Hey everyone! This week has been really great! We've refocused our efforts here in Ocotlan back on the less-active members. And it has shown great results. Mexico has a huge problem. Nearly 70% of the members are inactive. Our Branch President is making a huge effort to bring everyone back, and it is showing a lot of fruit. We had the largest attendance at church yesterday that we've had here for about 2 years.

President Navarro gives us about 3 families at a time to focus on, and when they either show progress or disinterest, he gives us a few more. We're starting to see another large family here starting to reactivate, a few more people each week. These families are huge. It’s basically a whole block is one family, and each door is just another brother or sister. It’s great! 

We've also been having a lot of success finding new investigators through the members, especially those less-active members that are starting to come back. We are now teaching two investigators that are spouses to less-active members. How great it will be if we can get these families to the temple! They have so much potential, and there is so much more to be found!

We have three investigators with baptismal dates. Federico is still progressing very well, and is well on his way to be baptized December 10th. We just set a date with Jaime. He is living here is Mexico by himself, without family, and without many friends. The church, and especially the friendship of the members will help him so much! His date is January 9th. The last one is a little different. Hermana Guadalupe has been a member for about 7 years, but her baptismal records were lost, so we get to rebaptize her. It is this weekend. I'll try to remember to bring my camera!

My time is almost up as a trainee. Elder Taveras heads home December 14, one week early, because of the holiday airport confusion. It's crazy. Soon I'll be leading this area... and the scariest part now is talking on the telephone. It’s almost impossible to tell what people are saying when it’s through that little chunk of plastic. But it'll be good.

My scripture this week is 2 Nephi 33:4 "And I know that the Lord God will consecrate my prayers for the gain of my people. And the words which I have written in weakness will be made strong unto them; for it persuadeth them to do good; it maketh known unto them of their fathers; and it speaketh of Jesus, and persuadeth them to believe in him, and to endure to the end, which is life eternal."

This week has been very good. Thank you all for your support in the missionary effort. I love you all, and I can't wait to talk to you all next week. If I can extend an invitation to you all, I ask you to look out for one of your neighbors or friends this week, and tell them that you love them. But don't only tell them, mean it. I hope you all have a great week. Until next time!

Love, 

Elder Quinn

This was my Thanksgiving feast; the ever present pasta, chicken nuggets, sweet bread, and 7-up. Pretty grand!!!  It was a little less exciting here. E Taveras and I didn't do anything. 

But I made some food for me, and he went to bed early haha.

Wow... week 15. It feels like I've been here for much less than that. People say that time flies when you’re on the mission, and I'm sure that I don't truly understand it yet, but I can definitely feel it. This week has definitely been a step up from last week. I feel like we've been in a hole as for as work effort these past two weeks. And this past week we've been climbing ourselves back out. Still not quite back to full speed, but getting there.

This week has been a little wild with our investigators. We've had to move a few of them into "old investigators", because they won't progress or come to church. It's really a sad moment, but there is a point when we have to refocus our efforts and time on those that are progressing. And also our most progressed investigator, Francisco, just dropped his baptismal date. At the beginning of the week he was showing super great signs of faith and progression, but when Sunday came, he almost cut it off with us. But we had a real nice prayer with him in the chapel and he decided to keep thinking about it. It’s been a rollercoaster with him this week. We have an appointment with him today, and we'll see exactly where he stands.

We have another investigator, Federico, who is really showing great commitment. His only problem is that he likes to spend the lessons telling us stories of his insane childhood. This guy has had some crazy experiences! But he is basically ready, and I can already see his conversion taking form. "I can see him standing in the water." He has only missed one Sunday, and it was because he lives in a distant town and had no way to get to the church.

We're going to be focusing this week on a few of these investigators, but mostly on reactivating less-active members. The ward leaders here are awesome, and are really taking the initiative of "rescuing one more friend", based off "the lost sheep" parable. It’s really great.

We had a great lesson with a part member family. The parents aren't married because a previous divorce hasn't happened yet, but their daughter has been baptized. We taught them about the temple, and how families could be together forever, and that this is really what we as missionaries want for every person we come in contact with. We took a cereal box, turned it inside out, and glued a picture of the SLC temple to it. We placed it above their TV so that they would never lose sight of the temple, and always remember what their goal was. That was a great lesson. 

