¿Què pasa calabaza? So I've been out three months now. Like how crazy is that!? Time does seem to move by a little quicker. It didn't even feel like Thanksgiving this past week too. And I get to talk to y'all in 25 days like woah! Sounds like everyone has been having lots of fun with family and friends and such. I'm glad Aunt Melon was able to enjoy her time there too! I loved the pictures at Uncle Eric's and Aunt Lori's.
This has been quite a week. Ok so I guess first, transfers. So my companion was transferred to Ukiah. I got a Nuevo compañero. His name is Elder Castro, and he was actually already in our ward just in a
different area, so I already knew him. He is from New Jersey, but his parents are from Honduras. He's fluent and technically a "native speaker" but was born in NJ. So since I've been in the area longer and
know it better, I'm driver for this transfer which is pretty fun. It's like a 2013 Corolla so that's sick ya? We get around 1100 miles each month, which believe it or not goes super super quick. In our apartment, elder Britt is still here but Elder Coursey came in. Elder Coursey is from Kentucky and has a deep southern accent and reminds me of home.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING Y'ALL. Our Thanksgiving here was pretty fun! We woke up and had service for Sister Stewart (our mission nurse) at 7 am. We set up for what's called the Creche festival this weekend. Creche in French means Nativity, more or less. So the Creche festival is this huge nativity festival at one of our church buildings. There are 300-400 nativities set up in the building and then a performance by and choir and such. It started about 18 years ago and people from everywhere come around to see it. Santa Rosa is starting to get pretty famous for it too! So that festival is this next weekend, Dec 5th and 6th, and were allowed to go if we have investigators come with us. (it
kinda sounds like what Dad was telling me he's participating in coming up) So Thanksgiving morning we setup up like 100 Christmas trees that morning. We were then able to have a turkey bowl with our ward and a couple others. It was fun and a good way to run off stress. Later that day we had two dinners, one with the cousin and another with the English elders that live with us. It was so good, but no momma's cooking ;) Then after the dinners we were allowed to have a zone activity at the church, so we played basketball and volleyball. HAHA President actually showed up and came and played with us too. It was a good day!
The rest of the week was just the norm; planning and contacting. We actually got some pretty cool pictures when we were about finding people.
Sunday, The Freebairn's asked me to come sing in their ward, so I went and sang Come Thou Fount Of Every Blessing (which apparently mom has a recording of now...?) and then actually I had to run back over to our ward and sing with another sister in ours. Our fifth Sunday sacrament is missionary based. We have the Mission Ward Leader lead it and the missionaries give talks and do special musical numbers and such. It was fun and good for all the missionaries to participate.
Starting yesterday, we are starting the Christmas initiative which is centered around "The Savior is Born." Lol I was actually able to see that video at the beginning of November, but I never told anyone 🤗 It's so special and I'll share my thoughts on it throughout the month but I want EVERYONE TO WATCH IT FIRST and share their thoughts with me about it!
Here is the link:
This week's Ponderizing scripture was D&C 11:12-14, which says:
12 And now, verily, verily, I say unto thee, put your trust in that Spirit which leadeth to do good--yea, to do justly, to walk humbly, to judge righteously; and this is my Spirit.
13 Verily, verily, I say unto you, I will impart unto you of my Spirit, which shall enlighten your mind, which shall fill your soul with joy;
14 And then shall ye know, or by this shall you know, all things whatsoever you desire of me, which are pertaining unto things of righteousness, in faith believing in me that you shall receive.
Ok so first I really liked the phrase "put your TRUST in that spirit...." I looked up Trust (or Trust in God) in the bible dictionary and found a scripture in Proverbs 16:20, that basically says that when we trust in the Lord we are happy. There was also a footnote under this scripture that referenced Faith (but I'll come back to that later.) ok then I was curious exactly what it meant by Spirit (in the context of this scripture) and I found something interesting in 1 John 4 that talks about that there's different
spirits that false prophets preach about but that the only true spirit is felt when it is they "confesseth that Jesus Christ cometh in the flesh." So basically The Spirit Of God does a lot, but it emphasizes
TWO major things in verse 12, that it leadeth to do good and Helps you walk humbly to judge righteously. In verse 13, we find out that when our heart is filled with Joy, it is because God imparts his spirit upon us. AND THEN by that same spirit we shall know all (righteous) things "whatsoever" we desire of him, if we have that FAITH to receive them. There's that faith word again. If we don't have faith that we're going to receive those blessings, then why are we even gonna ask for them? That's just wasting our time and God's time. That is why Faith is so important and one of the main doctrines of Christ. Without it, we are/have nothing.
Ok I feel like I talk too much sometimes so I'll chill lol. Have a fantastical week and a great start to DECEMBER. Let me know if you have any cool missionary or spiritual experience throughout the week!
I love you!
Con Amor
Elder Joyner
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