July 25th - His last missionary email to me
Hi Mom,
(I asked Devon to tell me what were his goals for the last week of his mission) We have the strong and firm goal to find more than 20 investigators this week. We also want to invite someone to be baptized right in the doorstep after knocking the door. We want to open our mouths with everyone.
(I asked Devon, "how are you feeling?") No comment.
Well I am glad to hear that all is well back home, and that you had an amazing week.
It is hard for me to see the computer screen through my teary eyes....
I know that I need to go home, I am ready to do that step. I am ready to face the challenges after the mission. But I am so sad that I have to leave. I never have felt so happy in my life, and I have come to love the people of Argentina so much.
Throughout my whole mission, I never imagined the final week of the mission, I always thought that it would never come. I always imagined that the mission was forever, but oh well, good times always have to come to an end.
I am sorry that I am so sad to come home. I am very happy to be able to see you all again and spend time with you. But I love this place so much, and I love this calling so much, and it is so hard for me to imagine that I will never be able to carry this missionary name tag again, and it will be really hard for me to return to this country and land that I love so much.
I love you so much Mother, and I am so eternally grateful for the support and teachings that you have given me throughout my youth and my mission. I would not have been able to do it without you.
Alright, I need to go. I have one week to give everything I got left in me to the Lord.
I love you and I will see you next week. :)
Love
Elder Healey
The past two years haven't gone fast or slow for me. I have missed him most the day he left, the first Christmas, and about two months ago. Now I am excited to simply SEE him again, and talk to him each day. But his final email made me appreciate more fully how hard it is for Devon to leave. He truly has loved every day of mission! On a very small scale I can understand how he feels having to leave a place he loves and people he loves. I felt that way when moving back to Edmonton after six years in Utah - I remember how sad I was and how much I missed my friends and community and home. But he has given his whole heart to the people of Argentina every hour of every day. I hope I can help him adjust with patience and understanding.
And while the adjustment for him may be quick or slow, I don't mind. I look forward to feeding my eternally hungry son, to hearing the basketball bouncing on the court in our backyard, to having an extra set of size 14 shoes laying around. I look forward to the teasing he dishes out and his huge massive hand suddenly in my face (he used to do that a lot teasingly), to seeing him with Shelby (our dog), and to hearing him talk in his sleep (cause yes I can hear it from our bedroom!!) I am anxious for the chance to talk about the gospel with him on a higher level, to see who he has become, and to hear him laugh again.
I haven't been counting down the days until now. Three more sleeps And then all my boys will be together again.
Saturday 30 July 2016
Tuesday 26 July 2016
Challenges 3 to 6 - His final group emails
July 4th
3. The importance of having fun.
This is a good one. Something that a lot of missionaries and members of the church and people do not understand. Having fun is a GOOD THING!!! I know that all you family and friends like having fun, but I will share some of the thoughts that I have on this topic that I have seen in my mission.
Many missionaries that I have met are so focused and concentrated on the rules and the obedience and the goals that they transform into robots. They become too serious, too hard-hearted, too boring, too mean. They think that being a missionary means that we cannot laugh and make jokes. Many members think that being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints means that we cannot have fun and laugh and do fun things! Of course we can! Now, do not get me wrong, of course we need to obey the rules, follow the commandments and strive for goals, but within those limits that the Lord has placed for us, we can most definitely enjoy ourselves. My companions and I have laughed so hard sometimes that tears come to our eyes. I love to laugh with my companions and have fun. Pday was made for relaxing, preparing for the week, having fun, and playing basketball. (according to Elder Healey).
Why did I choose this topic this week? Because I have seen so many missionaries that were leaders in the mission pass through and they were so serious and strict and boring and cold, and it made me sad! They did not achieve their potential because they did not fill their hearts with love and the joy of the gospel! I have had the opportunity to be a leader for the most of my mission, and I have found that the best way to help a missionary who needs help and is struggling is to give him a hug, smile and laugh with him a bit, crack some clean jokes, and make him feel good and then help him overcome the challenge that he is facing. That way the missionary has confidence in us as leaders, he loves us and wants to talk to us and express his difficulty. If we are hard hearted, cold, mean and boring, the missionary will not come to us for help, because he will feel scared and worse!
Have you ever gone through a whole General Conference without having laughed at least once?
The Apostles always crack jokes, they love to make us laugh. Elder Uchtdorf is a master of laughs. The gospel is one of joy and happiness! So lets show it!
"A merry heart doeth good like a medicine" - Proverbs 17:22
"A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance" - Proverbs 15:13
So while we are obeying the rules and striving for our eternal goal, lets have fun along the way. It makes things a whole lot easier. Laugh with your friends and participate in activities that are wholesome and clean. There is a huge difference between having fun according to the gospel and "having fun" according to the world. Do not choose the latter.
So I will just invite you all this week to enjoy the life you live! Have fun!!! Laugh!!!!! Laughter is by far the best medicine.
THIS is my invitation!
Send me a picture this week of something FUN that you did! :D
That is all I will ask! I hope that you loved this email and I hope that you all remember to laugh and smile and have fun in this glorious gospel that the Lord has given us! :)
July 11th
4. There is no sin that the Atonement cannot defeat.
I hope that everyone that reads this email can get something special out of it. I tried to think about what to write this morning but nothing came to my mind, so I will just express my feelings about this topic in a couple paragraphs.
I am only 20 years old. I really don't have a lot of experience in life, and I got a whole life ahead of me. In these short 20 years, I have slipped up and messed up a ton. Many many times, and here on the mission as well! Here on the mission I have made mistakes and errors. Things that are normal. With all the mistakes and slip ups that I have had in my life, I can happily say that I have been able to recover my steps and make it out. Sometimes it took a long time, sometimes it was just a couple seconds to say a prayer and ask forgiveness. But I know that there is no sin or mistake that the Atonement of Jesus Christ cannot overcome. No one has gone too far that the arms of Christ cannot reach. Now of course there are some that have chosen to go too far, and that is their sad choice. But we can always, ALWAYS, repent and go back.