We also had a great experience yesterday. And it helped me understand what peace the gospel can bring. We have an investigator named Jaime, or Jimmy. He lost basically his whole life in the States, his job, his home, and his wife and kids. He now lives by himself in a one room brick apartment, about the same size as the girl’s room. We happened to pass by, and we didn’t have an appointment or even a plan, but we knocked anyways. He answered in a slurred voice and let us in. It then became very apparent what was going on, due to the half empty beer bottle by his bed. We asked how his day was, and he told us that he was doing fine. But I can feel, every time we've entered his home, that it is a lonely place. His only family lives in the states. The only people we've seen him associate with are our ward mission leader, his boss, and another teenage kid, who I wouldn't be surprised is just his drug dealer. We had a short lesson, and we basically told him of the peace and love he could attain through the gospel, but particularly in church attendance and that there are other people that are trying too. I just want to be his friend, or to get some member to be his friend, so that he has someone to rely on. I finished the lesson with a prayer and he was crying before I finished. I’m not sure if drunk people can feel the Spirit, but I think he felt something. His loneliness and sadness was almost palpable. 

If you could pray for Francisco, Federico, and Jaime. I think they are the ones that need the most blessings right now.

Mission life is great. I feel like I'm really starting to get a hang of it. And it definitely helps that I'm actually starting to understand most everyone. The Spanish is really coming along, and I have never been more thankful for the Gift of the Spirit. I know that the Gift of Tongues is really strengthening me here.

Last thing: This week I found the General Conference edition of the Liahona from this spring. The missionary homes are full of Liahonas. It’s great! I've loved reading and studying the inspired words. We are so blessed to have Prophets and leaders to guide us in these days. And their words are truly to help build us up, especially as families. This has led me to choose this scripture to ponderize this week. D&C 1:38 "What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same." The words of the Lord are still being spoken today, and it is great council for us, to guide us through the problems and confusions of the modern days.

This really has been a great week, and I'm so thankful for the work that I am a part of. I wish you all a great week, and eat as much as you can for me during Thanksgiving! I'm grateful for all your support in me and all the other missionaries around the world. Thank you, and I'll talk to you all next week!

Love, 

Elder Kaden Quinn

November 16, 2015

Hey everyone! Another P-Day. Man, this week has seemed unusually long. And it was probably because it was one of our weakest weeks yet, as far as numbers go. We had a few days this week that were really slow. But it was still a pretty fine week.

We had our most impressive Sunday showing yet. We had about 10 investigators we thought were going to come. But only 6 came. But still, 6 are way more than our previous high of 2. And we had 74 people at Sacrament. A few of the active families didn't come, but we had quite a few less-active members show up. It was really great. There is one family that was been inactive for a while now, but they are starting to come back more and more. Every week they seem to bring another one of their sons and his family. Their family is about 1/4 of our ward haha, and they still have more to bring. They are great.

We now have two investigators with baptismal dates! Francicso is in two weeks on November 28, and Federico is December 10th. I'm 99.9999% sure with Francisco. He's really great, and shows a lot of faith for all the effort he puts into listening to us and attending church. Federico is also really promising, but we haven’t had many lessons with him yet. 

We have a few new investigators and have been working with an eternal investigator family. Angelica and Jimmy both work for Hmo. Victor, our Branch Mission Leader. We met them when we met up with Victor to accompany us. Angelica is actually an old investigator of the area, but she accepted our visits too. She is really smart, and very accepting of the Gospel. She knows that it is something good, and I really hope that we can progress with her. Jimmy is a great, noble guy. He lost basically his whole life in the States, and now lives here all by himself. I really think that the Church can be a new family for him, that he can rely on. One of our Branch Presidency really wants to get to know him, become friends, and get bring him in. The Gospel is going to bring a lot of comfort into his life, I'm sure.

Ok, last thing. We had the opportunity this last Saturday to go to the Temple in Guadalajara. It was sooo great! Man, the feeling of the temple is like nothing else. It isn’t a lie that it is a part of heaven on earth. What an amazing blessing we have to be able to attend the temple. And the blessings that we receive in the temple give so much hope. It’s great to remember that our ultimate goal as missionaries is to help these people and these families become families for eternity. What an incredible message of happiness!

My scripture this week is Alma 19:6 " Now, this was what Ammon desired, for he knew that King Lamoni was under the power of God; he knew that the dark veil of unbelief was being cast away from his mind, and the light which did light up his mind, which was the light of the glory of God, which was a marvelous light of his goodness—yea, this light had infused such joy into his soul, the cloud of darkness having been dispelled, and that the light of everlasting life was lit up in his soul, yea, he knew that this had overcome his natural frame, and he was carried away in God—"

The language is coming much better. It isn’t nearly as big as a challenge now, but it’s still a little hard. I don’t have a very huge vocabulary, but I can usually follow most conversations.

I love you all! Thank you for all your support in me and all the other missionaries in the work. Have an amazing week, and I'll talk with you guys next week!

Love,

Elder Quinn

The Guadalajara Temple, small but beautiful!

And I made peanut butter french toast and eggs one day. It was a nice change from cereal.

November 9, 2015

Hey everyone. This week has been long. But not all that much happened. I think this was the first week that I haven't seen President Egginton haha! But overall, it’s been alright. We didn’t have very impressive numbers this week, nor did it feel like we did, that’s why it felt long. And we walked a lot. 

