February 19, 2019

1. Photos
2. My Area
3. Work
4. Finding I am Different
5. Pray for the People
6. Earthquakes
2. My area is Juan Eugelio, but in about 3 weeks that will change.  No one has stayed in Juan Eugelio this long in a long time.  I have no idea where I will go.  I want to go to Durango because it is really hot right now and I hear it is colder there, but the sun is a lot stronger!
3. We are working the snot out of our area right now.  We leave the house around 9:00-10:00 and we start working.  We stop and eat for 20 minutes at 2:00 and use the bathroom after (the food has destroyed me!  So we use the bathroom about 4-5 times a day and it is never fun! Oh, and Dad, raw sewage is not the worst smell, even when it has sat for forever.  I found that out this week!)  We are working all the time and we have found that when it is hot people don't like standing outside for long so we get in more doors.  Then we can use the bathroom again ;) !!!  Blessings from knocking doors are real!  I can testify of that!  But every day we are walking about 10-20 miles or more.  Water is an issue but don't send water or other liquids.  We have it, it is just there is not a lot of stores in the desert so we pack water bottles and use that.  Then we refill them when we hit the city.
4. I am so glad I have hiked all my life and have done workouts and pushed my body because now I am in a situation where all the muscles I have developed are being used more.  My chest has gotten smaller, which I am not super happy about, but I am not carrying as much.  I am able to work out a little but right now it is mostly working out my mind.  That is helping a lot!  I have two stories. 1)  People in the United States talk about racism and inequality.  I always knew that stuff existed but I never knew what it was like until now.  Ok, guys, it's time to face facts.  I am white, really white, and sometimes when I am in the sun I am read.  When I was with Elder Squire people didn't say much because there were two of us, but now people are always saying the craziest things.  It is funny at times but other times it is not the best.  For example, I make fun of myself all the time to get in doors because, well, I am red in the sun  It is a mild sunburn and I am even wearing some sunscreen (spf 75) but, yeah, it is not quite as strong as the sun.  Every morning I am white and by the end of the day, I am really red!  Other times people have refused to talk to us and throw things at me and yell the meanest things!  People have the ability to be mean but what they don't know is that being different is one of the best things for a missionary and so they are only progressing the work.  For every mean person, there are 3 nice ones willing to stand up for you, invite you in, and shelter you from people and listen to the message of God!  2)  I have been raised a way that makes me want to work til the work is done. Others work at a rate to finish work.  What this means is as the day goes on I work harder and harder but as the day goes on for others they stay at the same pace or maybe even slow down!  Never slow down and never stop once you do it ends and you have to start over and start from a low not a high!  I am just learning this now.
5. Some of our investigators who need help and prayers...
Alejandro -
Navora - An American who is investigating the church.  She doesn't understand a lot and what she has heard about religion... Well, it sounds kinda scary and a little like they worshiped the devil.  But she wants to know more and she is feeling the spirit and she has a testimony of Priesthood Blessings and Power.
Lupita - Daughter of Juani, and she wants to be baptized but she is shy and wants to do it with a family member and her family needs softer hearts.
Juani - Mother of Lupita.  She is taking the lessons but she kinda doesn't want anything, she thinks and knows that the church is true.  It is a lot of work to go to church and it is hard.  Pray to help her heart be softened and so she will want to come.  If we get her there we will get 4 other children there as well. 
Victor - An older man who has trouble walking.  He doesn't like praying and he is terrified of baptism because he knows what kind of commitment it is.  He wants to be a member and feel joy all the time from the Gift of the Holy Ghost but he doesn't want baptism.  I don't know what to do with this but as of right now he said he will prepare to be baptized.  He has even admitted that he doesn't think he will want to so it is all the Spirit and whether we can help him change his attitude.
Hania - Daughter of a member father (non-active) and a non-member mother.  She is very active but her mother won't let her get baptized.  We are changing this slowly but surely.
Herason - Brother to Hania, same problems.
Familia Del La Rosa (5) - They don't have a lot of time on Sunday's to go to church because they like to visit family.
Familia Ramirez Soliz (6) - This family is converts of Elder Squire and Elder Morgan.  They are falling apart.  The father Domingo is abusive when he drinks and we (Elder Squire and Morgan) got him off drinking but he has relapsed and now the kids and wife don't live with him.  Because of this the wife, Alijandra, needs to work on Sundays and gets home around 10:00 pm except for Saturdays when she gets home at 9:00 pm.  We need her to be strengthened and to feel the love of our Savior!  And she needs her Sundays free!
6. Well, the earthquake was about the distance from Idaho to California from me, maybe a little more.  So, yeah, I felt nothing and really nothing happened here.  But people are freaking out and a few people are saying it is the end of the world.
I love you and miss you!!!!  20 months left and I plan on making the most of them!!! - Elder Cazier

