Week 15 - It's gonna be a good year

We let me start off by saying that since the beginning of my mission I have lost 25 pounds and still counting! I weigh 205 right now and I am hoping to hit 200 by the end of this transfer!

Let me also put a quote up here of something that's really stuck out to me!

"The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago, the second best time is today."

Detroit isn't turning me into a tree hugger haha, I just want you to take the quote and apply it as it stands out to you!

The Lord is blessing Elder Birch and I with little tender moments of success. Missionary work is NOT about the numbers of baptisms you get. Even as a member, it's not about how many people you get to convert. It's about what are you doing now to hasten the work. God has giving me much needed comfort this week in letting me know that I am serving him well. He also has let me know about more things I need to work on no that I am growing in the ways of God. That is exactly what God expects of us, not immediate perfection, but immediate progress. 

Also, I got to attend to the Detroit Temple this last week and converse with the Lord about the concerns of my heart. What a rewarding experience the temple is, to be able to be in the presence of God and feel His love. 

Now let me tell you about a rather intense experience I had this last week. So in our District we have three areas of missionaries and we all share one van. This week Elder Birch and I got to use the van. Because of this, when a mini blizzard came one night the elders in the South Area needed help with transportation to get to their lesson. When we came to the desired destination one of the elders (who is a new elder to this mission) said before opening the door. "Whoa, I just got a really bad feeling, something bad is about to happen." This comment was rather out of the blue and really strong for the light atmosphere we had around us. The elders then continued to their lesson appointment with caution. As we watched them slowly enter the door way I got a confirmation from the spirit that what the new elder had said was true. So I then told Elder Birch to stay parked and wait for the elders. We waited for 7 mins.... nothing happened... Then, the door opened again and out came the elders. I whistled at them to let them know we where still here. When they entered the car I could see that the new elder was on the edge of tears. I knew something bad happened. We came to find that the missionaries were met by their investigators with a priest from another religion sitting by them with different assortments of his doctrinal presentations. The elders were in a way booby trapped by there investigators who brought a priest to rebuke them. This of course can hurt a missionary when all we have is love for the people around us and we sincerely just desire to share with those who want to listen. 

This experience really was effecting this new elder. So I felt the need to tell him something. I told him, "Elder, I have one thing to say, keep the passion, but don't let yourself think that that situation was your fault, because it wasn't. You did everything you were supposed to as a teacher. The problem was that those who don't want to learn, simply will not learn." 

We cannot let our loving passion turn around back to us with feelings of blame. Jesus Christ himself could not get those that didn't want to learn, to follow Him. Even though He knew that his message was of infinite value and importance. 

On another note, we were taken out to eat by a member outside of Detroit. He took us to Slow's BBQ (which apparently has been on the T.V. show Man Vs. Food) and he bought both Elder Birch and I a full slab of baby back ribs. They were amazing.... But the more important detail I wanted to say about our experience with this member is that after our food he went teaching with us and the reason he came out with us is because he also served a Spanish speaking mission and enjoys coming out with the Spanish Elders when he can. Let me tell you. There is no such thing as a lesson more powerful when you have a member with you to come share their testimony. Whether your testimony is powerful and mature or small and simple it matters not. For a investigator to see a "normal person" living the gospel really helps them to see how it can bless their life. I encourage you all to give some time this month to go out with the missionaries. It is our calling to hasten the work and spread the love of Christ as members of the church. 

Let us not fear man nor his judgments but of God's, for he is over all.

I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is God's church on the Earth again. His gospel has been restored in it's fullest and if any man would humbly search for himself if it be not true, he would see by the love and grace of God that it is true.

Te Quiero Mucho 

P.S. I got to drive for the first time in 4 months, I felt like a 16 year old behind the wheel again.... not fun.  And also I want all of you to know that I am working really hard to reply to all those who have sent me letters or packages!  AND... sorry about all the awkward smiles in my pictures! I think I am going through an awkward smile stage or something...   

Graffiti pics of the week

Slow's BBQ dinner!

Pictures of us at the temple! 

(I'm crying because it's so cold outside my eyes have to cry so they don't freeze solid!)

 Just posing for the camera

Is gas this cheap down in AZ?! What the heck, gas up here just gets lower and lower every day!

Me and Elder Birch ( we got the car this week!)

Morning snow

I did the Twinkie challenge which is 12 Twinkies in 10 mins or less... I don't recommend it...

 Gag

 

Finshed

And I did it in the nick of time..... yay...

What I looked like after I threw it all up...

