We can all be Saviors

Dear Friends and Family,

I apologize that I don't have a ton of time to write this week, but I do want to share an experience I had that totally changed my perspective as a missionary.

On Thursday morning, I woke up in one of the worst moods of my life. I felt sick, sore, and extremely depressed; and I had no idea why! I didn't feel like eating, I didn't feel like praying, I just wanted to go back to bed and forget about everything. It was super scary!

As we started our morning, I started to read in the Book of Mormon, praying that I could find an answer to why I was feeling that way, and most importantly, how I could feel better and I came across Helaman 3:27 and 35 which say...

      27 Thus we may see that the Lord is merciful unto all who will, in the sincerity      of their hearts, call upon his holy name.

     35 Nevertheless they did fast and pray oft, and did wax stronger and stronger      in their humility, and firmer and firmer in the faith of Christ, unto the filling their      souls with joy and consolation, yea, even to the purifying and the                 sanctification of their hearts, which sanctification cometh because of their      yielding their hearts unto God.

After I read these, I was hit super powerfully with the prompting that I needed to first, pray; and then to fast that day. I did, and fasted that I would be able to feel better and do the things that I needed to do that day. I also promised that I would do whatever the Lord asked me to do, if he could make me feel better.

So we went about our day and I tried my absolute hardest to follow all the promptings of the Spirit and I really did start to feel better. By the end of the night (about 7 o'clock), the depression and stress had almost completely gone just as we went into the house of a less active member for dinner.

As we started to talk to this woman, she broke down to us and told us some of the problems that she had been going through and as she continued to talk, she described exactly how I had felt that morning. The Spirit hit me super strong and started talking through me (I know, because I can't really remember what I said) and I told her about my experience that day. By the end of it, I said something like, "I didn't know why I felt that way this morning...but now I do." She responded and said very humbly, "it was so that you could tell me that I can do it."

My testimony of the mission field is something that I wish I could write in words. It truly does change you, 100%; and I am so greatful for that. I know that Christ suffered for us so that he could save us...but when we take upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ and as we try to become more like him, sometimes we have to suffer a little bit, so that we can help save others. I love this gospel--the ups and the downs--and I know that this church is true. Thank you so much for your prayers and for your support. You are helping to save a young man (that's me;)!

Elder Arkoudas

Birds and Praying Mantis

Mis quieridos familiares y amigos,

This week started out great and set the tone for every other day. Last week when we went on exchanges with the English Elders, we went knocking one morning and found this girl named Katira. She accepted a copy of the Book of Mormon and agreed to read chapter 11 of 3 Nephi; we left and thought nothing more of it. When the English Elders went back though, she had read from 3 Nephi 11- 19 and one of the first things she said was, "How soon can I get baptized?" Both her and her sister are on date now for Sept. 23. What a miracle!

We also visited Marlene Vazquez this week--one of our recent converts--and she told us a little bit more of the story leading up to her wedding and her baptism. So I guess Marlene has this aunt who doesn't like her very much, because when she found out that Marlene was getting married in a church other than the Catholic church, she called all of Marlene's friends and family and--without doing any research whatsoever--told them all that Marlene was getting married in a church that, and I quote, "worships birds". I have no idea where she got that, but sure enough, that is what she told everyone. I feel really bad because not a lot of people came to Marlene's wedding because of it, but the story gets a lot better.

Obviously some of Marlene's family went, and when they found no birds, or bird statues, or anything that has to do with birds and instead just found a lot of nice people and pictures of Jesus Christ, they kind of chewed Marlene's aunt out for it. But even better than that...another aunt of Marlene's, who lives in Montana, decided to research the church, just to make sure that we don't worship birds, and she even invited the missionaries over to teach her. I don't know if she is an investigator up there, but the Lord does work in mysterious ways. We'll see!

This week my study has been in the Book of Mormon and specifically, in the war chapters. I have always been impressed with the 2000 stripling warriors and how strong their character was. For young men to leave their homes and family to fight for a cause they knew to be true and to be divine--I guess missionaries can relate to that a little bit. But what impresses me most about these young men is the faith that they had in Christ. Yes, they were obedient to the commandments; yes, they had been taught by their mothers (and probably their fathers); but these young men had a testimony of themselves--they knew it for themselves.

This Sunday we had a missionary homecoming and in his talk, he shared the story of the man, blind from birth, who recieved his sight in the New Testament. He specifically shared these verses...

8 ¶ The neighbours therefore, and they which before had seen him that he was blind, said, Is not this he that sat and begged?
9 Some said, This is he: others said, He is like him: but he said, I am he.
10 Therefore said they unto him, How were thine eyes opened?
11 He answered and said, A man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash: and I went and washed, and I received sight.

He talked about before his mission, he was like the blind man, and even though I'm going to use his words and copy what he said, it impressed me so much and hit me so powerfully, that I'm going to share what he shared because I feel the same. Before the mission, I went to church, I was taught by my parents, I did everything I was supposed to and I thougth that I had a testimony. But throughout this last year of my life, my eyes have been opened; I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior--I know that for myself. And just like the blind man, Christ is the one who has opened my eyes. To any young men that are reading this: Go on a mission. It will change your life. It changed and is changing mine!

Love you all and have a great week!

Elder Arkoudas

 Exchanges

 My buddy...

