Elder D!
Subject: Corvallis 1st & Philomath...This work is hard...ummm I'm not in Eugene anymore...
So my companion and I cover two wards in the Corvallis Zone, Corvallis & Philomath. They are similar types of ward. I am excited to see what comes from this transfer. The greenie I am training is from Northern California. He is super excited to do the Lord's work. We are having a lot of fun. Honestly I am learning the same as he is since we both have a steep learning curve. I am not going to lie. It is hard!! Honestly I feel like I have no idea what I am doing. I feel useless sometimes. But luckily we are in the same apartment with the Zone Leaders so they can help me to know what the best thing to do is.
Our apartment is larger than the family's home I lived in Eugene. It is a two bedroom one bath apartment. I have to admit living in a foursome is quite fun! My comp and I spent 17 hours tracting in the span of 4 days. One really nice thing about my new comp is he isn't shy and not afraid to talk about the gospel.
Well, I hope you all are well & sorry I am not able to write more...short on time today!!!
LOVE!!!
Elder Christian James Delis
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Mom's Note: In today's mail we recieved a letter from Elder D's Mission President informing us about his new job as a trainer. Here is a portion of it...
"...This is an opportunity that only comes to our best missionaries...To me there is no more important call than that of a Trainer. Every parent prays that their son or daughter will have the best trainer as they start their mission. I appreciate that your son is worthy to take on this important assignment. I am grateful that the Lord has sent him to the Oregon Eugene Mission."
Yes! This made my day!!!
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Hermana Delis
Subject: LISTO POR BAUTISMO!
Bueno familia! Felize dia de la preparacion!
Okay. Oh Mom--favorite day: I love Saturdays. People are home and outside! It's easier to go up and talk to people, and we get to talk to more families. And then we get to talk to lots of our investigators at night to invite them to church, and less actives, we make contact with everybody. And that is fun. The people make the whole mission--seriously. I love people!
My favorite person was baptized on Saturday! I guess that is another reason to love Saturdays, ha. Bautismos. I am so excited to meet him. Ah, he is the mejor. He is 62, and my comp and I were actually the ones to knock on his door like two weeks into the area. He immediately let us in, and when we asked why he us in he was like "Because you're women of God!" Haha, he is so animated, and he's just been searching for the truth his entire life. He read the LdM in two weeks--did I tell you this? He was reading the index and asked us for a Bible so he could understand it better. Haha. Heavens. But after an incredibly hard week--he moved, he had personal trials to get through, family things, but he was baptized on Saturday.:) The Sunday before his baptism he kept saying "Listo por bautismo! Listo por bautismo!" which just means "Ready for Baptism" in cute Spanish rhyme form. :) He is just AWESOME. I've never met someone with so much faith and desire to know. Teaching him was really special--we did nothing. Seriously--I couldn't understand almost anything for the first month (one of the members was trying to tell us he has a thick accent...but I'm pretty sure I don't know Spanish well, either, ha). But I love being in lessons because we don't teach--the Spirit does everything important. We work hard every day to make sure that we are becoming better teachers--don't get me wrong, but the Spirit converts. One of my very best friends is this little Mexican man who I can barely understand, ha. After the baptism, we were talking with him, and I don't think I have ever heard nicer things come out of someone's mouth--he said such heartfelt things, and at one point he was talking specifically to me and I just started to cry. I am so grateful for him. He moved into such an AWESOME ward--there was so much love in the little baptismal room with everyone there--only we (my comp &I) knew him well, but he was so taken care of. I was so grateful for those members. I have no doubts that he'll be taken care of. I can't wait for you to meet him. :)
Oh family, the people. They are everything. I wish you could know them too. Some day soon, I hope :) Anyway, I have to get going. :) I hope everyone is doing great!
Love you lots--you're in my prayers always!!
Hna Delis
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Week of May ONE-TWO: Emails state Christian is a TRAINER, Katie is diligently working & a Ward Mission Leader writes TOO!
Elder D
Subject: Ummmmmm this is NOT at all what I expected...
Hello family!
Well as you can guess it is Monday, so it is the day that you hear from me! I have some news that is exciting and sad. I am getting transferred to Corvallis, OR to whitewash (when two missionaries are transferred and two new missionaries are transferred to an area) train. What that means is I am going to be training a new missionary in an area I know nothing about. I have no idea what the people will need help with. So I am going to be relying on the Area Books and the ward to try and find people who ready to hear this message and pray every moment thanking Father in Heaven for all I have and been given. So it is weighing heavy on my mind right now. I am not sure how I am going to train my new companion. It really is kinda of scary. I am going to be in a ward that I really know nothing about and an area that I am just as clueless about. It is humbling to know that both my companion and zone leaders feel that I am read for such a monumental task. so it seems that all my efforts may have far greater reaching work than I have thought they could have. The Spirit has testified that this area is going to do well and the work that has been done will assist in our progress.
My week, well as always it has been about finding people. In addition, this week was Zone Conference and President MacDonald's final zone conference. It was uber spiritual and sad :( to say goodbye. I have mixed feelings on this whole fact that I am leaving this place and getting a new mission president. But know I am good and I love you guys! I hope all is well! :)
Elder Christian James Delis
(Mom Note: Below is an email we received Sunday night from the mission leader of the Eugene 5th Ward.)
Mr. & Mrs. Delis,
I am the Ward Mission Leader of the Eugene 5th Ward (one of the two wards) where your son is currently serving.
Please note, that we have noticed how much he has grown as a disciple of the Lord these last few months. We surely will miss him as he leaves us to head to a new area.
He has a sweet spirit, and I really enjoyed his great work ethic. The members and non-members that he has influenced in our Ward and boundary only have good things to say about him.
Thank you for raising him and sending him our way.
Kind Regards,
Eugene 5th Ward Mission Leader
(Yes, my heart is melting!!)
--------------
Hermana Kate Delis
Subject: BAHHH! CHRISTIAN IS TRAINING!!!!
YAY BUBBA NUBBA!!!! Haha, jokes about the name, of course. I meant ELDER Bubba Nubba. :) Haha, in all seriousness--that is awesome. Christian, I have no doubts that you are going to be wonderful for this new elder coming to Oregon. Companionships are so very inspired. You are awesome, Christian. Ah! And the letter at the bottom of Mom's email--Christian (she is talking about the one above). I actually just hung up a picture of you and me before we both left and I look at it every morning. It gives me so much strength to know you are out there serving, Christian. I love that we get to serve together. Thanks for your love for the people and your hard work. You do so well Christian--you really really shine. I am so lucky to have such awesome brothers. Thank you for your example.
