Opening an Area (Week 31)

Elder Rogel, Elder Herman, Elder Passeri, and Elder Wegner
working hard in Tepalcapa.

      What a week! So at transfers I figured out we are opening the área. There weren’t Elders here for about 2 months, then some other Elders came for 3 weeks, but one got sent home. So we don’t have much. We even had to start with a new phone and no contacts. So this week we have been doing a ton of contacting and we’ve gone with some members to help us know the area a little bit. My companion is Elder Rogel he just finished his training. Funny thing is that he used to live in the stake that we are serving in (Tepalcapa) but then moved about 2 hours away and got called back on his mission, haha. But he is a good Elder! Doesn’t do many things on his own, but I like the work, haha. Also Elder Wegner became a Zone Leader this transfer and he happens to be my Zone Leader! With my other favorite missionary Elder Passeri from Argentina! He was my first Zone Leader in the mission and we share a church with them. So I am pumped about that also! The ward is amazing. So many member missionaries that are so excited to help us! Every time we eat with a family someone comes and helps us. Yesterday we went with a member to her neighbors and were able to set a baptismal date with them and the member invited them to church and everything! So I am way excited to be working here! Also last night we had a family night with a member and a less active. This girl has been through a lot! She’s been a member for a while. She knew the church when she was 16 but her parents didn’t support her so she couldn’t be baptized. Then later  she got baptized and was going to institute and she met her husband, an ex missionary. But then he went a little crazy and left them with nothing. Then she got diagnosed with cancer. So she couldn’t afford to get to church anymore. She said the hardest loss was her scriptures. So we gave her a Book of Mormon and she just started crying. She said that it is her time to return and the members are helping her a ton! Tender mercies like these make me love being a missionary so much!

 

Spiritual Thought Of The Week

      Well this week I’m gonna keep the spiritual thought short cause the first part is long. So I just wanna testify that this truly is the only true church in the world. Restored by the Prophet Jose Smith. I got the opportunity to knock on a lot of doors this week and I decided to focus on the restoration. Just like the missionaries when the church was starting, declaring that God has called a prophet and the same church Jesus Christ established is on the earth again. Well I love being a missionary. I love all of you and I hope you all have an amazing week!

Lots of Love from Mexico,

Elder Herman

Tepalcapa

Elder Rogel and Elder Herman

Cambios! (Week 30)

      This week we contacted a lot of future investigators, so that’s good, cause we kinda ran out of investigators. haha So we contacted a bunch and now have a lot of new appointments this week. But nothing too exciting going on here in Huehuetoca. But I am being transferred to Chilpa! It’s going to be more city life and my comp told me it’s dangerous, so hopefully I will have some cool stories! My new companion has a little less time than me in the mission and has been in the area for 4 days because of emergency transfers, so we will pretty much open the area. I am really excited! This change with Elder Ortiz has been kinda tough, but I have learned a lot and am really motivated to be better this transfer!

Spiritual Thought Of The Week

      This week for my studies I have been studying one chapter of scripture everyday and I have learned so much! One of those chapters that I love is Mark 10. This chapter is full of doctrine! But I love the story of the rich boy who asked Jesus “Good master what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?” and he responded “thou knowest the commandments”. Then the boy says he has kept all of them since his youth and Jesus says “One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come take up the cross, and follow me.” The Lord is always asking us to make sacrifices and it is hard. Sometimes we may do what this boy did and “go away grieved”. My favorite part about this story is the Lord has made this promise with us too. If sacrifice is a part of our lives “thou shalt have treasure in heaven”. Our treasure on earth seems really nice but can you imagine the treasure that is waiting for you in the heavens? I think the treasure up there will be better and last a lot longer! All we have to do is sacrifice temporal treasures so we can have eternal treasure. I’m pretty sure that’s a fair trade. Let us take up our crosses and follow our Savior Jesus Christ. I know that we will all be blessed more than we can imagine! I love you all so much, thank you for all the support!

                

Con Amor, Elder Herman 

Elder Herman's adopted dog, Jimmy, she's a girl.  Haha.
It's hard to say goodbye.

