There Is Nothing Easy About Serving A Mission

4/26/2015

Dear Mami and Papi, 

To give a description of the going on's on this week, well, we're continuing to get to know the area. Haha. There's something really refreshing (though challenging) about opening an area. Yeah, there's a lot of stress with trying to get things flowing again after completely changing the missionaries (since it's almost like practically starting over again), but it's a good change and gives us the opportunity to really work more with the members. (Since we don't know a thing!) 

I've gotten to the point now in my mission where I will readily admit that I don't want to leave. I'm probably the millionth missionary to say so, but really, the people you serve really get to you and become close to your heart, members, investigators, less-actives, other missionaries, the whole lot. Everyone I've had the pleasure of serving and getting to know has pretty much developed a place in my heart. One elder prior to finishing his mission described his experience by saying that he got to know his best friends on the mission. For me, all these wonderful people have become my family, so now I know that no matter where I go in the mission or in this world, as long as the gospel remains on the earth, there will always be family. 

As I imagine you've come to see, there is nothing easy about serving a mission. Not all can handle. It's stressful and attacks you in every possible way. But there is a profound joy unlike no other. You just have to come with sincere desires to serve, "serve with all your heart, might, mind, and strength" (Thank you, Sister Puzey's seminary class for helping me memorize this in English.), and the joy will come. If one goes and just goes to get away, to get to know other parts of the world, to satisfy mom and dad, or whatever other reason that is without real intent, there is no real joy, and as Brigham Young said, they will "return in vain", and God will hold them accountable. All future missionaries reading this, "choose ye this day whom ye will serve" and choose well. 

It's good to here that you were able to start work early this year! It gives me more job security for when I finish. Haha. (You will hire me again, won't you?) I'm jealous that you're gonna be in Seattle. I miss my west coast states. Have a safe trip! Abraham in general is a real eye opener. I read it (well, moreso understood it) for the first time in the mission while still in my training, and yeah. It's a small book, but there's a lot to learn and understand. 

Querido Papi, no se procupe. Este año se va a ir rapido. Solamente manténgase ocupado. Ese funciona para mi. Los días son largos, pero las semanas se pasan rápido. La neta que si. No hay nada mejor que trabajar, trabajar, trabajar! Espero que todo esta bien y le escribo la proxima semana. Igual, le quiero mucho. Well, that's all I have to say for this week. Hope all is well! Love you all tons!

Love, Elder Manuel Antonio Santos

PS, Since Mother's Day is coming up, I'll be sure to keep you posted about when I'll Skype and stuff. Also, have you been able to look for a bag for me? I have a small one right now, but it's only good as a temporary bag. Also, please say hi to the Hendricksons as well as the others who said hi to me!   

On Mon, Apr 27, 2015 at 7:24 AM, < santos1621@charter.net> wrote:

4/26/15

Our Dearest most wonderful Son,

We felt great joy to hear you love your area! How wonderful to hear the members there love missionaries especially because one of them happens to be our son. We hope you, and your companion are finding you way around. It must be different to be in a ward. How wonderful you were able to go to the temple, and do the ordinances.

Your Father loves getting his own personal greeting from you. I think he is feeling better especially since two days ago we took the Tiki Hut building to the Butte. This keeps him busy. After church I went to help him, and we did pretty good. You are probably wondering why so early? Well, we’ve had some pretty warm days so we asked Larry the Parks & Rec fellow if we could take building down there he said sure.  So, please pray we do well.

Today was Stake conference. I especially enjoy the choir they sang as we waited for the meeting to start. The youth speakers were great! One was the sister of Eric C her name I believe was Arianie. Her talk was about administering to others like the savior would have as do. I can’t put into words how I felt it was just so profound.  The whole meeting was just wonderful.

Tomorrow I will be traveling to Seattle for two day for some training for work, and will return on Wednesday evening. Its going to be weird coming after work. The course we are taking is on Microbiology. I hope its not to hard, and does not involve testing.

President Hendrickson, and a whole bunch of people said to tell you hi!

 Oh yea, I was reading in Abraham, and did you know that when man was made, and he blew air in his nostrils the body & spirit together became a living soul. I don’t why I thought that your spirit were the same thing as your soul. It was so interesting.

Well its late & I have to get to bed so I can finish packing in the morning. We love you very much for all eternity!

Querido hijo lo estude espernado con los brazos abiretos, y espero que Diosito me de las furezas pare que este ano se vaya pronto. Cuidese mucho trata las personas bien y no les forzes para que no se enojen. Que Dios me lo vendiga y escriva pronto por que me gustan sus cartas.

