Happy 19th 🥳

Happy Birthday Paxton! 🎉🎉

You are sooo loved!!♥️

Thirty

 Hola everyone, this week was even quicker than the last! Ive noticed that the mission just continually gets better and better. You get more accustomed to being away and normal life, the language gets easier and you get more confident, and youre ever growing closer to the Lord. Im sure im the best i have ever been :)

This week we had a ton of success, we found 11 people in one week, that is the most i have found in a week in my mission up until this point. Turns out, knowing how to speak spanish translates to success with people haha. In that i can be friendly and not like a robot. Ive learned how to teach with the holy Ghost. I have actually taught in a few lessons this week with the most anti religion or mormon people i have ever met. People with questions and accusations and memorized scripture verses that i can answer to. They are all older guys that, as humble and learnable as the claim to be, are not open to hearing their home made theories on half truths presented in the bible are not true haha.

They'll call me joven or muchacho (young or boy) and tell me what i need to learn. And i just sit and smile and wait. Then tell him he just has to be patient for a few more minutes so i can explain to him the things he needs to know. It always seems to offend until they run out of questions to formulate. The LAST thing the gospel should make you, is cocky. But, that doesnt mean you cant relish in confidence in the Lords truth, especially when you try to share it!

Reading the new testament has been amazing for me! The theme i love most from it, that no one other than latter day saints can gleam is what the Lord means when he refers to the kingdom of God, and the kingdom of Heaven.

The kingdom of God, is the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. The kingdom of heaven is the law and order of heaven. It will soon be established in this world. As i was pondering i realized the kingdom of God is sent to prepare the world for the coming of the kingdom of Heaven. Like john the baptist for Jesus, as an Elias. You cant deny one and accept the other! How fortunate are we to have the knowledge of the kingdom of God, to prepare us for heaven.

My favorite thing is the depth it gives to our study on the saviors words. For example, the parable of the talents, quite frankly has always been my least favorite parable. At least with how it is always interpreted. Not to say i disagree with it, i know we need to grow and develop our talents. But for some reason i never really loved the idea of it or how it was presented for us to have talents and then the contrast of reaction when we didnt develop them. I feel it is too vague. BUT i read the story again in Luke this week, and Jesus gives this parable in reaction to the question from his apostles,

When is he going to establish his kingdom upon the earth and reign in glory?

You all know the story, and the master gives them talents, or money, to prepare for when he returns. This money is the keys and priesthood we have in the world now! Consequently, it is the kingdom of God! He gives us callings and opportunities to grow the church to prepare ourselves and others for the returning of the master. We read that it doesnt matter how small of a gift or calling we have, we are expected to do something with it. Whether it is one talent, and youre a primary teacher, or 10 and youre the prophet. You play a part in the building up of the kingsom of God! Do youre part because he is returning!

A small thought too, was he gives an analogy of a builder in response to someoneone who wants to be a disciple of his. Someone who starts to build a tower, but runs out of funds and cant finish it. Because he didnt take into account what he was getting into and he didnt prepare himself enough. It is the same with us as we choose to follow Christ. Prepare yourself to do so, because when you start down the path, there is no turning back. There isnt going back to how life was before and choosing to forget the things you knew. It sounds daunting, but why else are we here? If youre not walking, prepare too. If your lamps arent filled, fill them. The bridegroom is coming! 

I love you all and i hope you all get to study the words of Christ in the new testament and the Book of Mormon, and apply them to your lives. Thank you for all the support.

29 weeks

 Alright I figure its time i actually update people on how the work is doing and how i am haha! I havent even sent pictures in a bit aswell so I will update everything.

Things have been doing good here in Quetzal! The weather had actually been cooling off and it felt like spring everyday for a few weeks. But we had the eclipse on saturday and the days leading up to that were so bloody hot it felt like July again and it was just walking around completely soaked in sweat no matter where you were! But honestly i still think i would take the heat over uncomfortable cold haha.

Speaking of being soaked, we had a huge rainstorm at the beginning of last week, and we have had quite a few up until this point but i had managed to never have to walk through a puddle or intentionally get my shoes wet just by picking my path correctly or going around different roads when some are flooded. Most missionaries just dont care and walk right through them so i end up looking like a scrub, but i prefer not to have wet shoes! But because the drainage system here is soooo bad every 4 way was filled with water almost to our knees from rain water after this storm. So we just sloshed through all the lagoons all night, knocking endlessly. It was the closest i have been to swimming in awhile.

The work here has been tough but we have managed to stay completely busy for hours everyday. We cover two wards in this area, and we are working with both to get in line with the church standards and doing all they are expected to do from leaders and members as far as missionary work. After being through the general handbook so much, i have been pleasantly surprised (but the same time not surprised at all) about the order of the Lord's church. Its obvious in everything, that it is not a church of man. The missionaries here before just worked the two areas as one before, but now as we have gotten more structure in both the wards and mission leaders, me and my comp have been working specific days in each ward and that has been working very well. Transfers are coming up, and i might be leaving the area! The worst part is we have 5 baptisms lined up for just about right after i leave here that i wont be able to see after working so hard here. But i am the smallest of significance in their journey to get baptized, and the most important thing is that they are taking the step.