Anyway, the work is going great. One day I will have so many stories to tell you about this branch, ha, but for now I will let you know that it is going under some renovations and there is not a lot of stability. So we decided that we will be the stability that they need. So we have AWESOME plans. It was a really special experience making up our plans for this transfer. Ah, it was so important to me. I love this people so much. And family, it is going to be so good. SO good. Mark my words--"It's gonna be big" (Haha...Hercules quote. :) ). This transfer is the transfer of John 14:14--look it up. :) That promise is real, and I encourage you to apply it to your own life. One of our investigators is right now--ELENO! He is getting baptized on Saturday. Naturally, his world is falling apart right now--it's so awful to watch. But he is so faithful, and he knows that the "Dios le escucha" (God listens to him). He is 62 years old, skinniest little man ever and has literally JUST family and ONLY joy. We call him "Eleno: la lleno de gozo" (Eleno: the full of joy). :) We've been teaching him for 4 weeks--he's read LdM...all of it, ha. But this week we had two SUPER difficult lessons with him--he was just all over the place. And in lessons I catch the feeling more than I catch the words. He was so flustered, and worried, and unsure. This night though, more than any other time on my mission so far, I felt the Lord telling me exactly what to say to Eleno. As soon as I started to speak, the room just hushed. And it was not me talking. Nuestro Parde Celestial nos concoce--our Father in Heaven knows us. He knows Eleno. When things like that are happening, you don't realize what a big deal they are--you just have to act and say what you're being prompted to say. At the time it just seems like you're just obeying, just doing what is right. It was one of those lessons where we just came out exhausted. I knew we did what we needed to, said what we needed to. But you just come out and you think "Did that really just happen? Did that really happen like it was supposed to?" Things just go crazy out here, guys, ha. You hear stories about how great the missionaires were for this family or this person and you create a picture in your head of how those missionaries must have been, or how those lessons must have gone. I tell you it is different than you think it is. The phones are ringing, I'm tired, my companion is carrying the whole lesson because I can't understand half of it, kids are running around, the investigator looks confused, someone knocks on the door, the pizza comes, you name it--it happens! It's not always quiet, focused, smooth, or overwhelmingly spiritual. But it is the Lord's work. So then I wonder: what about in a home? Sounds similar, right? Nothing goes according to the way we think our plans for the day, week, year should look or sound. But when we are living the way we are supposed to, miracles happen. The Lord sees us, and He knows us. Miracles are so much closer to us than I ever really noticed. I honestly don't believe I see even a hundreth of them. But I trust with all that I am that they are there and they are real. This church is Christ's church. I know that. I am so far from a perfect teacher, obviously far from even moderate Spanish, ha, and I always want to be more obedient. But His work will always move forward. I am so grateful to be apart of that work right now and for forever. Ah. It is so happy, fam.
Okay, I have really got to go. BAH! Love you love you lots. :)
Hna Delis
Subject: Ummmmmm this is NOT at all what I expected...
Hello family!
Well as you can guess it is Monday, so it is the day that you hear from me! I have some news that is exciting and sad. I am getting transferred to Corvallis, OR to whitewash (when two missionaries are transferred and two new missionaries are transferred to an area) train. What that means is I am going to be training a new missionary in an area I know nothing about. I have no idea what the people will need help with. So I am going to be relying on the Area Books and the ward to try and find people who ready to hear this message and pray every moment thanking Father in Heaven for all I have and been given. So it is weighing heavy on my mind right now. I am not sure how I am going to train my new companion. It really is kinda of scary. I am going to be in a ward that I really know nothing about and an area that I am just as clueless about. It is humbling to know that both my companion and zone leaders feel that I am read for such a monumental task. so it seems that all my efforts may have far greater reaching work than I have thought they could have. The Spirit has testified that this area is going to do well and the work that has been done will assist in our progress.
My week, well as always it has been about finding people. In addition, this week was Zone Conference and President MacDonald's final zone conference. It was uber spiritual and sad :( to say goodbye. I have mixed feelings on this whole fact that I am leaving this place and getting a new mission president. But know I am good and I love you guys! I hope all is well! :)
Elder Christian James Delis
(Mom Note: Below is an email we received Sunday night from the mission leader of the Eugene 5th Ward.)
Mr. & Mrs. Delis,
I am the Ward Mission Leader of the Eugene 5th Ward (one of the two wards) where your son is currently serving.
Please note, that we have noticed how much he has grown as a disciple of the Lord these last few months. We surely will miss him as he leaves us to head to a new area.
He has a sweet spirit, and I really enjoyed his great work ethic. The members and non-members that he has influenced in our Ward and boundary only have good things to say about him.
Thank you for raising him and sending him our way.
Kind Regards,
Eugene 5th Ward Mission Leader
(Yes, my heart is melting!!)
--------------
Hermana Kate Delis
Subject: BAHHH! CHRISTIAN IS TRAINING!!!!
YAY BUBBA NUBBA!!!! Haha, jokes about the name, of course. I meant ELDER Bubba Nubba. :) Haha, in all seriousness--that is awesome. Christian, I have no doubts that you are going to be wonderful for this new elder coming to Oregon. Companionships are so very inspired. You are awesome, Christian. Ah! And the letter at the bottom of Mom's email--Christian (she is talking about the one above). I actually just hung up a picture of you and me before we both left and I look at it every morning. It gives me so much strength to know you are out there serving, Christian. I love that we get to serve together. Thanks for your love for the people and your hard work. You do so well Christian--you really really shine. I am so lucky to have such awesome brothers. Thank you for your example.
Anyway, the work is going great. One day I will have so many stories to tell you about this branch, ha, but for now I will let you know that it is going under some renovations and there is not a lot of stability. So we decided that we will be the stability that they need. So we have AWESOME plans. It was a really special experience making up our plans for this transfer. Ah, it was so important to me. I love this people so much. And family, it is going to be so good. SO good. Mark my words--"It's gonna be big" (Haha...Hercules quote. :) ). This transfer is the transfer of John 14:14--look it up. :) That promise is real, and I encourage you to apply it to your own life. One of our investigators is right now--ELENO! He is getting baptized on Saturday. Naturally, his world is falling apart right now--it's so awful to watch. But he is so faithful, and he knows that the "Dios le escucha" (God listens to him). He is 62 years old, skinniest little man ever and has literally JUST family and ONLY joy. We call him "Eleno: la lleno de gozo" (Eleno: the full of joy). :) We've been teaching him for 4 weeks--he's read LdM...all of it, ha. But this week we had two SUPER difficult lessons with him--he was just all over the place. And in lessons I catch the feeling more than I catch the words. He was so flustered, and worried, and unsure. This night though, more than any other time on my mission so far, I felt the Lord telling me exactly what to say to Eleno. As soon as I started to speak, the room just hushed. And it was not me talking. Nuestro Parde Celestial nos concoce--our Father in Heaven knows us. He knows Eleno. When things like that are happening, you don't realize what a big deal they are--you just have to act and say what you're being prompted to say. At the time it just seems like you're just obeying, just doing what is right. It was one of those lessons where we just came out exhausted. I knew we did what we needed to, said what we needed to. But you just come out and you think "Did that really just happen? Did that really happen like it was supposed to?" Things just go crazy out here, guys, ha. You hear stories about how great the missionaires were for this family or this person and you create a picture in your head of how those missionaries must have been, or how those lessons must have gone. I tell you it is different than you think it is. The phones are ringing, I'm tired, my companion is carrying the whole lesson because I can't understand half of it, kids are running around, the investigator looks confused, someone knocks on the door, the pizza comes, you name it--it happens! It's not always quiet, focused, smooth, or overwhelmingly spiritual. But it is the Lord's work. So then I wonder: what about in a home? Sounds similar, right? Nothing goes according to the way we think our plans for the day, week, year should look or sound. But when we are living the way we are supposed to, miracles happen. The Lord sees us, and He knows us. Miracles are so much closer to us than I ever really noticed. I honestly don't believe I see even a hundreth of them. But I trust with all that I am that they are there and they are real. This church is Christ's church. I know that. I am so far from a perfect teacher, obviously far from even moderate Spanish, ha, and I always want to be more obedient. But His work will always move forward. I am so grateful to be apart of that work right now and for forever. Ah. It is so happy, fam.
