March 24,2010

Dear Family and Friends,

First off im safe heathly and doing incredibly well so dont worry about me. Second, I only get one hour for email and a couple other hours to write letters. Its not as easy for me as you at home, but i hope you do enjoy what i send you and that you are sending them to others so they can benifit from what I write. If not it´ll make me sad that im not helping as many people as I possibly can. I did get your two pakages and thank you for the pictures and the other missionaries thank you for the food.

We had our transfers this week. I'm in my same area still and I'm training agian. This time an American from California. Elder Brunsvick. He seems like a really good guy and I really like his enthusiam. Now that I can speak spanish it feels weird to be with someone who cant though, his spanish is really good for only 9 weeks.

So we found this Jehovas Witness down here contacting the other day. There are alot of them down here and they are probably the hardest people to teach. They are kind of crazy. This lady was trying to show us up in her door. I'm not gonna lie I didn´t bring my best game but we listened to what she had to say for a while (she was just pulling out scripture and trying to show scripture knowlegde and what not) but after a while I was like ok now can we please share with you the messege of the restoration of the Church of Jesus Christ and she said ok if it was in the Bible. I proceeded to share with her the first vison and she interupted and was like this guy isn´t in the Bible and I'm not going to listen. Then I told her true it doesn´t say Joseph Smiths name exactly in the Bible but it also doesn´t say Jesus Christ in the Old testament but does that make him any THe Savior of the of the world. She got kind of thrown off by that. We shared the first vision and testified and my comp wanted to contend but thats not my thing even though I'm money with comebacks I know the spirit is stronger. She then tried to got to go to scripture knowlege asking us all this lame questions. I told her I dont know all the answers to all the questions but I know Joseph Smith was a true prophet. She didn´t get it though but it was a good learning experience for me.

I also had another really cool experience this week with a Guy we are teaching named Manuel De Jesus. He was a reference to teach english but we´ve almost only talked about the gospel. I´ve challaged him to be baptized a couple times but he says he wants to wait but we´re working on that. He knows the church is true and said he will get baptized but wants a clear answer from God.

He also belives that my old comp and i were sent specifically to him because of our past experiences with my comps parents dying and the things I went through so he trusts us. I told him that he needs to see the same in respect to the Savior who understands his troubles even more then us b.c he suffered exactly for his sins pains and errors and that we were only representatives of us. He said he knew that but that when we left he probably wouldn´t go to church any more bc it was only us that brougt the spirit to him. I told him that that wasn´t right and that we were here only as representatives of Jesus and that he should go to church and get baptized for him b.c we are not representatives of ¨the church of the missionaries of the latter day saints¨ and that the Book of Mormon doesn´t say ¨Another testament of the Missionaries¨ on that cover and that he need to trust God more.

I also recieved a revalation on what the answer to his life problems were. It came to me that it was the same answer to my problems i had and i believe it is the answer to the problems of all. The atonement of Jesus Christ. I told him that a knowlege and really feeling of the power of the atonement changed and saved my life and that i truely believe it is the answer to his problems as well.

I told him that when i was suffering with all the pain and sadness that i went through that i didn´t understand why i had to suffer like i did but know i understand that i may have had to suffer like i did so that i could share with others and him the answer to all our problems. I told him that i may have just suffered so i could help him at this momment in his life. It was probably the most spiritual lesson of my whole mission.

Well i love you a ton and keep sending me letters and pictures. i´d love to have the one of heaths whitesox hair.

Love,

Elder vincent

March 1,2010

Dear Family and Friends,

So we should be about finished with Alma right now in our reading. Things are really good here. I didn´t feel the earthquake in chille here but i felt one here this week that was pretty big for me haha. It was cool.

This week was pretty good. I grew alot spiritually. My comp and i fasted this week and it payed off. We set two baptismal dates for the 13th of March. Im really excited. We are trying to set other dates as well.

Things are really good. I feel the love of the Lord everyday and am continually drawing closer to him. I can feel the love of my Heavenly Father so incredibly i just wish i was more worthy of it.

This week our Stake President came to our ward activity on wednesday night and talked about family relationships. I hope to write you a letter about it this week.

I dont have alot to say this week but will try to write you more next week. Know that God is with me walking with me and protecting me. I have put my life in his hands.

I love you a ton and please pray for me and for the people here. Let me know if i can help anyone.

Love,

Elder Searle McDede Vincent

February 22,2010

Dear Family and Friends,

Im really glad you finally got my package. Im glad you liked it too. I was really hoping you would.

This week was really good. We had our zone conference and the Stake

President from our Stake came and talked. He is such an amazing guy. He started being a steak president at 27. He is so in tune with the spirit. Then the new doctor/elder for central america talked with us about dealing with stress and staying happy. His name is Elder MacAurther and he's from Springville and served in Vietnam. Dont know if dad maybe knows him.

This week God really blessed us with new families to find. We found four really good ones all contacting. One of there kids have been coming to alot of the activities and they come with friends who wanted to go to church so we went and walked them to church. It was good preperation for being a dad trying to keep track of 5 kids all younger then 11 during sacrement. We hope their parents will come this next week. We also had one more investigator come to church. His name is Manuel and he's a really good guy.

The highlight of my week came Saturday and yesterday. We were walking back from dinner in the night Saturday and felt like we should take a way we normally dont go in the night. There was this lady with two kids and one of her kids was carrying a bag and without even thinking i asked them if they needed help carrying things. They said no but we talked as we walked and found out that they were coming back from visiting her niece who was recovering from surgery. She was born without ears and an lds doctor came here and did her surgery for nothing. They talked so highly of what our church does and how strong the youth are. We set an appointment to go back and meet with her last night and went our seperate ways.

