Week 70: Water Week

Well Hello to you all!!

This week was a great week. It was a water week as you can see and this week marks the third time in my mission that I have read the book of Mormon all the way through, mom that's why i didn'tanswer your question last week sorry haha. But this time is the First time in my life i have read it not in my native language. i read it all the way through in Spanish.i know thanks you thank you its impressivethat i can read in Spanish well i sure hope i can read in Spanish Ive been here long enough haha. 20 minutes a day everyday of the week. i started in August and now i finished yesterday my 16 month mark in my mission and well ill start it all over again tomorrow. so ya i started out not really understanding much but then i got it down. this time i learned what Elder Neil L Andersen says, the Book of Mormon really does strengthen our faith in Jesus Christ. 

Compiled from the teachings of prophets through several centuries, the Book of Mormon was written for a future time when a restoration of priesthood keys, along with a great gathering of the house of Israel, would prepare the world for the Savior’s return to the earth (see 2 Nephi 25; 27; 3 Nephi 21). Nephi described the sacred text as “the voice of one crying from the dust” (2 Nephi 33:13). Moroni declared: “Behold, I speak unto you as if ye were present, and yet ye are not. But behold, Jesus Christ hath shown you unto me” (Mormon 8:35).the book of Mormon teaches that for us in our day the family is central in the plan of god. it is actually framed within families. The Book of Mormon begins with a family, a father and mother, sons and daughters heeding the revelation of their prophet-father to leave their worldly goods behind and follow the counsel of the Lord. The book’s accounts are replete with parents seeking to instill in their children the promise and hope of Jesus Christ.

The specific roles of women and daughters are to some extent unmentioned, as is common in ancient writing. But looking beyond the obvious, we see their eternal and enduring influence. We treasure the precious morsels that speak of women and mothers, such as when their feelings are described as “tender and chaste and delicate before God” (Jacob 2:7) or when Helaman describes the goodness of his youthful army as influenced by their righteous mothers:

“They did obey and observe to perform every word of command with exactness; yea, and even according to their faith it was done unto them; and I did remember the words which they said unto me that their mothers had taught them. …

“Now this was the faith of these of whom I have spoken; they are young, and their minds are firm, and they do put their trust in God continually. …

“… They had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them.
“And they rehearsed unto me the words of their mothers, saying: We do not doubt our mothers knew it” (Alma 57:21, 27; 56:47–48).
oh how every mother wants to hear this about their sons or daughters that they obeyed with exactness every command and commandment because they had been taught by their parents to keep the commandments. when we listen and keep the commandments of god with exactness the lord can bless us beyond measure.

In today’s world, the arrogant arguments of Korihor, the anti-Christ, find listening ears:

“Why do ye look for a Christ? For no man can know of anything which is to come.

“Behold, these things which ye call prophecies … are foolish traditions of your fathers.

“… Ye cannot know of things which ye do not see. …

“… Every man prosper[s] according to his [own] genius, and … conquer[s] according to his [own] strength” (Alma 30:13–15, 17).

We need our own secure and settled faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and we need help in strengthening our families so that this faith flows into the hearts of our children and grandchildren. Faith in Jesus Christ, when solidly anchored in our souls, brings true conversion, and in its wake come repentance, honest discipleship, miracles, spiritual gifts, and enduring righteousness. This is an important part of the divine mission of the Book of Mormon.

I love what Elder Andersen says here, We need our own secure and settled faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and we need help in strengthening our families so that this faith flows into the hearts of our children and grandchildren. Faith in Jesus Christ, when solidly anchored in our souls, brings true conversion, and in its wake come repentance, honest discipleship, miracles, spiritual gifts, and enduring righteousness. we have true faith we are anchored solidly on Christ he is our "anchor rock" or as Heleman says the rock of our foundation or our salvation (Heleman5:12) we need to build upon our savior Jesus Christ we need to be anchored to him so that satin doesn't get us in his fires and world winds. Just think of a huge ship then think of the anchor how big is the anchor? very very Small compared to the ship true? this small anchor holds the ship steady in the crazy storms. its like us when we are built upon Christ we are anchored to him and we will be steady and sure on this anchor. we taught this a couple days ago to a young father who was going astray and fast he was letting go of the anchor and saying it was too hard we taught him how we need to polish our anchor every week thought the sacrament and to maybe replace the chain or make it stronger maybe throwanother anchor down to hold us down tight. he agreed to buy a new anchor or repair the old one and straight strong again the day after he was in the church as he promised and is preparing to baptize his daughter. if we are firmly anchored on the savior we can do miracles. when we rely on god we put the anchor on him. To me the bold declaration of Jesus Christ is the very power of the Book of Mormon. Of course, we must receive a spiritual witness that the book is of God. But once that is obtained, the purposes of Christ, the reality of His life and Resurrection, and the clarity of what is necessary to follow Him and obtain eternal life with Him are strikingly tangible before us. the anchor is lots of things the Book of Mormon is just one of them

