November 23, 2015

To my incredible Grandfather,

I was hit really hard this week with quite a few lessons that you have taught me throughout my life. I have to thank you from the bottom of my heart for all that you have done for me. All you are. I would not be the same person...and definitely not the same missionary...without all of the precepts that I have come to learn from things you have done and experiences I have had with you. I thought I would share a few!!

 

Do you remember when I was just a little rat? Probably running around in footsie pajamas and screaming "TWO BATTERIES!!!"? On one particular occasion the little runt of a dude I was, found himself under a dining room table in hopes to escape your grasp as we played. You were chasing me with a foam bat and scaring me half to death! I imagine that I was pretty darn upset as well! Haha! This past week I realized something though...Don't we sometimes feel hopeless and under a table? In danger and in fear? Don't we often feel like God is picking on us? You finally had your laughs and set the bat aside. You slowly and gently pulled out the chair and laid on your belly and told me I had no reason to be afraid...and that you would never hurt me. I finally had the courage to come out from under the table and all that was waiting was your loving hug and a heartfelt kiss on the forehead. At times we feel under the table with fear and doubt. At times we don't trust in God. But all that is waiting for us is God's loving and extended arms pulling us in for a hug. All it takes is to have a little faith and trust in Him who tells us to have no fear. Thank you for helping me realize what faith in God means and how to show it. How to be hugged. For showing me that God gives no danger or fear. We cannot feel "under the table" with Him. He only waits for us to come unto Him to lovingly welcome us into His arms and kiss our foreheads.

 

"WHERE'S MY PIE? GET IN THE TRUCK!" That line will never be forgotten! Within SECONDS after just finishing a full course meal you have always asked, "Where's my pie?". This principle has played a big role in my mission and I did not realize it until this past week. Grandpa, there have been times here where I have been shattered. Getting rejected is hard. But each and every time we are denied...we keep on looking. We shake it off and get on our horses. Where is the next soul? Where are the sick in spirit? Where are the afflicted? "WHERE IS MY PIE?!?!" No matter how destroyed my heart gets at times...how many doors are slammed in my face...or how worn down my shoes get...you KNOW I am going to be looking for my pie!

 

I think I will finish off with the most precious of all: This week you strengthened my testimony of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Things I have seen you do my entire life did not click until just recently but when they clicked...my understanding of the Savior and His offerings sky rocketed. I grew up watching you give it all. The bill at the restaurant was always paid on your card. The groceries at the market have always been paid by your cash. Every gift you have ever offered has been amazing. "I would that ye should understand that God Himself shall come down among the children of men and shall redeem His people." In Spanish it says that "He shall descend"...The Lord descended from His thrown, His glory, and the presence of God to come to earth and do the will of the Father. Christ paid the price for our sins..."because He hath poured His soul out unto death; and was numbered with the transgressors, and he bore the sins of many, and made intercession for the transgressors". He paid the price of it all just as you always paid the check at the restaurant and the price of the groceries. You helped me understand the price that the Savior paid for sin. He paid it all. He paid for the sins that we would commit just as you paid for the food we ate and would eat. 

Now comes the beauty of it all. No matter what you had given us throughout the day you always called us up to the counter. We would hustle over and watch as you inserted your hands into your pockets and scurried around for a short moment until you pulled out every last cent you had and put it all on the counter. From there you would separate the money equally and give it to us. EVERY LAST CENT. 

"He is despised and rejected of men...acquainted with grief...surely He has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows...but He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him...He was oppressed, and He was afflicted..." 

You have taught me on a deeper level of what it is the Lord offers us. The Lord pays our groceries and covers our bills. But after the miracles are manifested, the example set, the ordinances taught, and the price of sin, doubt, fear, and pain paid for...He took upon Himself a nail driven cross. he was lifted to die in the middle of two thieves after being whipped, smitten, spitted upon, and crowned with thorns. Jesus Christ gave it all. Every last drop of blood. Every last ounce of effort. He gave us all of His love. All of His heart and compassion. And then comes more...

