Aug 26, 2014

The days are long but the weeks go by so fast! I don’t even want it to go this fast it’s kind of freaking me out.

Second transfer down in Yungay and who knows how many more to go! My Companion elder Villegas is outta here, going to Penco and I will have a new companion elder Judkins! He was in my zone in the dirty T-Sur (south Talcahuano zone) and I am excited to work with him here.

SOO many things crazy happened this week it seems unreal. (Just another week in Yungay... it’s all madness down here all the time) we have a new branch president! And all of the missionaries except for me are leaving. The sister missionaries as well left and they are going to send in another set of elders.

I’m staying as branch counselor however which I am excited about.

It’s great working with the branch here...because they really need the help and I feel that I am really making a difference.

What a blessing it is to be the hands of the Lord.

This morning I ran with my companion! We heard of this loop trail through the forest and we wanted to check it out. It turned out to be a 6 mile run. My companion almost died but it was a good time. We went with one of our investigators named Leandro, he speaks English (a little bit) and is going to study abroad in Australia in a couple months.

I know that the priesthood power is real! This week due to some problems that occurred we were able to give blessings and discern how to act in tough situations. I know that the Lord through his power is protecting his servants and guiding us.

Everyone has different gifts and talents that our father in heaven has given us.

But I feel that the most important talent to develop is to learn to listen and comprehend the promptings of the Holy Ghost and then follow with obedience.

Love you!

Birthday brownies that we made for Taylor! :)

August 18, 2014

Happy Birthday Taylor! You old woman! All you lack is a couple more years and a couple more cats to reach your goal in life. Haha

 I’m sorry that was mean. (But everyone’s laughing)

This morning celebrate your birthday I made brownies from scratch! And then I ate all of them with my companion! I do love celebrations.

This morning we also went running. It was so cold but when the sun came up we heated up a bit. I haven’t been running since I was in Talcahuano and I am sure I will be sore. But I loved it.

This week I have recognized the power and influence of the spirit in our lives. And the spirit speaks. Not loudly but strongly. And He will speak to those who are willing to listen. And those with a heart open and really to hear.

Lately, my companion and I have been looking and searching to find those who are looking for the truth. Or finding people who really are ready to receive the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. This requires a certain type of person however. I have been really focusing on people and their ability to recognize the spirit and truth when they hear it.

-Some people do not want to accept because of family traditions, (their family is one religion and will stay that religion until they die regardless of what they hear or feel)

-some people are scared of Change

-some are insecure and are unwilling to take a leap of faith

-some are afraid of what others will think

-But the saddest for me to see and teach are those who are indifferent to everything. Those are they who are happy with what they have and don’t want to look for more.

I have learned a principle in high school from my sprint coach Latanya Sheffield that has stayed with me ever since. And that is to NEVER SETTLE!

When you are sprinting a race there is no time to take a rest, to just be on pace, to glide through until you finish. It’s a fight every second, every step, every moment. You start with power, you don’t settle, or give up and you end with everything you have.

In the mission there is no time to settle, there is so much to do here and so little time. There are so many people who need to hear the gospel but need diligent and active servants to help them come to the knowledge of the truth, when we settle, we lose blessings and the spirit is harder to hear because we are slowing down. And he is not. The sprit doesn’t settle.

Each one of us is running the same race as well, and each one of us every day needs to make the decision to never settle, it’s a constant and conscious thought. I know that there is a lot more that the Lord has in store for us. More knowledge, for experiences, more joy. But we need to be actively looking and with a heart open to hear, accept and apply the promptings of the spirit in our lives.

I can still hear my coach, her voice was always louder and clearer among the noise and cheers of the crowd.

“Don’t settle, Sayre, don’t you settle!”

The church it true. I know that everyone can know the truth if they are willing to humble themselves listen to the spirit and accept the will of the Lord…and never settle.

I love you family! And friends and those who read my blog. I don’t want you guys to just read this... but remember it and apply it in your lives.  

8/12/2014

Sound like the family is doing so many fun and exciting things this summer; running camp, California, Silver Dollar City, freaking Tulsa, BYU Idaho, white water rafting and slip and sliding, and the thought of Cayleb being class president and being in advanced cello classes makes me smile.

I love you all.

