June 29, 2015

Hey all! Yet another week FLOWN by! So crazy! This week was definitely one for the books. A week I will never forget! I have to explain it super fast though! Not a whole lot of time! So let`s get rolling...

 

Monday was cool! One of our converts ended up coming all the way down from Ventanas to hook me up with a birthday cake! It was so nice of them! Love that family to death! The only problem was that the cake traveled from Ventanas...about 3 hours away...then we didn`t meet up until about 2 hours after they made it to Duran...so it didn`t end up getting in the fridge until about 5 hours of being out in the hot and humid Ecuador sun. We ended up having a family night that night so I decided to take the cake there so we could all enjoy in together...I would suggest not to eat cake that has been left out for 5 hours in the Ecuador sun. We were all stoked to eat it and as soon as everyone had taken a bite of the cake, we were more than finished and Hermana P was serving us ice cream and bananas. Haha! But it is the thought that counts! :)

Wednesday! We had a multi-zone conference and every time we have a conference we start the day off bright and early with a temple session. 

 

So there I was...getting dressed in the temple...and some goofy and familiar looking dude pops up in the mirror...ELDER JOHNSON! We didn`t even know that we were in the same multi-zone! So we got to kick it together through the entire temple session! We had a solid and very much needed homie-heart-to-heart in the Celestial Room too. So that was awesome. Then we ended up kicking it with each other through the conference and for the majority of that day! We made some plans to meet up this next week to celebrate our birthdays on PDAY. So more info on that next week!

 

Hmmm...

To sum things up because I have to get to the spiritual message...

 

The pope is coming to Guayaquil next week. Haha. The pope in spanish is ``El Papa`` and potato in spanish is ``La Papa`` so we are having fun with that! The potato is coming to town! Are you going to visit the potato? etc. His coming is definitly making things a bit harder...but it would not be worth it if it were easy, right??

 

How are all of you!? Any plans for the 4th? 

Set off a firework for me! ;)

 

Oh...almost forgot! 

Every night I fill up a big pitcher of water to drink before I go to bed. I was drinking it as usual but I saw a little skinny glisten of light. I had almost finished the pitcher which is about 2 liters but I pulled away to see if there was something in there. When I looked closer there was a nasty worm looking thing swimming around in the almost completely gone water than I drank! We think it was a parasite. GROSS! But I have been good until now...so I think we are safe! No worries! I will probably check anything and everything for worms before consuming it for the rest of my life though!

 

Well...here we go...

Eternal families have been a principle, fundamental, and everlasting ordinance since the beginning of time.  After giving up his spirit, Abraham was ``reunited with his people`` (Genesis 25:8). After Isaac died, he too was ``reunited with his people`` (Genesis 35:29). The list could go on and on through ancient times, through Joseph Smith`s revelation in July of 1843, and up until this very day of those who have entered into this ``new and everlasting covenant`` and have been ``reunited with their people``. 

Salvation is between you, your Savior, and your father in Heaven. Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ we can be saved ``after all that we can do``. But God the Father has a more divine purpose for His children. He has given us instruction on how to become like Him; an EXALTED God. God`s intention is not to save us...it is to exalt us...and this type of exaltation comes through family. Eternal families. The temple.

I was forever changed on Tuesday night when we had the chance to see a beautiful couple look into the eyes of one another and bind their love forever through God`s power. From the creation we learn that ``it is not good that man should be alone`` and that the Lord then ``made him an help meet for him`` (Genesis 2:18). We were made to marry. We were made to be WITH someone. For ETERNITY. Your spouse is there as a help to you...a help to get you to the highest kingdom of God. But what if we marry ourselves to another in the world? To what end does it last? All things effected by man remain in a temporal state and cannot endure past the chains of death. However, when we are in the house of the Lord God, with ordained power from on high, there is nowhere to go but forever. Through the sealing power of God we come to be one with someone. We come to NEVER be alone again...therefore fulfilling God`s purpose. To take hands with a child of God and to eternally bind ``a help...meet for him or her`` to inherit the Kingdom of God. There is NO other way. 

What changed me even more was when the three sons came, all dressed in white, to be sealed to their parents. I was taken back to 3rd Nephi chapter 17. Christ is in the Americas ``and it came to pass that He commanded that their little children should be brought``. It seemed as if the Lord blessed us with His spirit more and more second by second. 

