HAPPY SEMANA SANTA

Mark Harrison Vomocil

Ignored? How dare you! I am happy to hear that Brooke got home well and that ...

3:54 PM (22 hours ago)

Mark Harrison VomocilLoading...

3:54 PM (22 hours ago)

Mark Harrison Vomocil

       Ignored? How dare you! I am happy to hear that Brooke got home well and  is adjusting to civilian life again.

        I ate at the only Taco Bell in Quito today. It was basically exactly how I remember it being which brings into question, why I ate at Taco Bell, because it is gross.

        We had Martin´s baptism this week, an amazing but stressful experience. We called our First Counsler of the Bishopric to ask about the arrangements, we do not have a Ward Mission Leader so he does everything. He told us that he had to go to work and had not planned anything. We called the Second Counseler, Bishop, Elders Quorom President, his counelsers, the Young Mens President, his counselers, and no one could come. We spent the day at the chapel filling up the font, preparing the agenda, and trying to invite everyone. The baptism had been announced in sacrament meeting. When 2:30 rolled around Martin showed up but without his family. We tried to keep him motivated and excited and finally at 3 his family showed. The hour when it was supposed to start. Elder Olguin took me aside and asked what we were going to do about witnesses. I told him to change his clothes and God will provide. At 3:15 the Zone Leaders showed up but they gave us some other bad news, a priesthood holder from the ward had to direct the baptism. We started to take pictures to wait for someone to show up. At 3:45 Luis Calderon finally came. During the service all the little kids were running around screaming and the father of the wife of Martin was yelling at random intervals. Overall it was hetic but the ordinance was performed and Martin has opened the door to the celestial kingdom. 

     Also this week it was rather sad, four leaders of the mission have a disciplinary council this Friday. The details I won´t go into but it is so sad to see someone who has prepared their whole life to serve a mission and then blow it during the most important opportunity of your life. It is a reminder that Satan never stops trying and we have to be faithful every moment. I was thinking the other day about what is the reward for being faithful through this life. What is it that we as members and missionaries are working so hard to achieve? Get to heaven. Alright we are in heaven. Bring our family with us. All of your family is in heaven with you. Now what? How sad it must be to be in another religion where the answers end there. That is the goal and the focus. To sit on a cloud for eternity talking with family. I love my family but there has to be something more. What is it that God does all day? I was thinking about it in terms of being a parent. Why would anyone want to have kids? They are messy, noisy, expensive yet ask anyone and the greatest joy are their kids. For me it is to see the progression of your creation. To love something so perfectly that you want the whole world for them, and to help them achieve it. That is what God wants for us-- to be like Him. To have all that he has. To create and progress. I love this gospel. I love the perfection of the Church of Jesus Christ. I love all of you.

Have fun.

Élder Vomocil
P.S. Yes that was me that took out 100 dollars of my account I will send pictures why.

Editor's note--We are all hoping that Elder Vomocil is spending his money on new pants!

CREPES and WAFFLES

22 March

     First off we just came from a restaurant called Crepes and Waffles. Like all food here that tries to copy food from the States I am careful not to get too excited, but this time I was not disappointed. I had a raspberry/blueberry blintz and a waffle to top it all off. Delicious.

    This week we had our District Leader Council and like the first one that I went to, it was amazing. President Sloan knows how to give us stern discipline with all the love in the world. I am inspired every time I talk with him to be a better missionary and a better person. The beginning of this week was pretty slow because of that meeting but Saturday and Sunday were amazing. Saturday started off with some service for Martin. Side-note, the picture with the little black kid is Eric, the son of Martin.

I will send a photo of the whole family next Monday after his baptism. They are my favorite family that I have met here so far. Our service was cutting the grass by hand with a machete. I don´t think I realized how girly my hands were until afterwards I had like 4 blisters and Martin was just laughing and laughing, Elder Olguin´s hands were worse.

