Sunday, December 21, 2014

Week of 12/15/14

Hola muy buenas tardes todos! Another week down. My second year in the mission has been going by "de volada" (super fast). I can´t believe that I am going home a 3 and a half months. But don´t worry, I don´t think about it too much. I really don´t feel all that different.

This week we found two new great investigators named S and D. A member of the ward introduced us to them.  Something that I have learned in the mission is that generally, the good investigators that we find come from the members.

About Skype, I am thinking about calling you guys at 12:00 (which would be 10:00 in california)... would that be a good time to call? And my mission president said that we should only call our families at home and our parents, so I sent him an email asking him if that means that I can´t talk to Kannon even if we call at the same time. So I´ll let you guys know next week about that

I still haven´t gotten the package. But the zone leaders are going to mission offices tomorrow so they´ll check and see if it´s there.

Anyways, my hours up. I love you and miss you all! I am learning so much in the mission but I still have so much to learn and do better on! I am excited for this christmas season. A good time to remember Christs birth! I am grateful for this short time I have to preach and testify of him!

Love,
Elder Shane Davis

Sunday, December 14, 2014

12/8/2014

Hello and good afternoon! This week we are writing a little bit late sorry about that. We got permission to write late because we helped a brother in the ward do some work in the afternoon. So I don`t have much time to write right now.

But this week we saw how the Lord guided us to people who are prepared. One day we were talking with people in the street and we started talking to one lady who seemed pretty receptive. So she accepted, and then she told us that her sister was a member of the church. So when we went to the appointment, her sister was there and she told us that she had always invited her to go to church and to listen to the missionaries, but she never accepted until she met us. So the Lord guided us to her because he knew that she would finally accept.

Anyways, next week I will try to make more time to write so that I can tell Kannon how to use Skype. And what time would you guys like to talk?? (I am two hours ahead of you guys... right now I am writing at almost 6:30).

I love you all and I´ll write more next week :)
Elder Shane Davis

Pictures


December 1, 2014

Hola! Buenas Tardes! The weeks just keep going by super fast! Well I am now in the area of Apizaco, which is once again in the Chiautempan stake (the same stake as Atempan and Tlaxcallan) and it seems like a great ward and  great area. There are a lot of members here and with that I am pretty sure that we can find a lot of people to teach.

I am now with Elder Vela, from Coahuila Mexico (see the photo). I am actually junior companion now helping out Elder Vela because he is a brand new district leader. The mission president does that alot where he puts former and experienced district leaders (like me) with new district leader (like Elder Vela) to help them learn. I have felt great about everything up until now, and I still feel great even though I am junior companion again.

Elder Vela is a funny guy. He is slightly over emotional and always stressed out, and as his stress relief he likes to vent and talk about all of his problems at me (we are quite the opposites right?). So it`s a pretty fun companionship and we get a long great. I am glad to have the opportunity to help him out in his new responsabitlity as district leader, because it can be a little bit stressful.

This week Elder Toriz, from the quorum of the 70 visited the mission on Friday, and taught some very important things. He talked a lot about how toteach with the spirit, because if we don`t have the spirit, we can`t teach with power. That is one of the most important things that I have learned in the mission, is how to  teach. I know that I can teach alot better than I could in the past, but I know that there is still room for alot of improvement.

A couple weeks ago I started doing a lot of exercises almost everymorning, but I got sick last week and I think I lost all that I gained :( I am going to try again.

Anyways, I am learning a ton here in the mission. The Lord is teaching me many important lessons. Oh, and the church started doing something cool. They are encouraging us to share a video that the church made called "He is the Giftt" You guys should check it out: christmas.mormon.org (it is about 2 minutes and 30 seconds long but its super powerful). Watch it!! I love you all and I`ll talk to you guys next week about how it`s going in the area. I love you all!!

Attentamente
Elder Davis

Sunday, November 30, 2014

Pictures



11/24/14

Hola everyone! another week went by so fast! Well, I am going to be leaving this area! My next area could possibly be my last area in the mission! So next I´ll let you all know about my new area and new companion

We had a really good week this week! We went on splits with the members and were able to teach a lot of people this week. We have done that a lot of times in the past, but in the past most of the appointments would fall through. But this week less appointments fell through, so we were able to teach more people. We also found a good amount of new people to teach. So I think that i am going to leave this area in good shape.

I attached a photo of some of the people that we are teaching. Juan, and Martha and their children Fernanda (11 years old), Michel (8), Edgar (5) and Juan jr. (4). They are already in the habbit of daily family prayer and scripure reading, and the do family home evening every monda; their ardest challenge is getting them to church consistently.

Recently, the area presidency of Mexico said that we can now to zone activities again (a couple months ago started a new rule that we couldn´t have activities on Pdays with more than 4 missionaries). Now we can do activities with more than 4 missionaries as long as we are in a church. So today our zone had a zone activity: we played with water baloons and had a water fight. It was fun having a zone activity again, I started getting bored on Pdays.

I still haven´t gotten the package, I´ll let you know next week if I get it. I hope that you all have a great Thanksgiving! Tell me what you guys do and tell everyone that I love them and miss them! I am excited to go to a new area and work hard! I give you guys the update next week!

Love
Elder Shane Davis

Saturday, November 22, 2014

November 17, 2014

Hello and good afternoon everyone! That is a scary story about Jamin! I am glad to have gotten the message that everything is alright and not the other way around! Tell Kim and Eric´s family that I said hi and I love them!

This week was a pretty good week. I learned a lot. Something that I have a thinking about a lot lately is working with the members. In Preach my gospel, it teaches us that the members have a great importance in missionary work. The ideal teaching situation is that the members introduce us, the missionaries, to their friends and to the people that they know. When this happens, there is instant friendshipping, which softens the hearts of the investigators, and more people accept the gospel and join the church. The members have a huge responsability in missionary work. Wards where the members work with the missionaries are wards where there are a lot of baptisms.

You, as members of the church (talking to you family) have the success of missionary work in your hands. If the missionaries in the Running Springs Branch don´t go out their way to invite you to participate, invite them to work with you guys! So that is something that I am trying to learn right now, to work better with the members of the ward.

Anyways, things are going good in the area and they are getting better. Next week Ill let you guys know about transfers, whether I am leaving or staying. Anyways, I love you all, Thanks for the letters, And i´ll try and talk more next week.

Love,
Elder Davis

November 10, 2014

Hello and good afternoon everyone! Thank you for the letters and the pictures... In the picture of Duck creek... John looks HUGE! is that because he really is huge or because he is closer to the camera??

Any ways, we finally had a full week to work this week. And I think that we had a pretty good week. In some ways it was a little difficult because a lot of our appointments fell through, but when appointments fall through (which happens a lot here) we look for other people that we can teach and talk with people in the way. So that is what we did a lot of the week. Talked with a bunch of people in the streets.

Something that we want to do better in working with the active members in the area. Preach My Gospel says that the ideal teaching situation is that the members introduce us to their friends and acquaintences and acompany us in the lessons. When that happens, there is imediate friendshipping with the investigators. When this happens, more people join the church, and stay active. Something that I have learned recently about working with the active and less active members, is that if we as missionaries teach in a way so that the members feel the spirit, they almost aways think of names of people they can introduce us to. The hard part of this area is that there are very few members in the area, active and less active. So we are going to work hard with the few members we have

Somthing that I have been thinking about a lot recently is this girl named... just kidding... i am staying focused. But I have been thinking alot about how to teach more with the spirit in the lessons, or rather, how to let the spirit teach through me more. One things that I thought of, is that if I want the investigators to feel the spirit more, I first have a closeness with God, I have to have more than just a satisfactory conviction of the gospel. So that is something that I want to improve on: building a closer relationship with God so that the spirit can teach through me and testify to the people we teach. But that is something that I will probably improving my entire life.

Anyways, the mission is awesome but short. I am super happy with the progress that I have seen in myself in this short time. I plan to work hard until the end, because there are lot of missionaries that don´t. When their mission starts coming to and end, they stop working hard. I don´t want to be like that. I love you all! Tell all the family that I said hey! I am excited for my package! Until next week!

Atentemente
Su amado y humilde misionero
Elder Davis

November 3, 2014

Good afternoon and hello evyone! Happy november and I hope you had a great Halloween. Luckily this week my companion already feels better. Last week he felt bad so he couldn`t work very much. So we did splits with the members again so that I could go out and teach people. They pulled his tooth on thusday, he felt bad on friday, and he really wasn´t able to work until Saturday (so kids, brush your teeth good or you`ll end like my companion). This week we both are going to work our hardest.

