7/22/2014

We have had an interesting weekend with a missionary getting sick Saturday night and we were with him in the hospital until three in the morning. Those missionaries are in a trio so that made things complicated with moving them around and everything. We have had problems with the cars and have been doing everything with one car and President and the senior couples from the office haven't come in because he is in the ABC islands meeting the missionaries and branches that are there. Elldery and Nurgia got their temple recommends and their patriarchal blessings on Saturday which I am very happy about. I am super excited for them. Today we are getting cars fixed which takes much more time than you would think and we are getting two Elders from their areas so that they can leave tomorrow on their plane home they are going home early for studies. Right now we are in the house of the Senior couple that stay in a really nice apartment and they told us to take advantage of the time they are going to be gone and use their washer and eat their food :) can't complain about that haha. I feel good, but also feel stressed at times. I want to preach more, but with having a new companion and everything and teaching him everythhing so he will be ready for when I leave it has required more time and letting him do things which teaches to me be patient and I am grateful for that.

 

 I am so happy to hear that Baylin has someone that is treating here like she should be treated. I hope that she is excited for college that shoud be very fun. While I have been reading in second Nephi I love the Isaiah chapters and how those prophecies are being fulfiled in our days. I know that Jesus Christ came as he testified and will come again. I feel that the attribute which at times I thought I had alot of I lack in certain areas. Being truly patient means we are at peace not just that we are waiting if we feel frustrated or fearful it isn't true hope and patience. I am glad that I can still feel worthy and good about myself even if I am not perfect. Sometimes I am too hard on myself. I like that I can evaluate myself and if I know I have done my best that I will be able to feel satisfied with my decisions and actions. I feel like alot of what determines if we are happy in this life and the next will be if we can accept ourselves and our decisions and recognize that there will many more to make and take so we must always look forward with faith. We cannot plan out how everything in our life will go, but we can know that obeying the commandments will prevent us from feeling remorse and service will build us and help us become more than we have been.

 

 I miss you and love you. I also miss grass and carpet and mountains and going to church with my family, family prayer, I miss when Dad would take me outside in front of our house and play catch with me on Sundays because he wanted to be with me. I appreciate that. I know he loves me. I want to do the same in my family. I know that we can have gratitude in our hearts even though everything isn't perfect.

 

                                                                   Love, Elder Bell

 

07/14/2014

Ok so we had an awesome baptism. He is an amazing person I am trying to send the pictures with this E-mail , but the memory is being weird so it may not work. Yeah I can't send the pictures I will have to use my other memory if I want to send them. But anyways, the baptism went well he got confirmed on Sunday.  I wouldn't say that the most spiritual experiences have been baptisms though usually my favorite part is the beginning when the person really feel something that they need it it is as if something is awakened and they act because they want to and almost nothing is required on our part except honesty and support and being worthy by being obedient. However the hardest times are after some has had a moment like that and they get distracted or stop trying to seek guidance from Heavenly Father and begin to look for answers from the world and ask everyon else's opinion and decide that with all the opinions and points of view that there are that the truth will only come out when Christ is hear again. I know that it is here now. At least the parts we need to be ready to receive the fulness of the instruction and priesthood keys of the kingdom of our father. We have what we need , but just like it says in the scriptures we are not yet ready to support all things. The time comes bit by bit and that knowledge which is of true value as stated by Boyd K. Packer is only obtained through fasting and prayer and a meditation upon the scriptures. I believe there is much more in the scriptures than we can imagine. But we have to be careful not to force our own interpretations out of them. I feel very blessed and at the same time I feel that I haven't been grateful enough for having a prophet and apostles. We can get a lot of encouragement and comfort from their words. I read an article in the July Ensign today and I received a recomendation from one of the other elders to read a part that talks about perfectionism.... wow that article had me figured out right on the spot many of those things I have done and felt in my life....let me look up the link real quick if you get time to read it I think it can help anyone:

www.lds.org/liahona/2014/07/young-adults/becoming-perfect-in-christ?lang=eng&query=perfectionism

I like it I should probably read it some more. it isn't too long either.

 Any ways I have been getting weird calls from missionaries today and even in the last few minutes they have been calling and asking how to fix their toilets or when the chain in the part above breaks what they should do.... I didn't know that is is my job to help with that onehaha we learn something new everyday I guess. My companion is doing very well learning fast. He needs to because I don't know how long I will be here with all of the changes that are going on. I used to feel like I have changed alot, but now I kind of have a hard time seeing the changes that have happened. I have a hard time studying because we often leave the house very early in the morning and we often spend alot of time talking to missionaries on the phone and planning our day. My companion and I just got done teaching a really good lesson with a family that is related to our ward's Bishop. We were super far from the office and then a huge rainstorm came out of nowhere and I got completely soaked. I took a picture, but like I said this memory isn't working so I will have to wait to show it in a couple of months. Sounds like California was fun I love you all so much. 

Love , Elder Bell

07/07/14

Today was a long... not really P- Day we cleaned the house and my companion got called to another area in the middle of the transfer with lots of things going on so I am going to be a little over loaded.

 It was crazy to see the pictures that Bay sent me... My little siblings are not little anymore. I am sure you all are having a blast in California it sounds like a lot of fun. You can't be missing me that terribly. What you are all doing is just too much  fun to be missing someone :) I can't wait until we get to party when I get home. Even though I might extend my mission ;) just kidding it is just that I really would have liked to have gone to the temple on the 6th of OCT to see the converts I taught in Bonaire get sealed in the temple. All of the Branches from the ABC islands are going that day. I am really happy that they are getting sealed and I even think Kade Thornock is coming down here with his mom to see them :) they will be really happy about that.

 We will have Be having a baptism this weekend and are very excited about that Elder Tirado is going to Baptize Maximo before he goes to his new Zone. This transfer will be the hardest for me for sure. Love you Mom

Payday!

I was pretty excited when I got this from aruba.

Elder Bell we just wanted to send you this picture and to thank you for your work in Aruba sister Patricia and Juan David always talk about you they Love you and always remember you. 

Juan David baptized his mom the 28th the spirit was really strong