October 31, 2016

This Week was hard but full of miracles too. :) My area has been a pain in the butt. We spend more time traveling, walking, and planing than we do working and teaching. My area is about as big as White City to Shady Cove and at night there aren't buses so we have to walk hours sometimes. The other night we were walking home in one of the areas farthest away from home and we were a little worried about making the 2 hour walk before 9 PM. I started to pray that someone would give us a ride. About 5 minuets later an old rigidity corolla pulled over and a family called us over. We got in and thanked them. On the way they said that their daughter was sick and they were bringing her to the doctor.

I felt inspired to ask if they were members but the father responded no. I remembered that our mission leader said their was a less active member in the area but had never met her. I felt inspired to ask again and asked the mother if she was a member and after a silent pause she said yes. She has been inactive for awhile and we were able to visit her Friday. :) Friday we were left with the same problem walking home and I prayed again for a ride. 5 minuets later a 4 runner pulled over and asked if we wanted a ride. I was so thankful!!! :)

My investigators, Douglas and Maria, that we found the first week are so golden!!! They both said that they feel so good during the lessons and at church and are almost positive they want to be baptized. After the lesson with Douglas in his prayer he said, "God I know you have been a little silent, but I'm sure it is all true. I believe you are with these two young men, they speak so clearly and explicitly, and are so happy. Please confirm all that I'm learning because I want to get baptized.

Maria pulled out a little progress paper we gave her that shows all you need to get baptized. She checked off the lesson and said, ''Well I only need a little bit more. I have a service project this week on Sunday so I don't know if I'll make it. Can I still be baptized on the 12th if I miss this Sunday?'' hehe :)Pilas

Thank you mom! I'm going to share your story with my recent converts. They really struggle getting to church. I love you all so much. See you soon!

October 24, 2016

This week was a week of absolute miracles!!!! We were walking along roads in the middle of nowhere looking for somewhere to contact and came across a few houses. We contacted one and a teen girl came out and said oh hey elders I'm one of your investigators... I was like umm 1st how off how do you know that!? And who are you? Turns out she went to church two Sundays ago with her boyfriend to watch conference and really liked it, haha, her name is Edina. Later we found a lady called Maria and before I even said hi she said come in! Come in!!! I have been waiting for you guys like 7 years! Why haven't you come by!? She explained that the missionaries visited her before but never got baptised because she had problems with coffee. She was excited to let us in and share a message. She even came to church on Sunday.

We walked out of the house and started off for another and I said to my companion, "How many miracles can you see in one day?" So we had a lesson with a guy named Douglas. He walked into the chapel last Sunday and started asking how he could become a member and the members there sent us his number. We visited him and he told us that for years he has felt the need to come to church here and wanted to learn more. He is secretly taking the lessons because he wants it to be a surprise to his 3 children and wife haha.. Sooo miracles this week!

My comp and I were walking and I could tell in his steps that he was tired. I asked what was wrong and he said, "Well I think I'm in love compa.... He was silent again, then said I just can't stop thinking bout her. I was like OH NO compa... with who!!!? Silence again..... with the baptismal font compa, with the baptismal font! hehe
Oh, and our other investigator that the other missionaries left accepted the invitation to be baptized next week!! He is pilas, but cross your fingers.

I love and miss you all so much! See you soon!!!"

Monday, October 10, 2016

Well this week was awesome. I always wanted to know what it would be like to serve in the USA. Ii think this area is the closest you can get toi it hehe. My area is the richest area in the mission, I love it! Although it does have its downfalls too.. The area is a highway that goes to El Salvador where all the richest people in Guatemala live. So it’s superrrr long and takes like 3 hours or more to walk from one end to the other. There are very few areas to knock doors, so most of our work is done with the members. Our area is mostly made up of residential colonies that have gates and guards with shotguns. If we want to enter we have to have the member call the guards to let us in. The houses of the members are mansions. Literally they are the houses only seen in movies, and they all have pitbulls and rottweilers.

A good portion of the members are ex members of the 70 and mission presidents. The first councilor of President Caffaro lives here too. So in the lessons sometimes we get a little nervous haha.. My favorite part is the food....... so long to rice and beans!!! The members this week gave us lasagna, brownies, crepes, and all the best things you can imagine. We live in the visitor's house of the family Malaga. Hermano Malaga has an interesting story. To be short with it his last wife was planning to murder him and steal all his money, but he felt something was up and had a programer put a program on his computer to listen to things when it was shut and heard his wife explain the whole plan. Then afterwards he asked his friend to send him the missionaries and got baptized.

