September Blog Post

So this biggest part of the month would have to be transfers, I said
goodbye to Elder Ramirez as he left for home. I received Elder Navarro
(again). I guess I keep getting my old companions. It's a pretty
strange thing. We also have had a huge break in finding new people.
It's the dedication of trying to do your best when the Lord will bless
you. So we have had success in finding and we are working on helping
the members get fired up about missionary work. The only other thing
about this month would be the start of The Happy P-Day Show. Now to
get spiritual:
So this last week was conference and there were some great talks given
but I really enjoyed Utchdorf's talk during the priesthood session.
It's the one where he told the story of Daniel and how he stuck to his
standards and because of that he was ready when the lord called him. I
realized that it related a lot to how missionaries work. We can be
decent missionaries and do the bare minimum or we can stick to the
standards we have been taught and further excel in our missionary
efforts. We can be missionaries or we can be the lords called
servants. I've noticed that if I'm not prepared for his work then all
I'm doing is wasting the time of the people we try to teach.  I love
the lord and I'm great full for my opportunity to be a part of the
mission life. It's a strange thing, don't get me wrong, but I wouldn't
trade this time for anything.  I love all of you guys!  Thanks for the
support, stay sweet.
 
 
 
 
 
Regards from Elder Gaspar de Alba

July 2015

 JULY 2015

So this month a bunch of things happened. The first being how I
mistakenly though I had a contact in my eye that had been there for a
while. It turned out to be something else. In other news for this
month I was the unofficial "branch" chorister because the original
chorister was admitted to the hospital and asked if I could step in.
Yesterday was my last Sunday directing the music as he is better now.
The best part of that responsibility was that we don't have a normal
pianist and so I played the music from my iPad onto my speaker. It was
all a strange thing. But I loved it anyway. Some more news, while
helping an older couple move out of there house I asked if they were
trying to get rid of any couches that we elders could gladly take out
of their hands, they said no but they had an air hockey table they
were gonna give away. We still have that puppy in our apartment. And
we got couches from someone else. We are living the high life here in
Casper. Elder Baum and I hosted a few P-Day breakfast parties and the
biggest one being the Biscuits and Gravy party. We had over 16
missionaries in that apartment and we must have made enough food for
the homeless of Las Vegas and it was all gone within a half an hour.
On to more spiritual matters, we have been praying and fasting as a
group to find people to bring to the Spanish group and we got a call
last week from a man named Jose who is looking to bring himself and
his family back to the gospel. He is the only member of his family who
is a member of the church and he has six kids and a wife who he is
trying to bring into the gospel. So essentially, all the fasting and
unity of our group has brought one less active and seven investigators
into the light. The other investigators we have already been teaching
had problems coming to church but the first thing this man did was
come back and attend church. I'm so glad all the prayers and faith
have reaped it's miracle. This is such a blessing. Lastly in news for
this month, we have transfers tomorrow and we got the transfer call on
Saturday. I'm being put with Elder Victor Ramirez Togno otra vez. This
is his last transfer on the mission so I am "killing him off" (mission
wise). I'm excited to work with him again and help him finish strong
here in Casper. That's another thing, I'm staying in Casper. Which is
also another blessing. The people here are probably the best people on
earth. And our Spanish group is the most missionary oriented I have
ever seen from members of the church. I guess you could say they care.
Overall July was a blast and a real growing experience. I love you all
and wish you the best!

4th of July

 

