Letter from 6/3/13

So I'll start off with transfers, Elder J is heading back to Wanica where he started his mission. He is excited. As am I for him. He is a great missionary and it has been such a pleasure to serve with him. Elder G went home yesterday we were up till 6 in the morning driving him to the airport. He was a great missionary and a blessing and example in my life. I will be staying in Kwatta. I am still the ZL and I will be training the new ZL, Elder N. He has been out for about 8 months. He is a great kid and I am excited to serve with him.

     The Mason discovery is going well. I have learned so much this week. Things that I like, things that I love and things that I need to do better. I am so thankful for the spirit and what he has taught me. But as you said looking back I have learned so much and have been able to sanctify many things in my life and become a better person. A more faithful Latter-day Saint, priesthood holder and a truer disciple of Jesus Christ.

I want to share an experience with you that took place yesterday in priesthood meeting. R is our most recent convert. He is 13 years old and was ordained to the office of deacon yesterday afternoon. But how it took place was truly a miracle. As we have taught R and his mother the entire family has become more active. They have felt the spirit and have seen so much change. R asked his grandfather to ordain him, but his grandpa has many physical limitations that do not allow him to stand for walk for long periods of time. But he was determined to help his grandson. So as we practiced the words together, we came to the conclusion that i would support some of his body weight, so that he could stand long enough to give the blessing. And as we stood in a circle around this young boy, our right hands on his head, and my left around his waist, we began to speak. And as the words became to come, he began to cry. As he sobbed with his hands upon his grandsons head, i felt the spirit of the Lord so strongly. It was truly a special experience that I will remember all of my life.......
Life is great!! I am looking forward to the miracles to come!! 

Love,

Elder Garcia 

Letter from 5/20/13

How are you?? I am short on time today so I will have to keep it short, however I would like to share one thing that touched my heart today.. President Gamiette was back in SU this past week and he spoke at a fireside and he talked about what he learned from the 12 as he was being trained as a new 70. He talked about prayer, and how we must learn to TALK with our heavenly papa! He never knew his dad, but expressed such a great gratitude for the love and guidance that he had received from his Heavenly Father. He learned to talk with him and understand what he desires of him and it has enriched his life. I am applying the principle in my life and as i talk with my papa in the heavens, I feel of his love and know he cares. I hope we are all doing this.. IWe are loving life!!

Love,

Elder Garcia

Newspaper Article

This picture is taken from a local newspaper (Dated:  11-May-2013) in which an article -  "In this world, Not of it" - was published about the church.  

Letter from 5/6/13

I have time to give you a quick update... This past week was my last zone conference... I can not believe how fast the time is flying... It scares me a bit.... I had the opportunity together with the other departing Elders to bare my testimony. And as i stood in front of the other Elders, i now understand, why i came out on my mission. I now understand why dad always pestering me and encouraging me to go on a mission. I discovered a testimony on Thursday that i have slowly developed over the past 23 months.. I felt the pure love of My Savior and i testified of Him. And as my father in Heaven communicated with me spirit to spirit, i knew and now know that He witnessed unto me that this is His work. I know with out a doubt and i can now stand on my own spiritual 2 legs and testify that this is the Lord's work

Letter from 4/18/2013

How are you?? It was wonderful to hear from you and to hear how things are going back home!! We had a good week!! We have 2 investigators that will be baptized this coming Saturday. D.A. and M.S. They are both sweethearts and have really progressed in the gospel.. It has been interesting to see the Lord bless our daily work and bring to pass miracles in our area...