Okay, I have really got to go. BAH! Love you love you lots. :)
Hna Delis
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Week of June FIVE: Fun JIVE!
Elder D
Subject: The spiritual understandings of this week!
Hey family!
It's been raining a lot . Although Friday and Saturday were great days, so we were able to spend seven combined hours, it was really awesome! We spent so much time finding people more than previous weeks. I am grateful for the investigators that I have and have had. I can see that the labor we put in is really to bless us and help us find those searching for the truth. I know the Lord answers prayers.
I have been fasting and praying a lot about how I can get the investigators that we are teaching to progress. Katie Washington, a woman I have talked about in the past, and her family have been investigating the church for a while. Brother Colata Loganimoce was talking to Katie about taking the discussions. She said one thing that hit me in the chest that my patient's has paid off on this family. She said, "I will pray about when I will start to take them and will get back to you on Friday." When I heard that I could feel the Spirit and I had tears in my eyes. I knew without a doubt the Lord is helping that family.
Well family I love you all I hope you are all well!
Elder Christian James Delis
---------------------------
Hermana Katie Delis
Subject: MILK DAYS: the greatest thing Harvard has to offer!
Bueno, familia!
Como estan? Everyone sounds like they are doing great and things are happy in Vienna. Que beuno!! I LOVE to hear that in emails. :)
Well, this week I taught Relief Society. Ha, I am not kidding. We teach something in church literally every week. I had made a lesson a few weeks ago and we ended up not teaching it that week, and then this week Hna Jiminez came up to us and asked if we could teach it this week five minutes before it started. I had everything with me (weird) and I lead the lesson, discussion, and comments. Crazy. It was hard. But I was definitely a mouth piece for the Lord. I feel like the people in the BOM stories that say "I feel slow of speech, everyone hates me, and I'm so dumb"...but the Lord just carries you through it all. We have had a mess of a week--the branch is having a lot of troubles. I literally sit in meetings and conversations and catch myself asking "What in the world could I possibly do here?" I can do some things, and I think they will definitely help. But a better question is "What would the Lord want me to do?" That gives me better ideas, better drive, and better hope. Then a really humbling question hits: "What can the Lord do?" The answer is pretty simple: everything. This week had been an opportunity to see that the Lord is on our side--yours, mine, Woodstock's. He knows who I am, He knows the people here, and He knows you. So if I am perfectly diligent in the things I can do, we will see miracles here. I have no doubts. It is so hard every single day, mom and dad, but it is so good. The Lord really does know us and these people, and I am here to help other people see that in love in themselves. I love my call so very much.
OH! And Milk Days was this week, haha. It is the BIGGEST festival ever in Harvard, IL all about cows and milk. I kid you not--the town's population expands by 7 times--it is ridiculous, ha. So we showed up and contacted the people walking around and bought "UDDERLY FABULOUS" T-shirts to celebrate. Haha, ooooh how fun. Great mid-week party for us! :)
Also, my favorite Mexican foods these days: HORCHATA (rice and cinnamon drink--DIVINE!! I drink it everywhere, haha) and LENGUA TACOS (...cow's tongue. Don't make fun--it is SO good.) (really...my daughter has Celiac's disease and cow's tongue is her food of choice!?!) Who'd of thought you'd get funny foods in IL?
Haha, love you
Hna Delis
Subject: The spiritual understandings of this week!
Hey family!
It's been raining a lot . Although Friday and Saturday were great days, so we were able to spend seven combined hours, it was really awesome! We spent so much time finding people more than previous weeks. I am grateful for the investigators that I have and have had. I can see that the labor we put in is really to bless us and help us find those searching for the truth. I know the Lord answers prayers.
I have been fasting and praying a lot about how I can get the investigators that we are teaching to progress. Katie Washington, a woman I have talked about in the past, and her family have been investigating the church for a while. Brother Colata Loganimoce was talking to Katie about taking the discussions. She said one thing that hit me in the chest that my patient's has paid off on this family. She said, "I will pray about when I will start to take them and will get back to you on Friday." When I heard that I could feel the Spirit and I had tears in my eyes. I knew without a doubt the Lord is helping that family.
Well family I love you all I hope you are all well!
Elder Christian James Delis
---------------------------
Hermana Katie Delis
Subject: MILK DAYS: the greatest thing Harvard has to offer!
Bueno, familia!
Como estan? Everyone sounds like they are doing great and things are happy in Vienna. Que beuno!! I LOVE to hear that in emails. :)
Well, this week I taught Relief Society. Ha, I am not kidding. We teach something in church literally every week. I had made a lesson a few weeks ago and we ended up not teaching it that week, and then this week Hna Jiminez came up to us and asked if we could teach it this week five minutes before it started. I had everything with me (weird) and I lead the lesson, discussion, and comments. Crazy. It was hard. But I was definitely a mouth piece for the Lord. I feel like the people in the BOM stories that say "I feel slow of speech, everyone hates me, and I'm so dumb"...but the Lord just carries you through it all. We have had a mess of a week--the branch is having a lot of troubles. I literally sit in meetings and conversations and catch myself asking "What in the world could I possibly do here?" I can do some things, and I think they will definitely help. But a better question is "What would the Lord want me to do?" That gives me better ideas, better drive, and better hope. Then a really humbling question hits: "What can the Lord do?" The answer is pretty simple: everything. This week had been an opportunity to see that the Lord is on our side--yours, mine, Woodstock's. He knows who I am, He knows the people here, and He knows you. So if I am perfectly diligent in the things I can do, we will see miracles here. I have no doubts. It is so hard every single day, mom and dad, but it is so good. The Lord really does know us and these people, and I am here to help other people see that in love in themselves. I love my call so very much.
OH! And Milk Days was this week, haha. It is the BIGGEST festival ever in Harvard, IL all about cows and milk. I kid you not--the town's population expands by 7 times--it is ridiculous, ha. So we showed up and contacted the people walking around and bought "UDDERLY FABULOUS" T-shirts to celebrate. Haha, ooooh how fun. Great mid-week party for us! :)
Also, my favorite Mexican foods these days: HORCHATA (rice and cinnamon drink--DIVINE!! I drink it everywhere, haha) and LENGUA TACOS (...cow's tongue. Don't make fun--it is SO good.) (really...my daughter has Celiac's disease and cow's tongue is her food of choice!?!) Who'd of thought you'd get funny foods in IL?
