Got called to be the district leader!

October 14, 2013

  Well this week was an exciting one! We have 5 investigators with baptism dates. Two will be on the 26th! We really love that family we are teaching! They really will be such a great addition to the church!

  We also have many other investigators who we have been working with for a while and are now finally starting to progress! One guy has really had troubles with drinking but he finally came to church and conference and what do ya know? He drank like once or twice two weeks ago and last week didn't even touch it. He said he lost the desire to drink! And now he wants to get baptized which is so wonderful!! This area is doing so well!

  So transfers is this week and sadly I will be getting a new companion. But I also got called to be the district leader which is pretty cool and makes me a little nervous at the same time! But I'm willing to do whatever the Lord wants me to!

  Sorry this letter is so short! I don't have any more time! lol Love you all and hope you all have a wonderful week!

Love Elder Espinoza

Elder Espinoza   Elder Peterson

 The Fox Family- going to get Baptized

"If the bitter cup does not pass, drink it."

October 8, 2013

Hello!

  I hope everyone enjoyed conference as much as I did! If anyone did not watch all the sessions I would highly recommend it! I would feel like I'm missing out on lots of important information! There were too many wonderful talks for me to pick a favorite but I do remember my favorite quote. Jeffery R. Holland said, "If the bitter cup does not pass, drink it." How true is that!? I love Elder Holland he says it how it is. These trials in our life are meant to make us a stronger person only if we endure them well. And if we do then we will only come out a stronger person with a new and strengthened testimony. Our next trials will become easier to handle because of the experience that we've had. I feel like the trials we are facing now are only preparatory for harder and bigger trials in life to come. People think that if you do everything you're supposed to then life will just become easy. But its not like that at all. We will still be tempted and face many hard challenges but what becomes easier is putting our trust in the Lord knowing he would never give us anything we cannot endure. "If the bitter cup does not pass, drink it." Then leave the rest up to the Lord. He will pick up our slack. Another thing that I noticed was that Matthew 11:29-30 was quoted a lot which is when Jesus Christ tells us to take his yoke upon us. We are so lucky to have a savior and redeemer. All we have to do is do our best and leave the rest up to him. Conference was definitely uplifting and inspiring.

  These last couple days have been full of spiritual moments! We got to go to the temple yesterday. For everyone that is endowed and has not been for a while I would highly recommend going sometime soon! It was so inspiring and the spirit was there sooo strong! You really do have the best of feelings in the temple and can go there to find peace and comfort. It helps to understand the covenants you made and to always remember them. Things make a lot more sense the more you go. 

  As far as missionary work goes this area is really progressing! The investigators we do have are seriously progressing towards baptism. One lady we are teaching seriously is the most prepared person for the gospel I have EVER met. Things keep coming out the more we visit and teach and every time you can just see how the Lord prepares people throughout their life to receive His gospel. It is really sad though cause she is moving to Alaska and wants to wait to be baptized there so her fiancee can be there. Which really is not sad at all I'm just being selfish lol. She has a son who may wait until then as well but we are not sure. Our main focus now is to have them prepared for baptism by then and prepared to endure to the end. It really is the most exciting thing to see someone progressing through the gospel! And to see the happiness it brings in their life!

  Another thing I got from conference was missionary work! This Church like they said is one of the fastest growing in the world! Lets keep it up and fulfill the desire that Gordon B. Hinckley had to double our numbers! Us missionaries really need the help of the members. Member missionary work is the most productive and best way to bring people into this gospel. I would encourage everyone to pray for missionary opportunities and see the happiness it brings in your life :)

  I hope everyone had an enjoyable weekend! Thanks for all the love and support! Love you all!

Love,

Elder Jaden Espinoza

The Elders in our district! Elder Recht, Elder Berryhill and I

The same Elders but with Elder Becar (my trainer)

The Albuquerque Temple

 Just a funny picture

So last week was an absolutely wonderful week!!

October 1, 2013

  So last week was an absolutely wonderful week!! We had Zone Conference which is always very inspiring and uplifting. The main thing I got from it was obedience. There were lots of people who spoke on different topics but every single one of them spoke on obedience. Probably cause it is pretty important. It is the first law of Heaven! A question I know I plan on asking myself every time I'm tempted to not be fully consecrated is if I love that sin more that I love Jesus. For example, on a day where I just wanna sleep in a little extra I'm going to ask myself if I love my pillow more than Jesus. I would encourage everyone to do the same with the little things we are all working on! It really does help!

  I'm also very excited for general conference this coming week. I have lots of questions that I want answered and I know if I pay enough attention that they will all be answered. Same to everyone else. I would encourage you all to write down a few things you're maybe struggling with or questions that you have and I can promise you they will be answered. A scripture we read to people a lot is Amos 3:7 which says, "Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets." How cool would it be to know the secrets of God? How awesome would it be to listen to someone who talks with God and knows exactly what we need to do in order to make it though this life so we can return to our Father in heaven. I know in the past I have definitely taken general conference for granted. Just think about how awesome it is to get to listen to the prophet and his apostles!

