Tongue, Cheek and Head

Family!

Lots happened this week as usual.  We focused a lot this week on getting members out to lessons with us and involving them in the work.  We set a goal of how many lessons we would have with a member present, and we worked all week long to hit that goal.  We called basically every member that lives in our area and even a few in the other area, and basically no one was available to come out or they just didn't answer.  We asked a few less-actives who hadn't been to church in months if they would help us, and we were able to get a few lessons with members present with their help.  We did all we could all week, but when Sunday arrived we were still short by 3.  We had no clue how we would get 3 more by the end of the day with nothing set up.  We talked to all the members at church and were able to set up 1 for Sunday evening.  We had a lesson after church with V-------- and a member of the primary presidency.  We still needed 1 more.  We decided we would just go try less actives and hopefully find an opportunity to teach with a member.  The first less-active we tried opened the door and invited us right in.  She led us into the living room where her non-member husband was talking with one of the members of the branch!  We had walked right into the perfect situation to teach with a member!  We ended up hitting our goal!  That experience helped build my testimony that the Lord's grace really will make up all the difference if we do all that we can and ask for His help.

This week I had a super intense lesson with some Dominicans.  I think I already mentioned how they speak super fast and I have a hard time understanding them.  Well, the guy we were teaching spoke faster than anyone I've ever met.  And he shouted when he spoke.  At first I thought he was mad, but after a bit I realized that he just spoke like that.  There were some other people in the lesson, and for a while they talked amongst themselves and I just tried to follow along.  I felt like I was teaching my very first lesson again.  I could only pick out a few words here and there, so the majority of the time I had to guess what was being said.  When they asked me a question I would just respond to what I thought they were saying, and every now and again my response wouldn't even answer their question because I hadn't understood.  It was crazy!  It's a super humbling experience to work to master a language for a year and a half, then just when you think you've got it, have an experience like that where you can't understand hardly anything.  It definitely helped me turn to the Lord and ask Him for help to understand and to be able to speak.  That brings to mind Ether 12:27: 

"And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness . I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them."

The Lord doesn't immediately make us perfect at something because He wants us to learn to rely on Him.  He doesn't take away our weaknesses in the moment we pray for relief because He wants us to develop the habit of looking unto Him in "every thought".  I've definitely learned a lot about this principle on my mission.

As far as the subject line is concerned, those are the types of tacos I had this week.  Cow tongue, cow cheek, and cow head.  I also had some with venison.  I can just imagine your face Mom... =)

Sounds like all is well out there.  Maybe a little busy and crazy with the broken oven, but still good.  Hope you all have a great Thanksgiving!

Love,

Elder Foote

Elder Foote Eating a Head Taco

Elder Foote Enjoying a Tongue Taco

Elder Foote's Deer Soup

Elder Foote's Tongue Taco

Back to Primary...

Family!

It snowed!  We woke up to a pretty nice layer of snow all over everything.  Our car didn't have an ice scraper, so we had to buy one so we don't have to clean the car off with our hands anymore.  But yeah, it was a super good week!

We taught V-------- (the little girl we have on date) twice this week.  She's super smart, and she's really excited about her baptism.  They announced it in sacrament meeting this week, so it's pretty set in stone.

I met a lot more of the members this week.  I think I've now met almost all of the members in our area.  There are a lot of them compared to my last area, and they're all really spread out.  I met an amazing Columbian family who fed us a really good meal and gave us a whole pan of brownies to take home.  I met an awesome part-member family from Mexico/Texas/California who fed us some really good enchiladas and cinnamon water.  I told them I was from Michoacan, Mexico and there was a few seconds of silence while they stared at me in disbelief until I finally broke it by telling them I was from Utah.  I guess I'm still not Mexican enough to pull it off...  Speaking of that though, I did recently meet a less-active guy who uses tons of slang, so I've become a little bit more cultured (or uncultured I guess) as far as Mexican slang goes though.  But most of what I learned is mas o menos vulgar, so I can't really use it....  I also met my third Peruvian family!  We ate something called seco con frijoles y arroz.  Pretty good stuff.  This week we have plans to work a lot with all of these people and others to help get them more involved in the work.