I will share with you all my favorite scripture about the Atonement.
"And the world because of their iniquity, shall judge him to be a thing of naught; wherefore they scourge him, and he suffereth it; and they smite him, and he suffereth it. Yea they spit upon him, and he suffereth it, because of his loving kindness and his long-suffering towards the children of men." - 1 Nephi 19:9
About 2000 years ago, the Son of God descended below all that we can imagine. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Our Lord Jesus Christ, knelt down and began to pray, in this moment He was praying for you and me. I imagine that in this moment He was thinking about nothing else but you and me. He suffered every single thing that we have passed through and that we will pass through. He knows exactly what we go through, He knows us and loves us!
It may be hard to comprehend for some. How one person who according to the world was just a normal man could somehow live and suffer and die for all of mankind.
All I can say is that we are sons and daughters of a living Father in Heaven, who wants us to come home to Him. And we need someone to help us get home, that is our Savior Jesus Christ. Being the Son of God, He was able to do something like that, take upon him all the sins and sicknesses of the world and carry them. Being born of earthly parents, He physically did, suffer, bleed and die for us.
Maybe I cannot express well or teach the Atonement of Christ. But I can just express my strong testimony that I know that the Atonement is something real. I have felt it in my life. Through the process of repentance, I have seen a change in my life thanks to the effort I put in, but I have seen an even bigger change in my life thanks to the help and teachings of the Savior! And I know He lives!
One of my favorite chapters in the Book of Mormon on the Atonement is Alma 7, I will invite you all to read it and share with me your thoughts.
Then I would like to know how you all are going to remember the Savior more in this week. The Atonement is something that we should not forget.
I love you all tons! And I especially hope that you can all remember that someone has passed through the trials and problems that you and I go through. Don't forget that!
July 18th
5. Praise To The Man.
"Praise to the man who communed with Jehovah!"
This week I will testify of the reality of the Restoration of the Gospel on the earth in these latter days.
Before the mission and coming on the mission, I knew that the Book of Mormon was true, I knew that the church was true. But that knowledge that I had was very basic, not very deep and profound. I guess after just years and years of hearing people testify of the church and the Book of Mormon and reading the Book of Mormon at night it just became normal to me and my mind hearing that it is all true. So I wasn't worried about coming on the mission and testifying of it because I knew it to be true!
But now after 2 short years of studying, preaching and teaching, learning and growing, praying and receiving revelation, I have now come to the deep and profound knowledge and testimony that this gospel is so completely valid. Joseph Smith was a true Prophet of God, he truly did see God the Father and the Son Jesus Christ. He did translate the Book of Mormon and the Book of Mormon is the most powerful book that exists on the face of the earth.
I have met people from many different cultures, religions and points of view on the mission as you can imagine. I remember many of them. Many accepted the gospel and the truth of Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon, but on the other hand many rejected it, and rejected it hard. I have heard so many negative comments about the Mormon religion, about God, about Joseph Smith, and about the Book of Mormon. I have had people literally battle with me face to face to prove that I was wrong and I just wasted 2 years of my life teaching something that is complete stupidity. I have heard it all. And not a single word, phrase, or argument has even caused me to tremble in my knowledge that all these things are true.
I do not believe them to be true, I KNOW them to be true.
How can one think or imagine that Joseph Smith was not a prophet guided by God? He was a young boy, 14 years old, when all this started. He lived on a farm, had little education and was not smart in the things of the world. Do you really think that a world-wide church, filled with resources to save lives and souls in any part of the world could begin from someone so small and ignorant such as he, if he were not inspired by God? Of course not. He was called of God. And this is His work, Gods work.
The world has devoured and attacked the Book of Mormon. People have dug through it, tore it apart, burned it, analyzed it, and searched it to find even the slightest error. And there is NO ERROR. There is not even the trace of error. It is a Book inspired by God, written by the hands of His prophets. I have read it several times in my mission, mostly in Spanish. I have never seen a Book change the lives of so many people, and in so many ways. From my point of view, if the Book of Mormon is not true, God does not exist, and if God does not exist, we do not exist.
It is the word of God. It has changed my life and helped me in so many ways. Joseph Smith was a prophet of God, and this work is guided by the Lord God Almighty.
"Joseph Smith, the Prophet and Seer of the Lord, has done more, save Jesus only, for the salvation of men in this world, than any other man that ever lived in it." - Doctrine and Covenants 135:3
Oh how thankful I am that God has granted me the opportunity to have been born, grown and matured in the Gospel of Jesus Christ on the earth today. There is no other blessing in my life that is greater. And even if the whole world were to stand against me and deny the gospel and the Book of Mormon; the WHOLE WORLD; I would still never deny the truth of it all. For it has been revealed to me by God Himself.
I will share a scripture from the Book, I invite you to read it.
2 Nephi 33:10-15
Judge ye, I say this to you all, judge ye if the Book is true or not, because in the last day, you will know that it is true. So make your choice.
I invite you all to do 2 things!!
I would love to hear from you that know the Book of Mormon is true, how did you come to know that it is true?
And I invite you THIS WEEK, to share the Book of Mormon with someone, and give it as a gift. And if you do not have a Book of Mormon, GET ONE.
I love you all, I have no doubt about the things that I have said. I hope this has helped your own testimony. Have an amazing week. And I look forward to hearing your responses. :)
July 25th
6. God lives.
I know that God lives.
I know that He is our living, loving, helping Heavenly Father.
Of all the things that I have learned throughout 2 short years in Argentina, this is the outstanding knowledge and testimony that I have obtained, that God lives.
I love Him with all my heart. I have served Him with all my heart, might, mind and soul. I have shed blood, sweat and tears in the service for Him. And I would do it again in a heartbeat if He so asked of me.
