Pics 3/19/16

 Secretary Chili's lunch

Meditating over the Book of Mormon

About 2000 miles away from home

This Week

Hello everyone! I hope you're all doing great. I'm still doing well, there's nothing that can go wrong when one is working in the Lord's vineyard! There's so many blessings from serving others and I invite you all to search for opportunities in your individual lives to serve your fellow being (Mosiah 2:17). Time is just flying by now. The first 4-5 months were a lot slower, but now as I'm approaching month #6, it seems like I just started my new transfer in the office yesterday. I'll hit my 6 month mark on March 30th. I can't believe how fast time is going by. TIME FLIES WHEN YOU'RE HAVING FUN

So this week has been a bit crazy. So my companion, Elder Garcia and I have gone to the airport several times this week. Since my companion is in charge of the missionaries' immigration stuff, we went to the airport to drop off and pick up some sister missionaries who needed to get some immigration documents straightened out. I felt so weird in the airport. I felt like I shouldn't be there yet. I still have 19 months left before I have to go home! It can't be leaving earlier! Haha so it felt strange. Monday and Tuesday were airport days. We went to the offices like usual in the mornings until lunch, but after lunch we had to go to the airport on both days. Wednesday, everything was more calm. We got work done like usual, and we were able to teach some really good lessons that evening. We taught Perla and Francia, who are our two investigators who have a baptism date for April 9th, then we taught Abraham, a more elderly man, another one of our investigators. Then to finish the night, we taught Tere and her husband. For the first time, we were able to teach Tere's husband. He's a devout Catholic, but we shared our Easter message with them and we shared the scripture Alma 7:11-14, so we talked about the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Thursday, we worked like normal in the office, then we left to go to lunch. We weren't able to work too much in the afternoon because President called us back to do some favors for him. When we left it was about 6pm, so then we finally got to work in our area. Work was slow, we were unable to find many people to teach. We only found one member and we shared our message about the Atonement. Friday was a slow day. I didn't have too much work in the offices, and then after lunch, my companion felt sick so we went to the house so he could rest for a bit. We left the house to go to our appointments, we taught Francia about the Book of Mormon, and then we returned to the house a little early again for my companion. 

Most people think that Jesus Christ only came to the earth to pay for our sins and nothing more. But that's not true. He came to teach us and establish His Church by putting apostles, prophets, and the priesthood in place. Also, He came so that He might know how to help us in our times of sorrow, during our trials and tribulations, and our pains and sicknesses. I testify that Christ was resurrected, that He lives, and that He is ALWAYS by our side. We are never alone. He suffered, died, and came back so that everyone who has ever lived, everyone who lives now, and everyone who will live, will have a chance to make changes to their lives. He invites us to follow His example, and to live our lives more in harmony with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

I'm just doing really well right now. I'm enjoying my mission, the work is going good (in the office and in our area), and I'm making memories that I'll remember for eternity. Deciding to serve a mission has absolutely been one of the best decisions I've ever made in my life. I love serving the Lord. I love serving the people of Culiacan, and I love serving all of my companions in the mission. there's no other place I'd rather be right now.

Well everyone, I hope you all have a great week! Enjoy your Spring Break, but don't forget to remember our Savior's sacrifice!

I love you all!

Elder Finkner

Pics 3/26/16

A dog peed on me while I was street contacting. I didn't even realize it until I felt the dog rub its body against my leg.

 Quick selfie in the church building one evening

Easter Week and 6 Months Down, 18 to Go

Hello everyone!

I hope everyone has had a good Spring Break and that they've been remembering the Savior Jesus Christ and His sacrifice for us. I've been teaching a lot of lessons about the Atonement and what the Savior went through, so I've had plenty of time to study and think about Easter. Isn't it quite amazing how the Savior suffered so much for us, out of love for us? I can't even comprehend the love He has for all of us. We really are sons and daughters of God if the Savior was willing to go through all of that for us. He certainly does love us, and He will never leave us alone in this world. We only have to continually strive to be better everyday, just a little bit everyday, nothing extreme. It's possible for us to receive eternal life this way. 

Anyways, this week I also finish 6 months of serving a mission. It seems just like yesterday I was just getting started in the MTC. Time is flying so much faster now. Another transfer down too. 

So here's the weekly update quickly:

This week has been a bit different. We haven't had too much time to proselyte, but when we did, nobody was home or in the streets. Culiacan was a ghost town haha. Everyone left for Spring Break. So we taught a few lessons about Easter, we were in the offices every day like normal, but yesterday I didn't have any work to do so I was on Familysearch.org. I decided to get involved in family history work and in just one day, I was able to find 53 names to submit to the temple. I just kept thinking about all of my ancestors and how they must be waiting to accept the ordinances, but it all depends on us going to the temple, or even looking for names. Also this week, we've been preparing for transfers this Monday. My companion and I are staying the same, but I know a lot of missionaries will be coming to the offices and asking for materials so I've been stocking up haha. 

Really there's not too much to report on. Summer is getting started here in Culiacan. The heat is dry and heavy. Just 5 minutes of walking makes you break a sweat.