June 22

I know I've been bad but I'm trying to be better at emailing and stuff. So this week not much happened, we got a good amount of lessons which is what we've been trying to do. President Brown give us the thumbs-up that if we get a certain amount of lessons a week he will put up another set of missionaries in Casper Wyoming which will be nice so we are just aiming for that. I naturally had a few falls this week. I rolled my ankle going into a dinner appointment I slammed against the car and slid down, luckily the car wasn't damaged. Just my body. I dropped my iPad in the process and when asked if I was okay I said hold on and checked my device, and since it was good I said I was fine. This week we had zone conference so President Brown Sister Brown came up to Casper and talk to us about all sorts of fun stuff.  The meeting ended up lasting seven hours, talk about a sore Culata.  This week was also transfer week. We got to transfer call Saturday and turns out I'm staying in Casper with my companion Elder Baum for another six weeks, i'm way excited. My companion and I spoke at church which was fun, I gave a talk that lasted about 15 minutes, every time I speak in Spanish it feels like I'm 12 again speaking in church for the first time. The members said that I did all right but they're probably just lying.  I actually get tons of compliments on my Spanish. I think I'm alright, I have been improving though. Speaking of all things Hispanic, some members own a Mexican restaurant in town and I was asking about deserts and so she brings out some "chocolate chimichangas" which killed my companion and I.  It was to die for. The best part was that on the inside was a melted snickers bar. I will send a picture to further the hype. That's all for me this week. I love you all and wish you the best! 

Regards from Elder Gaspar de Alba

May 18th

Guess what mother, in Casper there is an Elder Lete, and he is the same Lete that was in my deacons quorum in Cary.  Bro Lete's son, Jacob.  It was super weird but we are used to it now. I do cover all of the spanish for the city.  President will be putting in another set next transfer or the one after it.  Im really excited for my birthday, but I forgot about it until yesterday.  It hit me, I didnt realize before it was only a week away.  For news on my comp he is awesome, we are very similar.  His name is Elder Baum.  He is from St. George and went to the same high school as Jonah but didnt really know him.  I would love to hear birthday wishes!!!  I love you mama, send my regards to everyone and wish danno a happy birthday from me

Mother's Day Skype

April 27th

I was asked to give a talk on Sunday by the President of our Spanish Branch, it went well.  Since I'm no longer a youth I had to speak for an adult amount of time.  The talk was on Baptism and I think it went well.  The day before, however, I had a talk guy moment.  I was coming down some stairs and before the last two steps I slammed my head against the ceiling and that caused my body to still go forward while my head didnt so I landed all weird on my ankles and in some random way bruised up my right arm.  My companion laughed so hard he said he started to hurt.  I love you all, have a great week! 

April 13th

So this week was good.  Two good things and one story.  For the good things, one:  I have started writing a cook book in my spare time.  Its going to be called, "It turned out alright:  Meals invented while on a mission budget" 

and for the second thing: The elders we share a car with and the ones in our house were all together and we had a good meaningful spiritual conversation.  We talked about what we have learned being on a mission and some of the weirdest things to happen to us so far.  It was nice to sit back with some other elders and really bond as a district.  It all started when one of the elders in our house asked for a blessing.  This of course was at night and after 9:30 so we stayed up until midnight but it was worth it.  Those are the moments you don't forget.  That and bringing people to Christ.  For my story:  So we were playing volleyball this morning with some random friends of an investigator of ours and with some other elders.  Everyone is telling me to jump super high and own the court.  And I got my chance when the ball came high and I jumped up and back to reach it and while doing so i felt as if someone had thrown their body against mine and had bounced off really fast.  I toatally made the spike but when I turned around a woman that was playing behind me was on her back in the sand laughing.  I helped her up and apologized.  Someone else turned around and asked what happened.  The guy behind him said, "she ran into a wall."  Accurate, no arguments there.  I have also hit my head nine times in the last week and a half.  I started counting after five.  Because four is normal but five is absurd.  At one point I hit my head on the top of the shower door frame and in an attempt to get out of hitting it again I hit the actual shower door.  Looking at it now I must have looked like an animal trying to escape the feeling of being trapped.  One of them I slammed my head against the corner of a dresser while trying to catch a football that was thrown to me.  That one hurt.  Well to leave on a spiritual note, if you haven't watched the Because he lives video I highly recommend it.  Here is the link:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZqTRSVA1YA   I love you guys and hope you have a great week.  Also here is some fortune cookie wisdom, "Luck visits the fool, but doesn't sit down with him."  We create our own luck when we work hard and apply what we know to real life situations.  Also on the back it said, "learn Chinese  Teapot: 茶壺"  That is important to because teapot is a very common word in China.  Later amigos!