I am so sad that I am now being called home, in these 2 years I have grown closer to God than I ever thought I could. But I know that God has a plan for me, and I will continue.
I will follow Him till the day I die.
I will follow Him even after I leave this world.
I have felt His loving hand, and His patient care, I have even felt His laughter and smile with me in the beautiful times of my mission.
All things testify that God is our Father and Creator. I testify that He is our Father and Creator.
All that you see around you could not possible appear from a big explosion. That is completely impossible.
The love that I have for all of you reading this email, and the love that I have for God could also not come from a big explosion. Explosions do not create emotions.
This will be my last email as a full time representative of the Lord Jesus Christ, and I will finish my mission by saying this one thing:
God lives.
I love you all. And I do look forward to seeing you again, even though I am partially heartbroken. My challenge this week to you all is just to pray and thank God for creating this wonderful world and life to live in.
Elder Devon Jacob Healey
Mision Argentina Buenos Aires Oeste
Julio 2014-Julio 2016
3. The importance of having fun.
This is a good one. Something that a lot of missionaries and members of the church and people do not understand. Having fun is a GOOD THING!!! I know that all you family and friends like having fun, but I will share some of the thoughts that I have on this topic that I have seen in my mission.
Many missionaries that I have met are so focused and concentrated on the rules and the obedience and the goals that they transform into robots. They become too serious, too hard-hearted, too boring, too mean. They think that being a missionary means that we cannot laugh and make jokes. Many members think that being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints means that we cannot have fun and laugh and do fun things! Of course we can! Now, do not get me wrong, of course we need to obey the rules, follow the commandments and strive for goals, but within those limits that the Lord has placed for us, we can most definitely enjoy ourselves. My companions and I have laughed so hard sometimes that tears come to our eyes. I love to laugh with my companions and have fun. Pday was made for relaxing, preparing for the week, having fun, and playing basketball. (according to Elder Healey).
Why did I choose this topic this week? Because I have seen so many missionaries that were leaders in the mission pass through and they were so serious and strict and boring and cold, and it made me sad! They did not achieve their potential because they did not fill their hearts with love and the joy of the gospel! I have had the opportunity to be a leader for the most of my mission, and I have found that the best way to help a missionary who needs help and is struggling is to give him a hug, smile and laugh with him a bit, crack some clean jokes, and make him feel good and then help him overcome the challenge that he is facing. That way the missionary has confidence in us as leaders, he loves us and wants to talk to us and express his difficulty. If we are hard hearted, cold, mean and boring, the missionary will not come to us for help, because he will feel scared and worse!
Have you ever gone through a whole General Conference without having laughed at least once?
The Apostles always crack jokes, they love to make us laugh. Elder Uchtdorf is a master of laughs. The gospel is one of joy and happiness! So lets show it!
"A merry heart doeth good like a medicine" - Proverbs 17:22
"A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance" - Proverbs 15:13
So while we are obeying the rules and striving for our eternal goal, lets have fun along the way. It makes things a whole lot easier. Laugh with your friends and participate in activities that are wholesome and clean. There is a huge difference between having fun according to the gospel and "having fun" according to the world. Do not choose the latter.
So I will just invite you all this week to enjoy the life you live! Have fun!!! Laugh!!!!! Laughter is by far the best medicine.
THIS is my invitation!
Send me a picture this week of something FUN that you did! :D
That is all I will ask! I hope that you loved this email and I hope that you all remember to laugh and smile and have fun in this glorious gospel that the Lord has given us! :)
July 11th
4. There is no sin that the Atonement cannot defeat.
I hope that everyone that reads this email can get something special out of it. I tried to think about what to write this morning but nothing came to my mind, so I will just express my feelings about this topic in a couple paragraphs.
I am only 20 years old. I really don't have a lot of experience in life, and I got a whole life ahead of me. In these short 20 years, I have slipped up and messed up a ton. Many many times, and here on the mission as well! Here on the mission I have made mistakes and errors. Things that are normal. With all the mistakes and slip ups that I have had in my life, I can happily say that I have been able to recover my steps and make it out. Sometimes it took a long time, sometimes it was just a couple seconds to say a prayer and ask forgiveness. But I know that there is no sin or mistake that the Atonement of Jesus Christ cannot overcome. No one has gone too far that the arms of Christ cannot reach. Now of course there are some that have chosen to go too far, and that is their sad choice. But we can always, ALWAYS, repent and go back.
I will share with you all my favorite scripture about the Atonement.
"And the world because of their iniquity, shall judge him to be a thing of naught; wherefore they scourge him, and he suffereth it; and they smite him, and he suffereth it. Yea they spit upon him, and he suffereth it, because of his loving kindness and his long-suffering towards the children of men." - 1 Nephi 19:9
About 2000 years ago, the Son of God descended below all that we can imagine. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Our Lord Jesus Christ, knelt down and began to pray, in this moment He was praying for you and me. I imagine that in this moment He was thinking about nothing else but you and me. He suffered every single thing that we have passed through and that we will pass through. He knows exactly what we go through, He knows us and loves us!
It may be hard to comprehend for some. How one person who according to the world was just a normal man could somehow live and suffer and die for all of mankind.
All I can say is that we are sons and daughters of a living Father in Heaven, who wants us to come home to Him. And we need someone to help us get home, that is our Savior Jesus Christ. Being the Son of God, He was able to do something like that, take upon him all the sins and sicknesses of the world and carry them. Being born of earthly parents, He physically did, suffer, bleed and die for us.
Maybe I cannot express well or teach the Atonement of Christ. But I can just express my strong testimony that I know that the Atonement is something real. I have felt it in my life. Through the process of repentance, I have seen a change in my life thanks to the effort I put in, but I have seen an even bigger change in my life thanks to the help and teachings of the Savior! And I know He lives!
One of my favorite chapters in the Book of Mormon on the Atonement is Alma 7, I will invite you all to read it and share with me your thoughts.