So the first thing I did when I got to my new home was go to the bathroom... I about crapped myself when I saw the jacuzzi and two toilets and two sinks and a sauna. The first thing I did was go and look at the odd looking 2nd toilet. I could not figure out what it was for. There are levers on the back and I pulled one and a rocket stream of water shot me in the face. It was really gross to find out later that in this house we don't use toilet paper... the jet stream is to clean your butt hehe...I call it the enema-nator! The downfall to our house is that it is humid and all of our stuff has to stay in the suitcase or it will get damp. Our beds are always damp and it is super uncomfortable. I don’t understand why everything is so humid because my area is super cold. We live on top of the mountains and it gets super chilly here. I like it really :)

Our mission leader served in Provo Utah and speaks perfect english. Well to be honest the whole ward knows english because the schools here are in english. It’s awesome, his name is Jose Pablo and he drives us around in his car. This week we saw a ton of miracles. After church a guy walked in and said that he wanted to learn more about the church and know how he could become member. His name is Douglas and we put an appointment for Thursday.

I was buying in the little corner store and an old 80 year old man came and grabbed my arm and said, “I know your country and I went to your church.” I was like ooookayy... that’s cool bro. What’s your name? I’m Arnold, but not Arnold Schwarzenegger, Arnold Castillo. He took us to his house and explained that he was a less active that wanted to come back to church. We invited him to come this last Sunday and he said he would. He showed up and I went and sat with him and we started listening to testimonies. He turned to me and said, I want to go talk, can I go talk? Will you take me to to talk? I supposed he knew what a testimony was and went up with him. This was literally the most embarrassing testimony meeting I have ever been in.

Arnold started talking about how he had a vision he needed to visit the President of Guatemala and that he did and his guards pulled out ak47s and Arnold lifted up his cane. He acted it all out and then said that he started talking to the guards in their own language and then said something that sounded like gibberish to me and got in position of karate kid with his arms extended and knee up. To be honest I can’t believe an old 80 year old man could do it but he did haha. Then fished up his testimony. I was so red sitting behind with the bishop. When Arnold finished he turned around and said thank you to this young American Elder I’m back home. It was a great first impression my first Sunday! Hahaha....

Monday, October 3, 2016

Hey mama,

That is such an exciting story of prayer and really truly inspired me.  Thanks for sharing it. I’ll keep Emma in my prayers, I pray a lot that the Lord will protect her while she is away from home. So this week was crazy awesome. I don't know how I could say all I want to say so I’ll just tell you when I get home. Know that I’m happy and all is well. I copied the letter my president sent me this morning, it looks like I have changes:

“You did a great job turning around the Nimajuyu Zone!! I am so thankful for your leadership. I need your help and leadership in Arrazola in the Don Justo Zone. I think it is a great area with wonderful members to help. The missionaries have not had a good attitude and it needs a pick me up. Please help me with this area and with Elder Rodriquez. He is a good young missionary that came into the mission with a lot of animo. I think you both can be a great team together. Thank you for all that you do! I am counting on you to turn this area around. Have a great week!”

With love,

President Caffaro

#dispuestoydigno para bautizar!

My email to President:

President,

After the mission council I was almost sure that I was going to train this change. I filled out a whole page in my journal Saturday night with goals and plans for this change. After reading the story of Hermana Flucher my head was spinning with ideas and ways we could use NVS better and win the members. To be honest I was kind of disappointed last night, I was so fired up to do everything with my kid, but felt like maybe I had let you down and didn't deserve to train. When Elder De Leon called to tell me this morning that I was being sent with a purpose I felt way better. After Reading your letter I feel even more excited. If we don't turn around the ward it’s because it’s simply not the will of God, I highly doubt it’s not his will. Let's do it :) #NVS #lovemorejudgeless

Thank you,

Elder Dabel

Tell everyone I love them and miss them and am doing great. I can't wait to see you on the 17th. BTW no one else in the mission has changes that day, just me and my group because the president wanted us to be home for christmas! :)

September 19, 2016

Thank you mom. I like your analogy of the laws. I think after all is said and done it’s funny that the first and great commandment is to love God with all thy heart and mind and soul.. To truly fulfill all the commandments we need to be consecrated. 

I’ve had a lot to be grateful for these last few months. I feel like the lord is blessing me for my efforts the first 16 months of my mission. I’ve been able to help a lot of my brothers and sisters in this area. I love them all and feel like I would do anything for them. After baptizing them you feel something very special. I imagine it’s similar to what you feel when you have a child. After so much work and struggle you see the happiness of another being and you are full of joy! 