Companion Selfie

We gathered together for Christmas eve and had a little party / devotional

Eating at Nuestra Familia

Week 14 - A Consecrated Missionary

It's seems that there is not enough time in the day to do all that I want to do to hasten the Lord's work. I love these people in the Detroit River Spanish Branch. I have desire to work amongst these people for the entirety of my mission much like Ammon in the Book of Mormon. But God's will be done!

This week we worked with the Gomez Family. I love them so much. We had home made fajitas and a LOT of laughs.... I could hardly control myself. But when the time came for the lesson I knew because of the Holy Ghost that the Gomez family needed a lesson on Love at Home. They have three kids; Hugo who is 16, Anna who is 13 and Aaron who is 10. They joke around excessively with sarcasm and even though Anna is a tough girl I could tell the jokes were hurting her on the inside. It was a tender lesson, I shared about tender moments I've shared with my family and the feelings of love I have for them, and how I wish I would have showed it more. I thank God for that opportunity and I pray that the Gomez family with retain and apply it.

So about New Years. New Years was great! We were very well taken care of (like always)! We ate with the Rico family who are a solid bunch! There was so much food! And the rest of Detroit seemed to have a fun time too! The entire city apparently sounds like modern warfare at night because of a the gun shots fired in the sky from shotguns, to handguns, to semiautomatics. Buuuuut I can't really attest to that myself personally because I slept right through it all! And those in my family know that I am a pretty hard sleeper haha!

D'ante is progressing! He has excepted to live the law of tithing and fast! He is amazing and I hope all continues to go well with him!

And now to explain the title of my letter for this week! We as missionaries are given talks every week by our mission president that he suggests we read, and so this last week was a talk given in the MTC about becoming a consecrated missionary. Essentially what it means to be a consecrated missionary is to put our past life literally on the sacrificial altar to God. The person we were before our mission wasn't good enough no matter who you are, what your story is and where you come from. You should no come back from your mission the same person. Really we all need to do this process as progressing children of God, to give up our wants and earthy desires.

In the talk it talks about a missionary companionship. The one of the missionaries was having a hard time getting up in the mornings and one early day, just like always the alarm to get up at 6:30 sounded off. His companion got up and after sometime said "Get up Elder." and the companion still in bed replied, "I don't want to." And then his companion said something to him that changed his life and mission forever. He said, "It's not about what you want, it's about what God wants."

If we spend our days doing what we want we will never progress, you have to get a little out of you comfort zone to make progression in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Our lives are not meant to be lived doing what man wants. And the reason for that is because we are not of man, nor do we come from a mortal state. We are spiritual beings having a mortal experience. Not. The other way around. God's commandments are given to us for our own good and as we follow them we realize who we are and where we come from and why we need to live accordance to spiritual laws that come from our Heavenly Father. To be sanctified is to sacrifice your will to God.

I make a promise to you all that I will not come back the same person I was before my mission. I will be truly sanctified to the Lord and it will be only because of Him that I will have changed not my behavior, but my very nature.

Fear no man my loved ones, stand with the strength of your God as an example to the nations for all time to behold, and in the end the glory shall be God's and we will be exalted on high.

The Savior is coming, do not procrastinate. Learn how to breathe that breath of true life because of He who died. Learn of Him, Speak of Him, Sing Praises of Him, and Become Like Him.

Do not let the Lord's words fall to the ground (1 Samuel 3:19)

Te Quiero Mucho,
Elder Alger  

Graffiti picture of the week

Just some snow pictures

Where did all this snow come from? It wasn't here this morning!

Forgive my awkward face

Week 13 - New Years Eve Bonus Email

To answer my mom's question, as far as graffiti goes,  Astro is pretty much a graffiti legend up here so he has a lot of stuff, hence all the Astro graffiti pics in my posts.

This is the Gomez family and the man in the black sweater is our branch mission leader.

We do Insanity when we can with a recent convert in our branch Hector.

Just a morning companionship picture

We are making a map of our area, so we can track where we go knock doors.

Check out this video, it's from one of the Elders before me and with a totally different mission President, but this is Michigan Detroit Mission quality.

Week 13 - Christmas was amazing!

Well, I've had a great holiday season up here! I got a bunch of unexpected packages and love! Thank you so much, those simple things were touching.

So, shout out to Aunt Kathy, I love you so much! Thank you for the  Sriracha  sauce, super awesome gloves and everything I just about cried!

Shout out to Banna Tesfay, the next Oprah Winfrey! She can't make me sandwiches anymore but she can send the ingredients! That was one meaningful gift Banna, I love you!!!

And shout out to My Family who I love some much! You all mean the world to me!

