433 Confirmations in One Month!

Hola Familia!

 

WOW, this last week we as a mission did something incredible!!  We had 433 confirmations in one month!  A year and a half ago the mission was only confirming less than 100 every month.  However, after all of us striving to be more diligent and obedient, the mission was able to accomplish something never before done!  What a great work to be a part of!  Not only that but this is just the start of the potential we are really capable of having.  We are looking forward to the coming month having 500 confirmations; something I feel is super possible.  This is the Lord's work and nothing can stop it or impede it.  Won't we go on in so worthy a cause?!  I feel so happy to be here and look forward to what the Lord has planned for us the coming few weeks!

 

So yesterday I got changes and I am now in a place called: El Molinito, Naucalpan.  It is one of the most densely populated areas in Mexico City.  I am so excited to be here and look forward to seeing tons of success as I work to finish up my service to the Lord.  I am with a new companion named Elder Barajas.  He is from Monclova, Coahuila!  He is a super energetic and I hope to learn tons from him!  I am going to be the Zone Leader here in the Culturas zone and am excited for the challenges and service that I will have here! 

 

The 7th of May I will have a Zone Leader Counsel and so I won't be able to write home until the 9th.  I think but I am not completely sure yet but the 13th I will be able to call home for Mother's Day!  That will be a blast!  Time seems to be flying since I last talked to you guys for Christmas.  I'll let you know the coming week what the plan on that is.

 

We saw an incredible miracle this last week!  We were contacting in the street when I felt impressed to talk to an older man that was walking by.  I testified and invited him, Bonifacio, to listen to a quick message to which he accepted.  We taught him baptism and invited him to be baptized like Christ was baptized.  He accepted and we made an appointment to come by another day.  A couple days later we were contacting in a street near by when a lady we were talking to informed us that her brother had talked to us the other day and had told his family that he was going to be baptized in our church.  Sunday morning, I was standing in the door way waiting for people to come to church when I saw Bonifacio walk up with a huge smile on his face! From a simple street contact he had decided to get baptized, overcome the family's resistance, and come to church without us even passing by.  He is excitedly preparing for a baptism and I hope to keep tabs on him to see how everything ends up!  This is proof to me that there are tons of people the Lord has prepared to accept the gospel.  When we do what is required the Lord will bless us with the Holy Ghost which makes miracles possible.  I feel an increasing understanding on how to listen to and be guided by the Spirit which I know will be a super necessary knowledge that will help me for the rest of my life.

 

I am now starting my second to last transfer that I will ever have as a full-time missionary and I cannot be more excited to get running.  This is such a amazing blessing and I feel right now a huge sense of gratitude to the Lord for all that I have seen, learned, and been blessed to do.  I hope that everyone one of you realizes that missionary service is not only a tradition or some other obligation.  This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.  You will never forget it; your whole life needs it.  I will never be able to thank the Lord for what a blessing this has been for me.  I am so happy for the time that lies ahead of me and will get everything out of it that I can!

 

Love,

Elder Janis

The Tenayo Zone as a Whole is Rising

Hola Familia!!

What a super week!  I was hardly ever in my area with all the interviews, securing confirmations, and looking for miracles.  I mean that I hardly even know some of the investigators that we have right now as a companionship.  I am finding it so much more satisfying to find, teach, and baptize in other areas.  The Tenayo Zone as a whole is rising and we are seeing tons more success.  It has been an incredible experience seeing the Zone progress and over all the other things, watch the missionaries under my care grow, learn, and be more converted to the Lord and His glorious work to save souls.  What a blessing it has been to stay up late almost everyday discussing with Elder Sanchez plans for the next day and praying.  I think that the earliest I have gone to bed in the last few weeks is 11 or 11:30 to always wake up at 6:25am!  One night an Elder in the zone called me to get help with some problems he was having with his companion and area and I went to bed at 1:30am.  Even though I feeling a general sense of bodily tiredness I feel so happy to know that I am trying to do everything I can day and night!  There is nothing like feeling that the Lord is proud of your efforts and seeing the fruits of your labors flourish before you!

