October 26, 2015

Hello loved ones! :) What's going on? Everyone pumped for Halloween? I think I will go trick or treating... I will be searching for the best banana ;) That's about as sweet as it gets here! Any fun plans? What's new? I haven't heard from anyone about SHS ball... who are they playing in the first round? 

 

Not much newness going on around town... the rain should start falling pretty heavily here shortly. Every five years they have something called "the rains." It has something to do with the equator and I guess it rains like crazy... which means more humidity... which means more heat... which means more awesomeness, right?! This week was a great and adventurous experience! Leggo...

 

Early on in the week my companion got sick so we had to go to Guayaquil. He is still getting accustomed to everything so we had to go run some tests and what not. Man I feel bad... I remember when I got sick about a year ago... 40 pounds later I came out alive!!! But he is luckily doing a lot better and we got things under control. But we did spend the night in the mission home... man that place... besides the creaky bunk bed, rattling fan, mice scurrying through the walls, and my crusty blanket I slept pretty well! And we played basketball with the office elders in the morning for exercise... and I still cannot make a layup... I was trying ever so hard to represent the KOSS Krew but I couldn't come up clutch... next time for sure though ;)

 

I actually survived another earthquake a little while back! It occurred at like 2 or 3 in the morning... I nearly fell off of my bed!

 

We had an awesome experience! We were visiting a less active family and we finished the lesson and asked for a reference. As missionaries we ask references from EVERYONE. It is very rare that someone actually has one, but we have to do all we can to spread this gospel so we ask anyways. This particular time they told us that everyone they knew is Catholic or that they wouldn't accept us... after hearing that Catholic excuse for the 1,000,000,000,089,384 time I decided to put an end to that nonsense! "The thing is Hermana... we don't baptize Mormon's." She stopped..."You are so right! Let me present you to my neighbor." And it turns out that "the neighbor" is married (which hardly ever happens in Ecuador) and has a beautiful family. We set up a visit set for later in the week, and a baptismal date! Such a miracle from our Heavenly Father and such a testimony that all it takes is a presentation sometimes. There are so many people waiting to hear of this message but we refrain from sharing it out of fear or judgement... let's not :)

 

Oh yeah... ANOTHER miracle. We were with another less active family and when the visit came to an end, we finished with a prayer, and they offered us some food. As hungry as I was... I felt something deep in my heart that we needed to get on our horse and get on it fast! With as much love as we could express we explained that we had another visit and we headed out. My companion was a little confused why we were walking so fast and so was I... but we came to the end of the street and we caught a short glimpse of a woman carrying her baby over her shoulder... only for a moment though because she entered herself into a dirt road and the houses blocked her from our view. We headed off in that direction. When we made it to that same dirt road we started to follow her (a little creepy I know, but we are missionaries. No pasa nada) and her baby saw us and LIT UP. This little dude was adorable! We were close enough to the point where I started to make faces at my baby obsession and make him laugh.  His 1-tooth smile make my life 100 times better. He was giggling so hard to the point that the mother turned around to see what the cause was. She too was just happy. As soon as I saw her smile I knew... that is why the spirit told us to skip out on the food offer! How incredible it was to testify to this perfectly happy woman and her adorable family that there is even MORE happiness waiting for her, her baby, her other children, and her husband through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She is very interested and was so curious as to why we were so happy. So we found another amazing family through another miracle from the Lord and His leading and guiding spirit. I no longer hungered... I was instantly filled with so much appreciation and gratitude for the Lord and His method of work. Get on your horse!

 

Hmmm... our light burnt out so we bought another bulb and turned off the power in the house to put it in and be a little more safe... but my companion actually turned up the voltage... and we got confused with the light switch if it was clicked on "on" or "off" because it doesn't say. Long story short... that up-volted light socket and with the switch on "on" got me pretty good. Haha! That sucker fried me nearly to death... and I am sure I looked pretty funny with every hair on my head standing strait up due to the electric shock I took!

 

Another hmmm... we were with the Zone Leaders on Thursday and when the night rolled around it was too late to make it back to La Troncal so we just slept there in the Zone Leader's house. We slept on their wooden bed frames. Man... 15 months ago I could get away with sleeping on a cold tile floor... I think I am getting old... :/ My back still hurts from that night!!

 

And another hmmm... this past weekend we had a District Conference which was AWESOME! The District is super tiny... I am serving in a branch right now... and in the District there are 3 branches. But despite the number... the spirit testified of the same truth as it does in the largest of congregations! The speakers were incredible.

 

I guess I will share one more experience really quick... hopefully you are not bored half to death... or all the way to death!!

 

We went to the house of another less active (as you can see we work a lot with less actives) to share a quick message. He has not been to church for years... he is actually the Ex-Pres of the branch... but has fallen away for some reason or another. They usually don't accept the missionaries, but for some reason they did this time. We decided to touch on the Atonement. I do not remember a whole lot of what was said during the lesson but we finished with a prayer and before even standing up he bolted up and said, "WHEN WILL YOU RETURN?!" We were a bit taken back... "Can you come tomorrow?" he asked. "OF COURSE!" we replied. So we will have another visit with him later today. Amazing what the message of the Atonement does for the lives of others.

 

Now for the spiritual message...

