play some games. We are working a lot with the less actives because we still haven't gotten references from anyone. That is the harder thing about being out here in a small branch and we can't contact. We have a FHE tonight though so that should be really helpful to get some good references going!

It sounds like Mark and Dallin had a really good week! That is crazy that Mark's trainer is Elder Henderson! It seems like forever ago that I was with Elder Henderson at EFY. I saw him a bit in the MTC also! Hope they are doing great. Dallin sounds like he is staying busy out there in  New Mexico haha.

Well I am looking forward to another real great week in the mission! I have a feeling I will learn much this week and I know as I look to learn the Lord will help me to receive the revelation to help the people here in Tepatitlan so that we can continue to have more and more people in church and to receive more and more references from the members!

Thanks for everything fam!! Hope you have a great week! Be safe and have fun!

Love ya!!!

Elder O'Brien :)

Do as I say

Hey family! 

This week was pretty great!

That is great that Dakota Whiting is getting off. I thought he had already left actually. Zac will be heading off next pretty quickly! Just another month and a half!  

That is so crazy that McKenzie is getting all ready for college! She's off in about three weeks eh? Oh man that is so awesome! I remember buying all the stuff to get ready! It is definitely an exciting time. That is crazy I was getting ready to head off to college a year ago! Ah it seems like it was just yesterday! This whole idea of time is really starting to get to my head! Haha. What kind of computer did you get her? One for lots of video games huh? ;) Haha she doesn't even need a computer anymore with that phone she's got! Haha. She told me that has become her life! 

Sounds like McKenzie had the time of her life at institute. Geez! Haha. If you think that is bad just wait until BYU I DO. Haha. That is a good contract you've got going with her. Be sure to establish the regulations that explain the difference between going out on a date and hanging out haha. That is the universal sticky spot of dating hahahaha.

Who has taken over the Elder's quorum presidency?

Is Bourne Legacy another new movie to the Bourne series? I hadn't heard anything about it. How was Spiderman? I heard it wasn't that great either.  

Ahhh Ashley is free on the road in one more week! Nuts!

You've got Austin Ferguson as a home teacher now! Ahhh lucky! Haha that must be so fun! 

I heard about the hurricane. We have been getting a little bit more rain lately but it is the rainy season so I didn't really think anything of it until someone said something about the hurricane. All is well over here though! 

Truly nothing too crazy happened this week as far as I can remember. I got the packages though! Dang that was exciting. They were so great! The greatest part was that book of pictures you put together though! I was really confused when I pulled it out at first though. I was thinking...what in the world is this??? Hahaha. I opened it though and I was so excited! Ahh greatest surprise ever! Now I know why you wanted that SD card haha. I'll be sure to send another copy of the SD card in a couple months. The ties were so awesome! I am wearing them all haha. I already ate all the food also hahaha. I also got a couple letters this week. Anna Farris and Abigail Kirkman! It was way awesome to hear from those two! Sounds like they are all doing great up there! 

In this next one you send the only other thing I need right now is another one of those gels that you sent me. Just to be sure that I don't run out. Then a bunch a pictures. Other than that I am doing great right now with everything! Oh and don't forget the journal also haha. 

A funny experience this week....hmmm....oh I got it! So I also got my package from Paola, Yoselin, and Sandra this week. I opened it and they sent me a Taylor Swift shirt! Oh course I quickly pulled it out and put it on. I quickly realized though it was a shirt for girls hahahahaha. I still love it though. It is from her Love Story CD. It is way awesome! They want you to put up some of the pictures I have with it. 

A spiritual experience from this week....We went to visit some more of the less actives and while we were talking about the Restoration, I felt the impression to speak more about Prophets and explain more of their role for the world. I then explained how they teach us God's will in these days because the people of the world are continually changing but God never changes. My companion with that then explained how Joseph Smith revealed to the world "The Word of Wisdom". We didn't think so before but we came to know that our investigator had some problems with the Word of Wisdom. It was great because we were then able to help him begin to overcome those problems. It is amazing how the Spirit guides us and He truly directs everything in missionary work.

Changes were today but nothing changed here in Tepatitlan. I am still here with Elder Alvarado. We look forward to six more weeks together. 

Everything has been really great lately though. We don't have much going as far as investigators right now but I know as we continue to work hard and help the members they will be led to their friends who are ready to receive the gospel at this time.

It is great that all is going well up there in Idaho. I know as you continue to be obedient to the commandments of the Lord he will continue to bless you in every aspect of your lives. "For I the Lord am bound when ye do as I say, but when ye do not as I say, ye have no promise."

Keep being great and have another good week. You are all in my prayers. Thanks for all your support and all the blessings I receive from all of you. 

Love you!!

Elder O'Brien :)

A Dream Moment

Hey fam!!!!

Well it was another great week for me and it sounds like it went well for all of you also!

Sounds like everyone is working like crazy up there! Ashley is nervous for drivers training?? That is not her at all haha. Though I'm sure it will be good so she isn't too crazy out there on the roads haha. That is crazy her classes will get done so fast! I know she will do great though!