This week had a lot in it.  We got the transfer call and I am actually headed to Greely to be in the Greely 5th Spanish Branch.  I'm excited to leave the small town of Yuma and finally be in a city.  Another pinnacle moment (and a little more spiritual) was in our district meeting this last Friday.  It was like a normal meeting, we laughed a bunch and didn't discuss much until the person sharing the message (or training) started talking.  It was on spiritual promptings and how we need to use and constantly have the spirit.  It was good and we ended with having all of us one by one share their conversion story.  Some of us in the room were converts, some raised in the gospel, some raised in the gospel but fell away for a while.  We all had different experiences that led us to be in the church and on missions.  When it was my turn I talked about the moments I had growing up and all throughout my mission so far.  Moments that gave me the chance to grow my testimony.  I talked about when I was 13 and visited the Sacred Grove with my family.  I could feel the spirit so strong and understand why its so important for us to share our testimonies.  It was a great experience for me and all of my district.  One last thing that happened was at church when they asked me to "share my testimony"  (take up time)  And I always think that I can come up with something from my seat and then relay that but I don't.  Its not what comes out in the end.  Its what I need to say that is spiritually prompted.  And I wasn't nervous.  Which is strange, I don't seem to get too nervous anymore.  I love this Gospel and what it does for me.  Thank you for being the few who still care to read my blog!  I care about all of you and wish you a happy and productive week.

Over looking Wray with the comp.

Classy me in black and white 

 A rolling turd in Yuma, brings back memories...

My thrift store obtained trench coat.  Its funny because most of our service is at thrift stores and the sweet old ladies always give us stuff. 

 The bird we saved on P-Day.  Well it ended up dying a few minutes later...  but we moved it out of the road when it couldn't fly.

Tracking!

March 9

Probably one of my favorite quotes of all time is, "Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory" - Dr. Seuss  I say this because I was reflecting on my journal last night as I was writing in it.  All the things that have happened on my mission so far, all the people I  have gotten to know, have influenced me in amazing ways and it was a little strange to think about.  It was like remembering when I had a good time with a friend or hugged my mom before leaving for the summer to have tons of fun with my cousins in Mexico.  Riding horses and lighting dangerous fireworks, falling out of a truck and hitting my head really hard (that ones not so fond), and getting to drive for the first time (I was 11 for that one).  These moments create us, they define us.  Its through these that we grow into something better than what we are now.  It works the same with mission experiences.  They define what kind of members we will be.  If we can't even work hard on the Lord's time how difficult will it be when its our own time.  I love being here for a few reasons but the foremost one would be because this time with these wonderful people is helping me to love who I am and can be, just like the Lord see's me.  Doing the right thing feels good but being the right kind of person is one amazing experience.  I hope that I don't forget these feeling when I go home.  Love you all.

March 2

The weather cant make up its mind.  Today I wore jeans and a t-shirt and nearly froze to death, but yesterday seemed to be to hot for a jacket.  And that's still the most exciting thing to happen to Yuma Colorado in the last decade.  I'm doing fine, naturally of course.  I am not to usually one to demand more from situations.  The work is good too.  We have almost switched from a bigger investigator pool to a bigger focus on less actives and recent converts.  It just worked out like that.  But its what needed to happen which is the strangest part.  I seem to also always be tired but that's something I could post in every weeks blog.  My time is measured in a particular way too.  It seems like either last week or last year I left home.  I don't know which one it is.  I'm hitting my 1/4 mark tomorrow and I don't know how to celebrate.  Perhaps I'll treat myself.  Even better than hitting a mark is that as I was thinking about it, I'm in the swing of it.  I know a lot of things pertaining to a missionaries life.  I have had tons of experiences, spiritual and more trail based ones too.  Enough to help me for a lifetime.  But the Lord doesn't put us on 6-month missions for a reason.  Its my opportunity to use what I've learned and be a good missionary.  Then continue to learn more and more and so much more.  On Sunday I got up and bore my testimony.  (As I normally do every fast Sunday because not a lot of people do).  And even though I "prepared" what I was going to talk about so I wouldn't be so nervous of going up there and not being able of saying anything as my mind would probably go blank.  As I started talking my babblings went to a different set of subjects.  I talked about what the Lord wanted me to say even though I didn't have the faith to know it would have happened anyway.  Its that kind of faith that separates a person serving a mission from a missionary.  If a mission has taught me anything (which it has, a lot of things) its that if we work hard to do the right things, eventually something will happen for our benefit.  Its a seemingly open promise but It will always hold true.  I love you all.  Stay strong in the gospel.  Later!