Where are your accusers? What have you done in your life that would cause a condemning? What is keeping you from the Kindgom of God? Amulek teaches a vital concept to Zeezrom in Alma 11. "And I say unto you again that He can not save them in their sins;... no unclean thing can inherit the Kingdom of Heaven." Well that really sums things up doesn't it?

 

I guess we are all toast!

 

At least that is what Lucifer wants you to feel. The description of what Korihor taught in Alma 30 is such a great symbol for who Lucifer is and the thoughts he tries to put in your heads. As we analyze who he is and what he taught the people we can see the thoughts that Satan has put in our very own heads at times. "There is no Christ," Christ is a "foolish and vain hope," "how do you know?" "the remission of sins is the effect of a frenzied mind," "there is no atonement." DO NOT GIVE IN TO THE TEACHINGS OF LUCIFER.

 

Brothers and Sisters, there is a Christ. He is our only hope. I know because I feel Him... I know Him. The remission of sins is not the effect of a frenzied mind, rather, a loving, humble, submissive, and eternal mind of a God who gave it all in a garden, on a cross, and in a tomb.

 

For this very cause, Christ said 5 simple, yet "salvational," words to the adulterer and He is saying the same 5 words to you and to me every second of every day:

 

"Go, and sin no more." 

 

The first word really calls my attention. He did not just say, "sin no more." YOU HAVE GOT TO GO! There is something that you have to DO. There is something required of you. Before you "sin no more" you must GO. But where to? Your knees... your heart... your soul... the depths of humility and repentance. What is it we do by "going?" To go is to repent. "Repent, and sin no more."

 

In Romans 6 it gives us what the "going" does for us.

"Knowing this (knowing that we have gone and repented), that our "old" man is crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed..." As we go we are crucified alongside with our older brother. And what occurred after the crucifixion of our Savior? He arose. As we go... we ARISE. Our sins are literally destroyed. We are forgiven.

 

The miracle of forgiveness is filled with miracles in itself. "No unclean thing can inherit the Kingdom of God" yet through the miracle of "going" made possible through the Atonement, our sins are destroyed... making us clean and giving us permission to enter this degree of the most exalted glory. This miracle is an everlasting miracle... offered to each and every one of us each and every day. We can ALWAYS "go".

The Pharisees brought unto Christ a sinner... a sin that required stoning and to be put to death according to the law of Moses in the Old Testament... and all Christ told her to do was "go." Repent. 

 

No matter how filthy you may think you are. No matter what your Pharisees say. No matter where, when, or how you have sinned.... I INVITE YOU TO "GO!"

 

Be crucified with Christ and watch as your sins get destroyed. 

 

Arise. 

 

Where are your accusers? You have none. Go.

 

Who condemns you? Nobody. Go.

 

What is keeping you from becoming a God and inheriting eternal glory? GO and you will find that nothing is holding you back.

 

There is no sin in the past, present, or future that will not be resolved by simply "going."

 

Love you all! Your Savior loves you! Your Heavenly Father loves you!

 

Be extra safe this week. Eat tons of candy. Carve tons of pumpkins. Have fun with your families. Your kids. Know that you are all in my prayers.

 

Elder Noll

October 19, 2015

Hello friends and family from all around the world! What a stellar week! One of the fastest weeks in my mission I think... not sure what made it so different. It was filled with miracles left and right just like every single other week! But nonetheless... HERE I AM! :) 

Super congrats to the Ville! I am so pumped to hear that you guys are doing so well! Keep tearing it up! 

I am trying to think what else could be going on in that far distant land of yours....?? But nothing is coming to mind! COLD maybe?? Haha! I think that is how you spell “cold”... I have forgotten what that word even means ;) Good thing we have fans at night that help us remember a portion of what it means! Hah! 

Like I said... this week was great! And was filled with so many tender mercies from our Lord.

One night we had ward visits and my companion and I headed out with the Ward Mission Leader to the banana fields where an INCREDIBLE family lives. The wife is a less active but her husband is not a member. He had put off baptism for years up until now... we thought the result would be the same... but we taught him about the importance of baptism anyways! We asked him to say the closing prayer and out of his own mouth, he said, “thank you Heavenly Father for finally helping me feel ready for baptism.” I was amazed! So we were blessed enough to set a baptismal goal with this amazing man. I was so touched at his humility... and fervent prayer of gratitude for how the Lord was able to touch his heart and help him feel ready. To see this family who lives such a hard life... with so many trials and tribulations and difficulties... in my mind dressed in white in a Temple of the Almighty God is something that gives me the chills! 

We are also working really hard with a less active family... but they are not looking so less active now!!! As we taught them of the Prophet, Joseph Smith, we asked them to ponder, meditate, and reflect on when they received their testimony of the restoration of the Gospel. When they received their testimony of their Savior, Jesus Christ. Their first time in church. The first time they felt their burden “lifted” following their first time repenting. Tears filled the room and the spirit filled all of out hearts. It was also a self-reflecting moment for me to ask myself the questions I was asking. I invite all to think deeply of when you were converted. When you felt the Lord`s love for the first time. When you first believed. I promise that you will be reconverted as I was!

Anyway... the week passed and yesterday a “less active” family brought a non-member friend to church! In less than a week a “less active” family put on a name badge and  became a “missionary” family! What great examples they are to all of us!!!

