26 January 2015 - Wichita West - Spanish Branch

Hola everyone!

The past two weeks have just flown by! Lots of work and lots and lots of miracles! The Lord truly is in every detail of this work!

First of all, baptism!! Yesterday, Araceli and Danny were baptized! I hadn't explained a whole lot about their progress in the last email, but they became more and more excited to be baptized each day leading up to it. I definitely saw the changes from the first time I met them up until yesterday. There was such a different feeling in their home. And I am so excited to continue to teach them and also learn from them!

Last week, we were able to get a lot of new investigators! I know that absolutely none of it would have been possible without the Lord. Right now, we're teaching Ever, Elida, and Clarissa, who are three kids that are super excited to learn about the Gospel. And their dad is so open and willing to let us teach them. There's a true light in their eyes.

Alejandro (Danny's brother) sat in on one of our lessons with Araceli and Danny and became super interested in the Book of Mormon and learning more about Jesus Christ. He is progressing quickly, and already there is a change in him. He is reading the Book of Mormon each day and says he has felt a greater capacity to resist the increased temptations that he is beginning to face. There are so many tender mercies of the Lord in our everyday lives that help us change to receive the enabling power of the Atonement of Christ.

I've really been focusing on prayer the past couple of weeks. A lot of what I've learned is that we need to pray as an agent. When we ask for something from Heavenly Father, we should promise something that we are going to do to bring it to pass. Prayer is powerful!

Sorry it's a tad short this week! I know this gospel is true and I know Jesus Christ lives and he loves each and every one of you perfectly!

Love you all! Have a fantastic week!

Love,

Elder Murphy

Kia Kaha

Elder Murphy, Presidente Cerceres, Araceli Flores, Danny Flores, Elder Malo, President & Sister Bell

Pics from Wichita

A picture from Elder Sudekum today, a senior couple in his district. 

Elder Murphy at District Meeting.

Elder Murphy doing the "no man can serve two masters" demonstration during district meeting. The way it works is that two extension cords are put on the floor in the shape of a "V" and the person starts out at the point and spreads himself out until he falls, showing that a person can only serve one Master.

12 January 2015 - Wichita West - Spanish Branch

Week 7

Hey everyone!!

I promise, I didn't forget to email last week. It just so happens that my P Day at the MTC was the day I left for Kansas. It's all good though! I'm here and miracles have for sure been happening!!

My last week in the Mexico City CCM seemed to drag, but just flew by!! Everything seemed to cram together in the last few days and by the end of it, I was just super ready to get out and work! For our last Sunday devotional, we watched one given by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland a couple of years ago at the Provo MTC. And, in his Elder Holland way, taught us all a very important lesson. At the end of John, Peter and the other apostles don't really know what to do after Christ died. They're kind of just lost. So, they go back to doing the only thing they really know how to do: fish! So one day, they're fishing, without a whole lot of luck, and a man appears on the shore. He tells them to cast their net on the other side of the boat and they can't pull the net back up for the amount of fish they get. They know it's Christ. They got to shore as quickly as they could. Christ then asks Peter three times if he loves Him and in response to each, he says, yes of course. And Christ tells him to feed His sheep. The message Elder Holland got across to us is that we can't go back. We can't go back to our old ways. We have to love Christ with everything we have and them follow Him to the end. We aren't called to be disciples of Christ for just a couple of years or something. This is for time and eternity, and it really put being on a mission and being a disciple of Christ into perspective for me.

On Tuesday, we left, and, well that was a different experience. Mexico City is just pure chaos to say the least. We ended up getting to Kansas at about 5 and met up with President and Sister Bell, and the Assistants to the President. We went to the mission home and had a little orientation. We talked a lot about developing a vision for our mission, that is who we want and need to become at the end of our mission for the rest of our lives. It was really a spiritually uplifting experience.

The next day, Wednesday, I met my first companion! His name's Elder Malo and is super hard working and super cool! We're serving in the Wichita West area in the Spanish Branch and we haven't stopped working since I got here. I love it!! President Bell told us and I've already seen that this is a mission of miracles. Miracles really do happen if we work as the Lord would have us work.

We were walking my first day and Elder Malo asked me which home was ready. I was pretty lost (kind of felt like Elder Calhoun from The Best Two Years, literally, every aspect) and I didn't know the area at all. So I picked one that I felt stood out to me. Jacklyn opened the door and was extremely receptive to the Gospel and has already increased her faith. Miracles do really happen!

I've learned a lot in my first few days that we need to fear God more than man. He has a plan and we just need to have the faith that if we are exactly obedient, miracles will happen and you will see His hand in your everyday life. There are so many examples of God-fearing people in the scriptures, especially the Book of Mormon. I strive everyday the be more and more exactly obedient and really work until I can't work anymore.

That's about all the time I have for this week! I know this Gospel is true with everything that I have. God has a plan for each and every one of us and He wants the best for us. Prayer is amazing. Our Heavenly Father answers every single one in His own way.

I love you all and I love hearing from all of you! Have an absolutely fantastic week!

Para siempre Dios este con vos.

Love,

Elder Murphy

Kia Kaha

6 January 2015

Week 6

Leaving Mexico City for Kansas - no email.