So 3 weeks ago we asked our recent convert Elisabeth to participate in nunca voy solo and to fill out a list of people she thought were ready to hear our message and then pray to ask the Lord who we should visit. She did and brought us to her friends house. The granddaughter Jocelyn started listening and has come with us to church every Sunday. When we showed up the first time and gave the baptismal invitation Jocelyn ran to her room and brought out a book that the evangelical church gave her that said '''preparation for baptism.” She said, ”I want to be baptized and have been working on my own to do it in the church down the street.” After the first Sunday she came with us she went home and told her grandma.. ''Grandma I’m changing churches.''  Then our next visit she said she had read the pamphlet we left and prayed and felt she needed to be baptized! Her date is 24th of September. 

#lovethelord

#obedience.is.happiness

#willing.and.worthy

Sept 12, 2016

Whooohooohohohohohoh.... I knew that I wasn't going home 3 days after Christmas that would be so dumb. :) Wow, thats like sooo close. Are you still coming down then or should we wait? I love you so much! I don't have time to write much today, but I love you like crazy and miss you. OH, and Flavio Canel got baptized this week! I love the old guy so much. This week I put my arm around him and asked if he was ready to be baptized. He said I'm ready, I feel at peace. I told him that he was about to enter into a big family and that we would all be here to support him through everything, and that he should never feel bad to ask us for help. (We knew before hand he had been passing tons of trials.) He started to cry and said thank you. He told me and my companion that his family and friends had all rejected him when he became a drunk years before. Then he tried to change his life around and go to the evangelical church. He stopped drinking, but his family still wouldn't talk to him because they were Catholics. He said he was so thankful that his cousin, a member of the church, came and visited him and invited him to church. He said he feels loved and accepted and has felt the spirit in the lessons, he knows he is in the place God wants him to be. :) As I entered into the font and and lifted my hand to the square it was so hard to fight back the tears. The spirit I felt was so strong. I could feel the gratefulness that he had for us and it filled me with immense joy!"

Sept 5, 2016

Sounds like obedience has brought you blessings too mom! :) This week was fantastic. We went to a mission council last Friday (a meeting for zone leaders to discuss ideas and review numbers.) The president looked at the numbers projected on the wall for like 2 minutes without saying anything. Then looked at me and my companion and said, “What is going on zone nimajuyu? The most wicked zone is the zona flechona (the most obedient and straight.)” 

The zone is throwing fire and seeing numbers that it hasn't ever seen. Just a cool fact, last year there were an average of over 200 missionaries in our mission. Every month we baptized an average of 50 people as a mission. This year we had 170 and lost 20 to disobedience. This week we lost two more. We have less than 150 and we are baptizing an average of  100 every month as a mission. 

When we are obedient we have the spirit. When we have the spirit we want to be here, we want to teach, we want to baptize, we are happy. For the disobedience of two missionaries in a zone, all other missionaries are affected. Our district meetings and zone meetings are ruined because the spirit is not felt. As a missionary these meetings are spiritual reboosters that get us through the week. In the end we are affected, our companionships are affected, and our investigators are affected. We do not convince the people, the spirit does. We do not change people, the spirit does. If you want to be successful then you must learn the first principle to the gospel. :)

This week I have been studying a lot about the atonement. When I reread Lehi’s vision of the tree of life, the spirit taught me a very important lesson. The tree of life represents the love of God, when we partake of its fruit we are tasting the love of God and are filled with immense joy. Or in other words, we are filled with the spirit because He brings us this feeling (Galations 2:22) How do we receive the spirit? We use the atonement to clean purify ourselves, through faith, repentance, and baptism or the sacrament. As a result we are desirous to keep eating and share with others.

11 And it came to pass that I did go forth and partake ofthe fruit thereof; and I beheld that it was most sweet,above all that I ever before tasted. Yea, and I beheld thatthe fruit thereof was white, to exceed all the whiteness thatI had ever seen.

 12 And as I partook of the fruit thereof it filled my soulwith exceedingly great joy; wherefore, I began to bedesirous that my family should partake of it also; for I knew that it was desirable above all other fruit.

When we truly are partaking of this fruit we feel the spirit often, we are happy despite affliction and trial, we are desirous to share it. Please share the gospel with someone this week, pass by and visit someone, present yourself, present the gospel, present the missionaries, preach. Participate in never go alone, because its the doctrine of Christ.

For those who have fallen away, who doubt, who don’t feel the joy of the gospel ponder upon these scriptures:

 33 And great was the multitude that did enter into that strange building. And after they did enter into that building they did point the finger of scorn at me and those that were partaking of the fruit also; but we heeded them not.’