There is nothing more important to share with another than faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. It brings understanding to the challenges of this life, happiness amid difficulty, and eternal life in the world to come.

There are many worldly influences that pull us and our families from this most vital faith. The Book of Mormon invites us and our families to embrace faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and it shares the principles that will help our families succeed.the book of Mormon shares the things to help our family succeed.

I would invite you to ponder these questions to help you liken the teachings of the Book of Mormon to your family:

•What passages in the Book of Mormon teach us that children need to see integrity and righteousness in the faith of their parents?
•What counsel have fathers in the Book of Mormon given their sons that we may want to share with our children?
•What do we learn about our efforts with children who are not being obedient?
•How do parents in the Book of Mormon share their deep beliefs with their children?
•What do we learn about faith as it is transferred from one generation to another?

The Book of Mormon was written for our day and for the days ahead. Approximately one million copies of the Book of Mormon were printed in the first 100 years following the Restoration. This included 15 languages, a remarkable undertaking. In the next 50 years (1930–80), more than 25 million copies were printed in 41 languages. Since that time 30 years ago, 125 million additional copies of the Book of Mormon have been printed in 107 languages, including Selections from the Book of Mormon. The influence and impact of the Book of Mormon will continue to grow as the kingdom of God is carried to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people.if we share the Book with someone else then they too can help their family. if we share this simple truths with everyone they can know the things we know and well we can learn from the books examples we can strength our anchor. so ya its a wonderful book. I love this book and well as Wilford Woodruff has said, “All the ingenuity of all the men under heaven could not compose and present to the world a book like the Book of Mormon. Its principles are divine—they are from God. They could never emanate from the mind of an imposter, or from the mind of a person writing a novel. Why? Because the promises and prophecies it contains are being fulfilled in the sight of all the earth.” this book has the truths we all need I know it is true in any language it is in the Book of Mormon it true.

I hope you had a wonderful week and hope you have a great one this week!! the church is true!

Elder Jaymes Monson

LIahona October 2011, The Book of Mormon: Strengthening Our Faith in Jesus Christ, By Elder Neil L. Andersen, http://www.lds.org/liahona/2011/10/the-book-of-mormon-strengthening-our-faith-in-jesus-christ?lang=eng

Week 69: The Book of Mormon

This is the road they "hike" for 30-40 mins to teach

Well Good Day to all of you!!

Hope your week was great, mine was good we worked hard and well we have received blessings from it. For me lots of sun and my companion says he is a bit skinnier haha maybe its the hike we took to find an investigators house Friday morning its the pictures I sent this week 30 to 40 minutes from one river to another oh rough terrane so ya. but it was good our ward mission leader Arnold is there with us. so ya there is blessings on going out in the middle of nowhere to help a lost soul come unto Christ. so ya that was good and well his name is Juan bautista or John the Baptist haha so hopefully he will baptize more one he is baptized.

One of the things I have seen through out my mission is that i hand out lots of Books of Mormon. i really have seen how the Book of Mormon is the key to conversion. the Book of Mormon is really the key to everything in the church it teaches the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. its a testament the god lives and loves us. it really truthfully is as the prophet Joseph Smith taught the Book of Mormon is “the keystone of our religion” (introduction to the Book of Mormon). On another occasion he stated: “Take away the Book of Mormon and the revelations, and where is our religion? We have none” (History of the Church, 2:52). IT HOLDS OUR RELIGION TOGETHER. a man can come closer to god just by reading this book. i would like to share somethings i have seen in my mission from the lords hand as we use this mighty tool. The Prophet Ezra Taft Benson taught that the Book of Mormon is the keystone of our religion in 3 ways.

