Week 36: Harlingen-San Benito

What a week!

This week was pretty good, we found some really cool people. The first one we found had been taught by the misisonaries before and we taught him the restoration and he liked it. We set up a return appointment and tried to go back but we haven't been able to talk to him since.( Seems to be a recurring problem with a lot of people here)

We had a really good lesson with an investigator that we have been teaching. We taught her the plan of salvation and focused a lot on eternal families and how she and her family can live together forever. We invited her to be baptized and she said that she would prepare for April! So that was really cool. We had invited her before but she was hesitant. We are going to keep teaching her and hopefully good comes out of it!!

On Saturday we found a super kid named Carlos! The other elders had talked to him a week or two ago and we had passed by but never found him at home. We were working down pretty close to his house and we hadn't planned on going by him but we decided to and it was super good! We taught him a little about baptism and he said that he wants to get baptized. He didn't make it to church but we are going to work with him and start helping him grow spiritually.

We also talked with the Olvera family. They are a family that had been taught by missionaries about 8 months ago. The parents couldn't get baptized because they are waiting to get married. We went by and talked with them for a little while and we asked them why the kids hadn't gotten baptized yet? They said they didn't know they could and we said of course they can! So we are going to work with them and prepare their kids to get baptized!

On Sunday one of the member's sons got baptized. His name is Carlos. He is an awesome little 8 year old. He was so excited to get baptized! After he came up out of the water he just let out a huge sigh! I love that little kid!!!

This was a pretty successful week. We did a lot of good work! I'm excited to go out and work this week! It is most likely my last week here in Sanny B:/ But we will find out! Pray that I stay!!

I would love to have another 6 weeks here. But it's all up to the Man upstairs!

I love you all have a good week!

Rolando

Elder March

Baby chick.

Riding for the Lord.

Week 35: Harlingen-San Benito

What a cool week!!!

We started to teach a family that we had found last week. We taught them the Book of Mormon first and then taught them the restoration the next day. Then they had to go out of town so we haven't had much contact with them. We are going to go by them tonight and see how they are doing and if they still want to get taught.

We had a pretty cool story this week. So in one of the areas we work in a lot there is a trouble maker. He just got out of juvi and has been back up to no good. I was pretty sure he was a less active member as well. We didn't have a chance to talk to him but whenever he would see us he would just say some pretty bad things to us and we would walk away. Well, one day I was pretty tried of it and just walked up to him and started talking to him. He is 17 and already dropped out of highschool. He is baciaclly only a freshman. But we started talking and asked him if he wanted to change. He said he didn't know if he could. He was just in too deep but we promised him that we could help him if he really wanted to change. He said okay and we left it at that. We haven't been able to talk to him again but we are going to try. It was cool to see how much he changed. He went from swearing at us and saying gross things to treating us like a friend. That night I was reading my patriarchal blessing and I had a very strong prompting that I'm going to be helping kids like him for the rest of my life. He is a member of one of the gangs down here and I think a lot of what I'm supposed to do in the future is going to be involved with that. It was pretty cool to receive that revelation! I've learned so many things on the mission!

We found another pretty cool girl. She is about 25. We knocked on her door and started talking to her. She told us that she is pregnant. We asked her what kind of life she wants for her baby and she said the best! She told us that we could come back and teach her some more. I'm excited to help her. I can tell she is going to be a good investigator!!

This was a pretty good week! We learned a lot and had a lot of fun!!! I love you all have a good week!!

Love, Elder Hurst

Before and after a day of hard work.

Elder Riding

Nice Face.

Abandoned house in area.

Week 34: Harlingen-San Benito

What a week!

There was a lot of ups and downs this week! But we made it through.

We will start with the downs real quick. We unfortunately had to stop visiting some really cool families that we were teaching. They just weren't acting and it came down to that. Also Jerry didn't come to church again. He hasn't been back since he got confirmed. But we are going to keep working with him and get him there next week.

Other than those lows it was a super good week! On Wednesday we looked out the window and saw that it was pouring rain. We thought it was going to be an awful week but it turned out to be amazing!! We found a really cool couple and talked with a  ton of people. I was expecting that day to be super bad and frustrating but it turned out to be amazing. It taught me the importance of always having a good attitude!! Attitude decides everything!

On Saturday we had the opportunity to find a lot of cool people! On Saturday we went to teach one of our investigators named Rigo but it turned out that he wasn't there so we started to teach his cousin Maria who had told us that she wanted to start coming to church. They live right next to an active member so It worked out perfectly. We taught her the restoration and she accepted a BD. She also came to church the next day with the active member family! It was super cool. We are going to keep working with her and try to teach the rest of her family.