34 These are the words of my father: For as many as heeded them, had fallen away.

I know that my Savior and Redeemer is Jesus Christ. I know the Book of Mormon is the word of God. I know Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. 

August 29, 2016

Thanks mom! That’s awesome that donavan is back! Give him a big hug for me please! I’m glad the girls are doing good too. Don't worry I’m sure the Lord will find me a wife.. I hope it’s not too hard to find one that loves the Lord more than anything else. Keep an eye open! :) 

This week we baptized Jessica Lemus and Abigail Barbero. Jesica is a reference from our recent convert Sharon Cruz that has been participating in Nunca Voy Solo. Jesica has struggled to know if Joseph Smith was a prophet, but has been coming to church non stop for about 3 months. We decided to stop visiting her because she hadn’t been reading the Book of Mormon. Last Sunday I asked her if she had been reading the Book of Mormon. She said yes with a big smile. I asked when she was going to be baptized. The 28th she said. The 28th of what month? August she replied! I’m ready! It was really awesome. She thanked me for being patient and continuing to invite her to church every Sunday and that she had felt it was all true. :)

Abigail has been coming to church with her older sister for about a year. She is 12 and has wanted so badly to get baptized but because of her age hasn't been able to. As a rule of our mission only 14 years and older if parents aren't members can be baptized. We helped her read and understand every chapter between 3 nephi 11 - 18 and had her write a paper over all she had learned. Then sent it to the president asking for permission for her to be baptized. He was very impressed and gave her permission.

This month we have a few baptisms planed too.  :) We did a missionary activity as a ward about a month ago and had them invite non members. The family Canel invited their uncle who loved the activity. He asked after how he could join the church. They presented us to him and we have taught all the lessons as of last week. He comes to church every week and helps out in all the activities like he is a member :) I love him to death. He is like 55 years old.

We are also teaching Dulce. She recently moved in with her mom, Olympia, our recent convert. She is aunt-sister of Andrea the little girl that we baptized.. It’s a really weird story, but the grandma of Andrea (olympia) is the mom of Dulce, but have have the same dad..... Dulce got pregnant at 18 and moved out with her boyfriend. Recently Olympia did a fast that her daughter would have a change of life style and would come home. 2 days later she did haha... she has been listening to us and likes the church, but still needs to feel the power of the Book of Mormon.

We also are teaching Esperanza. She is our contact, and an interesting one too. We were contacting some apartments a few weeks ago but after 3 hours of no luck, so we decided to say a prayer that the Lord would guide us to where he needed us most. We felt that we needed to go to some apartments half a mile away and went. We contacted Esperanza that rejected us right off the bat and said that she had already heard the missionaries and went to church but didn't like it at all. After a few minuets of talking with her she said thank you and we left. We kept contacting there, but didn't have success there either so I was a little disappointed because I thought the Lord needed us there.

Later in the day we went to some contacts that we had made in the first set of apartments. We knocked and Esperanza opened... Turns out  earlier that day she was babysitting for her friend and it wasn't her house we knocked and we had put an appointment with her son at her real home. She was like well I can’t seem to escape from you guys come in :) We had a very spiritual lesson over the Book of Mormon and at the end she grabbed it from me and said she would read it. The next visit I asked her what her favorite bible story was. She said job because it teaches her that to be grateful and not complain. We shared an awesome lesson about Nephi and how his story teaches us the same thing. She was satisfied at the end. She confessed to us later that her husband is a Jehovah Witness and that he hates Mormons. She doesn't like Jehovah Witness though and has been praying that God would send her the truth and help her to unify her family more. She said that after the first time we contacted her she felt bad for not listening to us and said to herself if they pass by again I’ll let them in haha.. I’m sure the Lord led us to her! :)

Mom and dad I love you so much and miss you a lot. Please don't stress out about coming here if it isn't going to be easy. I would be just as happy coming home and watching videos and eating peanut butter and waffles with my family. If it easy to come down here it would be fun to show you the country but it’s not a priority for me haha... I’ll probably come down alone in about a year with my wife to visit.

August 22, 2016

Wow looks like you guys had fun :) I hope all goes okay with the house in Texas. I’m glad you followed the spirit dad! :) Josh looks just like gramps hehe;)

This week was awesome. We baptized again! :) The activity Nunca Voy Solo has been giving a lot of fruits :D I’ll send a pic. his name is David Garcia. His mom brought him to one of our activities and he saw a baptism we had to and decided he didn't want to go to the evangelical church anymore, better to be mormon hehe:) pilas. My comp and I have been teaching a ton of people that are about ready for baptism :) All of them are references from nunca voy solo. :)  If all goes well this week, I’m going to be super happy! hehe But I don't want to jinx myself again so I wont give details :)

I love you guys. 