      After that service we were walking to the house to change into normal clothes and we saw a huge group of people shoveling. We asked if we could help and after about an hour of shoveling concrete into the mixer we finally got to talk with them. They were all neighbors helping out to build a new house. We talked with all of them and afterward had contacted 40 people. It really shows how service helps the work of the Savior. We had contacted that street before and didn´t have a single investigator we are now teaching the whole street.
     Sunday was even better we had 8 people that came with us to church. After a couple of follow-up appointments with some contacts we had an appointment with the Cajas family. Yes I know that it means box. We started off by talking about sacrifices that the Lord wants of us and the blessings we will receive for completing with them. They are a family of 4, the mom, daughter, and son know that this is the truth and have a huge desire to be baptized, but the father is stopping their progress. He was about to be baptized 12 years ago, when his family told him they would reject him if he was baptized. It is so sad to see him now being the stumbling block for his family, like his family was for him. At the end of the lesson Elder Olguin reminded me that we had the goal to put a baptismal date with them. So we talked about our desire for their progress and then put a date. The mom, Silvia, told us that she had been waking up for days in a row with a desire to pray but for what reason she didn´t know why. She told us that she has had a desire to be baptized but she is afraid of her mother and what she will do. Her mom is a very strong catholic and Silvia is the içonly daughter. I told her that this would not be one of the most difficult decisions she would would ever make, it would be the most difficult. I told her that she has to accept two seemingly opposite ideas. That her family will reject her, her husband will be angry with her, and she will be happier. I was surprised about the words that were coming out of my mouth. I can feel the growth of my testimony because of the things I have heard, seen, and done here. How can I promise someone that they will be happier to take this decision if I am not sure? After talking with her, the son Edison told us the reason that he had not been baptized. He wants to be baptized with his dad. He wants to see the change in his father that he has experienced. In that moment the biggest feeling of gratitude I have ever felt swept over me. I want to thank Boydo. I want to thank you for finding the gospel for me. I thank you for remaining active in the church these many years. I thank you for the blessings of the priesthood you have given me. I thank you for being an example for being a support. I told him in that moment that I felt sorrow for him. I knew that I would never have to pass through the difficulties that he is passing through. Perhaps, it is because I am not strong enough to overcome a challenge like that, but he is strong enough and I know he will be baptized. The mom afterward thanked us for visiting her family, for being an example for her son, for changing their lives. She told me that she would never forget me and I know I can never forget their family. Thank you family for everything. Thank you for helping me be a missionary.

Love Elder Vomocil

SHORT NOTE

Wow, it seems like the rest of the family had a week with more happenings than I did. When exactly does Brooke get home?
I feel bad for Danny that it is all hot and sweaty. Quito is supposed to be in rainy season. I think it has rained two times since I have been here and every other day is chilly just how I love it.

This week was interesting. It was a sad week for the progress of our investigators, but I could not be happier. I have had some really great spiritual moments this week.

First off in my personal study, I have to give a talk, in a meeting we have once a change for all the district leaders, on how we can use our faith to complete with the goals we have. I was reading in chapter 1 of Preach My Gospel and there is a quote from Elder Holland that says this is the most important path any investigator will ever walk. Afterward I read in D&C 15:6, " And now, behold, I say unto you, that the thing which will be of the most worth unto you will be to declare repentance unto this people.." There is another quote from Elder Oaks that says, there is no one else that can do the work that I do.

So if it is the most important thing for them, the most important thing for me, and no one else can do this work, where is the point where all of this comes together? When do investigators realize that it is so important? When do I finally get it through my head that this is the most important and valuable thing I can do? It is when my faith is strong enough, and I exercise my faith to complete with everything the Lord wants. That is the only thing that is holding me back in any way. When my faith is as strong as my desires I will be a missionary that is guided by the Lord, a missionary that can say I have no regrets and gave everything I had.

Sorry for how short my letter is.
I love you so much.

I feel so grateful that you feel my service is blessing your life.


Love,

Élder Vomocil

4th CAMBIO

8 March, 2010

Well cambios have come again and the last part of my first district has left. I am still with my companion, Elder Olguin and I know that this month is going to be the best I have ever had. The new Elders in my district are Elder Gonzalez, from Peru and Elder Falconi, from Ecuador.

If you want to send me a package you should send me Plaquers, or whatever those floss things are called. I had forgotten how gross normal flossing is. Thank you Brooke and Sarah and Aunt Jeanie for the letters.