 Lo quiero mucho mucho

Su Papi Y Mami

Temple...There Is Nothing That Brings Me Greater Peace

April 21, 2015

 

Dear Mama and Papi,

First of all, I am well. P-day was moved to today since we went to the temple today. There is nothing that brings me a greater peace than that. I had the privilage to be there for 3 hours since I was asked help with baptisms. There were 4 of us missionaries there and the temple presidency had us do the ordinances amongst the 4 of us, so that was a good time. 

 

In regards to the new area, I love it! The members are way cool and treat us missionaries super well. (They love missionaries.) The only difficulty is that we are opening the area. Before us, there were Hermanas, but they switched them out with us, so this past week, we've been trying to learn the area and all that comes with that. Something that we need to get working on with the ward (because we're in a ward) are support systems with all of the investigators as well as the bishops list of action. The ward is small and we need to change the culture/attitude of it in which simply going to church every week is considered "active". I view it almost as the church is in Utah since here in Merida, most are longtime members/ancestors of the members who pioneered the church here in the peninsula. There's much to do, but thankfully, I was in a meeting with President Garcia not to long ago, so I remember enough so that we can get this stuff going.

Sweet mercy, the local church is gonna start missionary work? Wow. They're working in the exact areas that we do. The local missionaries are gonna have fun with that. Haha. Please wish my Tio Marco and Ammon a happy birthday for me. Nothing pleases me more than to know that dad asked for a blessing from Tio. I am a second witness that he is a very spiritual man. I've always known in and am privileged to have such a priesthood holder in my family.

 

Papi, solo quiero que tu sabes que yo estoy bien. Mi compañero es muy bueno. Es un Dominicano que es muy alto y moreno, entonces estoy protegido. Los miembros nos aman muchisimo, entonces igual estoy bien entre ellos. Estoy muy feliz y contento que estoy aqui y ya muy pronto volverá. No te preocupes y continua a confiar en Dios que el escucha a tus oraciones. 

 

That's all for this week. Please tell everyone hi for me. Love you all tons!

Love, Elder Manuel Antonio Santos

We're Going To Do Our Best Here...

4/12/2015

 

 

Dear Momma and Papi, 

 

I'll be brief since it's been a long day and there's stuff to do still. (Oh, how I hate transfer days sometimes. Haha.) So, really, all that I can report on today is the following: I got transfered out of Champton and now I am in Merida in Pacabtun. 

 

My new companion is a Dominican named Elder Paulino. He seems like a good guy. (You know them Dominicans.) We are opening the area. It's not a new area (since it had Hermanas before we got here), but they got transferred out, so we're both new to the area, but the Hermanas left us instructions, information, etc. that we'll be needing, so we'll see how it goes. We barely were able to locate a Ciber, so we'll how it goes with everything else. Haha. I was also ecstatic to find out today that my first son, Elder Lopez, is training. He got him a gringo from Los Angeles, but he'll be just fine since he knows (enough) English and can understand it well.  

 

Ah, so you won't be doing fair again. That's good, since that means I won't have to work fair after I finish my mission. Haha. (Seriously. Too much stress for three people to handle...) In the end, you will be blessed with the business and find that we'll have enough to keep going. In regards to the young couple you mentioned (and for your young women) help them understand their identity and how part of the restoration was a restoration of the knowledge of the plan of salvation. I believe Elder Perry's talk "Why Marriage and Family Matter- Everywhere in the World" might help, as well as President Packer's talk "The Plan of Happiness". (Though, I recommend that one in text since poor President Packer is very old now and doesn't speak as clearly as he used to.) We're going to do our best here, and I hope it'll be a good transfer. I'll let ya know how things go. Hope all is well! Love you tons!

Love, Elder Manuel Antonio Santos

PS, When's the date??? I'm gonna have to miss another wedding, won't I? Lame.

There Was Truly A Spirit of Unity

March 29, 2015

Dear Mama and Papi, 

Well, first, in regards to this week, well, what can I say? 

The main thing I want to talk about this week is that we had a wonderful activity yesterday to get everyone psyched for conference this weekend (which I am absolutely giddy about. I feel like such a little kid, but for me, it's the excitement I feel like when I would go to movie premieres or waiting for the newest album from one of my bands. Obviously, these things are incomparable, but you understand my excitement when I explain it like that. Haha.) To explain the activity, what we did is this: we bought a couple bags of candy and then hid them around the outside of the church. Prior to all of this (to ensure that we would have the assistance that we wanted/needed), we asked that every organization prepare a hymn to sing at this activity, and in the end, we did have practically the whole branch come. Returning back to the candy, we took everyone outside and send them off to find the candy. Once that finished, we went back inside to explain the purpose of the searching. The candy represented people that the members know, scattered about in various locations. The members were us, the missionaries, looking here and there for people that we could teach. Lastly, we the missionaries represented the members, who knew in what locations candy was hidden. We did this all with the purpose that the members could realize the important role they play in helping others receive the gospel and helping us to have people to teach. Following that, we had the presentation of the hymns. All did wonderful, but what was especially wonderful was that the primary closed the hymns (carefully placed last on purpose) with the primary song, "He Sent His Son". Well chosen for this Easter season. Finally, we presented a video about why we need living prophets, but then also with the video of the newest initiative that the church is putting out entitled "Because He Lives". (Questions regarding this initiative? Ask the missionaries! They can help you! Also, view the video on YouTube, lds.org, mormon.org, etc.) The night ended with the singing of "The Spirit of God" and I have to say, that was just great. I felt as if we were singing for the Kirtland temple dedication. There was truly a spirit of unity. Now we just have to give the members a bit of follow up as we continue the week so that we can assure that we didn't plan all of this for nothing. Haha. 