Then I would like to know how you all are going to remember the Savior more in this week. The Atonement is something that we should not forget.
I love you all tons! And I especially hope that you can all remember that someone has passed through the trials and problems that you and I go through. Don't forget that!
July 18th
5. Praise To The Man.
"Praise to the man who communed with Jehovah!"
This week I will testify of the reality of the Restoration of the Gospel on the earth in these latter days.
Before the mission and coming on the mission, I knew that the Book of Mormon was true, I knew that the church was true. But that knowledge that I had was very basic, not very deep and profound. I guess after just years and years of hearing people testify of the church and the Book of Mormon and reading the Book of Mormon at night it just became normal to me and my mind hearing that it is all true. So I wasn't worried about coming on the mission and testifying of it because I knew it to be true!
But now after 2 short years of studying, preaching and teaching, learning and growing, praying and receiving revelation, I have now come to the deep and profound knowledge and testimony that this gospel is so completely valid. Joseph Smith was a true Prophet of God, he truly did see God the Father and the Son Jesus Christ. He did translate the Book of Mormon and the Book of Mormon is the most powerful book that exists on the face of the earth.
I have met people from many different cultures, religions and points of view on the mission as you can imagine. I remember many of them. Many accepted the gospel and the truth of Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon, but on the other hand many rejected it, and rejected it hard. I have heard so many negative comments about the Mormon religion, about God, about Joseph Smith, and about the Book of Mormon. I have had people literally battle with me face to face to prove that I was wrong and I just wasted 2 years of my life teaching something that is complete stupidity. I have heard it all. And not a single word, phrase, or argument has even caused me to tremble in my knowledge that all these things are true.
I do not believe them to be true, I KNOW them to be true.
How can one think or imagine that Joseph Smith was not a prophet guided by God? He was a young boy, 14 years old, when all this started. He lived on a farm, had little education and was not smart in the things of the world. Do you really think that a world-wide church, filled with resources to save lives and souls in any part of the world could begin from someone so small and ignorant such as he, if he were not inspired by God? Of course not. He was called of God. And this is His work, Gods work.
The world has devoured and attacked the Book of Mormon. People have dug through it, tore it apart, burned it, analyzed it, and searched it to find even the slightest error. And there is NO ERROR. There is not even the trace of error. It is a Book inspired by God, written by the hands of His prophets. I have read it several times in my mission, mostly in Spanish. I have never seen a Book change the lives of so many people, and in so many ways. From my point of view, if the Book of Mormon is not true, God does not exist, and if God does not exist, we do not exist.
It is the word of God. It has changed my life and helped me in so many ways. Joseph Smith was a prophet of God, and this work is guided by the Lord God Almighty.
"Joseph Smith, the Prophet and Seer of the Lord, has done more, save Jesus only, for the salvation of men in this world, than any other man that ever lived in it." - Doctrine and Covenants 135:3
Oh how thankful I am that God has granted me the opportunity to have been born, grown and matured in the Gospel of Jesus Christ on the earth today. There is no other blessing in my life that is greater. And even if the whole world were to stand against me and deny the gospel and the Book of Mormon; the WHOLE WORLD; I would still never deny the truth of it all. For it has been revealed to me by God Himself.
I will share a scripture from the Book, I invite you to read it.
2 Nephi 33:10-15
Judge ye, I say this to you all, judge ye if the Book is true or not, because in the last day, you will know that it is true. So make your choice.
I invite you all to do 2 things!!
I would love to hear from you that know the Book of Mormon is true, how did you come to know that it is true?
And I invite you THIS WEEK, to share the Book of Mormon with someone, and give it as a gift. And if you do not have a Book of Mormon, GET ONE.
I love you all, I have no doubt about the things that I have said. I hope this has helped your own testimony. Have an amazing week. And I look forward to hearing your responses. :)
July 25th
6. God lives.
I know that God lives.
I know that He is our living, loving, helping Heavenly Father.
Of all the things that I have learned throughout 2 short years in Argentina, this is the outstanding knowledge and testimony that I have obtained, that God lives.
I love Him with all my heart. I have served Him with all my heart, might, mind and soul. I have shed blood, sweat and tears in the service for Him. And I would do it again in a heartbeat if He so asked of me.
I am so sad that I am now being called home, in these 2 years I have grown closer to God than I ever thought I could. But I know that God has a plan for me, and I will continue.
I will follow Him till the day I die.
I will follow Him even after I leave this world.
I have felt His loving hand, and His patient care, I have even felt His laughter and smile with me in the beautiful times of my mission.
All things testify that God is our Father and Creator. I testify that He is our Father and Creator.
All that you see around you could not possible appear from a big explosion. That is completely impossible.
The love that I have for all of you reading this email, and the love that I have for God could also not come from a big explosion. Explosions do not create emotions.
This will be my last email as a full time representative of the Lord Jesus Christ, and I will finish my mission by saying this one thing:
God lives.
I love you all. And I do look forward to seeing you again, even though I am partially heartbroken. My challenge this week to you all is just to pray and thank God for creating this wonderful world and life to live in.
Elder Devon Jacob Healey
Mision Argentina Buenos Aires Oeste
Julio 2014-Julio 2016
Monday 27 June 2016
The final few emails and the beginning of his 6 challenges - #1 and #2
My friends and family whom I love so much,
I am sad to say that only 6 weeks remain in what has been the most amazing and happy time of my life. Preparing for this day, I have felt inspired to share with you all some important things.
I only have 6 more Pdays to write to you all. Therefore I have committed to writing a group email every Pday with a special topic that I have learned and applied on my mission, somethings that I consider of great value. I hope that you all read them and enjoy them. Each email will have an invitation that I hope you all complete. I would love to hear a report back from you all on the invitation. Please read these emails because they are going to be emails that I will put lots of time and thinking into.
Today I will start with the first topic.