Love,

Elder Dabel

July 25, 2016

This week was fantastic:) I constantly feel that we just aren't given enough time to work. Before I know it the day is gone and a week has past :( I feel good with my companion and in my area. We baptized Andrea this week. 11 years old, although young, is one of the most pilas (smartest) I’ve ever baptized. You would be proud to see her Book of Mormon marked like crazy. After the baptism she asked us for a few minuets to give her testimony, she is an inspiring young women.

This week the president sent home 8 more missionaries home. Apparently the two I sent home ratted out there friends. Our mission is getting smaller and smaller. The funny thing is that we are baptizing more then we ever have. It’s funny how big of a difference obedience makes in the mission. The president told us that we could be great members and bad missionaries. It’s sad but true. Please support your missionaries in their obedience!!

I really really like this quote of Jeffrey R Holland:  

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland said, (April 2016) "When there was a controversy in the early Church regarding who was entitled to heaven’s blessings and who wasn’t, the Lord declared to the Prophet Joseph Smith, “Verily I say unto you, [the gifts of God] are given for the benefit of those who love me and keep … my commandments, and [for them] that seeketh so to do.” Boy, aren’t we all thankful for that added provision “and … seeketh so to do”! That has been a lifesaver because sometimes that is all we can offer! We take some solace in the fact that if God were to reward only the perfectly faithful, He wouldn’t have much of a distribution list. Please remember tomorrow, and all the days after that, that the Lord blesses those who want to improve, who accept the need for commandments and try to keep them, who cherish Christlike virtues and strive to the best of their ability to acquire them."

This week was absolutely crazy for me and my companion! We felt we should go over to the house of some elders in our zone in the morning to do a study. We got over and asked the owner of their house for keys to the house so we could surprise them hehe. What we found was one of the most disappointing scenes I have ever seen in my life. I don't want to give many details, but I'm positive they will be going home. My testimony of the words of the Lord "I the lord will not be mocked " is really strong. I don't doubt he planned that morning.

Now for the awesome news! My comp and I have been fasting and praying to see miracles in our area because we have been working really hard, but didn't really have anyone to baptize this change. Wednesday we had Oralia, an investigator of two weeks, ask us why she couldn't be baptized this Saturday because she felt 100% ready haha. Woohooo!!! We also had an investigator named Maria Jose that just needed permission from her Catholic mom. Maria has been waiting forever to be baptized, but has been denied continually by her mom. But on Thursday after a fast of faith and a lesson of super spirit and authority the mom couldn't say no:) So Maria asked to be baptized ASAP! haha Saturday night she was baptized with Oralia. It was so intense.

I know my comp and I were blessed for our obedience and diligence this change. We both have had to humble ourselves, change, and get along, but we did and we were blessed! :) I love my comp so much, I'm sad he has changes. This change was something different, every single night my dreams were about my investigators and the elders in my zone. Not even in my sleep did I stop teaching, contacting, and searching. I felt like my heart, might, mind, and strength were giving everything. I love obedient companions that I don't have to pull. :) If only they were all pullers the load would be so much lighter, the mission would be so much happier.

I love you guys so much. Remember miracles are real and the Lord won’t be mocked hehe ;)

April 25, 2016

So guess what!!! I’m zone leader in my first zone. The cool thing is that I already know my area a little bit and can do divisions in my 1st area! When I got the call saying I was going to La Brigada I was like, “Ooww... this area is the biggest mess ever!” It’s a huge labyrinth, the roads are all curved and don't connect. It looks like the people threw paint on the map and said, “Hey you see all those little spots? Build houses there!” hahaha... 

I literally have no idea how to get anywhere. I did divisions in my 1st area last week! It was awesome!! It turns out a lot of people that I found there ended up getting baptized with my second comp which is super cool. Looks like my fruits went farther than I thought. 

I went and showed the elders there a contact that I made when I was there that I always wanted to visit, but never had a member to help. We had such a cool lesson with her and her family, and even cooler is that she went to church Sunday haha!!! Looks like the Lord has been preparing these people for awhile and wanted me to know the contact.. Man he works in mysterious ways. When I went and talked to the lady she talked to me like she knew me and I was like you remember me!? She was like yeah, you pass by all the time and I saw you like a month or so ago. Why wouldn't I know you? I was like I talked to you like a year ago haha but that’s cool. It was awesome!

Being zone leader is cool, wayyy better than district leader in my opinion. It’s more responsibility, but more laid back too. I only have to make sure the district leaders are doing their job and worry about getting dats to the assistants. My companion and I both are zone leaders so we share the load too.