Thursday night was kinda funny. The day came to an end and on the way home we passed by an ice cream place and we gave in. It was one of the ones that you can try flavors with the little spoons. So OBVIOUSLY I am going to try all of the flavors. There was one flavor that was written in Chinese so I had no idea what flavor it was (where is your older brother when you need him?) but I asked for it anyways. The worker said...”OH! You will love this! It is my favorite! I will give you a big spoonful of this one!” So she gave me and big spoon. Before I put it in my mouth I asked what flavor it was...she said...”Coffee!” 

ahhh nuts...

I played it smooth and asked her for another flavor and when she turned around to get the spoon the door opened and I chucked the spoon out the door! I really had to thread the needle so that it made it out the door without her noticing! But I came up clutch just like Brett Favre in the NFC Championship against the Saints ;) Haha! Just kidding. I didn’t throw an interception. We got the TD! And I avoided coffee!

I avoided quite a few things this week! Another family was about to give us “hose soup” again. The pig heart, liver, intestine, foot, etc soup...but we told them we were super full so they gave it to us in Tupperware bowls. Thank goodness!!

Got a visit from some friends in Panorama! They came to visit me and give me a package that my family sent to me! And one of the ward missionaries who I worked with quite a bit there made me some brownies that I shared with the other Elders in the house last night! So that was fun. 

The new area is good! There are amazing people all over this country. Just gotta find them! It is truly incredible to feel the guidance of the spirit and find the people who are so prepared to listen to this gospel and accept our Savior. Not much is new! 

Not sure why but I am feeling like I need to dedicate a little more time to the spiritual message this week...so I better get on that!

When the brother of Jared and his brethren go to work to build their barges they do so according to the instruction of the Lord. I imagine the Lord saying, “make the bottom tight like unto a dish”...and they did so. “Now peak the edges”...and the edges were peaked. “Now tighten the top like unto a dish”...and the top was tightened. “A bit longer”...so they made them to the length of trees. “Oh...almost forgot...make a door too! So that when it shuts it is tight like unto a dish so that water doesn’t get it”...and the brother of Jared and his brethren did it. After the barges are made the brother of Jared not just prays...but CRIES unto the Lord. “Lord, in them there is no light; whither shall we see? For in them there is no air and we cannot breathe.” So yet again the Lord comes to them with an answer. “Thou shalt make a hole in the top, and in the bottom...” So they go back and make a hole in the top and in the bottom and they solve that problem thanks to the Lord’s counsel. However, I LOVE how the Lord withholds the answer for light. And again the brother of Jared cries, “Wilt thou suffer that we shall cross this great water in darkness?” This time the Lord answers a little differently.

“What wilt ye that I should do...?”

I find it a little funny when I try to put it into today’s terms.

“Uh...dude...Jared’s bro...I had to tell you to make the sides tight, peak the edges, tighten the top, lengthen it, make a door, tighten the door, put holes in it, and now you want light? What else do you want me to do for you? Would you like fries with that?”

The Lord has given us so much instruction in our lives...and He will continue to do so through His holy spirit. The majority of times when we lack “air” and we ask Him how we can breathe...He simply tells us. 

But sometimes we lack more. 

But Lord, there is no light. Whither shall we see? But Lord, where do I go to school? What do I study? Who should I marry? Are they the one? Do I go on a mission? But Lord, should I accept this job? LORD, I CANNOT SEE! TELL ME WHAT TO DO!

And sometimes the Lord is going to say...

“Uh...what do you want me to do? With all that I have already given you...would you like fries with that?”

The Lord requires of us faith just as He required faith from the brother of Jared. We learn later on that the Lord did not just supply light. It was required of the brother of Jared to go up to the mount, gather stones, reflect upon his life, repent, pray fervently, and MAKE A DECISION. He made a decision and brought it to the Lord. “And I know, O Lord, that thou hast all power...therefore touch these stones, O Lord, with thy finger that they might shine forth in darkness...”.

Brothers and Sisters, some things don’t just come. Sometimes the Lord won’t give you the fries! He requires you to make a decision and take it to Him. I promise that as we take our “stones” (decisions) to Him, He will touch them with His finger and cause them to light (Ether 6:2). Sometimes He knows that the choice we will make will follow His divine plan so He refrains from “answering” so that we can have a faith building experience. If you are not receiving an answer it is because the Lord knows you will make the right choice. As we make our own decisions and take them to the Lord He will touch them and make them shine to their greatest capacity. As the brother of Jared took his faithful decision to the Lord and trusted that He would touch it, he literally saw the Lord and was led to the promised land. Don’t worry if you have not received your answer. If you don’t know what to do, if you don’t know what to think or feel, if you don’t know where to go or how to get there… MAKE A DECISION as the brother of Jared did. Make a decision and wait patiently until the Lord touches it to make it shine. I promise that it will...and you too will be led to see the Lord God in the “promised land”.

Love you all! 

Elder Noll

October 12, 2015

Hello friends! 

   I have been thrust into the mountains once more! Haha! I am now kicking it in La Troncal! It is a small town right out side of Triunfal! So I guess I will be here for the next little while. I am with a brand spankin new Elder. He is from Brazil...so I guess the whole new sector and not understanding Portuguese is a little difficult but I am up for the challenge! Haha!

   On Wednesday I got to spend the day with not just ONE Springvilleite...but TWO! Elder Ashman arrived safe and sound and boy was it cool having a temple session with two great friends.

   I already miss Panorama...TONS. But I know that the Lord sends us where we will grow the most personally and help the most people possible grow as well. 

