The Restoration

Saying Goodbye To Elder Moncada, Going To Miss This Guy!!

Tortillas for the week: 35

So my new zone leader comp is the one and only Elder Perry and for you two Elder Aspinall and Elder Van Leeuwen, min compañero es Elder Steve Perry...si mis hermanos el steve de Timpview...pero esta bien...el es mas maduro, y muy diferente, pero es calidad. Elder Perry and I went to Timpview High School and played football for the T-Birds. He is a solid missionary!

More Goodbyes; Elder Navarro Is One Stellar Missionary!

This week a lot happened, I would call this week a week de revelación (revelation), it was amazing. Every area in the zone had a change so we so basically we have a new zone, not only in missionaries but with time being a missionary. The average time a missionary has served in our zone is 7 months and I am the oldest by 5 months. I have the responsibility  to train all of the zone, a new zone leader and finish training Elder Chavis, you could say I am just a little stressed out, but oh well it’s the way of the mission. Back to a week of revelación, our main focus for the mission is the most important event that has happened in the history of the world, well I should second place; the Resurrection is first, second is the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Why is this our focus?? We know we have a singular message to share with the world; the message is that God speaks, not spake, He speaks to man through His prophets. He has called prophets otra vez (again/today) to guide and direct us. He has revealed for us a plan, the Plan of Salvation or the Plan of Happiness which will help us find greater peace and joy both in this life and in the life to come. Yes our focus is the Restoration and we are now teaching this lesson in two parts. If you teach the message of the Restoration in one lesson there is a lot of doctrine to swallow, it like stuffing a turkey down a beak. The first lesson we teach is on the apostasy. After the lesson we set up a return cita (appointment). When we set up a return cita it is a miracle to see what happens in the following lesson. I don’t know how many miracles I have heard about and have seen since we have been teaching the message of The Restoration in two lessons, it is incredible. Now when we challenge the investigators to baptism, they say yes, they say our church is true, they also say that all the other churches are from man not God because Christ’s church would have His power and authority to administer ordinances. Great things are happening since we started teaching this way. It has made me think on the importance of the Prophet Joseph Smith and his divine calling and also the importance of the Book of Mormon. As I have thought about this I had a glimpse of those things and truly felt that the zone needed a glimpse of this to. It is also President Smith’s main focus. I know if we could truly see how much this message has impacted our life, we would talk with everyone. If we truly found our real and true testimony of the Restoration we would claim as an Angle with a trumpet of this good news. I love the message of Restoration and I’m so grateful to share the message of restored truth. I am grateful to our Heavenly Father that He called the Prophet Joseph Smith and brought many out of darkness into the light of the Book of Mormon. The restoration is just amazing since it makes available to us the opportunity for all to receive once again all of the blessings of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Changes=Tired Missionaries

Yesterday we had ward conference and our Stake President said if we are not serving our brothers and sisters it is because we are ignorant or sinning? Both have a remedy. To solve being ignorant is to gain knowledge of the gospel and to solve sinning is repentance. It made me think about us missionaries and the investigators, is the reason why the investigators do not progress is because they don’t understand or are they sinning? When we as missionaries are not working, is it because we are ignorant and don’t have enough knowledge or is it because we are sinning or in other words not being obedient. We need to ask ourselves this, am I sleeping through the restoration? President Uchtdorf shared this insight, “Sometimes we think of the Restoration of the gospel as something that is complete, already behind us—Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon, he received priesthood keys, the Church was organized. In reality, the Restoration is an ongoing process; we are living in it right now. It includes “all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal,” and the “many great and important things” that “He will yet reveal. There is too much at stake for us as individuals, as families, and as Christ’s Church to give only a halfhearted effort to this sacred work. Being a disciple of Jesus Christ is not an effort of once a week or once a day. It is an effort of once and for all.” The Lord is hastening His work, He has revealed to His servants that we need to focus on this message, to gather los escogidos (the elect), and to have a firm foundation. Praise to the man who communed with Jehovah.

