Week 58

Hello ,

Well today was a great day!  We were able to go to the temple bright and early this morning!  What a blessing!  My companion and I have been able to have some amazing experiences together and we are keeping busy with all of the intercambios that we are doing!  

We have been focusing a lot on the personal conversion of the missionaries and of our own lives.  I really think that there are 2 keys to success in the missionary work- Unity with the members and personal conversion.  We are trying to apply these in our lives and it is really helping!  The Lord is blessing us.  

Last night was a little frustrating because we were waiting for a member for 1 hour and a half!  It tested my patience, but I am so grateful for the Lord.  I know that sometimes life does not go how I want to too.  But how sad would our life be if it always went how we wanted it to go.  There would be no infulence of the holy spirit.  and we saw that last night!  We found a choosen family as we were waiting for the member!  What if he came on time?  The Lord always has a plan...trust Him!

Family Sanchez are still progressing.

Alex,  I just want to let you know that you are the best!  I want you to study Moses chapter 1 and meditate about your relationship with Heavenly Father and what satan wants you to think ... remember whose son you are!  Tell me what you learned

Mom I will send picture on Monday!  

Dad I love you!  you are the best and thanks for always worrying about others and having the charactor of Christ

Elder Quist

Week 57

Well this week has been so amazing!  I will tell you a story!

This week I have been able to see a strengthening in my testimony of the power of prayer and how the Lord always has His hand in the work.  Truthfully this time that I have had here in Andalucia 1.2 has been great because I have been able to give it my all and strive to do the Lord's will always, but I have not seen one person progress and be able to be baptized in my 4 months here.  On Tuesday I was in exchanges with Elder Jimenez.  He is a great missionary, by the way.  He sacrificed so much before his mission to get ready and become a missionary according to Preach My Gospel.  One of our awesome investigators, Benito Cortez, called us at 4:00 and told us that he was not going to be able to go to Church any more and get baptized because his hours changed at work.  In that moment I felt very sad for him and discouraged.  Elder Jimenez patted me on the back and said "Don't you worry  Elder Quist,  things will get better right now".  I am sure he was praying for me at that moment and oh how the Lord answered his prayer and the prayer that I had in my heart.  Less then 30 seconds after hanging up the call we knocked on the door of the next appointment of a some people that we had talked to 2 days before.  We entered their house and everyone in the family stopped everything they where doing to sit down and talk with us.  As we started talking the Brother told us how long he had been waiting to talk to us.  He told us that he knew a member named Pablo, that had invited him to listen to us but they had never gotten around to send there direction to us.  He told us that the member that they knew worked with his son in San Nicolas.  When he told me that, there sparked a hope in my heart that it was the Pablo that I knew from my first area Metroplex.  I asked the new investigator what he did for work and he said that the Pablo he knew had a shop selling speakers.  At that moment I knew that it was the same Pablo that I know.  Pablo was the a new member from a different ward that gave me a reference of his then ex-girlfriend Melisa in Metroplex (we ended up baptizing her last September).  I couldn't believe that it could be true. And then to top it off the new investigator told me that Pablo had just got married to Melisa and they are planning on getting married in the temple.  I had not had contact with Melisa so I can not explain the joy I felt to find that out.  The Lord answers prayers.  This new family that we found came to church on Sunday and have a baptismal date for the 7 of April.  We are very excited for them. Nombreeee!   I can't even believe it!  It was just such an amzing feeling to know that the Lord wants me here!    I can't even express to you how happy I am to know that Pablo and Melisa are married!  You know that family that a missionary hopes to find on their mission!  Well this family is them!

Other quick story!  It was night on Tuesday  and we were walking the in the street and the Garcia family were passing in their car.  They stopped and told us that they needed us to come to their house because they were just coming from the hospital because their son Robby was sick!  They said that it was a miracle that they found us in the street because their phones did not have battery!  They were headed home to charge their phone and were praying that they would somehow find us on their way home,so we could get there faster to give a blessing!  We gave him a preisthood blesing and the next day Robby was 100% better!  The power of the priesthood and prayer are real!  

Love you family!   Good luck Alex!  Hope it went great!  

Love you mom and dad!

Elder Quist 

Week 56

Wow!  Well I can't tell you how happy I am right now!  Finally I have a family member (my blood brother cameron;))   in Mexico with me!  I am not all alone!   Cameron is right!  The driving in Mexico is crazy, but don't worry they are better drivers -just more crazy!  How can I explain it... it is like Alex!  He is a little crazy on the basketball court but that is what makes him good! 

