Saturday, April 4, 2015

A Living Prophet?.... No way!

Hey guys! 

It all started out on Sunday! We had a family come to church this week! Their names are Ramon and Sulieny and they have a month with us and they love taking the lessons. They definitely feel the spirit with us and what is cool is they have date already. They really do want to get baptized and married! Their date is set for the 2nd of May. At first I was bummed that no one came to church but they came to the 2nd hour and when I saw them I was so happy! I looked at my comp and we were like ohhhh yeah buddy!!! They definitely enjoyed it! When we went to their house this week they were like wow church was great. What was even better was when we said that we will have conference this Sunday and said the prophet will be speaking, she said," a living prophet? No way... Oh well I am definitely going!" haha so that was neat!

Update on Carlos and Eliseo, they didn't go to church this week because they didn't have any money. They have to pay for a taxi to get to church and they are really poor but we said that next week we will take them and they said," yes okay we are definitely going for sure now! 

Also with Ricardo and Yokeidis, they have been having some health problems so they are not focused so much like before but when they get over their sickness they will be back on track, they didn't go to church but its okay they'll try next week! 

Also guess what Elisaura, Matas fiance, my reactivated member left with us on Friday! It was so cool to see her! Wow she has progressed sooooo much! She is such a faithful member! She will be a leader in the church one day and a powerful one as well! 
That was my amazing week and I hope you enjoyed it! 

Shout out to Hermana Steele, Welcome home!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! love you!

E. Santacruz

Elisaura!

Service... its what we do!

It's a Companionship of Three

Hey guys!

This week started out with a conference that we had from Elder Martinez, hes a member of the seventy. He talked with us and wow he taught so many things! One thing he talked about that caught my attention was when he talked about the companionship's. He said its not a companionship of just two, its a companionship of three! The two missionaries and God! Also something he said is, where ever we are and whoever we talk to its as if Christ was talking to them and that we are directed by him. There are people waiting for this message. I loved that! 

Hey so remember how I said that we received like 20 references! Yeah we received more and we got up to 28 last week! It was great! We are teaching so many new people and its pretty crazy we don't have enough time to teach them all! haha so  we are trying to be more organized.. but hey there is tons of work which is always great! 

So Carlos and Eliseo have baptismal dates, they have their dates for the 25th of April. I don't think I will be here when they get baptized but its okay its not my baptism its Christs! I know they are gonna get baptized because they feel that the Book of Mormon is true, its just a matter of time when they say yes to everything!
I think the Lord has been helping us out so much....and you know why I think he has been helping out so much?.....

Two weeks ago I said to my comp," hey so if we are members and we are trying to be examples, why don't we ever read the scriptures together or say prayers at night right before we go to bed or ever have family home evenings? We practically are a couple! I said to him I want to prepare myself for when I have a wife and a family. So that when I have all that I will used to doing it. So... we started doing it and he and I are best friends, we don't argue and don't complain as much. You will always see a smile on our faces and for that I do testify that those things help a marriage and a family. I testify that the spirit is stronger when those things are put in practice! 

I love the gospel!!!I see a change in me and I love serving the Lord! I stand all amazed of the things I have learned and applied to my life. I am grateful for the leaders in the church and I know they have the power to guide us here on earth and they receive revelation from God!
love you all 
Elder Santacruz

Zone Conference

My Jamaican Friend

Open your eyes.....

Hello Everyone! 

So... this week started out with an activity, it was so cool! Well.. it was only a movie night but it was such a great ​turn out. We had more than 100 people! The activity was combined between our branch and the other ward that we are going to combine with! We had popcorn and cotton candy! We did it so that the people can realize that the church can have fun also it wasn't a church movie but it had a great message!

Also those two guys that were references that we met last week are still going strong. They are in 2nd Nephi chapter 2!!!! Its so cool; they are smart guys! They really do want an answer from God! It is so awesome! Yesterday we visited them with members. The members shared their testimonies and wow the guys felt the spirit. They haven't gone to church yet but they said that they are going this Sunday so we will see. Keep them in your prayers! 