   I do not have tons of time today because we have to go get to know the sector but I will hook you guys up with my favorite details from this week! :)

   We ran into a couple with their little baby and they invited us in! WOW...I knew it was gonna be different...I will say it one more time...they INVITED us in! Haha! We taught them about the Restoration of the Church and soon learned that they were very faithful Jehovah Witnesses. Nevertheless, we invited them to pray and to ask. The mother began to pray and nobody in that room can deny what was felt...I was touched as she wept...as she poured her heart out in gratitude. "THANK YOU, Heavenly Father for placing these two missionaries in my path. Thank you for teaching me the truth. Thank you for saving me from this confusion of all these years." Wow...I was touched. We have a visit planned with them for later on in the week. So incredible how God can prick the heart of even the most faithful Jehovah Witness!

   Church was a little different...with the sector I am in being so small, the number of people was also very small. Like...small to the point where  I had to teach the Relief Society class! Haha! It was quite funny but super fun! We had fast and testimony meeting yesterday and the testimony of a young girl touched me very deeply. She is 12 years old...she is the only member in her house...and walks to and from church and church activities every week. And she lives far away!! What faith!! Her testimony was incredible. She said something along the lines of, "I feel so alone at home...but I know that my Heavenly Father is always with me. My parents deny me and my faith...but I know that God accepts me as His daughter." She then went on the give a profound testimony of the Atonement of our Savior. I was in awe. I hope that I can be like this little girl someday...with such great faith and with such a firm cemented testimony.

 

   I feel somewhat inspired to address all of the daughters of God in today's spiritual message. Especially the young woman and the young single adults. 

Proverbs 31:10 states, "Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies."

   For the short time I have left today, I would like to focus on your importance as a daughter of God. I love what President Nelsen said in Conference last week. He explained that we NEED virtuous, loving, faithful, pure, and courageous women. THAT is what you are, sisters! YOU are virtue. YOU are love. YOUR faith exceeds beyond comprehensible capacities, YOU represent purity. YOU are among the most courageous of all. YOUR "price is far above rubies." There is nothing in the world or the millions of universes or galaxies that should ever make you feel less that what you are. Less beautiful than you look. Less wanted then you really are. It is my prayer to the Lord that all daughters of our Eternal Father can feel of their eternal purpose and potential as a future queen. 

"Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou exceedest them all."

I hope you all heard that!

 

"YOU EXCEED THEM ALL."

Faithful daughters of Eve...REALIZE your potential. Your beauty. Never give into Satan's downgrading negativity nor man's judgement. The Lord's judgement is that "above the rubies" you are...and above the rubies you shall forever be!

Love you all and have an incredible week!

Elder Noll

October 5, 2015

Before I post Jessi's letter for this week, I need to note that we had the opportunity this weekend at General Conference to meet a couple from Ecuador who know and love Elder Noll - the sister cares for him, helps him with laundry and says he has many "mamitas" in the ward taking care of him. They will be taking a package back to him for me <3 tender mercies

   I SPOTTED YOU SISTER WALKER!! You KNOW I was playing the game even from thousands of miles away! 
   This past week was a great one and Conference Weekend was legendary! I think it gets better and better every 6 months. There is no doubt that these men and women are called of God. There is no doubt that these new members of the Twelve have been chosen by God to further His work and glory. How blessed I feel to have had the chance to be counseled by Elder Scott, Elder Packer, and Elder Perry...and how blessed we are for the organization of the church and God´s restored power on Earth to have Elder Rasband, Elder Stevenson, and Elder Renlund in the Quorum of the Twelve.

 

   Maybe we will start with the beginning of the week!

Once a week we have ward visits and we split of with the other Brothers in the ward to visit more members. I headed off with a Hermano and we visited various families in the ward that are having difficulties with whatever it may be...with one brother I felt so inspired to share a verse in 3 Nephi but I refrained. What the verse says had nothing to do with his difficulty or needs. So I continued to deny this prompting. Finally I gave in...´´Hermano! I have to share a scripture!´´ So I shared with him 3 Nephi 17:7- ´´Have ye any that are sick among you? Bring them hither. Have ye any that are lame, or blind, or halt, or maimed, or leprous, or that are withered, or that are deaf, or that are afflicted in any manner? Bring them hither and I will heal them, for I have compassion upon you; my bowels are filled with mercy.´´

He was very emotional for quite some time. Then when he was able to talk he told us that that was the very scripture that helped him in his choice to be baptized and that he needed the reminder of why he was baptized and the covenants and promises that he has made. It is truly incredible how the spirit works through us. LISTEN. ACT. And don´t wait like I did! The Lord needs you to listen...NOW!

 

   On Thursday we had quite the morning! We were up and out the door at 4:30ish to make our way to Guayaquil for a Temple session and Multi-Zone Conference with President Riggins. IT WAS INCREDIBLE! The temple was obviously unreal. I received a plethora of answers to questions that I had been pondering and meditating on for quite some time!       

   The Conference was great as well...President is such an inspired man of God. It is very clear that he is called of God. 