Things this week have been very interesting. It was the first week that Elder Olguin was directing the program. It is part of being a trainer that the last week-- they direct. That means he plans all the appointments, he plans what we study, the lesson plans and directs our weekly planning session. It has been an eye opener in a couple of ways, first of all the things that he has learned from me. It has been such a great experience to see another missionary learn and grow directly from my example. It has also brought to my attention the things I need to improve. That is one great thing about a new missionary they ask questions about everything and remind you of things that you can do better. This week Elder Squires goes home. He has been an assistant since I got here and is one of the greatest missionaries I have ever seen or known. His humble example, teachings, and testimony have been a great help and source of guidance for me. He is a witness of what a teenager can become if you put all your trust in the Lord. Also this week Elder Quijada goes home, he has been my Zone Leader since I have been a District Leader and what a great example as well.
President Sloan has been putting focus on personal conversion of every missionary and the miracles we can see as a mission if we are all converted. To try and help myself understand what is conversion and how I can be better as a missionary, I was studying chapter 1 of Preach My Gospel. There is a section called The Power and Authority of your Calling. It talks about the opportunity we have as missionaries and as priesthood holders to receive spiritual power. This spiritual power is a testimony to the truthfulness of the priesthood. I was thinking about how can I know that what I am doing is real? How can I know that I am helping people? How can I be sure that the Lord is helping me? The answer is the Spirit. Every time I hear a testimony and feel the Spirit I know it is true. Every time an investigator keeps a commitment and permits the Spirit into their lives I know it is true. Every time we feel the Spirit we should realize that it is a signal from the Almighty God that this is His work and we are helping His children. The prophet has given me the calling. The Lord has given me the authority. The Spirit will give me the power if I seek for it worthily.
This week we have seen miracles in our ward. For the first time in 5 months our ward had a baptism. I am sure you remember Edison, the man that said he could not put his goals only at baptism that he had to keep his eyes on celestial glory, on the temple. He was baptized this Saturday in a very simple but very powerful and beautiful service. The testimony of his wife was one of the strongest I have heard. She has fought day in and day out for 4 years to help her husband accept this church, she has tried to be an example of the believers and now her husband has taken the first step. I will never forget what Edison said to me after his confirmation. He took me aside and said, "This is the fruit of your labor." How could I ever know before the mission that the work would be like this? How could I ever know that the Lord would show me such marvelous things and allow to me to help such wonderful people?
For the first time in 7 months a man that the missionaries have been teaching came to church. It was fast and testimony meeting and almost every single person that got up recognized this man. Luis Salcedo felt the spirit there and I know that it won’t be long before he too will enter the waters of baptism.
I love you all so much. I am so grateful for your words of comfort, advice, and joy. I hope that this letter finds you in the best of spirits and that you can feel the most powerful thing we can experience the love of God.

Until next week,
Élder Vomocil

6 MONTHS

Thank you, first off, to Norm for always sending Nate´s letters, to Lou for being the faithful friend that writes me, and to mom for everything you do.


Man that letter from Danny was a great one I am going to print it off and read it again later.


About traffic here, I think Quito has the most accidents in the world, at least I heard something crazy like that. There are so many buses, lots of cars, and lots of pedestrians.

This week has been amazing. First we changed houses, finally, last night, but when we got there water was everywhere. We found out that the hose that normally attaches to a washing machine had broken and there is water in all of our walls.
Tomorrow I have completed 6 months of my mission. Most of the missionaries here think that I am thinking about how much time I have left until I get to go home, but I am thinking about the goals I set before my mission. Have I completed with a fourth of the things I wanted to before? Have I grown at least a fourth in the strength of testimony I wanted? More than anything this week was one for reflection on what has happened in the six months since I have left my house. I have had some of the happiest moments of my life, I have had some of the saddest, I have been given responsibility, I have helped people changed their lives and I only have a short time left to do even more.

This week we found out the importance of the part of Preach My Gospel that is, Talk with Everyone. On Tuesday we saw a group of boys returning from the soccer field and asked them how they were doing. One of them told us he recognized us because we walked by his house everyday. We found out that 5 of the boys were brothers and that they lived very close. The next day we knocked on their door and the dad answered. With a very angry look he asked, "Who are you?" We tried to explain that we had met his sons and that they said we could visit, but he just asked again, “Who are you?" We answered, “missionaries.” His facial expression changed in an instant and he told us to come in. With the whole family, 8, in a circle we taught about the Restoration, the importance of the message for their family, and the Prophet Joseph Smith. I do not think I have ever met a family that was so prepared to hear the gospel. By the end of the lesson I thought we were in a Family Home Evening instead of a first lesson.

We also had an experience in receiving references from members. The Mocha family lives three houses down from us, one night with no appointments we decided to visit them and ask for friends they knew that would be interested in hearing the gospel. The first thing they told us was this was the first visit from missionaries in 4 years. After a short spiritual thought, the reference they gave us came from their 10 year old son for his friend, Anthony. A couple days later with no appointments we decided to go find him. His family accepted to listen and the Spirit was amazing. The Mocha´s told us that he has given that reference to all the missionaries for 6 months but we were the first ones to listen and now we have family that has been waiting for this opportunity. The work here is doing great and things are going to get better. We don’t have visits from General Authorities often, but Elder Nash the Area Authority is coming in April. I am not sure what else to tell you, next week’s letter will be more news and more spiritual.
I love all of you and I pray for your success.