  We also get to go to the temple next Monday which I am even more excited about. I think my least favorite thing about being a missionary is we only get to go twice a year! But we are blessed to at least have a temple in our mission which I am very grateful for :)

  So we had lots of success last week! We had a family finally come to church! They've been saying they would come for about 2 months now and they came! It was fast Sunday so that's hit or miss but it was actually really good and I know they felt something. Their lives are already being blessed because of it. We talked to the wife later on that day and she said she is already seeing a difference in her husband! Awesome! We also have been teaching another family and two committed to baptism! SO exciting! The mother was agnostic/atheist really only wanting to learn about our religion cause her fiancee is a member. But now she knows this is the path she should be on cause everything we have been teaching her are things she has already believed and ways she has been living her life. So wonderful!!!!! Missionary work has brought me the most happiness in my life so far. Its amazing to see peoples lives change when they start learning about the gospel and start living it. This gospel really is for everyone. I hope everyone had a wonderful week! Thanks for all the love and support! :)

Love,

Elder Jaden Espinoza

An old picture from about a month ago- Elder Espinoza and his previous companion Elder Bushman.

September 23, 2013

  Congratulations to Italia and Jonathan! I'm really sad I had to miss out on all the fun. I saw lots of pictures and it looked like everyone had a great time! I do know that I am where I am supposed to be doing the Lord's work so that makes everything okay :) lol

  This last week was a little slow. Lots of people canceling on us but the lessons that we did have were so wonderful! The spirit works so strong for the people that the Lord is preparing for His gospel. It is soooo important for us to always be in tune with the spirit so we can ask inspired questions. Sometimes we are not the teachers. We are always trying to ask them questions that will get them to really think about things and what matters most to them or why this gospel would even be important to them. It really is the best thing to see the spirit work. This gospel changes peoples lives every day. Some people don't even know they are looking for it but when they find it they realize all the loopholes they have are being filled. We have a few people who are realizing that. Even members of the Church who have fallen away and we meet with them and they realize things over again. Missionary work really is wonderful.

We have a zone conference this week that I am really looking forward to! Our mission president is truly an inspired man and I cant wait to learn from him. Hopefully I'll have something to share next Monday!

  Sorry this letter is so short. We have a pretty busy day today! I hope everyone had a great week! Love you all!

Love,

Elder Jaden Espinoza

Italia really wished Jaden, I mean Elder Espinoza, could  have been there at her wedding and reception so during the reception we surprised her with a letter and picture from him. Here is what he wrote.

Dear Tali and Jon,

  Well its about time!! I'm really sad I have to miss out on all of this. Well, not all the drama that comes with planning a wedding and what not lol. It's all good though cause I know I'm doing the Lords work here in El Paso Texas!

   Jon, I'm glad I can finally call you my brother now. Especially after all those near death experiences we've had river rafting and on that 50 mile hike lol. Always remember that one time you wrestled Jordan...you had the young calf don't mess with the old bull ;) 

  Tali, we've also been through lots together. You have always been there for me and have been a wonderful example and older sister my whole life. I love you very much! I'm so happy for the both of you!

   Always remember the covenants you made in the temple. Help one another stay on the strait and narrow path and you will live happily ever after for eternity. I wish both of you the best of luck!

Love,

Elder Jaden Espinoza

  ps. to all my siblings. We already know I'm gonna be the favorite uncle so dont even try :)

Elder  Espinoza in his wedding bow tie

Jonathan and Italia Castro

Sealed for time and all eternity

September 21,2013

So this last week was AWESOME!

September 16,2013

 So this last week was AWESOME! It rained every week day! I'm pretty sure El Paso got more rain that week than it ever has in a year. The bad thing about rain in El Paso is that it floods. really bad. Things are still flooded. Some roads got washed out. It was actually pretty cool haha. If the Texas wildlife guy wasn't there I might have tried to walk across one of the washouts. Glad he was there hahaha. The rain was very very nice though! Things are actually kinda green here now. Nothing like Washington green but really green for El Paso haha. The city will have a fun time trying to clean up after the rain!

This week also was pretty interesting. Pretty sure I met myself in about 65 yrs. This guy was absolutely hilarious and you could never tell if he was being serious or just kidding. Ask my mom or my sister about that haha :) we also met this old lady who kept telling me she bet ALL the girls flirt with me and how I'm so handsome and this and that. Kinda awkward haha. I think she hadn't had anyone to talk to except her dog for a while. She was very nice though! El Paso is full of really nice people. I don't think i've ever had a door slammed in my face or someone be flat out rude to me. I like it here. Don't know if Id ever wanna live here but being a missionary here is awesome! Training is going great as well. Its a challenge but its good for me! Hopefully for my companion too...lol. He's liking the area as well.