We went back last night and it went great. We really got to talking and it went really well. Her story really touched me b.c it reminded me of you and your family mom. She has three daughters 12, 20 and 26. The oldest two are married and one lives with them and supports them b.c she is over 50 and no one will hire her for her age. She was also fired only b.c of her age.

It has just been the 4 girls and there families for a while b.c about 12 years ago her husband was kidnapped for a ransome b.c his parents had a big buissiness and this lady maria brought the people the money and so they pushed her husband down in front of her after she gave them the money and then they shot him twice in the chest in front of her. She was two months pregnant with her youngest daughter.

We talked with them about the plan of salvation and it went incredibly well. We explained that through the atonement of Jesus and the mercy and love of our heavenly father they will have the chance to live with their husband and father again. And that one day the youngest would be able to meet her dad. I shared your story and about how close i feel to grandpa even though i dont know him and how i love having his name. I told them how special they were to me b.c of how similar their story was to yours and that of our family.

They are so strong. She doesn´t go to any church right now but prays as powerfully as anyone. She said even though she doesn´t go to church she's never lost her love and need for prayer. Im really going to pray for them and these other great families that we've been blessed with. They are all so special to me and even more to our Heavenly Father. If they weren´t I would have never found them.

I love you all and hope all is well. Please pray and tell others to pray for me and these people. There is so much power in prayer.

Love,

Elder Vincent

Feb.15, 2010

Dear Family and Friends,
This week went well. I like my new comp and im working him hard. Maybe a little too hard b.c his feet are getting pretty torn up from walking. Mine are good though. I just dont really have a limit to working hard and forget some people aren't as use to it as me.
His name is Elder Zelaya and hes 23.
So i still dont really have any pictures of our whole family b.c the ones you send me always seem to be missing you. HMMMM????
The vitamin c drink packets you sent me work great though. I have alot more energy. You should have heath try them in the mornings and once in the day especially before games.
We had a family come to church this week. It was awesome. Im hoping to set a baptismal date this week with them. I had been fasting so i knew that they would come.
Do your home and visiting teaching. Ive really come to understand how important that is in maintaining converts and reactivating people.
I love you a ton and never forget that.
LOVE,
Elder VIncent
ps yeah i think they do have valentines day here.

February 1,2010

Dear Mom,

    Things are going good.  Im in a trio with my district leader and his comp.  I probably wont get a new comp until next week.

    Things are good.  We gave service this week to a really cool family in their area that is going to get baptized they loved to take pictures and I will send them to you when I can.

    I got a dear elder from Sister Schettler this week and a christmas card from Gage.  The card from Gage meant alot to me and helped me a ton when I was a little down.  I especially loved the pictures and the part about not every hit is a home run.

     I also got a package from Aunt Nancy which was nice.  I"m up to 6 letters since I left the ccm now. Im on fire!

      Things are good here i just need to help people get to church any ideas?  

    Tell people there how important references are and if they truely love there family and friends they will introduce them to the missionaries.

    I love you and thank you for all you prayers.  Let me know if there is anyone I can pray for.

         Love,

               Elder Vincent  the blue eyed one

January 25,2010

 Dear Friends and family

       My comp has been really sick but we still got alot of work done. Oh we also went to the zoo for pday and i got to see tigers and jaguars which was really sweet.  It made my day.  i took pictures and will try to send them to you when i have time.
    I love you and will try and write more soon.  The computer wasnt working.  Tell Luke Good luck!
   Love
          Elder,
                  Searle Vincent.

January  18, 2010

Dear  Family and Friends,
     So Im writing this right now and the earth is shaking!! haha just swaying but kind of cool all the same.   
      How are things going?  How're things back home?  I've been praying that you will get my package soon.  I know you'll get it. Dont worry about sending me money.  Its safer to just take it out of an atm in guatemalan money.  Im glad Heath's doing good in school and bball.  Im really proud of him.  I love my brothers alot.
     So they send alot of donated clothes here to guatemala and so i see alot of cool/interesting shits/clothes.  This week i saw a springville fire department shirt that i thought dad would think was kind of cool and also i saw a t guy wearing a taylorsville days shirt and i thought natalie and her parents would think thats cool.  I've yet to see park city gear but i have seen some byu.  There was a guy in taxisco wearing a byu hat.  I see alot of cool jerseys i want to buy off people though (mostly bulls)
      This week we had a multi-zone conference.  We focused alot on talking about dedication b.c there was an Elder here who got hit by a car and has been in the hospital.  He was trying to teach the nurse there still and told here he wouldn´t eat until she got baptized haha.
       Im doing really good and this week is going to be great seeing as it is my 24th week (im not trying to keep track its just numbers are so easy for me haha)  Im really praying to get a baptism this change but the people have to be converted first and do there part.
       I called my old companion this week to see if he could check about the package and he told me a bout the baptism of Maria-Isabel, the little girl i had been teaching in taxisco.   He said it was amazing and that she wished i had been there to baptize her.  He said Sunday after she was confirmed she bore her testimony and that it was really powerful and that there wasn't a dry eye there.  Im so glad she was able to get baptized and come unto the Lord and be able to have the constant guidance of the Holy Ghost in her life.  I do wish i could have been there but truly im just happy she got baptized.  She is such a blessing to her family.
     Im really happy to be a missionary.  There is nothing i would rather be doing right now with my time.  I want to help these people and this place so much.
      Tell people i am praying for them alot.  I really pray name by name b.c i care about the welfare of so many people but i am here and am much more interested at the moment of how i can reach the people here.
       I love you so much and if there is anything i can do for you all please let me know.  And Eric good luck with tryouts.  You are a great strength to me.
          Love,
                 Elder Vincent