And then comes the most miraculous of all...

And then He does what you have always done...

He emptied His pockets...

He arose.

As I think of all the years spent with you I think of the Lord's Atonement and all He gave us...and then I think of you emptying your pockets and I think of the Lord emptying His for my eternal salvation and exaltation. Giving me the chance to rise again. You have given us every last possible cent just as the Savior gave us and gives us every last bit of everything that He has.

I know you know this...but thanks to Christ's empty pockets He lives.

Thanks to our Savior and Redeemer's empty pockets there is a hug and a kiss waiting for us if we will just come out from under the table. 

Thanks to our older Brother's empty pockets He gives us the diligence, faith, and disposition to get in the truck and get the pie to save souls.

Thanks to His empty pockets I will see you again.

Thanks to His empty pockets there is more Finadene.

Thanks to His empty pockets I can feel of your love and your light.

Thanks to His empty pockets you will live again. Our family will live again. I will live again. And we will live in the presence of God, the Eternal Father and His Son, Jesus the Christ.

All thanks to His empty pockets...a principle taught by a "Big Dufus" of a guy! YOU! A Big Dufus who I will be seeing shortly. Odie-O-Tote to you until all is restored to its perfect form and we can say it together.

I love you.

Jessi

What have Christ's empty pockets given you?

Love you all!

Elder Noll

November 16, 2015

Hey All! 

Well...  I am somewhat in shock...  I just read my family attended a Raiders vs. Vikings game...  I don`t know if I am more in shock for the fact that I have waited 19 years to see them play and I missed it or the fact that the Vikes actually won! Haha! ;) Just messing! I am glad you guys had a good time!

 

How is everyone?! Special shout out to the ‘Ville...  what a great run you guys had! Get fired up for next year! Congrats to all of the players, fans, coaches, parents, and SHS as a unit.

 

Last week was a bit nuts so I didn`t write...  we got permission from President Riggins to visit Panorama so we spent PDAY down in Duran last week. It was so great to see the families again! Love them so much! They are all the bomb! And are doing so great. La Troncal is going well. The Mexican Elder just got transferred so we are waiting to see who Elder Neciosup from Peru picks up. Maybe I will speak something other than Spanish or Portuguese! ;) 

 

The past two weeks have been LEGENDARY. Nothing less! We found a really awesome woman...  she is actually a member but has separated herself a bit from the church for quite some time now. We had a visit with her the other day and started it off with a question:  “ What is your biggest worry?” Not knowing the answer we whipped out the triple and flipped open to Doctrine and Covenants 6. The verse that stood out was 36, “ Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not.” Not yet hearing her answer we were certain this verse was the one! Then came the response! “ I fear the future. I doubt my abilities. I doubt my potential. I am scared of what comes and scared of not having anyone to trust.” I was first struck with sadness for a daughter of God who feels like this and second struck with gratitude for the Holy Ghost`s leading spirit that led us to Doctrine and Covenants 6:36 which told her exactly what to do (look unto God in every thought) and exactly what to stop doing (doubting and fearing). How grateful for the spirit I am. How worthless we are in this work without it. This incredible woman left her job to come to church yesterday. How cool it is to see someone look unto God in every thought throw out all fear and doubt.

 

Another cool experience we had is really similar to the last. We went to visit a family in a branch that is having a hard time. Fights between the husband and wife, children, financial problems, etc. We have tried just about everything with them. We felt at a loss as to what we should teach and share. I said a silent prayer in my heart, and I am sure my companion said the same, with a desire to read their hearts and feel their souls to find what they needed. We flipped open to Matthew 4. We marked the first 2 verses that tell us that Christ was fasting...  so that’s where we went. We randomly taught a lesson on fasting and the blessings that come. When we finished the lesson the mother of the family said, “Thank you so much for sharing that. This is my biggest struggle as a member of the church. I have never been able to complete a fast. Will you help me?” So we planned a day to fast with the family and it went great! She completed it!!!