 We have some new investigators that we will start working with. With one of them it will be soooo important to have the spirit with us so we can teach by the spirit. Without the spirit no one could ever learn of truth. We also aren't perfect teachers so we rely heavily on the spirit. I think we all should no matter what we do. There's a quote I like and I don't remember who its from or how it goes but basically it says something like ,"Regardless of your talent you will never be successful with out the spirit." Then you have to stop and think about what it REALLY means to be successful in life. How much money you make or nice things you have? Or how happy you live with your family in this life and the next? I've realized since I've been on my mission that people that have this Gospel in their lives and are not living it are NOT happy. Then they remember the last time they were happy and realize oh yeah I guess I was attending church and reading my scriptures and saying my prayers daily. then they realize that doing those things invites the spirit into our lives and guess what? We're happy again! Its crazy though cause its so simple to understand yet so difficult to do sometimes. Lucky for us we have the atonement to help us overcome our downfalls!!!

 Well good luck to Tali and Jon! I'm so sad I will not be there for their wedding but I know I am where I'm supposed to be- doing the Lords work :) Also, I heard Great Grandma Hyde passed away :( I'm also sad I will not be there for the funeral but I'm glad we know where she is right now and that she is being taught the everlasting gospel :)

Love you all! Have a great week!

Love, Elder Jaden Espinoza

Some neat experiences

September 9, 2013

  Well this past week has been a pretty crazy one with transfer and all that fun stuff! Our president made a lot of changes in this mission. It was sad to see a bunch of people leave but its all what the Lord wants. He is hastening His work!

My new trainee/greenie/son whatever you wanna call him is fresh outta High School. I got one of the 18 yr olds lol. It's awesome to see how the Lord is preparing the youth to serve missions at a younger age. His name is Elder Peterson from Riverton Utah. We have had an awesome first week! This area really is perfect for a new missionary to see the Lords hand at work. I'm just lucky I was called to train! Training is a lot of responsibility and you really have to be on your A game. Its kinda funny though cause shouldn't we always want to be on our A game? We always have people looking up to us and watching our every move. Most importantly the Lord is watching our every move. We always need to be our best so we are ready for whatever it is he throws at us. We are all on this Earth in these latter days for a reason. The Lord must trust us to hasten his work...Scary huh? Haha'

  So last week we had some really neat experiences. This lady has called us a few times to give her and her dad a blessing. he had not been doing good and actually passed away a couple nights ago. But the night he passed away she gave us another call and asked if we could give him a blessing cause he was not supposed to make it though the night. I got asked to give the blessing. I was pretty nervous/scared cause I didn't really know what I was supposed to say to someone who was incoherent and gonna die soon. Luckily we are not really the ones who is giving the blessing. we are just simply tools in which our father in heaven uses to bless his children. So after I gave him a blessing she asked for a blessing so we gave her one. Her sister was there and is not a member and up until that point had been anti religion. The other two times we came she apparently left before we even got there but that night lots of miracles took place. She actually accepted the offer for a blessing and so did this other guy who is the same as her about religion. The one who actually was a member kept thanking us and telling us miracles happened that night. Sometimes its just crazy to think of yourself as someone who brings the spirit into peoples homes and blesses the lives of people in their time of need. Obviously its not really us its Heavenly Father but that's why its sooo important to always be in tune and worthy of the spirit. It not only blesses your life but others around you.

  Well I hope everyone had a wonderful last week. Thank you all for the love and support! Have a great week:)

Love;

Elder Jaden Espinoza

One of the greatest things you can do!

September 2, 2013

  So this week was wonderful!!! We had two baptisms on Friday and our mission president was able to attend. The spirit is always sooo strong at baptisms. It always pleases our Father in heaven when His children take upon themselves the name of Christ and make those sacred covenants with him. Sometimes I cant help but be jealous of them because when they come out of the water they are perfect! But then I remember the same thing happens to us every time we take the sacrament and renew those covenants with Heavenly Father.

So the baptisms were wonderful and the confirmations were also great. I had the opportunity to confirm one of them. It was my first time doing that so I was a little nervous but then you just give a blessing as the Spirit directs so its really not that scary haha.

  We've been very busy teaching lots of lessons! Its wonderful to see people progress and how the Lord blesses their lives when they live in accordance with his will.

Last week we also had lots of pretty crazy news! First off...well, I'm pregnant! I'm getting a son tomorrow! Haha! Basically all it means is I got called to train a new missionary! I love my new mission president he really has a sense of humor. He told us at the training meeting that,"Being a trainer is the most important calling you can get as a missionary. No pressure." haha. I'm very honored that the Lord trusts me with a new missionary!!! I'm so sad that I wont get to be with my companion till he goes home next transfer but also very excited to train! Also I will be staying here in good ol El Paso for another two transfers while I train. I was just glad I'm not leaving this area haha. I love this area! Its gonna be hard to go when the time comes. I feel as if the Lord has been preparing this area for a new missionary. Missionary work has picked up so much these last few weeks. We are expecting many baptisms these next few months. Cant really think of a better place to train a new missionary!!! Missionary work in general is picking up across the world. Its so wonderful to be a small part preaching the Gospel during this time.

  Well I hope everyone had a wonderful week! I sure did lol. Being a missionary is probably one of the greatest things you can do. Good thing every member a missionary huh? ;) Get to work! Love you all have a great week :)

Love,

Elder Jaden Espinoza

   

The Jones family took us to a really nice steak house.

Definitely one of our favorite families!

   Our district at the zoo