 

   We did have a tough day this week...well a tough morning. We were contacting and contacting and getting denied and rejected. Time after time after time. Each time a door was shut on my nose I got a little bit more discouraged. A little more saddened. A little closer to giving up. We passed 2 women in the street without saying anything...I did not want to get denied and made fun of again...but as we passed I could not deny, yet again, the strong impression to go back. This time I gave in to the first prompting! We did not even manage to open our mouth when one of the women said, ´´Just so you know...I am Catholic.´´ Man...that was pretty straight up. Haha! But for some reason I did not lose hope. The other women said, ´´You know what? I was baptized years ago in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I have not been in a very long time and have felt the absence of something in my life. Do you think you could visit me sometime next week?´´ WOW. I was in awe. How blessed we are to be led by the spirit and to be guided to our Heavenly Fathers lost sheep. I have faith that this women will return to the church. I have faith that we were guided to her for a reason...a sacred reason. We will see how the appointment goes later on this week! :)

 

   There is one man who we have run into quite a bit. Each time he sees us he tries to contend, ridicule, and fight. It is even hard to get a testimony out. When we saw him watering his bushes, I said a small prayer in my heart, we headed in his direction. And as usual...came the contention, ridiculing, and fighting. After enough spit had been splattered on my face and after enough damage to my heart had been done...we simply asked...´´Brother...if you were to come to know that what we teach is true would you follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized by someone holding the Priesthood power and authority of God?´´ His response was unexpected...´´COME IN TO MY HOUSE!´´ We taught this man of the Restoration of the Church through the Prophet Joseph Smith and how incredible it was to see his faith grow and see him believe every word that was spoken through the Holy Spirit that was touching his heart and testifying of every spoken word! We finished the lesson and he said, ´´I HAVE TO SHARE THIS WITH MY FAMILY!´´ Haha! What an incredible man he is. It was a marvelous experience to talk to him and see him as he changed.

 

   CONFERENCE WEEKEND! I finally got to listen to they who I have been testifying of for so long! The messages were so powerful! We watched the Saturday morning session in the Stake Center and the afternoon session with the Family Jaramillo! I think it would be better for me to NOT write what I have learned or else we would be here for quite sometime. The Priesthood session was just as great! We finished off with the two Sunday sessions in the Stake Center as well. 

 

 

   That was a summary of this week! 

 

   We have changes on Wednesday...mixed emotions! I have really grown close to the members in this ward and the people who I have been blessed to serve. But I know that I will be sent to where the Lord would have be go! I am excited to flip the page and start a new chapter of my mission!

   The greatest, most miraculous, and courageous even in all of history took place in a garden when the Savior withdrew Himself a stonescast. In the 22nd chapter and 41st verse in Luke, the Savior kneels...and He prays. What occurs in the Savior´s prayer amazes me more and more day by day. ´´He Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses´´, He sweat ´´great drops of blood´´, ´´suffered for us´´, and ´´layed upon Himself the iniquity of us all´´. For a moment in time...He represented you. He lived your life and stained Gethsemane with His blood for the sins that you have committed, are committing now, and will commit in the future. He felt your every pain, experienced your every trial, was diagnosed with your every sickness, feared your every fear, doubted your every doubt, and lost what you have lost. Your Savior was YOU...I believe that is one of the reasons that He asked the Father ´´if thou be willing, remove this cup from me´´. Not because of fear. Not because of weakness or lack of endurance...the Savior was and is perfect and endured perfectly...but because He was representing you and felt what you would feel and experienced what you would experience he wanted ´´this cup´´ removed from you. He was begging for you. Then came the most heroic, submissive, and humble act that the world has ever known; ´´nevertheless not my will but thine be done´´. 

Never mind my exhaustion...I will keep on. 

Never mind the sins that have caused me to sweat blood...I will bleed on.

Never mind the agony, grief, and struggle I have felt...I will struggle on. 

Never mind the beating I shall take here shortly...I will go to it.

Never mind the cross that I will soon be nailed to...for I will carry it.

What bravery in a time of such darkness and hopelessness. What love. What understanding our Savior has for all of us thanks to his willingness to submit to the Father´s will. 

   I testify in the name of Him who kept on, bled on, struggled on, went to it, and carried it, that you have someone who KNOWS you. Your older brother KNOWS you. I find it so amazing how ´´this is life eternal, that you might know Him the only true God, and Jesus Christ, who He hast sent´´. As Christ came to know you that day in the garden...you must too come to know Him. You must come to know Him as He came to know you. IT WILL NOT BE EASY! You are going to have to keep on, struggle on, bleed on, go to it, and carry it but the miracle of the Atonement of Jesus Christ is that He already represented us and struggled through it, kept it, bled it, went to it, and carried it. That means WHATEVER you are going through...whatever you feel...whatever storm has come...whatever pain is in your heart or overtaking your body...you too can keep it, struggle it, bleed it, go to it, carry it, and through the everlasting power and redemption of Him who was lifted upon the cross and arose the third day...you can overcome it.  You can be crowned with glory even as He was. Brothers and Sisters you can live through. You can endure. You were foreordained to endure. I send my most loving and meaningful prayers to all who are suffering in their garden that you can all come to know Jesus Christ through enduring what He has already endured. That you can submit yourselves to God´s will and be exalted through the depths of your humility in times when giving up seems like the only answer.

He lives. That I know. I am coming to know Him more and more each and every day. He has freed me from all...His blood washes my soul each time I repent and submit to the Father´s will. I know He played my part, read my lines, and lived my life in that garden...´´Oh it is wonderful that He should care for me enough to die for me. Oh it is wonderful, wonderful to me.´´

In the name of the Only Begotten, living, breathing, Savior of this world and many others, Jesus Christ the Redeemer of us all. Amen.