It was nice this year to not know what was under the Christmas tree! I felt like a kid again! And I also got to see my family for the first time in three months over Skype... wow, I love them so much! And if they took and Skype pictures on their end I they better post them on the blog! And email them to me too! But seeing family this Christmas was the greatest gift I ever could of asked for, it didn't make me homesick at all. In fact it reminded me more of why I am here in Detroit. I left my eternal family so that I could come here to help make eternal families here in Detroit through inviting people to come towards the restored gospel of Jesus Christ!

As far as missionary experiences and the work this week, it slowed down a lot because no one wanted to hear from us and cussed us off their doorsteps but we only teach those that are willing to listen.

I love you all, Happy New Years from Detroit!,
Elder Alger

P.S. We were taken good care of for Christmas, the Hispanic culture will feed you whether you're hungry or not! haha

Christmas Morning!

Graffiti of the week 

(lots of Astro graffiti in Detroit)

 

Skype Pictures

Sara got a selfie with Elder Alger!

It really was a sweet call.  Elder Sammy has already grown and learned in so many exciting ways.  We love him bunches too!

Week 12 - Merry Christmas!!!

Well it's a new transfer, I'm 19 as of yesterday, Christmas is coming up and I'll be able to Skype my family, and I love my new companion Elder Birch!

Before I got Elder Birch I asked God to give me a companion I can really be friends with and he did just that! Me and Elder Birch have hit it off great! But I cannot wait to see what this transfer will bring!

I got my first flat on my bike today, so yay for that.... It didn't just have one hole, it had about 10 all the way around it... I not sure what the heck I ran over to do that but it's ok, we have spare tires!!

So Elder Birch is from Lehi Utah, and actually spent his first three months in Detroit River North too, so it's really nice to have someone with a knowledge of the area with me even though if he didn't I would be able to manage just fine. But the members in the branch love him, and he, like I, has a great love for them! Missionary work isn't work anymore, it's a vacation! Elder Birch is so open with seeing anyone in our area, which is super nice because we have seen great blessings come from giving previous investigators another chance at the gospel.

I notice that the Lord prepares people every where we go, everyone in our path is being prepared for the restored gospel! No matter where we are we bump into people all the time that are members, previous investigators, investigators, and random people we don't even know that stop us to ask us questions. I have decided that when we see someone we know outside of a church activity or in their homes then that is the Lord telling us we need to see them! There are no coincidences in our lives, whether by the choices we have made or by guidance from the Lord, EVERYTHING happens for a reason.

I have seen and heard gruesome things in my sort time in Detroit, I've taught a man who was chopped up really bad by a gangster with a machete, I've been told a dead man was outside of a high school this last week, and I have seen horrible wounds on innocent children from child abuse. It's not right. (and you told me not to hold back my experiences mom, just be aware of that.) But none the less I have seen more beauty here in Detroit than I have anywhere else and it is because of how I choose to apply myself to the gospel. The beauty of the gospel is all around us. I am seeing the gospel touch so many lives and especially me! We have one investigator on date and I really hope he pulls through. His name is D'ante and he has come to church, had lessons in the church and has read everything we have given him! He is loving the gospel and has a strong desire to change his life! Unfortunately Hector does not want to meet with us anymore and refuses to look at us and wont explain why even after all the amazing things he has experienced he doesn't want to be taught, so please pray for him and his brother Jazziel who is still taking the lessons, but has a hard time remembering his desire to live the gospel.

As for my Birthday, I honestly forgot my own birthday, but it was all fine with me! There is work to be done! And I didn't tell any of the members about my birthday because it was on Sunday and they already have a hard enough time with keeping the Sabbath day holy sooo haha. And I really didn't want to get my face smashed in cake so that was another reason I didn't say anything. But it was a great and successful missionary work day for my Birthday!

I love you all Merry Christmas!

PS: we might not have a white Christmas this year! There's no snow on the ground!    

Graffiti pictures of the week! (Be aware that I have TONS of graffiti pictures saved up for this weekly thing, so please do not assume that these pictures are up to date) 

 Sister Ferriera and her family, and Elder Bardalez (Sister Ferriera is basically my mission mom) but she still can"t compare to the one I have at home :)

 I saw a possum this week, it's essentially a large ugly rat the size of a cat...

close up possum

 I'm not the missionary Detroit needs, but the one it deserves (say in a low, dark, scratchy voice like batman haha)

This tree ate the pole holding these signs!!

this is my new companion Elder Birch! I love him!

Santa Claus is black up in Detroit! haha

Me and Elder Birch!