Don’t give up on touching the hearts of your Seminary class.

Love Élder Vomocil

Oh I forgot an awesome experience that we had. It was Thursday night. We had 30 minutes until we had to be in the house, with no appointments or investigators that lived nearby. Elder Olgiun suggested that we pray to know what to do with our time. After the prayer we started walking without a firm destination in mind. We saw a man in the window and had the thought to ask him if he knew a Marcello that lived on that street. He came out of his house and asked us who we were looking for. I said Marcello. He told us he was the only Marcello that lived on that street. We gave him part of the first lesson there in the street and are going to visit him later. The Lord knows who needs the gospel. I will update you on what else happens with Marcello.

What Happens Now Will Happen Forever

 22 February, 2010

First off about the Olympics, no one here that I have asked even knew that the Winter Olympics existed and I think one person knew about the Summer Games because he is a super fast 14 year old. He runs the 100-meter in 10.7.
That is great news to hear that Quintin got into BYU and the Brooke got into U of U. He should live in Heritage; you don’t have to share bathrooms. And live on the top floor. All the washing machines, music practice rooms, and hang out spots are on the bottom floors so it is the best to live far away from them.
I got your card with the Ensign message and pictures. Everyone here is convinced that Boydo is a reincarnation of Abraham.
To answer Sarah’s question, yes Valentine’s Day exists here but it gets overshadowed by Carnival. I think it is Mardi Gras but all I know for sure is I don’t like it. They just throw water balloons, and flour, and eggs, and foam at you.
This week has been interesting. First, my trainer is now in my zone so it has been fun to see him at times. This week I have been trying to improve me. One day I asked myself why I wasn’t doing everything I could, why I wasn’t completing with the goals we had, why I wasn’t complying with all the rules? The reasons I could think of were: firstly, I am lazy, secondly, I lack love. I read President Uchtdorf´s talk this week many times, about the love of God and what that means for disciples of Christ. It really helped me understand why I do the things I do and have the problems, although they are small, I have. Love is the measure of my faith, the inspiration for my obedience, and the true altitude of my discipleship. Love is the way of the disciple. If I can’t learn to love more profoundly here in the mission, love the men and women that are combined with me in the greatest cause there is, why would I ever be able to learn? I know that I am doing the right things but it is like the talk of Elder Oaks, there is good, better, best. I am tired of justifying in my mind my weaknesses and lack of faith. The Lord expects a lot of me. I have to gain His confidence.
Once again this week I had the opportunity to talk with Elder Rose. Since he does not know Spanish and the only other person was my companion it was just him and me talking. He told me that after he finished his mission he thought that every missionary had the opportunity to talk with angels. He knows now that this is not true but he looked in my eyes and told me to prepare. Prepare for experiences that are going to change my life. All I have to do is be worthy and do everything I can. Prepare to meet the Savior. I am preparing the world for the Second Coming there is no greater calling or responsibility. I think Seminary teacher is a close second. Ah, just to let you know, his uncle is President Gordon B. Hinckley, yeah, that lets you know the type of relationship he has with the church.
I had the opportunity this week to read in, Jesus the Christ, as part of my search for a better answer to a question an investigator had. Wow. That book is amazing. As part of that study I read in Matthew 16. It is so awesome how the scriptures are different every time you read them. I had a very powerful study with the last verses in chapter 16. If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. What a challenge the Lord is giving us in this verse. It is not take up the cross of the Lord it is take up my cross. This life will be hard, harder when I am doing the right things. I have to deny myself, I have to quit thinking in terms of how things can be better for me, easier for me, more rewarding for me, and focus all my heart in the Lord. What is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world and lose his soul? If this gospel is true, there shouldn’t be a single thing I am not willing to do to complete every part. That if, doesn’t exist for me. I know it is true, now comes my test of faith. How glorious will be the coming of our Savior. How much regret I have for not thinking for the well being of my friends before. There is nothing more important than this and I might have been the only opportunity in this life for the people that met me to hear the gospel and I did not share the reward that the world can not give.
I love you so much. I think of you often and work harder so that the Lord can bless you.
Let me know if I didn’t answer anything, most of my letters don’t really have structure beforehand, just words. Love Élder Vomocil

P.S. I will tell you why I got to talk with Elder Rose if you promise not to freak out. Promise? Good. I weigh 177 pounds, so naturally the nurse is freaking out because I have almost lost 40 pounds. So I have taken 2 tests for parasites. Both came back negative. I am still going to take more tests but things are looking like it is just the change in diet and exercise. My clothes really are getting ridiculous but I should be able to buy some new ones soon.