Miracles do exist in Monjas

This week was pretty decent. I'd like to start my email off with a quote from my old investigator Eduardo. He said, "Elder White did you know that girl friends don't exist?" And I said "what do you mean?"  "No Elder White, girl friends don't exist. Only girlfriends and acquaintances.  No more questions." This was the argument he used to tell me that friends didn't exist either. 

So the week was way too fast! It was the sixth and final week of the change. 

On Monday we went to the volcano in Ipala. It was my second time and it was pretty fun. I might have gotten a little bit sunburned, but that's chill. We also had a great lesson with our investigator Josué. He is super sick and I am sure he will get Baptized in this change. 

Tuesday we  had a pretty slow day. By that I mean we contacted a lot and stuff. 

Wednesday I woke up at four in the morning throwing up and sick and everything. It was rough. We also had a solid conference with Elder Ochoa from the 70. It was a three zone conference. With the three zones from outside of the Capital. He taught us some really good things. He said something that really touched me. He said, "Elders and Sisters there isn't anyone outside of this building that doesn't deserve to receive the Gospel." I also completed 17 months so that was crazy fast. 

Thursday we taught Josué and invited him to be Baptized. He pulled out the "does my Baptism in the Evangelical Church not count?" And we read in Acts about those who were Baptized without receiving the Holy Ghost and got re-baptized. He then said, "my baptism wasn't valid then." It was great. He did not however accept a date, but he said he will do it. So this change he will become the newest member of the branch I'm sure. We also got cake from our investigator Eduardo because, it was his 19th birthday. We taught another awesome family about the Book of Mormon. The Pallez Family and Josué are the two best investigators when it comes to understanding things that I have had in Monjas. They understand everything perfectly. 

Friday we got the confirmation from Eduardo that he would be Baptized. At 6:00 we left in the bus to Jalapa and he was Baptized at 7. This is where the miracles come in. I never thought I would see the day that he would actually take the decision to do it. He always said yes, but one day. After doing all we could for these three changes with Walton and Castro he finally did it. And after all of the fasting and prayers and sleeplessness it all changes with a simple question that the Spirit put into my heart. 

On Thursday I simply asked him "Eduardo why do you think that we want you to get Baptized." He thought about it and said he wasn't sure. The answer I gave was with all of my heart when I said, "we want you to get Baptized because we love you and we want you to have the joy that we have received through this Gospel. It's not to fill up a paper or to have one more convert. It's because I love you Eduardo and I want you to live with me in Heaven."  He just sat speechless and made the decision. The simplest testimony. Like President Uchtdorf said, sometimes a simple phrase of testimony can set events into motion that change a persons life for eternity. Never doubt the spirit and the power of the things it whispers to us. I never will again. 

Saturday Nothing

Sunday was decent. We had Church and Eduardo got confirmed and got the Priesthood. The Branch President moves faster than a 16 year old boy when he finds out his crush broke up with her boyfriend, but I'm down. We also put a date with his little sister for this Saturday. My companion was supposed to do it, but he didn't so I did and after I made him try to put one in a door contact. Haha. The man didn't accept it. We also got the call and I have changes. I will be leaving Monjas Tomorrow and probably the state of Jalapa for a very long time. Like until I come back to visit Guatemala after my Mission. But I am grateful for the opportunity I have had to be in this beautiful little city. It has been great and I can honestly say that I know I did all that I could to help the kingdom of God grow in Monjas, Jalapa. 

The Church is true Brothers and Sisters. Who knows where I'll write from next week. 

I love you all. With much love. 

Elder Nicholas David White 

17 Months

Elder White & Elder Steed

Ukraine is weak...

I don't know if that is a Seinfeld reference or if I'm talking about the Olympics. But This week was pretty nuts. It went by super fast. 
Monday wasn't p-day so we went back and contacted and had two lessons. It was a pretty solid day. Tuesday was a decent day as well. We had zone counsel which means they just told us stuff we already know and told us to do it. So that was the same as always. It was a bit different this time. They gave us all cards as companionships and each one had something written on it. We all had to teach one principle of the restoration, but we had to apply it to us as a zone or as companionships and include the points on the card. We talk about the restoration. The sisters before us talking about the apostasy and how we can fall into apostasy as missionaries. We talked about  why a restoration is necessary and how we can all experience personal restorations in our missions. It was solid. We also had an awesome lesson with a new family and they understood it perfectly. That's big time news in Monjas when the investigators understand the restoration perfectly. They are an awesome family. 

Wednesday we had a meeting in the capital with all of the trainers and the new missionaries. It was good. We came back in the bus with my old zone like always so that was fun. One of the new kids just walked up to me and was like, Elder white I've heard that you dig Taylor Swift. And I was baffled by the kid, but later I found out how he knew. Turns out we played lax against each other in Vegas in high school. Cool right? We also put a baptismal date with Eduardo for Saturday!

Thursday we went to the Temple. It was awesome. The new video is super sick I won't lie.  I also saw my ward mission leader from Montserrat so that was fun. 

Friday the interview of Eduardo happened. He passed and all. He said he was going to get baptized Saturday at 1. 

Saturday he then said 3 and then said no. So he didn't get baptized and he'll tell us when he will. I says he will he just doesn't know when. 

Sunday another investigator came to Church for the second time so that's good. 

The church is true. This week the fair is in Monjas and it's changed into a crazy city full of people. I love you all. 

Love, Elder Nicholas White

P.S. I like Nicholas more than Nic now

Elder White's "kid" fell asleep during planning

Monjas during the fair

Elder White with a cute little kitten

The P-Day that wasn't

Today isn't P-Day. We're going to the Temple on Tuesday. I feel like I just went when I was in Las Lomas, but it was six months ago. Crazy right? This week was super weird, but it was decent. 
On Monday we went to the Capital. I miss the capital so much. My comp had to go do some paper work stuff. So we left early... or planed to until my kid turned off my alarm clock and went back to sleep. We woke up an hour late and missed our bus. So we went in another bus. Which broke down and left us in the middle of nowhere. So we finally got on one that was passing and we got to the office two hours late. I went to eat with the other Elders that were there so that was fun. We then went to the office to write and we couldn't get a taxi called so we got to the bus station way late. The point is we got home way late and our whole day was spent traveling. 

Tuesday we left with the Branch President for the afternoon because, he wasn't working. It's hard to get him out because of his job so it was good. We had some solid lessons and we found a great new guy named William. We're going to visit him tonight. We also ate some late birthday cake for my birthday so that was cool. 

Wednesday we had a noche de hermanamiento. The Perez family was the only one of our families that came! But they enjoyed it  a lot. So that it good. 

Thursday we finished lunch early and went to the campana in a tuc tuc to visit a sweet family. Then we came back and left with the President again.  We found a  new guy named Jesus that's 20 and he is super cool. 

Friday we taught the Valenzuela family and it was solid, but their problem is going to Church. 

Saturday there was a Baptism of some little kids from the branch so we went to Jalapa. I saw all the friends from the old zone so that was sad.  

Sunday we had some solid lessons. The good part is we taught 19 lessons with member this week. First and last time that will happen in Monjas.

I love you guys. The Church is true. 

Love, Elder White

Eating Birthday cake with Elder Castro