So, in the little time we had to work this week we had some good experiences. On Halloween night, there really wasn´t anybody in there houses, so we couldn`t teach anyone, so we walked around talking to people in the streets. Right when we were super tired and ready to go home early (it was about 8:15 and it was tempting to go home) we decided to look for one other investigator that we hadn´t been able to find. When got to the investigator`s house, she wasn´t there, but there was a Lady sitting down in front in the dark. So we contacted her, and she was super interested. In the most unexpected times, the Lord puts us in the path of the people who are willing to listen. Small miracles happen alot if we are working hard.

Halloween is interesting here in mexico. We as missionaries really didn`t do anything, but the people here have wierd traditions. First off, trick or treating last for at least three nights here, and the kids go from door to door, person to person, business to business and basically ask everyone they see for candy, or, if the people don`t have candy they ask for money. I didn`t have candy, so I gave a couple pesos away (1 peso is worth about 8.5 cents).
On November 1st and 2nd, they have what is called day of the dead. Where the people, in remembrance of their dead family members, put the dead persons favorite foods on a table with the picture of the person and leave it there. Then they put flower petals of a flower they call the flower of death  (it`s a bright orange color), outside of their house on the ground in the shape of a cross, forming a path from the cross into the house to the food. They believe that on the day of the dead, the spirits come from heaven, find the flower petals on the ground, follow the path, then they find and eat the food (they eat it "spiritually", supposedly making the smell go away). So that is a mexican tradition that I would like to start in the Davis family next Halloween... What do you think? (just kidding).

A couple weeks ago, I started doing excercises again (implying that I had stopped before that). I have just been doing the basic things, such pullups, pushups, some ab work outs. Last week, I got a little bit sick (just a little bit), so I didn`t do a lot of excercises, but this week I´ll do some more. But anyways, when I get home, Im gonna hit the gym and get shwull! I am also gonna need a tan, because there is no difference in color from my feet until midway up my neck... but I´ll cross that bridge when I get there.

This week for Pday, me and my comp went to down town Pueblato explore around a little bit. That is a place the you guys (parents) should see when you come to pick me up. There are plenty of places for souvenirs and pictures. Sorry, I didn`t take any today.

Anyways, this next week is going to be a good one, hopefully without sickeness and tooth infections. I love you all ton! I am excited for the care package (you should send me cheez-its or goldfish and maybe a tie or two). Keep working hard and praying for missionary opportunities, set the example and then open your mouths!

Until next week!
Elder Shane Davis

Sunday, November 2, 2014


10/27/14 Almecatla 1A with Elder Delgado

Good afternoon everyone! Thank you all for the inspiring letters encouraging words. This week we had an interesting week but a good one.

The interesting part was my companion. He had a tooth infection this week. On Wednesday he said his tooth hurt. Then on thursday morning, it got so bad that he had to see a dentist. The dentist said that he has a bad tooth infection and that she needs to take the tooth out. But before the dentist can do that, my companion needs to stay out of the sun, avoid eating some certain foods, take some antibiotics, all so that the infection dies down so that the dentist can take the tooth out. So, since thursday, we haven´t been able to work much in the day time. On Saturday we did splits with two members in the ward, one stayed with my companion in the house, and the other went out and worked with me. They were going to pull the tooth today, but the inflamation hadn´t died down enough, so they are going to do it on thursday. So until then, my companion can´t be outside until the sun goes down.

So, in the little time that we had to work this week, I feel like we had a good week. We found a couple of new people to teach that seem like they are going to progress very well. Last transfer, I don´t know why, but we had a hard time finding new people to teach. We worked hard and talked with a good amount of people. But this change we are finding a good amount of new people to teach. And we are also seeing a progress with some of the investigators that were already in teaching.

Juan and Martha are progressing well towards getting married. Their relationship has improved alot and they finally started attending church as a family. Now with them we need to work on helping them make that a habit.

Anyways, sorry for not writing that much. There isn´t much else to say about last week. But this week we are going to work even harder. Time is going fast. The mission is awesome! I included a picture of me and my companion, and a picture of my companion in the dentist. I´ll write you more next week!

Love,
Elder Davis
2 Attachments

Sunday, October 19, 2014

10/13/14 Almecatla 1a with Elder Rivera

Hello and good afternoon everyone. I´ll start off with the news about transfers (start the drum roll...) My companion, elder rivera is leaving the area and I am staying here. So tomorrow I will be recieving a new companion. Elder Rivera was surprised when they told him that had was going to be tranfered, because he has only been in this area for five weeks, and he is entering into his last six weeks of the mission.

This transfer, I am already entering into my last 4 transfers in the mission. Time is going by super fast, but I have learned so much in the time that I have been in the mission. But I still have a lot to learn.

This week we had a good week. We had a lot of participation from the members this week. There are some members in the ward that really like to work with us, and some that really don´t do anything. This is a pretty good ward, strong in some aspects and weak in others, but the leader s of the ward are trying hard. Right now in the ward we don´t have a church building. a couple weeks ago they started remodeling the church building to make it bigger, because it is a little too small to hold the ward. So right now we are meeting in the house of one of the members. They put a huge tarp above their yard for the rain and the sun, and we meet in the member´s yard every sunday. It´s kind of funny. They are expected to take 6 months until they finish reconstructing the church.

Lately we have worked a lot with JC and his wife, Martha, and their family. J is less active and his wife  isn´t a member of the church.

Also last week I think I told you guys a little bit about A.,  she is the granddaughter of one of the members, 15 years old. At first she wanted to be baptized in March because of her birthday. We talked with her a little bit, and now she has decided to be baptized a little bit sooner, but not that much sooner. She now wants to be baptized in January. It´s a little bit frustrating because she wants to be baptized in 3 months when she could do it in a week, but I guess it is her decision, not ours. Anyways, at least she has decided to be baptized and to join the church, one day she is going to be a strong member of the church.

Anyways, things are going good and getting better in the area. we are finding new people to teach. I´ll let you all know about my new companion next week. Well, I love you all. Be good this week. Talk to someone about the gospel. Love you!

Until next week,
love
Elder Shane Davis

10/6/2014 Almecatla 1a with Elder Rivera

Buenas tardes everyone. I hope that you enjoyed conference. I learned a ton. Each conference I can say with more surety that the liders of the church are chosen by God himself, and through them He guides this church.

This week we had some interesting experiences and some miracles.

Last Monday we found two new investigators that are awesome! We taught them this week about the restoration of the gospel, and they really like the message. They got excited when they heard that there is a prophet in these days, and even more excited when they found out that he would be speaking on Saturday and Sunday. We have another appointment with them tonight. They are receptive and look like they are going to progress pretty well.

One interesting experience we had this week happened one day walking to an appointment. We were going to teach J.C,  a less active member and his wife and kids who aren`t members. While walking to the appointment we saw J and his 11 year old daughter,  also walking to their house so we walked with them. Then a guy walking in the street, who was obviously drugged made an inappropriate remark to the daughter... that was a bad idea. J got super angry, pulled the guy aside, and decked him right in the side of the head. The guy fell straight to the floor... That wasn`t probably not the most christlike way to handle things. J got scolded him when he got home.

And now a funny experience. We started talking a an old guy about the gospel. And he felt inspired to recite to us the 10 commandments, and the way he did it was funny."thou shalt love god with all thy heart, mind and strength. Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. thou shalt remember the party, to keep it holy..." Apparently, one of the beliefs of the people here is to sanctify their parties... and even the catholic bible that is sold here says it. I am still left with the doubt of how they keep the party holy.

And, a small miracle. As you may know, in mexico, we don`t knock doors here to talk to people, we talk with them in the streets, busses, stores, etc. One day we went to the Atm machine to take out money, and there was a line of at least 10 people. We waited until we were about the 5th or 6th in line, and then we talked with everyone in the line. They weren`t going anywhere, so they couldn`t run from us. I think that the Lord used us to plant some seeds in the hearts of those people, because a few of them even asked us for pamphletts to read about the church.

So, the mission is awesome! I am learning alot from this great experience and I am sure that Kannon will be doing the same. Later this week they are going to tell us the news about transfers, who leaves and who stays. So next week I`ll let you guys know. But I love you all a ton!

Love,
Elder Shane

Sunday, October 5, 2014

9/29/14 Almecatla 1A with Elder Rivera

Hello everyone and good afternoon! I hope that all is well in at home!