And then they knelt together as a family.

``And it came to pass that when they had all been brought, and Jesus stood in the midst, He commanded the multitude that they should kneel down upon the ground.``

Finally, with the divine authority of God we saw and heard as this family became one. ``And no tongue can speak, neither can there be written by any man, neither can the hearts of man conceive so great and marvelous things as we both saw and heard Jesus speak; and no one can conceive of the joy which filled our souls at the time we heard Him pray for us unto the Father``. Like the joy that filled the souls of those in the Americas as they were sealed as families, our souls were filled with immense joy to see this beautiful family become one...forever. There was not a dry eye within that room. I know my eyes were a bit sweaty too.

 

THIS is our purpose, brothers and sisters. Christ finally says, ``Behold, now my joy is full``. Christ`s joy is full when ours is...and the only was to obtain this fullness of joy is in and through the temples and eternal families.The only way to obtain this fullness of joy is through a man and a woman, brother and sister, parent and child, being bound together by the everlasting, loving, and eternal sealing power of God.

I testify in the name of Jesus Christ that families can be eternal. This probationary speck on God`s timeline that we call life is not the end...it is the very beginning of forever.

Get to that sealing room! No matter how distant you feel or forgotten you think you are...through the Atonement of Jesus Christ you too can become one with your God given family. 

Get to that sealing room! Help other children of God, who are waiting anxiously to receive these ordinances, to obtain the joy that you have.

To finish, I would like to quote the words of the father was sealed to his wife and kids who bore his testimony yesterday...

``I believe in Christ. I believe in His gospel. I believe in the temple. I believe in the sealing powers within. I believe in the family.``

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Elder Noll

 

June 22, 2015

Hey All! What's good? Anything new? How was the Day of Fathers for all of you studs out there? Hopefully SO SO good!

 

Elder S and I have had a great fantastic amazing awesome super buenisímo week! 

 

Monday night started out so great! We had a family night planned with a recent convert but she told us that we couldn't visit her anymore. I was heartbroken. She then followed up by saying..."My husband and I changed our job schedule so that we could go to church every Sunday now." I was so humbled by their willingness to follow our Savior and sacrifice to fulfill their covenants and promises to the Savior. Such humble and diligent followers and examples of Jesus Christ. 

 

On Tuesday night we got to go to the temple and help with the confirmations for Baptisms for the Dead. What an incredible experience. I love the peacefulness and stillness within the temple walls. There is nowhere on this planet closer to the gates of Heaven than a dedicated house of the Lord, Jesus Christ. GO!

 

We had an investigator who would not accept us, the Book of Mormon, or even the fact that God exists. So we simply invited her to pray and to ask. We figured we would give her a little while before passing for her again but we felt obliged to visit her. Upon doing so, she told us that she had the opportunity to kneel...to pray...and to ask God, if there was one, if He existed and what it is that He wants for her. She then told us that she has never in her life felt more love fill her heart than the amount that filled hers at that exact moment. She explains that she was brought to tears as she gained this profound testimony that God does exist. I love this story because it applies to us all so well. Our Heavenly Father answers prayers. Maybe he does not talk to us, tell us He is there, or show evidence that He exists...but He WILL fill your heart with more love that you can possibly imagine. Prayer is the most divine blessing! Let us all lean to Him through kneeling and allowing him to succor us. 

 

Well...here in Ecuador it is apart of the culture to shake hands and then for the homies and the chicas to kiss on the cheek...but obviously as missionaries we have to refrain from it. The thing is...EVERYONE KNOWS...so it is not a big deal.

"DON´T KISS THE WHITE BOYS OR THE GUYS WITH BLACK NAMETAGS."

The other day we met a friend of a less active who had never met missionaries before. When I went to shake her hand...and only shake her hand...she started to lean in for the cheek smooch...

My life flashed before my eyes! I didn't know what to do. Good thing my reflexes came into play! I said, 'NO PUEDO! NO PUEDO! NO PUEDO!" (I CAN'T! I CAN'T! I CAN'T!) and curled up in a ball on the couch. Haha! She thought I was quite the goofball. We explained to her that we were missionaries and that we have specific rules and guidelines that we have to obey. So long story short...I escaped the kiss! VICTORY! Never thought that would be a win until I got here... ;)

 

¿Que mas?