Haha, love you
Hna Delis
Friday, June 3, 2011
Week of May THREE OOOHHH: Hiiii HOOO! Off the work my missionaries GO!
Elder D
Subject: Well here is the week in a nutshell...
Well, here is my week... The last couple of weeks I have been super busy when it comes to my writing you all a good email but, this week I am going to try to and write as much as I can and not bore you to death.
Monday, was an intense day. We had a Dodge Ball tournament with our whole zone of 30 missionaries. It was FUN! We were teamed companionship against companionship. Super intense and it turned into a battle of strategy against companions--it was LOADS of FUN! I totally think that Elder Johnson and I dominated, just kidding, but seriously! Later in the evening we had Splits with the Zone Leaders. The name of the Zone Leaders are Elder Nelson and Elder Sorenson, they are awesome! I really love those guys. They are super good at keeping us pumped. We had this thing called "Collect the Elect" and it has got the whole Zone focused on baptism and getting our investigators to the temple. Elder Nelson is who came to our area. He is great guy. I will take some pictures with him and send them your way.
Tuesday, Elder Nelson and I spent the day trying to find individuals who are ready to hear the Gospel. It was really kinda cool. We were just OYMing people around the road. And trying to just talk to anyone that we could about the Gospel. It was exciting we were just walking and literally talking to every person on the road. We ran into this woman named Kelly Parvin. We got her info and now Elder Johnson and I are now teaching her. I think she is ready!
Wednesday, hmmmmm....let me think, ohhhh! I totally remember now! Elder Johnson and I are trying to get a boy named Collin Peters to take the discussions. We've decided the best way to do this is by playing basketball and we did just that! We played basketball at 8:30, it was really intense how everything just fell into place. It was really fun! (Even though I am absolutely horrible at the sport, I was playing anyways...)
Thursday, we had what will mostly be our last interview with President MacDonald (he and his wife are being released and the new mission president arrives in July). After the interview we had a combined district meeting.
Friday, it was really just a day that I was trying to finding people to talk too.
Saturday was busy!! We had splits with the Eugene 5th ward twice that day. It took up a lot of time and it was well worth it! The people that we saw I feel were blessed from our visit!! I have to say I love when that happens! It makes me feel good that we can bring the Spirit into individuals homes and have them know they can be blessed in some way. Elder Johnson and I taught Kelly Parvin and it was really cool. We had Brother Ruhnow with us when we went. It made the lesson go by smoothly and it helped her open up. I can see how having a member present really does help us. I have to say that was an AWESOME day!
Well I hope all is well!!!
LOVE!!!!
Elder Christian James Delis
--------------------------
Hermana Katie Delis
Subject: CUATRO INVESTIGATORS A LA IGLESIA!
Hi fam! Happy Wednesday! Okay. It takes me forever to write emails. I am sorry. This week was great. We had FOUR investigators at church!!! We were so excited. The branch was too. I think they are really starting to see that we mean business out here, and they are so ready to help. Oh boy, I love this branch. Let me tell you a story about them this week. We were SO busy at church--with investigators, teaching lessons, leading and helping members. Sacrament meeting is the last hour in our branch, and by that point I was like going crazy (on the inside, of course--cool on the outside, running like mad on the inside...ha, not a joke). Hna Monge was thre (YAY! Sweet meno-activo) with her two grandkids, Memo y Bella. They have a hard time following rules. Hna Monge can rest. So Sacrament is about to start, and Memo just takes off, and Hna Monge is like "Hna Delis! Vengale! (Go to him)" So of course I went to get him. He's like on the stands (this is before the meeting starts), and normally he listens okay to me, but he would NOT on Sunday. And there is a regla in la mision that says we can't pick up kids. So I couldn't pick him up, and he was going crazy. If I weren't a missionary, we would've just gone and to sit outside on my lap, but I just couldn't do that. I felt so awful that I couldn't help...I just was at a total loss. And so I just looked at my companion and mouthed "Get Hna Jiminez." Now, Hna Jiminex is this TINY little Mexican woman, just tiny--a good four inches shorter than I am. She's a grandma and helps take care of her four year old granddaughter and then works night shifts at a factory, I think. Definitely works nights, and if I knew Spanish better, I would give you a better description of where, ha. Anyway, she always looks beautiful for church, and she invites us to her home ALL the time. So Hna Miller got her, and without a word she came picked him up, and she ended up sitting with him for the entire sacrament meeting. I can't tell you the impact that had on me. I trusted her so completely to help--and just like always, Hna Jiminez was just there ready to give what she could. We went to her house later that day, and shared with her D&C 18:10--the worth of souls is great in the vista de Dios. She is someone who really lives with that perspective. I felt so bad that I couldn't help like I wanted to that Sunday, and that I made her Sunday much harder. But she told us that she was grateful that she could help her dear friend Hna Monge. It was a crazy Sunday, but I hope so badly that I can be someone that people can trust to help when they just don't know what to do. She is so awesome. The members here are AWESOME. I am excited for the people who will be baptized into this ward--they have a wonderful family to welcome them.
Well, I have to get going. Sorry there isn't ever a whole lot of information in my emails! But I am happy, and I love love love my call. It is so hard, ha, but so happy. Such is life, probably.:) I love you lots and am excited to hear from you soon!!!
Hna "Day-lees" (the way everyone says mi nombre, haha) :)
Subject: Well here is the week in a nutshell...
Well, here is my week... The last couple of weeks I have been super busy when it comes to my writing you all a good email but, this week I am going to try to and write as much as I can and not bore you to death.
Monday, was an intense day. We had a Dodge Ball tournament with our whole zone of 30 missionaries. It was FUN! We were teamed companionship against companionship. Super intense and it turned into a battle of strategy against companions--it was LOADS of FUN! I totally think that Elder Johnson and I dominated, just kidding, but seriously! Later in the evening we had Splits with the Zone Leaders. The name of the Zone Leaders are Elder Nelson and Elder Sorenson, they are awesome! I really love those guys. They are super good at keeping us pumped. We had this thing called "Collect the Elect" and it has got the whole Zone focused on baptism and getting our investigators to the temple. Elder Nelson is who came to our area. He is great guy. I will take some pictures with him and send them your way.
Tuesday, Elder Nelson and I spent the day trying to find individuals who are ready to hear the Gospel. It was really kinda cool. We were just OYMing people around the road. And trying to just talk to anyone that we could about the Gospel. It was exciting we were just walking and literally talking to every person on the road. We ran into this woman named Kelly Parvin. We got her info and now Elder Johnson and I are now teaching her. I think she is ready!