This Sunday was great!  We were expecting 12 investigators at church but only 3 came!  but they were the most important. Well everyone is important to the Lord, but some just have a special place in my heart!  (oh how cute)  hahah.  They're an amazing family.  Israel and Minerva Vega Gerrero!  We passed by their house before church to make sure that they were going and they said that they were!  We got to chruch and we waited and waited and at the last moment just when we would going to go sit down because they weren't going to come, they came around the corner and ya!  Just epic!  

So there is not much that is new because we are in such a same area!  It is pretty normal,  just the occasional crazy dog and drunk man, but it's all good!  

I am learing how to be a better leader and help the elders reach there potential! but at the same time I am learning even more from them then anything!  It is sweet!  I feel great and the Lord is guiding me!  

One day last week we were thinking about how we could find new investigators!  So we decided to do something out of the normal!  At 7.30 we went to a sector in our colonia and knocked doors!  We usaully don't knock doors so late because that is the best time to find all of the progressing investigators in their houses. But the Lord inspired us to forget about our plans and start following what He had planned for us!  It is a great feeling!  He guided us to find a new investigator named Alexis!  He has been taught by the missionaries before and has even seen general conference but lost contact with the church when he changed houses!  The Lord loves his children!

Thanks for everything family!  Tell Cam I say hi.

Alex Thanks for writing me!  Love you man!  You are the best!  Keep being a great big brother for Abby

Mom and dad!  Thanks for being the best and inspiring me in you letters every week!  You don't know how much they mean to me!

I am so grateful!  

Con Amor,

Elder Quist

Week 55

Good Afternoon Family,

Well this week has been pretty great! I have a new companion!  Elder Morris from Centerville Utah!  He is a great guy,  he is my first white companion so that is really different!  We have a lot in common but most of all that we love to work hard!  We watched Meet the Mormons in spanish today!  Pretty sweet!  Everything is going great and I am learning so much every week!  I don't have much time to write this week, but I am so grateful for all of you and I will talk to you next week!  

Love ELder Quist

Week 54

Transfers!!!! My companion is leaving, so I am pretty sad because we were just killing it here in our colonie!  Well not really- it was killing us, but that doesn´t matter because we are just working so hard!  On Saturday we went to a training conference to help president with the new missionaries and their trainers and after president told my companion that he was going to be the new assistant!  It wasn´t too shocking. I thought that he would be,  but yeah it was pretty nice to know the transfers 3 days before!  I think that he is a little nervous, but his companion is going to be Elder Fry.  Elder Aguila trained Elder Fry as a zone leader, so they are going to be back together again!  It is going to be nice to know the assistants so well!  They can hook me up with sweet companions now! hahah just kidding.  

These last couple of transfers have been some of my favorites, just because we get along so well and we worked so hard. But man we are not seeing to much success right now!  All of our "golden" investigators are struggling to go to church even though they are just amazing!  It is a little bit discouraging, but I have decided that I need to look for what the Lord wants me to learn and do to start having sucess!  I need to trust in Him more and I know that everything will get better!  We have had 30 investigators go to the church for the first time in the last 4 week and only a few have wanted to return!  It is hard,  but we are just going to keep working hard and doing everything we can to help them have a spiritual experience at chruch.  Sometimes it just simple and not their time and they are not willing to use their agency right!  I am going to strive to be more creative this next transfer with the zone and think outside the box!  

Of the last week I have come to understand how perfect the plan of salvation is, but just because the plan is perfect, doesnt mean that all of the circumstances are going to be perfect!  The Plan of our loving Heavenly Father is that His imperfect children can pass through an imperfect world to become prefect children!  It is hard to see at moments but it is crucial to have a celestial vision of the grand scheme of things!  

Well I am off to go participate in the one perfect thing there is in the world,  tacos de carne asada BABY!!!! yeahhhhh

Have a great day, because I am going to!  Life is just so worth living!  I love it!

