Mayo...is it really Mayo?!?!!

I guess you could say the rainy season has begun again!! :)

 “What an incredible opportunity it is for all of us to share our testimonies of the Restoration of the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ in these latter days.” —Elder Richard J. Maynes (CES Devotional from yesterday)

Highlights for 2/5/16:

Highlight #1: Contacts. Well, for those who have served missions this update may be WOW or it may be "really? you're excited about THAT??" It just depends where you served, but for me I'm pumped! :) As many of you know I love talking to people and getting to know them! So one of the bread and butter abilities of missionaries, and an event that occupies much of a missionaries day, is Contacting. Contacting is the act of a pair of missionaries talking to someone they did not know...this may be running you down on the street, knocking continuously on your door, or a surprise "activity" your member friend invited you to and just happened to invite us as well. In whichever of a long list of different activities we get to know you :) The instruction that has been given my entire mission is that we need to be contacting at least 10 people/day (70 people/week). This has been a constant goal that I've had...well this week went just a little over that goal. We contacted 105 people...yeah! More than 100! I was pretty excited! :) Last week we had contacted 95...so we worked extra hard this week to keep doing better than we've ever done before...and our result? More lessons, more contacts, and more success :) :)

Highlight #2: We began working with a pilus family this week! I love this family! The dad served a mission under Mission President Adrean Ochoa...yeah, THE Elder Ochoa, as in the member of the area seventy now. His wife is from Honduras, they have 4 daughters. One of the daughters leaves from her mission to Costa Rica in June. We began working in another part of our area this week. It's a part that always seemed so far away and that no one would come to church from over there because it's so far. But then we found how the "locals" travel and it really ain't that far :) So we have been focusing our efforts there this week. So the first thing we did was find the members that live over there to ask their help, receive reference, and let them know that we were in that part working for whatever need they may have :) And may I just say that we have found some GREAT families!!!! :) One of the youth that we contacted with this member family came to church yesterday!!! :) That was exciting! :) The work is picking up! :) I LOVE IT!

Highlight #3: We found a wonderful family a week ago. The hno attended the "mormon" church more than 20 years ago with his family before they left for the states. But he is back in Guate and married. They are reading the Book of Mormon, praying, and truly looking for God's church. I love them! It was miraculous how we had our first lesson. About a change ago my comp and I contacted the wife one morning and she told us that any day after 5pm we could go by...so we went by...and went by...and went by...and the husband was never there. Last Monday night we were passing past this house and I felt we needed to talk to them no matter what, right then the wife walked out their door. So I took my opportunity and asked if her husband was home. He was! :) We had a great first lesson with them, they have a baptismal date that they are working towards, and this last week we had the second visit with them. They are super pilus, their questions are genuine and sincere and searching. I love it! And they are very straight forward, as in they told us that as soon as they get their answer they will for sure be baptized on the date we placed with them...but if they don't have the answer they will let us know that haven't received their answer. If only everyone was that sincere and straight forward, it would make my job a lot easier...but I guess it was never meant to be easy ;) jaja

“We should share this sacred event and the things we have learned from it with all those we love and care about...many of those searching for direction and purpose in life are represented by the age group participating in this devotional. They are your friends and your associates.” --Elder Richard J. Maynes (CES Devotional from yesterday)

I love sharing this sacred event with EVERYONE. One's testimony is one of the only things one can share with another that cannot be argued or denied by others. I love testifying of the knowledge I have. I know that Joseph Smith needed direction, so he went to a grove close to his home. There his sincere prayer was answered by one of, if not the, most eternally changing events in the history of the world (2nd to the Atonement). I know he saw our Heavenly Father, and that our Heavenly Father presented His son, Jesus Christ. I know that Joseph Smith had the opportunity to converse face to face with the Son of God, and receive the knowledge and direction he was seeking. I testify that these events happened. I may not have been there watching it unfold, but I know it is true. And the miraculous part is that YOU can know with the same assurity. As James 1:5-6 instructs, we must ask in faith, NOT DOUBTING, that we will receive an answer to our prayers. I promise that He will answer! The answer will come through the Holy Ghost. Seek and ye shall find! And when you have found out for yourself please let me know :) I want to hear/read your testimonies and your experiences.

With love and prayers,
Elder Flake

PS Mayo is not short for mayonesa...it's May in Spanish...just if you were wondering ;)

PPS The chips in the picture I actually did eat...the whole bag...and I just about died ;) jaja! Can't wait for you guys to try them when you come! :) :) WOOHOO!

Don't worry, I eat some "healthy" stuff too!