Transfer to YSA Ward...

9-8-15

so, not gonna have a whole bunch of time today, but I just wanted to give you all an update on what's happenin.

so, I walked into transfers last week, and Elder Hayward, the new ap, (ole pal from Jupiter) sees me walk in, and with a big ole smile and a laugh says, ooooh buddy you're goin on an adventure!!!! He wasn't lying.

So, transfers are going along, and they said, "serving in the area of Ft. Lauderdale west as assistants to the president, Elder Nielsen, Elder Hayward, and Elder Wardell!!!!

hahaha

that'd be super weird right? luckily that's not the case haha, no my adventure is down here in an area known as the Nova YSA branch. haha, so this area is one that's been closed for a couple of transfers, but is now open again. Elder Pineda and I have just whitewashed in, and it's been an interesting week! our area is HUGE!!!! (in relation to our mission.) we cover the entire Ft. Lauderdale stake.

Everyone is just super excited about it, the branch, Pres. Richardson, the missionaries and everyone. So, we right now are just in the grind to find, in YSA, it's the same gospel and same message, but the finding techniques are completely different. and we only get to teach in English. :( but it's ok my companion speaks Spanish just as much as English, (he's from spain so it's super nice Spanish) and there's a ton of creole speaking people here so

mwen va pale kreyol!!! finally i'll really get to learn a bit of Haitian creole!

Well, that's about it for this week, just to wrap up i'll share a quick spiritual thought from, my personal study.

so I was reading in Helaman today, and read in chapter 10, and in vs 11 the lord tells nephi,

 

 11 And now behold, I command you, that ye shall go and declare unto this people, that thus saith the Lord God, who is the Almighty: Exceptye repent ye shall be smitten, even unto destruction.

 

so nephi gets his mission laid out for him. I know if I had gotten that as a mission call, i'd be sayin to myself, "hahaaaa oh boy! ima bout to see a bunch of people repent!"

And then in vs 17 we read

 

 

17 And it came to pass that thus he did go forth in the Spirit, from multitude to multitude, declaring the word of God, even until he haddeclared it unto them all, or sent it forth among all the people.

 

The lucky dude managed to knock every door, and had a lesson with every person there.

 

and then in verse 18 we read about how many converts he had.

 

 18 And it came to pass that they would not hearken unto his words; ....

 

no one. not a one.

I know that the first thing I would have said would be, "but the lord commanded him! and the lord always prepares a way for his commandments right?!"

look at 11, nephi was commanded to declare repentance. and that he did. to everyone. no matter what reception he had, nephi literally fulfilled his mission.

god said "give these people this message." and he did. to every one of them. mission accomplished. this is something very key for missionaries. We sometimes get super discouraged, in thinking we've failed cuz we haven't had lessons, or baptisms etc. when in reality, our mission, our "job" is to go and preach the gospel. deliver a message. for those that respond, we then help them follow through on that message. but even if we were to go home without teaching a single lesson, without one baptism, with every door slammed in our face, as long as we truly labored to preach the gospel, we would have completely fulfilled the mission given to us.

Well I love yall! not sure why it was super long today, but I just typed till I felt like I was done!

Elder Wardell

 

sorry left the camera at home :( photos next week

love ya!