 

We got to give a blessing of health to two little children, a brother and a sister. They were both super sick. We gave them the blessing and that night the parents called us and were so happy to tell us that the two little dudes where completely fine! We were so humbled by God's power and so grateful for the miracles that our Heavenly Father can work through the Priesthood!

 

So those were the major events this week!

I am super pumped for more adventures and stories this week!

 

My testimony has really been strengthened in the topic of the sacrament and the sabbath day as a whole. I love focusing on a few self-reflecting questions.

 

1) Who does this day belong to?

"Therefore the Son of man is the Lord also of the sabbath." This day is His...and all that belongs to the Lord is to be perfectly respected, cherished, and sanctified. 

 

2) How is it that we are able to sanctify this holy day?

Sanctifying the sabbath day DOES NOT START when the Priests kneel to bless the sacrament. It requires preparation, spiritual meditating, and much more. Keeping the sabbath day holy does not just mean to take the sacrament. This day is COMPLETELY dedicated to HIM and His name. We pray in His name. We read about His name. We learn from His name. We feel of the spirit that is sent in His name.

 

3) What is the importance of the sacrament?

The sacrament is the only ordinance that we are able to do over and over again for ourselves. The only ordinance that we can repeat. As soon as we realize that and comprehend that it should help us come to the realization of just how important this ordinance is and just how important your covenant with our Heavenly Father matters. 

"He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him."

As we partake of the sacrament, partake of our Savior, He becomes a part of us...and we become a part of Him through taking one step closer to inheriting His glory. What a blessing it is to be promised a part of our Savior. What a blessing it is to have a King...the only true King of all the universe want to dwell within you. A Redeemer who offers His Kingdom for you to inherit. And it all comes through the sacrament.

 

I know often times when we take the sacrament we fail to listen. But what about what your Heavenly Father is trying to tell you? I used to think of the sacrament as my ´´chastizement´´. Is that a word? Or as my time to reflect on what I have done wrong. The sacrament means much more than this. I promise that as we partake of this holy ordinance...as we become a part of Him and as He becomes a part of us...our Heavenly Fathers voice will be heard. Our Heavenly Father is so content with us as we partake of His son. He is so content and the sanctity and purity that we obtain through doing so. Every time we partake of the bread and water, your Father in Heaven is saying, "Well done my child. Look at you grow. Look at you become. Good job."

 

The name of Jesus Christ is also so much more than I thought...

Christ´s name is forgiveness. His name is the essence of the church. His name is eternal. His name is power. Love. Humility. His name is salvation. Every single time we take that little piece of bread and the tiny sip of water we promise to God to take upon ourselves that  name...those attributes...His traits. 

 

With 168 hours in a week we have ONE single hour...ONE moment...ONE chance to step into Gethsemane. As you are seated in a padded pew think of your Savior kneeling in a garden. As you reach for the bread think of God's beloved son reaching out to you. While the water goes down your throat keep in mind the blood that flowed from every single pore of our King for YOUR sins. Do this and listen closely,

"Well done my child. Look at you grow. Look at you become. Good job."

 

Love you guys so much!

Elder Noll

 

June 15, 2015

What's good, team?!  Hopefully you are all winning over there in the United States! How is the summer going so far? Hopefully SO good with SO MANY fun things planned! More than anything...hoping that each and every one of you is feeling of the divine love from our Heavenly Father that He wants all of us to feel. I hope that He is touching your heart and that you are truly and humbly seeking His miracles and mercies.

This week, of course, was a great one! I feel like the Lord blesses me with a better week every week! And every week seems to get faster and faster which is a scary thought! But I am loving it here in Ecuador, Duran, Panorama!

Elder S and I made Salsa! We started talking about all of the things that our Mom's made at home that we love...and we came to the conclusion that we can't make any of it. We don't even have a oven (even if we did I would not know where to begin) but we decided to try salsa! That didn't work out too well...it was super foamy...like some type of Bubble Bath Mexican dish...however, we learned from our mistakes and made some pretty good salsa! Still missing THEE Tracy Noll's though... ;)

The door to our apartment doesn't reach to the ground so there is about an inch gap for all of the furry woodland creatures to come accompany us :) We captured a lizard in a bottle this week and boiled a toad! So I guess they are not furry and woodland...but it is always fun to guess what is going to be crawling around on our walls at night when we come home!