Wednesday, hmmmmm....let me think, ohhhh! I totally remember now! Elder Johnson and I are trying to get a boy named Collin Peters to take the discussions. We've decided the best way to do this is by playing basketball and we did just that! We played basketball at 8:30, it was really intense how everything just fell into place. It was really fun! (Even though I am absolutely horrible at the sport, I was playing anyways...)
Thursday, we had what will mostly be our last interview with President MacDonald (he and his wife are being released and the new mission president arrives in July). After the interview we had a combined district meeting.
Friday, it was really just a day that I was trying to finding people to talk too.
Saturday was busy!! We had splits with the Eugene 5th ward twice that day. It took up a lot of time and it was well worth it! The people that we saw I feel were blessed from our visit!! I have to say I love when that happens! It makes me feel good that we can bring the Spirit into individuals homes and have them know they can be blessed in some way. Elder Johnson and I taught Kelly Parvin and it was really cool. We had Brother Ruhnow with us when we went. It made the lesson go by smoothly and it helped her open up. I can see how having a member present really does help us. I have to say that was an AWESOME day!
Well I hope all is well!!!
LOVE!!!!
Elder Christian James Delis
--------------------------
Hermana Katie Delis
Subject: CUATRO INVESTIGATORS A LA IGLESIA!
Hi fam! Happy Wednesday! Okay. It takes me forever to write emails. I am sorry. This week was great. We had FOUR investigators at church!!! We were so excited. The branch was too. I think they are really starting to see that we mean business out here, and they are so ready to help. Oh boy, I love this branch. Let me tell you a story about them this week. We were SO busy at church--with investigators, teaching lessons, leading and helping members. Sacrament meeting is the last hour in our branch, and by that point I was like going crazy (on the inside, of course--cool on the outside, running like mad on the inside...ha, not a joke). Hna Monge was thre (YAY! Sweet meno-activo) with her two grandkids, Memo y Bella. They have a hard time following rules. Hna Monge can rest. So Sacrament is about to start, and Memo just takes off, and Hna Monge is like "Hna Delis! Vengale! (Go to him)" So of course I went to get him. He's like on the stands (this is before the meeting starts), and normally he listens okay to me, but he would NOT on Sunday. And there is a regla in la mision that says we can't pick up kids. So I couldn't pick him up, and he was going crazy. If I weren't a missionary, we would've just gone and to sit outside on my lap, but I just couldn't do that. I felt so awful that I couldn't help...I just was at a total loss. And so I just looked at my companion and mouthed "Get Hna Jiminez." Now, Hna Jiminex is this TINY little Mexican woman, just tiny--a good four inches shorter than I am. She's a grandma and helps take care of her four year old granddaughter and then works night shifts at a factory, I think. Definitely works nights, and if I knew Spanish better, I would give you a better description of where, ha. Anyway, she always looks beautiful for church, and she invites us to her home ALL the time. So Hna Miller got her, and without a word she came picked him up, and she ended up sitting with him for the entire sacrament meeting. I can't tell you the impact that had on me. I trusted her so completely to help--and just like always, Hna Jiminez was just there ready to give what she could. We went to her house later that day, and shared with her D&C 18:10--the worth of souls is great in the vista de Dios. She is someone who really lives with that perspective. I felt so bad that I couldn't help like I wanted to that Sunday, and that I made her Sunday much harder. But she told us that she was grateful that she could help her dear friend Hna Monge. It was a crazy Sunday, but I hope so badly that I can be someone that people can trust to help when they just don't know what to do. She is so awesome. The members here are AWESOME. I am excited for the people who will be baptized into this ward--they have a wonderful family to welcome them.
Well, I have to get going. Sorry there isn't ever a whole lot of information in my emails! But I am happy, and I love love love my call. It is so hard, ha, but so happy. Such is life, probably.:) I love you lots and am excited to hear from you soon!!!
Hna "Day-lees" (the way everyone says mi nombre, haha) :)
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Week of May Twenty-TWO: Weather reports indicate SUNNY days for ONE, TORNADOES for TWO!
Elder D!
Subject: Its sunny inside and out!
Well family, this whole week was full of trying to find people and try to get them interested in the Gospel. This is really hard! My companion, Elder Johnson and I had quite an interesting experience. We were just walking around trying to enjoy the sun (since sun has been a rarity!). I am having a hard time getting anyone who is willing to listen the way it is really suppose to happen or how I think that how it is intended to happen. Anyways, we went and tried to Derrik and Stacey Bryant. They did not have a lot of time to spare, so we decided to stay in the area. And while we were there we knocked the of a family's home we had found in the past and they were not home, we headed back to the car. Elder Johnson started talking to this guy about his Long Board. Then two girls approached us and asked if "judgement day" was really on the 21st (there are billboards all around Eugene about Judgement Day being 21st of May). I responded to the question by saying, "No one but, God knows." They are now investigating the church! Basically that is really cool!
It is clear, as I have said before, faith is main my focus right now in my studies and teaching. I can see that having Faith in Christ will make every event easier. I believe even if you are not sure that it is something that you feel is not something our Father in Heaven cares to worry about...He does! I know that if we are humble we will learn. I know that we cannot learn unless we are willing to listen. The Spirit will testify in so many ways and will help you in different ways, that it is incredible!
Well that is how I am. I am fine and well! I love you and hope all is well!
Love!
Elder Christian James Delis
-------------------------------
Hermana Delis
Subject: I survived a TORNADO this week :)!
Bueno, familia! Happy Wednesday!
Okay, now for the week. It was great! A lot happened this week, ha. I survived a tornado. Tornadoes are common up here, so there are LOUD sirens that go off throughout the county when one is close. So we're driving to an appointment when the sirens start to go off, and my companion is driving. She turns to me and goes, "Oh my gosh, what do we do???" ... haha. I don't know why I knew what to do, but I did. Must've been all those diaster drills in the FCPS :) (Fairfax County Public Schools--especially after 9-11 & the Snipers!) So, we found some shelter and ended up in a nice little member's home while it rained. Haha, glory. It was a night to remember.
Anyway, the rest of the week was great. Lleno read the LdM and is now reading the index--not a joke. Haha, this guy is hysterical. I can't wait for you to meet him, or at least see a picture. He is great. His baptism is in TWO weeks!! Bah! OH!!! Hno Ventura!!! He is a member, has been for two years, and he is AWESOME. He takes us to lunch at this little restaurant inside a Mexican grocery store--it is so so so good. And he just talks to us :). He showed up to the store with a trucker baseball cap, a blue plaid flannel button up, purpley-pink cordouroy pants, and black cowboy boots. He's in his fifties, and he is so great. He turned around his whole life because he just knew the church was true--he can't even read so he didn't read the LdM, he just knew the message was true. Ah. So awesome. This man is incredible. And we love to eat lunch with him, ha.
Okay, well I have to go. So sorry, I am running out of time. :) Love you loads, and I will talk to you soon!!
Have a great week!
Hna Delis
Subject: Its sunny inside and out!
