When in the service of the Lord, your energy will fail you long before the amount of good you can do.
I've never felt so proactively busy, and despite that it seems like with human errors we're always hustling to keep up with the schedule we've set for ourselves. It is a very different world on the south side of san antonio, maybe I didn't realize before because i'd just come from Mexico which has a much lower standard of living than the united states, but it is evident now there are a lot of people going through hard times. One less active family we taught has 4 kids, each with very diverse problems caused by snares and traps from the devil. Drugs, pornography, abuse, leading to incarceration and a cycle of child-bearing that merits the very same offspring. It's definitely a different world from one founded in gospel truths. We thought, how can we help? Healing comes through repentance, and honest repentance will require every one to pay restitution, in time, the debt they owe to society. We can teach the Doctrine clearly, and assure them that healing and salvation is well worth the penitence.
In this past week we went to MLC. We started in the temple. I learned that day about how crucial it is for us to report to the lord our labors. I also thought about how perfect of a representative Jesus Christ is of God in everything he does. We studied how to teach using the scriptures, and applying the principles has really opened up the way we relate the principles specifically to individuals lives. Amos 8:11-12 really didn't help me teach the apostasy until I practiced with it, and now I see more clearly how a famine of the word of God is a loss priesthood authority when remembering the scriptures were not lost during those 1700 years.
We taught the same principle again to our district leaders on Friday and did plenty of planning.
I feel pretty comfortable in spanish, but I in themes outside of the gospel I'm still weak in vocabulary. We gave a church tour to a group of 22 on saturday night. About 6 non members and friends, and we plus another companionship took them around for about 45 minutes. As we explained the significance of the sacrament while sitting up where the deacons would the spirit was powerfully present. 4 of them came to church the next day.
Our most progressing investigator is Maria. She's ready to go, but she lives in a house where her (not legally wedded) husband also comes and goes. So once we figure that out we're excited to help her make her first covenant.
This work is true. It is very very true. God is at the helm. Trust him and Go all in.
I love you very much!
Stay Salty!
Elder Tyler Meidell
Wednesday, March 25, 2015
3.9.15 - El sucio sur
I love the dirty south!! Man, we live in the ghetto.
When I started my mission I was assigned to the 5th ward, a spanish ward, and after 3 months i packed my bags for eagle pass. Now, a full year later, I'M BACK! The 5th ward had to combine with Las Palmas because it wasn't thriving on it's own, so now our area, Las Palmas A, is what the Las Palmas ward used to cover and the ward is comprised of half old 5th ward members! So i'm working a different area, but with many of the same members. There were some sweet reunions at church yesterday when I surprised some families i'd served alongside a year ago. They pretty much all just made jokes about how bad my spanish was the last time they saw me ...
I'm serving with Elder Masters, and I couldn't be more excited for this next transfer. It was sad to leave Elder Gonzalez; i'd grown closer to him than to any of my previous companions, but after everything we'd learned from each other we were ready for a change. Since i arrived to the south side it has been non-stop action. I want more than anything to have success in this area. Elder Masters is a lot like me, very self critical, very goal oriented and he loves the work. So we've been consecrating all of our conversation and time to God and in just the few lessons we've had we've been very bold in extending invitations and explaining the singularity of our message.
It's been a lot of time sitting and planning too. in 3 days we had to do weekly planning, zone planning (after trying to memorize all the names and areas and histories of the new missionaries) MLC prep, coordination with a our high council rep and we drove up to the alamo ranch building for a Justserve kickstart meeting for the south stake.
"Let us here observe, that a religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things never had power sufficient to produce the faith necessary until life and salvation." One thing I learned about covenants is that it puts us in the position to be tried and tested by God, to see if we'll be true and faithful in all things. The greater condemnation the greater light of these covenants brings into our lives compels us to be always abounding in good works. We don't accept the covenant, nor the blessing of the holy ghost which leads us back to the father, until we've demonstrated to an authorized representative that we understand and are willing to accept the Lords terms. If we've done that, we know we cannot sin in ignorance, which sin was payed for by the sacrifice of Christ, if we haven't we can only be judged according to the light and knowledge we have received. By making the promise with God, and receiving the full knowledge of his plan, he can then try us until our faith becomes perfect unto salvation; until we can pass through the veil that is between us and God.
Elder Masters helped me this week when he said, "while on your mission, the adversary will bring to your remembrance many things that will make you feel unworthy. if you've repented, ignore him." I took some time to say a closet prayer, to be sure, and as i talked to my Heavenly Father as openly and as freely as i ever have the feelings of my heart. I was blessed to feel his peace, and took time to thank him for the matchless gift and sacrifice of his son Jesus Christ. I felt a greater commitment to be changed. I felt his presence with me poignantly, and i count it as one of my most treasured spiritual experiences.
I love you!
Stay Salty!
Elder Tyler Meidell
3.2.15 - Servicio para estudiantes
What a great week!
First, transfer information...
Drum Roll. bdbdbdbbdbdbdbd
Transfered!
I leave Thursday to a new area. Beside myself, 2 missionaries in our zone are finishing their missions, Elder Moss and Sister Done. Sister Espinoza will also be transferred. This is all very exciting because with only 5 changes amongst 23 missionaries, they will all have a chance to get into the groove of their area, they will build relationships with the members of their wards, and I've seen that the most success comes after at least 3 months of service in the same congregation.
