Izcalli 1

December 16, 2013

So ahora yo so en Izcalli 1 is es un muy bonita area! haha there is my Spanish for the week! I am now in Ixtapaluca in the ward of Izcalli! My new comapion's name is William Hernandez! Here is the best part he can't speak English, which means my Spanish has to get used more and likely improve. The area is really nice and there are families that are pretty well to do compared to my last area. I will send pictures out of the house on Wednesday at our MISSION CHRISTMAS PARTY! Let me just say it is not a small room this time, but it is an appartment on the second floor!

So the week was a good week! New area new missionaries! All that jazz, first off our district has 8 companionships and one of the companionships (in our ward) is hermanas and one of them are new and  she is from...wait for it...wait for it... WEST JORDAN, UTAH! The Sisters are so cool! They work hard and are super dedicated. The down side is that in our ward there is a hill overlooking the area. and I was hoping that we would get the hill, but  the sisters get the view of Ixtapaluca, Valle de Chalco, and Chalco... its all good though! So i am coming into the area with a lot of work to do! We have almost 20 different investigators who ae not progressing and are at different points. So I am excited to hep them with that! 

This week I got to meet a number of them and we already have two baptism dates for the end of December! They are two kids whose grandma was a Jehovah's Witness! I am excited for that!

Other than that we have a chance to go to the temple with this family on Saturday to see the Visitors Center. I am super excited for that cause our mission now has permission to go to the Visitors Center with investigators.  We won't be able to do a session in the Temple because it closes in January until June of 2015 for renovations :( but the visitors center will always be open! So we have that opprotunity! 

 

The only other thing is yo so MUCHO MUCHO MUCH emochinado porque yo tengo un oprotunidad a hablar con mi familia! haha more Spanish and it's only been a week! I get to talk to my familia next week! and on Christmas we are not work same with New Year's Eve and New Years Day as well as on Christmas Eve. On New Year's Eve we only work till 6 then are with families the rest of the night until 10:30!

I miss you all and love you all hope everyone has a great Navidad! EL Vive!
--

Elder Brett Jeffrey Darcy

Phase 3 of 16 begins now!

QUE HONDA MIS AMIGOS! WHAT UP MY FRIENDS?!!

December 9, 2013

 

So Yesterday we were supposed to get the transfer/ cambios call BUT............................. there were complications or the President didn't get a confirmation so the call didn't come until today! So my companion Elder Gomez has 8 months and 1 week here in Independencia so we knew that he would be going and we were right but here is the big news! He did go and he is headed to Chalco as a.... Zone Leader! So after he was done freaking out our Zone Leader Elder Buchanan (who returns home to utah on Wednesday) said Elder Darcy has cambios too.... i thought that meant that i was getting my new companion.... But here is the bigger news!!! I AM LEAVING INDEPENDENCIA!!! Yep on Wednesday at the changes meeting our area is getting white washed! So...where am I going?? well I am coming home..... HAHA NOT!

 

My new area:  Izcali Ixtapaluca! My new companions name is Elder Hernandez! The change meeting is Wednesday at 12 and that is when i will meet my new companion!

The area of Independencia was a great area! In the last 3 months here we had the baptisms of an entire family and one last baptism yesterday!

Yesterday after church we had a Baptism! it was this15 year old. He has been investigating the church since June or July and he finally had enough consistent Sundays to be baptised! so I feel I left the area in a good way!

I just wish that I had more time here! It feels like it flew by (cause it did) but if my time here is up its time to move on to the next area and help those I need to help!

Thanks everyone for all of your support and love and support you are giving me!

Feliz navidad y un buen nuevo año 

Elder Darcy
--

Elder Brett Jeffrey Darcy

Where Has The Time Gone?!

December 2, 2013

Yo estoy muy enserio! Where is the time gone! It was a good but fast week! We had 2 different service projects and a bunch of lessons...oh,  and WE ARE BAPTIZING ANOTHER INVESTIGATOR THIS WEEK! I am so excited!

This is more than likely my last week with Elder Gomez because a of yesterday he has 8 months in the mission....And area. Today or tomorrow we find out if I am training or not!! Everyone keeps telling me that if I don't train then I am going to be the new DL...but I don't want that. BUT whatever the Lord wants "I will go and do as he commands" (1 Nephi 3:7)

So my week was good! First off we taught 8-9 lessons a day! My personal favorites were on Wednesday and jueves (Thursday). On Wednesday we had 5 lessons with members and 3 less active members lessons! Thursday was super cool because it was 8 menos activo lessons and 2 of them were people we found or they found us! The first was a guy that found us and was living in Los Ángeles for the past 15 years until about 3 months ago! The other one is a family and it is kind of sad because they were converts in Chalco but then a member went and robbed them of all they had.. but they are super cool and we had a NOH(Noche de Hogar) family home evening with them and one of the hermanos that was there as well shared D&C 10:5 I loved that Scripture so much! 

