6.22.15 - Noventa y cuatro anos!

We couldn't be more happy for Carmen Castro this week. What a big change we've seen in her since she received the light of gospel truth. She is full of life and energy. It may not look like it from the picture, but she is. Before she would be 24/7 glued to mindless TV programs. She spoke very little. In this last week we saw her playing with the dog, folding clothes, helping cook and avidly participating in the lesson. Her comely personality has come back to her. Her son-in-law brother martinez baptized her with the help of Elder Cruz who supported her back while she quite nimbly submerged into 3 feet of water.

Orlando came to the baptism and brought his wife! They are a prepared family ... if we could ever just teach them ...

Another investigator kept her commitment to read the introduction to the Book of Mormon. Already she's noticed a change in the tranquility in her home.

We met in President Slaughter's house again last night. Elder Hilario was called to be an Assistant, we counciled with a few of the lead sisters in the mission about some changes that needed to be made for exchanges this upcoming transfer and the mission study on the gathering of Israel. I read Genesis 40-41 this morning and I love that all of the house of israel had to  come to a gentile nation to find joseph and salvation during a time when famine was rampant. In our day a lack of the word of the living God was rampant as israel was scattered amongst all the gentile nations. Finally with the gospel restored in it's fulness the house of israel must come unto joseph, and like joseph of old who administered bread, joseph smith has the power to administer the ordinances of salvation. Praise to the man!

I went on exchanges with Elder Black, Elder Brough, Elder Hill and Elder Mcquinn this week.. I'm not very good at taking pictures, but i'll be better. It was busy because the exchanges fell on the same day as 2 zone conferences, and i just had the job of giving a little class on teaching with technology.

The blessing of being spanish called in the united states is you get to practice habits to develop new skills that you wouldn't if growth were demanded by the environment. We could go out to work every day without planning our time, and we could work as hard as we wanted all day, but by the end of the week we probably wouldn't have anyone at church because our efforts were not tailored to accomplishing that one goal. Similarly, if we want to develop a skill, the goal needs to be followed by a plan that is achievable, measurable, and is purpose filled. On exchanges we talk a lot about realistic goals that can be be completed by the end of one day, and breaking big tasks like learning a language into little bite size pieces we can manage day by day. The dedicated and intelligent effort made over not too long very quickly bring gratifying results.

I love you very much!
Stay Salty!

Elder Tyler Meidell