Which leads me to my next miracle!!!

 

Two weeks ago I felt such a heavy tugging on my heart. I could not figure out what it was! It was really starting to bother me. Finally I knelt before my Father in Heaven and asked. Without delay...  a picture of my hero popped into my mind. The coolest 11 year old to walk the planet. He has long, beautiful, blonde hair. Plays football like a champ. Wrestles like a warrior. Runs like none other. And woos the girls like no Noll has ever been able to! I felt like my little brother Al was in need of my help. I turned Mama Bear on. I felt like raging. Nothing hurts more than knowing that someone you love is suffering while you can`t do anything! But I didn`t know what was going on with my little Homie. So I decided to fast. Last week the first thing I read was this: 

 

“Poor Al is still not doing great. His fever is gone and most of the symptoms as well, but he has something called thrush - it is a yeast infection in the mouth - he has HUGE canker sores and yucky yellowish stuff. His bottom lip is about 3 times it's normal size!! I hope this passes quick.”

 

There is no doubt in my mind that my little brother was in need of a fast. And the spirit of the Lord spoke! Love you Al! I don`t feel so heavy now so I take that as you are doing a lot better! 

 

A couple more highlights of the past two weeks! 

We got to bless a newborn baby. What a miracle. What perfection in such a small body. What purity in such a tiny soul. 

 

An experience a little different... 

I really had to go to the bathroom so we passed by a members house real quick. Just a number 1 emergency so you all know. BUT...  when I entered the bathroom someone before me had left a little surprise...  okay...  a giant one. When I went to flush the toilet (by filling up cups of water and dumping them in the toilet until it flushes by itself because that is how they do it here because they don’t have the little knobs) it would not flush. I did not want them to think that I left the surprise though so I could not give in. I moved on to a small bucket to flush the sucker down...  still no luck. As I looked in the dark for something bigger (because there was no light), I came across a HUGE bucket/barrel thingy. I filled that animal cup by cup until it was all filled up...  then with every ounce of strength I had I power-cleaned the sucker and dumped it into the toilet...  VICTORY! The surprise left by someone else moved on...  it probably would have been better to just leave the surprise in the toilet and let them think what they wanted to think because I came out sweating bullets with wet shoes and driblets of water all over my tie...  but hey...  that`s life. 

 

Another experience for the books...  everyone and their brother sells bananas in the street here. So I went to buy a banana one day and I was feeling around and observing to see which one I wanted. The banana man went NUTS! “STOP SQUEEZING MY BANANAS!!!!! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?????!!!?!?!!! IF YOU KEEP SQUISHING AND DAMAGING MY BANANAS I AM GOING TO STRANGLE YOU!” Then he started throwing all of the bananas at me. I felt so bad! I didn`t mean to harm your bananas mister. I apologized from the bottom of my heart and left him with a good tip ;) I passed the following day and he sold me one without any trouble so I think he has forgiven me. Gotta be careful with those banana men. Dangerous.

 

Hang in there brothers and sisters...  this weeks’ message is a little longer than usual...  but I hope it will touch someone...  somewhere.

 

I was taken back as I read 2 Nephi 5:27. “ And it came to pass that we lived after the manner of happiness.”

- Where on earth did that come from, Nephi? TWENTYFIVE verses ago the anger of your brothers led them to “seek to destroy you.” How did your life go from nearly death to “living after the manner of happiness? How does a family, a friendship, or a people go from seeking to destroy lives to living after a manner of happiness? How can we obtain this happiness as a family?

 

So I went back from the beginning...  and I came across TWENTY-FOUR things that occurred among this people in order for them to come to the life that we all long for in verse 27.

 

I would like to share with you those twenty-four things and how we can apply them in our lives:

 

1: “I, Nephi, did cry much unto the Lord my God...”