1) its a witness of Christ
2) it teaches the fullness of the doctrine of Christ
3) its a foundation of testimony

number one Witness of Christ. “The Book of Mormon is the keystone in our witness of Jesus Christ, who is Himself the cornerstone of everything we do. It bears witness of His reality with power and clarity.” this is very true it brings in a witness of clarity that Jesus is the Christ. in my misison i have learned to rely more on this book to Answer the questions that people have. you know the lord works in mysterious ways as my companions and i leave something to read with the investigators or the gospel hungry people we are guided by what they need to read. I remember leaving a chapter in the book of Alma to Temo. Elder Jenne and I followed the spirit to try to help him out. we gave him the source of his answer and well he just read it and well after that not only did he read it by him self he read it with the family and well 2 young men who didn't want to see the Mormon missionaries came out the next time we came and they listened and well they changed and now in a few months they will enter into the temple to be sealed as a family forever. the lord works in so many mysterious ways. they witness of this book grew for the whole family that day.

Number two Fulness of doctrine. “The Lord Himself has stated that the Book of Mormon contains the ‘fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ.’ (D&C 20:9[;27:5].) … In the Book of Mormon we will find the fulness of those doctrines required for our salvation. And they are taught plainly and simply so that even children can learn the ways of salvation and exaltation.” i dont know how many times someone has told me that the book of Mormon is a lot easier to read than the bible. one of these people was Silvana man i must miss this family haha and well lots of other people like in my last area Isela just wouldn't stop telling us how easy it is to read. its true as it says in Preach My Gospel that its a easy enough that a child could read it and know the salvation of god. the Book of Mormon is another testament that Jesus is the Christ. it has the fulness of the gospel and well it is easy to understand how we can have the salvation that god has for us. the fulness of the gospel of Christ is found in the Book of Mormon the book of Mormon explains the Doctrine and well thanks to the church we have footnotes and indexes to understand it more.

Number three Foundation of testimony. “Just as the arch crumbles if the keystone is removed, so does all the Church stand or fall with the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. The enemies of the Church understand this clearly. This is why they go to such great lengths to try to disprove the Book of Mormon, for if it can be discredited, the Prophet Joseph Smith goes with it. So does our claim to priesthood keys, and revelation, and the restored Church. But in like manner, if the Book of Mormon be true—and millions have now testified that they have the witness of the Spirit that it is indeed true—then one must accept the claims of the Restoration and all that accompanies it” (A Witness and a Warning [1988], 18–19). when we receive the answer to weather the book is true we learn to trust in the lord more. if the Book of Mormon is true than as it says in the Introduction  Those who gain this divine witness from the Holy Spirit will also come to know by the same power that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world, that Joseph Smith is His revelator and prophet in these last days, and that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Lord’s kingdom once again established on the earth, preparatory to the Second Coming of the Messiah. its just an invitation to know More that's all all but a lot of people don't accept it because the say its another bible but the testament of two nations is better than just one. (2 nephi 29) so all we ask is this, We invite all men everywhere to read the Book of Mormon, to ponder in their hearts the message it contains, and then to ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ if the book is true. Those who pursue this course and ask in faith will gain a testimony of its truth and divinity by the power of the Holy Ghost. (See Moroni 10:3–5.) all it is is an invitation to do something we can accept it or deny it. I accept it and will never ever turn back. this book is true and as the Prophet Joseph said,  “I told the brethren that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book.” i know its true i know it and I know you can too. now find someone to invite to read it as did this young man in Washington USA

beautiful jungle area

walking on the side of the road

Could I Share a Book of Mormon?

By Josh Arnett

The author lives in Washington, USA.

During my first year of high school, my seminary teacher invited my class to give copies of the Book of Mormon to nonmember friends. Even though I was incredibly timid, I accepted the invitation.

It took me a couple of days to build up the courage, but I eventually gave my friend Britny the book during lunch hour and bore a brief testimony. Britny thanked me for the book.

At the end of that school year, Britny moved, but we kept in touch. She told me about her new school and how almost all her friends were members of the Church, but she never talked about anything spiritual with me.
That changed before I left for my mission. I got a message from Britny saying she had big news for me: she was going to be baptized, and she wanted to thank me for being her friend and setting a good example.