This week we had an interesting week. We worked pretty hard but we didn´t have much success. Lately we have been talking with a bunch of people and many of them accept and then they give us their address so that we can talk with them in their homes, but when we go to there houses, they´re not there. So right now we have been having trouble finding and teaching the people that we talk with in the street. But I also feel like we have been working hard and doing our part in finding the people... so I know that if week keep working our hardest, the Lord will bless us with the miracles we need.

But even in this difficult situation we have been blessed with little miracles. Two of our recent converts have been very happy since their baptism, and now their granddaughter, also wants to be baptize. She is 15 years old and lives with her grandma because her mother was killed and while ago. At first she said that she doesn't want to be baptized until March because her birthday is in March... so we talked with her a little bit, and now she is going to think  and pray about when she should be baptized.

We are also starting to have a lot more support from the members of the ward. We have found a couple members that really like to work with us. We were able to do splits this week with two brothers in the ward and teach more people at one time, and we are going to keep doing that and encouraging the members to be more missionary minded.

Anyways, things are going good. I have learned a ton of things here in the mission. Time´s going by super fast in the mission! I only have about 6 months left until I go home!! six months doesn´t really seem like a long time to me, and I know that it will go by super fast (for me at least).

Thank you all for the letters this week. I hope you enjoy the general conference this weekend. I love you all and i´ll talk to you next week!

Love,
Elder Shane

Sunday, September 28, 2014

Pictures



9/22/14 Almecatla 1a with Elder Rivera



On saturday Genoveva (pronounced like Henobeba) and AlhelĆ­ were baptized. They are super awesome and they were very prepared to accept the gospel. When the missionaries contacted them in the street a little over a month ago, they received them very quickly in their home and now the are members of the church

This week we had a Zone conference with the president. And he taught us a some awesome teaching techniques that I think will help me for the rest of my life, with teaching classes at church, children, etc. My mission president, President Christensen, is just super awesome! I have learned so much from him in the whole time I have been in the mission.

Now I´ll answer some of the questions that Justine asked me:

How often does it rain there?
at this time of year, it is raining just about everyday super hard. The streets flood and turn into ankle deep rivers. In the picture there is a drainage river that connects with the street. Usually that river is just a trickle that we can jump over without much effort, The picture shows the same river just after a huge rainstorm

Does your companion snore haha?
Luckily, no. I have only had one companion that snored. my first companion, Elder Alejandre.

Do you play the piano?
In this ward, Almecatla 1, they don´t have a pianist. So I play the piano every Sunday at church, but I am starting to forget all the songs that I used to know because I don´t really have time to practice

Do you have toothpaste???
yes, there is toothpaste here in Mexico

And mom asked me about getting a passport and visa. I am pretty sure that you´ll need some sort of visa to come here to Mexico. Given that you guys won´t be in Mexico for very long, I don´t think that it will be very hard to get.

Anyways, The mission is awesome, as I'm sure you have heard millions of times. I have learned so much and I am happy to be here, but I am sad because I only have a little more than 6 months left. That does not seem like a whole lot of time to me, but i am gonna make it count.

I love you all!!

Love,
Elder Shane

Sunday, September 21, 2014


9/15/14 Almecatla 1A with Elder Rivera

Hello family! I hope that all is well at home! Happy september 15th (justine´s birthday and Mexican Independece day)

We had a pretty good week this week in Almecatla. I really like this area. We are starting to find more people to teach. Here it´s actually not that hard to do it. As we contact in the street, usually a fourth of the people that we talk to give us the address for us to visit them another day. The hard part is finding them in their houses with time to listen to us. But things are going good in this area.

This Saturday we are most likely going to have the baptism of Genoveva and AlhelĆ­. They are two awesome investigators that the missionaries taught before I got to this area. They pretty much taught everything, When I got here we just taught a little bit more and now they are pretty much ready for their baptism on Saturday. They both already seem like members of the church and I am sure that they will be very strong members of the church

One goal that my companion has is to work hard until the end of his mission... which is the end of the next transfer. Which I think is a great goal, so I am also going to do that. I won´t let him "die" as the missionaries say. It´s kind of fun being with Elder Rivera again

I sent a photo of my district. Me, my companion and 6 sisters. Luckily they all get a long well (from what I´ve seen). And luckily, as district leader, it isn´t responsability to make sure that they do get a long well with their companions... that is the job of the Sister Training leaders (if you have questions about that, ask Ynez). My job as district leader is just to encourage them to work their hardest. I am learning alot from being district leader. At first I really didn´t want to be a leader, but now I realize that you learn alot from it. And I also like the having the power to boss other people around... just kidding. One rule we have in the area of Mexico is that we can´t do any activities with sister missionaries on Pdays... so to answer dad´s question as to whether or not we do district activities, we are all on our own.

Anyways, This week we are going to do splits with some of the members so we can teach more people at once and use time more wisely. Things are going great in the area. Right now we are in the process of finding more people to teach and helping the few people we are teaching to progress. That is something that I noticed about the state of Tlaxcala is that there are alot of people willing to listen, but not that many that are willing to change their lives. So we are also learning to teach with more power to help the people learn the gospel and live it.

But, I love you all so much. Keep working hard and sharing the gospel! Happy September 15th. Christ lives and this church is His!

Until Next week
Love
Elder Shane

9/8/14

Well, I am now in my new area, Almecatla 1A, and I am also back in the state of Tlaxcala. It seems like a great area, there are a lot of people to teach here. This area is sort of a small town, with a lot of farms, corn fields etc. I think that I am going to love it here.

I have kind of a funny story with my companionship situation. On Tuesday, I got to this area with Elder Gonzalez as my companion. So on tuesday we started working together in the area, and then on Saturday, we got a phone call, and one assistentes told us that elder Gonzalez had emergency transfers and that we would have to change companions on Monday. So, just a little bit ago, we went to the offices with Elder Gonzalez´s suitcases, and now my companion is Elder Rivera from Honduras... the same rivera that was my companion for two weeks almost a year ago in Teotlaltzingo. So, that is sort of a funny coincedence. And right now Elder Rivera has only 2 tranfers left in his mission. So I might be his last companion. (I sent a pictures of me and gonzalez, next week I´ll send of me and rivera)

And right now I am still district leader. In the district it´s me, Elder River, Hermana Cuevas, Hermana Flores, Hermana Gaona, Hermana PeƱalosa, Hermana Cuevas (a different one), and Hermana Lindsey. So yeah... I am the district leader of 6 sister missionaries, and my companion. The members say that I am the relief society president (hahaha). So it´s kind of a funny situation in this district. Next week I´ll send you a picture.

So this area will be a new adventure. Things seem to be going pretty good in the area. There are some people that might be baptized in the coming weeks. Right now, I still don´t know the area very well yet, so that will a challenge, because my companion knows it less than I do.

But we are going to work hard in this area. There are plenty people to talk to in the streets, and there are 6 sister missionaries depending on my example. I am excited for this new transfer.

So i´ll let you all know how things go in the area next week!

I love you all!
Love
Elder Shane

Sunday, September 7, 2014

Week of September 1, 2014

Hello and buenas tardes todos. I hope that all is well at home. I hope that Kannon is doing alright in the mission field. I say that I hope because he doesn`t tell me much. But things are going great here.

But last week, they told us that me and my companion are leaving the area! I feel like I got here just a short time ago. Things are starting to go pretty good in this area, and after just one transfer here, I am already leaving. This area is a pretty difficult area, but I would have liked to have been here at least one more transfer, but its alright. I learned a whole lot in Los Angeles. I feel like after the time I had here, I`ll be able to work more efficiently in my next area, so I`m pretty excited to see where I am going to go tomorrow.

Last week Juan Rojas was baptized and on Sunday confirmed. He is super awesome! He has absolutely no support from his wife or his kids concerning his conversion. To be baptized, he had to get permision from his wife to do it (to avoid causing problems in families). Telling his wife that he was going to be baptized was probably his biggest challenge to join the church, but he did. He told us that she wasn`t happy but at least she accepted it.

The other funny story is that we had some problems with our house. Ever since I got here, the kitchen sink and the counter that it`s placed on has been loose, as in not very well placed on the wall. Then while I was cleaning the bathroom, i heard a big crash, and look out and saw my companion standing up with the sink at his feet with water squirting out of a broken pipe. We shut off the water, and then a brother in the ward soddered the pipes back together. Then the owner of the house  came over and put the sink back in place with screws and two pieces of wood to hold everything in place. Elder Rosales claims that it just fell on it`s own... hahaha, I don`t believe it for a second! Luckily the owner didn`t charge us anything.