Elder Noll

 

September 28, 2015

Hello! Hello! How is everyone? This week FLEW! It was such a great week! I don`t even know where to start!! Hopefully all of the women enjoyed the Women`s Conference and received all sorts of personal revelation on Saturday. Pretty crazy that yet ANOTHER conference is under way. Weird to think that a whole year ago I was fighting for my life to adapt myself to Ecuador. Now it is my home. My life! Crazy how fast a year can pass by. 

 

   Monday was really cool! We kicked it with a ward missionary who headed out on his mission on Wednesday. We went to a Historic Park in Guayaquil and ran into a familiar face. Elder Johnson! There is no doubt that we are connected in some way, shape, or form. Just casually - you run into a homie in the middle of Ecuador...I THINK NOT! We saw some monkey`s and iguanas but that was about it.

 

 

   We had an incredible Mulit-Zone Conference. Elder Calderòn from the 70 presided and he taught us so much! We had to travel quite the distance to get there. Panorama is kind of in its own little world so we couldn`t travel there with the other missionaries in the zone...instead, Hermano Jaramillo was a tour guide! Such a great man. We asked him how to get there and instead of giving us directions...he dropped what he was doing, led the way, and payed our transport. Such a humble and serving disciple of the Lord. We made it to the conference and felt such an incredible spirit.

 

   The conference finished super late so the way back was an adventure. We tried to take the same buses and routes back to our sector but with it being dark and with unreal amounts of traffic we got lost. I was wishing pretty hard that Papa Jaramillo was there guiding us but sometimes you gotta solve problems on your own!!! We ended up getting ourselves down from the bus and we just decided to walk towards the noise, light, and contention. We ended up making it to a dark street and the bus we needed in that exact moment randomly passed. So we waved it down and we were underway with another miracle under our belts! 

 

The owners of a school here in Panorama are members...the school is called ``Ezra Taft Benson``. They are in conference olympics and asked me to help out with the spelling b. So we got to go to the school and help some kids with their English and pronunciation and what not. Pretty fun! These guys are brilliant too! 

 

I was attacked by at least 10 children early on in the week! We passed by one of our investigators who lives in a little sector called Miduvi. The kids there are always kicking it outside with nothing to do and I guess they were having a competition of who could get the first high five from the gringo. They were dragging me down to the ground, jumping all over me, laughing, screaming. These kids are poor. They have nothing. But to see them happy melts my heart. We were all laughing and having a good time. Finally I told them that everyone wins the game. They all agreed. Haha! 

 

 

A great Sabbath Day we had ourselves! The Sacrament makes my week...EVERY WEEK! It never fails me. The week is basically a build up of stress...giving everything you have from Monday-Saturday so that people can make it to church. The majority of the times the people don`t follow through...it hurts...it aches...it discourages...but as soon as I partake of the body of our Savior and the instant I partake of His blood all pain and agony fades. I can literally feel the stress being lifted off of my shoulders. All is replaced with peace and patience. Courage and readiness. So grateful for such an incredible covenant and ordinance.

One of the first things taught in the missionary lessons is that God is our loving Father in Heaven and shows His love through the calling of Prophets. This gospel truth is so incredible. We learn quite a bit about the role of a Prophet in the first chapter of Lucas. 

``As He spake by the mouth of His holy Prophets, which have been since the world began.`` The Lord speaks to us through a Prophet...in fact, ``He will do nothing save it be reveal His secrets to His servants, the Prophets``. We go on to learn that the Prophets ``save us from our enemies``, ``allow us to partake of mercy and oaths made to our fathers``, and help us to ``serve the Lord``. 

I would like to focus on three incredible verses;

A Prophets Duty...

``For thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways;``. I testify that God speaks to His Prophets. They receive revelation FROM the Heavens above to lead us TO the Heavens above. Nobody else holds such keys as these. 

``To give knowledge of salvation unto His people by the remission of sins.``

A Prophets duty, role, and goal is to help our Heavenly Father bring to pass His work and His glory through the salvation of mankind. If we heed to him we will come to obtain knowledge that will lead us into salvation so we can return to the loving arms of our Father in Heaven.

How many of you feel that you sit in darkness? Perhaps without guide of direction? THAT is when God`s mercy strikes...THAT is when His love comes forth through the words of a Prophet...

``To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.`` The Prophet gives us light when we are in darkness and guides us to peace when we are lost. 

The Prophet is so much more than a primary song encouraging us to follow him because he knows the way. 

We are sick. We are ill. We need healing. 

In Christ`s earthly ministry, He gave power and authority to His Apostles to heal the sick...He gave this authority and power to His called Apostles in the Americas as well. Apostles are called to heal and to mend. They are called of God to mend our spirits and souls. 

In less than a week we have the divine privelege to hear what God Himself has to say to us through the mouth of His called servants. Hearken to the cure. Be atentinve. Pay close attention as these men, called of God, show us how to place our feet in the way of peace.

Even as the Nephites ``did labor exceedingly all that night, that they might be on the morrow in the place where Jesus should show Himself unto the multitude``, I invite all to labor exceedingly this week so you too can be ready in the morning on Saturday to listen to Christ as He shows Himself through the mouth of His called and ordained servants.

