Happy 2011!

Hey Family!

This last week was a good one. We were so busy with wrapping up the year and such that we actually only worked our area 3 of 7 days last week. Miraculously, the Lord blessed us and we still ended up teaching 19 lessons in 3 days! 17 with members! The young men of the ward have finally stepped it up and we have set times every week when each of them comes out with us missionaries. We got a new Young Men's President and missions are his #1 focus. We love it. It is something I wish I would have done a little more often back home.

Friday we spent half of the day practicing for the Missionary Choir at the Temple. That night all the missionaries from the Mesa Mission performed and sang 10 pieces or so. Though we made mistakes and such in our singing, the Spirit was strong. Our closing song was, "This is the Christ". It was way hard to sing, but the words of that song are incredible. I think that was my best new years to date. The temple was packed. The Spirit was there. I was with all of my missionary friends, and I am glad the Christmas season is over. I am tired of standing out in the cold (It snowed last week...hahahah I know!!!) and having sore feet. I am ready to jump back on the bike and get some people on the path to Eternal Life.

I would say that this past Sunday was the Highlight of the week. We had a priest come out with us in the morning and we went around and knocked the doors of every single one of our investigators to remind them about Church. We have Church at 2pm so we have all day to go teach before. We talked to a good dozen families, most of which who said they would come. We taught them all lessons and prayed with them. I was way excited. Hispanics enjoy their sleep, and with church at 2pm they are all bien-awake. In some ways however, Sunday separated the Wheat from the Tares. We had dozens of people promise to come, and yet only four did. Ironically enough, these are our investigators who are taking steps of progression. They are repenting and comign unto Christ.

To myself, I took it as a sign that I need to work harder to help people feel and recognize the Spirit. In Preach My Gospel it talks about how when people feel the Spirit they are more likely to keep committments. Keeping committments is taking steps to repentance. I need to do a better job of helping people realize the importance of repentance in their lives.

Moises and Graciela are STILL awaiting the arrival of Graciela's birth certificate. We bought them nice copies of the Triple Combination and The Bible as new year's gifts. It is funny because Moises' favorite book of the book of Moses (Moises is spanish for Moses). My favorite book is Alma (That is kind of my name...). I want them to get baptized so bad. They are ready. They are going to be solid members of the Church.

Emilio decided he may have to end up leaving his wife to get baptized because she does not want to get married/divorced from her other husband. Emilio so badly wants to be baptized. We do not want to break up the family though because they have children, one of which is baptized. Tearing a family apart will not be good. We are looking for a way into the heart of his wife at the moment. She used to talk to missionaries, but then she got offended. Apparently they got fairly bold with her.

Jocabed is our next person lined up for baptism. Unfortunately she has not come to church the last two weeks. She is finding odd excuses and it really has me worried. She is almost in the book of Jacob in the Book of Mormon, so I would suppose that she should have ans answer. We are planning on teaching her a lesson more focused on FEELING the Spirit. That is what she needs. She needs to understand what the Spirit is and why it is important. She is coming from a Pentecostal background which makes it hard. Their interpretation of the Spirit is very skewed. Very skewed.

We found a new family last week that we hope to keep teaching. Their are Jorge, Alma, & Letti. They used to talk to missionaries but were dropped because they moved and did not tell the Elder's where to. We have only taught them once, but I think they should progress quite well. The husband is always willing to pay attention and so we are excited. I will keep you posted.

On Saturday I will be getting transfer news. I will find out if I am staying or going. I think I am going to stay and Elder Williams is going to go. He has been here for 4.5 months. I think they will bring in someone more aged in the mission because Elder Williams only has one more transfer than I and he is the oldest Elder. I have really gotten used to him and I enjoy having him as a companion. I have finally grown to care about him and I have gotten over his quirks. We are starting to have a lot of success, but I think that will continue regardless of what we find out on Saturday.

I feel like for myself that has already passed by, BUT it is continually tested and tried every single week and day here. The big difference comes from what you say dad. I am reading and praying every single day. With those things my testimony grows and I recieve repeated confirmations of my testimony. A chapter that has taken great effect on me during my mission has been Moroni chapter 7. It talks about the Light of Christ. I know how I can know if something is true or not. If it brings me closer to God, it is good. If it distances me from him, it is not....fairly simplified, I know, but it is the basis of how to gain a testimony.

On New Years I did get to take a quick nap of 45 minutes or so. Other than that I played soccer, basketball, and fixed bikes all day. I feel like I should charge money, but I do not want to profit in any way on the mission. Working on bikes is something I enjoy. I completely revamped one bike on saturday that would not change gears, stop, or other basic things. In about an hour of tooling around I had it shifting and braking like new. It was kind of cool to do something like that. I enjoy helping others, a lot. I hope that characteristic follows me throughout life.

Well, I had best be going. Just know that I love you all and miss you. I think of you often and pray for you daily. I am so proud to call you my dad, mom, sister, and brother. You are all so great. Keep reading and praying. Have family home evening. If you do, everything will be a-o.k. I miss you, but not to the point of homesickness. I know that Heavenly Father is watching over you! Keep enjoying the winter for me. And mom, you should go up to the mountain with them some day. I would love a picture of you all in my favorite place! You don't have to ski! Haha, Well, I love you!

con amor,

Elder Jonathan Alma Pearson