Anyways, as usual, Ill let you all know about my new area and companion next week. I still feel like I was just getting started in this area, we starting seeing progress with investigators... but I`m excited to go to a new area. The mission is awesome, as I usually say. Tell Ynez that I said hey.

I love you all a ton! You are awesome!
Love
Elder Shane

Sunday, August 31, 2014

8/25/14 Los Angeles, with Elder Rosales

Hello Everyone! I hope that all is well at home and that justine and Braden loved their first day of school!

This week we had a great week! We talked with a bunch of people this week, had a some miracles and we found a couple people that seem like they are going to be great investigators this week.

As we were walking one morning down the street, one lady approached us and told us that she was a member of the Church, but she stopped going because she married outside of the church. Now she wants to start going to church again and we started teaching her husband, and he seems very interested.

We also starting teach a referral from one of the members, Alejandra, who also seems very interested... she is just a little bit distracted during the lessons. Her mind changes subjects super fast, and its hard to keep a focused lesson, but she is learning little by little.

As we were knocking the door of a member`s house to visit him, we contacted a lady on the street that was walking by (the people usually take a while here to answer their door, so we had time to have a conversation while waiting). We started talking with her, and she was very interested, then as we asked her address, we found out that by coincedence she was our next door neighbor.

And this week, Juan Rojas is going to be baptized! His baptismal interview is tomorrow, so nothing is completly sure yet. But he seems like he is ready for baptism. He is going to be an awesome member of the church. I don`t know how, but he retains information super fast. He read the Book of Mormon once, and he understands pretty much the whole story.

So things are going pretty good right now!

Oh, and if you guys want to come here to pick me up in Puebla after my mission, I think that you can do that, and I think that it`s a great idea. I just need to know a couple months ahead of time so that I can tell the mission president to change my flight plans. So just let me know well in advance if that`s what you`re gonna do.

Thanks for the letters! I hope that you enjoy reading two letters every Monday now! I love you all! Your the best Family in the world!!

Until next week.
Love,
Elder Shane

Sunday, August 24, 2014

8/18/14 Los Angeles, with Elder Rosales(3)

Well this week was a pretty great week. The mission is awesome! It`s wierd thinking that Ynez has already ended her mission. Maybe she`ll write me now that she`s done :p. It`s also wierd thinking that Kannon is just beginning. Two years sound like a long time but it goes by super fast... if you work hard. The other day we ate with one sister in the ward whose son got back from the mission a year or two ago. She said that time for her was like an eternity. For me, the first few months in the mission were a bit slow because I had to adjust to a completely different lifestyle, different language, different country, I had to learn how to be a missionary, learn how to talk to people. I, sure that`s how it will be for kannon. but then after a ffew months, his mission will fly right by him.

In this part of Puebla, it is hard to find new people investigators to teach, but we have seen a good amount of progress with the few investigators that we have been teaching. And with miracles we have found some great investigators. We talked with a good amount of people this week, and most of the people that accept us are from other areas. So we have been relying alot on referrals from the members to find new people to teach. And we have had miracles with referrals.

One day as we were walking down a busy street, a young man runs out of the store where he works to talk to us. He said that he was an active member in the church from a different ward. He told us that his boss, Elvia, was super interested in the church. So later we passed by and he introduced us to Elvia, and she now has accepted a baptismal date. Then a member of a different ward, with whom we share our church building, told us about her aunt who was also interested. We started talking with her, and this week we are going to start teaching.

Anyway things are going good in the area, even though this area is a bit difficult. I feel good about the effort that we are giving. Well the mission is awesome and Kannon will do great!! I love you all so much! you are an awesome family!!!

Love,
Elder Shane

Sunday, August 17, 2014

8/11/14 Los Angeles, with Elder Rosales

Hola, and good afternoon! Sounds like this has been an exciting week for everyone! Shortly, all the goodbyes will just be a memory. But the mission is awesome! The MTC will be a short but awesome experience, and then all too soon, kannon will be out in the field working!!!

Today for Pday, one of the sisters in the ward was going to teach how to make some mexican snacks called gorditas, which are basically corn tortillas, with beans cheese and salsa, it`s simple but pretty good. But she cancelled last minute today, so instead we went to explore a huge mall that is in our area called Liverpool. There is a huge Ferris wheel in front (see picture). It`s the same ferris wheel that I went to a couple months ago after seeing the pyramids of Cholula. While exploring the mall, we found an ice skating rink... so we`ll probably go there next monday for Pday.

The people in this area are very different from any other area that I have had. In this place it`s almost all business. On every street there are a bunch a businesses, companies, stores, etc. When people are outside walking, they are going somewhere. There are very few people outside strolling around or taking a walk. With that said, most of the people are in a hurry, and they don`t have a lot of time to talk with us. Something I learned is that if we start a conversation with people talking about religion, they usually ignore us, but they are usually willing to help find a street or give us directions. So if we start a conversation by asking for directions (even if we don`t need them), they are more open to talk to us more. All in all, the way we work here is very different.

But we are starting to find some new people to teach. Juan Rojas (the guy who read entirely the book of mormon) is progressing pretty well towards his baptism. The members are starting to give us more refererrals. Something that I have learned with referrals from the members, is that if they feel the spirit, they think of names of friends or family or acquiantances that they want us to teach. But if we as missionaries teach a half hearted lesson without the spirit, the members can`t think of names when we ask them who else could we teach.

Well, I am learning so much here. Things are going great here. but I have gotta go,  we have clothes hanging up outside drying... and it just started raining... dang it. But I love you all and I am super excited to hear about Kannon`s experiences!!!!!!!!! So tell him to always send me his emails!! and I will also send him mine!

I love you all!
Until next week.
Elder Shane Davis

Sunday, August 3, 2014

The Week of 7/28/2014

Well, I am here in my new, Los Angeles ward in the city of Puebla area with my new companion, Elder Rosales, from Tamaulipas, Mexico (in the north right below texas on the east). And I am district leader now!

The area i`m in right now is the richest area in the mission. There is so much money here. There are a bunch of shopping centers and malls, nice cars, huge houses. It`s a pretty nice place to live; we eat a lot of food, and we don`t have to walk far to the grocery store, but the people are a bit more closed than in my last areas. When I was in the state of Tlaxcala, it was easy to find people to teach. But now that I have an more challenging area with very few investigators, I have a greater desire to find the few people that are willing to accept the gospel. Lately we have talking with a good amount of people in the streets. The majority of them ignore us and keep walking... it`s kind of funny, but there are always a few people that accept us everyday.

The majority of the members of the ward here are rich, or in the upper middle class. So instead of cooking food for us many of them buy us food, or give us money for us to buy a meal... so we sometimes eat some pretty expensive food! There is a huge rich-person mall in our area, so somethimes we go to the food court and eat some good american fast food.

Something that I have learned is that there are many areas in the mission that are said to be bad areas, so when missionaries arrive in those areas they work with the attitude that they probably are not going to have a lot of success. With that attitude, they won`t have success. One of my goals right now is to work in this area with a good attitude. If we have faith, the Lord can work many miracles in this area.

My new companion, Elder Rosales, is from Tamaulipas, mexico. He is an awesome guy, a little bit serious, and a hard worker. We get a long great, though our companionship is a little bit quiet.

We are going to work hard this week and talk with a lot of people! I have learned to love talking to people even though many don`t want to talk to us. The mission is awesome! I only have about 8 months left before I go home. For me, time will go by super fast!! I have even more photos to send this week, but the Internet Cafe that we are using right now has the computers locked so we can`t download anything... so next week we`ll go to a different place. But i love you tons. Thanks for your emails. I always appreciate your letters! Until Next week.

Love,
Elder Shane Davis

Sunday, July 27, 2014

7/21/14 Tlaxcallan 2, with Elder Salazar

Good afternoon and hello everyone! Guess what... me and my companion are leaving the area, and they will probably put sister misisonaries here in Tlaxcallan. So today we had to deep clean the house, and wash all our clothes. So we didn´t have alot of time to do much day, other than play soccer for a little bit with some of the young men. But tomorrow, they are going to send me to a new area with a new companion. So I´ll let you guys know next week.