 

We found a few new investigators this week through referrals from members. We don't have much success from contacting here. Most everyone we talk to is willing to talk about Christ and the Gospel, but as soon as we ask if we can teach a lesson, they just close off to us, because "I have no time to talk to you" or "I'm Catholic". But most of our referrals have been pretty rewarding. We talked to the father of one of the Stake Counselors, and he wants to meet with us. He's actually been reading the Book of Mormon on his own! Not only that, but he studies the Bible and the BoM for two hours every day. I'm excited to talk to him again.

 

We've had a bit of a struggle with a few of our investigators. We haven't been able to catch one of them for about 2 and a half weeks. And another is interested in the BoM and likes to learn about the church, but doesn't want to pray, doesn't want to see how church is, nothing. It’s a little frustrating. We actually have many people who just don't want to do anything. They’re fine with us coming and talking with them, but in between visits, us nor our message exists. 

 

But overall, it’s been a fine week. We had the highest church attendance this Sunday yet since we've been here. One inactive family that we've been working with brought 15 people! And we have 3 investigators come as well. Hermano Francisco Fuentes is still on track to being baptized on the 28th of this month. That will be awesome!

 

It’s still really hot here in Ocotlan, but every once in a while, we get cool days that actually feel a little bit like Utah fall days. It’s good here. Elder Taveras and I are still working hard. I'm had many people ask me if he's died yet, but he still goes 110%. We’re doing good. Also, my scripture this week is Enos 1:4 "And my soul hungered; and I kneeled down before my Maker, and I cried unto him in mighty prayer and supplication for mine own soul; and all the day long did I cry untbyo him; yea, and when the night came I did still raise my voice high that it reached the heavens." I've been thinking a lot about the power of prayer this week.

 

Everyone, I love you all. And I love hearing from you. Thank you for all the support and prayers. Have an amazing week!! Tomorrow

 

Love,

Elder Kaden Quinn

Hey everyone! The week has been pretty great. It finally feels like we are getting somewhere. We have one progressing investigator with a baptismal date for November 28. His name is Francisco Fuentes and he is so awesome. He's blind, and already has his answer that we are representatives of Jesus Christ. It was actually pretty funny. He said he had a dream, and he heard a voice saying that he should "listen to my messengers". So he looked around but couldn't see where the sound had come from. He then explained that he could see in his dreams, of course. Haha! I'm super excited, because he'll probably be my first baptism and Elder Taveras' last one.

We had a missionary activity this last Saturday, Halloween day. We watched Meet The Mormons. We contacted so many people. Every one of our investigators, every member we ate with, All the less-active members, everyone. We invited so many people to come. Well the night came, and about 15 people showed up. We had one less-active family, no investigators, and the Branch Presidency and family. It was a little rough. But the next day, we had two investigators show up to church, which was a record for me haha. One was Hmo Francisco and the other was Hma Magdalena. But it still was pretty good. We had a few people tell us that they couldn’t come, but watched it the next day on their own.

Hermana Magdala is one of our harder investigators. She is the wife of the Mission Leader, and has heard from the missionaries for about 13 years now. She is really warm and receptive to us, but she has no desire to get baptized. We have to somehow just her to want to read the BoM and to get baptized. She believes in God, Jesus Christ, and she thinks that our message is good. But she doesn’t want to read or know that it’s true. It’s a little rough with her. But we're going to keep trying with her.

We also had divisions this week with the Zone Leaders. Elder Benitez came here to Ocotlan with me, while Elder Taveras went to Chapala with Elder Hogge. It was rough. E Benitez is a great missionary, but he treated me like a normal missionary, which was really hard, because I barely know what I'm doing haha. And we definitely got lost at least twice, but it went pretty well.

Overall, this week has been pretty good. Halloween is basically non-existent here. And Day of the Dead is just alters, parades of people with face-paint, and people visiting graveyards. It’s a little creepy actually. And it’s actually today, November 2nd. But the members here don’t really do much for this holiday. And neither do we.

The Spanish is actually progressing so much. It’s been so much better. I'm still struggling on my part of speaking though. And with understanding, it’s either about 70% I understand or nothing haha!

It rained the other day; Friday I think, but nothing bad. It really hasn't rained real hard here yet. We've had much more in SoJo than here. 

Oh and also, my scripture this week is one that President Egginton shared this morning during a training for the greenies in my generation. 1 Nephi 4:6 "And I was led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which I should do." Definitely something I need to work on, confiding more in the guidance of the Spirit.

Well, I hope you all have had a great week, and have another fabulous one this week. Love you all, thank you so much for all your love and support, and I'll talk to you all next week!!

Love,

Elder Kaden Quinn