Let's see.  I invited one of our Dominican investigators to stop smoking, and he said that maybe one day he will.  It's sad when people don't even try...  I went on a short exchange with the Elder Prach while Elder Elbaba and Elder Shiffler went to a baptism of someone they used to teach. Our exchange consisted of a carne asada outside in the 30 degree weather, then playing soccer at the church with a bunch of investigators and the branch president.  When I imagined missionary work before my mission, I never imagined it like this...  But I love it!

After sacrament yesterday we were recruited to go help out in the primary.  There were so many kids that they need more people in the class to help the teacher maintain some sort of order.  So I learned about Shad, Mesh, y Abed (Shadrac, Meschac and Abednego translated to Spanish and then abbreviated so the kids could say the names), got cookies, and helped everyone learn "Tell me the Stories of Jesus" in Spanish.  It was a pretty nice Sunday. =) 

This week Elder Anderson of the second Quorum of the Seventy came to visit our mission.  He and his wife had recently returned from living in the Dominican Republic for a few years, so I was able to speak with them in Spanish a bit.  That's the second general authority I've spoken Spanish with on my mission!  But anyways, I learned a lot from that meeting.  First, I learned more deeply the role of the Holy Ghost in our lives.  We can learn things with our minds, but only the Holy Ghost can teach our hearts.  In order to have the desire to keep the commandments and endure to the end, we must have the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost.  It is his companionship that helps us have the desire to press forward.  I also learned how to study even more effectively and really seek the revelation that my Heavenly Father is trying to give to me.  The way I've been doing things has been completely different since that meeting.  I know that the Lord inspires His servants and helps guide us as we seek to follow Him. 

Have a great week!

Love,

Elder Foote   

Ohio Winter Begins

I baptized 40 people!

Family!

Lots of stuff happened this week!  I don't have much time today, but I'll explain some of what went on here in Hamilton.

First off, I baptized 40 people!!  I bet not many missionaries can say that they've baptized 40 people in one day on their missions!  I helped out with baptisms for the dead on the youth temple trip.  It was a very spiritual experience.  Many of the youth commented on the peaceful feelings they could feel as they performed the ordinances, and I could definitely feel it as well.  It was the first time I've ever performed the baptismal ordinance, and I can most definitely testify that the priesthood has been restored to the earth.  Through the restoration of the priesthood, the Lord has prepared a way that all of His children can return to live with Him again.

We had an amazing lesson with the parents of the little girl that we have on date for November 29th.  We went to the home of a member of the stake presidency who speaks Spanish and talked with them about getting married.  That is seriously all that is holding them back from baptism.  It's a super complicated situation though.  To sum it up, they are illegal and have been waiting for papers for 7+ years, and their lawyers say that if they get married there is a very good chance that they won't be able to get their papers.  There is also a chance that they will be getting their papers in February, so they are considering just waiting until then to get married.  A part of me wanted to tell them that under those circumstances they should just wait for a few months until after they have the papers, then get married.  But the famous scripture came to mind from 1 Nephi 3:7.  The Lord's commandments aren't subject to change by our circumstances.  He will make things work out if we do what He asks.  That is what we told them, and our plan is to get them on date this week.  I'll let you know what happens.

Well, I'm just about out of time, so I'll wrap this up.  Thanks for the birthday package!  That cake in a can thing was genius!  The notebook was perfect as well.

Thanks for everything!  Have a great week!

Love,

Elder Foote

Elder Foote at Church

Elder Foote's Birthday Cake in a Can

My New Home

Family!!!!

I didn't go back to Dayton!  I'm somewhere different!

I am currently in Hamilton Ohio, about 45 minutes south of Dayton.  I am once again companions with Elder Elbaba!  It's really crazy too, because this was the exact time of year that we were companions last year!  We spent Halloween, my birthday, Thanksgiving, and Christmas together, and it looks like it might be that way again this year!

So yeah, this past Wednesday was my first full day not being in Dayton since I arrive in Ohio.  It's super weird being somewhere different.  I'm used to knowing everyone and everything about the members and investigators, so starting from scratch has definitely been an adjustment.  I also have been relying on the GPS a ton since I still don't have a clue where anything is.  But it's been super fun!  I've really enjoyed meeting new people and having some new experiences.

The branch here is huge!  It's the largest Spanish branch in the mission; they have roughly double the sacrament attendance that the Dayton Branch has!  We had a Halloween activity for the primary kids on Saturday, and over 100 people showed up!  Also, this branch does temple trips because they have more youth, and since they still don't have enough Melchizedek priesthood to take to the temple so the youth can do baptisms, we (the missionaries) get to go!  So this Saturday I'll be going to the temple again to do baptisms!  

