Week 39

Mom, it is so good to hear that you made it to Peru safely.  You must be having such a good time. I can imagine the strong feelings that you are feeling this week.  Shelby is so amazing.  You must be so proud.  You are very lucky to have a daughter like her.  You know that!  So we went to the temple this morning.  You probably figured that because I did not write on monday.  It was so amazing.  I love the temple so much.  I learned so much this time and there isn't a place on earth that I have felt closer to God then in the holy temple.  I want to hear everything about you week.  I want to see pictures of Peru and you with Shelby.  and when you get back to the United States, I want to see a video of Abby and Shelby seeing each other for the first time.  I can not wait to see that.  Shelby is going to be in heaven.  I loved seeing the video of Abby climbing the stairs.  Dad, that is so awesome that you were able to stay home with Abby.  I think it would have been really hard for her to travel and more then anything, I think that Shelby is going to be able to enjoy Abby more seeing her for the first time in California.  You made the right decision.

This week has been such a good week.  It is very true dad, I have so many mixed feelings right now about transfers. First off I have no idea if I am going to be transferred or if I am going to stay and I do not know if I want to stay or go.  I can not tell you how much I love this ward.  They are amazing.  I am going to miss so many people.  I feel like I have lived here in Metroplex for my whole life.  Sometimes it is hard to remember that I lived before my mission, but actually I didn´t know what living was before my mission, serving is living.  

I love teaching the recent converts because they are so strong.  If only all members of the church could have the faith, hard work, love and humility that recent converts have.  We are teaching like 7 people that are going to be baptized in December.  4 of the 7 are thanks to recent converts.  you've got to keep up with the recent converts from Metroplex Cameron.  hahah.  How many references have you given to the misisonaries this week..if you haven´t given 10 you are not doing enough.haha Just kidding.  

We were talking to Manuel a recent convert three days ago and it is amazing the trials that he is passing through (thanks to his old actions).  He comes home from work everyday and says that he feels so lonely and has no one to talk to. So he works around the house for 2 hours and then reads the Book of Mormon for 3 hours.  That is why he is so happy when we or members go to visit him.  But his hardest trail is that his kids don't accept him anymore.  His oldest child got married last weekend and he didn´t get invited.  The worst part is that his brother and his brothers family who live next door to Manuel got invited and he didn´t... he is so sad.  But he is still so strengthed in the gospel.

Well that is all for this week.  Got to go to work.  Love you all.  Especially you Shelby.  Everyone hug her so hard for me!  

Love Elder Quist

Week 38

Buenos dias Family,

This week has been really good but really hard.  On Tuesday was the baptism of Yair.  It was so awesome (or at least I thought it was).  So much help from the members and the young women sang a special musical number.  He got baptized by a borther in the ward and was so happy.  Oh and his mom came.  We hope to baptize her soon.  And it was the birthday of one of his memeber friends and he had cake and soda afterwards.  The only bad part is that when he got baptized we forgot to show him how is was going to go down in the water, so it wasn't very smooth and when he was coming up he almost fell. Then one of the little primary girls shouted when he came out of the water "now he is all Justin Bieber like",  because his hair was all slick. I think he was just a little embrassed but afterward he was really happy with his friends so I hope he forgot about almost falling.  After the baprtism I asked my companion how he thought the baptism went and he said that he was mad and frustrated that Yair almost fell and that we forgot to practice the baptism with him and the the little girl shouted that.  I told him that he should focus on the good.  We got home and he wouldn´t say a word.  He wouldn´t say a prayer with me or talk to me.  I got really worried but decided to wait till the next morning to talked to him about it.  In the morning he wouldn´t talk or pray with me either.  So I decided to have a companionship inventory with him but he still would not say one word.  I thought he was really mad at me so I got on my knees and prayed to see what I could do to make him feel better.  The scripture story of Daniel and the lions den came to my mind.  I read it.  Daniel said that he was saved because "My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions’ mouths, "  Although I was not trying to shut the mouth of my companion, I tried to apply this to help him open his mouth so we could talk.  I realized that nothing I was going to say would help him until the spirit and and angel of God opened his heart.  I got on my knees and prayed that God would send an angel to help my companion.  When I stood up, the cell phone rang.  It was President Bird.  I gave the phone to my companion and he talked to president and president asked him how he was. It was hard for him to open up to president as well, but he told him that he was not mad a me but that he just felt really really bad for Yair.  I think that my companion must lack confidence like Yair does and that is why he felt so much compassion towards him.  He started crying talking to president and president helped him get over his struggles.  I felt really grateful that it wasn't something that I did, although I think that If I had shown more compassion for my comp he would have trusted me more and opened up to me.  I am trying to complement him more so that he can have more confidence, but it is really hard right now. But I feel like it is getting better.