Bleach and Slacks

yea, so this was not super cool, but I was cleaning the floor one day and I accidentally grabbed the bleach cleaner instead of the regular stuff and it totally got the knees of the slacks. So there was nothing I could really do with them, except bleach all of them. Then I just had to take a picture on the eliptical machine;)

Don't worry, I turned them into some pink shorts and they are really "jazzy"!

Feliz Cumpleaños Max

First of all,

Happy Birthday Max! I just want you to know that I tell all the members that you're my favorite brother (unless it's someone elses birthday). Love you brother!

This week was a battle from the beginning but it ended with one of the craziest miracles that I've seen on the mission!

One of our investigators, Daniel Perez, is building a garage in his backyard and so we've been helping him all week. He has to lay the concrete pad first and so we've had to prepare the area for it by digging, leveling, more digging, trenching, more digging, widening the trenches, and more digging. Needless to say, we were tired!

Other than service, we have been finding, finding, finding! Almost all of our investigators have kind of dropped us or aren't willing to make time to meet with us, so we have pretty much started fresh. It's been so much fun and in just one week, we both have changed so much! To be honest, I was pretty afraid to talk to some people (especially white people, they're cranky sometimes) but as we set goals to just talk to everyone, it has gotten so much easier. It's now one of my absolute favorite parts of missionary work!

Now that being said, we really didn't see any success all week. We found a few people but nobody really showed much interest...until yesterday. We had about an hour before a dinner appointment with our Branch President and so we had both felt to stop by this old investigator; she wasn't there, so we decided to walk around that neighborhood. We walked around for about 30 minutes with no success, and just as we were about to go back to the car, this guy pulls up next to us on his bike and immediately asks us if we are Mormon missionaries. We say yes and he (his name's Chris) proceeds to tell us that he just moved from Mexico, that he was meeting with the missionaries there and that he was going to church over there every week. Chris has read the entire Book of Mormon, was about to be baptized, and told his boss that he doesn't work on Sundays. When we talked to him, he agreed to be baptized on Sept 2 (we'll see; if not, for sure Sept. 9). All week, we worked our guts out and the Lord definitely did not fail us! We ended up being late to our dinner appointment, but we both ran back to the car singing "Called to Serve" and "Carry On" as loud as we could. Some of Chris' neighbors probably think we're crazy.

I have been thinking a lot about our Savior this week and my testimony has grown so much of Him and His power to heal us and take away our weaknesses. I love the story of Alma the Younger, especially in Alma 36 (and I encourage you all to read this chapter;) about how he, at first, felt as if he would rather be destroyed than to have to stand in front of his Maker to be judged of his works. Then, only after he had called upon the mercy of Jesus Christ, he says...

...methought I saw, even as our father Lehi saw, God sitting upon his throne, surrounded with numberless concourses of angels, in the attitude of singing and praising their God; yea, and my soul did long to be there.

From being wracked with horror, to longing to be with God in his Kingdom, Alma changed in a matter of minutes, all thanks to the mercy and grace our Jesus Christ. Maybe we're not the vilest of sinners, but we all make mistakes. I testify that Christ can take away those mistakes so that we never have to make them again. I am so greatful for this time that I have to learn and grow. I know Christ is my Savior and I know that his love and grace is real!

Love you all and hope that you have a fantastic week!

Elder Arkoudas

 "Get that corn out of my face!"

*Somebody let me know if you can get this GIF 

Kiss da corn

Una Semana de Servicio

¡Ay Carai!

This week has been so good and so tiring! We literally did service almost everyday this week and some of it might not have been the most safe also (I'll explain below). It has also been a week full of blessings and miracles, so the hard work paid off.

First, we helped this guy that we used to teach but he's really not interested anymore dig a big pit in his front yard so that he could lay concrete. That took us about 4 hours, spread out over two days, and we're going back tonight to help dig another spot.

We also went over and headed to Maria Luna's to help her cut some branches from her tree. This was the "little less than safe" part of our week. My companion is deathly afraid of heights, but I'm and definitely not, so I scaled a 20 foot ladder to cut some tree branches down. The thing is...the ladder didn't quite reach, so being to boy scout that I am, I just tied the top rung to the branch. Smart right?

By the time I realized just how bad of an idea this was, Maria Luna had decided that it was a really good idea, and her--being a 70 year old lady--thought that she would scale this ladder to cut the branches. So in order to save this lady's life, I stayed up there and started cutting the branches off. I'll let the pictures say the rest.

Apart from service, this week has been pretty rough. We did not see any success almost the entire week, until last night. We stopped by a less active member's house (the husband is not a member) and they let us in to teach a lesson. The lesson wasn't going very well and the Spirit wasn't super strong, but then we felt to share "The Living Christ" with them. As soon as we started reading it, the kids got quiet, the mom started paying attention and the husband got really serious. The Spirit immediately filled the room and the husband told us that he would start working towards a baptismal date.

I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior. "The Living Christ" is a document, inspired of God and is as true as any scripture in the Bible or Book of Mormon. I love my Savior and I'm greatful for him and for his sacrifice for me. I love you all and I hope that you find time to read "the Living Christ" this week, because I promise it will bring peace to your heart. It did to mine!

Elder Arkoudas

Pic2- it rained really hard and we were outside. Not sure what happened to our name tags...

 Pic3- good action shot, I thought.
Pic5- this just kind of gives you a feel of how good of ideas I have sometimes...

 Pic4- my trophy shot

Pic6- the hole we dug. it's like a foot deep and massive.