Week 73 Thoughts

Thoughts

One of the best weeks of my mission. With the world wide missionary conference, and all the amazing lessons we had this week MY testimony has grown so much.

Something I had never really thought about before, until this week, was how important our thoughts are. That's where everything starts. Success starts with thoughts. If your results are not what you want it's because your thoughts aren't in harmony with your goals. Results come from actions, actions sprout from emotions, and emotions are cultivated over time from your thoughts. Change your thoughts and you can change your results. Whether that be your income or a problem with the word of wisdom. I love the Gospel and I hadn't had a single day since the start of my mission that I haven't bore my testimony about the Savior. He lives. He love us. And this is our time to prove that we are worthy of an eternal inheritance. 

Start bringing people to church. I wish I could just sit down with a few of you that are at home and shake you a little so you realize how much the Lord needs you. Set the goal to never finish the week without inviting someone to church. 

We went and played soccer at this little field in the mountain.

lol this is Honduras in one photo. Giant house annnddd right next to it a shack that used the left over paint.

Elder Thorn 

Week 72 I Got that Coconut Milk Mustache

I Got that Coconut Milk Mustache

It's coconut season here and they cost 10 limps or like 50 cents. Yep worked a solid 100 limps into the budget for coconuts. Needless to say I am happy here in Honduras. Also took a shower with the same bowl that I ate corn flakes out of. Honestly makes me laugh, so perfect the Lord knows me and where he sent me to serve. My comp and I are really receiving the blessings from our obedience. I guess that's my number one goal with Elder Co, 100% obedience. When we are obedient the Lord is obligated to complete with his part. He as offered us everything he has and when we obey he pours out blessings. The branch here in Siguatepeque is going to start helping us a lot more. We had an awesome meeting with the branch president and set some goals to have leaders form the branch here in Tualabé every sunday. With that help we are going to start having the three hours in church! 

Eduardo and Freddy came to church again this week! We had to come here to Siguatepeque...annddd they didn't let us know till Saturday at like 6. Super lame because we couldn't let every one of our investigators know and some of them showed up Sunday morning at our house but we had already left to Siguatepeque. But we went and told Eduardo and he was like no no problem we know we have to go or we won't be keeping the sabbath day holy. That is a prepared investigator. They now have 3 assistants at church so they can get baptized but we are going to keep with the 6th of Feb so they can learn all they need to before they make a covenant with the Lord. 

This is all of the youth from the branch that came with us to the caves.

Week 71 Will Power

Will Power 

We had a stellar week this week. Eduardo and his dad Freddy came to church again. Eduardo is the funniest dude, so inspiring because he has had some of the hardest trials these last few years of his life and he doesn't even think twice about complaining. He is ALWAYS helping his dad (Freddy is blind as of 7 months ago) and you can just see how much he loves him. I think Eduardo is going to be our first baptism here in Taulabé. He is only 26 and with that being said he struggles with a few things. But we are reading the Book of Mormon to him and he reads it with his dad during the week. It's really refreshing to find someone that is just taking hold of the Gospel. He even invited his neighbor to listen to us in the lesson and she committed to coming to church.

Going with the title I wanted to just write for two seconds about how powerful your soul is. To think about where we come from and who we really are has always be the most fascinating idea to me. To think that I am the son of the creator. That he taught me one on one before this life. That I know him. I know is face, voice, hands, and that he is giving me the chance to become like him. That is the greatest truth I know. That is your soul. That is who you are. Now think for a second about your body. It's new. Maybe 18-90 years old. That's NOTHING. Your body knows NOTHING. It's lazy. It gets tired. It gets sick. It likes to do what it wants when it wants. It never thinks of the long term gain. Don't let you body run your life. If you body makes the choices for you, you are never going to become like you Father in Heaven intended. In the scriptures we read that the body is like clay. What do you have to do with clay? Mold it, shape it, make it into the way you want it to be. Set that goal to stop giving into your natural man and focus on what your soul wants to accomplish. 

This is sacrament in Taulabé. about 20 people every sunday.

anddd this is my desk.

This is a pilla, it's where I wash my clothes. Sooo ready for a washer and dryer. 

Finally went to the caves here in Taulabé. sickest thing ever.