 Elder F, my trainer, will be going home this week.. I had the opportunity to go on an exchange with him for the last time this past week... And he taught me something very profound that would love to share with you. We went to teach a Jehovah's witness together.. I do not know if you know much about them, but they are know for being very devout members of their faith. They tract door to door and are often times very argumentative.. His name was N, and he is wonderful, kind and open to learn the truth... Our purpose going in was to show him in the bible where in said that Jehovah was Jesus Christ, because we as latter day saints know that He is. And then invite him to study it out for himself and pray to know if it is true. And as we opened it was going well, but i drifted from our plan and began to butt heads with him a bit... And no longer knowing what to say, i looked at Elder F and he simply said, mogen wij verder gaan... May we continue.? And as we did the spirit returned and the very last scripture that we shared really got him thinking. The spirit was very strong and he openly took a long list of scriptures that we had prepared that morning, with the intention to search them out for himself. But the lesson i learned came after the lesson.... As we rode off, i was a bit discouraged at what i had done.. But my companion looked at me and said its ok.. Look at the changes he did make and the things he was able to learn. The Lord works through small and simple means to bring to past great things to come to pass. I was so grateful for his counsel. He opened my eyes to the many tender mercies the Lord had blessed us with during the lesson and the whole picture became more positive. I am going to miss him, I love him. Elder F has done so much for me.. But other than that i am working hard to finish my mission strong.

Love

Elder Garcia

ps we have 2 baptisms this week.. Ill talk about them next week!

Letter from 4/8/2013

How are you!! Thank you for your email!!! I did indeed watch conference and it was wonderful!! I loved it so much!! What was your favorite address? I came with a question to conference and this is an explanation for why. President Mehr in our last Skype meeting as zone leaders throughout the mission asked us what our priorities would be going home? And it was tough trying to set them. This is a talk given by Elder Ballard for how we can have a balanced life.

1. Establish Priorities

Think about your life and set your priorities.

2. Set Attainable Goals
Set short-term goals that you can reach.

3. Budget Wisely
Through wise budgeting, control your real needs and measure them carefully against your many wants in life.

4. Build Relationships
Build relationships with your companions and members through open and honest communication.

5. Study the Scriptures
Search the scriptures. They offer one of the best sources we have to keep in touch with the Spirit of the Lord.

6. Take Care of Yourself
Good physical appearance enhances our dignity and self-respect.

7. Live the Gospel
“teach one another the doctrine of the kingdom” (D&C 88:77), which will lead families to eternal life.

8. Pray Often
You can know the right decisions to make each day through constant, sincere prayer.

And this is what i came up with together with Elder J. As i sat to ponder this, i had no idea how hard it was going to be... The talk gives an exercise at the end to come up with 6 spiritual goals and 6 physical and then to set put them in chronological order according to priority. Elder J and i came up with

Physical

1. work

2. education.

3. a home.

4.physical recreation

5.transportation

6. Financial stability

Spiritual

1. Weekly sacrament attendance

2. daily study and prayer as individual and family

3. regular temple attendance

4. weekly family home evening

5. magnifying calling.

6 missionary work.

The order of priority came out as the following:

1 weekly sacrament attendance

2 daily study and prayer personal and fam.

3 Family home evening

4. temple attendance

5 work

6.education.

7 financial stability

8 missionary work.

9 magnify calling

10 spiritual growth.

11 working out

12 transportation.

Any suggestions..? I just really want to be a good husband and father.! I did indeed get my package thank you!! I get compliments on my beautiful ties daily!

Love,

Elder Garcia

Letter from 3/25/13

How are you? Thanks for the email!! This week has been a treat. J has not been baptized yet. This Saturday is her special day. She is such a sweet spirit.. She had a wonderful spiritual experience this past Sunday... She was so overcome with the spirit that as tears ran down her cheeks, she told Elder J and I how excited she was to be baptized I am so thankful that i have been able to take a part of this. The Lord is truly wonderful. He is so kind, so forgiving and so merciful. i love Him and am so thankful for the blessings that he has given me.

Elder J and i are doing well. i love this new area. The people are wonderful. And it was so good to see Elder B again!! It was so good to see him. He is going to be here for good i think.. He was reassigned to the Suriname south zone so i think he will be unpacking His bags.Thanks for the ties!! I do not know if i ever mentioned getting them, however i loved them!! Thank you!! But other than that Life is just swell.. I love my mission.

Love
Elder Garcia