On Sunday luckily I saw some of the people we taught and baptized in Atempan. We saw Enrique, Fernando and Angel, Guadelupe, and Dayane, and they are all staying strong in the church! It´s always awesome seeing that your converts are enduring to the end. Im planning on visiting all of them before going home from my mission, including Berenice, Corina, and Rafael. Seeing converts strong is really something that gives me joy in the mission.

Marilu (the investigator that we started teaching a little while ago), her husband, and Aquilina, are really starting to progress well. Mario Alberto, who was baptized because his parents made him, really has never been strong in the gospel. When we started teaching him and his family, he said that he didn´t really want to live a gospel life right now; he didn´t really feel the need or have a desire to do it. He just wanted his family to do it. We are now seeing that as we teach his wife and mother in law the gospel, we also see that desire grow in him to live it. Marilu is already completely sure that she wants to be baptized, but Aquilina is having problems leaving some of her traditions that she has had her whole life.


But the mission is awesome! With that said, I have some advice for Kannon especially (but it can be applied to all). While I was studying at BYU idaho, I used to ask different return missionaries about how they felt about their mission. I generally recieved three different answers; 1 I would rather not talk about my mission because it wasn´t a really great experience. 2 It was alright, I´m glad I went; I learned alot and it was cool. 3 It was the best experience of my life! The choice is ours to make. There are very few people that give an answer like number 1, where it was a bad experience. But it is our decision to make the mission a bad experience, a good experience, or the best experience of our lives. To choose answer 3, you need to work with all your heart, might, might, and strength. You need to work hard to improve weaknesses, improve your relationship with God. Are you willing to do what´s necessary to make the mission the best experience of you life?

I have some photos to send but the computer doesn´t have a place to plug in my SD card. So I´ll send them next week.

But I´ll let you guys know next week about my new companion and new area!
I love you guys a ton!!!

Love,
Elder Shane Davis

Sunday, July 20, 2014

Pictures


email received on July 14th, 2014

Hello everyone! I hope all is well at home!

Thank you for the letters this week!

This week we had an interesting week. We worked hard and talked with a lot of people about the gospel and a descent amount of people accepted. The interesting thing about the people here is that there are many that accept listening to us, but the difficult part is finding them again. They usually forget about there appointments. On Saturday we had an appointment with a guy who supposedly wants to be baptized. We ran into him on the street 2 hours before his appointment, so we took the opportunity to remind him of his appointment at 6, then he said that he would be there. Then he wasn´t. That is one of the greatest challenges of this people, is that they aren´t in their house when they say that they´ll be in their house.

Today for Pday, we played soccer some of the young men, because they just got out of school. It was pretty fun. The Latinos play quite a bit better than I do, but when we play basketball I do alot better.

This is the last week of the transfer, I am pretty sure that me and my companion are both going, and that they are going to put sister missionaries here. First, the zone leaders called us and asked us this week how safe this Ć”rea is. 3= meaning not safe at all. 2=meaning questionable, kind of safe. and 1=meaning super safe. The area of Tlaxcallan 2, is a number one. Then later the Assistants to the president called and asked the same question. So it´s looking like they are going to put sister missionaries here. But nothing is for sure, so I´ll let you guys know the next.

There are a lot of sister missionaries that have been arriving in this mission. I think that it is because Puebla and Tlaxcala (the two states that pertain to this mission) are two of the safest states in Mexico, especially Tlaxcala (where I am now). This is a very safe mission, so that means that they are going to put more sister missionaries here.

Well, all is going well over here. We are working hard and improving every day. The mission goes by so fast... Kannon: you will be surprised at how fast it goes, so always work hard and do your best. Learning how to open your mouth and share the gospel is an interesting process. Don´t procrastinate.

Thank you all for the support and prayers! I love you all so much!!

Until next week,
Elder Shane Davis

Sunday, July 13, 2014

7/7/14 Tlaxcallan 2, with Elder Salazar

Hello everyone! I am glad to hear that Havasupai was awesome. I am even more glad to hear that you are planning to go when I come back!

I feel like I learned alot this week and that we worked hard. This week I learned that as missionaries, we need to make every lesson a powerful one. Sometimes it is easy to think that some lessons are more important than others, and therefore, we try harder in some lessons than in others, and some lessons that we give are great, and some are just all right. But the truth is, is that we have to try hard in every, pray hard all ways, rely on the Spirit to guide us always. As it says in Doctrine and Covenants 50:17-18, if we don´t teach with the spirit, then it isn´t from God. We need to pray fervently always for the Spirit to guide us in the lessons to always have powerful and Spiritual lessons.

Yesterday we went on splits with the members to teach more people at once. Splits are when each missionary of a companionship take another guy in the ward (at least 16 years old, holding the priesthood) and they split off and teach more people at once. That is a great way to help more people, and also strengthen the members that go with us. We actually have been getting the members in the ward to help us out with the lessons. Every member that went with us to make visits has been strengthen spiritually. I don´t know how the work is in the running springs Branch, but the missionaries should have the help of the members... and given that there are sisters there, that means that the sisters in the ward should help them out and make visits with them (mom, justine).

Recently we were given a new rule: when we have activities on our Pday, we can´t have groups with more than 4 missionaries. So now we can´t get together to play sports with more than two other missionaries... so that really limits the things we can do on our Pdays. I don´t really know why they gave us this new rule, but I guess that we gotta obey it with a smile.

Well, other than that, I don´t have any other stories this week... I do have some photos but the computer that I am at right now doesnt have a place to put my SD card, so I guess I´ll send them next week. But I love you all so much and thank you all for your letters. I got the package you guys sent me this week and its awesome! thanks so much! But I´ll talk you guys next week!

Love you all so much!
love
Elder Shane Davis

Sunday, July 6, 2014

picture


6/30/14 Tlaxcallan 2, with Elder Salazar

Good afternoon family! I hope that you are all have fun in Havasupai! It looks like an awesome place. This week was an interesting week. I have a few stories to share.

One day we were walking down the street. As we were walking we passed by a group of drunk guys sitting and drinking on the side of the road. For some reason, drunk guys always want to talk to us. One of them yelled at me "Come over here gĆ¼ero!! Get over here!!" (gĆ¼ero is like saying white boy). Talking to drunk guys is usually a huge waist of time, because they aren´t really mentally aware, so I told them that we had an appointment and we kept walking. 10 minutes later we were still walking and a women passed by us running and screaming and screamed at us " Young men! Young men! Call the Police my drunk husband wants to beat me!!!" Thirty seconds after she passed by, the same drunk guy that yelled at me 10 minutes earlier ran by chasing his wife. Luckily, we were about 10 yards from the pĆ³lice station, so they took him away. What would have happened had we stayed and talked with the drunk guy?... who knows, but I´m glad we didn´t. There are often drunk people in the Street, so we usually avoid them when posible.

Then on Wednesday. we had a lesson with Marilu, Aquelina and Mario Alberto. Marilu said that she had a dream. She told us that she saw a tree and a path, and from that she said that she felt that the church is true and that she needs to keep going to church and listening to the missionaries. I don´t know how she got that answer out of that dream, but just as Mormon says in Moroni 7:13, if it tells us to do something good, then it is from God. The Latin people have a lot of dreams. I guess that God communicates with people in diverse ways, because I have never had a revelation in a dream... or maybe I just don´t remember it, because when I wake up in the morning the last thing I remember is going to bed.

A few weeks ago, I had to go to the immigration office to renew my Visa (we have to do it annually). When I got there, after waiting for five minutes or so when it was my turn to go to the desk, they called "Christopher!"... no one answered "Christopher!!" this time a tittle bit louder. Then "Christopher Davis!!". With a confused look, I went up to the desk and saw my picture next to the name Christopher Davis. So I told them that I was Davis but not Christopher. Apparently they made some mistaked in the system and had changed my name to Christopher. So I showed them my Passport and they changed my name back to Shane. I asked them if there was anything else I had to do before I left and they said that was all, so I left thinking that my Visa was good for another year. Then, on wednesday. I recieved a call from the secretary of the mission, he told me "Elder, you need to go back to the immigration office tomorrow or they are going to deport you!". Apparently they made some more mistakes with my Visa and it just about expired. Luckily, they didn´t deport me, I went back to the immigration office, and they fixed everything, so I am still here in mexico.

Anways, those are the stories that I got this week! I hope that you are all having having a ton of fun in Havasupai. I can´t wait for the package to get here! Kannon... I am still excited for you! Keep preparing for the mission, don´t read the scriptures prayerfully study them, because you can´t teach the gĆ³spel if  you don´t know it.