Personally im doing very great, and i have never enjoyed the mission more. It just continues to get better as you grow more humble and love the Lord more. Something that caught me off guard though, was this last week i was hanging out with one of our AP's and we were talking about things before the mission. I told him i used to be a bigger guy and that i played football and was a successful lifter, and he looks me up and down and he goes, you?! He was like, youre not a big guy you cant weigh over like 160 right now. 

And that was one of the first times in my life i havent been regarded as big or strong but the guy was completely right! Ive changed a lot and had other things to focus on but it took me off guard! I had to chuckle when i couldnt defent myself.

Something that I have pondered this week spiritually, was how tailor made our lives are for us. Where we are in our lives, whatever trials or triumphs, blessings or misfortunes we have, it is the place where we have the most opportunity to grow. More than if we were in any other state of being you could think of. For us to think we'd be better off if things were different, or if we hadnt or had made a specific decision, it is to deny the divine influence God has in our life! And as i pondered more, i realized that even for people who are away from the gospel or truth for most of their life, whenever they choose the right, that path was the best one for them. Better than they could have had, had they decided to change one minute earlier. Because they had to experience all they did to learn the lessons they needed to, and to appreciate the atonement as much as they can. Think of how tailor made and perfect our lives have to be specifically for all of us for the ways we need to grow individually, to be the route that is most ideal for us to grow closer to the Lord. Where you live, the blessings you have or dont, anything you could think of, you are standing where you are because your Father in Heaven loves you enough to put you in the singularly specific place in the word you need to be in.

How comforting is accepting this truth! We dont need to look in the past, regret past sins that we have repented for, or sorrow for a trial we have or a weighty decision we made when in hindsight maybe we think we could have done something different. As long as you are with the Lord and turn to him to direct your life we have nothing to worry about. The genius is how he uses the wrong turns and lowpoints in our life for our eventual growth. And if we ever feel like he has nothing to do with our lives or where we are, we are sorely wrong! No wonder not a single person has lived the same life, we arent cookie cutter cut outs or part of an algorithm like we could have been. God loves us specifically and individually, and if you have faith enough to except and remember this fact to apply it to your life, the peace is freeing.

I know our savior lives, i know his hand is in every part of your life in every decision you make. He knows every part of your life because he felt it all, and knows how to help you whether you want it now or not. Turn to him and let him guide your life, submit to him, and we will recieve exaltation.

-elder b

7 months

 Hola todos!! This might have been the fastest week of my mission so far haha! But i got a lot of thoughts and things i want to share so im going to get into it 

Ive been reading the New Testament recently and i love it so much. Reading the gospels and trying to envision in my mind how Jesus talked, his mannerisms and his tone of voice in everything he says, brings me so much peace. I have found all of the words so deep, and have gained a greater understanding of his divine Love for us. For example, 

We are all sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father. But we are not all sons and daughters of Christ. These, are those who accept the fulness of the father and accept the gospel of Jesus Christ. Those who chose him in the end and were sealed to him. Who literally chose to be apart of his family. The sons and daughters of Christ are who he will present to the Father after the earth is cleansed. He refers to us, as those the father has given him.

D&C 84: 63

And as I said unto mine apostles, even so I say unto you, for you are mine apostles, even God’s high priests; ye are they whom my Father hath given me; ye are my friends;

We are the disciples and apostles, we are the elect, we have been annointed and set apart from the world literally. but most importantly, We are his friends. we are a gift unto the most high God. He says repeatedly in the Gospels and in the Doctrine and Covenants that we are the Gift the father has given him. It obvious his love for us. He prays not for the world, but for those the father has given him of the world. John 17 talks of how he has given us his word, and how he has done all that we can so we can be saved. If anyone forgets how special they are or they feel little, remember that youre a prize to your loving savior.

The savior speaks of in the last days, how he will return and partake of the sacrament with all of the ancient prophets and disciples of God, and his children that he has redeemed. Can we even imagine a sliver of the joy the savior would feel in that moment. Standing and looking over his devoted followers that accepted his sacrifice, that love and appreciate him. And partaking of the blessed sacrament with us? Surely his joy would rise above all, after descending completely below it. How does an omniscient, all knowing, eternal God recieve his joy? Redeeming, and bringing others. I cant wait for the day

So how do we become the children of Christ. How do we ascend to become worthy of such blessings. Jesus said, if you are not with me, you are against me. Elder McKonkie breaks this quote down perfectly.