Well family, this whole week was full of trying to find people and try to get them interested in the Gospel. This is really hard! My companion, Elder Johnson and I had quite an interesting experience. We were just walking around trying to enjoy the sun (since sun has been a rarity!). I am having a hard time getting anyone who is willing to listen the way it is really suppose to happen or how I think that how it is intended to happen. Anyways, we went and tried to Derrik and Stacey Bryant. They did not have a lot of time to spare, so we decided to stay in the area. And while we were there we knocked the of a family's home we had found in the past and they were not home, we headed back to the car. Elder Johnson started talking to this guy about his Long Board. Then two girls approached us and asked if "judgement day" was really on the 21st (there are billboards all around Eugene about Judgement Day being 21st of May). I responded to the question by saying, "No one but, God knows." They are now investigating the church! Basically that is really cool!
It is clear, as I have said before, faith is main my focus right now in my studies and teaching. I can see that having Faith in Christ will make every event easier. I believe even if you are not sure that it is something that you feel is not something our Father in Heaven cares to worry about...He does! I know that if we are humble we will learn. I know that we cannot learn unless we are willing to listen. The Spirit will testify in so many ways and will help you in different ways, that it is incredible!
Well that is how I am. I am fine and well! I love you and hope all is well!
Love!
Elder Christian James Delis
-------------------------------
Hermana Delis
Subject: I survived a TORNADO this week :)!
Bueno, familia! Happy Wednesday!
Okay, now for the week. It was great! A lot happened this week, ha. I survived a tornado. Tornadoes are common up here, so there are LOUD sirens that go off throughout the county when one is close. So we're driving to an appointment when the sirens start to go off, and my companion is driving. She turns to me and goes, "Oh my gosh, what do we do???" ... haha. I don't know why I knew what to do, but I did. Must've been all those diaster drills in the FCPS :) (Fairfax County Public Schools--especially after 9-11 & the Snipers!) So, we found some shelter and ended up in a nice little member's home while it rained. Haha, glory. It was a night to remember.
Anyway, the rest of the week was great. Lleno read the LdM and is now reading the index--not a joke. Haha, this guy is hysterical. I can't wait for you to meet him, or at least see a picture. He is great. His baptism is in TWO weeks!! Bah! OH!!! Hno Ventura!!! He is a member, has been for two years, and he is AWESOME. He takes us to lunch at this little restaurant inside a Mexican grocery store--it is so so so good. And he just talks to us :). He showed up to the store with a trucker baseball cap, a blue plaid flannel button up, purpley-pink cordouroy pants, and black cowboy boots. He's in his fifties, and he is so great. He turned around his whole life because he just knew the church was true--he can't even read so he didn't read the LdM, he just knew the message was true. Ah. So awesome. This man is incredible. And we love to eat lunch with him, ha.
Okay, well I have to go. So sorry, I am running out of time. :) Love you loads, and I will talk to you soon!!
Have a great week!
Hna Delis
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Week of May ONE-FIVE: Here's proof my missionaries are HEALTHY and ALIVE!
Elder D
Subject: A week down ... WOW it went FAST!
Well hello,
My companion, Elder Johnson and I have spent yet another week trying to find people. Good News! We may have found two solid investigators! (I really hope this is the case!)
I am seeing faith to its fullest every day. It seems to me that faith is something a lot of the investigators and church members are struggling with. Obviously it is just an outside observation. But it is playing a major factor in all things. It's really surprising to me. I am kind of shocked to see how Satan is tempting even those who are solid in the church. I believe faith is the key to staying strong. I have been doing a lot of studying on the topic and it is super apparent that is really what I need to work on to help others build their faith stronger. I read Mormon 9 and Alma 32 as well as Ether 2-3. In addition, I have been reading the Doctrine of Christ and this is helping. President MacDonald has been putting a lot of effort into teaching all of the missionaries to focus on this. I beginning to understand why we need to make a concentrated effort to teach this more.
Love,
Elder Christian James Delis
(Mom Note: I have heard from numerous experienced missionary moms that the letters always begin long then as the missionary's life gets busy their letters get somewhat smaller. Today is an example. We normally recieve our notes between 1 and 2 pm, today is was at 8 pm--only after he was done playing basketball with the other missionaries...Yep, I guess we should be proud his health is as important as his spiritual growth!)
------------------------------
Hermana Delis
Subject: Hola! as we gringos say :)
Bueno, familia!
And that is kind of what I wanted to talk about today! I was reading in Alma 26 about the Sons of Mosiah--love those guys. Actually, do you have a copy of PMG? I did the activity under "Patience" in capitulo 6, you can do it too for family night or something. It is a good good representative of missionary life. It is just so hard--it blows me away some days, ha. But I came in with just a few things that I wanted for my investigators--just to know who the savior is for them, and to know that they have a HUGE potential--bigger than we know--because our Heavenly Father loves them. And right now, I'm in the middle of the sons of Mosiah's journey--when the days are really long and the rejection is pretty obvious. But the joy Alma has at the end of it all is TOTALLY in the Lord and his work, and he just feels so lucky to be an instrument. I totally understood that today. He talks of "thousands" that were converted unto the Lord--I won't have that experience, but I know there are people here that will receive the gospel. Man, I can't tell you how happy I am just knowing that somehow, somewhere people will receive this message while I was an instrument for the Lord. I am so so grateful. We met a family yesterday that I am SOO excited to continue meeting with. Man, we got in the car afterwards and I almost started to cry, I love them so much, and I just felt so good about them. Familia Martinez--I hope I can tell you more stories about them soon. :) One family we really really love told us this week that they didn't want to change anything about their lives--the church was just too much. That was the hardest rejection so far. I cried on the way to our next appointment, ha. Then, at our next appointment, this funny, skinny little man we've been teaching with his daughter asked us when he could be baptized. WHAT! We told him soon. Haha. June 11, actually. We have another person being baptized that day, too, actually--Gerardo! They are both great. Lleno (the old man) was like "Will there be singing at my baptism? I KNOW the angels will be singing, so we should too." Haha, I was literally blown away--honestly, I didn't really believe it that night--I came home almost confused, ha. No way that was really happening. But he loves the Book of Mormon, loves praying, and he loves the message. So he's getting baptized! Pray for them to keep trusting in their faith. :) It's been a wild week, claro, but awesome. :)
Today, I just really have a lot of faith that great things are going to happen on this mission. Ha, I am really grateful for that today. I get so worried throughout the week, and family, I really love these people so very much, and it is so hard when they don't see how great they are and how much our Heavenly Father really loves them. I really have a hard time not knowing the language--I'm at the point where I understand a good portion of what is going on, but I can't respond like I want to. But I just know that all that I want for these people WILL happen. I just really know that the Lord will make up for what I lack, and I can really be what He needs here. It's hard to feel so inadequate for this call some days, but I just know that the Lord gives me so much more than I see. Great things are happening in Woodstock--thanks for helping me be here.:)
Love you!
