Service and Sunburns

This week was an awesome week!!  It started with exchanges with our zone leaders, so I was with Elder Fonua, and we got to go chicken hunting! That was an adventure all on it's own- fences were jumped and funny looks were seen, but after about 45 minutes we got the chicken!!

Then, this week was Earth day, so we got to spend 2 hours picking up trash, then we got fed lunch, and then spent two more hours painting for a member!  We spent most of the day in service clothes, and in the 80 degree sun.  That means this week, as a total, around 14 hours of service, including weeding, painting, picking up trash, and washing windows.  Twas a lot of fun!!

Also, on Saturday, we had a lady knock on our trailer door, and we found out that she was trying to help people come to Christ through song!  So we talked for a little bit, after which she sang to us a Spanish song about having a heart of clay, and then we sang "I am a Child of God" to her, and then we gave her an apple and an orange* and a copy of "The Living Christ", took a picture with her (cause that was a pretty cool/unique/weird experience and sent her off on her way!  (So there's the picture)

Yesterday, we had 3 less-active families that we're working with come to one branch, the Laguna/Acoma branch, for sacrament meeting,  and we haven't been able to meet with two of them for at least 2 weeks- so that was a miracle in and of itself!!

The To'hajiilee building for church, also, just got the internet!  You may not think of that as anything cool, (I mean, doesn't the internet go everywhere??)  but this branch has been lacking- you don't realize how influential the internet is church until you don't have it!!  Now we can be more effective as we teach others about family history- we just need a computer out there or something so we can teach them how to do their own family history and such!

Anyways, that's all I got for this week- a lot of miracles are happening, and it's sweet to see!!  This work is a work of miracles, so you better start believing in them, because you need to see the ones that are already happening in your life!!

Te whanaunga mo ake tonu!!

Elder Eli James Dial

Hola, all!

Hola, all!  (Happy Easter yesterday!!)

This week has been awesome!  To start off, I'll mention what happened yesterday.  we had lunch with a family that has been returning to activity, and their son is also a recent convert, but there was only one catch- it was Easter dinner combined with a baby shower, so 40 people were there.  We had Navajo tacos (my first one from an actual Navajo) and it was glorious! 

We also had exchanges last week, so Elder Snow came out here to Laguna with me, and Elder Jackman went to Albuquerque with Elder Schraedel, and it was a lot of fun!  I got lost once or twice, but hey, I'm still alive and everything is going good!  We met with an investigator that Elder Jackman and I have struggled to meet with, but the guy was drinking beer while we were there, so we don't know how effective that was.  He feels condemned because of some things he's done in war as a sniper, but we shared with him the story of Alma the younger, after that he asked us where it was and he's going to read it!  We were able to share with him that peace can come to us through Jesus Christ, and how Alma felt that through his experiences.  The Book of Mormon has the power to bring the Spirit into people's lives and that is going to change them so they can feel/remember who they are and that there is always hope!

Elder Jackman and I gave talks in To'hajiilee yesterday, and it was pretty goodish!  We didn't really have much time to prepare as we had exchanges on Friday/Saturday, but we did alright!  It was a lot of fun, but that was my 3rd time giving a talk since I've been in this area- 2nd one in that branch, and I've discovered that I don't really like giving talks as much as I used to in Shelley!  I prefer being in a classroom setting, but I'll get over it. 

Everything is going good here in Laguna, Acoma and To'hajiilee!  Christ did die for us, and don't ever forget just because Easter's past!  He's never forgotten you, so don't ever forget Him!

Te whanaunga mo ake tonu!!

--

Elder Eli James Dial

It's been April for a week??

So, before I forget, Happy Birthday to these people in the month of March:

Brooke, Hannah, Kimbal, Grant, and Allie!

Now for the pictures: this dog is the first dog that gave me a hug.  His owner is the former governor of the Pueblo of Laguna, (the one who helped come up with the Constitution for the Pueblo) and the best part is....... The dog's name is Obama..... That's right, I can say that I got a hug from Obama. XD

Next picture, is about a detail that I kinda forgot the area I'm serving in.... I live next to Mater and I've been to Radiator Springs.  Woot!!  :)

I've decided that one of the more difficult parts of missionary work is not seeing the results of your work.  But... not this week!  At the To'hajiilee branch on Sunday, instead of the usual 10-15 people, we had 30 people there (and none were visitors from Albuquerque!)- one less active family that wants to go to the temple finally came, and a recent convert and his family also came after his mom is able to walk now after having knee surgery.  It was pretty sweet!

We've also been gaining a lot of member trust, so much so that they are trying to get a youth activity put together to bring some younger families back (our stake president said [and it's true] that if we don't get more young people out here, then we won't have a branch, because all the active members will be dead).  That, and, we very well might become seminary teachers!!  That'll be a lot of fun!

Everything else is going awesome!! We visited a mother and daughter who are less active because they got offended, and everytime we've gone over, they were not interested and just nonchalant about us being there.  This last time we visited them, they were watching golf, but we just asked about golf.  Then we shared a message with them and they opened up and were more of themselves- we actually felt like we were their friends! 

The work must go on, and it's going to move forward with or without us, so just keep loving people and being their friend! 

Te whanaunga mo ake tonu!!

Elder Eli James Dial

Transfer Week.....again?

This first picture is the equivalent (in size) to the beast from The Sandlot.  His name is Lunch Bucket, he's the nicest dog you ever did meet, but he's intimidating as....  whatever is intimidating...  ;)

The next picture is of the miracle that happened in my area when I was on exchanges, so I only got to see the remnant of it, hence this picture.

Next order of business, shout out to those who did the challenge that I left last week, but I am still sending this email to everyone, because I didn't want to email only four people this week, but that just means that those four people get a picture or two that the rest of the people won't.  As long as you have something SPECIFIC in mind as to what you are going to do to apply something you learned from conference, (and, if you actually do it)  than you're still doing awesome!

As for this week, I went on exchanges twice, once with Elder Schraedel, who just finished his training, so I helped him be a little more confident in his abilities, and then with Elder Nelson, one of our zone leaders, who is from Ririe, so we were both cheering when the Pocatello temple was announced. 

Which brings me to General Conference. 

Twas awesome, I made a list of things that I am going to be doing to apply what I learned, so it'll be a lot of fun! My favorite talk was either by President Uchtdorf or Elder Holland (yeah, typical) but those were what I needed to hear. 

Another thing that is awesome from this last week is found on the front page of www.mormon.org  and you all better know what it is and watch all two minutes of it.  Then, share it to social media, because there are people that are waiting for you to share that video, because you never know who is going through a hard time, and which video they're going to watch.  So share it, because it's just that awesome to be that part in someone's life.  :)

As far as transfers go, I'm staying here with Elder Jackman, it'll be a lot of fun as we work our hardest to see miracles- they're everywhere, and the best miracle you can see is the one that happens in your own life- so keep doing what is right because those are the things that will make that miracle happen!

Te whanaunga mo ake tonu!

Elder Eli James Dial