Until We Meet Again

What I love about Mom is that she loves listening to others teach the gospel, what I love Dad about is that he is now my bishop.

con mucho amor

Elder Mcilmoil 

February 23, 2015

Elder Mac And Elder Perry, Teammates To Companions

Scripture of the week: 2 Nephi 33:10-11

“No wicked man could write such a book (The Book of Mormon) as this; and no good man would write it, unless it were true and he were commanded of God to do so.” George Cannon

We declare to the world that the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored to the earth.

DJ Mac Dawg Is In The Church, If Only There Was Music!

Reflection Of Leadership

Made Thee A Watchman (Ezekiel 3:17)

These Things Shall Give Thee Experience (Doctrine And Covenants 122:7) 

Tortilla count for the week: 15

I don’t have changes but there are still changes since the time has come for Elder Moncada to go home, he had served faithfully for two years. I will miss him. Elder Moncada’s greenie/comp Elder Cervantes is being changed since he has finished his new missionary training. I’m still the zone leader so I will be getting a new zone leader comp and I will still continue to train Elder Chavis.  

Build Upon My Rock, Which Is My Gospel (Doctrine And Covenants 11:16)

Serve Him With All Your Strength (Doctrine And Covenants 4:2)

This week Elder Chavis got sick; he ate tamales with milk. He told me he had a stomach of steel well that was a lie, he was throwing up and could not stop. Yes it was sad but dang funny because supuestamente (supposedly) he has a stomach of steel…jajaja...so I got to work with Elder Moncada for a little bit and it was sweet! Like I said before I’m going to miss him, he is a great missionary and we have been through so much together.

Surely There Could Not Be A Happier People (4 Nephi 1:16)

Be Of Good Cheer (John 16:33)

On Sunday all four of us gave talks in Sacrament Meeting and the meeting ended on time. We each talked for 5 minutes just like we were asked. The only problem was that the microphone didn’t work, that was a bummer. I talked about el libro de Mormon (The Book of Mormon), Elder Chavis la santa cena (The Sacrament), Elder Cervantes oración (prayer) y Elder Moncada seguir al profeta (follow the prophet). The talks went great. As I was preparing my talk I saw how much I love the Book of Mormon.

Teach Them To Love One Another (Mosiah 4:15)

Stand As A Witness At All Times (Mosiah 18:9)

Something I learned this week, when you are a zone leader, the zone fails where you fail. The missionaries follow your example in ways they don’t know but you see it. The leaders set the work ethic for the mission and this week was hard because having to wear this boot (which to me represented Satan) and it got the best of me. But the boot gave me some time to think and ponder where I can get better and what I need to do, and to see the zone was affected where I was falling and they didn’t know it, but I did and it hurt. I finally got things back up and the zone finished strong, it is just amazing to see how people follow their leaders in ways they don’t know but you do as you watch them. 

He Made Them A Feast (Genesis 19:3)

Thy Days Shall Be Spent In The Service Of Thy God (2 Nephi 2:3)

This week we taught a super powerful lesson on the restoration. We taught it in a different way than we have before. Each time we came to a new principal we would ask a question so that when Willy would answer we could know if he truly understood the principal we were talking about. The lesson really started to develop when Elder Chavis and I talked about Christ’s life and the apostasía (apostasy). As we explained with the Bible (yes Elder Mac uses the Bible at times) that Christ estableció His church with His power and authority and to also introduce la apostasia. We asked if the apostles truly established Christ’s church and only taught His doctrine then why are there so many Christian churches today. Willy really thought about this and said something must have happened, was it because they were killed and there was no one with the authority. He got it! It was a powerful lesson.

To end I want to share a talk I read that gave me hope given by President Uchtdorf, ‘Living The Gospel Joyfully’ https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2014/10/living-the-gospel-joyful?lang=eng#watch=video

President Uchtdorf said this, “He is not waiting to love you until you have overcome your weaknesses and bad habits. He loves you today with a full understanding of your struggles. He is aware that you reach up to Him in heartfelt and hopeful prayer. He knows of the times you have held onto the fading light and believed—even in the midst of growing darkness. He knows of your sufferings. He knows of your remorse for the times you have fallen short or failed. And still He loves you.” I felt His love. Just knowing that He loves me despite of all my shortcomings gives me hope. President Uchtdorf’s words gave me hope to repent and to keep repenting. We are from Heavenly Parents and as I read that I felt a strong desire to do good, or I could say I felt what the el pueblo de rey Benjamín (King Benjamin’s people) felt and said, “Yea, we believe all the words which thou hast spoken unto us; and also, we know of their surety and truth, because of the Spirit of the Lord Omnipotent, which has wrought a mighty change in us, or in our hearts, that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually.” (Mosiah 5:2) Take some to truly think what it means to be from Heavenly Parents.