I testify that Thomas Spencer Monson is a Prophet of God. I testify that he will lead our feet into the way of peace. 

Love you all. Happy Conference! Glorify it. Love it. 

Elder Noll

September 21, 2015

   Okay...this week was too fast? Who fast forwarded? I feel like I want to push pause for a sec!! Haha! It was another great week filled with incredible and unforgettable experiences! I am still here in Panorama and loving it! Elder C and I have been blessed so much over this past week it is unreal. The Lord is so mindful of us and never fails to give us what we need and desire. It is so interesting how we spend our lives striving to follow God's will...we spend our lives trying ever so hard to live according to what God wants when God's glory is our happiness and He exists and lives to give us what we want. It almost seems like when we follow God's will and plan He follows our will and what we desire. He is so loving. I invite all to strive to live His perfect and personalized plan! And as you do so you will find that He is ever so willing to bless you with what you need...even if you don't make it known to Him or anyone!

   We came across the sweetest man. He has special needs and was sitting in a park all alone. We went and sat by him and put an arm around him and gave him a bunch of little pictures of Jesus. We kicked it with him until someone came to pick him up. What a humbling moment. I was almost brought to tears as I watched a man...alone...lost...unable to walk or talk...with the BIGGEST smile on his face as he GLORIED in little photos of our Savior. 

 

   I am so so so so excited about one of the families we are teaching. We found them a little while ago and they have been nothing but GOLDEN. Everything we teach them they accept...and everything they accept they complete. They are such prime examples of faith. One of the biggest worries we had was coffee. Just to put it into perspective; when you enter the house there are countless bags of finished off coffee beans...then you make it into the kitchen and there is a mountain of coffee containers. We were so nervous to bring up the Word of Wisdom but it was time we tried. They were a little bit "ify" about things, but accepted. The following day I not only got a good laugh...but I was taken back by their Christlike example of obedience. When they answered the door they both had dark circles around their eyes as if they had not slept in days. They were SO tired. They said, "WE ARE SO TIRED! This no coffee thing is killing us!" But they told us that they know it is a commandment and that they are going to continue on with their promise to God. 

 

   The Jaramillo familiy invited us over for Tacos which was super fun! We had a little family night there with some recent converts! I had the chance to meet this family. Man are they something else! 

 

 

   We ran into a man who was having a tough time. He opened up quite quickly to us. He told us a story about his son that ripped my heart. His wife left him four years ago and took their little boy with her...apparently the wife does not treat the child as a mother should and she sent pictures of the little four year old boy crying to the father who we talked to. He was pretty shaken up. He told us that nobody could every understand what he was feeling. What a father feels as he sees his son suffer. What a father feels as he sees his son cry, as he sees his son humiliated. What a blessing it was to testify of the love that our Heavenly Father has for us all and that he knows us perfectly. That our Heavenly Father watched His son be rejected. He watched Him take upon Himself the pains, doubts, and sins of mankind. He watched His son bleed from every single pore. He watched His son be nailed to a cross and be spit upon. He watched as His son was tortured. Do you think our Heavenly Father knows what it feels like to watch a son struggle? I testify that He does. I testify that He knows us perfectly. This seemed to help this man and I know that God will comfort him through our prayers and the prayers of you all!

 

   That was a quick rundown of the week! 

 

   In the 49th year of the reign of the judges the Nephites experience something incredible. "And so great was the prosperity of the church, and so many the blessings which were poured out among the people that even the high priests and the teachers were themselves astonished beyond measure." The work of the Lord prospers...even to the "uniting of tens of thousands of souls". 

How can we obtain such great prosperity as a family?

How can we unite all of the souls in our home?

If we analyze what the Nephites did to obtain this prosperity and these blessings the answer becomes very clear.

"And it came to pass in the 49th year of the reign of the judges (the year that they experienced this prosperity and uniting), there was continual peace established in the land..."

 

A peaceful home is a prosperous home.

 

There are so many ways to establish peace but I would like to focus on three crucial requirements to have continual peace and to be prospered as a family and receive the pouring of blessings as the Nephites did.

1) In Alma 24:19, the Lamanites "buried their weapons of peace, or they buried their weapons of war, for peace". We must bury our weapons of war. Negative, hurtful, and mocking offenses wrought contention. We must bury these weapons and uncover the tools of encouragement, love and praise to achieve this prosperity.

 

2) In Psalms 119:165 we learn that "Great peace have they which love the law: and nothing shall offend them". CHILDREN: LOVE the laws that your parents set. We will obtain great peace when we develop great love for the laws and standards that our parents set for us. Do not be offended by restrictions, limits, or curfews. LOVE the standards and KNOW that they are what you need as a son or daughter of God. 

 

3) The last step is in Romans 8:6. "For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace." The family that obtains the spiritual mind obtains also peace. ALL THINGS are spiritual in the eyes of our Heavenly Father and we should strive to have the same outlook on things. We too must think, work, and act in a spiritual manner. 

   It is my prayer that all families can prepare themselves spiritually in the morning with the scriptures before preparing physically. It is my cry that a child will never again exit the front door without kneeling with their family in prayer. It is the Lord's promise that peace will fill your homes as you do so. All things should be done in a spiritual manner and the center of all activities, conversation, and or traditions should be based on a spiritual mind and becoming more like our Savior through His teachings.