1. The Roadblock of Pride.
Oh how I wished I could have learned this one a long time ago. I have come to know here on the mission that pride is the biggest roadblock that we have to be able to recieve salvation. Pride is what has always been the biggest downfall of man and woman on the face of the earth. Pride is what causes the wars, the lies, the breakups, the sadness, the murders and the crimes. Pride is our biggest enemy and it is the worldwide sin.
Here on my mission, I have had many circumstances to deal with pride in different cases. I have had companions who were VERY prideful and very hard to work with. There have been times when I have fallen into my own pride. And those times that I fell into my own pride, I had the least amount of success. We did not progress. I have seen missionaries with so much talent and ability in the mission and with the potential to become great leaders, yet their pride was what made them fall and not progress. Investigators have not received the salvation yet due to the pride that is in their hearts. Members and wards and stakes fall and struggle because we are prideful and not humble to the councils of our leaders. I know that pride is our biggest enemy, and we must avoid it.
I have learned to be much more humble, not just towards other people, but towards God and His will. He knows what is best for me, and sometimes I do not. Therefore sometimes I need to humbly accept His will and carry on, even if I do not like it. The Lord has the pieces in place, and if we have pride, we will only be taking the pieces out of place. I have learned that I need to listen to the councils from President, my leaders and even the missionaries that are under my leadership to be able to be more humble and more like Christ. I have come to this sure knowledge, a man with a prideful and hard heart, will not be able to enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Sometimes we all need to be humbled if we do not do it ourselves. That has happened to me. Several times. The Lord has humbled me in ways that were hard, because I was too prideful to humble myself and accept His will. Therefore I have now come to know that pride is the biggest and hardest roadblock that we all need to overcome.
"Behold, the pride of this nation, or the people of the Nephites, hath proven their destruction except they should repent." - Moroni 8:27
Let us be more humble then, family and friends. Let us humble recieve council from our family, our brethren, our leaders, our husbands and wives, and from our children. Let us recieve with a humble and loving heart council and correction from the Lord. Only this way will we become stronger against the adversary and stronger in the world. I know this to be true with all my heart.
I have 2 invitations for you all.
First, please read the talk given by President Benson called "Beware of Pride" Report to me on what you learned.
Second, please share with my 2 ways that you are going to be more humble in your life. Maybe Ill get some ideas.
I love you all so much and hope this was good for you!
Next week I will share with you my next point!!!!
2. Love One Another.
"This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you" - John 15:12
Can you all imagine what this world would be like if we all just loved everyone a little more?
I have truly come to love everything here in the mission. I cannot say that I do not love any of my companions and friends here in the mission. One of the best feelings here is getting together as a zone or as several zones or as a whole mission, the feeling of love for everyone just fills the room. We all love each other, I love my companions with my whole soul and I can promise that I will never forget them. I love the members, the investigators and all people that I meet, even the ones of hard heart. Love is something that I have come to see is so important, and something that the world is lacking.
Just take a minute to pause and think about a little act of love that you could do. Just imagine how that could make someones day. I have seen and met people that by just giving them a loving smile and handshake or hug and maybe a little gift, completely makes their week. With just the smallest act we can change lives. If we love one another, as the Savior loves us, we will see great differences in the atmosphere that we live in.
The greatest love that I have developed here on the mission is my love for our Lord and Savior. Before the mission I can definitely say that I did not posess this type of love. Now my love for Him is unbreakable. I never thought I could love someone so much that I have never met personally. I know that the Savior lived walked and died for us out of pure love. He loves us, should we not love Him?
We can love Him by loving one another, just as He taught us. If the world was filled with more love, there would be less war, less breakups, less murders, less hate, less depression, less destruction. Love is truly the key to all the worlds problems. So let us love one another!
Love your families! Love your friends, your teachers, your children, your spouses, your companions! Love your enemies!!!! Just remember that we must love everyone around us! If we have more love in us, life will be so much easier.
Love is what has carried me through this mission. Love is what has made me serve with all that I possibly have. Love is what has made me the man I am today, a lot different than I was before.
So I have 2 invitations for you all this week. This week look for a way to share an act of love with:
A family member
An old friend
An enemy
And a random person of course!
And please share with me that small act! Then I would love to hear from you all, a way in how you are going to have more love this week!
I look forward to hearing from you, because that in turn will strengthen me and you together! Just as the topic is for this week, I love you all, and I thank you for the love you have for me and the Savior. And I thank you for your support and care! I hope you enjoyed this email!
I am sad to say that only 6 weeks remain in what has been the most amazing and happy time of my life. Preparing for this day, I have felt inspired to share with you all some important things.
I only have 6 more Pdays to write to you all. Therefore I have committed to writing a group email every Pday with a special topic that I have learned and applied on my mission, somethings that I consider of great value. I hope that you all read them and enjoy them. Each email will have an invitation that I hope you all complete. I would love to hear a report back from you all on the invitation. Please read these emails because they are going to be emails that I will put lots of time and thinking into.
Today I will start with the first topic.
1. The Roadblock of Pride.
Oh how I wished I could have learned this one a long time ago. I have come to know here on the mission that pride is the biggest roadblock that we have to be able to recieve salvation. Pride is what has always been the biggest downfall of man and woman on the face of the earth. Pride is what causes the wars, the lies, the breakups, the sadness, the murders and the crimes. Pride is our biggest enemy and it is the worldwide sin.
Here on my mission, I have had many circumstances to deal with pride in different cases. I have had companions who were VERY prideful and very hard to work with. There have been times when I have fallen into my own pride. And those times that I fell into my own pride, I had the least amount of success. We did not progress. I have seen missionaries with so much talent and ability in the mission and with the potential to become great leaders, yet their pride was what made them fall and not progress. Investigators have not received the salvation yet due to the pride that is in their hearts. Members and wards and stakes fall and struggle because we are prideful and not humble to the councils of our leaders. I know that pride is our biggest enemy, and we must avoid it.
