Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Yakima Washington District--Warden


July 27th

Hey everyone!! How are all of my favorite people in the world doing?!?!

We've been SUPER busy around here. It's been really weird to have a Preparation-Day...feel like we should be doing something else...BUT that might just come from the fact of being a new transfer and all. 

As stated previously stated, we've had a really good week! The best description for everything is what I remember from the California screamer ride in Disney Land: easing into the week is like getting shot forward at a million miles an hour. THEN we had some really amazing miracles out the roof. Then everything seems to explode right in your face. BUT then God sends some more crazy miracles, and a cool loop the loop to add some fun memories to it all!! 
...I need to get off the analogies..,.I'm starting to get it apply this one to a full mission. JAJA!! 


We've been working a lot with Wolf and Codi. Put simply...they are the best!  
We've basically been meeting with them every day, and they've been on fire with a desire to learn and come closer to Christ. But it's been crazy to see that the adversary has been working hard, and very clear and wide open to stop them from taking these steps. A few days in a row, we received a call saying that something happened, and they dont want to see us any more. But we'd run over and just trust the Spirit to help and lead. It's been a black and white change with when the Spirit was there and when it wasnt. 
Before we started teaching, he said one of the coolest and funniest things!! He said he read that Satan would send temptations and such to stop us from following Christ...Then said how much he hates Satan, and either how he wants to inflict physical pain to him or send him some of his really hot peppers he's growing (we had some...they're hot!!)!! 
Both of them are coming unto Christ the 28th of August, so we are pretty happy bears and eagles (using the native american names Wolf gave us!!). 
Both of them were also able to come and join us for Sunday services, and the Spirit of it all was so amazing!!! 


I want to bear my testimony of the Sabbath day. We live in a time where the Sabbath (Hebrew for "rest") is not a focus at all. I think that this is ONE OF the brightest lights that others do and can see, but more importantly, it's a clear message to our Father. What kind of message do we want to give Him on His day for us? We need, especially in this time, a day to reflect more deeply on the Spiritual, escape the world, and rest! I love to rest!! Who dosent!!??

I love you all!! Look forward to this upcoming transfer here in Warden...btw, ya, we got transfer calls, and both of us are kicking it here in Warden!! 
See yall in a bit!! 

Abrasos!!

--
Elder Glen Wright Washing Kennewick Mission 

Monday, July 20, 2015

Zone in New yakima Washington Mission



July 20th--Dancing with Wolf

Hello everyone!!
I cant really even call this a week!!!! It's been a good two or three days since I emailed all of you last! 
As you can tell, we've been keeping really busy, and time is FLYING by!!

Even though it was gone faster than it came, it was an incredibly productive week!! 


Amazing news:

-GRACE IS ON DATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We were able to have an amazing lesson where we could feel the Spirit SO strong. At the end when we brought up baptism, she said that she's been feeling that she really wants to. We've been able to see that desire grow and grow for a good while, and we're really excited for working with her this upcoming month. Not only that, but she downloaded the Gospel Library app and now has the Book of Mormon in Tagalan!!! HOW COOL IS THE GOSPEL??!!

-Armed with hoses, we fought off wasps like beasts!! We had to clear out nests that were in almost all of the 20 or so large flower pots she was going to plant. WOO! Not one sting! 
That was for our weekly service with a sister by the name of Ruth. We've also gotten her outside and working along side us, which has really improved her health! Love service!! 

-Met one of the two coolest people on the planet!! Wolf and his daughter Cody. We met them when one of our members gave us a referral to go and visit them. They both were on the search for a church. They are a hoot and a half!! He herds, sells, and butchers goats, and Cody rides horses for the Othello fair, which is happening this September 18.  We met them on a Saturday, and Cody came to church the next day! The whole lesson was really good, and all of us naturally were a fun, laughing  bunch! We'll be meeting them again tomorrow, where he's going to grill us up some fresh goat!! 