WE ARE TEACHING MELISA´S MOM!!!!!! Her name is Paulina.  It is so awesome.  She was always too busy when we were teaching Melisa but the other day her boyfriend came to church and we started teaching him.  He told us that he and Paulina wanted to get married and are going to be baptized.  Melisa and her Paulina were Jehovah´s Witnesses, so last night we went and taught them with a recent convert that was also a Jehovah's Witness before.  He shared his amazing convertion story and the spirit was so strong.  It was awesome.  He said that he thought that he knew everyhting as a Jehovah Witness, but he is just now learning to be humble and learn by the spirit.  Paulina was very content afterward and is going to go to church next sunday.  I am so happy for Melisa because she needs the support of her mom in the church.  My testimony is so strong about the truthfulness of the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  It changes lives and I Love it. And I love you all so much. Have fun in Peru and give Shelby a hug for me!  It feels like Shelby's mission went by fast. I am very happy that I am staying out longer! 

Love ELder Quist

Week 37

                ( the tree of life)

First off, there is bad news.  I am not going to be able to send you more pictures(not like I did anyway..haha) because there is a new rule in all of Mexico that the missionaries can not have their cameras in the street.  We have to leave them in the house.  I live in the street n-3 455.  It doesn't look that nice from outside but it is really nice inside.  

I love that qoute from Michael Merrill.  

My companion and I found new investigators this week.  Claudia and Pedro.  They are so ready.  In our first lesson Claudia said in her prayer " let us know if this is the church we should go to".  They came to church this week and the sacrament testimony meeting was so powerful.  I was so grateful because I usaully get worried that the members are going to say something crazy.  But no it was just amazing and spiritually powerful.  Oh and Gerardo blessed his baby with the Melchizedek Priesthood. He did awesome.  

I can´t believe that Shelby is almost done.  That went by way to fast.  

Our lesson with Claudia and Pedro was one of the most powerful lessons that I have been in, in my mission.  My companion and I taught the fist vision and the restoration and after I asked Claudia how she felt.  She told me that she felt amazing.  That she was filled with joy, especially when she looked at the picture of Joseph Smith in the sacred grove.  She then said " I feel like it isn´t you speaking, I feel like Christ is speaking to me".  It was great.  I felt like an instrument in the hands of the Lord.  That is what I want so badly.

I love you all so much!  Thanks for all you support!

Elder Quist

Week 36

Mom and Dad!  Sounds like you had a great week.  I love the pictures of Alex in his soccer games.  What posision is he playing?  Have they won a game yet?  Is Josh playing for Bear rRver too?  I do missing going to the Abel farm.  Sounds like everyrthing is going well at the gym.  That is great!  Who is working the front desk?  Even you dressed up for the Anniversary party mom?  That surprises me!

This week has been really great!  Manuel finally got baptized and he is soo awesome.  He got baptized on Friday and said that he felt a little weird after and didn´t know what came next.  We had explained to him about the confirmation and the gift of the Holy Ghost and it was a great opportuntity that we had to teach him the importance of the gift of the Holy Ghost.  On friday after his baptism he said he wasn't going to be able to go to church because he had to work this Sunday.  After explaining about the Holy Spirit he seems to have all of his doubts resolved.  He skipped going to work on Sunday because he knew how important it was to be confirmed.  I hope he don´t get fired but he doesn´t really worry too much! He just trusts in the Lord and it is awesome.

 On Saturday we worked really hard and found 5 new investigators.  It felt so good.  They are all awesome. 