Last night, Sunday I went to an area in the zone to see if I could help them save a baptismal date.  Elia had gone to church but because of nerves had decided not to get baptized.  She let us in and we invited her to be baptized even though it was Sunday at night.  The Spirit helped us carry the invitation from our hearts to her heart and when she accepted, the room again filled with the Spirit.  I have learned that we can never deserve a miracle or blessing.  However, we can be worthy of the miracle and the grace of God makes the rest possible.  When we work diligently and obediently to carry about that which the Lord commands we are worthy of the miracle.  In the end the Lord's mercy and His all-knowing and all-loving will brings about the miracle.  I like to think of me as a hand-string puppet.  My mouth, hands, and feet are connected to strings that the Lord controls from the courts on high.  When we see miracles in our lives they are testaments and demonstrations of God's grace and love.  We never deserve miracles bu we can by the grace of God be worthy of receiving them.

These things have been on my mind a lot lately and felt impressed to share these thoughts with you.  I love all of you and hope everything is going good with the move.  I also sent a couple letters home and I hope you all get them soon!

Love,

Elder Janis

We Were All Spiritual Giants

Hola Familia,

We had a rollercoaster of a week!  After the huge miracles we saw last week, we were all spiritual giants.  We had the chance to share in the Tuesday Zone meeting the things we learned and the things we felt during the week.  The Spirit was super strong as everyone shared the change of heart and conversion that they had experienced!  Elder Sanchez and I marveled at how we started out with only a thought that turned into a miracle that we will never forget.  Every single missionary learned a a special lesson tailored to them and their needs!  I didn't have my camera that night but I am going to get the picture from another missionary in the Zone and send you all a copy of the baptismal service with the whole zone there!

I am so sorry that I haven't been able to write much on these last few p-Days!  Just know that I love all of you so much and I am striving to really get everything I can out of the time that I have left.  Everyday is a gift that has no price!

Love,
Elder Janis

Miraculous Conversions Like the Book of Mormon

Hola Familia,

WOW!  This has been a week that I will never EVER forget!  I am so thankful for the huge miracles and grace the Lord is extending to us.  The whole zone has been working so hard and we saw TONS of miracles this last week!

Sunday, Elder Beutler and Elder Hernandez came to church with an 81 year old lady who they had met only the day before.  She had accepted baptism and came to church with a bag full of things.  When they got to church they found out that she had brought her towel, sandals, and other clothing.  When they asked her why she had brought all those things she responded, "I'm getting baptized aren't I?"  They explained to her that her baptismal service was planned for another week and that she would need to wait.  When she heard that she exclaimed, "why can't I do it today?!"  I did her interview which she passed and we called President to see what he would say. He told us that we could go right ahead with it!  We then started preparing the baptismal service.  I have never met a missionary more grateful and humble as Elder Beutler.  He gave a talk in her baptismal service.  As he began to talk he looked Maria de Jesus in the eyes and said "I know Hermana (i.e. Sister) that you are an elect daughter of God and that you are a miracle."  He could barely say it as he choked back tears of gratitude.  He kept telling me that he didn't deserve the miracle.  However, after he had done everything necesary to baptize that week, I am sure the Lord looked down on him with love and happiness extending a blessing of encouragement.  What a great lessoned learned: we do all that is NECESARY to see the miracle and the miracle will come.  I have seen it time after time!

This miracle accomplished every area in the zone baptizing except for one, Izcalli Piramide.  IP didn't know that they were the only ones that hadn't and so after talking, Elder Sanchez and I we decided that the day hadn't ended yet and we were going to go in for a miracle.  IP had four fechas (i.e., baptismal dates) fall through and were working harder than most of the other Elders in the zone and I could not handle seeing them be the only ones that didn't baptize.  We then called the zone and told them the plan; we were to go all 20 of us to the little area and look for a miracle.  I had thought that a few would respond saying that they had appointments and would not want to leave their areas.  Thankfully, I couldn't have been more wrong.  They all responded enthusiastically and when we all met in the chapel to organize everything the Spirit was so strong.  We said a prayer before going out and during the prayer a strong spirit of assurance entered the room and we all left knowing that we were going to see a miracle.  We worked from 6-9 and had found about 5 close calls.  We called President and got permission to stay out until 10.  Many had already headed toward home but as we called them to come back, everyone of them came again!!  We went back to work and I saw many missionaries running and talking to EVERYONE!  At about 10:20 pm a missionary called us explaining they had found someone contacting in the street that wanted to be baptized that same night.  After we heard about the miracle we ran to the house of the hermana and saw the zone outside axiously waiting.  Every single member of the zone was praying in their hearts.  The missionary came out of the interview with two thumbs up and we all headed to the church to baptize starting at 11:30 in the evening.  We shared a super special moment in the baptism all there together.  The hermana and her 8 year old daughter were baptized!  I could not have been more impressed with the response to the call of action.