-Had dinner with a returned missionary at the best Asian restaurant in Othello...kind of the only Asian restaurant in Othello. And shared some really funny missionary stories. He's got some really really really good ones!! 

-Had interviews with our mission president, President and Sister Lewis. They are such a nice couple, and we're really blessed to have them here! ...almost got off with them thinking I was really young on my mission, so that could have gotten me at least another month or so until they realized...jaja!! Then all the interview stuff was all about the fun stuff old missionaries do. I'l just hang with all the younins!! 

-Had an amazing study focus throughout the whole week: Charity. What an amazing subject!! I was able to have some really inspiring studies that really grew my testimony and love for the Savior, who has shown and does show a perfect amount of love for each and every one of us. 
        I do want to share with all of you my insight from the two greatest commandments: 
 30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thyheart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
 31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.
It hit me really hard the correlation and how both of these fit together,and worked alongside each other, especially as a missionary (or service-minded person). In D&C 4, we read of 4 things: "Heart, might, mind, and strength."
In the first commandment, God asks us to give of the things that He has promised not to take away from us: Soul, Heart, and Mind.  
In reply and in its place, God gives us the Might and Strength to then fulfill the second commandment: Love and serve they neighbor. 

Our service will be strengthened as we give ourselves in the service of others. Our Father in Heaven shares that same purpose with each of us: His whole work and His whole glory is to bring to pass the immortality and Eternal Life of Man. And that is a perfect example for each of us!
Let us make the resolve to serve others selflessly, and shine the Character of Christ!! 


I love you all, I pray for you all, and hope that your weeks are full of blessings and miracles. Live it all with joy! Will be working hard on this side, and having a blast!!

Abrasos!!! 

--
Elder Glen Wright Washing Yakima Mission 

Warden Washington



early July

Hola everyone!!
Wishing the best to everyone from the Washington YAKIMA Mission! 

This has been such an amazing week, it's going to be really hard to share everything. We've been super busy with the amazing work as missionaries, and trying to stay out of the heat. We've been looking at an average of 110 in temperature around here, but that's done nothing to stop us from getting out there and keeping busy serving others and teaching. 

Highlights for the week:

-The whole week brought so many miracles, it's been crazy. The first half of the week, our biggest problem was not being able to walk down the street to where we were planning on going, because so many things happened at each step. And that's not an exaggeration!! It was one of the coolest weeks that I have been able to take part in in my mission. I am so grateful for the Spirit and its ability to help direct us where we need to be and do what we need to do! 

-Had a really awesome last day as a Washington Kennewick Missionary, and a great first day as a Washington Yakima Missionary!! We got to meet our Mission President as well. They are the BOMB!! They are really fun, and are so excited to get going in the work! 

-Had an awesome 4th of July! I am so thankful to be able to live in a place with so many freedoms. In comparison with any other country, we really cant be complaining, but fully engaged in helping be a part of sustaining the great truths God has granted and given us here. I am proud to be an American, where I know I'm free! And I'm also grateful to be a Christian, where I know I'm blessed and Spiritually free! 

-Yesterday's Sunday service at the church was really something as well. We were with the Spanish congregation this time, sitting with one of our investigators. 
This week around, the attendance of the group was SMALL!! Add to that, it was testimony meeting. I am so grateful for the blessing it was to be there in such a small group. Almost everyone had the opportunity to bear their testimony, including the brother we invited to come with us. But for me personally, it gave me, in the time of silence, to sit and ponder on my personal testimony. 
I hope that everyone in that room could feel that same spirit that I was able to feel there. It really was a special one! I know that testify that my testimony really did grow and strengthen with the opportunity and time to sit and think on what I really do believe and having the Spirit witness of it's truthfulness.
That's a really cool thing about the promise found in Moroni 10. No matter how many times that we have read pondered and prayed in the past to know, the visitation and promise is still extended to us. 
I share my testimony that I really do know with all my heart that these things are true. I love the example of Christ found as he was inviting his first Disciples to follow Him, with a simple "Come and See." And that's the invitation that extend to you as well. Come and see! 
I know He lives, He is our Savior. I know with that same Spirit and power that He has restored His Gospel in these days.
Come and See!