Some of the members here are sooo cool.  They are just amazing, funny, awesome people.  Yesterday we helped a members family move ( they could only do it Sunday).  I love serving and talking to the members.  I am gaining a great respect for their humility.  Everyday a different family feeds us and they never mention that is is hard for them to pay for the food and sometimes we think that they are better off then they are because they give us feasts.  But last night we were talking with a less active members family that feeds us a feast everytime we go and they told us that the start collecting money and food little by little so by the end of the month they can feed us.  I know that they don't eat as good so we can eat amazing...I feel bad but their testimonies grow because they say the the Lord always makes it possible for them to feed the missionaries.

Hey there is good news!  I'm famous... One day my companion and I were walking in our area with sun beating down on us and the google car passed us.  We are on google maps!  Look it up you will see my companion and I working hard.   ( it is in the street N-31 in the middle of the field.  You have to zoom in and then put the little yellow man on the street and then it will show you the street view.  See if you can find me!)

I am learning so much!  I heard a quote from Elder Holland that I loved. " God´s opportunity is man´s extremity." That is why success takes so much effort!  

My companion and I were walking in the street this week and we saw a fire fly.  I have never seen one in my life.  I didn´t know this but they only light up ever 5 seconds or so.  So we decided that we wanted to catch it and bring it to our lessons for some sort of object lesson but we didn't have a jar.  It was really dark so we could only see it when it lite up. We probably looked crazy but we started  following it as it few away.  I related it to revelation.  As we followed the fire fly it kept lighting up and as we followed the light we got closer and closer to our goal until I finaly caught it in my empty chap stick container.  I accidently  squished it and it died.  So we didn't  really reach our goal but that's not the point.  The point is we tried our best! hahah.  That's my inspirational story for the week!

Love you all.  Tell shelby that I want her to buy me some sweet scripture cases because I heard they make them in Peru from leather and they dont make them here.  

Elder Quist

Week 35

Hahah Alex!  That sounds like a great story about Alex's reaction to his surprise party and a perfect relflection of how a Quist would react. That makes me remember something that all my basketball friends would joke about.  One time freshmen year we were playing a pre season game and I was playing pointgaurd, Travis passed the ball into me and I wasn't aware of how much time was on the clock and then the bench started yelling at me to look up and there was 3 seconds left and I pulled up from half court and it went in.  I acted like nothing happened I guess!  and my team went crazy..hah

You all sound great! Alex!  You have guts.  I could never play goalie.  You're awesome.  Keep up the practice.  You never answered me.. are you going to play basketball.  Who are you friends now?  Besides Cam and Michael? hah.

This week has been a like bit harder but it was still really great!  We had a few days that we only taught one lesson and didn't find new investigators.  But at the end of the week we found an amazing part member  family.  Alejandro the dad is so cool.  He is less active but wants his two kids and his wife to get baptized.  They couldn't go to church yesterday because they went to visit grandma but I hope that they will progress.  I'll keep you updated on them!  Maybe I can ask president for another transfer here to be able to stay for the baptism;)  That will be right after the next transfer. hahah.  

Yesterday Manuel had his baptismal interview with the zone leader.  He is so ready for his baptism.  I don't think that I have seen someone change their life so drastically  ever!  He is so humble, it is amazing.  He fasted 3 times last week and is seeing miracles.  He paid his tithing to the bishop this Sunday and is just so ready to do whatever the Lord wants him to.  He is so good to us!  He buys us a peach soda everytime that we come over.  On Wednesday it was his birthday so my companion and I went looking for a cake.  We found it in the market and went to his house to celebrate.  He seemed a little sad when we got there because his kids forgot his birthday!  And he lives alone with his mom but he knows that these are just trials.  We had a good short visit and I think it helped him alot.  During his interview he had to leave crying again because the spirit was so strong.  I wouldn't trade these experiences for anything, not even lemon yogurt pancakes! but maybe Greg's home made cookies;) hahh

Oh there is this street N-13.. it is haunted!  It is scary.  We try to stay away but sometimes we have to go.  First there is a member were we went to eat and after eating we were going to share a message and then the sister started telling us that she is scared at nights in her house.  She said that there is a 5 year old kid that sits on her couch at night and then goes running around and disappears.  Then sometimes she is sleeping and the kids comes to the door and says mama.  Yeah... it is scary but we asked her if she had dedicated her house and she said no so we dedicated the house.  I hope that it helps.  The other thing is that there is a devil dog in that street.  I sent a picture... but yeah I don't like that street.