In regards of our friends, Eduardo, he still has desires to receive the gospel. He wasn't at church because he had a soccer game again, but he called us that day (because we invited him to the activity) telling us that he couldn't go because he had a bit of an accident. Turns out he collided with a teammate during soccer and both of them split their heads open, so they had to go to the hospital, and he called us after he got out. I almost laughed because of how he presented it. "Hey. Look, I'm really sorry, but I don't think I'll be able to go to the activity today. What's going on is that I kinda had a bad accident, so I'm not gonna be able to go." It just seemed so nonchalant. Haha. But we are gonna go see him this week, so I'm gonna try to use this accident to our advantage and see if he'll put less priority on soccer for a bit. Ah, the ways of the Lord. Haha. 

Wow. The progress with my padrino (I feel) will bring about many miracles. The addicition recovery program is way good since it puts the emphasis on healing via the Atonement and utilizes the doctrine of the church, so I'll definitely be praying that he'll continue to progress well. And yes, you have no idea of the smile that came upon my face when I read dad's comments. Miracles are indeed real. They just require patience at times. Well, that's all for this week, but I love you all so much. Please be safe. Thank you for the mission birthday wishes! We've hit the top and it's all downhill from here! (But not in a bad way.) 

Love, Elder Manuel Antonio Santos

PS, The computer had an SD card slot, so you get a picture this week! Sums up our activity pretty well, I must say. (They're a youth and young adult from the branch.) (Since I lost my camera cable again, but this time permanently. Oh well.)

Querido Papi, 

Me da mucho gusto a escuchar que todo va bien! Apoye mucho a mi padrino. Va a necesitar mucho ayuda. Yo ha ayudado a muchos utilizando la programa en que asistió el, pero le hace difícil a las personas si no tienen nadie para apoyarle. Estoy orando mucho por el. Como está el tiempo? Extraño mucho al frió, pero me imagino que todo va a parecer un poco frió cuando termino. Espero que todo está bien! Le quiero mucho y le hablo mas en la semana que viene. 

Su hijo, Elder Manuel Antonio Santos

Our Leaders Are Truly Called of God...

March 22, 2015

Dear Mama and Papi,

Wait, Tia got to see them live? Wow. What a privilage. I'm jealous. Haha. (But, then again, I'll be going to school in Rexburg, so I'm gonna have to take a few trips down south to go. Haha.) Conference was marvelous, I must say. However, I feel there was too much emphasis on marriage for a missionary to handle. Haha. (Well, at least during the first session.) All jokes aside, they were really good. Gotta say, I had a few good reprimendings from the spirit, so that's always good. Really, it just strengthens my testimony that our leaders are truly called of God and set apart to lead us as the Savior would. That's definitely without a doubt. I also know that if we have doubts or questions or problems or things that anguish our souls, we can also receive answers from our leaders. I know that I received excellent counsel from my Heavenly Father. 

Aw. I loved Sister Burton's talk too. Haha. It's an excellent companion talk to Elder Christofferson's talk, "The Moral Force Of Women". Also, I had the wonderful privilege to be interviewed by Elder M. Russel Ballard of the Quarom of the Twelve Apostles. (See the Priesthood Session of conference for more context.) Gotta say, that was a good reminder and eye opener. I'll give more conference commentary next week (Since I don't have my notes with me...), but just a couple more highlights. Elder Nelson gave a super awesome talk about the Sabbath Day. His counsel is so important. I know that upon finishing my mission, that's something that I need to improve on so much, but I know and understand the blessings now. It's something that will be a blessing for my future family. 

Last small highlight: Elder Sitati spoke of our divine potential. It was a short talk, but something that is super important to remember and to recognize. That is something that I have been studying and learning so much about in the mission, and because I love teaching this, I'm gonna send a BYU speech that my dear friend Tad R. Callister (General Sunday School President) gave at BYU in regards to this. 