Hmm...I cut my finger on a coconut...

An Hermano in the ward got us a FORTY pound box of bananas...we WILL turn into Gorillas by the time those are gone.

I talked to Johnson on Friday...I called him to sing happy birthday! He was doing a service project. Cutting grass with a Machete. 19 doesn't get much better than that, does it?? Always good to talk to the dude! I think we are going to meet up next week...so stay tune for "Jessi and Jake: The Legacy Continues" next week! ;)

On Saturday we had the chance as a zone to meet up with all of the ward missionaries and go on splits to give out magazines and different things from the church. Me and my companion ended up finding the most amazing family. We did our little whistle at the door and the guy who came to the door was so insistent that we come in. I was't going to at first because the goal was to just pass out the magazines and set up an appointment for the other missionaries for another week. But, I felt as if we should go in. They turned out to be a less active family...they had a plethora of doubts and challenges. "P" and I were blessed with the opportunity to help resolve some of them. I was blessed to leave them with a prayer and I asked if we would be able to do it on our knees. The spirit that I felt was something that can't be put into words. There was not a dry eye in the room. I love how the spirit testifies and comforts. In the middle of an abandoned dirt field...in a wooden house with a cement floor...the Gospel is still true, the spirit still exists just as strong, and God is still our forever loving Father in Heaven.

Father's Day is this week, right?? I sure hope so! Because that is what I would like to touch on today in this weeks message!

I love when the sons of Mosiah experience a change of heart and desire of their father to permit them to preach the gospel to the Lamanites. I would assume that their father had quite the wrestle on deciding to allow them to go or not considering they had to "plead with their father many days". Finally, King Mosiah sets a legendary example...

"And King Mosiah went and inquired of the Lord if he should let his sons go up among the Lamanites to preach the word."

Following King Mosiah's prayer to the Lord, he is promised that "many shall believe on their words and have eternal life", that they will be "delivered out of the hands of the Lamanites", and that he should "let them go up".

Throughout the missions of these sons they are delivered many times from the hands of the Lamanites and bring many unto the truth and into eternal life...and I have a testimony that it all stems from the prayers of a father.

When Ammon saved the King's flock and is preserved, I believe that Mosiah had just said, "Amen". I believe that the imprisoned sons of Mosiah were "delievered, clothed, and fed" after their father had begged to his Father in Heaven to keep his sons safe. As a missionary and a son myself, I have felt of the blessings of a father's prayer. Every time I feel alone, rejected, or let down, the feelings are almost instantly replaced with comfort, a feeling of acceptance, and a feeling of love...and there is no doubt in my mind that those feelings come from a cry to our Father in Heaven by my father in Utah. Every time that I receive a blessing I see my dad getting off of his very own knees. Every time I feel the love of God I feel as if my dad just expressed his love to his Eternal Father.

The power that fathers hold truly is divine.

The love that a father can hold is truly sacred.

How blessed you are as Fathers to hold such divine and sacred power and love. How humbling it should be to be called by your Heavenly Father to protect, love and be an earthly father.

I tend to struggle when it comes to expressing my love for my own father. My gratitude. However, I would like to thank my dad. I love you dad! You have taught me how to work, how to grow, and how to love. Your example has taught me how to live. I grow to be more and more grateful for you each and every second. Happy Fathers day, dad.

I would now like to finish with the calling of the Father of us all. His love. His divine power. And His sacred role. I testify that there is no greater love under the Heavens nor above the countless number of universes than the endless and eternal love that Heavenly Father has for you ... personally and individually. We know from John that God "loves us to the end". Brothers and Sisters...there is no end. His love springs forth forever. He loved you enough to create an earth for you to have joy. He gave you a family that you might feel a portion of what His love feels like. He loved you enough to give you a Savior and Redeemer. He loves you enough to give you a way back to Him. He loves you perfectly. He loves you enough to leave His Celstial and Glorious Thrown to descend below all to be with you in your lowest moments so you can inherit His thrown as well. He is mindful of you. Mindful of your needs and desires...and will give you anything and everything that you need to obtain the highest degree of Celestial that you were foreordained to receive. His love defies all darkness. His compassion destroys all doubt. His mercy takes away all weakness. And His power takes away all despair.