I love you all, I express my gratitude for the support that each of you have given me! Hope for the best in the upcoming week! Keep me posted and send me letters!! :D

Con Carino



--
Elder Glen Wright Washing Kennewick Mission 

July 13th

Hey everyone!! Another weekly update from your long lost friend/son/brother!! 
This has been an amazing week here in the WYM!! 

This has been one of the more busier weeks that we've had, so we've been working hard. The weather got a little bit cooler, so that made our week a million times better! We were especially grateful for that, because we had a bunch of service opportunities outside! 

While we were doing a service this past week of installing red rock into a yard (which looks great now btw!), I got thinking of what a missionary service resume would look like. Holy cow we've got a lot of just weird "certifications!!" We've done everything from painting interior and exterior stuff for homes, landscaping, irrigation systems, clearing out homes of cockroaches, demolition, floraculture, worm hunting, pluming...running out of brain-power to think of all the things we've done...pues, de tocho morocho! I love what you can learn from just going out and helping people. Even if you want to look at it in a really selfish way, you get a ton out of it!! 
But you get even more as you forget yourself in the service of others. And I can attest to that! 

Other really cool highlights:
-Really cool exchanges!! Drank a lot of the other elder's chocolate milk! 
-Installed irrigation to a bunch of fruit trees! Super fun service right there!!
-All the Wheat fields are white and being harvested now!! D&C 4 will never be the same as it had been in the past!! "The field is white all ready to harvest."
-Taught a super fun Daily Dose (English) class on emotions. 
-Got some really amazing referrals from some inspired kids that were playing in a trailer park...LOVE kids!!! Coolest way to see the Spirit work!
-Had a church tour fall through with someone we planned it with, but felt to still set up, and happened to have a less active member come and want to talk to us there!!
-Another amazing service at Church!! And another opportunity to partake of the Sacrament! Up and ready for the new week!!!


The whole day, and week, was really focusing on specifically finding one person who has been prepared and is willing to faithfully accept and apply the Restored Gospel in their lives. We had really cool experiences and met really cool people throughout the day and throughout the week, but I want to end on the topic of how our week ended, namely the last 15 minutes until 9:00.
By the way, I've got a pretty awesome companion! He's always super Spiritually on fire, even when he's goofing off! But after talking to a few people and trying by a few families, we sat in the car with 15 minutes to 9. "I want something really really really cool to happen right now!" Was what I got from Elder Brassanini, followed by a really exaggerated point forward down the street for us to drive down. 
We parked the car after a few blocks and felt we needed to tract the whole street before 9:00. We found that there was only one house on that whole street, and all the others branched off on other streets. We felt to go to the intersection at the end of the street and started knocking some doors. JUST before 9:00, we knocked on the door and a sister, Jessica opened the door with a huge smile. We had a really good conversation, and everything brought us back to Christ and His Gospel. We were able to share our testimonies about the living Gospel that God has restored today, and we really felt the Spirit testifying of it.
I wont say much more of that experience except my testimony that I know that the Lord is preparing our Brothers and Sisters in all parts of the world to come unto Him. And it's through this restored Gospel, His Gospel, that they and we can do that. I know that. And I share that with you in our Savor's name, Jesus Christ, amen.

I love you all and pray for each of you!! Keep moving forward strong and with faith and hope! 
Abrasos!!!


P.S. for those who didnt get the message last week. I've got a new address to send everything! Love you all!!! 

Elder Glen Wright
Washington Yakima Mission
1006 S. 16th Ave.
Yakima, WA 98902-4260
--
Elder Glen Wright Washing Kennewick Mission 

End of June, change of Mission!!