God took a shy 15-year-old boy with no missionary experience and directed him to share the gospel with someone He knew would accept it. I know that by listening to the Spirit, we can all find people around us who are waiting to learn about the restored gospel. I know that if we help bring even one person to the Lord, “how great shall be [our] joy with him [or her] in the kingdom of [our] Father!” (D&C 18:15).

Share a book of Mormon write your testimony in it and give it to a friend they can accept or reject its their choice. plant a seed in their hearts and let the lord nourish it as you help them by reading with them or by quoting parts of it. it wall stars with an invitation. I know it will work!!!
I hope you all are doing well hope this week is a good one!! I love you all!!

Elder Jaymes Monson

Week 68: Welcome to the Jungle!

Welcome to The Jungle or Tapachula!! haha

Jungle!

Happy Monday to all! I am in Vista Hermosa Tapachula not in Linda Vista its been a very confusing start to the week ha ha!!!

Its a steep climb about 30% grade

But all is good now i am in the jungle! haha its a lot different than being in the city im in the city but on the out skirts and its going to be fun!! our area is very big we have lots of little cities and its a lot of work but the truth is that we will do our best we will work our tails off to get this place up to the bishops level because its his ward not ours, but the ward here is actually awesome they are really pitching in to help the work of salivation because we don't do anything Sundays the members do it all and well they come with us to do as much as they can we have a lot of help. we will make it the best we can. 

we had one of our counselors bring 3 investigators to church!! it was Awesome!!! its just so awesome when the work of salvation works in the wards the truth is the only thing we can do as missionaries is work and work but its the help of the members that keeps the person in the church. the work of salvation is awesome!!! 

the truth is I miss Ixhuatan and Juarez but there is a lot of things i have to learn and well with our goal as a ward to have 10 baptisms by the end of transfers we will be do a lot of praying and a lot of working to get these 10 baptisms for the lord. if we have more its going to be great and with the sister missionaries in the ward we are working hard to bring in the lost sheep of the lord.  my companion and I were chatting last night, his name is Aguila (eagle) and mine Monson (something that means and animal), and he says he will take me higher in his wings so we can fly everywhere haha well we will see.  the lord will help us go as far as we can and we will be working hard.  

Elder Monson and Elder Aguila resting

this week i was a bit confused because my head was spinning, i had a big cold though it left pretty fast. in tuxtla it was a bit hard but all is good now lots of prayer and well if we just ask the lord for anything he will make it possible to have us receive it. The lord loves us and if we pray for the things we really want the lord will make it happen, i can testify of that!!! Its just awesome to see people change and to see that the lord works in everyone!!! i love this work!!! now lets all go and get the work of salvation done!!! haha 

sorry this weeks letter is short but the truth is after all Tuesday traveling here, its 5 hours and well it could have been 6 or 7 but it was late in the afternoon and he drove fast haha, and  getting to know this area and we travel lots to outer cities its been an adventure!!! so ya hope all is well with you!!

Have a great week im going too!!!

ELder Jaymes Monson

Week 67: transfers

Happy 2014 to everyone!!!!!

The thing is that it's just crazy how you get people hooked on the gospel. there is a book by DR Susses that talks about Oh the places you will go. but Im not quite sure I have gone anywhere, not yet, but just kidding that's not the book i was reading to my companion today it was the Spanish English version of Are you my mother, finally my companion told me at he end of the book that I was not his mother and I was glad because I have one too and I will never be a mother. 

The cool thing about being a Missionary is that you see so many people and well one of my favorite people to see it a guy that always puts a smile on your face his name is Tito and he is a hoot! but the best  is his grandson Gayton and man that little 2 year old can run and run and never get tired and he can also eat and eat and never get full he is sort of a funny kid. he always puts on a smile and just says mmm haha he is funny thats the kind of people that put a smile on you they just are so happy i have no idea why but they always are and ill try to be like them but these two when they are together just wont stop being happy. that's the way we should live life. 

