Week 64

2 Tuesdays ago I was able to go the baptism of the Sanchex family!  The church where I was is 1 hour from where I am now, so we went in a taxi.  The whole ride in the car I was so happy and excited.  We got there and the teenage boys of the family where waiting out side, Jose and Johnathan.  I got out of the car and they gave me a hug and I was so happy to see them. I asked them how they were doing and they said they were great and ready for the baptism, but Johnathon said "Elder Quist there is some bad news.  My dad came and dropped us off but he didn't stay because he got stressed and started drinking.  Who knows if he will come back.  I got so sad.  My heart ached because I knew everything that he had left behind to make this amazing change in his life.  He used to smoke crack and sell.  He changed everything and I couldn't believe that a little alcohol was going to change all that.  We walked in the church and I saw Melisa my convert from Metro ( my first area) and her husband Pablo that knows the family Sanchez.  That made me happy, but I was still so sad. Everyone was sad too but we were going to continue with the baptism.  Just then I saw a door crack open and Hermamo Sanchez was hiding to trick me.  I can not express the joy that I felt.  Everyone that I loved was there.  2 of my old companions Elder Morris and Elder Astacio and the whole Sanchez family, not to mention Melisa and Pablo and thier new baby. I can not express how full of joy I was that night. One of the best nights of my life.  I will send a picture next week.

We had an awesome spiritual experience last week finding new investigators.  Remind me to tell you that one next week. 

Love you all,  I am happier then ever!

Love eLder Quist 

Week 63

Wow, it sounds like you had an awesome family day.  I have never heard of soccer golf!  hahah  but that is sweet! 

Well to continue with the story.....so I was telling you about Ricardo Rdz but I forgot to tell you that he used to be SWAT for Mexico.   He went to Israel to get trained and they told him that they were training him to be the best of the best but also the worst of the worst.  He was and is not a bad guy but when he got back to Mexico he receive a lot a recognition from the government because he saved a lot a kids from a shooting and other people in hostile situations.  So they made him the "trainer"  of the new swat in mexico,  so he told his students the same thing and they took it seriously and all the people he trained started killing the police and people that did not deserve to die. so that is why he doesnt work as SWAT anymore.  Just an interesting detail.  So when we left his house we saw the clouds and knew that it was going to rain so hard.  We started walking fast to the next appointment when suddenly it started raining harder then I have ever seen in my life. So we saw that a random house had their porch gate open and it was a covered porch, so with no other option we  ran in.  The whole family was there hiding from the rain and we asked them if we could stay there for a moment  and they let us.  It turns out that they are family members of a recent convert that just died.  We were able to see that they needed to heart about the plan of salvation.  Right before we said the prayer the power went out.  We had the whole lesson, with 7 people listening in complete darkness.  The spirit was so strong and there is not a doubt that it was a miracle that we were guided to that families house so they couldreceive  counsel after having their father, brother, and son die the week before.  They went to church on Sunday and we are teaching them now.  That is a mircale.  They Lords ways are always higher then our ways.   

This week we went back to my last area for the baptsim of the Sanchez family.  Oh how sweet it was.  That was awesome.  The whole family got baptized. 4 of them and they played a bad joke on me.  I will tell you next week.  but that is all.    Oh and I got the package thanks !!!!!

Elder Quist

Love you all!

Week 62

Hahah mom I am sorry I made a mistake last week.  I said 10 companionship but it was only 10 missionaries. Typing too fast.

Well I just feel so grateful to here that you are going to have an awesome family day.  I am far away but my heart is there with you all.  You don't know how much peace it brings to a missionaries heart to hear that everything is going well back at home.  I know missionaries that left inactive families or who are divorved.  And sometimes they go a month or two without hearing from their families in email!  What faith those missionaries have.  Oh how I want to be able to handle my trials like them one day.  What a blessing you are for me.  THANK YOU!