I have learned to be much more humble, not just towards other people, but towards God and His will. He knows what is best for me, and sometimes I do not. Therefore sometimes I need to humbly accept His will and carry on, even if I do not like it. The Lord has the pieces in place, and if we have pride, we will only be taking the pieces out of place. I have learned that I need to listen to the councils from President, my leaders and even the missionaries that are under my leadership to be able to be more humble and more like Christ. I have come to this sure knowledge, a man with a prideful and hard heart, will not be able to enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Sometimes we all need to be humbled if we do not do it ourselves. That has happened to me. Several times. The Lord has humbled me in ways that were hard, because I was too prideful to humble myself and accept His will. Therefore I have now come to know that pride is the biggest and hardest roadblock that we all need to overcome.
"Behold, the pride of this nation, or the people of the Nephites, hath proven their destruction except they should repent." - Moroni 8:27
Let us be more humble then, family and friends. Let us humble recieve council from our family, our brethren, our leaders, our husbands and wives, and from our children. Let us recieve with a humble and loving heart council and correction from the Lord. Only this way will we become stronger against the adversary and stronger in the world. I know this to be true with all my heart.
I have 2 invitations for you all.
First, please read the talk given by President Benson called "Beware of Pride" Report to me on what you learned.
Second, please share with my 2 ways that you are going to be more humble in your life. Maybe Ill get some ideas.
I love you all so much and hope this was good for you!
Next week I will share with you my next point!!!!
2. Love One Another.
"This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you" - John 15:12
Can you all imagine what this world would be like if we all just loved everyone a little more?
I have truly come to love everything here in the mission. I cannot say that I do not love any of my companions and friends here in the mission. One of the best feelings here is getting together as a zone or as several zones or as a whole mission, the feeling of love for everyone just fills the room. We all love each other, I love my companions with my whole soul and I can promise that I will never forget them. I love the members, the investigators and all people that I meet, even the ones of hard heart. Love is something that I have come to see is so important, and something that the world is lacking.
Just take a minute to pause and think about a little act of love that you could do. Just imagine how that could make someones day. I have seen and met people that by just giving them a loving smile and handshake or hug and maybe a little gift, completely makes their week. With just the smallest act we can change lives. If we love one another, as the Savior loves us, we will see great differences in the atmosphere that we live in.
The greatest love that I have developed here on the mission is my love for our Lord and Savior. Before the mission I can definitely say that I did not posess this type of love. Now my love for Him is unbreakable. I never thought I could love someone so much that I have never met personally. I know that the Savior lived walked and died for us out of pure love. He loves us, should we not love Him?
We can love Him by loving one another, just as He taught us. If the world was filled with more love, there would be less war, less breakups, less murders, less hate, less depression, less destruction. Love is truly the key to all the worlds problems. So let us love one another!
Love your families! Love your friends, your teachers, your children, your spouses, your companions! Love your enemies!!!! Just remember that we must love everyone around us! If we have more love in us, life will be so much easier.
Love is what has carried me through this mission. Love is what has made me serve with all that I possibly have. Love is what has made me the man I am today, a lot different than I was before.
So I have 2 invitations for you all this week. This week look for a way to share an act of love with:
A family member
An old friend
An enemy
And a random person of course!
And please share with me that small act! Then I would love to hear from you all, a way in how you are going to have more love this week!
I look forward to hearing from you, because that in turn will strengthen me and you together! Just as the topic is for this week, I love you all, and I thank you for the love you have for me and the Savior. And I thank you for your support and care! I hope you enjoyed this email!
Monday 13 June 2016
Pictures of Devon WITH Lions and Tigers!!!!
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| The latest Jedi council picture - as Devon calls it. He is standing right behind the mission president and to HIS right is his companion - bit of height difference. |
Things are really good down here! The work is amazing!!! Margarita is going to be baptized the next Saturday! And we have reactivated an AMAZING family and the ward was SHOCKED when they saw that we reactivated them! Margarita wanted to bear her testimony yesterday, but she was scared because she is not baptized. So the investigators are good! This week we found 22 new investigators, that was really good, the Lord is blessing us in many ways. And my companion is amazing, still continues to be hilarious, we laugh a lot together. I seem to have an ability to make the zone laugh, even in Spanish....
The weather here has been very cold and rainy, and we are trudging through thick mud, I am definitely in boots covered with mud right now, and because I like to play with friendly dogs, my jacket is also not so clean. Oh well, you only serve once.
I will share with you some of the things that I am trying to do that I have never done before. I am trying to invite EVERYONE to be baptized! And I am dedicating my time in the morning on Sunday to get people to church! We biked almost 8 km to get a family reactivated and they are coming back to church! Literally a family that lives in the middle of nowhere! And the daughter is not a member and going to get baptized! So we are doing many things, I am trying to put more emphasis on the goals, getting all the goals that we place, being confident that we can get them. So those are some of the things that I am trying to do. I am trying to be more loving and calm and patient, and not get frustrated with myself or others. So many things I am trying to do. I am trying to contact more people in the street instead of in their homes, which I do love to do. So I am improving in many ways mother!
Also the other question! The scriptures, President has told us that we need to place much more emphasis on PMG (Preach My Gospel), so I am doing that, I have found great love in Alma 30, when Alma talks to Korihor and shows him that God truly does exist. "What evidence do you have that God does not exist? For ye have none, save thy word alone." And we have all the evidence that God lives! So that was awesome, but I al studying PMG lots more and I am trying to read all of PMG before I go home! A good goal. I loved studying the gospel of John recently and underlining all the parts when Jesus explains the relationship He has with the Father. That was awesome. And the miracles always boost the faith.