This week I met my first family from the Dominican Republic.  Everyone said that I wouldn't be able to understand the Dominicans, but I didn't believe them.  I figured almost a year and a half of Spanish practice would be enough to be able to understand them.  I was wrong.  They speak super fast and have tons of slang that you can only understand if you're Dominican.  It was super crazy!  So I'll be working on my Dominican over the next little while...

As far as the work goes, there's tons of Hispanics here, so it'll be a little bit easier to find people (hopefully).  We have a little girl on date for the end of November, and we're hoping to put her parents on date this week.  There are tons of part member families here, so we'll probably be doing a lot of work with them as well.

I think that's about it!  Next time I email I'll be 21!  Hope you have a super amazing week!

Love,

Elder Foote

P.S.  Trevor's costume was AWESOME!!!! 

Dayton Spanish Elders Over the Past Year

Elder Foote and Elder Elbaba Sending Emails

Elder Foote and Elder Elbaba at Transfers

Elder Foote and Elder Graf

Elder Foote at Transfers

Elders at Transfers

Dayton, or Not Dayton?

Family!

This week flew by super fast!  Let me try to remember some highlights...

One of the families we are teaching has started gathering appliances and then selling them to other Hispanics in the area, so one day this week we went and helped them deliver a washer and a stove to two different families.  It sure makes finding the Hispanics a lot easier when you're driven directly to their houses and then invited right in!  We'll see if anything comes of our efforts...

Elder Taylor and I decided this past week that to help us speak in Spanish more we would have a competition.  If one of us catches the other saying something in English, the person who spoke English gets a point.  When P-day comes around, whoever has the most points has to buy the groceries.  I'm pretty sure I lost this past week...  But it's helped me out a lot.  We talk with a lot of people in English every day, so sometimes it's difficult automatically reverting back to Spanish after a long conversation in English.  So yeah, the Spanish abilities continue to improve!

This week we found an amazing family!  We were walking on down the street waiting for a member to pick us up when a girl turned the corner and started walking towards us.  We started talking to her, and she was very interested in what we had to say.  We told her that we teach people who speak Spanish, but we could have the English missionaries pass by her house.  She said: "But I speak Spanish."!  Turns out she is from Puerto Rico!  So we came by later that night and taught one of the most powerful lessons about the Restoration that I have ever taught.  We found out that her and her brother's Dad had died a few years ago, so we taught to that need, and they were super excited about everything we shared.  As we looked back over our day, we could see the hand of the Lord in putting us on that street where we met this girl at the precise moment that she would be there.  A lot of crazy things had happened that morning which caused us to have to move some appointments back, which in the end led to us being on the street instead of in a different place that we had originally planned to be.  I know that the Lord definitely guides His work.  

Ok, I guess I'll tell you what happened with transfers.  Supposedly I will be leaving Dayton.  I say supposedly because the last time I was told I was leaving Dayton I just switched areas. =)  But my guess is I'm not going back to the other Dayton area, so it appears like my time here has come to a close.  I made it 11 transfers!  I'm sad to leave, but at the same time I'm really excited to meet some new people and learn a new area.  Basically I'm starting my mission again tomorrow; I'm leaving my home and venturing into the unknown wilderness of Ohio (or possible Kentucky...?).  So yeah, I'll let you know next week where I'm at!

One last thing: I had my first English baptisms this weekend!  A few months ago Elder Taylor and I talked to a guy on the street, then passed his info on to the English Elders.  They started teaching him and his family, and this weekend his niece and nephew were baptized!  I'll send you a picture if I can get it...

Have a great week!  I've got a great Halloween costume planned out... it has something to do with a tie and a suit... more details to come next week!

Love,

Elder Foote 

P.S.  Tell Sister Graf thanks for the package!  I got it on Saturday, but according to her directions, I haven't opened it yet...    

Elder Foote Wearing Casual Clothes

Templo!

Family!

Another Dayton week!

We got to go to the temple again this past week.  It was so great!  I'm so glad that there are so many temples close to where we live.  To get to the Columbus temple it's almost an hour long drive.  I can't wait to go more frequently when I'm home.