Yay! They're gonna get blessed! Ah, the family is slowly, but surely progressing towards the eternities! (I keep telling myself, I have work to do when I finish. Haha.) I hope that we were all able to take advantage of conference and will continue to study the words of our leaders so as to be perfected in Christ. (See Moroni 10) Well, that's all for this week. Love you all and hope you are well! Always praying for you!

Love, Elder Manuel Antonio Santos

PS, I'll look into the camera cord to see what I need. 

PSS, Link to the Tad R. Callister speech (If you want to download, simply hit listen and then right click and choose "save as".):  https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/callister-tad-r_our-identity-and-our-destiny/

My Love For You Is Also Eternal...

  

March 2, 2015

Dear Mama and Papi,

So, we had a baptism this week! The young man we baptized is way cool. His name is Cristian. He's 12 and he's the first out of his family to be baptized. I mentioned that we were teaching a way cool family right now and that would be Cristian's family. We were only able to baptize him since we're still struggling to get his parents married (not because they don't want to, but there's some documents that they need and it's difficult to get'em all right now.) but they were super supportive for him! He was also able to receive the priesthood yesterday and that made me ecstatic beyond all comprehension. His dad said the following: "Cristian will be the first of our family to be baptized. Next comes us!" I'd send a picture, but I lost my camera cable, again... Oh well. I was able to receive my package today and was soo soooooo happy! Thank you all so much! :D (I let Elder Waylan and Elder Lopez have a tie. I never saw the two they picked since they picked the ties in Merida while I was here, but Elder Lopez grabbed a way cool blue one with the Angel Moroni while Elder Waylan grabbed a red one. Maybe send me the same ones in the future? Haha.) What especially made me happy was receiving "However Long and Hard The Road". I've been wanting to read that one for a while and it's something I'll need for sure. (Who sent me that along with the wonderful music?) Also, something that I forgot to mention last week, we as a mission got to watch Meet The Mormons. It really is a super positive documentary that clarifies some big misconceptions about the church. Since the availability to watch it has expanded, I highly reccommend it, for reals. (You'll be able to order it via Dish as well this week.) For all other questions that the film doesn't clarify, ask the missionaries! They can help you!

Well, that is all for this week, but my love for you also is eternal. Till next Monday!

Elder Manuel Antonio Santos

PS, I'm district leader now... Prayers please! I have no idea what I'm doing just yet!

This is truly the work of God...

2/17/15

Dear Mama and Papi,

Sorry I didn't write yesterday. P-day was moved till today because some of us went to the temple today. I'll email you later. (Hopefully) But in short, I just feel great since it's been so long since I've been to the temple. Haha. Love you tons!

Love, Elder Manuel Antonio Santos


Dear Mami and Papi,

So, as I mentioned, I got to go to the temple today with my district leader and another Elder from an area close to ours called Escarcega. That was such a treat. I haven't been to the temple in so long and can say it is something that I have missed. Now that we'll be having more time to do family history work, we'll have more opportunities to go since we need to bring our own family names in order to go (That, or memorize all the scripture mastery scripture from D&C and the new testament, but let's face it, I think you and I know that memorization isn't that great. Haha.) I did baptisms today and it reminded me of youth temple trips. Only difference was that I understand so much more of what I am doing while I'm there. I can gladly say that I have an unshakeable testimony of temple ordinances and that these are truly opportunities for others to meet their Father in His presence. We cannot be saved without our dead, so it is vital that we get to work. (Myself included.) It is such a special opportunity to attend the temple, and I hope that I may be diligent enough to attend weekly in the future.

I could talk about how this week went, but really, nothing was as special as going to the temple, so I'll leave my thoughts regarding this week with the focus on that and also with the invitation that we all do our own family history, with the goal that the ordinances be done as soon as possible. The work of salvation has been pressurized and we've been counseled by our leaders to not hold the names to ourselves because we want to do the names personally. (For an unreasonable amount of time, that is.) This is truly the work of God.

Congratulations on ditching the novelas! (They're predictable, anyway. Two folks are in love, there's opposition, usually by the future in-laws or a jealous third-party character, someone dies/gets killed, ends in a wedding, Fin.) Haha. No worries about the treats. I need to lose weight anyway. I'm excited for my things because I need them. Haha. Please thank my wonderful family for me and send them my love. Well, that's all for this week, but I hope all is well. I love you both eternally.

Love, Elder Manuel Antonio Santos

PS, Something that came to mind today is that I remembered that Tia Elena had given me some temple names a while back, but I forgot to do the ordinances. They're in an envelope on my nightstand (The one with the movies) and if you find them, could you send them to me please so that I can get those done while I'm here? Also, for all the family reading, if there's names that need to be done that I can trace back on my tree, I'd love to do the baptisms and endowments for some, if that'd be alright ALso, picture is of myself and my first son, Elder Lopez, in front of the temple. We got to hang and that was wonderful.