There is, in fact, no such thing as neutrality where the gospel is concerned. Jesus said: ‘He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.’ (Matt. 12:30.) … If we do not sustain and uphold and support the kingdom of God in all things, we are thereby aiding a cause other than the Lord’s.” Elder McConkie further explained: “On every issue it behooves us to determine what the Lord would have us do and what counsel he has given through the appointed officers of his kingdom on earth. No true Latter-day Saint will ever take a stand that is in opposition to what the Lord has revealed to those who direct the affairs of his earthly kingdom”

We might say we love Jesus as Peter claimed he did, after Jesus visited the 12 again. Asking, peter do you love me? We would all say yes, yes of course! But do we love him as the Lord expected Peter to? Do we sustain his leaders, his judgement, his gospel. Do we acknowledge his knowledge! There is no such thing as neautrality. I teach every day that God is perfect, if he is perfect he is true. If he is true there is one truth. And if he loves us perfectly he gives us that truth and it never changes. If we didnt have all that we needed right now and all the knowledge we needed right now to go to heaven he would not be a just God. If he were to in the future, change or share something that is pivotal to the work it would mean he didnt love perfectly those that walked before. 

Oh how grateful we are to have a perfect and loving God, who can not change! How much knowledge is offered to us, to everyone! If they are humble enough to accept it. The kingdom of heaven on earth, is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day saints. It is black and white, youre on his side or youre not. If you dont have the faith to be on his side no matter the consequences than you are not of his fold. If youre not in that place now then continue to grow, Allow him to bless you as he is calling you into the fold.

But behold, ye have both heard my voice, and seen me; and ye are my sheep, and ye are numbered among those whom the Father hath given me.

Jesus loves us, he prays for us, his sheep are a gift to him. "So how would intentionally trusting the doctrine of Christ change the way we live our lives? If we trust the doctrine of Christ, we will trust Christ enough to live by His every word. We will make a lifelong study of Jesus Christ, His ministry, His teachings, and His infinite Atonement, including His glorious Resurrection. We will study His promises and the conditions upon which those promises are given. As we study, we will be filled with greater love for the Lord."

- Elder Bastian

Twenty-seven

 What a spiritual weekend! This general conference weekend was so touching, and the Lord is so very obviously working to prepare us for his second coming. Without a doubt the main theme in this conference was making, and keeping sacred covenants with heavenly father. It is the only way we can grow to our full potential that God has planned for us here on this earth. And be prepared for what is to come.

What i loved was the importance and significance put on the fact of us keeping our side of our covenants. Do we keep our promises we have made to the Lord in every covenant? If not, why do we expect our ordinances to carry onto the next life? Every week we remember to take upon ourself the name of Christ, always remember him, and keep his commandments always. If you dont, you dont recieve your half of the deal! What i love about the Gospel of Jesus Christ is that it is all in your hands. Like president Nelson said, you get to choose where you live forever, with what kind of body and with who. Oaks said that the celestial kingdom is for those who are valient in their testimonies, and why would we want it any other way? What does being valient in testimony mean? It means having the faith to go along with the Doctrine of the Church line upon line even when it is hard, even when it doesnt make sense, instead of looking for a safety net. 

It goes back to what i said a few weeks ago about who inherits these kingdoms of glory. If we want to live celestially, we will think celestial. That means living by the laws and orders of the celestial kingdom now gives you the right to live there later. Our mortal bodies will put on immortal once we are resurrected. If you are resurrected as someone who does not follow the laws of the celestial kingdom, you will go to the kingdom with the laws pertaining to what you can follow, because you will be perfected, in that imperfect state!! But something i love said by Elder Oaks again is that we are judged by our final state, our final transformation and conversion. God is not judging us now, where we are now is part of the process to eventually becoming glorified celestial beings, if you want. But you also decide how quickly you get there and humble yourself enough to be there.

Elder Christopherson said in his amazing talk that those who keep gospel covenants are promised exaltation, and will be the ones raised at the first resurrection. Those who will recieve the mansions in heaven the Lord has prepared for them. I dont care how tough life is or how much the Gospel doesnt make perfect sense wouldnt you hang on no matter what for right now just to be promised that glory!? We will be caught up to meet him, and we will descend with him over the whole world in the second coming, with Him.

Something i heard awhile ago, was that many of us might be willing to die for our beliefs. If we had to defend this church to the death most of us would give our lives rather than deny the truth we know. But are we willing to live for it? You may be willing to die for the Holy Ghost, but are you willing to live for it? Are you temple worthy? Do you go to the temple? Do you keep your first covenant to remember him always and keep the commandments? Do you sustain the leaders of the church and the doctrines of the Gospel. If not, you need to choose who you are living your life for, and do you have enough faith to lean fully on what the Lord has given us to know? In both scenerios we give our life, which one is just more convenient for us?

There were two missionary quotes I read in emails last week that were too good that i have to reuse haha. One is, sorry for the long email, its for the posterity. And two, Im lookin at the same stars as you guys at night. The ones that are held in place in command by our eternal father. Even the stars obey the father, and they dont move, they are unshaken no matter how much they might want to move. Be unshakable like the stars, and be obedient to the Lord

- elder bastian