- This is vital. A family that lives after the manner of happiness is a family that cries unto the Lord in united family prayer.

 

2: “I, Nephi, did take my family...”

- All things...  spiritual and/or physical...  should be done as a family.

 

3: “ ...  those who believed in the warnings…”

- TEENAGERS: (I can point you out because I am one of them too) Let us give heed to the warnings of our parents. Let us submit ourselves to their protecting guidelines, standards, and limits that will lead us to live in a manner of happiness.

 

4: “... believed in...  the revelations of God…”

- The Lord works through revelation. Our Heavenly Father is so loving and so caring that He has called a Prophet today to give us revelations. Listen to him. Go out of your way to read the General Conference talks and read the church magazines as a family. It is a required action if we desire to live after a manner of happiness.

 

5: “... they did hearken unto my (Nephi`s) words...”

- A happy family requires hearkening, listening, and understanding.

 

6, 7, 8: “... did take our tents...  and did journey into the wilderness...  and we did pitch our tents...

- “WE. WE. WE. OUR. OUR. OUR. This is the physical aspect. Spiritually speaking we must take are tents and journey forward. Progress. Improve. We much pitch our tents as we take steps forward... NEVER moving back. There cannot be returns to solved problems. Forget the past and journey forward. Pitch the progress. If you don`t pitch it... keep with the progress as a family... never settling.

 

9: “... take upon them to call themselves the people of Nephi...”

- This is more on a personal level. All that we do as individuals represents our families name. Represent your families name with honor so that you can obtain the manner of happiness that you strive for. Never do anything that would lower the level of excellence.

 

10, 11, 12: “… to keep the judgments, and the statutes, and the commandments of the Lord in all things...”

- The foundation of happiness is obedience. 

 

13, 14, 15: “… for we did sow seed, and we did reap again in abundance. And we did raise flocks, and herds, and animals of every kind.”

- To sow, reap, and raise are all things that show growth. They are all words that are results of edification. EDIFY. EDIFY. EDIFY. Edifying seeds of compliments will reap happiness in abundance. Raise flocks, herds, and compliments of every kind. 

 

16: “... brought the...  plates of brass...”

- A happy family studies the scriptures.

 

17: “...  and also the ball, or compass...”

- The happy family has a functioning Liahona. It functions through “faith and diligence” and ceases with “slothfulness.” Let us be spiritually diligent and faithful. Avoid spiritual slothfulness. My mom is going to kill me for this one... we must also avoid physical slothfulness. We must maintain a clean home and work TOGETHER to do so. The spirit cannot dwell in an out of order, messy home. Live after manner of cleanliness to live after a manner of happiness.

 

18: “... did take the sword of Laban and make many swords after its same manner...”

- Your sword is your testimony. Parents especially have the calling to help their children make their swords. Parents and older siblings have the obligation of helping children and younger siblings find their faith and obtain their sword.

 

19: “... teach my people to work in all manner of precious substances…”

- Family members must help one another to develop their talents and work with their “ special substances” that the Lord has blessed them with in order to live after of manner of happiness. The home should be a home of learning and teaching. I bet you Nephi did a whole of his teaching on Monday Nights...  (hint hint)

 

20: “... did build a temple...”

- A happy family will visit the temple regularly. A happy family will ENTER the temple as frequently as possible. Strive also to make your home “constructed after the manner of the temple.” Sanctify your homes. Make them holy.

 

21: “... did cause my people to be industrious...”

- Cause that your families learn and live principles and values of how to save, earn, and manage money. Cause that your families pay tithes and fast offerings and participate in monthly family fasts.

 

22: “... and to labor with their hands...”

- Happy families have to work hard. Look for chances to use your hands. SERVE! Work. Developing homemaking skills and lending service brings happiness. Make us children work. Make us sweat.

 

23: “... I was desirous that they should have no king...”