So those are some of the things I have been studying and doing. Loving the work as always and so happy to be here. Today we are going to the zoo!!! I am super excited, next week I will send a picture with an Anaconda on my neck!!! :D
June 13
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| So jealous - he's holding a lion cub!! |
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| THAT IS A REAL LION BY THE WAY!!!! |
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| I went to pet the Lion, which was AWESOME, and as I went up and began to pet the Lion, my companions taking pictures of me...... The Lion turned its head and ROARED at me. OH. MY. WORD. I have never been so scared in MY LIFE. But it was awesome - it sensed the spirit of the lion that I have in me!! |
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| AND YES - this is a real tiger!!! |
Monday 23 May 2016
New area....and new bunk bed.....with 6'4" Devon on the top bunk??? AND PICTURES!!!!
May 16
Buenos Dias Vosotros.
How is everyone doing!!?? Okay I need to ask forgiveness because I have been really bad at writing emails to everybody, I do not know why I am so bad at that, sometimes I just write my mission president write as many as you as I can and then I go play soccer or basketball with the fella missionaries. Good times on Pday, I must say that the biggest thing that I look forward to on Pday is a good game of basketball now a days. :)
Things are going really really good down here! I have now been transferred to what looks like is going to be my final area! I am in a place called General Rodriguez! I am with a companion from Argentina and his name is Elder Aguirre. We have a major height difference in the companionship. He is A STUD TOTAL. or as they say down here, a CAPO TOTAL. He is 24 years old, convert, genius, and speaks English so perfectly he has a British accent. Awesome?
We are now the new Zone Leaders of a brand new zone here in the mission! The area is going to be making a new stake down here in the area of Buenos Aries so President had to divide a huge zone that we had in the mission and create 2 new zones. I was called to open a new area and be the Zone Leader alongside Elder Aguirre here! We are loving it and are very busy!!!
I am living in an apartment with 2 other Elders as well. One is from Arizona and the other from Utah. They are awesome guys and we are getting along really well. I had already met them before in the mission and you can say that we are bros. The only bad part is that I have to sleep on the top bunk in the bunk bed and I am scared I am going to fall off and not be good....
We have had great success this week opening the area. The zone has about 18 missionaries. We have found several great new investigators and we are looking to invite as many people to be baptized as we can! We have already set 6 baptismal dates for June, but we need to help them progress as soon as possible. The area is huge therefore that means that there are TONS of people just waiting for us to knock their door!
May 23
Buenos Dias Vosotros.
How is everyone doing!!?? Okay I need to ask forgiveness because I have been really bad at writing emails to everybody, I do not know why I am so bad at that, sometimes I just write my mission president write as many as you as I can and then I go play soccer or basketball with the fella missionaries. Good times on Pday, I must say that the biggest thing that I look forward to on Pday is a good game of basketball now a days. :)
Things are going really really good down here! I have now been transferred to what looks like is going to be my final area! I am in a place called General Rodriguez! I am with a companion from Argentina and his name is Elder Aguirre. We have a major height difference in the companionship. He is A STUD TOTAL. or as they say down here, a CAPO TOTAL. He is 24 years old, convert, genius, and speaks English so perfectly he has a British accent. Awesome?
We are now the new Zone Leaders of a brand new zone here in the mission! The area is going to be making a new stake down here in the area of Buenos Aries so President had to divide a huge zone that we had in the mission and create 2 new zones. I was called to open a new area and be the Zone Leader alongside Elder Aguirre here! We are loving it and are very busy!!!
I am living in an apartment with 2 other Elders as well. One is from Arizona and the other from Utah. They are awesome guys and we are getting along really well. I had already met them before in the mission and you can say that we are bros. The only bad part is that I have to sleep on the top bunk in the bunk bed and I am scared I am going to fall off and not be good....
We have had great success this week opening the area. The zone has about 18 missionaries. We have found several great new investigators and we are looking to invite as many people to be baptized as we can! We have already set 6 baptismal dates for June, but we need to help them progress as soon as possible. The area is huge therefore that means that there are TONS of people just waiting for us to knock their door!
May 23
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| Always the updated bball picture! |
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| His poor worn out shoes..... |
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| A family in Libertad |
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| Devon LOVES this pitbull! Mentioned him in many emails! |
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| Yep, he's still really tall |
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| Mission president and his wife with Elder Devon |
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| A crowded train ride |
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| Got to visit a very old (built in 1630) Catholic cathedral today - Basilica de Nuestra Senora de Lujan |
Monday 2 May 2016
21 Months - a poem
May 2
My reply to Devon who is feeling tired....
My reply to Devon who is feeling tired....
21 Months - by your Mom
"For 21 months," said the socks to the shoes,
"I've been stretched on these size 15 feet!
I've been muddy and wet, sweaty and stinky
From sun up to sun down - then repeat!
This man never rests each day all week through
He's walking and wearing me thin!
I have holes in the toes, my color is gone
I plead for relief but don't win!
The ball games, the soccer, the running and standing -
Please say you're exhausted as well!
But you never complain when surely YOU could
So share how you do it - pray tell!!"
"For 21 months," said the shoes to the socks,
"I've kept him on sure solid ground.
It's been hard in the mud, the rain and the heat
When such little relief can be found.
But I focus instead on the things he has done,
The adventures and memories he's had.
He's run away from the dogs and kicked a few too,
Been bit by one once...but not bad.
Showed the boys from the states, that he can play ball
And picked up some soccer skills too.
When a bike broke down - gave his companion a lift;
Gave service in building things new.
But for 21 months, he has done SO MUCH more
Along the miles he's walked in this land.
Libertad, Tablada, Bragado, Villegras....
Always offering a kind, helping hand."
"Yes for 21 months," said the shoes to the socks,
"I've walked the straight path with this man.
To teach those who seek; to served God each day,
Though tired he says, 'Yes, I can!'
I too am worn thin with my laces in tatters
My cushioning now is long gone.
But I'll stay strong for him for the rest of his time
Just three short months, that's not long!