I love you all I wish for the best! My last 9 months in the mission are going to go by way too fast, and then it will be over... Until Next week!

Love,
Elder Shane Davis

6/23/14 `Tlaxcallan 2, with Elder Salazar

Hello everyone! Buenas tardes!

Congratulations Kannon on graduating! I personally was glad that high school was over and I really don´t miss it. But have fun being a high school graduate!

This week we had a pretty good week. We found some more people that seem like they are going to progress well in the gospel. We had one referral from a member, Ruben Simon, who is 15 years old and already wants to be baptized. He is already sure that he wants to be mormon, the sad thing is that he is going to Mexico City for about a month, and then he is coming back to stay. But he seems like he is going to be a very strong member.

We started teaching another family, Mario, his wife Marilu, and her mom, Aquelina. We contacted Marilu in the street one day, and she was interested and we agreed to visit her and her family. When we got to her house we found out that her husband, Mario is actually a les active member of the Church. He was baptized more than 10 years ago and really doesn´t remember any of the lessons. But his Marilu and Aquelina seem like they are going to progress very well and they said that they are willing to be baptized if they feel that it is right for them. So that is a good example of the Lord leading us to the people that are prepared.

So right now, things are going good with Elder Salazar. We are working hard and I think that in 5 weeks there will be more baptisms (that is enough time for investigators to attend church 5 times).

Last week we also started teaching again Arturo, Lidia and Sofia. They invited us to start teaching them again because they had some more problems in the family. When we got to their house for a lesson, Arturo said that he made a pact with Satan and needed our help. We helped him realize that if he invites God more in his life, the Satan´s influence will decrease, and that the devil will only have power in our life if we let him. I don´t know if he really saw Satan or if he was just drunk, but either way he needs to change his life in a drastic way.

So, things are going pretty good right now here in Mexico. This week I got a letter from Alex, our little cousin. Could you guys give me his email? (or his parents´)

Anyway, all is going well. The mission is going by super fast! I only have 9 months left till I go home! To me that doesn´t sound like a lot of time. For me, time is flying, I don´t know about you guys! But my hour is up! Thank all for the letters this week. I love hearing about the news of the family, so always keep me updated!!

I love you all!
Until next week
Elder Shane

Saturday, June 21, 2014

6/16/2014

Hello and good afternoon!

So first off I recieved my new companion  last tuesday: Elder Salazar, from Veracruz Mexico (which is like 6 hours from here). He seems like a great missionary and we get along pretty good. He is a hard worker and I think that we are going to get a lot done this transfer. He is an awesome missionary... but he has a lot of wierd habbits: for example, he whistles like a bird every couple of minutes, he drums on everything. whistles to every song that we hear in the streets or in the house. moans in his sleep etc. But, I realize that I also have a lot of wierd habbits, so we are going to get a long great!

The other good news is that Rafael was baptized on Saturday! He repented of a lot of things and changed his life a lot and he is going to be a strong member in the church. I don´t know why but he doesn´t smile for the camera, but despite that he is a happy guy, and getting happier.

This week we worked hard and found some promising new people to teach. Cesar Lara is 19 years old, he contacted us in the streets wanting to find out for himself if God really exists (I might have already told you guys this story) and this week we finally had a solid lesson with him. Cecilia, who is 24 years old, claims to be Buddhist (I don´t know if I believe her) but she started listening to us and said that she learned alot from the Restoration pamphlet that we gave her. And we have Hector, who is looking for two things: the "religion with the pure doctrine", and a job. We are also going to start to teach again Diana and Natalia, who were about to be baptized but because of pressure in her family stopped listening to us for a time. So things are going pretty well this week.

Last night, I read and was inspired by the talk that was given by Henry B Erying in the General Conference, "The Priesthood Man". President Eyring talked a little bit about prayer. He said
"We all pray, but the priesthood holder you want to be prays often and with real intent. In the evening you will get on your knees and thank God for theblessings of the day. You will thank Him for parents, for teachers, and for great examples to follow. You will describe in your prayers specifically who has blessed your life and how, during that day. That will take more than a few minutes and more than a little thought. It will surprise you andchange you."
Prayer is something that we all need to improve on. We need to learn to really communicate with the Father through prayer. It´s easy to pray out of responsability, because we know that we have to do it, But are we really communicating with the Father? President Eyring also said:
"One way you will be changed by such fervent prayer is, I promise you, thatyou will feel truly that you are a child of God."

So, that is something important that I learned this week, about prayer. That we need to learn to how pray fervently. But my hour is up. I love you all a ton! Thanks for all that you guys do! Thanks for your prayers and support. Keep working hard and planting seeds in the hearts of friends, family, etc!

Sunday, June 15, 2014

9/6/14 Tlaxcallan 2 with Elder Ramirez

Good afternoon everyone!

As I said last week the transfer is ending! I will be staying here in Tlaxcallan 2, but Elder Ramirez is leaving! So tomorrow I will be recieving a new companion. So i´ll tell you all about him next week.

We are starting to see a lot of progress in this ward. They are starting to participate more and more in missionary work. The ward mission leader is starting to do more plans with the ward to befriend the people we teach. The members started doing family home evenings in their homes and they bring their friends and we bring our investigators. The members of the ward are getting better, but they´ve still got a long way to go.

This Saturday, we have a baptism planned for Rafael. He is the ex-husband of a recent convert in the ward, Lucresia. She was baptized in February, she has 5 children, of whom Rafael is the father. Right now Lucresia and Rafael are good friends,, and he has just recently made the decision to be baptized. He remembered really well everything that we taught him and he has a testimony, but in the last visit we found out that he just needs to repent for a few things before his baptism. So if he does that he´ll be ready for baptism this Saturday... everything depends on him right now. So next week i´ll let you guys know how everything plays out.

Something awesome about the mission is just teaching people the gospel according to their individual needs. Every morning during companionship study, we talk about each person that are going to teach that day. We talk about their needs, and what is it that they need to learn and understand about the gospel. And then we go out and teach. The spirit helps us know the words we need to use, the scriptures that we need to share, the questions we need to ask, etc. That is why it´s important to study the gospel, because if you don´t understand it you can´t apply to the individual needs of the people you teach.

So next week i´ll let you all now how everything plays with the baptism and with my new companion. I sent Dad a Father´s Day card today, I hope it gets there soon. But I love you all! And i´ll talk to next week!

wubby wubby
Elder Shane Davis

Sunday, June 8, 2014

6/2/14 Tlaxcallan 2, with Elder Ramirez

Good afternoon everyone! I was excited to hear about Kannon´s mission call!!!! I am super excited for you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That is super soon! You are leaving in 2 months and that is not a long time! Something that I realized in the mission is that two years really is not a long time. I am going home in 10 months, and that does not seem like a long time for me. But work hard and remember: good missionary is measured by his dedication to improve his weeknesses and lose himself in the work.

This week is the last week of the transfer, so as usual, I´ll tell you guys who goes and who stays next week. Me and Elder Ramirez have an unexplainable feeling that they are going to kick us out of the area and put sister missionaries here. Because this area would be perfect for sisters.

This week was a pretty good week. We started finding a good amount of new investigators this week. We have one investigator that is going to be baptized on the 14th. And Elena, the investigator that has to quit smoking is starting to progress a lot better because she finally has a close friend in the ward. If an investigator doesn´t have a friend in the church, they will have a hard time progressing.

We had an interesting experience with one the members in the ward. There is one member, Janet, who has some emotional problems. She is always mad at everyone and she scolds everyone and is the cause of a lot of people not going to church anymore. So she started harassing Berenice, who was baptized recently, and we don´t really know why. But Berenice still stays strong. The Janet keyed Berenice´s car (very mature right?). Berenice has every reason to get angry and stop going to church, but luckily she doesn´t. For me, that is good example of someone that doesn´t get offended. In the world, I have seen too many people that get offended way too easily, that look for reasons to get angry. To get offended is a choice. And there are too many people that stop going to church because they let themselves get offended.

Well, I am still super excited about Kannon´s call! Prepare well and get ready to work hard! My hour´s up but I hope that all goes well for you all. I hope that you enjoy the spice mexican candy (if you don´t like it, don´t worry, it´s an acquired taste). Tell Cole congratulations for me!