- Nephi did not seek attention nor fame. Humility and equality are crucial in creating a happy family.

 

24: “... did consecrate...”

- This happiness cannot be obtained in the home without the Priesthood. God`s ordinances are needed. Fathers… search for opportunities to use your Priesthood. Give blessings! Ordain your sons! Magnify your callings! 

 

Brothers and sisters, I know that these twenty-four things bring peace and joy. IT IS A LOT...  I know! But little by little, through our Savior and His everlasting Atonement, and though His sacrifice that enables us to progress, we can come to live after a manner of happiness as we desire.

 

I want to thank my amazing parents for the manner of happiness they strive for and for all they have taught me while obtaining this manner.

 

I love you all and share these things in the sacred name of our older Brother, Jesus Christ, the giver of happiness. Amen.

Elder Noll

November 2, 2015

Hello Friends and Fam!!

Hopefully Halloween treated you all well and you are all recovering just fine. We actually had an activity as a branch to celebrate Halloween on Saturday. It was really fun. We started out with a spiritual thought and then did skits and watched the little kids play games. It was awesome because tons of the members, even though the branch is super tiny, brought some friends and family who are not members of the church so we got to mark them down as references and get to visit them a little later on in the week! We are super pumped about that. 

 

I am convinced that NOBODY looked as good as the Noll's. Special shout out to my Mommy and the costumes she always throws down! My little brother, Al, looked like a champ and never in my life have I seen such a good lookin´ trio so close to breathing their last breath! ;) 

 

So as you all can guess...this week was another great one! Ecuador never fails me :) On Tuesday I got to go out to a tiny little town called Naranjito and work there for the day. We had a super neat experience! There is a Recent Convert family and the sister of the recent convert wants so badly to be baptized but she and her boyfriend are not married and the boyfriend wants NOTHING to do with baptism...nor the Missionaries for that matter. He has denied them, denied them, and denied them...but this time was different! We headed over there with determination and with a firm belief that the Lord was going to soften his heart...and He did. He accepted the lessons for the first time! It is amazing what the Gospel does to a person...by the end of the lesson he was a different person with different goals and a different look on his life and where he wanted to go. He decided for himself that he wants to be married to his girlfriend so that they can both be baptized. So touching. The Lord truly has a time for everyone...just a matter of waiting until he puts His perfect plans into play.

 

Naranjito even has a Gym...so Elder W, an Elder from Chicago, and I got up a little earlier to get a pump in. Man did that pump rip me apart. It has almost been a week and I still can barely peel my bananas. Nevertheless, a chest and tri´s work out made this week a great one for sure! ;) 

   On the way back from Naranjito we had to take various buses...the last bus only passes every 45 minutes and we got off from the second to last bus JUST as the last one was heading off. We went running chasing that sucker down! I felt like Lloyed Christmas chasing after the Bikini Tour Bus to tell them that ´´the town is that way´´ but the result was different. The bus driver must have been in a hurry because there was no stopping him.

 

There were two experiences this week that absolutely shattered me...yet I learned so much. I won't go into detail but we had two lessons with two different people this week that, for various reasons, felt like they could not pray to God. They felt like they needed time. That they needed to be better. They REFUSED to pray. I was so distraught. I thought of my own earthly parents. How much I love them. How much I miss them. How much I need there instruction. And where I would be without them on Monday's...even if it is just a short moment through words. Then I thought of my Heavenly Father...how much I need Him. How much I long for Him. How much I need His protection and instruction and where I would be without my daily conversations with Him. I know that the power of prayer is real. I know that it is the answer to all doubt, sorrow, and or fear. The sadness I felt as this man and, later on in the week, this woman, expressed their ´´unworthiness´´ and ´´lack of desire´´ to pray only strengthened my gratitude for prayer and all that is gives us and offers us as we do so.