Sounds like you are all going crazy with the new phones. Wow it only took Ashley 7 months to break my phone. Haha. That's alright though. I can't believe you got a smart phone though! Man you are all changing on me haha. From McKenzie's email it sounded like she really liked it! She will have way too much fun with that! Especially when she goes to college in a bit! Are you excited for that mom? The house will get really quiet when that happens haha. With that new smart phone she can skype you from anywhere though! :) I hope that is convincing enough that I'll be getting one when I get home ;)

I called the zone leaders today and they said the packages are there and they will give them to me tomorrow. Don't worry haha. The only thing I would like to have sent right now is lots and lots of pictures. That is seriously the highlight of the day when I get those. Pictures of everything! You guys, my friends, everyone! Make sure to print the good ones. Please :) Don't worry about sending the piano book because I already have the same one here so it's all good. Thanks though :)

Oh the good old DVD cleaning. I am sure everyone loved that haha. I sure do miss that! That is a great idea with the home videos. It is true I can just think back to watching those and I remember some pretty spastic moments haha. That is awesome dad is getting into the genealogy! We'll have a lot of work to do in the temple :)

AHHHH we are so close in the Olympics! We'll beat China don't worry. We always do ;)

Thanks for the pictures you sent. I didn't know Geovani was going to Lake Powell!! That is so fun that he went though! How is he? Was his English a little harder to understand than before? haha.

Well as for everything down here, it is going really well! We had a good week. We started the new plan and it went pretty well. We are really working with the less active members and we found a lot of new investigators from that! I am loving the new program. I think it won't go so hot for the first couple weeks and the adjustment continues but I have really thought about it a lot and realized just how great and inspired of a program it is. As we quit contacting it will help the members to really strengthen their testimonies to share the message with their friends. With the less active members we will rekindle that testimony inside of them and then we will begin to receive referrences from them. Then the part member families we will be working with to complete so they may be sealed in a temple and strengthen them even more. It fulfills all the 3 fold missions of the church by 1) Preaching the Gospel 2) Perfecting the saints 3) Redeeming the dead (because we are pushing to help everyone get temple recommends). It shows just how inspired our leaders truly are.

This week went mostly just trying to implement the new plan. It went really well and I really enjoyed it. We met some really great new people which was awesome.

A funny experience of this week: We were with Edgar and his parents and Edgar's dad offered me something to drink so I said sure becuase my companion said yes also. So I started to drink it and it tasted like eggnog. My companion after 15 seconds or so said, ''oh I know what this is. It has alcohol''. I was like, ''What!!!!!?''. Oh Edgar's dad was laughing and laughing. Hahahaha. I looked at the bottle and it hardly had alcohol but don't worry I didn't drink anymore. But that was my first drinking experience haha.

A more spiritual experience though: The young men and young women all went to Guadalajara this week for 3 days for a mini EFY type of deal. For testimony meeting most of them got up shared an experience they had. Edgar also got up to share his testimony which really surprised me. He told a story of how he got sick but he and another one of the boys knelt down and prayed in the middle of the night and within 10 minutes he was all good. It was so great to hear him then testify of the power of prayer. It was great because his parents were there and I know they could feel the Spirit becuase I know I did. That was a dream moment in the life of a missionary!

It really was a great week though and I know I will continue to be blessed as I am obedient and always am worthy of the Spirit. I am so grateful for all the blessings I have received and I pray the Lord will continue to bless me according to his will.

Love you all and keep being great! I pray for you every night and I know the Lord is blesing you and preparing many great things for you!

Love ya!

Elder O'Brien :)

Double dippin'

Hey fam!!!!!

Mom you have glasses? I never knew that......

Sounds like you are having a blast up there working so much haha. McKenzie will definitely be having a blast there in Lake Powell! That is so fun! Grandpa I am sure is going to love it there up at the cabin haha. It is good they had a nice time and made it back safe. Grandma told me they caught some good fish up there in Deadwood! 

That is scary Ashley is going to start driver's ed haha. Has she been out practicing with Dad in the parking lot of the church more? 

Ahh I didn't think I would miss the Olympics at all and had totally forgot all about them but we went to eat with the branch President on Saturday and he was watching them and I was dying haha!!! Oh man he was watching volleyball, swimming, and basketball. Ahhh man that was hard haha.

That is a fun idea for your sharing time. Which reminds me I need your help for some ideas here in Tepatitlan.  We are focusing on the less active members so we can get them all callings, temple recommends, starting their family history, and ordaining the men in the priesthood. It is so great and I am really excited. But what I need help with is some ideas of activities that we can do to get the members to bring their friends to activities that will get them mingling with members. I had some ideas such as watching movies of the church like the Joseph Smith movie or the Testaments and others like that, having a night to play board games in the church here, get the youth to do service and have times where the young men just go out to play sports. I am also going to start teaching English classes down here. What other ideas can you think of? We can't do anything too crazy yet cuz there are only about 60 active members and our church is actually a house of prayer. It is literally a house hahaha. It works though. Let me know if you can think of anything please!! Or if someone is reading the blog and has an idea they can send you an email (hobbycenter@clearwire.net) and then you can send it to me!

Nothing too crazy happened this week. We had a baptism for a lady that was already a member. Everyone knew she was baptized but we couldn't find her paperwork so we gave her a dip again haha. We met some really cool new families so we hope to see them progress in the gospel. My companion is excited cuz one family has the same last name as him haha. 

Really what I have learned this week is to work with the members to strengthen their testimonies so we can do even greater! As we work together we will really see much more success. With 60 missionaries instead of 2 it will be great and we can accomplish much more!!

Well that's about it for this week. Oh all your packages are here! One of the secretaries told me I have 3 sitting there. Zone leaders need to bring them. I heard they are going on Wednesday so I will bug them til they bring it haha. One is my trainer so I hope he will be merciful.

Oh another favor. Can you send me another journal?  Please do it soon though so I have a place to keep writing. Don't worry I write every night. I have only missed once haha.

Well that's about it. Thanks for everything and all your support. I am really grateful for your emails every week cuz it really helps me to work hard all week.

Love you all,

Elder O'Brien :)