its a new year a new start and well what my companion and I have been teaching this week has been all about the real intent. The truth is that real intent is just that real intent. We have been asked to be not just church attending people but a gospel living people. we explained that by the church living people we really don't have real intent the people who are enveloped in the gospel are the gospel living people, living with real intent. with real intent we live the gospel and well make the savior proud of us. if we are just a Sunday or a church living people we really just will go as a routine as we prepare a lesson or something it will always be the same. we come to church we sit and listen maybe teach a lesson and ya we go home but what we are trying to do is keep people in the church by having them live the gospel. if we live the gospel principals and we are obedient the lord will bless us but when we aren't we really have no purpose or direction. if we go into the gospel by doing everything we can we will be more set and ready to be a more gospel living people. the real intent is really the wants or the energy we put into anything if we are just a church people and sit and then go home and rest the whole day we might not be a Gospel living church people. we need to get out there get into an action and stay and do all the things we can. We need to be active in the gospel. that's why they call the people who go to church and do something in the church Active members. be active and this year is a new year let us be active church members living with real intent, intent on living the gospel. 

Let us be the best we can be!!!! the lord loves us and he wants us to be the best we can be. Let us all be active in the church and let us all live the gospel. 

Hope everyone has a great new year and well school starts soon lets get back into the swing of things!!!

I love you alll!

Elder Jaymes Monson

We did get a note later in the day from Jaymes saying that was being transferred.  He left early this morning (Tuesday) to serve in the Tapachula Chiapas, Linda Vista area.  It is located at the very south eastern tip of Mexico. It is a large economic port city.  The temps will be warmer but the ocean breeze will be wonderful, it is about 5 hours from where he was serving in the capital city of Tuxtla.  We will know more details next monday, can't wait!

Week 66: Happy New Year!

Well Happy New Year on Wednesday!!!



Its sort of weird it’s 2014 well not yet but tomorrow night it will be wow how fast did that go? I hope you all had a great Christmas. The truth is that it was pretty good for us a lot of food getting to talk to the family in Utah and in Guatemala and it was just a blast except the fact my mom got hurt but other than that it was good. It was actually a great remembrance of the Christmas spirit this last week i felt like i actually knew what people were talking about because a year ago i was a bit left out of everything haha but anyways it was good. The best part was the Christmas story the one i sent last week we sort of read it together and well it was great!!: I absolutely love a story that follows the birth of Christ in the same chapter.

LUKE 2:22-32 21: And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

 22: And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord;

 23: (As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;)

 24: And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.

 25: And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.

 26: And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.

 27: And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law,

 28: Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said,

 29: Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word:

 30: For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,

 31: Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;

 32: A alight to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.



 

Actually my favorite picture Is the one when he holds Jesus in his arms and blesses him. But He says he has see the salvation of god and can now rest with him. the thing is He saw the salvation and he touched him and held him. but we haven't see him how are we supposed to find the salvation said a young teenage girl named Ivonne Ill tell you, Come unto Christ. Just do it come unto him and be perfected in him. he is the Christ the holy son of god the savior lord and redeemer of our souls. He is the way the truth and the life. Ivonne we cant make it back besides though him. well that's a good point she told me. then we visited a lady named Rosi. She was having a bit of a problem understanding the possess of repentance she needed a bit more help , she told us she is perfect and well we just smile and said ya im sure you are sister but not exactly. we then explained how we can repent from our minds but not from our hearts. She didn't get it. I explained that if we repent from our minds just to get the thought out of our minds then its like we are putting it on the table then when we come back to the table we pick it up again. but if we repent from our hearts we throw the sin out the window and well when we find it again we will have concurred the sin and it wont have power over us again. she said wow I never thought of it like that. well I told her more about how we can be born again. She was amazed she said no I cant do that. I told her you can just by coming unto Christ. this week I really found out as we invited others to come unto christ, I learned that the way to invite others is by examples. and through the scriptures so many people here really dont get the meaning of testimony haha so i have to show them throught he scriptures how we can come unto Christ like it says in Moroni 10:32-33 32: Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God.

 33: And again, if ye by the grace of God are perfect in Christ, and deny not his power, then are ye sanctified in Christ by the grace of God, through the shedding of the blood of Christ, which is in the covenant of the Father unto the remission of your sins, that ye become holy, without spot.



I can bear my testimony that if we come unto Christ everything we do and everything we have will be blessed just like Simeon he found the salvation of god we can too just by coming unto the one who can save. Come unto Christ.

I love you all!!! happy New Year 2014!!! wait I'm coming home this year no way!! haha 



Elder Jaymes Monson



http://www.lds.org/bible-videos/videos/the-christ-child-is-presented-at-the-temple?lang=eng