So here comes the coolest part of my week........ Ready????? okay yesterday we had a family home evening with a less active family and the husband said last week that he was gonna invite 20 people to the family home evening and we were like okay.... we will see.... but we weren't believing at all. Yesterday we get there and one by one we started seeing kids from the neighborhood come in and sit down. We took count and there was 19 kids there from 8 to 15 years of old! hahah we shared the restoration video and all the kids loved it! We gave them all a pamphlet and then we had refreshments and then they all went home, but wow we received 21 references yesterday! 2 from the other members but it was so cool to teach all of those kids! Wow to see members do that makes me so happy! Yesterday made my week and I am truly taking the juice out of everyday! 

I know that God is helping me realize the time that I have left. Also what has been helping me even more is my journal every night. I write so much about all the little things that made my day so cool! I see some missionaries say wow I have so much time left and I think to myself wow open your eyes and see what is really happening! 

I know this gospel is true and I love everything that God has given me! It is truly a blessing to be here! Well... this was my week and I hope you all enjoyed it because I sure did! Love you all!

Happy Birthday to My Beautiful Madre! Love you mom so much, thank you for everything! Hope you had an amazing day!
DUECES!
E. SANTACRUZ 

Our activity

Great turn out

Family Home Evening

Wednesday, April 1, 2015

THAT WAS ALL "HIM"

Well everyone... this week has been going so great!! Wow I would call This week the most successful in my time here in La Herradurra! Do you want to know why??? We have received 4 references so far this week and we are expecting 3 more! It is the best thing a missionary can ask for, I felt like this week was Christmas and guess what?.... they aren't just ordinary references they are references that really good! You do not know how happy I feel working now with members that are willing to share the gospel with their friends! We shared Jacob 1:19 to our references. This scripture really hit them. They felt the Lord trying to speak to them and tell them that they will be judged for not opening their mouth to their friends and family! So.... right away they were just like Oh! I know this person! Oh I want you guys to go visit this family! 
Out of these references we taught two brothers. They really want to know if the Book of Mormon is true. When we finished the lesson, one of the boys was saying ¨God please help us find an answer to really know if the Book of Mormon is true and that what the missionaries are saying is true.¨ That made my week! I know God is watching over us every minute and that he wants this work to grow! I KNOW THAT WAS ALL HIM. I love this work so much! Wow I am so glad this work is moving forward! 
That was my great week! 

Now...... challenge!! Yes!! You all have a challenge to help the the Elders or Hermanas in your ward to give a reference this week! I expect that from you guys! If these people can do it you guys can do it! I love you all so much and I hope you can do it because really guys, its the most effective way to teach the gospel! 

LOVE 
Elder SANTACRUZ

One of the members kids

On the roof!

Fullness of the Gospel is in our hands

Hello everybody!! Feliz Marzo!

​What made my week was, we have been teaching a family and this family is amazing. They are so awesome, they are like family for us! They believe everything that we say. We were teaching them el plan de salvación ​and they loved everything! This family has 3 kids and they are so special. They are so in love and they pray every night together and they pray by themselves.
They have been asking God if these things are true and they are asking if they should get re-baptized. We feel the spirit in every lesson with them and it is so amazing!!!!! It makes me so happy. They still need to get married, they are just together but they are planning on getting married. We set a date with them and its for April 4th so we will see if they go to church and everything. They accepted and they really want get an answer! Their names are Hna Ricardo and Hno Gutierez but coolest couple I have ever met! 

Also this week the branch will be moving to another town, we wont be in a house anymore we will be in a chapel! It will be pretty hard but hey.... I am totally ready for it. Ready to help the members have some energy! It will be interesting for the next 5 weeks. I have faith in my home in La Herradurra!

My week.... it was so great! Two thumbs up! Love you all miss you! Christ lives and his church is here on the earth we have the fullness of the gospel in our hands I love the mission work! 

Shout out to my Bro Denny, Firefighter Hawkins!!! Love you

E.Santacruz
That amazing family

Im right here!

Beautiful sunsets in my area