Ye Are A Light Unto This People (3 Nephi 15:12)

He Spake With Power And Authority From God (Mosiah 13:6)

What I love about Dad is that he has been called as a bishop. What I love about Mom is the support she has been to Dad.

con mucho amor

Elder Mcilmoil

February 16, 2015 

Scripture of the week: 2 Nephi 11

Do you apply the scriptures????

He loves you today.

Agency: Choosing Good (God)

Agency: Choosing Good (God)

A Moment Of Reflection

Just Adding To My Mission Experiences 

Tortilla for the week: 25

Let’s just say walking around just got a lot more difficult. I’m in a walking boot, it was either a walking boot or a cast. A walking boot was a much better option but is one of the worst things that can happen to a missionary; it is horrible. Especially when it is hot and humid. You sweat so much not to mention the fact it is just annoying having to wear this thing but oh well and enough complaining.

Look What I'm Bringing Home!

Husky Love

Your Not Fat, You're Just A Little Husky

Right now Elder Chavis and I are in a huge fight....with agency....agency is hurting us big time. Investigators are choosing not to be home, choosing not to read, choosing not to go to church; we are literally in a war with free agency and it is horrible. No me gusta pues (I don’t like it) I am grateful for agency since we are given the opportunity to choose GOOD (GOD). When we don’t choose to do good things it bites because eternity is at stake. Right now our investigators are NOT choosing GOOD (GOD).

Nobody Will Ever Know

Caught In Action

Yesterday at church the last hour was combined and the lesson was from the manual of the Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Ezra Taft Benson; chapter 3 which is no coincidence that lesson was on AGENCY. As I listened my thoughts turned to investigators, my mission, me and Elder Chavis and I was able to understand a little bit more about free agency. Agency is more than just a reminder to choose between right and wrong, it is the ability to make important decisions not only in this life but also concerning our salvation and will affect our happiness in eternity. Satan is committed to our destruction. Yes we are free to choose but we are not free to alter the consequences of choices. As we choose the right we learn that our consecuencias sera buenas no malos (consequences are good) and we will always want haz lo justo (CTR). So the question for Elder Chavis and I is do our investigators understand the blessings of keeping los compromisos (commitments)? The answer is simple no they don’t understand so we really need to be thinking on how can we help the investigators to understand the impact their decisions will have on them and their families as they keep los comprmisios (commitments). So that is what is going on in Huehue Centro with Elder Chavis and me. It is difficult right now but we also have had some great experiences in the past couple of weeks.

Beauty Secret Revealed

Avocado Face Mask: Natures Way To Looking Hot

Avocado Selfie 

One experience we had is when went to a store looking for someone we ended up meeting and talking with a lady. It was truly amazing since everything she asked we just knew what to say (the spirit was working through us and we were instruments in the Lord’s hands). One thing she said algo como eso (something like) God is spirit. I felt I should ask her, “Hermana why on earth would the Son of God which you said is spirit take up His body again (raise it form the dead) when His father doesn’t have a body. Christ says I can only do what the Father has done. Christ can’t do anything that He hasn’t seen the Father do. So Hermana from this we can learn that God does have a body of flesh and bone because of the Son has a body of flesh and bone. So why would you say that God is spirit and she was just silent after that. It was cool just to see that if we truly study and obtain God’s word in the moment we need to say something it will be given us. 

Con mucho amor 

Elder Mcilmoil

February 9, 2015

Scripture of the week: 2 Nephi 28:29-30 

“The Book of Mormon is true.” Elder Jeffrey R. Holland 

“The Book of Mormon will change your life.” President Henry B. Eyring 

He is hope when there is no hope. 