And when the day comes that he's finished this journey
With a new one awaiting back home,
I'll know without doubt he served with full heart
And loved everyone he has known!
The time will then come he can rest from these labors
But always he'll serve, teach and love.
His shoes will be new but the path will still lead
To the promised mansions above.
So for just 3 more months let us keep it together
Finish strong to accomplish this goal,
We will help him keep walking so in the end it will seem
These 21 months?? A mere stroll."
A poem from your Mother who has watched you grow
Over this almost two years.
Remember that God walks each day beside you
Look ahead, forget all your fears!
I won't count the days until I see you again
You have so much to finish my son!
Instead I will read about each lesson your learning
And how many ball games you've won!
Keep walking, keep talking, and love everyone
Like you're already doing each day.
And when you return, so uncertain you'll feel
But trust on God's path you will stay.
May 2
I loved the poem!!! It was actually really really really great! You should print that off and make it all nice so that I can have a copy of that when I get home! It was great I loved it mom! Thank you so much!
Things are going great here. The work this week was great and it was FREAKING COLD THIS WEEK! We got SMACKED by a cold snap and it was crazy, I loved it. we were putting on layers and layers and there were very few people to talk to. But it was a great week anyways. My companion and I are getting along really well, even though he teases me daily with water in the face and trying to scare me. -____-
So today was the worst day for every missionary to ever live. The day when we recieve our flight package. Probably the saddest day that will ever happen in my life. my heart broke a little today.
Thank you for all that you do mother, I love you tons. And don't get too excited. 3 months is A LONGGGGGG TIME.
Sunday 1 May 2016
And now he builds roofs!!! (But he's tired...and someone is watching Star Wars at the internet cafe......ahhhhh!!!)
April 11
So I finally got an arrival date from him!! This was all he said......
My date that I will be flying home is August 1st. I will then probably be landing in Edmonton August 2nd.
.....but I'm glad he's still focused on his mission and trust he'll be happy to be home.
This week we did an INTENSE service project. We took off and built a roof. Sadly I did not take pictures. (AHHHHH, he's hardly taken ANY pictures on his mission!!!) If you had seen the pictures you probably would not have been happy hahaha, so me and this one brother were on the top of the roof of this family (very very very poor family) and we were taking off the roof. I have never seen so many ants in my life. And I have never seen so many cockroaches in my life. Red cockroaches, black cockroaches, yellow cockroaches, white cockroaches, orange cockroaches, big ones little ones, HUGE ones, tiny ones. It was a zoo. Then the brother lifted up one part of the roof to take apart and we saw the biggest spider I have seen in my mission. It was a tarantula, white and skin colored. The brother killed that thing pretty quick. But it was an AWESOME project. The ants and cockroaches didn't bother me I'm not scared of those. And the new roof looked great!!!!
April 25
First of all, I am under serious temptation right now. Someone behind me in the internet cafe is watching Star Wars 7 on their computer..... MAN this is hard. But its not a sin to listen.... because I cant make myself deaf...
Things are really good down here! This week was a good week, lots of things happened, we had our interviews and special training, and we had lots of little miracles happen throughout the week, so that was nice.
In my last email to Devon, I asked him why he thinks he's been so tired lately - "are you eating enough, sleeping ok?" etc. To which he replied:
Well lets see. I've been getting up at 6:30 in the morning for 21 months straight. And I've been walking ALL DAY for 21 months, without a single nap EVER, speaking another language, burning my brain trying to think and understand the peoples needs and help them with the Spirit, I've been working out all mornings, sweating like a dog in the summers, and having to deal with issues with members, missionaries and investigators, and for 7 months I was responsible for all the missionaries of a whole stake. For 21 months straight. Wouldn't you be pretty tired after all that?
The FIRST time I've had hint of complaint from him......so I wrote him a POEM (see the next blog post)
So I finally got an arrival date from him!! This was all he said......
My date that I will be flying home is August 1st. I will then probably be landing in Edmonton August 2nd.
.....but I'm glad he's still focused on his mission and trust he'll be happy to be home.
This week we did an INTENSE service project. We took off and built a roof. Sadly I did not take pictures. (AHHHHH, he's hardly taken ANY pictures on his mission!!!) If you had seen the pictures you probably would not have been happy hahaha, so me and this one brother were on the top of the roof of this family (very very very poor family) and we were taking off the roof. I have never seen so many ants in my life. And I have never seen so many cockroaches in my life. Red cockroaches, black cockroaches, yellow cockroaches, white cockroaches, orange cockroaches, big ones little ones, HUGE ones, tiny ones. It was a zoo. Then the brother lifted up one part of the roof to take apart and we saw the biggest spider I have seen in my mission. It was a tarantula, white and skin colored. The brother killed that thing pretty quick. But it was an AWESOME project. The ants and cockroaches didn't bother me I'm not scared of those. And the new roof looked great!!!!
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| My best guess of the spider he might have encountered - Devon hates spiders BTW |
First of all, I am under serious temptation right now. Someone behind me in the internet cafe is watching Star Wars 7 on their computer..... MAN this is hard. But its not a sin to listen.... because I cant make myself deaf...
Things are really good down here! This week was a good week, lots of things happened, we had our interviews and special training, and we had lots of little miracles happen throughout the week, so that was nice.
In my last email to Devon, I asked him why he thinks he's been so tired lately - "are you eating enough, sleeping ok?" etc. To which he replied:
Well lets see. I've been getting up at 6:30 in the morning for 21 months straight. And I've been walking ALL DAY for 21 months, without a single nap EVER, speaking another language, burning my brain trying to think and understand the peoples needs and help them with the Spirit, I've been working out all mornings, sweating like a dog in the summers, and having to deal with issues with members, missionaries and investigators, and for 7 months I was responsible for all the missionaries of a whole stake. For 21 months straight. Wouldn't you be pretty tired after all that?
The FIRST time I've had hint of complaint from him......so I wrote him a POEM (see the next blog post)
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