Week 1 of new change in Monterrey

HELLO ALL! How are we doing?!? We are doing awesome on this side. As you already know we had changes. The first week flies by like nothing. With prep day Monday, changes on Tuesday, and Leadership meeting Wednesday to Thursday. At the transfer site, we have to go see if all left and arrived safely, it's also so awesome seeing all the mission friends for a minute.Our meeting went awesome. It was a little different from the rest as we had a Stake President and President Romney's counselor join us.  On Thursday the capacitation really spoke to me. It wasn't so much on leadership and what not, but rather his counselor capacitated on emotional intelligence. He explained all we need to do to be emotionally stable and healthy. But the part I loved, was how he expressed there is no other time, place, or opportunity that any person could perfect such an attribute than here on a mission. How what we allow ourselves to learn will be with us the rest of our lives. I really loved learning all I learned. There is so much to learn in each moment that its hard to recognize it all!!!  Well, the bear/dog was of a less active we have activated last change. We visited her and offered to help with something and she was happy to let us wash this dog. The lady had been inactive for some time, simply because she owed a member 100 pesos (10 bucks) and never had the money to pay her back. So to avoid shame, she just stopped going. All it took was a visit to tell her don't worry, and that she will be blessed if she returns back to church. For years, the members passed up the opportunity to tell this woman such a simple statement. Who knows what could have been changed in her life if just one person had taken the time to visit her. She now lives alone with two kids, fighting to support them. But she is doing better since she has returned. 

Love you all and wish you the best week! Elder Warner 

MOTHER!!! Hi my sweet lady, how are you doing!!! How is your Memorial Day?? I'm guessing it's today right?? I'm so glad I get to talk to you again. It feels like its been a while. I have felt so busy lately. This week was awesome. I told you I was so excited to see Elder Hemsley.  I feel really strange about time. I don't think I realize how fast it's going by. I don't even think I have time to think about how fast time is flying. What a concept! There is still a lot of time to accomplish what I need to do. We will keep it on that page! Things are going well. We are learning. I'm learning how to change who I am for the rest of my life, of all my weaknesses and as well how to be a help to others. I'm loving every moment. It could never be exchanged for anything else. I wish you a happy Memorial Day. It's a special day for our little family. Bry

Elder Knowles, Elder Warner and Elder Hemsley

....and we stay in Monterrey! New transfers....

Hey y'all, sorry about the delay. I didn't have time to write yesterday from a zone activity we had.  Our week was great! I think a lot of it prepared us for this next change.  In our area, we didn't see many results from our work. I would not say I'm discouraged, but I am disappointed. We worked very, very hard.  But I'm always compelled to the promise that the blessings come after the trials. I look forward to this next change!!!

Other than that the zone did awesome this change! President Romney offered to all the zones in the mission to pay for a zone activity if we reached a certain percentage of results of baptism and confirmation. Us, and one other zone in Coahuila reached the goal and we were able to go to the incredible pizza place again. The missionaries had a great time and are ready to start another change.  Well, it's early Tuesday morning and we're just about to head out to the bus station for transfers. As for my companion and I, the Lord needs us to stay here another change! We're extremely excited for this change!!  Talk to you next week,  Elder Warner 

HEY MY SWEET MOTHER!!! HOW ARE YOU DEAR?!

Excuse my delay, I hate having you anxiously wait to hear if I'm alive or not.

Here I am! Well, as you have heard the news, we had changes. There are only a few changes in the zone.  One of my best friends from the MTC, Elder Nelson, is coming to my zone!  It is nothing short of inspiration that we are going to be in the same zone that he has already been in once. I love the kid as one of my best friends.  Right now, we're about to head out to the transfer site. I'm really hoping I see Elder Hemsley!!! That might just be one of the reasons I'm so excited to go over there.

Well, I'm really happy right now. Things are going well and I know of a surety that everything that is right now, is what it's supposed to be.  I'm really happy with the zone results!  I don't want to brag at all, don't take it like that, but we nearly  tripled our zone percentage of outcome!  They say this is one of the more "difficult" zones.  I don't believe that word exists or differs one from another.  Things are going awesome.  I'm really excited to tear this change up!

Love you dearly, sweet mother!

Bryan

Two hard working missionaries taking a break for lunch!

Week 6 of Transfers, and Happy Mothers Day!

Happy Mothers day to all!!!

I hope you all had an awesome weekend with one of the most incredible days of the year.  This week was packed.  Well, let's start off with our Mexico Mothers day (the 10th).  To explain from the beginning, we haven't had many results this change. But I think we have worked definitely as hard as we could and tried to be as creative as possible.  On Mothers day we strapped on the old "worldly" jeans and shoes. We had a member sew us some aprons and in place of a Book of Mormon, we walked around with a broom and a mop.  We dedicated the whole day to serving the mothers here on their special day. We didn't have many results as far as investigators, but we don't doubt we made a lot of mothers days by sweeping, mopping, and even washing their cats.  Also, we had a good birthday party Friday night. We decided on teriyaki burgers. It was a looong process but when we finally had them done, they were awesome. The cake as well, as you see from the pan in the fire, took a little while also. But it turned out amazing!  Today we just got back from the temple, and driving back home on the bus was a dramatic contrast of what we had just experienced, and what a sample of heaven is like.  Other than that things are going very well.  We are on the last week of the change and will be looking forward to what these next days bring.