We Are Called To Preach

There Is Sunshine In My Soul Today

High On A Mountain Top

Sweet Is The Work

Tortillas for the week: 30

On Saturday we did divisions and once again we left the kids (the two missionaries we are training) at home. Elder Moncada and I went to visit a aldea (village) which is about 3 hours away from malcas walking so yes we went for a hike, it was super long walk.

I Will Go Where You Want Me To Go

Teach Me To Walk In The Light

We had the opportunity to teach some lessons. As we were teaching I realized the people just don’t understand, they don’t understand the truth. They just don’t get it. It is the hardest thing in the world to see people blinded by darkness. For we are given the mysteries of the kingdom to preach the gospel to the people that haven’t received these mysteries, and tampoco (neither) do they understand them. We are called to preach this marvelous gospel. We are called to teach the mysteries of the kingdom. We are called to preach to those that want to listen. We are the eyes to those that look or that don’t know they are looking or ears for those that want to hear or don’t know that they are listening. I know it is worth all the pain and heartache to bring light to those that walk in darkness for this is life eternal to know the only true God and Jesus Christ whom He hast sent. And we are blessed because we are able to see and listen. That is another reason why it is worth it to share this life changing message. 

Three Generations Of Training

Oh Ye Elders Of Israel

Love One Another

con mucho amor

Elder Mcilmoil

February 2, 2015

Scripture of the week: 1 Nephi 3:7

“Love is the very essence of the gospel, and Jesus Christ is our exemplar.” President Thomas S. Monson

Give Thanks For Forever Families

Of Course I'm Going To Check This Out

Passage To The Other Side

Tortillas for the week: 30

This week has gone by so fast! Elder Chavis is a blast, I truly love working with a new missionary. And it is so fun training, I love it. So this week I have never been so busy with phone calls checking up on the zone and other responsibilities. Yeah it has been crazy this week. At zone training we were given amazing instruction and council from President Smith, when we returned home we prayed asking for el ayuda de padre celestial (the help of Heavenly Father) with the missionaries in our zone and we made a convenio (covenant) with Him. So this week as a zone we set a goal for 70 new people to teach. Last night came rolling around and I’m writing down the stats and I am getting numbers like 5, 4, 6 new people to teach. And I’m thinking we are not going to make our goal of 70 then we hit some big numbers and we ended up hitting the goal! We actually ended up with 74 new people to teach!!!  We also experienced another miracle with the zone. For 4 months we could never reach our baptism goal, we would always fall short and I mean way short. So this month we set a goal for 6. Then we made some changes, President Smith told us to leave the Bible in the house, so we did, he also told us to change our way of contacting in the street so we did. On Saturday we had our 6th baptism as a zone in huehue centr. Through many prayers and obedience to President Smith’s instruction and council we achieved our goal. This was a tender mercy our zone needed. I won’t go into details of other changes we made, but we made a lot of changes, hard changes but changes the Lord wanted us to make, we did, and reached our goal. It feels so good to reach our goal and we are just starting!

The Blessing Of Obedience

Today, Monday January 26th is the 5 year anniversary of our beloved angel, Chris Cook being called back to our eternal home. I would like to end my e-mail with these words. As I have had so many experiences on my mission and I have seen many things I have come to know Jesus Christ and I testify that He overcame death, that there is no sting. Yes I know it is hard to lose someone you love; the day Chris Cook my Gramma lost her battle to cancer changed our family. How can we say we are disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ and how can we bear any moving or lasting testimony of His divinity when we have never experienced anything like He experienced. In words similar to Elder Holland I am convinced that to truly come to know the living Christ, to return home, we have to spend at least a few moments in Gethsemane or we have to take at least a step or two toward the summit of Calvary. So my dear family I challenge you that on this day lose yourself in the scriptures especially when Christ came to the American Continent and seek to gain a greater understanding of the atonement. If you do so I promise you will feel a light, you will feel the love of our Heavenly Father and our Savior and you will shed tears of gratefulness. It is no coincidence that this morning we taught a mother that lost her baby and as Elder Chavis and I were teaching her you could feel the spirit testifying families are forever. It is through the power of the Savior’s Atonement, we can be together again with our families after death. So give thanks that we all had the chance to know Grammy and give thanks that families are forever. Have joy in knowing that she has moved on to do a greater work and have joy that we know these things are made possible from a loving Heavenly Father and a Savior who has felt the heartache and pain we feel. Yes I know it hurts but the pain is swallowed up in the resurrección de cristo and His infinite atonement.