The gospel of Jesus Christ saves people but exalts families. I testify that as families BURY THEIR WEAPONS OF WAR, great will be their prosperity. As families LOVE THE LAWS SET BY PARENTS, so many will be the blessings poured upon them. And as families strive to be SPIRITUALLY MINDED, the souls within the home will unite. As we strive to have a peaceful home the prosperity, progression, uniting, and blessings that poured upon the Nephites will too be ours.

Love you all! May peace be unto you! :)

Elder Noll

 

September 14, 2015

   Well...another blink of an eye and here we are again! When am I going to wake up from this dream?! Time is flying way too fast! It was such a good week...I LOVE PANORAMA!!! I have officially fallen in love with this sector, the ward, the area, and the investigators! 

   How are things in the USA? I know things in the 'Ville are pretty dope! Congrats to the Devils for balling out and beating the Mapleducks! Haha! I heard it was a pretty intense game. Keep at it boys! Super weird that we are in the heat of football again! I feel like just yesterday I was strapping on the helmet! Man does time fly. 

   Last Monday night was super fun! We had a family night with the Stake Patriarch and his family. We ate sweet potatoes! They were not quite like Mamita Noll's but it was cool to bring back the sensation of sweet potatoes in my mouth again. We used the can that my parents sent me and we also made another batch out of "camote". Which SUPPOSEDLY are sweet potatoes as well...but they are purple...and don't look the same...nor taste the same...nor feel the same...Haha!

   I love talking with the Patriarch...he is such a loving man. You can visually see his humility...his love for everyone. It is something that I desire to develop. I was so humbled as he talked of our Savior. He explained to us how un-explainable our Savior is...His glory...His love...His attributes. It is so true! We cannot ever possibly grasp the divinity of the Lord, Jesus Christ. He is so much more than we can imagine and His glory is so much brighter than what we could possibly behold.

   On Wednesday I got to take it back to the Saturday mornings with Dad days! The Hermanas in our Zone had to change houses so we got together as a Zone in the morning to help them load all of their stuff into a members truck and take it to their new house to unload it. So that was fun!

   We passed by an awesome family the other day. They are struggling with family prayer and scripture study. We have been focusing so much on the scriptures and the importance that they have in our lives. The excuse was that the scriptures give them desires to sleep. So we told them to simply try it...and to see what the Lord is willing to do for them. The Hermana said that she woke up even MORE tired that usual...and her and her sister started to read the scriptures...despite the dreariness...In her own words..."The words of the Lord IMMEDIETLEY took away my sleepiness." Wow. So incredible what the Lord is willing to do if we will obey and act. The scriptures are such powerful tools in our lives. With them we WILL NOT sleep through the restoration.

 

 

   Oh dear...never have I suffered with a soup as I did with "Caldo de Mangera". Hose soup. Not recommended for viewers at home. It is a soup of pig. But has 0 meat. It is filled with pig heart, intestine, foot, ear, liver, skin, and blood. It was a miracle that I made it through that one! I squeezed AT LEAST 14 lemons into that sucker and a bottle and a half of hot sauce...but I can still taste that liver in between my teeth! Haha! Overall good experience...Elder C and I are still laughing about that one...I had nightmares about that black, mystical, bubbling, caldo! The left cardiovascular ventrical artery that I swallowed whole because it was un-chewable is haunting me! ;)

``That all the people of the earth might know the hand of the Lord, that it is mighty; that ye may fear the Lord your God forever.``

In the Spanish ``Guide to the Scriptures`` it explains that to ``fear God`` is to feel ``reverence`` and ``admiration for Him``.

Our loving Heavenly Father and our Perfect older Brother have no intention to induce a threatening fear nor a scarce fear. The fear they induce is a fear explained in Philippians 2:12.

``Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed,...work out your salvation with fear and trembling.``

We are told to simply obey...that is what working our or salvation with fear and trembling means.

The following verse helps us understand this fear a little more deeply.

``For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.``

As we allow God to work in us and as we strive to do His will with reverence and admiration we show the Lord God our fear, or in other words, we show Him our respect, loyalty, and love.

I love the battle of the Nephites and the Gadianton Robbers with Giddianhi as their leader.

In 3 Nephi 4:12 it says ``...behold the Nephites did beat them...``

But how exactly did they do this??

Verse 10: ``...for the Nephites did not fear them; but they did fear their God and did supplicate Him for protection...and they were prepared to meet them; yea, in the strength of the Lord they did receive them.``

And how did the Nephites show their fear of the Lord??

It was not through a scarce fear. They were not afraid of the Lord. They were not intimidated. Through SUPPLICATING unto their Lord...through TRUSTING...and as verse 8 teaches us...through ``...falling to the earth, and lifting their cries to their Lord their God...``

If fearing the Lord can deliver a Nephite army from destruction I testify that fearing the Lord can deliver us from our daily battles.

I testify that this fear will save us. I testify that this fear takes away fear. The Lord with His perfect humility and unfailing love does not wish to win our heart with fear of His power or to intimidate us with trembling of a future destruction...
The Lord with His perfect humility and unfailing love wishes to gain our heart through trusting in His power and overcoming destruction as we lift up our cries to Him and humbly fall.
Let us all fear the Lord God. Let us all raise our cries and fall. Let us all obey the will of the Father and trust in the Jesus Christ. We too will be delivered from our daily Gadianton!

Elder Noll

making sweet potatoes...Jessi's favorite!

Purple sweet potatoes!