We also had a potential set up that lives pretty close to another member so we decided to bring one of the members to the lessons with us. I was pretty hesitant at first just because it was a first lesson and the member wasn't comfortable with working with the missionaries! But we took her and it turned out great. It turns out that they know each other! It was super cool! It helped me realize that it's the will of the Lord not my will that we should do every day!

We also had a lesson with a less active family. Their father is in prison and was supposed to get out but some things happened and he will have to be in for a little longer. The family was super sad when we went over. We went and talked with them for a little while and the whole time I was thinking what to share with them. Then the thought to invite them to fast came to my head. So I shared a scripture on fasting and invited them to do it! They said they would. They also came to church! It was super cool to see them at church. We are going to work with them and make sure that they come to church every week. The dad isn't a member and I want him to be thrown right into the church when he gets out!! But they are super cool. It was the blessings of following the spirit!

Things have been going good here! I love it here in San Benito. I'm scared of how fast the time is going by. I'm not sure if I'm going to go another transfer here. I sure hope so. But I love everything about it here! I love you all!

Love,Elder Hurst

Week 33: Harlingen-San Benito

This week was pretty good! 

On Tuesday we went over to the G family's house and they fed us! They are basically already members! We just need to get them to church. They said that they were going to come but then some things happened and they weren't able to make it. It was pretty disappointing but we had a really good lesson with them yesterday and they should be there next Sunday!

J has ben really hard to get a hold of. We are probably going to have to stop going by. It's sad but there is not much we can do for him anymore.

The L family is looking okay. We had a lesson with them and they said that they would try to come to English ward because they have to work during the morning and couldn't make it to San Benito. It was kinda hard because that is just what is convinetn for them they don't really understand the importance of the sabbath day. We taught it super clear but they just want to do what they want not what god wants them to do. But Spanish branch would be so perfect for them that's why it sucks! They already know some of the members and everything and its super closer. Plus the dad only speaks Spanish. But they didn't show up to church on Sunday because they went to there aunt's church. So I don't know how much longer we will work with them.

And then our investigator R is looking pretty good. He is really good friends with a  solid member here. He couldn't come to church this week because he was in mexico visiting his parents. That's the only problem with him. His parents aren't there to help support him. But he has some really good member support. So if we feel like her is ready and will stay active we might baptize him. It all just depends on what is going on.

The other day we were walking arougnd looking for people to go talk to and all of a sudden I said lets go knock on that door. So we did and we found L! He is a 16 year old kid. He is super cool. He has some self esteem issures so we realatied that back to the gospel. So we are going to try and work with him and help him get over those doubts! He is really cool.

We are working hard here in San Benito! Elder March is a great companion we get a long really well  and have a lot of fun together!

I hope that you are both doing great! I love you guys so much!!

Love, Elder Hurst

Elder March's birthday

Week 32: Harlingen-San Benito

Well this week I got a new companion! His name is Elder March. He is from California. He has about 3 months left in his mission.

This week we tried to have a ward missionary activity but the two misisonaries in charge both left so it didn't go as we wanted it to go. We watched the restoration at the church and ate nachos. We did a really bad job of spreading the word and we only had about 20 members there.

This Saturday we did an exchange with some of the other missionaries. I went to Harlingen. We went to the first appointment of some of their potentials. They were a young little family. We walked in and right away I thought that I recongnized them. It turns out that the person we were visitng was nephew of a faithful member in my area in San Benito! I had been at the members house when we got the referral for the Harlingen missionaries. It was super cool to see that happen!

This week we got a lot of new people in our zone. There are two people that really stood out to me. One is Elder G. He is from Mexico. I don't know exactly what happened with him but he got in an accident or something and his body is pretty messed up from it. But he has a super good attitude and it really humbled me so much for just about everything I have. The other is Elder T. He is a recent convert of about a 2 years. He is the only member in his family. He told us that on the way to the airport his mom was just reading anti Mormon stuff to him and not supportive at all. But he still came out and is a boss! But both of these elders humbled me and I learned that I need to be more grateful for everything that I have. Especially thank you for your loving attitude to me and for supporting me on my mission.

My advice for the youth would just be to get ready to get out of their comfort zones! That's all you do in the mission! There is no comfort zone!

This week has been really good. I feel like I have grown a lot and am becoming the missionary that God needs me to become! I love you all!

Elder Hurst

Elder Hurst and Elder March