{12.28.15} Some Thoughts about Thoughts

I hope everyone had a great Christmas! I sure did. It was great getting to talk to the family. Getting to see everyone really reminded me of how important they all for me. Sometimes out here on the mission, I get so focused on mission life I forget that there's an actual "real world" out there. The weirdest thought is that one of these days, I'll be forced to return to it. I'm not really sure what it will be like not to be a missionary anymore. On the plus side, I've still got a ways to go!

Christmas suits were a big hit at the
Christmas Conference.  AP Tanner had to snag a pic

Sis Peel and Sis Haws with Elder Johns & Elder Riggs

It also made me realize how much everything is different now. It felt weird for a moment to think that life has been going on without me for over a year. It made me feel as if I've been frozen in time and I've almost been "left-behind" in a sense. Lately, I've been caught up in some pretty deep introspection and meditation, and while pondering on that one morning I realized that it's quite the opposite. The reason I will never be able to return home to the same life is not only because the world has been going on without me, but because I'm no longer the same person and I won't fit into that same world that I used to know.

One of the most important principles of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is change. Change is inevitable. Change is necessary. Change is unavoidable. But there are two great gifts God gave us. The first, is his Son and our Savior Jesus Christ. The second, is our Agency. The ability that we have to choice. Lehi taught that there are two essential building blocks in this universe, "Things to Act" and "Things to be Acted upon." Besides the application this has in the creation process, it can also be applicable to us. We have the agency to choose, we are "the masters of our Fate; the Captains of our Souls." Or, to quote one of my favorite highschool movies (NeverBackDown!) "You Control the Outcome." We have the choice to deliberately control how we change and what we become, or we can become a product of our circumstances.

    Elder Kamalamalama went off on the Haka.

  made me miss those Poly Comps in the MTC

So how do we control the outcome? How do we control our "unfair circumstances?" It's a Law that every single input has output.Or as Christ taught it:

16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can acorrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

Therefore, to change our circumstances (output) we must change our thoughts (input). All actions are the seeds of thoughts: so when we deliberately control, monitor, and regulate out thoughts, we can regulate not only who we are, but the circumstance that surround us. Conscious control and regulation of your thoughts will lead to a change in your impulses and unmediated actions. Nourish the tree in Good Soil, the tree will bring forth good fruit.

If anything has changed over the past year, it is the way that I think. People often wonder why us as missionaries have all these amazing experiences and miracles, and how as 18, 19, 20, and 21 year olds can change lives so influentially. It does have to do a lot with God's hand intervening; He is the one who prepares. But there's still a second factor, and that's us as missionaries. We have to knock the doors. We have to teach the lessons. We have to extend the commitments. We cannot however, make people believe, and we cannot make them feel the Spirit. That's where God is essential, and is in charge. However, I'd like to suggest that the secondary reason we see so many amazing miracles, experiences, and changes is because We know that it is possible. We are converted to it ourselves.

If there is anything I have become converted to on my mission, (and even before during my preparation) it is that through God I can accomplish all things. I am a very weak person, even to this day. But like Ammon in the 26th chapter of Alma, I can rejoice in my God. I can boast of him, for "in his strength I can do all things." If we have full belief in God, and trust in him, I contest that we can do all things. I will add that 98% of the time it's not in the specific way that we want, but as we seek to follow him we always end up reaching the end goal. More importantly, I have found serenity in my life. There's great power and knowledge when you know the direction of where you are going, that you have dominion over yourself, and that with God at your side, you truly cannot fail.

Welp... that's all I have to say about that.

Love,

Elder Juanes

Elder Jace Johns

23162 Post Gardens Way

Apt #709

Boca Raton, FL 33433

{12.21.15}

Sorry but again I have no time this week. Zone leaders keep asking me to do everything for everyone and it's great (it really is fun) but it just destroys my pdays.

So this week was pretty sad. Our dear, sweet Aura (had her name wrong before, it's not Aurora oops) Has cancer, and can't be baptized until she finishes up her current rounds of Chemo. It's really sad, she can't even have us over right now cause she's so weak :( But she constantly calls us and calls us her "angels" and can't wait to be baptized. She's just incredibly sick right now.

We continue to work with the Branch, which is always an adventure. Elder Riggs and I got invited to the English Ward Christmas party.. where we discovered they have more members who speak Spanish than we do. That was pretty frustrating. But it's a huge opportunity to grow! So this week we are going to be spending lots of time in the "english" members homes! We are also going to be working with the English Bishop to help try and explain to this members that the only way to grow and develop in the Gospel is if they "understand" it. Unfortunately, as our Branch President explained to us last night, Latin's can be a little bit set in their ways (coming from one himself).

Other than that, we continue to work really hard! It's definitely a little slow right now, but I'm currently creating a plan to help jumpstart the branch. It's essentially something similar to what we use in the mission to jumpstart an area, I'm just adapting it to the branch to help the branch council have more vision, direction, and focus.