Thank you so much for all that you Americans have done for me in my life. Especially you fathers! Especially my father!

God speed, Team!

Elder Noll

Jessi and his long hair obsession :)

Got the package full of goodies for him and Elder Johnson

You can only imagine what Jessi's caption was for this picture!

June 8, 2015

Hey Crew!

   How is everyone doing? How was the end of school? How are the first few days of summer going? Who is getting their mission calls? What are the plans for summer? Are there people alive in the United States? Haha! I hope all is well in all parts of the world! Because I sure know that things are good here!

 

   I guess I will start out with Monday night! We have such an amazing family who we were blessed with! One Sunday they just showed up to church. He is a less-active and his wife is a non-member. They just had a new born baby too! The cutest little dude! They honestly are a gift directly from Heaven. An answer to worn out knees. And a blessing to my heart and soul. We have been teaching them for about a month now and the wife is ready for Baptism this Saturday and the Husband is set to bless his baby in sacrament meeting this upcoming week! Such a tender mercy. We had a great lesson with the family and the mother of the husband as well. She is a returned missionary. I am not exactly sure how old she is...and I don't want to put my guess out in public because it might not be safe...but I am guessing she served a while ago. She is the sweetest lady though! I loved listening to her talk about her mission and how much she loved it! I AM SO EXCITED FOR THIS FAMILY BECAUSE THEY WERE HAPPY BEFORE THE GOSPEL AND NOW THE GOSPEL IS IN THERE LIFE AND THEY ARE EVEN HAPPIER AND I CAN NOT WAIT TO SEE THEM AFTER SHE IS BAPTIZED BECAUSE THEY WILL BE HAPPIER AND THEN WHEN THEY GET SEALED THEY WILL BE HAPPIER AND I LOVE HAPPINESS AND MISSIONARY WORK IS AWESOME AND I LOVE IT AND HAVE I MENTIONED THAT I AM HAPPY YET?!?!?!

 

Anyways...

   Later on in the week I had another interchange with the assistants of the mission which went really well! We have some really helpful lists of unknown houses. So the assistant and I went around to all of the members and asked them if they could help us out with where some of these people lived. At the end of the day...after contacting...calling...walking...and sweating...we found a whopping TWO families. I felt as if I had lost the entire day. We went and visited the two families the following day though. And I was too quick to judge. The both of them are less-active families and they are both sealed! They told us that all they wanted was to feel wanted by the ward and feel accepted. It was all that was holding them back from coming back to church. The two families both came to church yesterday. Sometimes all it takes is a quick visit. All it takes is to show someone you care. It could change lives. Be sure to reach out to EVERYONE. You never know when your contacting...calling...walking...and sweating efforts are going to change a life.

 

   We have something called Fellowship Night which is really cool! This past week we played Basketball! And all the members had to bring an investigator or a less-active! So it was a great chance to find some of God's prepared children and gain the confidence of the members in the ward! I even got to ball it up...it took me back to the KOSS Krew days! But I didn't foul anyone...I played really nice :)

 

   They have a small restaurant in Panorama called "Shawarma". We had heard that it was really good. So we decided to hit it up one night before we headed in for the night. I decided I would play it safe and just go with a sandwich of meat. When they served me the plate I think they must not have seen the beetles crawling all over the bread and into the meat. But I felt so bad to not eat it! We had contacted the owner and set up a time to go back and visit their family...so I had to bare down. I got about half way done and then just told them that the sandwich was "too good that I have to take it home and finish it later". Haha! I threw that sucker away as soon as we got out of sight! So that was a bummer!

 

   Yesterday a family got locked out of their house and they called us to help them out. Long story short...I ended up having to climb a huge chain fence...hop over it...drop from pretty high up...fight off an over-loving and massive dog...then jump through the window...and open the door from the other side. Quite the adventure, right?!  

 

   So I guess those are the bigger events that went down this past week.

 

What else...???

   Not anything huge or crazy...I am just loving it out here. I am loving life! I have never been happier. Nothing in my life has ever compared to what my life is now. I am happy. SO happy.

 

   So I guess I will get on with the most important part of the week!!