Hasta la prĆ³xima semana!
Elder Davis

Sunday, June 1, 2014

5/26/14 Tlaxcallan 2, with Elder Ramirez(2)

Good afternoon everyone! I hope all is well at home. I am super excited to hear about Kannon´s mission call!! Remember that I guessed Canada! Kannon: I hope that you are preparing, reading the scriptures and Preach my Gospel, etc. the best missionaries aren´t always the smartest missionaries, or the people who are best in everything, but are the most deicated and consecrated to the work. They are missionaries without weaknesses but who try their hardest to overcome their weaknesses.

This week we had a lot of trials, but in the trials we had, I learned alot! The Otero family, who in the first lesson wanted to be baptized, we found out that they have no intentions of changing their customs to live the gospel, even though they know they need to. Arturo, Janet and Sofia, have been having some strong family issues. Arturo is an alcoholic, and apparently he is violent when drunk, so for our "own safety" the lidia doesn´t want us to teach them for a little while. Antonio is hospitalized right now, and he will probably be there for a few weeks (luckily he brought his Book of Mormon with him). And we have one investigator that worships "Holy Death" (it´s like worshipping Satan)... and he said that Death kissed him, he´s kind of wierd; we probably won´t waste too much time with him. But this week, I learned a lot! Missionary work has its ups and downs, but overall, it is awesome! We are going to work hard this week to find new people to teach!

Even at the end of a hard week, you can feel good about if you worked hard.

On thursday we had a conference with the mission president. We learned a lot more about how we should use the Book of Mormon when teaching. The Book of Mormon is the evidence of the Restoration. By reading and praying about it, we can know that the church of Jesus Christ has been restored to the earth. I encourage you all to always read the Book of Mormon and have a testimony of it.

Today for Pday, we played basketball and soccer. It was pretty fun! I play basketball a lot better than soccer (at least with the Latinos). We invited a group of teenagers who just got out of school to play with us. They creamed us playing soccer, but when we played basketball, they had no clue how to play!

Oh, and today I was able to take money out on my card from home. So if the bank calls you guys and asks tells you that someone in Tlaxcala Mexico is using my card, don´t be surprised.

Well, other than that, not much more happened this week. Keep staying strong! Keep setting the example for your friends, and for the members in the ward. Work with the missionaries when they come! I am glad that the branch will have missionaries! I love you all and I can´t wait to hear about Kannon´s mission call!! (be sure to send pictures or a video)

Until next week!
Elder Davis

Sunday, May 25, 2014

5/19/14 Tlaxcallan 2, with Elder Ramirez

Good afternoon everyone! I hope that all is well at home. I sent a package home today, it will probably get there in about a month or more. I sent some mexican goodies, so I hope you enjoy!

Right now, the work is going pretty good. We found a new family to teach: Eduardo and Janet, a young married couple who still don´t have kids. But they are pretty funny. In the first lesson that we had with them, we started the lesson with a prayer, and Eduardo (who really isn´t the emotional kind of guy) started to cry uncontrolably saying "that was wierd, i´ve never felt anything like that before". And during the lessons, he and his wife understand everything pretty well. They attended church with us yesterday and they liked it alot.

Recently, we noticed that we have been finding plenty of people to teach, plenty of investigators that are great. but they progress super slowly towards baptism. So elder Ramirez and I were thinking about what we can do more to help them progress faster. One thing that we thought of, is friendship. Many people don´t progress in the gospel because they don´t have support from the members or friends in the ward. Another thing that we thought of is helping them fulfill their commitments (such as attend chuch, read the Book of Mormon, obey the word of wisdom, etc.). So we are going to try even harder to help the people we teach progress towards their baptism.

Elena, Irais´s daughter (27 years old) is starting to progress pretty well. She wants to be baptized in the coming weeks, but she has to stop smoking, which will be a chellenge for her, but now she is starting to have more friends in the ward from some of the single adults. So that will help her alot.

The other day, I tried to take money out of my card to my bank account, but it didn´t let me. I don´t know if there is a problem or if it is just the ATM machinee but, the card expires in July,

But, my hour is up. Thank you all for the emails this week. Sorry I didn´t write much this week. The next week will be more. I love you all I hope that all is well at home. Kannon, keep preparing and getting ready for you mission. And family: Keep sharing the gospel and working with the missionaries!

I love you all so much!
Until next week,
Elder Davis

Sunday, May 18, 2014

Week of 5/12/14

Hello family! I know that I spoke with you guys on Saturday, and not a lot has changed since then, but i´ll try to find something more to say.

Apparently our mission has a facebook page now (strictly for the use of the parents of missionaries or return missionaries, not for me). But you guys should take a look, maybe you´ll find me! https://www.facebook.com/MexicoPueblaNorthMission

Well, right now things are going pretty good in our area. This week we found another family that wants to be baptized: the Otero family, which consists of the grandpa, Carlos, his two children (now adults) Carlos and Karla, and her two daughters Katya (12 years) and Bania (9 years). They already know that the church is true, but we just need to work with them to get them into the habbit of attending church, reading the scriptures, and so on. Learning to living the gospel, from what I have learned, takes time and help from the members of the ward.

I tried to offer money to the member that let us use her telephone, but she wouldn´t accept it no matter what I did.

Justine told me in her email that I have a bit of a mexican accent... is it true?? I feel like I talk the same. So while my accent in spanish is improving, my english is worsening. The other day we had interviews with the mission president, and we started my interview with a prayer, and I tried to do it in english, but it was pretty bad. I accidentally said some words in Spanish, and I had to think very hard to translate what I would normally say in Spanish into english. So I think that I am just going to stick with Spanish until I finish my mission.

Well, I guess that all that I have to say this week. Sorry that it was short, but I´m sure that you guys heard enough of me on saturday. Tell Kannon to write me something this week!! But I love you all and hope for the best! Until next week!

Love,
Elder Davis

Sunday, May 11, 2014

Cinco de Mayo, 2014, Tlaxcallan 2, with Elder Ramirez



Hello everyone! I hope that all is well at home! Im a little bit jealous about mom and dad going to Hawaii. Maybe someday they´ll invite the kids someday.

This week we had the baptism of Berenice, Corina´s mom! Berenice is going to be a very strong member. She had been listening to the missionaries for about 10 months before she was baptized. Really, the only thing that she was missing for most of that time was more friendship and support in the church. Once we brought some members with us to the appointments and some Family Home Evenings, Berenice started feeling a lot more comfortable in the ward and then she started progressing. That shows the importence of friendship in the church. Having friends in the church is a good start to progression in the gospel.

Today is Cinco de Mayo, and the only thing different is that the children don´t go to school. Cinco de Mayo is a celebration for a victory that the people from Puebla had in a battle. But right now, I am not even in Puebla, I am in the state of Tlaxcala, which is a tiny state within the Puebla North mission. With that said, the people of Tlaxcala don´t really care a whole lot about Cinco de Mayo. But I think later there are going to be parties, because that´s what the people do here whenever there is any sort of holiday, weekend, or break, they play super loud Mariachi band music and get drunk. We might join them in the party if we get bored.

This week, there was a small flood. While the four of us elders in the ward were eating with one of the sisters of the ward, it started raining super hard. After we finished eating, we looked outside and noticed that the entire street was flooded. One of the drains got clogged and the whole street filled with about 8 inches or more of water. So we called Berenice, who at this time was about to be baptized, and she brought her car to pick us up and rescue us because that was a bit easier than getting wet.

So last week I told you guys I that I sent a letter to mom for Mother´s Day, they said that it would take 2 weeks, so i hope that it get´s there on time. But regarding the package, I still haven´t been able to send it. Today a bought some mexican things to send home. But I still need to find some more things to send home. But i´ll send it soon, don´t worry.

One of the rules that we have always had is that we can´t go into a house with anyone of the opposite sex without there being another adult male with us. So usually, if we are going to teach a women, we either bring a brother in the ward with us, or we teach outside. But now, we were informed that we can no longer teach a women without another adult male present even if we are outside, in a store, in a park, etc.; if we are going to teach a women there ALWAYS has to be another adult male present. So for us, given that we are teaching more than 10 women and 3 guys, we need to involve the brothers in the ward a lot more.So we´ll see how that goes. in the next coming weeks.

Well, I love you lots! and I can´t wait to talk to you guys on Saturday! I am going to call you guys at 11:00 your time. which is 1:00 my time. I hope that you guys still remember you skype account name and password. I love you all!

Talk to you Saturday!!
Love,
Elder Davis

Sunday, May 4, 2014

pictures



week of 4/28/14

Well today is the last day of the transfer, and on Saturday they told us that niether me nor my companion are leaving, so we are both staying here!