February 12, 2018

From the top of the hill in Koria we saw a house
(well we thought it was a group of houses,
 you can see it in the background of the photo)
so we went there thinking that there would be people there...

We were wrong, there was no one there.  But we took some cool photos.

We went to Koria and decided to take photos in the river...

We found a hill and decided to take photos from on top.

1. Photos
2. My new Companion
3. A Hike
4. Work
5. Alijandro Y un Historia
2. Elder Fuentes is my best friend!  We are helping each other out a lot and he is a huge help with Spanish and I am helping him learn English.  He already knows a lot but it is pretty much just practice for both of us at this point to get used to the language.  We both understand each other in the other language but we are both rusty and really can't do much, but it's a start!  We really are best friends!  We have a saying given to us by our assistant of the mission.  "Love" one "Love" the other "Love Baby" together "HOOYAH" together.  When one of us is feeling down we stop and look the other in the eye and start it by the end we are yelling and people are looking and we are jumping and are super happy!!!  We just freak out for about a second and then move on with the work.  We have gotten questions and even investigators from it!  People think we are crazy then they see the badge and think "What are the crazys teaching?" and so they ask.  We are having a blast and it's all in Spanish.  The other day I dreamed in Spanish, my companion said that is normal. and that it is the first step to learning the slang of Spanish and learning the language.  Since then it is nonstop Spanish. It is kinda Amazing!  English is getting harder to speak and write!
3. So as you saw in the photos we went on a hike.  It isn't uncommon in our area.  But since my companion is new we stopped and took photos and ended up on a mountain.  From there we saw a house (we thought it was a group of houses).  So we went there expecting to find people, but nope, nada!  It was just an abandoned house.  We yelled for a person for about 10 minutes then explained aloud, just in case, we were gonna explore (We did this because we found food and a lock on a door).  We explored for about 20 minutes and then we went back outside and took some photos out there in front and on some pillar things, it was Amazing!
4. So the work has picked up!  It is insane, we are working all the time.  We are getting a lot of work done.  Right now we have 16 new investigators, 5 of which have dates for baptism and are progressing and 4 investigators have attended church!  Two of them have dates set!!!  This is new to me! We are going crazy and everything happening to us is great!  I am so glad the area is open!  We are accomplishing and have goals to accomplish!  We are going for 8 baptisms this month.  That is what we decided, to go for 4 each person!  At his moment it looks like it will happen!  It's Crazy, we are nonstop all day and you know what, I LOVE IT!  It is work but every night I lay my head down and it's not even 5 minutes before I am out, and that's my work!  In the mornings we get up and hit the ground running!  LOVE BABY, HOOYAH!!!  We got work to do, can't slow down!
5. One of our investigator's name is Alijandro.  He is 16 and well he likes Football Americano (not soccer).  This story is crazy.  In the morning Fuentes had questions about football and his questions lead into a practice and I had to contact him during the Super Bowl (by the way who won?).  We went over how to say things and how to relate the Gospel to football and by the end, I was tired and had learned just a little (poco a poco) but we went out and started contacting in Nassarano.  Around 6:30 when we had to go home we felt like we needed to knock one more door.  We had no idea where to knock so we said a prayer and started walking.  We walked past a door and Fuentes stopped and said "Here". So we knocked and I contacted him.  It turned out that he LOVES football.  So we talked about that and got inside and started teaching.  I related Christ to a Quarterback, Blessings to a Football, and the Church to the Team!  He understood and asked how to join the church.  We then taught him the first lesson and talked about baptism.  He asked when he could be baptized!!!!!!!!!!!!! I KNOW, RIGHT?!?!?!?!  HOLY COW, HOW PREPARED!!!  So it is going to happen on the 3rd of March.  Pray for him!!!  He needs help with money and does not have parents so he works a lot!  He said he couldn't go to church this week because it was Saturday night, but the next week he would be able to!  He is one of our promising investigators.  Pray for him!!!
Thank you for your prayers, I am feeling a lot better and am missing everyone SO MUCH AND I LOVE AND MISS YOU ALL!!!!  -Elder Cazier