Well another week gone by and I am enjoying the mission more then ever.  We have been having some crazy lightning storms here lately.  I thought that I knew what heavy rain was and a bad lightning storm but wow it is a whole new world here.  They don't last very long but it is insane.  At night we turn off all the light and we live on the second floor with a lot of windows so we can just see Monterrey being destroyed by lightning.  It looks so sweet.  The other night at 820 pm we were going to our visit someone and met someone in the street.  Within seconds it started pooring harder then I have ever seen in my life and we had to run to a members business to find shelter.  It is miracle that my scriptures are not destroyed because I was soaked from head to foot in less then a minute. But the storms have been a blessing for us.  I will tell you somethings that happened to us last night.

So at 730 we were going to vist a golden family with a member and we got there and once a again they told us that they were not going to be able to receive us.  We went away sad and wondering if they were actually escojido or if they were just deceiving us.  I was discouraged. I am not going to lie.  But not 5 minutes later we get a call from the same family and the brother asked us if we could passed by right then.  We got to his house and he told us that he was sorry for not being able to recieve us and that he had been rejecting his house to us.  He opened the door with a smile on his face and had seats set up and everything.  It almost looked as if he had been waiting for us all day.  We sat down which is always a relief after walking all day.  He told us that when we left he felt bad and his friend that was visiting him told him that he should never reject the Lords servants.  He changed his plans and called us up.  That was a miracle .  I know that the Lord inspires people through the Holy Ghost to bring to pass his purposes.  His friend was inspired to tell him that.  We left the house and could see the lighting coming in the distance.   We knew that it was going to rain hard again.  Well I have got to go now but remind me to finish the story next week because due to the storm a miracle happen.  I will finsh but just wait.  Love you all.  Have a great week and a great family day. Say hi to CAMEROn for me.  

Oh and by the way I am going to learn Portuguese because there is a missionary in my ward that is from Brazil.  Pretty sweet right!

Mom we are going to have zone conference and we are going to teach the zone about personal conversion.  I would like to start with a sweet story that can call the attention of the missionary and get them to ponder the importance of personal conversion.  Could you send me some short stories that could have to do with conversion.  Thank you.  It can even be a new story or something not from the church and we can relate to conversion. Something exciting and interesting but not too long.  Ask Shelby to help you find the translation in spanish.  Thanks so much!

Elder Quist

Week 61

Family and Friends,

Well we went to the temple this week again so that is why I am writing today.  I am in a new zone in San Nicolas.  It is sweet.  It is a transition to go from having 20 missionaries in one ward to just having 4.  The ward is called Sada Vidrio.  It is really small.  I have never seen a capilla so small.  But I already love the members.  And the memebrs actually care about you here,  hahha  In my other ward the members didn't even bother getting to know the missionaries because there were so many.  except the sweet converts.  But yeah transfers were sweet, It is a little easier to guess who you could go with (not that it has to do with guessing)  now that I have more time in the mission.  And I went with the Elder that I thought I was going with.  ELder Juarez.  You probably remember him.  He was in my first ward Metroplex.  Look at the pictures.  He has really dark skin.  He is an awesome missionary.  I am really excited and we are working really hard.  WE have a sweet ward mission leader.  He is the professional taxi for the mission so I already knew him!  I am just loving life.  

We have some sweet invesigators and there is a lot of potential here.  

It is great to here from all of you.  Thanks for writing me.  Wish shelbly luck for me.

How is Abby doing?  Hope that you are all good!  I always get encouraged when I read your emails because you are the best family.  Keep it up.

Details.  Well we are in San Nicoles.  Our apartment is nice.  I will take pictures of it for you and send them soon.  But that is it.  Nothing to new.  

We were able have an awesome spiritual zone training meeting.  We talk about the atonement and I truthfully believe that the Lord inspiries everyone to be around you at the right time.  So many missionaries shared thing that were so inspiring to me.  The Lord is in a constant process of training us to be better children.  It is amazing how the spirit works.  Sometimes we don't even notice what our actions do to help others.  

I am glad that conference was so great for you all!  I watched it in english and it was awesome.  so powerful. so direct. so inspirational.

Alex-  I love you so much.  Hey there is a sweet video that you should watch.  It is called "Stay within the Lines" by Jeffery r Holland.

Mom and Dad.  Have a great week and remember that your son is grateful for everything that you have done for me.

Love you and talk to you Monday!

Elder Quist