 

   I know often times we feel distant from our Heavenly Father. Often times we feel as if He is not even there. I know in times of struggle it is hard to keep faith...it is hard to press on when you can't feel the presence of your God...or the presence of anyone for that matter.

   When the Savior was on the cross there were those who reviled Him and mocked Him, saying; "...save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross. Let Him now come down fromt the cross, and we will believe Him. Let God deliver Him now."

   I believe there were two reasons why the all-powerful and everlasting Savior of the world did not come down and deliver Himself, because He DID have the power to do so. Firstly, He wanted nothing more than to show His divine love for the children of men. His endless love for you. He wanted nothing more than to fulfill the Atonement to give you and I a way back home to our Heavenly Father. Secondly, our Savior had to exercise His faith. The people and temptations of the world told Him to come down...to fall...to doubt...but He had faith enough that He would be delivered and that His Father in Heaven would receive Him in His Kingdom.

 

   Are you listening to men...to Satan...and trying to deliver yourself from your cross? Are you giving into those who want you to fall? Are you listening to the doubts that won't deliver you?

 

 OR

 

   Are you exercising faith in Christ through enduring your cross while clenching to the faith you have as you wait patiently for God to deliver you as Christ did? Having faith in Christ means to endure...even when you feel as if your faith is "struggling". There is no such thing as weak faith or a small testimony. There is only such thing as a father of all lies who tells you that your faith is invalid and your testimony needs strengthening. Keep the faith!

 

   I love the question the Savior asks in the ninth chapter of Matthew."Believe ye that I am able to do this?"

 

   Do you believe in Jesus Christ? Do you believe He lives? Do you believe in His power? Do you believe that He can do this...deliver you?

 

   I KNOW He can, Brothers and Sisters. I KNOW He will. But He will do it in HIS time and according to HIS will and YOUR faith.

Christ's disciples are so astonished as to why Christ would go into Judea again when there were Jews who sought to stone Him. Jesus replies, "If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world. But if a man walketh in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in Him."

 

   Where are you walking? Are you doing everything you can to walk in the light? Do you fear the good because of the stones that will come your way?

 

   If you feel distant from your Father in Heaven you MUST walk in the day. In the light. In POSITIVITY. Focus on the light of this world and not on the darkness that comes of the world. Don't fear the stones of Satan. Satan's stones were targeted towards Jesus Christ...the PERFECT Son of God. Satan only throws stones at the strong...so keep being strong. Keep fighting off stones. In fact...catch the stones...and throw it at Satan's face. Right in between his eyes. 

 

   Keep walking in the light. Not only walk in the light...but BE the light. The light of Jesus Christ is immense. Brighter than we can possibly imagine or comprehend. His light defies ALL description even after giving every single one of God's children a portion of it. USE THE PORTION YOU HAVE.

You were blessed with the light of our Savior. The testimony and faith that you have is more than you think. You are more that you know.

 

"But behold, the Lord hath redeemed my soul from hell; I have beheld His glory, and I am encircled about eternally in the arms of His love."

 

   You have the same promise. The same capacity. To be redeemed from this hell that you think you are in. To be saved from all doubt and trial. To behold the glory of God. To be received in His Kingdom. To be loved more than you have ever thought possible...by the living God wrapping His arms around you as His child. His life. His only. 

Keep the faith!

Elder Noll

Hey Hey All!

   I have to be really super duper quick this week! So let´s hurry and get to it!

 

   This week was so great! So filled with miracles, laughs, and the spirit! What is better??

 

   Something kinda funny I guess...we are teaching a family in a gated community. We always enter through the gates with no problems but they recently started being a little more strict. They were requiring visa, passport, and license...and we had left all of the above in the house! We talked to them for a bit and they were going to make us make the hour walk back to the house to get our identification...but finally I said, "Look...I am white...and all I have is scriptures. May we please pass in?"

THAT DID IT! Haha!