 

One day last week we were teaching a lesson a cat entered the front door and beneath my seat with a MASSIVE bird hanging from its mouth. The bird was flocking around and dying...feathers going everywhere, blood spurting around, etc. The old man we were teaching said, ´´Ahhh...Not again!´´ (As if this happens frequently?) Haha! So that was a little strange...but I managed to grab a feather from the poor bird to save it as souvenir. The man yelled at the cat and him and the wounded bird scurried off out the door...oh the things that occur in a lifetime.

 

What more...???

 

We were blessed with a great fast Sunday yesterday. 

A man thought we were insane when we told him that we don´t receive money for our service...that our pay is the happiness of others. That caused for quite the reaction.

 

We are coming up on the rainy season...so that will be sweet.

 

We have a family night with a less active family and I am going to ATTEMPT to make a ´´TRACY NOLL-WORLDS FAMOUS-BANANA BREAD´´ batch. We will see how it goes!

 

It is a Holiday here today and tomorrow so basically nobody is working. The streets are super dead. It was a miracle that we found a cyber! It is ´´Day of the Dead´´ and everyone is visiting the cemetery and drinking something called ´´Colada Morada´´...it is purple goop with just about every fruit you can possibly think of...it is super good! They eat it with Gingerbread men. 

 

I think that is all that is new...

 

A lot comes to my mind every Monday as I begin to write these spiritual messages. I pray to the Lord each week that He will lead and guide me through His Holy Spirit to satisfy the needs of you all. Something tells me to touch a bit on becoming something that not all of desire to become.

As the Lord reveals unto Joseph divine directions to build a temple He says, ´´...that I may bring to pass my strange act...´´. The Lord´s acts are strange. His acts are found in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. So to all of you who perhaps are not members of the Church...that is why the Mormons are so ´´strange´´...it is because we do what the Lord tells us to...and His acts are strange. For those who have been baptized into the Church in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, we promise to keep the commandments...we promise to follow these ´´strange acts´´...therefore making us...strange. Christ´s work is strange...and if we too are not strange...something is very wrong. The Lord then explains that this ´´strange act´´ is so that He can ´´pour out His spirit upon all flesh´´. I promise that as we become strange we will have His spirit to be with us at all times, in all things, and in all places. The Lord again calls His acts and works strange in section 101:95, ´´That I may proceed to bring to pass my act, my strange act, and perform my work, my strange work,...´´.

And now comes the why...

Why does the Lord want me to look strange? Why do I have to be different? Why would I EVER want to be strange?

´´...that men may discern between the righteous and the wicked, saith your God.´´

I am here to testify that to choose the right is peculiar. Obedience is odd. To set an example is weird. The Lord´s ways are NOT normal ways. On the contrary...to be ´´cool´´ is wicked. To ´´fit in´´ is a principle that only Satan teaches. This strange work is to separate those who are righteous and those who are wicked.

Do all in your power (YOUTH) to look strange. 

Are you the ´´strange´´ student who arrives to seminary on time and participates?

Are you the one who they call ´´weird´´ because you went to mutual over the party or basketball game? 

Are you the one they call peculiar because your shirts cover your shoulders and your shorts go to your knees?

Are you the ´´strange´´ one who says ´´I can´t...it´s family night´´?

The questions could go on forever that could classify you as ´´strange´´ or not. And I devote my entire soul to those of you who answered ´´yes´´ to those questions in gratitude. You are the ´´light of the world´´. You are ´´among the noble and great ones´´.  It is a matter of discerning between the righteous and the wicked. It is having the Holy Spirit poured out upon you or living without it. It is a matter of being like the Savior or submitting yourself to the eyes of men. It is a matter of salvation and eternal happiness or misery.

STRIVE to be STRANGE. There is NOTHING normal about the Lord´s Gospel. The Kingdom of God is NOT normal and only will the strange obtain it. Only the strange will be exalted. 

Love you all. I wish you all the best of luck in your journey to become strange in the Lord. I promise the blessings of Heaven over your head as you all do so.

Elder Noll

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