Hello family!!
So this week has been super random. I'll try to remember everything.
So we had our mission conference wednesday in Beaver to get our ipads.
It was nuts!! Although I realized i don't know everyone like i used
to...too many new people! haha but it was great to see all my old
companions and friends! follow the link below to see all the pictures.
But the training was awesome! The brethren are really taking this dead
serious. We had Elder Evans and Elder ****** train us on the usage and
purposes. I think from what I received from the meeting, most of the
concern and purpose for the ipads is how to teach the youth how to
control temptation with digital devices. Just preparing the
missionaries to gain righteous habits that they can take with them
after their mission. It was awesome though.
I went to do a baptism interview for this brother that was 87! He is
confined to a wheelchair and is one of the most amazing men i've ever
met! We had the interview and conversed for a while. The next day the
sisters who were teaching him called me and said that he asked me to
perform the baptism for him. What an honor. we had 2 other brethren in
the water to help hold him and make sure he was completely submerged.
It was an amazing experience!
We have been teaching Javen and Lexi and they are doing super well! We
set up rides for them to come to church last week and this week their
mom came with them :D Tender mercies and miracles all around. Lexi
finished more of her personal progress and was rewarded and Javen is
praying about a baptism date.
So side note: during the mission conference they told us in reality we
were not receiving our ipads that day :'( you can imagine the chapel
filled with 163 missionaries just burst into tears. Haha well the next
morning on Thursday President calls me into the office o.O dun dun
dunnnn haha well, i didn"t mention it in last week's email, but 2
weeks ago President called me to be the Pad consultant for the
mission. So he called me into the office and gave me my iPad so I
could configure and toy around with it and familiarize myself with it
so I can create presentations and help troubleshoot any issues. Then
he called me yesterday and asked me to attend the Missionary
Leadership Council this week to give a presentation - which is
awesome! Haven't been to one since December! I miss it a lot.
So that's this week at a glance. Missions are fun, huh? This week has
been focused a lot on second chances and repentance. The Bible
Dictionary mentions that repenting is experiencing a change of heart
or nature. In gospel terms, it is overcoming natural man and acquiring
christ-like attributes to adhere to our innate calling as a
son/daughter of God. There is great power in recognizing our identity
and fulfilling our call as His children. Repentance is for everyone!
Whether we are bad and want to do good or good wanting to be better.
The Savior helps us in every step of the way. I'm grateful for Him and
His atonement. He made iit possible to even ask for forgiveness. How
many times do we take that too lightly. Remember Him always. I love
you. I miss you. God loves you. He misses you. Let's try to make it
back to Him.
Elder Luis Augusto Castellanos
So this week has been super random. I'll try to remember everything.
So we had our mission conference wednesday in Beaver to get our ipads.
It was nuts!! Although I realized i don't know everyone like i used
to...too many new people! haha but it was great to see all my old
companions and friends! follow the link below to see all the pictures.
But the training was awesome! The brethren are really taking this dead
serious. We had Elder Evans and Elder ****** train us on the usage and
purposes. I think from what I received from the meeting, most of the
concern and purpose for the ipads is how to teach the youth how to
control temptation with digital devices. Just preparing the
missionaries to gain righteous habits that they can take with them
after their mission. It was awesome though.
I went to do a baptism interview for this brother that was 87! He is
confined to a wheelchair and is one of the most amazing men i've ever
met! We had the interview and conversed for a while. The next day the
sisters who were teaching him called me and said that he asked me to
perform the baptism for him. What an honor. we had 2 other brethren in
the water to help hold him and make sure he was completely submerged.
It was an amazing experience!
We have been teaching Javen and Lexi and they are doing super well! We
set up rides for them to come to church last week and this week their
mom came with them :D Tender mercies and miracles all around. Lexi
finished more of her personal progress and was rewarded and Javen is
praying about a baptism date.
So side note: during the mission conference they told us in reality we
were not receiving our ipads that day :'( you can imagine the chapel
filled with 163 missionaries just burst into tears. Haha well the next
morning on Thursday President calls me into the office o.O dun dun
dunnnn haha well, i didn"t mention it in last week's email, but 2
weeks ago President called me to be the Pad consultant for the
mission. So he called me into the office and gave me my iPad so I
could configure and toy around with it and familiarize myself with it
so I can create presentations and help troubleshoot any issues. Then
he called me yesterday and asked me to attend the Missionary
Leadership Council this week to give a presentation - which is
awesome! Haven't been to one since December! I miss it a lot.
So that's this week at a glance. Missions are fun, huh? This week has
been focused a lot on second chances and repentance. The Bible
Dictionary mentions that repenting is experiencing a change of heart
or nature. In gospel terms, it is overcoming natural man and acquiring
christ-like attributes to adhere to our innate calling as a
son/daughter of God. There is great power in recognizing our identity
and fulfilling our call as His children. Repentance is for everyone!
Whether we are bad and want to do good or good wanting to be better.
The Savior helps us in every step of the way. I'm grateful for Him and
His atonement. He made iit possible to even ask for forgiveness. How
many times do we take that too lightly. Remember Him always. I love
you. I miss you. God loves you. He misses you. Let's try to make it
back to Him.
Elder Luis Augusto Castellanos
