November 28, 2016

Hi all!

A little history of the week...This week we had a zone meeting in León and traveled there in bus. We past up in the mountains heading that way...and there was snow!! I didn't realized I missed snow until I saw it again =) I attempted to take pictures but they didn't work very well. 

The zone training was great, I learned a lot about how I can be a better missionary. One companionship of sisters has given out 56 Books of Mormon in the past week and last transfer they gave out 140+ Books of Mormon! I had to ask them what the secret was and try it out haha I haven't had as much success but am doing better before. =) 

For thanksgiving we had kebab chickens  (rotisserie chicken from a kebab restaurant) with onion rings and French fries. Some of the best chicken I have ever had surprisingly. Some other updates this week...we have an investigator who we have taught a few lessons who has read 326 pages of the book of Mormon! We didn't know if he still had been reading because we hadn't met with him in a while but he was! That hasn't happened before, I didn't know what to say! 

And a few miracles happened this week but the biggest one so far was when we were contacting people in the street. We contacted a lady who we  learned was from the US! That in itself was a miracle. And to top it, she is from Grand Rapids, Michigan - Grandville to be exact, about 25mins from where I lived =) and she is here nannying a family and teaching them English. And even better is that her dad used to work for Herman Miller like my dad =) Her name is Melissa and we found her when she was on her way to get her Thanksgiving Turkey (you have to order them here in Spain, they aren't in stores). Quite the miracle and a tender mercy.

Something I really liked that I learned this week is in Luke 14:15-24 (but 25-27 are also very applicable). 

Luke 14: 15-24 says:
15 ¶And when one of them that sat at meat with him heard these things, he said unto him, Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God.
16 Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many:
17 And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready.
18 And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused.
19 And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused.
20 And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.
21 So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind.
22 And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room.
23 And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.
24 For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.
25 ¶And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them

As in this scripture, sometimes we aren't willing to do the things God has asked us to do. We have excuses (and good ones too). One just got married, one had to tend to his animals, one had to fix up their land. But they all passed up the blessings of obedience. God has already given us everything we have. Are we using our time as effectively and wisely as possible to do good in the world? Is there something we should change so that we can better serve or do what God has asked of us? Some questions to ponder. Heavenly Father loves us sooo much. He really does want to bless us. He's prepared and ready to give blessings, He just needs us to show up, to go to the feast He has prepared for us.

This December, starting Dec. 1st, there is an invitation I would like to extend to you.

On Mormon.org, there is a Christmas Initiative for all to try so that we can all feel the spirit of the season better this Christmas - 25 days of simple service. 

There is a beautiful video about Christ to explain the initiative about sharing the light of Christ. Sharing goodness in the world =) everyday is a new theme of how Christ shared His light and how we can too (there is a new short video clip everyday on the theme). 

The service examples are very simple and I promise you that if you give it a try and strive the serve people this Christmas season, you will feel the spirit of Christmas more. I challenge you to invite friends to join in with you, they don't have to share your same beliefs. Help share happiness this Christmas.

I know that service will help us feel the love of Christ more in our lives and help others (those we serve) feel it too. Use mormon.org as a guide, there are great examples of simple, quick service we can offer. I challenge you to serve everyday this coming December and I promise that you will feel God's love as you serve.

I love you all =) Have a great week!

Elder Openshaw

First Talk in Spanish - Sunday, November 20, 2016

Talk on profetas. 

Hola, soy Elder Openshaw y soy de Michigan en los Estados Unidos.

Hoy, voy a hablar sobre los profetas. Quiero empezar por explicando que significa un profeta. Un profeta es un hombre que ha sido llamado por Dios y habla por Él. Como un mensajero por Dios, un profeta recibe mandamientos, profecías y revelación por la gente en el mundo. Primariamente, su responsabilidad es testificar de Cristo.

En Amos 3:7 dice: "Porque no hará nada Jehová el Señor sin que revele su secreto a sus siervos los profetas." Y esta escritura es verdad, Jesucristo es el líder de Su iglesia restaurada y él revela Su voluntad a los profetas quien revelan su palabra a nosotros.

A lo largo de historia, habían profetas a guiar la gente. Moisés, Abraham, Pedro, Nefi, y Mormón son ejemplos. Ellos testificaban de Jesucristo y sus enseñanzas. Y ahora tenemos profetas a guiarnos también. José Smith era un profeta que ayudó Dios a restaurar Su iglesia otra vez en el mundo.

Dios le guió José a encontrar las planchas que fueron escondido por un profeta se llama Moroni. Y por el poder de Dios, José tradució las planchas cuál es el Libro de Mormón. La historia que las planchas contuvieron fue la historia de las personas en las Américas y los profetas allí. Aún en las Américas profetas eran importante aunque no estaban los mismos registros de estaban en Jerusalén.