I hope everybody is well! Make sure to remember the Atonement and the Savior this weekend! Spring Break isn't a time for "vacations," but a time for us to ponder and remember Him.

Anyways, Have a good week! Love you all!

Elder Finkner

Weekly Update

Hello everyone,

I apologize again for not responding to everyone last week. I did read the emails, I just didn't have time to reply since I was working. This week has been a bit busy. We've had our fair share of work in our area and as well in the offices. With Presidente Velez's double-calling, the secretaries were asked to help more. We've also had more work in our little tiny section of the Lord's vineyard. Some days in our area, we have almost nothing to do but walk in circles for several hours, but other days we're occupied with lessons. Monday and Tuesday afternoon we had almost no work, but Wednesday afternoon we had several lessons. 

On Wednesday, we taught 3 lessons. The first to Perla and Francia, our solid investigators right now. We talked about the Word of Wisdom, and then we were able to put a new baptism date for May 7th for both of them. 

From there, we went to visit Abraham. He's about 60-some years old, but he's really sincere and honest and wants to learn more. We talked about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the role that faith plays, and he told us that getting closer to God was something that was missing from his life and that he wanted to have a stronger relationship with Him. So we were like, "Alright, we can get that arranged!" It was a good lesson, but we didn't invite him to get baptized yet because we'd like to see him go to Church this Sunday first. 

The next lesson was a heart-breaker. We visited Tere; I mentioned her a few weeks ago. Her, her husband, and a lot of her family always have health issues. With Tere and her husband both advanced in age, Tere asked us for a blessing of health and comfort. She told us tearfully that she's done going to the hospital and suffering. She talked about how she always feels bad, her husband is losing his memory and can barely walk, but she always prays and she's looking for peace and rest from this life. She told us that she wanted to pass on, so tearfully Elder Garcia and I gave her a blessing so that the Lord would be able to do what He has planned for her. With her health and condition, I don't think she'll make it much longer.

Thusday, we worked in the offices and then we went to the airport to pickup a missionary. I know Culiacan's airport better than any other. Then we went to our ward mission meeting. No one showed up, so we left to go home.

Friday, work in the offices again, lunch which made me sick, then we went to our area. We got a little bit of work done. Almost no one was home in our tiny little area, so we walked around in circles under the sun for the evening.

So yeah, that's been about it. I'll write again next week.

Love,

Elder Finkner

Pics 3/16/16

 (Almost) Walking on water

Taking a break in the garden

Secretaries

Crazy Week

Hello everyone,

This week has been busy with the multizone conferences in the Baja California Sur, Culiacan, and Mazatlan. I spent Monday and Tuesdaypreparing my presentation and getting materials for the multizone conferences. On Wednesday, all of the missionaries in Culiacan came together to be trained by President Velez, the assistants, and the secretaries. So I had to give a presentation about referrals, and I spoke for about 15 minutes or so, and I answered questions that some of the missionaries had. I did a good job with my presentation, even though I was a little nervous. Earlier that same day, at 12:30am, I went to the airport to pickup a sister missionary, and I didn't get back until 2am. After the multizone conference which ended at about 2pm, I went to the mission offices to do some work for the missionaries. Finally I was able to eat lunch at about 4:30pm. But something was wrong with the food, because my companion, two other missionaries who always eat with us, and I all got sick. We all started to get sick Wednesday night and Thursday morning, vomiting with upset stomachs too. Elder Garcia and Elder Day, one of the other missionaries went to the hospital. Elder Trillo and I were fine, until Thursday night, when the food finally caught up to us and we got sick too. 

Well Thursday while Elder Garcia and Day were in the hospital, Elder Trillo and I went to work in my area. We visited Perla and Francia and taught about prayer and studying the scriptures. they understood really well and we all felt the Spirit during this lesson. I felt the Spirit help me teach too. Then we tried visiting Abraham but he wasn't home. Then we went to our ward mission meeting. That's when I started to feel nauseous and really sick. We made it home and I went straight to bed. 

Friday was a slow day. It was just one of those days when no one has time to listen to us. So we ended up walking around in circles for a few hours, trying to find someone, at least one person to visit, but to no success. I felt a little bit better with some medicine. Fun fact: I got in some random guy's car and went for a ride

Today, I started to feel better, but after lunch, it made me have an upset stomach again. We went to the Botanical Garden again with the other two secretaries. Elder Finlayson is from Dallas and my best friend in the mission and Elder Flores is from Honduras and was an English teacher before the mission so he speaks English really well. And then there's also my companion, Elder Garcia from Mexico City. I'm attaching some pictures that we took.

I was able to study some church talks this week even through all the chaos. The first is called The Refiner's Fire by James E Faust. The second is All Things Work Together For Good by James B. Martino of the Seventy. I recommend these talks to all. These talks provided me with more enthusiasm, comfort and increased hope. We can find peace in the knowledge of our Savior's atoning sacrifice and that He knows exactly how we might feel for He has felt all.

Ánimo y éxito!

Love,

Elder Finkner