Two Baptisms! (Week 29)

Elder Herman, Jamelyn, Itzel, Elder Ortiz

      Welp we didn’t really have a productive week this week. We had interviews with President and that took up the whole day then Elder Ortiz has some knee problems so he had to rest up at the house. But the good news is we had 2 baptisms! Itzel and Jamelyn. It was a very special experience! Something interesting is that they are both scared of water and one of them has a phobia so it was a little hard getting in, haha. But they are amazing and already have testimonies of the church! It’s so cool to see progress in the people we teach. Our first visit with them they didn’t know who God was and they didn’t say a word, but now they are amazing! The young women have been very good to them too. It's good to know that they are in good hands. Also, Tuesday we had some good ole intercambios and I went with good ole Elder Schiess! We had a great time!

      Spiritual Thought Of The Week

This week I have been thinking a lot about repentance and how amazing it is! Everyone commits sin, but thanks to Jesus Christ and his atonement we can be clean. I believe that repentance is one of the most important things you have to do to gain a testimony in Jesus Christ and have desires to be better. Thanks to the fall of Adam and Eve we have feelings, and we can progress. If you never feel sad how will you know what joy is? Sinning is not fun. You feel guilty and you have less of the joy of Christ in your life. But once you repent you feel free and are closer to Christ, therefore you can enjoy the joy that he has! This is all part of the great plan that God has for us. We sin everyday, repentance isn’t just when we break a commandment or something big it’s a daily thing. This has blessed my life so much! Every night kneeling in prayer asking for forgiveness of all the sins I committed in the day, and I feel so much better and ready to attack the next day. If we truly repent we turn away from our sins and do them no more. Our desire to follow God grows stronger and deeper. Nobody is ever lost in the fold of Jesus Christ. Ezekiel 34:12 “As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.” We have all fallen into dark and cloudy places. But the Lord will seek us out and deliver us out of all the places where we have been scattered. No one is ever too far in the hole to be saved. Through the mercy of Jesus Christ you can be saved if you have the desire. You must knock first then you will receive. I love you all so much! Siga adelante!

Con Amor, Elder Herman​​​​​​ 

Elder Schiess & Elder Herman

Temple! (Week 28)

Elder Herman at the Mexico City Temple

      WE MADE IT TO THE TEMPLE! The temple is without a doubt my favorite place in the world! We didn’t go in 'cause we had investigators, but the visitors center was amazing! We got there and there were some sister missionaries that took us on a tour and taught our investigators. It was so amazing. We went to the famous statue of Jesus Christ and there was an audio and man it was so powerful looking at the statue and listening to Jesus Christ talking to you. Not gonna lie, I cried a little bit. But ya, wow! It was so amazing! The spirit there is so strong and I know our investigators felt it too and they are excited for baptism! Also we got a family to do baptisms for the dead for the first time! And with one of our converts, Dany! She was baptized about a month ago and she had a real good experience in the temple! Her mom, Daniela that got baptized 2 weeks ago, could have gone and done baptism too, I don’t really know how that works, but she didn’t 'cause she had her baby with her, so she hung out with us.

Spiritual Thought Of The Week

      This week I just want to rant to you all about how great the restored Church of Jesus Christ is! There is not one doubt in my mind that this is the only true church in the world. I know Joseph Smith was a prophet of God and saw God the Father and Jesus the Son. Through the restoration we have the fullness of the gospel and the authority and priesthood keys of God. The church is so incredibly amazing I can’t express it enough! I love living the gospel every day. I can testify to everyone that the gospel is happiness! I like being happy, therefore I love the gospel 'cause it brings me so much happiness! I want everyone to try to get as much of the gospel in your lives as possible. The verse in 1 Nephi 8 verse 12 explains exactly how I am feeling. “And as I partook of the fruit (the gospel) thereof it filled my soul with exceedingly great joy; wherefore, I began to be desirous that my family should partake of it also; for I knew that it was desirable above all other fruit.” I along with many others have partaken of the fruit and I can promise anyone that if you truly live the gospel and make the gospel a part of your daily lives, you will be so happy! Everyone wants to be happy and there is a way! Study your scriptures and be in constant conversation with our Heavenly Father. As you partake of the fruit you will be filled with exceedingly great joy! I would also like everyone to take advantage of having temples so close to you and just go to the temple grounds and feel the spirt that is there! I love the gospel so much! I love being a missionary and I love all of you! I hope you have a great gospel filled week!

Con Mucho Amor, Elder Herman 

Elder Ortiz and Elder Herman