We had our mission conference

Nov. 17, 2014

     Oi... So this week was transfers... but all 4 of us are staying here in Guadalajara! So now I’m in my 4th transfer here... however there will be a lot of missionaries leaving the mission on the 15th of December so there will be basically.. an expected emergency transfer... so we’ll see what happens. I can’t believe Slippery Rock lost to Hickory! Seems like they can never manage to make it to state playoffs.. however basketball will be starting soon... maybe the basketball team will have success this year :) 

     So this week we had our mission conference with half the mission. Since our new mission president changed some rules in the mission (like district meeting with only your own district and not being able to watch Disney movies on p-day), of course there’s some missionaries and members who say that there are an extreme amount of rules, and they’re not big fans. However, during the conference President Bonini talked to us and expressed his feelings to us about how we are here to please the Lord... and not members, missionaries or anyone else. I felt grateful to know that my mission president isn’t worried about pleasing men, but is devoted in his calling to serve the Lord. Do what the Lord wants him to do. He inspires us to always do what will please the Lord instead of what will please others... because a lot of the time... most of the time.. desires of men aren’t the desires of the Lord. He cited some parts of the general conference talk "Which Way do you Face" and explained how we are here to please the Lord and to do his will.

     Unfortunately this week’s baptism was postponed, but this Saturday will be the baptism and hopefully the weeks that follow as well. We hope to baptize in all the coming weeks... and especially Christmas week. This week we were able to meet and teach lots of new families.. and parents that are already married! I was reading a talk from President Monson, I think, last week where he talked about a general authority that went to some mission, I don’t know which... and interviewed some of the missionaries. One of the missionaries he interviewed had great success on the mission, and the general authority asked him "I suppose most of the people you’ve baptized here have come from references from the members." .... and the missionary responded... "Actually everyone me and my companion baptized we found while we knocked doors"... so the general authority asked him "What did you do different then the other missionaries to have so much success" ... the missionary responded "Every person I met in every door I tried to baptize. Even if they were smoking or drinking, I imagined the blessings they could receive from being baptized and entering in the temple." He went on to say "When I looked at people this way, I could bare a powerful testimony of the gospel and how it would bless their life" ..He was optimistic, diligent and bore powerful testimony.

     These are 3 things that we applied this week and saw a difference in our results... when appointments fell through, we would knock on the door of the neighbor.. and if that one fell through, we went to the other neighbor knowing that some family would accept. President Monson taught in the same talk that we have a "Responsibility" to see our family and friends as they can become. I am discovering that is a key for missionaries and members in helping the Lord bring others to his true church. If we see those around us in the way they can become and think about the blessings they can receive, blessings of eternal life and exaltation, we will have an increased desire to help them, even when they don’t seem to have much desire to help themselves. However, sooner or later, we will find someone that will want that help, and we will be blessed for our diligent service. 

     I’ll send some pictures from the last week. Hope everything’s good back in good ol PA. Hope Cole is excited to drive soon! Have a good week.. thx for the email :) Love you guys. 

--Elder Udy