In my area we have quite a few people progressing that could be baptized here soon. We got a reference from the bishop of a guy that has been attending another ward really far away so we went and looked for him. He is a super awesome guy. He is about ready to get baptized, but we want to get the wife and daughter baptized to. They are Christians that go to a church called Evangelico. 

There are two main religions here, Catholic and Evangelico. You’re catholic when you don't live any law, and evangelico when you take it to the extreme and are basically a pharisee.. They hit people with the bible and scream and have rock bands that scare me! But we had an awesome lesson with the family. Our next visit the wife asked a ton of questions and at the end said she was confused because she felt we taught the truth, but it was all so different and new to her. power of the spirit man..

My new comp is Elder Galicia. He’s from El Salvador. He was in my zone when I was training so I know him a little bit already. He is chill and obedient so this change should be a good one:) I really hope those words don't come back to bite me! haha

Tell everyone I love them!  

April 21, 2016

Dear Dabel Family,

It is with pleasure that we inform you that your son, Elder Dabel, has accepted a call to serve as zone leader here in the Guatemala City South Mission. We have implicit confidence in him and trust the Lord will bless and sustain him in his new assignment.

Our mission is divided into 12 proselyting zones.  As zone leader, your son will supervise the missionaries in two to four districts, each consisting of four to eight missionaries.  He will teach proselyting skills, encourage them in the work, and he will direct zone meetings and participate in interviews of baptism candidates.  In order to train others, he will frequently exchange companions and work with each elder in his zone, helping them to progress and improve.  Through his example, he will lead and motivate others to ''serve with all their heart, might, mind, and strength''  (D&C 4:2).

You have raised an obedient young man.  No doubt he will represent the Lord and his family with dignity, love, and devotion as zone leader in this marvelous work.

Sincerely yours,

 

E.J. Caffaro

Mission President

April 18, 2016

Hollyyyy cowww I’m so excited about OSU and all that!!!! That is sooo cool!!! :)) I love you mom!!! Thank you!!! Blessings from serving the Lord!!

This week was pretty awesome. My comp and I are getting to work with a medical team down here that are from the USA donating time and supplies to the people because no one down here has medical care and the health conditions are horrible. They don't know spanish so we are helping them translate. At 1:00 today we are going to start again. It’s been cool trying to learn the medical terms to explain to the people what they have and to the doctors their symptoms haha..

This week we visited a reference and found a less active guy that has been inactive for like 30 years. He was baptized in mexico and went in the temple. He said that he slowly fell away from the church and later became a pastor and wrote books about his religious beliefs. We asked if he had ever thought about coming back to church and he said no.. I felt that we should read from the Book of Mormon. I read Alma 37:45-47 and talked about my feelings toward it, the spirit was really strong. Then my comp asked him when was the last time you felt the spirit?? There was a super long silence. He looked up after what felt like an eternity and said, “I don’t remember.” It was so strong. I know he felt the spirit. He remembered his testimony. I really hope he starts coming to church again.

We went with another less active family, family Davila. We knew they had retired from the church years ago because of a mistake made by an old leader. We just sang with them and shared a small message about the sacrament and the spirit. The next day they showed up to church all nicely dressed:) it was so awesome! 

We fought all last week to get people to church. we woke up early and ran around literally to try to round up everyone. In the end only 3 showed up. This week we did the same and by a pure miracle 16 came!! We took a picture after sacrament and like half of the little branch were investigators.

So my comp has been in the area for like 5 months so we were like 99 percent positive he had changes. We went around and took a few pictures for him and got the members to write in his journal. Last night they called and said my comp is staying in the area and I have changes haha... I couldn't believe it..This area is super awesome but I am a lil excited to go to my new area. I’m sick of living on bread and top ramen and showering with buckets of water and washing my garments by hand. This area has been a huge learning experience:) i don't find out where I’m going until tonight so I’ll update you guys on monday :P Can you guys believe I’m going home in 8 months... the time is flying.. the last time I think I will be calling home is mothers day. 

