Elder John Mcilmoil : Merry CHRISTmas And Be A Little Better

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Zone Christmas Breakfast

Nice Touch From The Sister Leaders!

Yep I Made All The French Toast!!!

Huehue is so much calmer during Christmas than it was when I was serving in Chichi at this time last year. The biggest reason is Chichi was having their big fair. It is just crazy how different it can be from one area to the next. Anyway I haven’t kept track of my tortilla count the last couple of weeks so this week I had 15. We definitely don’t eat as many tortillas here in Huehue.

Missing Nibbles

Elder Moncada: The Boss

As you know Elder Duncan of the Seventy came to the mission on Thursday and Friday and wow, it was amazing to watch him and hear him speak. His main focus was on the way we as missionaries can truly feel and see the hastening of the Lord’s work. It was very interesting to see the numbers he showed us. He said for example if we had 100 members in the whole world, 36 are from the US/Canada, 18 from Latin America (Mexico/Central and South America) and then the rest of the world had 3, then he compared those numbers to the less active members; wow that one is a punch to the gut. The numbers show that 8 are active in Latin America and the US/Canada is like 18 are active. He said it is time to change those numbers, yes the Lord has accepted this work, but it is time to change and do it more His way. Then he said, “Whoever doesn’t want to work , go home, go home and prepare better, we will gladly take you back, we need you but we need you to be ready to keep the Lord’s pace and if that means going home to be more prepared then do it.” Everyone was dead silent when he said that, it was sweet. As we came home that night, I felt horrible, I felt so small, so unprepared, I felt like nothing. I knelt in prayer that night telling my Heavenly Father that I felt small and unworthy to His holy work. For this is Thy work to save Thy sons and daughters and how could someone like Thee trust me to do Thy work. I pleaded with my Heavenly Father that I needed dirección en tu santo obra, (direction to do thy work). I thought I knew how to do His work but I realized I don’t truly know how to do His work at His pace. I need a lot more faith. After my prayer I went to bed and as I woke up the next morning I felt so much better, I felt like everything will be fine. I knew He would guide me one step at time. As I have thought back on this experience and I have been praying for guidance and I didn’t receive it, I wondered why. I found my answer through the words of Elder Bednar; maybe He trust’s you enough to know what to do. I testify of that, especially in the mission there will be times when we don’t have a clue what to do but deep inside we know, and He wants us to trust and follow that feeling. He trusts us we just have to believe in ourselves as He believes in us.

Viaje a Belén

"Angels And Shepards"

"Wise Men"

By the way at the conference with Elder Duncan on Thursday I was able to talk to the elder that was called as the new Branch President in my old area, San Antonio Huista. His name is Elder McDonald, so in the Hustias they have Mac 1 which is me and then Mac 2 which is him.

The Huista Macs

Elder Mcilmoil And Elder McDonald

On Friday we went to Xela to have special meeting with Elder Duncan as zone leaders. All I can say is that he blew our minds open and showed us what we are doing wrong and that we have so much to learn. He put a weight on our shoulders, which is good since we all committed to be His representative when we received our calls. It was amazing to see him teach by the spirit and he taught a lot differently with us than he did at the 3 zone conference on Thursday. He taught us about repentance and said why are you here, well your here to teach repentance, because if people don’t repent they cannot enter in God’s kingdom. If you don’t teach repentance, those you teach will not know or feel the power of the Atonement which is everything, so Elders and Hermanas (the sister leaders) I invite you to repent today and change today. As he said that I began to think about what repentance really is. I now understand that repentance isn’t just for our sins. It is for us to be better every day. After Elder Duncan left President Smith asked us what is repentance and I said it is this, it is not only for our sins buts it is for us to be better. As Elder Bednar said, “If today you are a little bit better than you were yesterday, then that's enough. And, if tomorrow you are a little bit better than you were today, then that's enough.” Then I said for example if we have struggles reading the Book of Mormon every day and we give a better effort to read the Book of Mormon every day that is repentance. It is the chance to get better and President Smith said exactly. This week I’m going to put a better effort into talking to everyone. So to close I invite all of you to be a little better this week. Give the gift of being better every day to the Savior.