This week we had a devotional on the Book of Mormon with our branch. A while back we gave every member a calendar of chapters and verses in the book of Mormon to read every day for 6 weeks, we ended the calendar with this devotional and it went very well. Lots of the members came (10 members) and everyone felt the spirit very strongly. Everyone had a part in the devotional. I gave a brief timeline on the book of Mormon and we sang a special musical number with some of the members.

The book of Mormon is so true. And with the bible we have so much more doctrine that all testifies of our savior Jesus Christ. the book of Mormon even fulfill a prophecy in the bible that one day the stick of Judah and the stick of Ephraim will be one in our hands (Ezk 37. 13-17). The bible: the account of the tribe of Judah and the birth and life of Jesus. The book of Mormon: prophets (Lehi) from the tribe of Ephraim (through the lineage of Joseph in Egypt) who left Jerusalem 600 years before Christ right before Jerusalem was destroyed by the Babylonians (1nephi 5: 13-22 y Ch. 6: 1-6).

Good stuff.

I love being a missionary.

I know we are here for a reason and that God has preserved us to face what we are facing today. He knows that we can do it. He has put his trust in us and now we need to put our faith in him.

Last week for a zone activity we went to the mountains and played in the snow! We climbed to the top of a mountain to a hot water springs but couldn't make it all the way because of the ice. It was awesome.

And today we went to salto de itata again with the zone!

We also bought 3 kilos of carrots for 2 dollars. Best deal in the world!

In one of these pics it looks like my companion is going to kill me with a giant orange knife... look closely...

 And today we went to salto de itata again with the zone!

And we got zone t shirts!

Aug 4th, 2014

Hello friends and family. I hope all is going very good and well for you.

I am just going so great!

This week we had a zone conference and learned about the importance of thinking outside the box, of being creative and using our own talents to work in the vineyard of the Lord. It is SOOOO important to develop talents and gifts of the spirit and USE them while you are on the mission. I have a testimony that there are people waiting specifically for me in every sector that I am called to… and if I am not myself and use what I got I will never find them. We are all different for a reason and that’s what makes this world awesome. I believe that we should, instead of focusing on how to blend in, focus on how to stand out. That is how we make a difference in this life.

Well as I told you last week I have been focusing on studying the scriptures and applying them directly into my life... And in 1 Nephi 3 and 4 I have learned a lot about the mission through the story of the journey of Nephi and his bros as they went to search for the plates of brass.. So thoughts... Of you would like to read along in the book of Mormon while reading this feel free... Maybe you can learn something as well!

v.2 mission calls are sent from God, to his prophets and then to us. They are very specific and have a purpose

v.3-4 a mission is not easy…

v.7 but it is so possible.

v.8 Our father in heaven is pleased with us when we obey

v.13 sometimes we will not have success and sometimes people will reject us and get mad, because we are doing what’s right.

v.14 sometimes we will miss our homes

v.15 but we are here for a reason and I did not come all this way for nothing... so I’m going to finish what I started!

v.16 be faithful and obedient in your missions

v.22-23 BE CREATIVE try new ideas and then try them again. God wants us to work and use our brains.

v.25 sometimes people will rob you and take your stuff (for ex. MY BACKPACK!)

v28... Sometimes you will have bad companions (but hopefully they will not beat you with a rod)

v.29 Now I cannot promise angles will visit you but you will have spiritual experiences and you will see miracles.

- If we put our trust in God, he will put the answer or solution we were looking for in our hands

CHAPTER 4

v.1 have no fear. Who is bigger God or men?

-try again don’t give up!

v.2 look top your leaders and heroes and their example. They will give you strength to act.

v.6 follow the spirit, he knows better than you!

v.10 sometimes we don’t know or understand why we need to do something…but do it anyway

v.14 remember the covenants you have made with God

v. 18 just do it with confidence

v. God will help us through Gifts of the spirit (gift of tongues)

v.31 blessing of morning exercises

v. 34 BE DILLIGENT

v.38 you will always leave the mission with more then you come with. For example Nephi got the brass plates a new sword, new clothes of Laban and a wife later on... haha

I love the scriptures and I love the mission!

Parley P. Pratt once said

¨if it is the will of God that I should spend my days proclaiming this gospel and bearing testimony of these things, I shall think myself highly privileged and honored. And when the spirit of God is upon me I think it matters very little what I suffer, what I sacrifice, whether I secure the honor or dishonor of men or whether I die, if it so be that I keep the faith, fight the good fight, and finish my course with joy. I will have all of eternity before me in which I can enjoy myself¨