Bueno!!! How is everyone wherever you are!!

We have been HOT!! But SUPER awesome!! This week cant really even be called a week with how fast it's gone by. 
It's been such an amazing blessing to be here working in the Lord's vineyard. I know it's His, and He
's directing this work, we're just trying to run to keep up!! We've kept pretty busy with the work and seeing countless miracles each day. This transfer has been full of miracles! We've been working hard to apply the Gospel more fully to be better and more consecrated missionaries. We've still got a long way to go, but that's also a great blessing! There's still so much more that we can do and more miracles that can come from the Lord! We have been SO blessed to be here at this exciting and chosen time to serve! 


Some of the exciting things of this week:

-We had a pretty cool miracle from a run-in with a German Shepherd. We went up to a gate to a home where we had a planned lesson, and out came a rather infuriated German Shepherd with all the whistles and bells of ripping apart anything. We were going to go for it, but it didnt seem to want to let us in at all. But through the whole time, I felt that somehow we would be able to be fine. We went instead to the side of the house and then found that there was no gate there...but a German Shepherd bolting out of the yard!! ...honestly didnt really feel that we were going to be fine at that point, but we held our ground while the dog was making its rounds of sniffing and grouling and all that awesome stuff! BUT then its hackles disappeared and he happily led us to the yard. So we went in! Sadly, we didnt find the brother who we set the appointment with, but we met his dad and had a really good conversation with him for a few minutes!! 

-We had one more meeting with our Mission President...sad stuff, but we were so happy to get to see him one last time. The meeting was really Spiritual, and I felt really just focused on me and what I needed to be doing for the last leg of my mission. One of the coolest parts of the meeting was the feeling of pure excitement to meet President Lewis. He'll step foot on Yakima Washington soil Wednsday, then we'll be able to have a meet-and-greet the following Friday. I havent met him yet, but I can testify that he holds the keys for the WYM, and those keys will be active when he steps foot on Washington soil. I am very excited to meet him, and look forward to working side by side with the WKM in bringing our Brothers and Sisters back to Christ!!

-Yesterday was a major highlight for the week, especially in how we've been able to accomplish our missionary purpose. 
We took the things we took away from Specialized Training (meeting with President Ware), and made of list of things we could change and focus on from now on in order to be more worthy of our calling. Some amazing things occurred as a result of us being more focused on that purpose. 
The whole day was really amazing, but the part to focus on was the last hour of the day. We were in a lesson with a Less Active brother reading in the Book of Mormon, when we got a text from a member family to have rootbeer floats before we went back to the house (meaning we would need to do that around 8:45-8:50. DISTRACTION was the first thought I had, and upon looking at my planner, the Spirit hit us hard in us needing to pass by a sister that night, right after our lesson. When we left the lesson, we felt to first go to another less active family and introduce myself, so we got to talk to them for a few minutes. And then we passed by the sister we felt prompted in visiting. Right as we pulled in, her husband pulled out and was off. 
We were met with this sister in tears, and had the chance to talk with her, then give her a Priesthood blessing, which brought a lot of peace of all of us. As we were walking away, the door reopened and she popped out asking why it was we planned to pass by right then, and we said that we didnt know, save the Spirit told us to. The expression on that Sisters face was priceless, as was the Spirit that I felt right at that moment. 
This is HIS work, and I couldn't stress that enough. I pray that we can always be placed in these situations, so we can be instruments in the hands of the Lord. There was such a reverent feeling that night as we made our way back home, empty of rootbeer floats, but full of gratitude for the Lord and His willingness and love to use us (no matter how broken of tools we are at times) as His instruments to help others We love. 

I love this work and testify of its truthfulness. I love the Lord and also testify of Him, and His place as Lord and Savior, as well as his position as head of this Great Gospel and Church. 
love you all and hope for the best of blessings for each and every one of you! 

Con carino,


--
Elder Glen Wright Washing Kennewick Mission