Hna Delis
(Mom Note: We recieved a fun surprise from the mission president's wife...both a snapshot and a video of Katie's first couple of days in Chicago. They interviewed all the new incoming missionaries and sent us a copy. Here is the link http://vimeo.com/23186017. (Cut and paste the link--not sure how to download videos yet.) Be warned it is over 30 minutes long, but it if you are willing to watch it you will see Hermana Delis' smile as she arrives in Chicago, while she is touring you will hear about her first experience delivering a Book of Mormon and see her greet her first companion. Yes, we have proof she is alive! Enjoy!)
Subject: A week down ... WOW it went FAST!
Well hello,
My companion, Elder Johnson and I have spent yet another week trying to find people. Good News! We may have found two solid investigators! (I really hope this is the case!)
I am seeing faith to its fullest every day. It seems to me that faith is something a lot of the investigators and church members are struggling with. Obviously it is just an outside observation. But it is playing a major factor in all things. It's really surprising to me. I am kind of shocked to see how Satan is tempting even those who are solid in the church. I believe faith is the key to staying strong. I have been doing a lot of studying on the topic and it is super apparent that is really what I need to work on to help others build their faith stronger. I read Mormon 9 and Alma 32 as well as Ether 2-3. In addition, I have been reading the Doctrine of Christ and this is helping. President MacDonald has been putting a lot of effort into teaching all of the missionaries to focus on this. I beginning to understand why we need to make a concentrated effort to teach this more.
Love,
Elder Christian James Delis
(Mom Note: I have heard from numerous experienced missionary moms that the letters always begin long then as the missionary's life gets busy their letters get somewhat smaller. Today is an example. We normally recieve our notes between 1 and 2 pm, today is was at 8 pm--only after he was done playing basketball with the other missionaries...Yep, I guess we should be proud his health is as important as his spiritual growth!)
Elder Delis with his first companion Elder Mackay and at his first baptism...Yes, those missionaries shaved my boy's hair! Luckily when he skyped on Mother's Day it looks like its growing back!
Hermana Delis
Subject: Hola! as we gringos say :)
Bueno, familia!
And that is kind of what I wanted to talk about today! I was reading in Alma 26 about the Sons of Mosiah--love those guys. Actually, do you have a copy of PMG? I did the activity under "Patience" in capitulo 6, you can do it too for family night or something. It is a good good representative of missionary life. It is just so hard--it blows me away some days, ha. But I came in with just a few things that I wanted for my investigators--just to know who the savior is for them, and to know that they have a HUGE potential--bigger than we know--because our Heavenly Father loves them. And right now, I'm in the middle of the sons of Mosiah's journey--when the days are really long and the rejection is pretty obvious. But the joy Alma has at the end of it all is TOTALLY in the Lord and his work, and he just feels so lucky to be an instrument. I totally understood that today. He talks of "thousands" that were converted unto the Lord--I won't have that experience, but I know there are people here that will receive the gospel. Man, I can't tell you how happy I am just knowing that somehow, somewhere people will receive this message while I was an instrument for the Lord. I am so so grateful. We met a family yesterday that I am SOO excited to continue meeting with. Man, we got in the car afterwards and I almost started to cry, I love them so much, and I just felt so good about them. Familia Martinez--I hope I can tell you more stories about them soon. :) One family we really really love told us this week that they didn't want to change anything about their lives--the church was just too much. That was the hardest rejection so far. I cried on the way to our next appointment, ha. Then, at our next appointment, this funny, skinny little man we've been teaching with his daughter asked us when he could be baptized. WHAT! We told him soon. Haha. June 11, actually. We have another person being baptized that day, too, actually--Gerardo! They are both great. Lleno (the old man) was like "Will there be singing at my baptism? I KNOW the angels will be singing, so we should too." Haha, I was literally blown away--honestly, I didn't really believe it that night--I came home almost confused, ha. No way that was really happening. But he loves the Book of Mormon, loves praying, and he loves the message. So he's getting baptized! Pray for them to keep trusting in their faith. :) It's been a wild week, claro, but awesome. :)
Today, I just really have a lot of faith that great things are going to happen on this mission. Ha, I am really grateful for that today. I get so worried throughout the week, and family, I really love these people so very much, and it is so hard when they don't see how great they are and how much our Heavenly Father really loves them. I really have a hard time not knowing the language--I'm at the point where I understand a good portion of what is going on, but I can't respond like I want to. But I just know that all that I want for these people WILL happen. I just really know that the Lord will make up for what I lack, and I can really be what He needs here. It's hard to feel so inadequate for this call some days, but I just know that the Lord gives me so much more than I see. Great things are happening in Woodstock--thanks for helping me be here.:)
Love you!
Hna Delis
(Mom Note: We recieved a fun surprise from the mission president's wife...both a snapshot and a video of Katie's first couple of days in Chicago. They interviewed all the new incoming missionaries and sent us a copy. Here is the link http://vimeo.com/23186017. (Cut and paste the link--not sure how to download videos yet.) Be warned it is over 30 minutes long, but it if you are willing to watch it you will see Hermana Delis' smile as she arrives in Chicago, while she is touring you will hear about her first experience delivering a Book of Mormon and see her greet her first companion. Yes, we have proof she is alive! Enjoy!)
Hermana Delis, Hermana Miller (her companion), President & Sister Doll
Friday, May 13, 2011
Week of May EIGHT: Mother's Day Calls are first RATE!
Elder Delis
Subject: A day to SEE the family! (Christian Skyped on Mother's Day! It was so nice to actually SEE him! For those interested, he looks great! He is happy and as handsome as ever!)
Well, Tuesday was when transfers began. It was quite eventful to see so many missionaries going to different places all over the mission. Actually quite fun! The most interesting thing that happened is that Elder Johnson came to Eugene as my new companion! Elder Brower left on Thursday to go back to Jordan Valley, Oregon. Yes...he lives in Oregon and got called to serve in Oregon!
Of course with a new companion it means we spent most our week getting him oriented in his new area. We spent most of Wednesday helping him get to know the area better and show him as much as I could about Eugene and how fun it is. HAHAHA! We also had dinner with Brother Loganimoce. This was cool because we got an opportunity to talk about things other than missionary work things. He is definitely a person that I will keep in contact with after my mission.
We had an interesting experience this week. President MacDonald called me (which scared me, why would I get a call from my mission president...I sat there wondering what had I done wrong!) on Tuesday to ask if I knew a man named John Green. And surprisingly I had seen him a week or so earlier. I did splits with a member of the Springfield 1st, Brother Ruhnow when I met Mr. Green. (Brother Ruhnow went with me because he had spent time teaching him the discussions earlier. It is always great to get ward member's help!) But the reason President MacDonald called was because he has a friend who is a friend to John Green and he was giving me permission to call his friend, Brother Dlynn Heaps. After talking with Brother Heaps the entire night lined up. Because we had time we went to see John Green and spent the rest of the night talking to him about the first discussion. It was really awesome!!!
We ended our week by helping a family move out of their home. Most of the people that would have normally assisted were at the temple so my companion and I helped. It is becoming more and more apparent to me how service can really teach investigators how the church is always willing to help.
