LAST WEEK"S LETTER

15 February, 2010

I guess you did not get my letter from last week, which is ok because I only have about 5 minutes to write. Thank you, Boydo, for the letter and for the advice. I have gotten 3 packages in total since I have been here, one for Christmas with lots of pencils, one with BBQ sauce that I have bragged about to every white person that will listen, and one from Grandpa. I don’t know how many more I should have. I think if you want to send me those shoe things heel and arch support would be the best. I bought a new suit. I can’t wait until it is done so I can show you how amazing it is going to be. This week was incredible and the week to come will be even better. I love you. Tell Peter Zabriskie, Quintin, and the seminary class that their letters are coming.

So, first off some random stuff. I have a new email address, the church worked with Google to give us Google accounts with a church stamp on it. So my email now is mark.vomocil@myldsmail.net. My mail will arrive in my new account if you send it to my old account, but the old account will only last for 6 months or something so just change now and you won’t have to worry.

The Saints won?! The Colts were 15-1, what happened?

If you see Louis thank him for his letter and tell him I will try and write him soon. Tell the seminary class not to give up hope I will answer their questions. Yeah, I probably need new pants I just never have time. I am going to buy a new suit too; there is a member here that will make it from this super nice material for only 60 dollars. I like the time here, it is bright everyday when I wake up and it is dark when I want to go to sleep. So yes I like it.

Oh just an update on those pictures. The one with 5 people is all the leaders in our zone in the pose of the famous soccer team here called the Liga. The other one is with Elder Herbas, a Bolivian but not my companion. Elder Herbas is the first missionary I went proselytizing with and he is now in his house, finished the mission.

This week has been so fast and so crazy.

First off we are changing houses so we don’t have to leave the house to go to the kitchen.

This week we had the meeting with all the district leaders in the mission. It lasted all day and it was the first one President Sloan has done since he got sick. We spent the first part of the day with President Sloan clarifying responsibilities and inspiring us to be better. Then we had two classes of doctrine that were amazing. I would share what they were about but I think the most amazing part of the day was when I met Elder Rose.

Elder Rose is about 70 years old and works for the Perpetual Education Fund. The first thing he said to me, before hello, or how are you doing, was, “you have the Spirit with you”. I knew I was in for a different experience with him. He told us about his mission. He never really was a great leader or very inspiring but he tried to always be worthy. So one day the assistant to his mission was being released and the President asked him where he wanted to serve for his last 4 months. The assistant said he wanted to go to the worst part of the mission, a sector that hadn’t had baptisms in 5 years and he wanted Elder Rose to be his companion.
They got down there and it was the most dangerous place you can imagine. But just walking from the train to the house about 10 people ran away, scared from Elder Rose. The next day they came looking for him. Elder Rose and his companion tried to contact these people about the church but the people said they already knew everything and they started to teach Elder Rose about Joseph Smith and the Church. He asked where they had learned this, all of them said that five years earlier four people had come teaching all these wonderful doctrine. When the people asked to be baptized they said it wasn’t their calling to do that but when they saw a worthy priesthood holder they would recognize him.
Elder Rose, in his first month in that sector baptized 80 people. When Salt Lake heard about it they sent down Elder Romney to interview these families. They had been taught and prepared by John the Beloved and the Three Nephites. The Spirit was incredible when Elder Rose shared this experience with me. He told me I needed to hear it because there are people waiting for me, people waiting to see a worthy priesthood holder.

This week we worked so hard we never stopped to rest just work, work, work, but still we were having trouble finding people and having lessons. Three experiences made up for every single doubt I had this week.

The first-- Martin, he has been listening since August and doesn’t want to get married so he can be baptized. We read with him about how this gospel is a direct course for eternal happiness. The only way that we can find anything of lasting value for this life and the world to come is to follow Christ. I asked him if he would be baptized. He said yes. Then I asked the more important question, when? I thought he was going to say May but my goal for him was February 20th. He answered February 20. He is getting married this Friday and next Saturday is his baptism.