I feel like I know everyone in the area. We contacted a guy and he told us that he lived in N-17 402 and then I asked him if he was family with Carlos and Brenda and he said no. why?  I said - because Carlos and Brenda live in that house.  He got mad that I caught him in his lie and stromed off...I guess it saved us time. 

Well that's all.  I love the mission.  It is hard.. and I am learing paciencia and charity.  

Love Elder Quist

Week 34

Family and friends,  Elder Quist reporting from Mission Mexico Metroplex.  I AM STAYING IN MY FIRST AREA FOR AT LEAST ONE MORE TRANSFER.  I am so excited.. although last night I was kind of hoping that the zone leaders would tell me that I had transfers just to go to another zone and meet more people and have a fresh start..but I am happy that I am staying one more transfer because I feel like I need to finish one more transfer here and finish strong in Mission Mexico Metroplex. hahah.  I love this ward. and I love the members.  I am starting to get to know that members better and better now because I can now have a normal conversation without using memorized phrases.  There are so many sweet youth in this ward.  And the young men are awesome because the always help us.  We are good friends with all of them.  Yesterday I was sitting in priesthood opening exercises and all the young men started waving at me to come over.  They said that they were planning their activities for the trimester and wanted to plan a sleep over at our house..hahha.  and they were serious.  I sadly told them that it would not be possible.  They said " come on elder Quist, have a little fun.  We promise that the next day we will go to all of your appointments with you."  it was tempting...

We are teaching some awesome families.  Yesterday was so awesome at chruch.  One of the members that always helps us bring people to chruch brought one of our investagtors to chruch and then bore her testimony so strong and I know it helped the investigators so much.  

Alex HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!  I love you so much man!  You are so awesome.  Keep up the good work in sports.  I hope you had a great day yesterday!  

Love you so much mom and dad.

Tell Gracie that I love her.  Send me a picture of her arm. 

Elder Quist

Week 33

Family!  How is it going?  I will try to write more this time...

So conference was pretty great.  Elder Shakespeare who has chickenpox was with me watching the conference in English (except the talks that were in Spanish).  I loved hearing those talks in Spanish! It was so awesome because I could imagine that before my mission I would have not understood anything!  But as I listened to the talks I understood everything.  I have a love and a passion for learning new languages now!  I want to serve like 7 different missions so I can learn 7different  languages.  The truth is that it is the best way to learn a language because you rarely have to sit down and study for hours and never have to go to classes and you learn it so well.  I just need to expand my vocab and some principles that I don't understand.  Elder Shakespeare was asking me the other day "have you dominated the subjuntive tense yet"  and I said " I don't even know what the subjunctive tense is,  I just talk how it feels right and hope that it works out,  and it seems to work!"  haha.  I think that I should sit down and study a book of the Spanish principles some times but I like just practicing and reading the Book of Mormon out loud to practice my accent!  

This week has been really amazing!  Noe the convert that got baptized like 2 months ago came to my companion and I last Sunday and told us that he had a dream that he was serving  a mission and he says that when he woke up he had the strongest desire to serve a mission.  There is nothing better.  Melisa went to all 4 sessions of conference and loved it.  Gerardo is getting ordained to the Melchizedek priesthood this week!  So many miracles. 

 I am loving life (although I have soo many bug bites all over my ankles!  I don't know why but they just love my ankles.  

Some of the little kids in the streets love to yell bad words at me in English because that is the only thing that they know.  And some other kids just want to learn English so I teach them gospel words.  

I have 7 months in this area.  I want to stay because Manuel is going to be baptized the next transfer!  

Well that is all the time I have... Sorry! I never take picture!  I will take more!

Alex keep being awesome.  Practice hard in soccer.  You are going to try out for the basketball time right?

Elder Quist