LOVE YA!
Elder Christian James Delis
-----------------------
Hermana Delis
Subject: TENEMOS EL SOL!!
Bueno, familia!
Well, this has been quite the week. One great thing we did: WE LET THE SUN IN OUR ROOM!!! I could nto get up in the mornings, it was SO hard, and has been for two weeks. It drove me nuts--it felt like I wasn't being obedient, I had a bad attitude, eh. It was yucky. BUT last night, we decided to take down the blankets that were covering the window of our bedroom--BEST DECISION EVER!!!! The sun cured everything. AH, our bedroom is perfect now. And we got to workout at the gym this morning--I ran forever. AH. It has been a happy start to the morning. AND SO today, I am grateful for the sun. :)
And I am grateful to be a missionary. :) I love my call, and I am grateful to serve. My scripture of the week has been D&C 112:10 (Be thou humble; and the Lord thy God shall lead thee by the hand, and give thee answers to thy prayers.) It was a pretty tough week--everything went almost 100% differently than we had expected. We had one day that just kind of blew up in our faces, ha: 7 appointments, one followed through. That one appointment was a member, and she actually forgot we were coming, so we didn't get to eat. We contacted in some rain, taught one horribly awkward lesson to seven people who all actually took turns telling us they would NEVER read the BofM. Even as a new Spanish speaker, I understood that conversation JUST fine, ha. The day just rolled on with cancellation after cancellation (we even bumped into one of our investigators an hour before our appointment, confirmed that we'd be there, and they still weren't there, haha), and lots of rejection in contacting. At eight o'clock, my companion and I found ourselves sitting on the stoop of our last appointment. They didn't answer the door, and we were hoping if we waited five more minutes, they would remember to come home or something. :) So we sat for a minute. They didn't come home this time, but I will never forget sitting there. In those few moments, I was so grateful to be a missionary. I don't know why, but while we sat on that stoop I just knew that this gospel is true, that the Savior loves us, and that this is His work. Admist what felt like a day of dissappointment, I could only be grateful to be there. That was my very best day of the mission so far. My testimony is simple, and often feels inadequate for the perfect message I have been called to share. But it is a testimony of truth. And that is what the gospel is: truth. The gospel is simple, it is happy, and it is true. I know that for sure, and I am so grateful for the opportunity to share it.
Keep me posted on what is going on, and tell everyone I say hi. :) When people ask how I am, will you just let them know I am always hoping they are well? Sometimes I don't get to write back as much as I want to, but it is always a matter of time, not interest. Will you please let them know I am grateful for them, please? Gracias. :)
Okay, love you all always. :) Have a very happy week!
Hna Delis
Subject: A day to SEE the family! (Christian Skyped on Mother's Day! It was so nice to actually SEE him! For those interested, he looks great! He is happy and as handsome as ever!)
Well, Tuesday was when transfers began. It was quite eventful to see so many missionaries going to different places all over the mission. Actually quite fun! The most interesting thing that happened is that Elder Johnson came to Eugene as my new companion! Elder Brower left on Thursday to go back to Jordan Valley, Oregon. Yes...he lives in Oregon and got called to serve in Oregon!
Of course with a new companion it means we spent most our week getting him oriented in his new area. We spent most of Wednesday helping him get to know the area better and show him as much as I could about Eugene and how fun it is. HAHAHA! We also had dinner with Brother Loganimoce. This was cool because we got an opportunity to talk about things other than missionary work things. He is definitely a person that I will keep in contact with after my mission.
We had an interesting experience this week. President MacDonald called me (which scared me, why would I get a call from my mission president...I sat there wondering what had I done wrong!) on Tuesday to ask if I knew a man named John Green. And surprisingly I had seen him a week or so earlier. I did splits with a member of the Springfield 1st, Brother Ruhnow when I met Mr. Green. (Brother Ruhnow went with me because he had spent time teaching him the discussions earlier. It is always great to get ward member's help!) But the reason President MacDonald called was because he has a friend who is a friend to John Green and he was giving me permission to call his friend, Brother Dlynn Heaps. After talking with Brother Heaps the entire night lined up. Because we had time we went to see John Green and spent the rest of the night talking to him about the first discussion. It was really awesome!!!
We ended our week by helping a family move out of their home. Most of the people that would have normally assisted were at the temple so my companion and I helped. It is becoming more and more apparent to me how service can really teach investigators how the church is always willing to help.
LOVE YA!
Elder Christian James Delis
-----------------------
Hermana Delis
Subject: TENEMOS EL SOL!!
Bueno, familia!
Well, this has been quite the week. One great thing we did: WE LET THE SUN IN OUR ROOM!!! I could nto get up in the mornings, it was SO hard, and has been for two weeks. It drove me nuts--it felt like I wasn't being obedient, I had a bad attitude, eh. It was yucky. BUT last night, we decided to take down the blankets that were covering the window of our bedroom--BEST DECISION EVER!!!! The sun cured everything. AH, our bedroom is perfect now. And we got to workout at the gym this morning--I ran forever. AH. It has been a happy start to the morning. AND SO today, I am grateful for the sun. :)
And I am grateful to be a missionary. :) I love my call, and I am grateful to serve. My scripture of the week has been D&C 112:10 (Be thou humble; and the Lord thy God shall lead thee by the hand, and give thee answers to thy prayers.) It was a pretty tough week--everything went almost 100% differently than we had expected. We had one day that just kind of blew up in our faces, ha: 7 appointments, one followed through. That one appointment was a member, and she actually forgot we were coming, so we didn't get to eat. We contacted in some rain, taught one horribly awkward lesson to seven people who all actually took turns telling us they would NEVER read the BofM. Even as a new Spanish speaker, I understood that conversation JUST fine, ha. The day just rolled on with cancellation after cancellation (we even bumped into one of our investigators an hour before our appointment, confirmed that we'd be there, and they still weren't there, haha), and lots of rejection in contacting. At eight o'clock, my companion and I found ourselves sitting on the stoop of our last appointment. They didn't answer the door, and we were hoping if we waited five more minutes, they would remember to come home or something. :) So we sat for a minute. They didn't come home this time, but I will never forget sitting there. In those few moments, I was so grateful to be a missionary. I don't know why, but while we sat on that stoop I just knew that this gospel is true, that the Savior loves us, and that this is His work. Admist what felt like a day of dissappointment, I could only be grateful to be there. That was my very best day of the mission so far. My testimony is simple, and often feels inadequate for the perfect message I have been called to share. But it is a testimony of truth. And that is what the gospel is: truth. The gospel is simple, it is happy, and it is true. I know that for sure, and I am so grateful for the opportunity to share it.
Keep me posted on what is going on, and tell everyone I say hi. :) When people ask how I am, will you just let them know I am always hoping they are well? Sometimes I don't get to write back as much as I want to, but it is always a matter of time, not interest. Will you please let them know I am grateful for them, please? Gracias. :)
Okay, love you all always. :) Have a very happy week!
Hna Delis
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