Love you family! You inspire me to be better every week,  especially you Abby!  with your evil stare!  hahah

ELder Quist

Week 53

Well my companion and I were talking yesterday and we decided that this week was the fastest week of our missions!  We worked really hard and are seeing progress in 7 investigators!  They are awesome!  Oh by the way, we found out this week that Hermano Cortez doesn't drink!  He stopped drinking 6 months ago!  and he is a bar tender!!!!!  Well not really,  he is just the boss of the bar!  So he basiclly just manages all of the workers!  He is an awesome man!  The Lord has been preparing him for such a long time!  It is a testimony of the power of God to know that 6 months ago the lord started preparing him with out him knowing.  He had no idea why he stopped drinking,  He just decide to do so and did!  CHRIST LIVES!    He read Alma 34 and took notes about the Atonement of Jesus Christ!  He understood it and testify about the atonement so powerfully!  I felt the spirit so strong in that lesson!  I know that it is true!  I could hardly keep from tearing up!  After we taught about the atonement and the suffering in Gethsemane we asked him how he felt.  He told us that he felt a deep sadness in his heart but said that at the same time just felt full of love and peace!  He told us that he could not explain what he felt,  It was nothing that he had ever felt before!  He is a great man!    We are also teaching an awesome family right now!  The Prerez RdZ family!  All 4 of them went to church this week and had an awesome spiritual  experience!  They told us a few days ago!  that we were their hope and that they felt like we are guiding them spiritually!  It feels so good to have the confidence of the investigators, thanks to the Holy Spirit that touches their hearts!  

This transfer has been one of the best transfers of my mission! My companion and I have become great friends and every day we just have the best time!  I am just enjoying life!  !  3 days ago we were walking in the street and we contacted a young man!  After we left, from the house that was next to where we contacted, a lady whistled to call our attention!  She was feeling alone and in need of her Savior, and told us that she got a message from her friend (recent convert that lives far away!) the night before that told her to look for missionaries and talk to them!  The only thing is that she is in a wheel chair and can't leave the house!  Ask me if we were not guided to the street in that moment that she was looking out the window!  There is not a doubt!  We taught her later that night!  She told us that she always saw us passing by and told herself, "well aren't  those the two happiest young men in the world!  Walking back and forth in the rain and sun with a smile on their faces always!"  but she never knew that we were missionaries of the church of Jesus Christ!  

It's a good life!  Live it up and always remember thanks to WHO we have life!

He is everything!  He is my Savior!

Elder Quist

Hey dad how is Jabari Parker doing?  

Thanks for  the encouragement dad!  and yes we had an awesome celebration of the year mark!  We ordered pizza and rocked out to mormon tabernacle choir! hahah.  It was sweet!  

Elder Quist

Week 52-One year down

Someone forgot to proof read their letter-"She invited dad night and the Mckays to be there along with a tiny kitten school."  
What the heck is a tiny kitten school?  I was just busting up laughing here in the cyber because I do not know what that is!  

How is it going mom and dad!  Sound like you had a great week!  Is that a picture of Shannon and Eric in the tower of terror!  grooosssss!  haha  but that is somnething that they would do!  Just like I said before the mission " just stirring up the pot" .

The zone conference went so well this week!  My companion and I taught about listening to the investigators!  We did practice and the spirit was really strong! President seemed pleased!  He gave me the opportunity to direct the conference!  I was a little nervous at the beginning but then I got used to it!  The instruction that we gave consists usually of an activity, training with "preach my gospel" and then 30 minute to practice  what we train!  

After the zone conference I went on exchanges with the assistants!  We went to the offices with President and Sister Bird!  It was great to see the other side of President Bird!  He is always joking with the missionaries como quiere but it was cool to talk to him for an hour drive in english!  He told me stories about how he lived in Loomis California and dated a girl from Auburn!   He told me how when he was a recent returned missionary he and his buddies went and played basketball with the prisioners in the Folsom Prison!  It was a funny story!  The next day President drove us back to the stake center because they had another conference! 

I had a hard day this week!  It was 5:00 and we went to see our investigators Arturro and Veronica!  When we arrive they were just hammered!  Arturro was falling over and had 20 empty beer cans pilled up!  He just gave us a devils stare and grabbed his daughter by the arm and was treating her so bad!  Their 4 little kids ran around the street as cars passed by and they had no clue that was going  on!  I was so sad!  Alcohol has destroyed there lives!  How sad it was to see 4 innocent kids subjected to the abuse of uncareful parents!  I was thrown off the rest of the day and felt sick to my stomach!  We have a lot a work to do with that family but a I have faith that the gospel will change their lives!  

I love this work even though it is so hard sometimes. 

Dad-Super Bowl- wow that is cazy!  Sounds like a great game!  I am remembering now that a year ago I was sitting in the other room with mom as you watched the super bowl because I was already set apart as a missionary!  Wow time is flying! 

Thanks so much mom and dad!  love you all so much!

Elder Quist