Miracles in Mateares

From Elder Andrushka Pearce Dated: January 19th 2009

Dear Family

The work just moves along as the members of mateares set History this week. I wish i could explain the spirit that runs through my body as it testifys to me that this is his work and how blessed i am to be here to witnes this little town write their history of the church of Jesus Christ of Later Day Saints. Well this week started out as last week we envited President Fraatz to the meating. We wernt to sure if he was coming the members got the word out that he might be coming and set it in there minds that yes he was coming.

Wendsday we had the zone leader call him. He came back telling us that he wont be able to come because he has a meating with the 70ty. As i got back thinking to my self we cant let it just go like that. He has taught all out mission if you want to do something find a ways to do it and dont take no for an awnser. I ask the permision from the leaders and gave him a call. As he awnserd he told me he wouldent be able that he will send his first counsler. Thinking before i asked him what time the meating would be done he told me 3 i asked if we could have the sacrament meating at 5 and he told me yes.

We jumped the first part getting president come to our meating its 50 minutes or so from the city. Then we went to work cleaning and dacorating the place and pouting pictures up it looked very good organized and evrything the house. Then we got all the members informed and let them know that they could write the history of the church. The week went by realy fast as we were getting ready for the president and inviting all we could to the meating pouting plans together how are we going to reach our goal of 80 poeple at church.

We also had a baptizim this week that was a 22 year old reporter of mateares that has gone to church 19 times but never has goten baptized we found him and started talking. He told us the reason he hasent got baptized is that its always saturday and he is realy hard to find this day. I let him know that what ever day he wanted we could baptized. we invited him to be baptized tomarow and he accepted. We got the members ready in the morning sunday they were all exited that he was finaly getting baptized. We got up in the morning and he wasent there. He had a call and raised of to work. So then we started to looke for him. We got to a members house and there boy told us that there was an acident in the road so we raised of knowing he would be there to film it. We got there and wasent there so we left the members in charge to find him and give us a call. As we had to move with all energy if we wanted to reach our goal this week.

We went and found some of the members that we have never taught or new they were members of the church. They told us they would be reay to go to church at 5. The classes started at three and pres comes at 5 also the houre of the sacrament meating. They found him called us we got there raise of to the church of the zone leaders and baptized him. How i love this work and love over coming what comes in the way. The members are amazing here how i love them and hope i wont be changed from this area. Coming back we called evryone for a meating explaining and we gave a talk how this day is very importent for mateares and how it will change the lives of there kids and make all the difrence how they work together 27 of the members went to work inviting there family friends and all they could. They went of from that meating realy exited to go find all and reach the goal that we may have a chapel here in mateares.

We started the church i gave a class on 10 comandements we had about 70 before 4:00 then we went out to invite more investigatores my comp stayed as we did devisions with the priests i went out to make sure that all are coming. As i was gone president and his wife came and all there children. Also our branch president came from nagarote. As i was walking in the streats the poeple were walking for the church. What a site it was to se so many poeple in the church as i got back it was filled poeple were seated on the stairs and in evry part there were poeple in the back revrently waiting for the president and his wife to speak. 113 or more poeple came some didnt make it all the way trough for there kids were sick or screaming. The meating was full. It truly was history in mateares as 113 poeple came to church in a small town of mateares.

President loved it and made some great coments thanked us for our work and told us we need to find a map as soon as posible and that we will be making this unity a branch as soon as posible. It truly was the greatest experiance to work with the members as the meating got done all the members went and president stayed back a little talking with us. Lovly family they are i had a great time sitting on the stand with president it was a great honer for me. the work here moves along they have also just made plans to make here a district with other parts close by.

I am so glad to be here working and that i am growing. It trys my faith to work and be so tired but i love the lord and give all i have to him. How i am thankfull for all that the lord has given me in my life. I love this work. I love you all and hope that all is well.

Happy birthday tomi 30. It has bin 30 years filled with great example for all of us. Love you and hope and pray that your family will keep as great as they are doing. I love you all and let me know whats going on. i cant belive that i will be compliting 17 months on my mission it has gone by so fast and i am thankfull for the next 8 months that i have to give it all i have.

Coming Unto the Lord

From Elder BJ Bernards, dated June 23, 2008

Dear Family,

Holy Cow we just finished a great week! I am way tired so I am sorry if I sound tired this week and make it short. We had some great things happen and know that the hand of the Lord is over us. The greatest thing that happened is that an investigator called us up and said that he wants us to baptise him!! We set him a date last night and we are going to visit him every day this week and get him going to church and help him to climb the ladder.