We got involved with a different service organization this week. The name escapes me, but they prepare food bags for children who go home to empty kitchens on the weekends so they have something to eat until school again on Monday. We found it through just serve and it was a delightful surprise to find the shift we chose to be filled with members of the LDS church! It was by coincidence a ward picked the same shift we had, but how great that members of the church are getting out there and giving so freely of their time. It is inspiring to work with such a good caliber of people. I was the plastic bag tie-er at the end of the assembly line guy/ put the big bucket of bags in the truck guy.
Elder Gonzalez was sick for 4 days of the week. He just had some crazy congestion that eventually got so bad it hurt his ear and we thought we had an ear infection. So we took him to a clinic and it was thankfully a false alarm.
Our Ward Mission Leader, Brother G., had some heart trouble this week, so after sacrament meeting we took he and his family the sacrament and gave him a blessing in the hospital.
A less active member of the Spanish branch called us on Friday and asked if we could say a prayer over his house because he thought there was a bad spirit there... oh brother... Spanish branches.. We went but it turned out to be a front. He wanted to vent to us about his divorce we was going through. The first thought that came to mind was, what commandment have you been breaking? He said they'd grown apart, and I know that isn't something that just happens. So we kept silent and waited until the end to bear testimony of the priesthood keys our branch president holds and then encouraged him to schedule an interview. He said they don't have the best relationship, and we told him to get past it because he needs to rely on that personal representative of Christ in his life. Anyways, we hope he mans up by humbling himself to do it. It would be a little tragedy to end a temple marriage.
What else has happened, well, as a mission we've been focusing on some chapters that are dense with doctrine on the plan of redemption. I've learned that the chains of hell are nothing more than the deceptions of the adversary. He was a liar from the beginning, set on bringing glory to his name and misery to the human family. Anything that detracts or even distracts from the message of the gospel of Christ in its fulness: faith in christ by repentance to attain mercy are the chains of hell. As we choose to accept greater light by exercising that faith in christ our ability to discern between the chains of hell and the word of God is increased. As we harden our hearts, and choose to reject the word of God, we will lose light, and will decrease in understanding of the plan of redemption so subtley until we find ourselves living contrary to the plan and living as if the redemption of christ was never made. I pray we may all soften our hearts, receive the greater portion of the word of God, and abound in that light until the perfect day.
I love you!
Please stay salty!
I love you!
Elder Tyler Meidell
First, transfer information...
Drum Roll. bdbdbdbbdbdbdbd
Transfered!
I leave Thursday to a new area. Beside myself, 2 missionaries in our zone are finishing their missions, Elder Moss and Sister Done. Sister Espinoza will also be transferred. This is all very exciting because with only 5 changes amongst 23 missionaries, they will all have a chance to get into the groove of their area, they will build relationships with the members of their wards, and I've seen that the most success comes after at least 3 months of service in the same congregation.
We got involved with a different service organization this week. The name escapes me, but they prepare food bags for children who go home to empty kitchens on the weekends so they have something to eat until school again on Monday. We found it through just serve and it was a delightful surprise to find the shift we chose to be filled with members of the LDS church! It was by coincidence a ward picked the same shift we had, but how great that members of the church are getting out there and giving so freely of their time. It is inspiring to work with such a good caliber of people. I was the plastic bag tie-er at the end of the assembly line guy/ put the big bucket of bags in the truck guy.
Elder Gonzalez was sick for 4 days of the week. He just had some crazy congestion that eventually got so bad it hurt his ear and we thought we had an ear infection. So we took him to a clinic and it was thankfully a false alarm.
Our Ward Mission Leader, Brother G., had some heart trouble this week, so after sacrament meeting we took he and his family the sacrament and gave him a blessing in the hospital.
A less active member of the Spanish branch called us on Friday and asked if we could say a prayer over his house because he thought there was a bad spirit there... oh brother... Spanish branches.. We went but it turned out to be a front. He wanted to vent to us about his divorce we was going through. The first thought that came to mind was, what commandment have you been breaking? He said they'd grown apart, and I know that isn't something that just happens. So we kept silent and waited until the end to bear testimony of the priesthood keys our branch president holds and then encouraged him to schedule an interview. He said they don't have the best relationship, and we told him to get past it because he needs to rely on that personal representative of Christ in his life. Anyways, we hope he mans up by humbling himself to do it. It would be a little tragedy to end a temple marriage.
What else has happened, well, as a mission we've been focusing on some chapters that are dense with doctrine on the plan of redemption. I've learned that the chains of hell are nothing more than the deceptions of the adversary. He was a liar from the beginning, set on bringing glory to his name and misery to the human family. Anything that detracts or even distracts from the message of the gospel of Christ in its fulness: faith in christ by repentance to attain mercy are the chains of hell. As we choose to accept greater light by exercising that faith in christ our ability to discern between the chains of hell and the word of God is increased. As we harden our hearts, and choose to reject the word of God, we will lose light, and will decrease in understanding of the plan of redemption so subtley until we find ourselves living contrary to the plan and living as if the redemption of christ was never made. I pray we may all soften our hearts, receive the greater portion of the word of God, and abound in that light until the perfect day.
I love you!
Please stay salty!
I love you!
Elder Tyler Meidell
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