Love you all!

Elder Warner

HEY AGAIN MY SWEET MOTHER!!!  How are you doing, love!!!  Well, we have basically said it all, but I just want to let you know how much I loooved Sunday!!!  I really wish we would have done Skype before, but either way it was incredible  Well to be honest, I don't feel home sick at all. I feel very comfortable where I am and where we are. I will never forget these phone calls and am sad to know that we had our last one. I am so glad to know all you are fine, healthy, happy, and normal. Especially my old man. Love that guy!  I might have mentioned this last time but one of the greatest experiences with the home phone calls is feeling like our family has something extremely special. There is such a mature emotional bond between all of us that makes us very unique. We are able to see the small blessings and enjoy it. We have such a humble, down to earth family that I would never change for any thing in this whole world. I love my parents. My mom and dad. I love my sisters. And I love my cat.  We are an elect group of people put in each others lives for an incredible and precise reason.  You guys rock and I love you to death.  Thank you for giving me such a family as this.  Bry

Happy 21st Birthday, Elder Warner!

Happy May!! Good Morning! How are we doing??

I can hardly believe we've snuck into May. Nearly half way through the year!

This week was sa-weeet. We got done with Zone Conferences, had some rain throughout the week, and burned a shirt for the 18 month mark.

Zone Conference was awesome. I would say I was a tad nervous before hand, but when we got up to capacitate it all, it all felt natural.  We had two, 2-hour capacitations, one talking on the Vineyard of the Lord - how He has prepared many people to receive us in each of our areas, and how we can find, recognize and teach them.  The other one was about how we, as missionaries, obtain the keys to eternal life — and the importance of inviting everyone possible to share these keys with us through invitation.  We put an example to start off, by having a janitor's set of keys (20-30 keys) with only one that opened a chapel door.  We showed all the missionaries which was the key to open the door and gave Sister Romney, our Mission President's wife, 20 seconds to open the door not knowing which was the key ( she failed ).  It helped us understand that the people we love most are searching for this key but can only find it through us.  As we all watched poor Sister Romney struggle to find it on the other side of the door, no one offered to help her.  They understood the importance of inviting and helping others with what we have and know.   The other one we started by placing 6 pears on a table. Asking which one is ripe (Unnoticeable in a pear without feeling it ). Although we can visibly see those who are ready to accept, we have to talk with everyone to feel if they are truly prepared.   We had fun, ate lasagna (amazing) and got out to work after.   Perhaps my favorite part of it was listening to Sister Romney's words.   She expressed how when Elder Bednar came, they had a meeting with him afterwards. Elder Bednar expressed how the biggest concern of the Prophet and Quorum of the Twelve is that the members aren't converted.  She mentioned a little about the political news with Mitt Romney, how Elder Bednar mentioned that in these future times, "All Hell is going to break loose".  That Satan in these latter days is going to release "his wrath" and that if these members aren't converted, we will fall.  It made me think of how many of us are REALLY converted into the Gospel of Jesus Christ?  In this email I looked forward to making an invitation to those who read it.   Ask yourself if you are truly converted.  What does it mean to be truly converted?  How am I acting upon it? What can I do better? etc..  Search the Book of Mormon, write down personal experiences, personal explanations on a piece of paper. And apply it.  The council from our leaders is that we need to start preparing.   I love you all, and I'd love to hear comments about this invitation from a few. It could help some of the members here.

Elder W

HEY MOM!!! HOW ARE YOU DOING!!! 

Can you believe Mothers day has come up so soon?!? It brings me back to last year how incredible it was being able to talk to you for the first time in forever. Makes me really sad, knowing this is the last calling experience we have. But it will be amazing!!!  I'm trying to set up everything.  I would like to do Skype.  Worst case I give you guys a call on Saturday or Sunday.  It just will be difficult cause we have a few meetings with the Stake President and Mission President on Sunday.  I wish I could give you a sure date.  But we all know it works out in the end.  My companion's family won't be able to on Sunday he thinks, so we're leaning for more of Saturday. 

So how was your week?  I got your amazing package safe and sound!! That was awesome timing and very convenient. Loved the jump day gifts! You're a sweetie. I'm waiting to open the others on Friday for my birthday. Thank you so much for these gifts!! They are more than I can ask for.  As you can see, my companion won the wish bone. He wished that we will have a baptism next week haha. We will see what happens.  Well, things are going incredible. I look very forward to this week,  I'm so excited!!!  Keep being the mom you are!  You're the best!!  Bryan