I went on an exchange with Elder Shiffler in my district this last week.  He is a very diligent missionary.  He came down to Dayton with me and we had a really good day.  We taught a few lessons with a returned missionary from Guatemala, raked some leaves for a member, and got some shrimp from a lady from Acapulco.

We went finding this week in a different way than usual.  One of our Mexican friends invited us to come play soccer with him and his friends at a large indoor soccer place.  We went and played with about 25 people, and all but 3 of them spoke Spanish!  They were super good!  All of my training for the last year prepared me to only be able to touch the ball a few times on the field!  But it went well, and we met a lot of people.

One of our less active members had an awesome missionary experience this week.  She was at a party with some of her friends, and the conversation topic turned to religion.  She explained to her friends a little bit about the plan of salvation, and then she invited them to church.  One of them ended up coming!  It was a really good example of member missionary work.  When opportunities to share our beliefs arise, we should take them.  And then we should make an invitation.  People won't always accept our invitations, but the real measure of our success is whether we invited or not.  If we are continually making invitations, sooner or later someone will accept!

The Book of Mormon is from God, and the Gospel of Jesus Christ changes lives!

Have a great week!

Love,

Elder Foote          

Elder Foote With His "We Are All Enlisted" Name Tags

Elder Foote's Halloween Package

Elder Foote's October 2014 Temple Trip

This Family Taught Elder Foote How to Play Spanish Songs on the Guitar

The Dayton, Ohio Skyline

Balloons, Scotland

Family!

Another exciting week has passed in Dayton.  We plan out the days each night, but things never go exactly how we plan.  I couldn't plan some of the crazy stuff that happens if I tried... =)  Well, here goes my attempt to sum up my week...

We met with Y------ (E----'s mom) a few more times this week before she headed back to New Jersey.  We also were able to talk with her friend M----, who is very interested in learning more about the gospel.  Both have plans to come back to Ohio to stay before the year is through, and Y------ wants to be baptized as soon as she is back!

Before they left, we had a birthday party for E----.  Their house still doesn't have electricity, so we found some glow in the dark balloons and used those as a light source (as well as the generator-run lamps).  It was a super cool party!  One of E----'s friends from school and his parents came, and since they don't speak any Spanish, the party was bilingual.  It was definitely my first bilingual birthday party held in an abandoned house with no electricity...

I had to give a training for the Spanish Zone this week at our Zone Meeting.  I was a little nervous, but things worked out really well and I felt really good about it.  It made me think of something my MTC teacher always said: "The Spirit honors effort."  If we put effort into what we do and prepare beforehand, it is a guarantee that the Spirit will help us.  That's a promise I've learned to rely on a lot on my mission.

We had interviews with President this week, and while we were waiting to be interviewed, we did role-plays for the assistants.  Ours was in Spanish to the Spanish Assistant.  They recorded us teaching, and then had us watch the lesson and critique ourselves.  That was the first time I've ever seen myself teach and the first time I've ever heard myself speak Spanish!  It was super weird...  It got me thinking though, and I really wish that I could have recorded my first lesson in the MTC and compared the two...  

We had an amazing lesson with the less active family that we found through spy work, and they came to church again this Sunday!  We had 48 people in church this Sunday!  It was absolutely amazing!  The branch is growing so much!  Before I leave this area I want to see 60 in sacrament meeting.  That's my goal; I'll let you know when it happens.

Just to give you a sample of one of our culturally-diverse days, I'll tell you about a bit of what happened last Friday.  We got a call from our friend from Uruguay asking if we could help him move a washer and dryer for someone.  We met up with him, then went to his friend's house to move the washer and dryer.  His friend turned out to be a 70 year-old Scottish woman.  She spoke her Scottish accent to us, and it was amazing!  After we finished moving her stuff, she took us out to lunch at an authentic Mexican restaurant.  Later that day we passed by a less active from Honduras, then taught a member from Ecuador and her neighbor from El Salvador.  Lots of countries...

E---- turned 16, so he got ordained to be a priest yesterday!  He'll be going to the temple soon!

Speaking of the temple, we get to go this Wednesday!  I'm super excited!

Well, I think that's about it.  I'm sad to hear about Grandma Pat, but I'm glad that I got to say goodbye to her and that she passed relatively quickly.  Let me know how the funeral goes.

Love,

Elder Foote  

Glow in The Dark Birthday Party Balloons

16th Birthday Party