 

   Then a similar experience happened the following day! We did a mini mtc as a stake. It was really cool! We had all of the youth come to the stake center and President Riggins was there - he talked a little bit about the mission and then the missionaries gave lessons and we did practices on how to contact. After all of the practicing was finished we headed out with our assigned youth companions and got to work! It was so cool to see the flock of Mormons on the roll! But we did find a guy seated on a park bench alone and we felt like we should talk to him. I guess you have to know the bad to know the good...because he wasn't feeling up to talking that day. He wouldn't even shake my hand! He said that nobody could help him...that he is lost without a cause...and that he doesn't like talking to people. I was heartbroken :/ He did not want to accept our message but he did accept to take a Liahona Magazine...we bore testimony of our Savior and of His Atonement...and who knows...sometimes in life the smallest words and actions make the biggest impact. I hope that this son of God can find that he has a loving Savior who CAN help...that he is FOUND and that ALL have a CAUSE...a PURPOSE...and that God wants nothing more than to talk to him. It is people like that him who we were sent here to save. To love. To succor. 

Reach out to all, Brothers and Sisters!

 

   The other day was really awesome! I ended up having an interchange with the Assistants! So Elder S went to another sector for a couple hours while I worked with those guys. They are two awesome dudes! Super powerful! It was really neat to work with them!

 

Sunday morning...haha.

We visited all of our investiagtors and less actives and ended up getting to the chapel around 8:50. We said hi and shook everyone's hands until about 8:59...and when I shook the Bishop's hand lastly...he informed me that I would be the first speaker because the assigned speaker didn't show up. So I had to hurry and throw something together! It turned out okay though! 

 

   I am honestly loving every second! 

 

   We wake up every morning to freshly cooked chocolate! There is a Chocolate Factory right behind our house...it smells super good and everything...but I won't tell you the details in how they make it or what they do with it...

All of you girls who just broke up with your boyfriend's wouldn't have anything to eat and all of you guys wouldn't have anything to win over the girl who just broke up with her boyfriend! So we will save the chocolate details for another time! haha!

   Hmmm...I helped carry jello for the Catholics. There was a HUGE Catholic party this past weekend. We went to visit one of our investigators and she was getting ready to leave and asked if we could help her carry some things. So we gladly said yes and we ended up carrying everything she had to the Catholic church so she could get her party on...

I am glad that we were able to help her out a bit...but more glad that because of it she has been a little more receptive to us and our message! 

 

   Those are kind of the details from this past week! 

 

   I was hit really hard with a very valuable lesson and experience this past week that I would love to share! We have been working with a certain family who got baptized in April of 2014. The required year mark of preparation for their temple sealing is up and now they just have to do it...

but something has been holding them back.

   I have had quite a few sleepless nights thinking about them, worrying about them, and wanting nothing more than for this beautiful family to make it to the temple. I was in a state of pain, affliction, and conflict for this family. And I had no idea how we could help them.

   Then a story came to mind. The story of Zeniff and a group of people who are traveling in the wilderness when they are hit pretty hard with affliction, fatigue, and hunger. As they are in this state of weakness "they were slow to remember the Lord their God." Then, I realized that I had been slow myself to remember my Lord and my God.

   In Jeremiah 29 the Lord says, "Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me..."

So I decided to remember my Lord my God and get on my knees. I prayed to the Lord that He might take away my feelings of conflict and grief. More than anything I prayed that this family could make it to the divinely, eternal, and endless powered  sealing rooms of the temple in this life.

   The Lord promises us in the same chapter that "I will hearken unto you...and ye shall find me...and I will be found in you...and I will turn away your captivity."

 

   Brothers and Sisters, my "captivity was turned away". Though I could not see Him...I found Him...and I felt Him.

All there was left was for the Lord to fulfill His promise and "Hearken unto me."

 

   The following day we went to the house of this family and they were happier than I have ever seen them. They were so excited to tell us that they had talked and prayed...and had planned everything for their sealing. The exact date and time.

   The Lord had head my prayer and hearkened unto me. He answered my prayer and more.

 

   I testify that when we hearken to the Lord with all of our heart, The Lord will hearken unto us with all of his power. Sometimes all it takes is to ask.

   Often times God has his angels, blessings, and answers aimed directly towards us from the Heavens above but we never call upon Him to say, "fire" or to simply...ASK.

   Let us all take in how incredible it is to have the King of this world and countless others who is MORE than willing to hearken unto us. To listen to us. To love and to give to us.

I testify that the living Son of the living God is among you...waiting for you to find Him and waiting to bring you out of captivity.

Of this I testify of in the sacred name of the Beloved Son of the Living God, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Elder Noll