The next day another family-- that had been listening to the missionaries since September. They are not married but have a testimony and love to listen. I was just about to stop teaching them when I thought I would try one more time. We went and taught about the first things that Jesus taught when he came here. If they are the first things they must be the most important. I asked them if they would be baptized. They both answered yes. When? I again thought they would say April this time. They said in 15 days. February 20.

The last and perhaps most awesome was last night. We went to teach a family. They weren’t there. We went to go visit President Vallejo. He wasn’t there, but when we were near his house, a less active member saw us and asked us to come and teach her husband who had never listened to the lessons before. We went and it started off slightly strange. He loves to underline, very carefully, and was underlining every scripture we were sharing. So when we got to the Joseph Smith story I wanted him to look me in the eyes. So I said the same thing about five times until he looked right at me. I told him about the First Vision and the Spirit testified with power. At the end of the lesson I asked him if he would be willing to be baptized if he got a testimony of the Book of Mormon. He said no. I was shocked; I thought that he was going to accept for sure. But what he said after was perhaps one of the most joyful moments of the mission. He said, “I can’t think so low. I want to live with my family forever. I have to put my goal above that, I want to be sealed in the temple”. His baptism is scheduled for the 27th of February.


The Lord knows who is looking for the Gospel. He knows what His servants need to do to find them. We just have to have enough faith to follow His guidance. Why are we so afraid to ask for miracles? I learned something in personal study that has really helped me in my assignments. In 2 Nephi 2:11 it says, “there must needs be opposition in all things”. I always thought it was only one way. That the world was a happy place and the only opposition was Satan trying to ruin our happiness. I learned that there has to be an opposition to evil and I am that opposition. The Lord needs me to be a person that does not tolerate that Satan wins a single battle. I have to be a witness of Christ in every moment, in all places. I have to be a man that fights for truth.

I hope that you can notice the change this week because I can and I love it.

Until next week,

Élder Vomocil

TRAINING

                                                                                               

So I have great news. First off my package from grandpa got here!

Thank you so much I know it is going to be a lifesaver.

 If you ever want to send another one you should use the green sticker even if they say you don’t have to.

Other great news the weight limit on packages has doubled, it can now weigh up to 4 kilos or 8.8 pounds.

 I am now with my new companion. The training meeting was great. It was my first opportunity to see President Sloan since my first interview the first day. We also got to eat Papa John’s, which was more amazing than words can describe.

 I have been assigned to train Elder Olguin, a missionary from Bolivia. He is an only child but his family are members. I had been praying that I would receive an obedient Elder and I basically got what I asked for. His dedication to obedience is based on the example that he sees in me. He will ask me about a rule then ask what I do with respect to that rule then he will do the same thing. So basically all habits and ideas he will have will have come from me. It is a big responsibility but I am loving being able to teach a new missionary. It reminds me a little of how I was when I first got here and how much I have learned since I have been here.

 I only have a little a time left so I am going to share my testimony so that you can read in sacrament meeting.

People might say that the time served as a missionary is lost time. I might be losing opportunities to study to seek things of the world, but I am saving lives. There is nothing that is more important than what I am doing.

I have learned more about myself as a child of God in these months then I had my whole life before. I learned about the necessity for a Savior, I continue to learn and to love Him more each day.

Success as a missionary is measured in my dedication to give sustenance to a  hungry soul that doesn’t know what is missing. After I have fed this hunger, I can give answers, and show the path that leads to  eternal happiness. Missionary work is a work of miracles. The Lord is with us in this work, his angels protect us and guide us daily.

 I know with a perfect knowledge that my Savior lives.

 I know the reward that is waiting for us after this time of testing. All we have to do it get over ourselves and get into work.

 I love our Heavenly Father. I love the privilege to see people change their lives. I love the people here and I love you.

Have a great week.

 Élder Vomocil

Wow I hate this email. I had a huge letter and it deleted itself. I have 30 seconds. Work like everything depends on you and pray like everything depends on the Lord. I can’t believe it just did that. Love you, sorry for deleting my testimony. Élder Vomocil