April 11, 2016

Thanks dad, 

I’ve learned that every day we are given opportunities to choose to be more or less like the savior. We have to take advantage of them all (:

This week was an awesome week really. My comp and I have been trying hard to complete with a plan that our president received as revelation and said it is what the Lord wanted us to do to see success. We have to do this every day.

obedient and diligent

find to teach (find a sum of 20 new investigators every week)

update the area book

work by sectors

do lists with members every day(fortify our members and ask for references)

contact 10 people with name and address or phone number and return date

have lessons with member (sum total of 20 at end of week)

use D&C 20:37 in all lessons (teach the principals in scripture)

Put baptismal dates every day (at least 1, invite all)

visit at least 1 recent convert every day

We have almost been able to complete this every day. At the end of the week we woke up at 6 to go get people for church, we were expecting like 16 to come but after all was said and done only 3 arrived I was like noooo... I didn’t understand why it was so hard and was feeling down and then I got up to give my testimony and looked out into our lil congregation of 45 and saw a few faces I hadn't ever seen. I went and said hi after sacrament and an old member that was going to a ward far away said she decided she wanted to come to our lil ward cuz it is closer to her house. She brought her son in law that wasn't a member and he said he wanted us to visit him.  Later that day we went by and he explained to us how he is ready to change his life and be baptized in the true church of God. My comp and I were like whooow.. blessings man.. Also this week we went by with a member that has a less active daughter and visited her to see why she never comes. She didn't say exactly why she didn't go so we explained the importance of the sacrament and gave testimonies of the reality and power of it. After she said she wanted to come back and was going to buy a skirt so she could go. Then at the end of our visit she said her son never was baptized and wanted us to teach him so he can; another big blessing this week! :)

This week my comp got sick while we were contacting and said he had to throw up. We sat on the side of a dirt road for like 15 minuets while he tried to do it but couldn't so I said, “Why don't I punch you in the stomach so it comes up faster?” He said sure! So he bent over and I whacked him and then he started throwing up hehe. Afterward he felt a lot better..

This week was a fun. We got a whole bunch of investigators together, the majority were kids because the parents always say I’m Catholic... then they turn around and tell their kids to go with us because they need to learn things of God. Then they tell us, “My kid is a lost, please teach him the difference between good and bad.” It’s hard for me to control my temper when they do things like that haha....but we took all of our investigators and split them into groups and had them draw on a page one part of the plan of salvation; like the pre-mortal life, out life, resurrection, etc. Then we put it all together and had a huge long picture. It was super fun and a good way to teach the kids! haha

Thanks mama, that’s what I have been learning in the 4th missionary talk too. That we aren’t always going to wake up ready and happy to do it all but we do it because it is the most intelligent thing to do. We know doing the Lords will will benefit us way more in the end, so we do it and try to be positive. The talk says this:

“But don't think that this one is always filled with the Spirit and ready to rush headlong into what the Lord would have him do. Don't think that he is always whistling a happy tune, skipping down the road, looking for another door to be slammed in his face. There are times when he doesn't like it either; there are times when he doesn't want to go either. He gets tired and discouraged too. The sun and the rain beat down upon him just like the other three. Don't think that just because you may become discouraged or because you may not want to go either, that you are, therefore, not the Fourth Missionary. Lehi said: "For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things." (2 Ne 2:11.) Life is hard at times, and missions are hard, for the Fourth Missionary as well as for the first three.”

Elder Holland teaches that a great swimmer once said when asked his secret of success: "1 kick when 1 don't want to kick, and I stroke when I don't want to stroke." Like the First, Second and Third Missionaries there are times when the Fourth Missionary doesn't want to kick and doesn't want to stroke either. The difference between the Third and Fourth Missionary is that the Third Missionary will kick and stroke because it is his duty, because that is what is expected of him and he will hate and resent it, while the Fourth Missionary will kick and stroke because he knows that it is the only intelligent thing to do.”

 Even Jesus, the One Perfect One, prayed: "Father let this cup pass from me..." There were things that He too did not want to do. Those desires that He "...even God, the greatest of all...might not drink the bitter cup and shrink..." (DC 19:18) did not diminish Him; in fact, they made Him greater´´

I hope you guys are doing awesome (: I love you!! 

March 14, 2016

Hey MOM! Well this week was awesome!! So my new area is even more rural than the last and hotter than heck!!! It’s super humid out here to. The city is called nueva santa rosa the new holy rose. I love it like crazy. It’s huuuugggeee though.. It’s a whole bunch of little cites near each other and little pueblos or aldeas which are little groups of people that live in shacks in the mountains haha.. The people are really nice and loving, just have problems making commitments haha. I would like to say the church down here is a branch, but it isn’t yet its so small it’s called a unity hehe... My comp is a BEAST... I love him to death.. he is Elder Olson from California. He has 5 months in the mission and is still full of that fire you have right when you get out of the mtc. He is 100 percent obedient. We get up at 6 every morning and wash our cloths and then take our showers with a bucket and a cup hhaha... I can’t complain about there not being hot water cuz it’s so freaking hot.... It is an interesting experience so far... I get out of the shower and just start sweating again.. The food here isn’t so sanitary soo you cant ever trust your farts.. It is hard to get from lesson to lesson fast here because of the size of our area so we are constantly running through the mountain trails :) It makes me really miss swimming.. We have to coordinate with the busses to because apparently they stop coming after 4 at the farthest end of our area.. we had to run a few miles back until by pure miracle God sent a tuk tuk and saved us.