I got the package(: happiest shirt ever. Also letters from the ward. wow. Felt so loved to read everyones letters. Luke Orton was the best "I hope santa can find you in Honduras." Laughed for a solid 5 minutes. 

Week 70 How to Set Goals

How to Set Goals with the Spirit

Something that I have learned in the mission is how to set goals by revelation and through the spirit. It’s something I have studied almost my entire mission and every time I learn something new that helps me achieve my objective as a missionary. I was thinking a little this week and decided that I could apply this same principle to New Years goals. I have found that when I apply this process and when I truly listen to the spirit I always finish with goals and plans to achieve those goals that are in line with the goals and plans the Lord has. My "goal" today is to give you ten steps and a few resources to help you make goals and plans to help you achieve your objective, whether that be a missionary or in your daily life.

First a mission update: Things have been a little rough here in Taulabé but we finally caught a break! We brought 5 people to church, 4 of which were grown men. Do you know how hard it is to bring a grown man to church at 9 in the morning? We are seeing a lot of miracles after a lot of hard work.  Elder Co is the greatest and we get along well.

Almost forgot I turned 20 this week till familia Avila gave me this malanga 

Step 1: Make an environment where the spirit can be present.

           - Clean the room up a bit and put everything in the room is order

           -Make sure that no one is going to interrupt you

Step 2: Pray to have the spirit with you

-Surely the spirit will not be there if you do no invite it

-John 16:13 "guide you to all truth"

Step 3: Analyze

           -What is the best you have ever achieved? What is the lowest you have ever achieved? When did it occur? Why did it occur?

           -This step is about acquiring information

           -No one knows you better then the Lord, look to him to find what you are good at and what things you don’t do well.

Step 4: Discern

           -Find what isn’t obvious. What is the Lord trying to show you?

           -D&C 8:2 Yea, behold, I will tell you in your mind and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your heart. 

Step 5: SET GOALS

           -Set goals that help you stretch and grow.

           -Ask yourself these questions (preach my gospel chapter 8)

·      Is the goal specific? Is the goal realistic? Will the goal make us stretch? Are we committed to this goal?

Step 6: Plan

           -To set a goal and not make specific plans on how to achieve that goal is to make a commitment that you                                    know you aren’t going to achieve.

           -Who? What? When? How?

           - Set Goals for the day, week, month, and year.

Step 7: Put the Goal in your heart

          When Cortez came to conquer the Americas he soon found himself with a bunch of homesick soldiers that had next to no motivation to work. He gave the order to sink the boats in which they had arrived. When the men saw that they no longer could return to Spain they had no other choice but to fight. SINK YOUR BOATS. If you don’t feel committed to your goals, and committed to the Lord to complete you objective, at whatever the cost, when the hardships come you quickly will give up on your goal and forget you commitment to the Lord.

            -Look at Nephi's great example of getting the brass plates. 1 Nephi 3:7 but we see how truly committed Nephi was as the chapter continues in verse 15. Then after two failed attempts, Nephi again goes to get the plates 1 Nephi 4:6-7

           -Why do you want to achieve the Goal? Ask yourself if your intentions are pure and if you have real intentions to complete with the goal.

 Step 8: Present your goals and plans to the Lord

            -D&C 9:8. You have been making goals and plans with the help of the spirit but now you are going to present them to the Lord himself

-Offer a kneeling prayer with your plans laid out on the table and speak with the Lord. Focus on truly communicating with him.

-I promise you, the Lord will respond and help you correct something, he always fixes something.

Step 9: Do it

-The secret is in what you do everyday. You have to strive to remember your goals and keep them fresh in your mind.

-Put your Goals somewhere where you will see them regularly. Not just daily but through out the day

 Step 10: Measure and Report your progress

-Frequently share you progress with friends and family members

-In your morning and evening prayers report you progress to the Lord.

-This will help you both remember you goals and have deeper commitment in completing them.

“When performance is measured, performance improves. When performance is measured and reported, the rate of improvement accelerates.”

–President Thomas S. Monson

“I am so thoroughly convinced that if we don’t set goals in our life and learn how to master the techniques of living to reach our goals, we can reach a ripe old age and look back on your life only to see that we reached but a small part of our full potential. When one learns to master the principles of setting a goal, he will then be able to make a great difference in the results he attains in this life.”

–Elder M. Russell Ballard

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