José Smith era un profeta muy importante porque él ayudó Dios a restaurar la igelsia de Cristo otra vez con toda la autoridad como anteriormente. Hay doce apóstoles y un profeta, la misma organización como la iglesia de Jesucristo cuando Él la estableció.

José Smith era el primero profeta de nuestro día y ahora el profeta es Thomas S. Monson. Sé que los dos fueron llamado de Dios. Me gusta una escritura en Doctrina y Convenios 1:38 que dice:

" Lo que yo, el Señor, he dicho, yo lo he dicho, y no me disculpo; y aunque pasaren los cielos y la tierra, mi palabra no pasará, sino que toda será cumplida, sea por mi propia voz o por la voz de mis siervos, es lo mismo."

Me gusta esta escritura porque la explica la confianza que el Señor tiene en ellos quienes están llamando de Dios. No importe si la voz es de siervos de Dios o su propia voz, es lo mismo. 😑

Sé que los profetas son llamado de Dios en el día anteriormente y en hoy día. Hay una escritura en Mateo 7: 16-20 que me gusta.

Lo dice:

"16 Por sus frutos los conoceréis. ¿Se recogen uvas de los espinos o higos de los abrojos?
17 Así, todo buen árbol da buenos frutos, mas el árbol malo da malos frutos.
18 No puede el árbol bueno dar malos frutos, ni el árbol malo dar buenos frutos.
19 Todo árbol que no da buen fruto es cortado y echado en el fuego.
20 Así que, por sus frutos los conoceréis."

A mi, esta escritura es importante por que explica como podemos saber si profetas son llamado de Nuestro Padre Celestial. "Porque por sus frutos los conoceréis". Un fruto de José Smith es el Libro de Mormón. Este libro es evidencia de la restauración de la iglesia verdadera. Si no tiene un testimonio de José Smith o la iglesia restaurada les invito a leer el libro de Mormón. Si leemos teniendo fe en Jesucristo, con la intención a actuar en la repuesta, y con un corazón sincero y después oramos a Dios si este Libro es verdadero les prometo que recibirán una repuesta. No importa cuántas veces leímos el Libro de Mormón, la promesa de Moroni todavía funciona por todos.

Sé que...

Elder Openshaw

November 21, 2016

Hi all!

I had quite a cool week. This week we started teaching some different part member families and invited a brother of one JAS (YSA) who is less active to take the lessons. The brother and the sister are awesome and the brother remembered so many details of the intro to the LdM (including the names of some of the witnesses haha). 

English class was amazing and we even had to split the group the teach the more advanced and the beginners. One investigator we are teaching is honestly searching for the answer as to whether the Book of Mormon is true or not but she hasn't read the Book yet (nor has she received as answer). It's just a reminder to all that we need to read the Book of Mormon and then ponder it in our hearts and then pray if it is true. Read, ponder then pray, if we just pray about it without showing God we really want to answer it's a little difficult to recieve the answer. But we are working with her and helping her find her answer.

The pictures from this week are hilarious. I did take from pictures from my comp again (the ones with the horse and Oviedo and the video of the Austurian parade). I also took a picture of Austurian houses (maybe old/orignial houses?) that are for decoration =) and then a picture of the trees that they trim (they trim almost all things with leaves to a point). Also, I found signs that say "Dental POO" en tu sonrisa And dental POO especialistas. I definitely want to go there when I need help with my teeth =) I also gave my first talk in Spanish and it went quite well (better than I thought it might haha).

This week I have learned how the spirit is in charge. We don't use the spirit, we strive to have the spirit use us as tools to teach. This week I had to use some faith. In Spanish, it is difficult for me to listen instead of thinking of what to say next because I haven't had the faith before to just listen and hope words came to mind. But the promise is true, that when we take no thought before hand what we shall say, words will be given in the very hour ans moment we need it. And I know this because I believed in the promise and had to try it out. And it worked. We had 3-4 lessons that day. I listened to everything the person said and then opened my mouth. And I said the words they needed to hear, and not what I wanted to tell them. It was really cool. 

I also had an experience where we needed to leave the lesson for getting to English class but I had a scripture come to mind 2-3 times and I knew I had to say it. And I shared it as well with an experience from my life and it was exactly what she needed. It was cool to be a tool in the Lord's hands.

I know that Book of Mormon is true. I know it because I have lived it's principles and have seen the good fruits in my life (Matt 7:16-20) (by their fruits ye shall know them). I know that the church of Jesus Christ has been restored on this earth today. And I know that the Bible and the Book of Mormon are both the word of God. Literally the words of God written by prophets who received them. We can recieve a testimony of Jesus Christ and that He lives as we read, pray and after pray.

Have a great week!

Elder Openshaw