Why And How

Hi everyone,

Another good week! We got to do another session in the temple this morning with all the missionaries in our district. I took some pictures with the Nativity scene statues!

I felt like I got broken up with a few days ago because our main man Luis, who we taught almost daily for a while, but who has been out of town for work lately, told us he is moving back to Mexico. So we won't be able to keep teaching him. Super sad, we thought he'd get baptized last transfer but then he just disappeared because of work trips. He's in the Lord's hands now lol.

The elders in charge of the Zone here gave a training on our "Why", and how if our "Why", our motivation to do something, is strong enough, we can overcome any "How". Pretty awesome stuff!

We've been really trying to focus on strengthening the members here, as well as getting in touch with the less-active members who don't go to church anymore. We actually have a lesson tomorrow with an inactive lady named Ofelia who has 4 kids who haven't been baptized! That family could really use the gospel. So often, the problems people have would be solved if they accepted the gospel and applied it to their lives. The hardest part is getting them to realize that! Here's a relevant scripture about this, from Mosiah 2:41 in the Book of Mormon:

"41 And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it."

Bendiciones,

Elder Pettit

P.s. one of the pictures is Elder Jezik and I fighting over the wishbone last week on Thanksgiving. He won.

Another picture is with Albert, one of the recent converts. I gave him one one of my ties and he wore it to church on Sunday! He is such a wholesome guy.

Thanksgiving In Encinitas (6 Months In!)

¡Feliz Día de Acción de Gracias!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope everyone is having a good Thanksgiving today. Remember to reflect on the things you're thankful for - and not just today! 

I heard North Idaho is covered in snow right now. Definitely different than where I'm at! It's sunny and 76 degrees right now. We got together with some other elders this morning and played some "Turkey Bowl" football this morning on a nearby high school turf field. Felt good to throw the pigskin around again!

We had a General Authority 70 visit the mission last Wednesday. He roasted all of the Spanish missionaries pretty hard. He said, "The reason you are not fluent is because you don't SPEAK! If you aren't speaking 80% or more in Spanish to your companion, you don't love him/her!" It was pretty eye opening haha. So now, I speak only Spanish with my companion from 8 am to 8 pm (80% of waking hours). Sometimes I'll have to repeat things in English because he doesn't understand it all if I say it only in Spanish. I'm learning a lot of things about myself, about life, and about how to deal with others. Great life experience!

I was on exchanges with an English missionary the other day. We were walking around at night near the coast, and some sketchy looking guy started following us and cussing us out for being "Mormon". I thought he was going to shank us or something. Definitely a different experience, I haven't seen anything like that in Spanish work. I like Latinos more than white people lol, they're so nice and humble usually.

Well, six months ago today I started the MTC! 18 months to go! 

Pues, ¡espero que todos ustedes tengan un buen día y semana! 

¡Dios les bendiga!

-Elder Pettit

P.s. The Elder giving me a haircut in the pictures is Elder Weston Jones, he's going to play offensive line at BYU after the mission!

Training! Transfer 2 In Encinitas

Hey everyone,

 

 

I didn't have much time to write an email last week, sorry about that (As a result, I have a bunch of pictures to send. So I apologize in advance for the spam)! I'm training a new missionary, Elder Jezik! I picked him up from the airport last Tuesday. He's from Wisconsin. His Spanish is pretty rough but he is trying hard and he really wants to learn, which is all that matters!

 

 

I saw President Giminez the Sunday night that the Transfer Document came out. We were practicing singing for a Spanish Christmas devotional. Afterwards, we were both on the way out and he saw me from across the room, and pointed to me, saying "You are training!" Most of the time, if you're training for the first time, President will give you a phone call to ask if you're ready. I guess that was my phone call haha!

 

 

I've had to carry most of our lessons and interactions in Spanish so far, but he is learning little by little. We had some really great lessons with people this week! We also taught the class for Elder's Quorom this week, and afterwards I gave my first Priesthood blessing in Spanish. Lots and lots of Spanish haha. My Spanish has grown so much in so short a time, I never could have done this on my own. This truly is the Lord's work!

 

 

I was temporary companions with Elder Bartley for a few hours while we were waiting for our new missionaries to arrive. We went to a mall to grab some Panda Express, and ended up teaching someone in there! That was pretty cool, to teach a mini lesson on the spot with an Elder I'd only met a few times before. 

 

 

I got to go to the Marine Corps Recruit camp to be certified to facilitate the sacrament on base! That was cool, we took about a 90 minute training on it. So now i am eligible to be a "Military-Relations Missionary" in San Diego.

 

 

Overall, things are going great. The sisters found this funny Trump "father's day" mug and gave it to me, since I am now a "father" of a new missionary. 

 

 

We are having a "mission tour" the next few days, which means a General Authority of the 70 is coming to visit the mission. I'm excited for that! Also, our next P-Day will be next Thursday, which is Thanksgiving. I'll also be 6 months into the mission at that point! I think I say it almost every week, but time flies out here. I can tell when I look at my things - my shoes are getting worn, my watch isn't shiny anymore, my shirts aren't exactly white anymore either haha. But it's awesome, It's so nice being busy the entire day - every day - and knowing that your work is all centered around helping others. 

 

 

Con amor,

Elder Pettit

Zone Conference!

Hello everyone,

I don't have much time to write this week, so I'll just send some pictures real quick. We had zone conference and I got to see all my friends from the Valley! We got to go to the temple again! One of the sisters is really good at painting, so she painted a hardcover copy of a Libro de Mormon for me. Super awesome! There's the readers digest version for this week haha. 

Have a good week!

Elder Pettit