Easter

Hey everybody!! Hope that you all had an incredible Easter!!!

Hugs and Kisses

Honestly, I have got to say that I have never grown to appreciate the purpose of Easter until I came out here on the mission. I always knew that we were celebrating the resurrection of Christ, but I didn't understand what that had to do with all of us.

As I read the scriptures and studied and testified to others about the importance of Easter, I came to understand how incredible it really is.

(If you have not seen the church videos of the last two Easters, I cannot more highly recommend them. This year's is Hallelujah).

The entire purpose of Easter is to celebrate the Atonement of Christ. What is the Atonement? It is when Christ paid for our sins, was then betrayed and crucified on the cross, and then resurrected on the 3rd day.

Solved it!

Why is it important?

We cannot fully comprehend the pain that that entails but, as we give it our effort, we will learn more and become more grateful for it. Trust me, without the Atonement, EVERY part of the Plan of Salvation would fall apart. We would not be able to live with our families forever, live with God, or have true happiness.

Because He lives, we can have happiness, we can have eternal families, and we have the hope that we will see our loved ones again after death with perfected bodies in the presence of God.

Please watch the videos. They help explain it even more. And read the 4 scriptural accounts of what is the Atonement of Christ. I promise that you will find more happiness, gratitude, and purpose in your personal life, and you will become more fit to be an instrument in God's hands to bring that happiness, gratitude, and purpose to other people's lives.

Love you all! Have a great Week!

Elder Greenwood :)

God Loves Us

Hello everybody!!!

With the weather here now, ya gotta wear shaades!

It's good to write you all again, I hope all is well. If it's not, then God is preparing you to do something amazing in the future as an instrument in his hands. (#Refiner'sFire)

This week was an interesting week. Last P-day (I don't know if I mentioned it) I bought a sumbrero!! Rock on! I feel awesome in my sumbrero! It's amazing! And I burn less now! Even better!

But, all the hard work that we did and all the things that happened this week all summed up in a big way. A lady named Silvia Wong was baptized :)

Silvia Wong's Baptism

Silvia Wong is an incredibly strong person. In our lessons, she told us about so many things that have happened to her in her life -- things that you would never believe. It got to the point that she told God that she was going to go her way and that he could go his. And if they see each other they can say, "hi," and keep on moving. (She later told us that she hadn't even mentioned some of the harder stories of her life. I can't imagine them).

She felt abandoned -- by God, and by everyone. Her life was not a happy one. But she found a feeling of peace that she had never experienced before in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. In the beginning, she was afraid, afraid that God really didn't love her. But, after the Stake Conference we had last week, she found her answer that God does love her, and that He was and is always there for her. And that is the truth, not just for her, but for all of us.

I had the honor to baptize her, and the Spirit was incredibly strong. She knows now where she belongs and she has found happiness in her life. She even testified to another person in the baptismal service afterwards who has been investigating the church.

Not sure what this is about, but looks like fun!

Guess they're still friends.

In the mission you have experiences that you will never have in normal life. This is one of those. The Lord's hand is in this work. The other missionaries who found her wouldn't have found her without His help. This work is truly the work of the Lord to bring about the fullness of His true Church.

I love you all and invite you all to go out and serve someone else this week and go out and find a spiritual experience.

Elder Greenwood :)

Where's a razor when you need one?

P.S. - Scripture of the Week: Moroni 9:6-

"And now, my beloved son, notwithstanding their hardness, let us labor diligently; for if we should cease to labor, we should be brought under condemnation; for we have a labor to perform whilst in this tabernacle of clay, that we may conquer the enemy of all righteousness, and rest our souls in the kingdom of God."

Bi-Polar Chihuahua :)‏

How's it going, People?

Elders Greenwood and Vivanco (companion)

Homemade Tortilla!

Crazy week of weather this week! Hahaha! Sunday and Monday had some normal Mexican heat going on. Then, we "caught wind" that it snowed in Cuahtemuc (another city) and that wind comes up to the city of Chihuahua, near us. Tuesday and Wednesday it was COLD! and Windy. It even rained. Then, it went right back to hot again. Super extremes going on here. I've learned that I shouldn't pack up my jacket until May or June. Hahaha!

Rebeca's Baptism

Speaking of extremes... as in, EXTREMELY AWESOME! We had a baptism! And, even cooler, the brother of the girl who was baptized got to baptize her! Awesome stuff! She, her brother, and their mom are all members now and have the hope of being sealed in the temple some day. Awesome :) That is what life is all about. Being sealed in the temple and living a life like Jesus lived brings more happiness than you'll ever even know in this life and promises happiness that you can't even comprehend in the next life. :)

Honoring Cousin Heidi Around the World

Great pictures from flipchart

My scriptures of the Week are Luke 22:32 and D&C 108:7 -

"But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, STRENGTHEN THY BRETHREN."

"STRENGTHEN THY BRETHREN in all your conversation, in all your prayers, in all your exhortations, and in all your doings."

What is eternal life without family? First and foremost strengthen your family, and then, strengthen your extended family, those people on the streets, in the halls, in the store, are all our brothers and sisters. Jesus Died, and was resurrected so that we could be resurrected as well, but The promise goes even further. All it takes is a little more effort. And the promise is Eternal Life.

Zone Photo at Transfers

Love you all! Have a great week, and strengthen those around you!!

Elder Greenwood :)

Una Carta para Ustedes‏

Pretty tough week went down this week.

Even the cows wouldn't stick around.

I'll keep at it.

Lots of hard work and we didn't see too many results. But the results that do come make everything worth it. I know that with perseverance, all the hard work will pay off, and we will see results and bring good fruits unto the Lord.

I think they're warming up to me.

Like 2 weeks ago I mentioned some dude who said that he wanted to get baptized. (He told us that on the street.) But he didn't know his address, so he gave us his phone number. And we tried and tried to get in contact with him, but nothing worked.

Then, Tuesday night, we were planning on going and buying our food for the week at a store in our area when we heard someone yell, "ELDER!!!!"

All ears now. =)

We turned around to see that dude, Mauricio, running to catch up with us! It was crazy! So we went to his house and had a lesson with him.

Thanks to our Heavenly Father, through our diligence and hard work, we will receive mercy. That was a little piece of mercy that we received that day to give us the motivation to keep moving forward.

My scripture for the week is Romans 8:38-39:

38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

  39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Super good scripture about the love of God and of Christ for us. With them at our sides, when we trust in them, nothing is impossible. Love you all! Have a great week! Serve the Lord in some way!

Elder Greenwood :)