February 23

This week went alright.  Nothing to shout for joy about (other than getting a new companion).  Monday was almost all day packing then Tuesday was all day in Greely, so by Wednesday we were already pooped out for the week.  A big storm hit and we actually missed church.  We were told not to drive anywhere by direction of the mission president.  We were stuck indoors for a day and a half.  It was pretty crappy.  We went up and down the streets next to us and shoveled snow but even then that ended quickly and we could only study more and more.  No cat or chicken stories this week.  I'm told I shouldn't share them anyway.  For the spiritual moment I thought I might share one of Fathers favorite Scriptures.  Mosiah 3:19 - It basically says that when we do everything for our own personal gain and nothing for others we are of the natural man.  Elder Bednar described the natural man like unto the cookie monster, "I want cookie, NOW!"  That, while funny, really emphasized the simplicity of what the natural man really is.  But even better than King Benjamin telling us (or at least the people of his time) only about what not to do and be, he gave us things to work for.  Those things are Christ-like attributes.  And when worked on they help us become better people.  In a District Meeting a few weeks ago the Elder Giving the "Training" (or lesson) wrote out all the Christ-like attributes we could think of.  And then all the problems we were or could experience while being on a mission.  I then realized the point he was trying to make and stated how if we work on at least one attribute a day those problems will eventually become lesser and lesser until they seem almost non-existent.  And even though I understood it so well and felt the spirit so strongly at the time I have trouble working on those attributes daily.  That's my goal for the week and I hope it makes it to yours.  I know blessing will come when we at least try, Because trying is all we can do. I love you guys!

February 18

So some interesting things this week.  For transfer information I found out that I will be staying in Yuma for one more and I'll get a new companion.  Speaking of companions there was a recent holiday and I wanted to clarify that this year I had an excuse.  (Valentines Day for all you that still haven't figured it out)  The actual day of the Valentine went well, or at least ended well.  We ate at the local restaurant that is owned by a member and I ate Crab Legs and Fried Shrimp.  It was glorious.  The not so glorious part was how that morning our plumbing went on the fritz and the toilet flooded the whole bathroom.  It took hours to clean what I've decided to call "The Fifth Horseman of the Apocalypse"  For more spiritual matters that have been requested by Father I wanted to share something that happened this week.  Now this isn't an experience.  Its a life lesson that I was contemplating and now understand fully.  Obedience will bring blessings, but strict obedience brings miracles.  We can consider how its still going to be on the Lords time but the Lords time is exactly when we need them the most.  A mission contains a lot of rules and regulations that seem insignificant or foolish but they are there for our safety and if not for our safety then for our development as sons and daughters of a God.  This doesn't just apply to being on a mission.  It should be included in the "real world" too.  Heavenly Father has given commandments and a perfect example so that we have a way to actually be happy in this life.  And even after all of that he still helps us through the Holy Ghost and the wonderful people we find ourselves surrounded by.  I know its from living the laws of God that make me experience constant joy.  Its the reason I strive to be a better person and better dedicate myself to the mission.  I would invite everyone to follow those base commandments that have helped me so much.  First, constant and heartfelt prayer.  Giving ourselves the opportunity to re-connect that bond with our heavenly Father.  Second, scripture study and repentance.  These bring us closer to our father in heaven but in a different way.  That way is our receiving revelation that can help us.  Lastly, everything else.  It may take time since we seem to be ignorant creatures who are quick to forget where true happiness comes from but eventually it gets easier.  I know its by living the gospel that gives us a chance to be better and in time, best.  Reaching our potential is the lords desire, not doing anything about our life is not.  I love you guys.  Keep it real.