February 5, 2018

My Father in my Mission, My New Companion, and Me.

 1. Sickness
2. Cambios
3. Craziness
4. Compartir un mensage del Iglesia De Jesuccristo de los Santos De los ultimos Dias
5. Photos
1. I am doing better but I still am not 100% yet!  But I am getting there!  Just a matter of time!
2. So, yeah, Elder Squire got transferred and I got a new companeiro el nombre is Elder Fuentes de Ecuador y is hoven mismo de mi. Oh, his name is Elder Fuentes and he is from Ecuador.  He speaks English. And yeah, I am still in Juan Eugelio, which is crazy.  We thought we were closing the area and so we literally contacted everyone.  I have no idea what to do about that but I have to do something because this is Elder Fuentes' first cambio.  This is my first so we are both figuring this out.  We are each others 2nd companion.  He only has 6 more weeks in the mission than me.  That is crazy.  We are now the most rancho area in our mission and people are freaking out that two 'New Guys' are there.  I know the area by now and I know where not to go.  It is gonna be great! I am hoping that a new companion will have ideas on how to get into doors.  That is kinda our hope right now because we really did contact our whole area, well, where we are safe to contact.  It may be possible to go some more places now.  We'll see how it goes but I am excited!  YAAAAA LET'S DO ITTT, BOOOOYAAAA!!!
3. Today is crazy, in our house we have no food or water but we are running to the store after we write.  It'll be great!  But we have to carry his malitas (I don't remember the word for the things that you carry all your stuff in) (*Suitcases) all over and they are like 70 pounds each.  Ya, it is starting to get great, just from this I'll be huge when I get home.  Just need cambios every six weeks, lol.
4. So this week and last week me and Squire were working insane hours and just never had a break.  We worked the snot out of our area and don't have much to show for it.  About halfway through this last week we sat down and we were trying to think of ways to help our area.  What we came up with was, well, nada.  We decided that we would just continue for the end and see what happened from it.  It's crazy because we started to do things and talked to people all the time.  To be honest, I got my heart crushed a few times.  People just know they feel the truthfulness but are too lazy to do anything about it.  I tell everyone now 'When you feel a burning in your heart DO SOMETHING!'  People here don't do anything and I catch a glimpse into how Nephi felt every once in a while.  I have felt sorrow and pain and I have seen lives collapse after refusing the gospel,  I have felt the Spirit work through me to go to them and show them we are always there for them.  We have had a powerful family just leave our branch.  It hurts seeing them.  The thing is, the wife is still coming and bringing the youngest two kids.  The husband has fallen into drinking and abuse.  They are now living in different homes and the oldest son is with his father.  It has torn the family apart and the worst thing is the fact that the father is just sick all of the time.  It is like in the scriptures where someone who has a testimony and then falls away, bad things happen.  We are watching these things happen and it is destroying the hope of the branch.  They were 5 out of 50, so we lost a huge chunk of our branch.  And he was our 2nd Counselor in our Elders Quarm, so we just lost like 10% of our priesthood.  It hurts to see, yet our branch is holding together and we are sharing a lot of inspiration with them right now and helping a lot!  It is hard but from the winter snow comes the most beautiful flowers.  We have worked through hard times and will continue until we see the fruits of our labor bloom!
5.

My area, the main city, Juan Eugelio

Caza Azul

HOOYAH! LOVE YOU GUYS MISS YOU ALL AND MAN I CAN'T WAIT TO WORK!!!!
P.S. If you didn't notice I am super animated!  Guys, I hit my role, now it is starting!!! HOOYAAAHHH!!!  -  Elder Cazier