We were helping wih a project we started last week to sand paint off a wall! The other service project was in our area we helped one of our menos activos familias paint their coina (kitchen) and that was fun and long! it took almost 8 hours! They said that they would come to church and but they did not, . so they are our first visit tomorrow.

This next Sunday we are baptizing another investigator after church! He is a young man named Edgar. He has attended Church the last five Sunday's and is real excited about being baptized. The YM leader won't be there on Saturday so we will have his baptism on Sunday after Church. 

 

Other than that all is well and i will be writing to you again in like 30 min for the next email ;) because it feels like time moves that fast! 

As this is now December the one thing that come to mind is songs from the Forgotten Carols : Let Him In. We need to remember to let Him into our lives all year round as we go to and from with all that we have going on no matter where we are in the world remember to let Him in!

Love you all y feliz navidad

--

Elder Brett Jeffrey Darcy

Happy Thanksgiving

November 25, 2013

I can not believe that its already Thanksgiving!  The time flies and the sad part is that there is no Thanksgiving here :(  but it has been a good week! Not much happened this week only a few things.

First Elder Gomez Baptized. It was for our Zone Leaders and because they are Zone Leaders a District Leader has to do the interviews! And after one of the interviews the dad of the family asked that Elder Gomez do the baptism! 

We have a baptism date for next Friday! One of our investigators started keeping commitments and has one more Sunday and he can get baptized so that is a week from this Friday!

As it being Thanksgiving I want to take a moment to share what I am grateful for! 

I am grateful for this wonderful opportunity to carry out and finish my service to the lord for the next two years ( less than 20 months now). I am more than grateful for my family who has helped me every step of the way! I am extremely grateful for my dad who has helped me grow and is having the chance to live all of this with me throw letters and emails each week! Without his support especially this would not be as easy as it is and I am so grateful for all my family and friends who are constantly sending me emails and letter to help boost me up! in closing i want to share the scripture D&C 84:88 and remember His angles are always here with us and will help bears us up in times of trials when needed!

I love you all and hope the best for you all this holiday season! we don't have Thanksgiving here in Mexico and  so i am working all day thursday but I am greatful for the chance to do so!

I love you all and see you in less than 20!

--

Elder Brett Jeffrey Darcy

2 Meses (months) in mexico!

November 18, 2013

Hola De Mexico! Hello from Mexico! I have now been here for two months and I do not like it at all...because the time is moving too fast!! This week we had a multi zone conference with us (solidaridad) and mayaualcol (May-a-walk-cole)  Elder Valenzuela of the first Quorum of the Seventy. He was so cool! We had a picture with Elder Valenzuela, President Crickmore, and the missionaries from the two zones! I was in the front cause I'm a shorty. I was placed right between President Crickmore and Elder Valenzuela it was the coolest thing ever! It was cool afterwards we all got to meet him and shake his hand!

That same day and the night before we had a couple of different meetings with him in our wards, our Stake, and in the zones, it was all about: the Importance La Obra De Salvaccion! (the Work of salvation).

I want to share with you everyone that its really important for members at home to help us as missionaries. The missionaries cannot do all of the work themselves, it is just too much sometimes. we needed the members to help us with this work! because as one of the great scriptures say the reason of this work "Is to bring to pass the salvation and immortality of man" Moses 1:39. My prayer to you and what you can do to help me is to help the missionaries that are assigned in your area!

I had another cool opportunity this week. We had splits with the other two missionaries in our ward. I stayed in my area and was Senior companion for a day. I got to lead the area for that day! It was really cool to see how much I have learned in the last 8 weeks here in Mexico and how fast I learned the area! This is really important to me because in the next transfers in a few weeks my companion is likely to be part of changes because he will have been in the same area for the entire nine moths he has been here. 

Other than that all is well! The Church is true!! EL VIVE!

Love  you all.  I miss you all, god speed my friends! 

--

Elder Brett Jeffrey Darcy

Happy Veteran's Day

November 11, 2013

HOLA MI FAMILIA Y AMIGOS!

 

How are things going? it has been a good and interesting week with teaching divisions and meeting two members from the First Quorum of the Seventy and one of our Area Presidency!

 

Las Monday we had a monthly zone meeting that was all about safety and stress. I think this is because of a incident that happened with an Elder in the Mexico City East Mission. After that we played some ole classic futbol! That night we taught our convert family and they are doing great!

 

We had a meeting up by the mission office for trainers (Elder Gomez) and trainees (Me) and it was cool to see the progress of all of the Elders in my generation are making. (All of the missionaries that come into the field together are called a generation.)  President Crickmore said something that scared me a little, but is more than likely true......I will be training in 4 weeks. meaning that I will be the trainer... what ever the Lord needs I will do!