Wow, this really is the work of the Lord.  We are His representatives and we will see and continue to see miracles as we consecrate ourselves.  We were a Bauti-zona which means that every companionship baptized!!  We are going for more and we know that we are barely scratching the potential!!

Love,
Elder Janis

Publisher's Note (i.e., from Ethan's Dad who posts his emails each week):

Many of you, especially those who have served missions, may wonder how baptisms come about so miraculously in Ethan's mission and how people can seemingly come in contact with missionaries one day and be baptized the next, or even the same day as in the story above.  One may also question whether those converts will stay faithful and active in the Gospel, especially given some of the guidelines and expectations of converts where we live.

It may be useful to remember that these kinds of miraculous conversions can be found plentifully in the scriptures particularly the Book of Mormon.  Often the Spirit of the Lord touched his children, changed hearts, and created amazing conversions that seemingly were instantaneous and resulted in baptisms.  Mindful of the fact that Ethan is working faithfully and consecrating himself among the descendants of the Lamanites who have been promised they would "blossom like the rose", we should not be surprised by the miracles he is reporting and should be grateful that we have an opportunity to read scripture quality experiences each week as they unfold.

General Conference was the best I have seen yet

Hola Familia,

What a neat surprise to see the new additions to the GRAND Janis Family.  Wow, they are so cute!! Congratulations!

General Conference was the best I have seen yet.  I just loved every single one of the talks and I learned so much.  Saturday, I didn't have the opportunity to go because we were looking for baptism miracles but we did have the amazing opportunity to go Sunday.  I had a great experience preparing for the conference.  I had been seeking guidance from the Lord, studied the scriptures, and talked to my companion about a certain doubt that was on my mind.  I sought many times through prayer the answer but I kept finding and receiving only parts of the answer.  I recognize that many times the answer comes line upon line but I slowly lost my focus on trying to find the answer.  However, Sunday morning before leaving the house I felt impressed to pray and ask for inspiration again.  One of the talks Sunday afternoon was EXACTLY the answer to my doubt.  I could hardly believe it!  I know that the Apostles and Prophet that lead and guide us are really called of God.

I don't have much time to write you all something more substantial but it was a great week!  We have so much to grateful for!!  The mission is helping me in my desire to become more and more like my Savior.  That is my goal for the last couple of months of the best two years of/for my life!  I love all of you sooooo much!!

Love,
Elder Janis

Getting the hang of being a Zone Leader

Hola Familia,

I am finally getting the hang of being a Zone Leader.  It is such a beautiful oppportunity because I have had the chance to serve, encourage, and help convert the missionaries in the zone.  I have come to realize that missionary work isn't only baptizing, learning how to work hard, and seeing miracles...it really is the glorious work of saving souls.  The primary purpose of missionary work is to save my own soul, in other words, to convert me to the Gospel, the Church, and to the Lord by helping others come unto Christ: not only the Mexican people but the missionaries the Lord has blessed me to serve.  I have loved encouraging them to work hard and then sharing with them moments of miracles they never imagined possible.

MIRACLE:  I went with a companionship of Elders in an area that hasn't had much success for months.  They had been working harder than anyone in the zone leading everyone in contacts, lessons, and invitations to baptism.  They had no one to baptize on Sunday but had confirmed the attendance of someone that had been preparing for baptism for some time and just didn't want to make the decision.  I offered to go and do the interview during the sacrament services.  I felt confident that the Lord would bless them with a miracle because they had done all that was necesary during the week trying to baptize.  I stepped into the interview and felt the Spirit urge me on with complete confidence that he was going to say yes to being baptized.  If I hadn't felt what I felt starting the interview it would have been hard to have kept the faith.  He was FULL of doubts and resistance but as I patiently waited on the Lord the Spirit began taking down his walls.  However, there was a moment when I lost this level of hope and I almost gave up on him.  Suddenly, I imagined that the guy was Chad or Derek and knew that if they were the ones I was interviewing I would never leave the room without a YES.  I instantly felt a revival of the Spirit and the confident feeling that the Lord would win came rushing back into the room.  After a little more struggle and some phrases and examples I had never before thought of, Hugo agreed to be baptized that very same day!!  What a blessing!  I was so happy to help the Lord give the hard working Elders a miracle that would encourage them to never doubt the Lord and his promises.