We soft set Peggy this week. For the first time she came over to a members house to take a lesson and she received everything really well. I could see in her eyes as she listened to the Spirit that she had a great desire to be baptised and to overcome the challenges in her life right now, but she is still not ready and needs more work and we are committed to it and love her. Hopefully, we will keep on rounding up these investigators and get them solid and progressing and stretching towards baptism. I have been learning so much about doing this work that I never knew I never knew and it is great to serve around diligent and hard-working Elders.

Oh yeh. I almost forgot! I got to baptize Shannon this last week! She had such a glow in her face and a light in her eye as a few close friends gathered together to witness her big step in coming to the Lord. It was a sweet spirit to be involved in her conversion process, and I hope to stay in touch with her. Sydney Bently who is a recent convert out in North Platte wrote and told me that a bunch of her friends are taking the missionary lessons and her best friend is getting baptised in July! She says the spirit is rocking North Platte.

I got to do some baptismal interviews this week and it was such a pleasure and an honor to visit and learn about these great new members of the Lord's kingdom.

I love the gospel and love the church and love the doctrines and love the scriptures. I know that My Redeemer lives, His name is Jesus Christ, and He is my master.

Love,

Elder Bernards

Saolatoga

From Elder Paul Freeman, dated May 21, 2008

Dear Mom,

So many wonderful things have been happening. We are preparing a family for baptism. The tricky part is that the two oldest children aren't excited about being baptized.

In the Samoan culture, the head of the household determines the fate of the entire family. Brother Young, the father, really wants all of his family to be baptized at the same time, and we are thinking that the kids don't feel like they have a choice. We've been trying to figure it out for a while, how we can help Brother Young understand that no one will be forced into the kingdom of Heaven. It's difficult for us because we are young, but we asked our Bishop to visit him and talk to him about it.

The children are really very bright and have understood everything we've taught. Elder Hafoka and I figure that the only way they will really find out if it's true and commit to act on it is if the decision is entirely up to them. If the father and mother are baptized without them and begin to progress in the gospel, the children can then decide for themselves if they want to follow the example. The most difficult part will be the parents letting them go and choose for themselves, because there is always that possibility they won't choose the right.

Well, that's the whole point of this Plan then, isn't it. I'm grateful that I was never forced. I remember long ago when I was given the choice and just now realize the affect that had on the rest of my life. Thanks for having the faith that I would choose the right. Thanks again for everything else that you do.

Love,

Elder Freeman

Amelia's Baptism

Elder Andrushka ~ sent December 31, 2007

Dear Family

It was wonderful to talk to you all. It sounds like life is just passing by great.

Dad I have chosen not to listen to the elders. I have learned in my life that with sacrifices comes blessings. With more sacrifices we make in our life that are correct and for the building up of the kingdom of our Lord and Savior. We receive blessings and happiness. I know it’s true the more I try and be obedient in my life the more I am blessed.

This week has been great we baptized Amelia. We have been talking to her mom for a while to gain permission. After we gained permission she lost her desire. So we rebuilt the desire and had to again help the mom understand how a baptism would bless her daughter’s life for time and all eternity.

With every week I seem to grow and stretch not as much as I would like to learn. Patience is one thing that I have learned out here. I have been working on recognizing the spirit and working to improve to act on the prompting as i receive.

I love you all! Elder Pearce

Eye Opening Experience

Elder Andrushka sent December 24, 2007

I will be calling so I just wrote an eye opening experience. Happy Christmas I will be calling I am so grateful for all of you.

I had and eye opening moment. I realized this life is a fight but many people don’t know that. They move through life like there is no purpose. Yes many have faith in Jesus Christ but not understanding (that) with this faith they need to grab the sword and stand ready to fight (against) the world of evil. Every day I walk outside. I see the devil fighting with his might but the people not knowing that he is fighting. Not understanding there is the biggest war of their lives going on.

Then there are the valiant ones. The missionaries (and others) on the front battle field. The weak and the simple with our giant swords of faith, standing on the front battle field. Each day we wake up, gain more experience and go out to fight the evil. As we share the gospel, some join the ranks to fight the evil. Some just don’t understand. They are so blinded to all that is going on.

In these last days the evil is at its worst. If you’re not moving you are just swept away. The best part of it is the Savior, our brother leading this fight with his example. Completing the greatest part of this fight, the death and sin.

I love this gospel I am truly thankful for my Savior Jesus Christ. I truly don’t understand all that he fulfilled, all that he has sacrificed, all that he prepared in pre- mortal life. I can’t comprehend this. But I have faith in him. I know that because of him I will return to my Father in Heaven. With all the experience in life, I thank him for being with me every step of the way. I am honored to be a soldier in his army.

Elder Pearce