Chillin' With Elder Chavis

Horchata Love!!!!

Con mucho amor

Elder Mcilmoil

January 26, 2015 

Mad Wall Skills

Scripture of the week: Doctrine and Covenants 24: 7-8

“The temple will be an ever-present reminder that God INTENDED the FAMILY to be ETERNAL.” Ezra Taft Benson 

When ye seek first the kingdom of God you shall find joy.

“Do you want to be happy? Forget yourself and get lost in this great cause.” Spencer W. Kimball 

“Everyone loses his or her way at some point, to some degree it is the atoning sacrifice of the Savior that can return us home.” Elder M. Russell Ballard 

18 Months And I'm Still Making My Bed Mom!

Dinner Preparation

Leaving The Kids At Home Alone And Faith

Look Who I Saw!!! Gerzon de Leon

Chichi Branch Reunion!!!

Tortillas for the week: 25

Big news….THE KIDS WERE LEFT HOME ALONE!!!!!! (greenies/new missionaries) and THEY DIDNT DIE…THEY HAVE GROWN UP SO FAST!!! Why were the kids left at home alone? Elder Moncada and I went to formación líder de zona en Xela con el Presidente Smith. And the Kids found 3 Familias while we were gone!!! WOW!

Ridding With The Big Kids

Anyway the consejo (advice) at zone leader training meeting was something else. President Smith said we need to street contact better. He said we need to talk about both Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon during a street contact. I was like how; I have no idea how to say those two things in a street contact. Then I remembered I am called por un profeta de dios (prophet of God) to say those things. As we street contact we are always looking for a reason to start a conversation, we have been counseled that we have 2 reasons to start a conversation. All I can say is since I have been called to train and be a ZL my faith has grown, a lot! I see almost everything we do as missionaries now as acts of faith. Talking about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon during a street contact is an act of faith.

Watching Over Huehue

Mission Prep With Lacho

This week we did divisions with the assistants here in Huehue. Elder Portilla and I went to a lesson and as we were teaching this lady you could feel the spirit so strongly and you could feel that she is going to be baptized. It was a very neat feeling. Elder Chavis and I had a cita hoy (appointment today) so we went and our plan was to plan a date for baptism this month but as soon as I walked in I knew that Michael’s date was not going to happen this month, I felt strongly it would be in February. So we challenged him and he said I will be baptized in February. I pray that he will stay committed to a February baptism.

More Stripling Warrior Pics

During zone conference we talked about the restoration and asked why people don’t accept this message. The answer is they don’t understand; why don’t they understand? It is not only because of the traditions of their fathers (Alma 17:9) and not only because of their hard hearts (Alma 17:14) it is because we don’t teach the message of the restoration good enough. We did role play and we saw a good example and a bad example which was planned out by Elder Moncada and me and the sister leaders. Our purpose was for us as missionaries to recognize that we teach the message of the restoration very poorly in almost every lesson and we don’t take notice. It is our challenge and focus to each of us in the zone to teach the most important lesson better and clearer so people can truly understand that there is only one and true church upon the face of the earth. My testimony of the restoration has truly grown. It is amazing how much my testimony has grown.

We Once Had Something To Cook On

Chillin' For A Minute

What I love about Mom is that she is accepting the Lord’s will and what love about Dad is that he has a picture of Christ in his class room at school. 

con mucho amor, ducks forever,

Elder Mcilmoil

January 19, 2015

Saturday Selfie

Scripture of the week: Doctrine and Covenants 39:29 

“I testify that bad days come to an end, that faith always triumphs and that heavenly promises are always kept.” Elder Holland 

If God brought you to it; He will bring you through it. 

If we truly want to become like the Savior, we must learn to teach in the way He taught.

Water Well

Yep There Is A Man In That Water Well