We had a special baptism of a super awesome family of four this last weekend.  Their names are Teresa, Natali, Citlalli, and Daniel.  They never even faltered in their progression to baptism with faith that I haven't seen for a long time!! What a miracle!  I love them and it was a super special experience!

Love you all and hope you all have a wonderful week.  Sorry I didn't write Monday....we had a Zone Leader Conference.

Love,
Elder Janis

Called to be a Zone Leader Dad

Hola Familia,

WOW!! I haven't really mentioned it to you guys before now, but the Zone in which I am in right now hasn't had many baptisms for months and months, up to even more than a year.  This last week Elder Monjarraz and I were able to help the Zone have double digits in baptisms!!  What a relief it was to see the success begin to spring forth after all the effort we are putting in.  This week we have 14 baptismal dates and 11 more possibles.  I am so thankful for the Lord's mercy that is allowing us to have this success.

There's a quote that I love and that sinks deeper and deeper into my heart as I get more and more time in the mission.  Elder Holland said, "Some blessings come now.  Some come later.  Some don't come until heaven.  However, for those that embrace the Gospel they come."  What a sweet promise made by an Apostle.  Everyday we see this apply.  When we see immediate blessings for responding to the promptings of the Spirit in the moment that we receive them or when we obediently follow the commandments although we don't know when we will see the promised blessings.  As I have embraced the gospel, my life is happier and I see it also brighten the lives of others.  Recently, I have come to love diligently searching the scriptures and finding answers through prayer and even hidden doctrine.  I have loved how studying the scriptures opens our eyes to the terrific gravity of the Atonement and necessity of not only taking the name of Christ upon us but acting as he would act.  I know and testify that daily striving to act as Jesus would brings the light of hope to our lives and an assurance of receiving the blessings the Savior has promised each and everyone of us.  We have got to keep the faith and never lose sight of that which is truly worth fighting for: our eternal potential as a family to have all that the Father has.  There is no promise more grander or of more importance.  All this and more we can have as we daily search the scriptures and pray sincerely, fervently, and intelligently.

Today we had changes and man do I have some wonderful news.  Wait,  sad news first...Elder Monjarraz was changed to another zone. I will never forget the wonderful things that Elder Monjarraz taught me, for his example, and for the person he helped me to become.  There is a huge difference between the Elder Janis before the change with Elder Monjarraz and the Elder Janis after the change.  He is and always will be a great friend.  He is so Christ-like.  Sunday night before the changes, I went to bed at 1:00 a.m. and he was still up packing.  In the morning I asked him at what time he had finally gone to bed to which he told me 3:00 a.m.  He then explained to me that he still needed to pack.  I was thinking to myself, how is it that he was up almost all night and didn't pack.  I found what he had been doing when I saw every one of my shoes shined and all my recently washed shirts ironed and hanging up.  This isn't the first time he did something like that for me.  Things like that made a lasting impact on me!  He also helped me overcome hurdles I thought almost impossible to overcome.

HAHA, so now for the wonderful news.  I was called to be a Zone Leader dad!  That means I will be training a new zone leader and showing him the ropes.  Not only that but I was also given two new district leaders in the zone who have never interviewed before and the responsibility to train them too.  With only one transfer as a Zone Leader I would be honest in saying that a certain thought crossed my mind: Am I capable of this?  If there is anything the mission has taught me (well, one of the million things I have learned) is that some one the Lord calls, he also qualifies.  I will be faithful holding to that promise because man do I have some great work ahead of me!  My new companion will be a huge help!  He is Elder Sanchez Zapata from Tabasco, Mexico.  He is a super consecrated missionary and has tons of potential.  He also has come to the table with tons of great ideas.  I know we will make a great team!

Well, things are going great! We have an amazing family preparing for baptism this coming Sunday and I look forward to also having another family work out for this Sunday also.  Many miracles are in the making and I couldn't be more thankful for the Lord's love and trust.  I love all of you so much and hope you are all doing well!

Love,
Elder Janis