 

On Wednesday we helped our zone leaders. They had a baptism this last Friday and we had to help them empty the font by hand (because somone stole the pump that drains it.) It took about two hours but it was a fun and a cool experience! When we went four our weekly meeting with the Ward Mission leader he was running behind and we had to wait for him to get there. A little frustrating because we were missing out on some of our teaching time. 

 

On Thursday we had divisions with the two new elders in our district and it was good. We walked to parts of that área that was a mystery to me.

 

Friday we had seven lessons and did some service,. We had stake conference Saturday ande Sunday and they needed more chairs in the Stake Center so we helped load them up in a truck, take them to the Stake Center, and set them up.

 

Saturday at the first session of Stake Conference Elder Pino, a member of the Area Presidency taught the members of the Stake about working with the missionaries. It was so cool to hear that as a missionary. 

 

Sunday was the general session and a new Stake Presidency was called. This was so cool to see and the crazy thing is our Bishop, who is 33, is now a member of the Stake Presidency. Elder Pino talked about the plan of salvation and how it is meant for us to fall and then, because  of the atonement be able to get back up and brush ourselves off and move on.  He said there are thing in the world from the adversary that try to bring us down and destroy us and that if we stay strong we can return home!

 

So that is my week! the highlight for this week Zone Conference and an interview for trainers and trainees from Elder Valenzuela of the Seventy. He gave a talk this last conference titled Small and simple things!

 

Love you all and miss you all!
--

Elder Brett Jeffrey Darcy

My First Baptisms

November 4, 2013

Buenas Tardes Todo!

 

It was such a crazy week this week! seeing President Crickmore two times this week and four baptisms and a special change in our district! Where to start, where to start! It was a full week so I'll play this day by day.

 

Monday: Last Monday for P-day we went up on to a mountain that over looks 2 zones in our misión! the first part of the mountain we were on Had a view of the zona (o estaca) Ixtacapaluca and it was   cool to see that!

we were up there with a bunch of elders and one was going home the next day. Something weird that the missionaries do here is at 6 months you burn a tie, at the year mark - a shirt, and at the end of your two years if you have a second suit that is super worn out - the suit and a shirt. The Elder bought a cheap suit from Wal-Mart a few years ago and he wore that so that his suit that he brought was still good and looking new for his trip home! so we were up on the mountain and he set fire to his suit and someone asked him "Elder Jones what advise do you have for us who still have time?" and I absolutely loved his response. He said " Live it up! You only get two years out here, make the most of it! this is the best thing you could be doing right now--- Its the only thing you should be doing!" it was great! then that night after our district meeting our zone got together and took pictures with everyone who was being transferred or going home!

 

 

 

Tuesday : was transfers, but because Elder Gomez and I were not part of the changes we were in our área working! That night we had the baptism interviews for the family that we have been teaching. When they were done with the interviews we had dinner with the Bishop and two new Elder that was in a trio in our Ward. The two new Elders both are from El Salvador! it was so cool.

 

Thursday went by quickly. That night I was taken back to our area by one of our zone leaders and let me say he is one of the coolest guys that I know! He has so much love for all of the missionaries.

 

There is another family we started teaching last week that we did teaching with divisions from the zone, the Ward Mission Leaders, and some of the Priesthood leaders. After that we did divisions with the other part of independencia!

 

Friday was a tougher day. Three of the lessons did not go great. One investigator was not interested in listening to what we were saying. The next one we were teaching a less active member about the Book Of Mormon and we did not get the impression she wanted us there. We could tell she was struggling with her testimony of the Book of Mormon, it was really sad. The last lesson was the worst. so the elders I was with were Elder Olivos and Elder Jimmenez (one of the 2 new missionaries in our area. We were teaching one of their investigators who told us the things we were teaching him did not bring happiness in his life and he did not want to learn from the missionaries any more. He barley let us finish our prayer before he got up and left the room...it was a hard day.

 

Saturday was the day we were ending our divisions with Eder Olivos and  Elder Jimenez. As these two Elders and Elder Gomez and I we told Elder Gomez about our previous day, it made me feel a little better. At 5:30 we went to the church for the baptisms and we got there and Elder Olivos said before you go change you need to see something. He took me into one of the classrooms and all his stuff was there, so now there are two completely new sets of Elders in Independencia 2.

 

The baptisms went great and just as I was going into the font President Crickmore showed up! It was a great meeting, I loved so much being able to baptize my first new members. To top the night off President bought us McDonalds for dinner!

 

Sunday was Fast Sunday and Elder Gomez and I fasted for success in Independencia 2 and for the New elders to learn the area quickly! Elder Gomez has to go to the stake every Sunday because he is our District LEader and he has to report the numbers for the zone so all is well!

 

As of right now we do not have any progressing investigators, pray for us to be able to reach them and pray for new investigators to have their hearts softened.

 

The weirdest thing that I ate this week was cow stomach and the intestines of a chicken!

 

All is well!

 

I love you all and miss you all!

Elder Darcy