Quick funny story i keep forgetting to mention. I lost all my name tags. For the past 3 weeks I've been wearing a Portuguese Tag that says "Elder Gloria de Souza." Everyone always asks "where are you from?!" I reply... "Idaho." where are your parents from? "...Idaho." Where are their parents from?? ".....Idaho." It's great. And then I have to explain to everyone I lost my name tag.

Also whoever sent me the GPS, THANK YOU! I wish I knew who you were. Also mom and dad I got all the presents. Thanks Grandma and Grandpa hinckley for the card and President Palmer as well. Meant a lot! if you sent anything to the mission office I won't get it until Wednesday. 

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Elder Juanes

Elder Jace Johns

23162 Post Gardens Way

Apt #709

Boca Raton, FL 33433

[12.14.15} My Bad

First of all.. got like 3 or 4 emails saying I put the wrong address out last week. My bad. i've updated it now and it should work hahaha. it's down at the bottom.

Had to spend like 6 hours at the live Nativity this Saturday..
we were tired, and we mostly just stood around.

This week was a good one! We FINALLY got moved into the new Apartment on Wednesday, but it threw off the entire week. We had to stay up ALL night Tuesday trying to clean the house because of the truly awful and disgusting state previous missionaries left the house--and we still might get fined for its condition. President Richardson loves me though, so I'm gonna talk to him about it and I'm pretty positive we can get it resolved.

Despite the week being a little thrown off balance, we were able to see a huge Miracle this week! Her name is Aura. She's this sweet old lady from Colombia, that used to be... are you ready... a nun! but then she got married hahaha. But she met a member from the branch who works at her bank and they became really good friends. She's been coming to church and she LOVES everything. She's just the sweetest lady.. she feels the spirit so strong and wants to learn everything! She always tells us how "hungry" she is to learn everything about the Gospel and The Book of Mormon. She's a baller!

She was definitely a much needed Miracle, because all the hard work Elder Riggs and I have put in hasn't really received any direct results. But I've definitely learned throughout my mission that when you just DO and do ALL that you can, God blesses you. It may not be what you want or what you planned for, but his plan of Happiness always outranks and exceeds our own.

Right now, I'm really growing to love being a District Leader. All this responsibility and expectations from leading such a young district has required a lot from me and the best of me, and I love it. I'm learning a lot about myself, and about other people. I can also really feel my capacity to love grow. If anything, I'm just coming back further and further to Gospel Basics. I just love helping people succeed, and Change, and become better. And, through a secondhand nature without even intending to, you become better yourself. I think that's how the Atonement really works, through Charity of others. That's how Christ changed lives, it should be how we change ourselves more.

Hope everyone is doing great! sorry to anyone who sent stuff to the wrong address... deep regrets on my end.

Elder Juanes

Elder Jace Johns

23162 Post Gardens Way

Apt #709

Boca Raton, FL 33433

{12.7.15}

Elder Riggs, he's a bro.

Unfortunately I do not have very much time this week. If you send me an email I will probably have to respond next week! I'm in charge of the Zone Activity in the Palm Beach Zone. We'll be doing a "flour bomb" war (pictures to come next week if you don't know what it is). Also, we will FINALLY be moving into our new house Wednesday. We were all packed up and ready to go Saturday but they cancelled. Basically been living out of a suitcase for the past 2 weeks and eating out everyday. Never felt so homeless in my life! Really excited to move in and finally get settled.

The New District! They're the best.

This week was definitely a struggle as far as the work goes. Finding here is really difficult. I'm definitely having flash-backs to 3 transfers ago when I arrived over in Ft Myers! No one opening doors, no one coming to church, having to start completely from scratch. But luckily we are having tons of fun! and we are meeting some really nice, cool people. Met an old Jewish man named Joe. 97 years old. Told us A LOT of stories. Hahaha great man, great man.

Step into my Office
 When the Portuguese Elders think they can start a prank war with us...
hahaha this is our back patio and EVERYTHING that was in their study room.
(and that's my coconut block I used to whack the tops of with my lucky machete)

We had a member bring a friend named Aurora to church this week. She's a sweet old lady, and she loved it! We talked about the Holy Ghost in Gospel Principles and she was saying how finally she is in a church that teaches the gifts and fruits of the Spirit correctly! We'll be going to see her tomorrow.

Despite the lack of success, Elder Riggs and I are having a great time. We are having a lot fun while finding and knocking, and we have quite a few potentials and some good referrals and new knocking spots. If there is anything I've learned on my mission, it's that as you work you hardest and do literally all that you can to do God's will, he will bless you. The blessings may not come directly from your labors--most the time he's just given them to me in the most miraculous ways. But, they always come after the trials of your Faith as you seek to be diligent and Happy.

Slept up on the roof for one of our
 last nights in the house
(it's martenenlli's I promise)

Also, I love the advent calendar mom! And thank you everyone who participated and wrote the little notes and messages. "As A Man Thinketh" that Todd McCauley gave me goes a long exactly what I've been seeking to study for the past few transfers. I'm cross referencing it with all the scriptures and talks from General Authorities.

Hope everyone has an amazing week!

Love,

Elder Juanes

Elder Jace Johns (I don't think this address is good)

23612 Post Gardens Way

Apt #709

Boca Raton, FL 33433