Last week I believe that I told you guys that we were going to see a movie in the theater, and see some converts in Atempan. I attatched photos of both events. Last week, Elder Alejandre, because he is ending his mission and going home tomorrow, was able to come here and visit some of the people we baptized. We saw Maricruz and Dayane, who are both very active in the church! And at church, given that we chare a church building with Atempan, every once in a while I see Enrique, Angel and Fernando, and also their mom who was baptized not too long ago (she was finally able to change work schedule to be able to go to church every Sunday!

Right now, things are going pretty good in this area. We have a good amount of people that are progressing towards baptism. It´s pretty cool. I think as humans, we believe in miracles, but we don´t realize that they can happen to us until they do. I feel like that is happening right now. All my mission we have worked hard but we have always had trouble finding people that are willing to accept the gospel, especially in my last area, Teotlaltzingo. But now we have 10 people that are coming pretty close to baptism or want to be baptized. Berenice (Corina´s mom) could be baptized this Saturday. We have one investigator Antonio, who will be baptized next week if he attends church this Sunday. Diana and her daughter Natalia, who want to be baptized, but they just don´t have a lot of time for us to teach them. Arturo, Lidia, and their daughter Sofia, who have had a very dificult past and want to join the church (their baptismal date is the May 31). IraĆ­s needs to get married and gain a testimony of the church.  And her kids (now adults) Elena and David, want to be baptized, soon.

Today I sent Mom a Mother´s Day card. They said that it would take about 2 weeks to get to California. Nobody has even told me even my last card made it home!!! So, with that said, I don´t know when it is going to get there. I believe that I will be able to talk with you guys on Skype the saturday before Mother´s Day, So next week let me know what time would be best with you guys and i´ll plan it out with my companion. Just wanted to say that I love you and miss you all! Kannon: Congratulations with the mission papers!! I am excited for you and to hear where you are going to go!! The months or weeks between now are super important! By the way, I guessed that you are going to go to Canada, so prepare for the cold. Christ Lives! Miracles happen! Until next week!

Monday, April 21, 2014

4/21/2014 Tlaxcallan 2, with Elder Ramirez

Hey everyone, happy late easter! I hope that all is well at home.

I had a couple people tell me that they were concerned about an earthquake... the truth is that I didn´t even feel it. Some people asked us " did you feel the earthquake!?" and we answered them honestly and innocently with a different question: "what earthquake? we didn´t feel anything." So don´t worry, i´m alright.

This week we Corina was baptized, and it is an interesting story. At first she was going to be baptized on Saturday, after FSY (a youth program just like efy). Verenice, Corina´s mom, was also going to be baptized but she has to change some things in her life before her baptism, but Corina didn´t want to wait. Thursday night, we were told that the members changed Corina´s baptismal date to Friday at 1:00 (which is out of their authority to do), and they didn´t even think to tell us. Corina wanted to be baptized on Friday so that her FSY group could be there, It really isn´t a bad idea, but the members of the ward took it in to their own hands to plan, organize, and carry out her baptism, and we, the missionaries in charge of her baptism, almost didn´t find out until after. (if you have questions about why that´s not okay, ask Dad). But in the end, everything came out okay, Corina was baptised and we were there for it. My companion, Elder Ramirez is the one that baptized her. On Sunday we talked with the people that tried to take matters into their own hands... they aren´t going to do it again.

The funny thing about the baptism is that we did in front of 300 people, everyone in the FSY. 300 people couldn´t have all fit into one room so they recorded the baptism and transmitted it to the Sacrament room so that everyone could see. It was interesting, and I wouldn´t like to have another baptism like that again, but it was fun and a good memory. Corina´s mom, Verenice is going to be baptized on the 3rd of May.

Today for PDay, our mission president gave our zone permission to see a movie in the theater: The Son of God. I don´t know what to expect but at 2:30 we are going to see it, that is why I am writing you all so early.

And also in a little bit, before the movie I am going to see some converts because my area is so close to them. Elder Alejandre, my first companion also is going to come and see them because he is about to end his mission. So next week i´ll let you know how it goes.

You guys also asked me about the Easter traditions here all they did really was party. Everyone played loud music and got drunk. But that is about it for the Mexican Easter traditions

But now I gotta go! Kannon... well done with prom. I hope that you are excited for your mission, use time wisely and prepare, because time flies really fast. I love you all! Next week I am planning on sending a package home, but I don´t know how long it is going to take to get there. But Keep working hard and sharing the Gospel!

I love you all!
Until next week
Elder Davis

Week of 4/14/2014

Hello everyone! Another good week in the mission field!

I have some good news and some bad news. I guess that I´ll start with the bad. Verenice, an investigator that has been investigating for more than 6 or 7 months, was going to be baptized this week but has to wait another week or two to fix some things in her life, but she has a strong desire to do everything and join the church. The good news is that her daughter, Corina (14 years old), doesn´t want to wait so she is going to be baptized this Satuday after attending EFY this week!

We also have two other investigators that want to be baptized, Diana and her daughter Natalia (13 years old). Right now they have their baptismal date for the 26th of this month. They both seem like great people. They are also going to be strong members of the church. Diana has already read up to Mosiah in the Book of Mormon. Natalia also went to EFY this week, so she´ll definitely feel the spirit there.

This week we found a sort of crazy new investigator, Rolando, who is about 70 or 80 years old (we didn´t ask him his age). We contacted him in the street one day and he was willing to listen to us. When he was younger he was in profesional wrestling, but mexican wrestling, exactly like Nacho Libre, where they wear underwear, a cape and a mask.. Right now he is retired and has a lot of money and nothing to do, so he makes arts and crafts in his house. We taught him a lesson and then we took pictures in his house. He made the weird looking gorilla that you´ll see in the picture that I took of me trying to immitate the face of the gorilla.

The sad thing is, is that Rolando, even though he is friendly, he is also super stubborn with his beliefs and a bit prideful. So we aren´t going to spend too much time with him, but at least the pictures are cool

I heard that Kannon went to prom, but I have seen no picture! I hope that you had fun at your last prom!

Something that we have started doing, is going on splits with the members. I don´t know if splits is the right word in English, but we (me and my companion) each take a brother in the ward that is a priest, or has the Melchezidech priesthood, and we split work separate so that we can teach more people at once. Right now, the members really aren´t used to working with the missionaries, and sometimes it is a bit hard to find people willing to work with us.

Well I hope you enjoy the pictures. I hope that you guys can send some pictures more often. Just a question: A couple weeks ago, I sent a letter by mail, Did you guys ever get it? I am going to start putting together a package to send to you guys, with some printed pictures, and some other mexican things. Luckily there is a post office close to the area here. But i´ll talk to you all more next week! I love you all! Keep working hard!!!!

Until next week!
Elder Davis

Sunday, April 13, 2014

Week of 4/7/14

Hello all! This week in many ways was a great week, and in others not so good. My companion got sick for a little while, but now he feels better! Over the weekend the General Conference was awesome usual! Our church leaders are great examples for us all. I feel like I recieved so much inspiration about things that I need to do better. I wrote down every thing that I felt or was invited to do by the general authorities, and there are a lot of things!

Dad asked about a tradition that the missionaries do when they hit the year mark. Well, in this mission we burn a white shirt, and at 2 years they burn a suit (which I don´t think I am going to do unless it is completely destroyed). I am still indecisive about burning a shirt... I feel like it´s kind of a waste.

It is wierd to think that next week, I will have hit the year mark in the mission! The first year went by super fast, and from what I have heard, the second year goes by even faster! I have been told that time hasn´t been going by all that fast for you guys, but for me, time has been flying! Two years really isn´t all that much time.

Dad also asked me about my Spanish. Right now, I feel like I have a pretty good grasp on the spanish grammar (I have studied almost every single page of the grammar book that they gave us in the MTC). But my accent I think still needs a bit of work. I feel like I am pretty understandable if I don´t try to talk fast, but I think that I still have a somewhat strong accent. But there is a huge diffeence between now and a couple months ago. I am trying to improve my accent a little bit everyday.

In General Conference, there were some funny accents. I couldn´t even understand Carlos Amado´s english, but the one guy with the last name of Aidukaitis (or something like that) had a super crazy and funny accent, but super understandable.

But, I love you all! I´ll talk to you all a bit more next more next week! I am going to keep working hard in bringing souls to Christ! I know that Christ lives and that he loves us, and that he is very patient and merciful with each one of us!

I love you all kind of a lot!
Elder Davis