Over all I love it all :)

Oh so the hermanas didn't get sent home cuz they confessed and repented. I’m jealous you’re going to Mexico without me haha. How is Josh doing?? Did he get a new job then?

March 7, 2016

This week was absolutely crazy... These last few weeks have been absolutely crazy... so starting from the beginning.

Every week my comp just got wickeder and wickeder AND LAZIER AND LAZIER. I was suffering to be honest... He didn't want to work just go home and eat and hangout with another elder in our district who is like his best friend. I found out that the president sent my comp and this other elder here to the same district to test them. I guess they have a rep from before and the president didn't want them in the mission... his plan worked. My comp and this other elder got sent home on thursday morning. At night they would text and call each other, other elders, sisters, and girls in our areas too.. one of the sisters felt bad and repented and so they all got sent home. 

So I have been working these last few days with the members and sleeping with at my house with the other elder in my district so I can stay in my area and keep up with my investigators... Which was the best thing that ever happened to me because I was able to get so many references out of them that are so awesome. The sad thing is that I have changes and they are shutting down my area.

The cool thing this week were all the baptismal interviews I got to give. I had to give 9... It took up a lot of my time but it was a good spiritual experience:) now i know a tiny bit how it feels to be the bishop on the other side of the desk.. I hope I don't get called as bishop when Im older haha!

but me and this other elder (Elder Tolson from california) have been saying to each other this whole change, “You want to be happy? You want to be happy elder??? then be obedient!!”  (:  It kept us from following the influence of our comps this change.. haha 

I love you guys..

Pray the Lord sends me to an area with a really good comp please!!! 

Feb 22, 2016

I feel way better, but this week was probably one of my worst weeks in the mission dat wise. I feel as though everything was against us this week. It didn't matter how hard I tried, all the things that could of went bad did. I would like to tell you all about my week but that just waste time. The point is I’m not letting the devil get away with it because I know its all for a reason. Maybe we are on the brink of success. This week we got to go to the temple, always a relief and a good way to restart life and review how you sit in the path. I wish I could go there more often..My only council for any person struggling with a testimony would be this: 1. Repent. 2. read the scriptures 3. keep a list of all spiritual experiences and miracles and review it. 4. prepare yourself spiritual to go to the temple and go there often.

I’ve been thinking lately about what you and grandma have talked about. About how we chose our glory. I found an answer in Mosiah 2:38. It supports it and clarifies a little bit more. Really I have thought a lot about if what I’m doing is worthy for celestial glory. I often am overwhelming myself thinking about how I’m not good enough. The answer that I have found is this: If you are worthy to have the spirit guide you and feel it often then there is nothing to worry about. We should constantly be preparing ourselves spiritually so that we don’t  just run away from him because of the guilt we feel of the things we didn't do and didn't repent of. :) I’ve also learned that an understanding of doctrine changes our behavior and attitude. As we more fully understand the way things work, the way the father works, and our responsibilities we are more confident in our decisions and we are happier. We have to constantly pull all the lies and apostasy that we are born with and the devil puts in us if we want to be happy:)

Happiness isn't cheap, but you still can’t buy it with money;) If it is hard enough to walk in the light, how much harder it is to walk in darkness. be obedient and do hard things so that you don’t have to do harder ones.

I love you mama:) thank you for your love and support.

Elder Dabel

Feb 8, 2016

Thanks mom :) so this week was full of miracles. We found some people Saturday that are soooo pilas or in other words super smart. They came to church Sunday and when we passed by on Sunday they knew the pamphlet of lesson 1 perfectly. It was really cool. We also found a family last week and the wife came to church last week and said she loved it. We will see how it goes with her. Oh, and Raul and Lili moved to the capital to find work, but I’m in contact with them and they say that they are going to church there to :) That was a lil sad for me because I wont be there with them. Also carla moved to a city not to far from here called monjas. I’m talking with her to and trying to get some missionaries to go look for her out there. This week I got a new comp from el salvador he is super awesome I love him. It’s a little weird cuz he reminds me a lot of Emerson which is cool :) This week flew by so fast wow... I love you guys and hope you know i can feel your prayers thank you. I hope Levi’s testicle is better too.. I pray for it .