C. Se Bautiza!

 Hola todos!!

As you can see by the very creative title line, C. got baptized this week! It was really great because he really has changed a lot since the first time we met him. Apparently his family is coming soon from Mexico City too and he says he is already working with them so they can be baptized here with him. The baptism was going to be on Saturday night but when we got to the stake center there wasn't any water.... We had to just call it off and wait for after the services to baptize him on Sunday. The only bad thing was that he'll have to wait until next sacrament meeting to be confirmed. He is a really great guy though!

This week we had a really neat experience with a family we are teaching. The family situation is a bit complicated: single mom M. with her two sons A. and H., her sister N. and her newborn daughter, and M.'s 18 year old daughter with her 3 year old daughter.... The Family; a Proclamation is definitely applicable here, right? Anyways.... we found them because A. is a good friend of our ward mission leader's son and he always wants us to visit them. The other night we were verifying to see if they had read the Book of Mormon and when they told us they hadn't, we decided it would be best to read it with them. We decided to read 3 Nefi 11 and we slowly analyzed the whole story and what was happening. Suddenly, H.touched his chest and said, "What is this that I'm feeling?" He along with his little brother and aunt commented to us that they felt different and when they described to us the feelings, we told them that it was they Holy Ghost. The more we talked about it, the more the spirit was felt in the room. It was really neat! They weren't able to go to church yesterday but we're hoping that this next week they can be able to go. They definitely could benefit from the gospel. 

We also had a zone conference this week that was pretty good. I like seeing my buddies from other areas.  The picture I am sending is of all the elders from the three zones and Pres. and Sister Garcia. It was their grandson's 7th birthday so they decided to send him a picture of his "heroes." 

 

The area that we are in right now is really growing pretty quickly and because of the distance from the church (the division lines here are really weird) we are trying to talk to the stake president to see what we can do. Unfortunately there are a few families that would go to church but most have to take two buses, something that they can't afford, especially with families of 6 or 7. In other areas, they split the ward as far as Sunday meetings but just have one counselor that sees the divided area and the Bishop watches over the two areas. That is what they did in Hunucmá and so we're trying to see what can be done here in Villas Del Oriente. It would be very awesome to have a house of prayer. Something like that would really open things up here even more. I understand however that there are more technical things that have to be seen and for that we're just going to talk to the Stake Pres. about it to see what he thinks.

Well my dears, I hope you all have a superb week and that you're all singing Christmas songs loud for all to hear! 

Con amor, 

Elder Jaussi

Sea feliz, sea Mormon

November 18 Through December 9, 2013

Elder Jaussi has had some amazing experiences in the last few weeks.  He has seen several people be baptized and even had the opportunity to give a name and a blessing to little boy of a newly-baptized member.  He and Elder C. have also been blessed with investigators attending church and having the assistance of members in their area. 

On Nov. 18 he said, "I must say that I really am enjoying myself and even though the mission honestly is still something that is really hard for me, I feel like I have forces that I never had before.  I know where they come from too.  I have been, as Isaiah says, 'borne on eagles' wings'.....I know honestly that God only requires our best effort, not a perfect one.  Every day I try to do my best to thank Him for letting me enjoy the ride and realize that He blesses us always but only on HIS time."

He said that the members tend to call me "Elder Jacinto" because they get stuck between Elder Juicy, Jasi, Howsee and some even tend to give up when they see my name and just look at me like 'Is this some kind of joke, kid?'....We are working on the pronunciation though, because I'd rather be remembered as Howsee or Jasi..."

Members in their area that really help with the work

 An early Thanksgiving dinner with new member, A., her husband, F. and D., the baby that Elder Jaussi was able to bless

 Going to church

 The Elders removed the temptation for an investigator as she came to accept the Word of Wisdom.  Here Taylor holds the contraband along with a "Palabra de Sabiduria" pamphlet.

 Their "turkey bowl"

 One of their investigators, C., who joined them for football.

J. T., a member in Merida

  Elder Jaussi had this to say when he sent the photo below:  

It really was a great week this week. We were able to baptize E. and her three kids and it was grrrrreat!! All of her kids were so excited and so was E.. [She] got baptized first with all of her kids and even her husband watching. Then, her kids went one by one.  The smallest son kept saying "Me next, me next!" but we waited to baptize him last. L.L., who lives two doors down from them baptized them all and it was really neat. He and his wife have been good friends with them for a long time and they were happy to finally see them get baptized. B., the wife of L., was a really good help for E. the whole time we were teaching her. Now, we are working with her husband but that could take a little while longer... Faith though, right?? 

The spirit was really strong when E. was baptized. This was something she has wanted to do for a long time but because of a strong [religion in her] family, she has always been scared to do it. Now whenever we see her you can really tell a difference. She smiles a whole lot more and she is always so happy to see us. She really is a good example of how the gospel can change people.  Elder C. and I also sang "I'm trying to be like Jesus" in Spanish and English.

"I can see a rainbow, see a rainbow...."

 A pretty sky over Merida

 Saying good-by to fellow missionary, Elder H. who was completing his mission

 

 

11 Noviembre 2013

Elder Jaussi reports that this past week was a bit rough due to the fact this his companion, Elder C. was really sick and had doctor's orders to stay at home.  They were in for two days but then tried to hit the ground running once he started to feel better. 

He said that he has tried to be as prayerful as he can lately and that he had a good fast on Sunday.  At times he feels like Nephi in Helaman because it makes him sad to see how hard-hearted some people can be.  There are a lot of days when it seems like there isn't anyone in their area that would be willing to listen to them.  Even with all that, they are "chugging along and doing all that they can."  The previous day they had found two people who accepted baptismal dates and they will continue to work with them.

A bright spot for them has been the purchase of an American football that they can take to a nearby soccer field to toss around in order to shake up their exercise routine.  They have high hopes of gaining permission and putting together a "turkey bowl" for their zone in honor of the American Thanksgiving holiday.

They held a recent zone meeting and this is a photo that was sent of a "zone flag" they had made.  He said a "coa" is a small cutting stick that they use there to chop weeds.  They had substituted it for "sickle" as it is used in the scriptures.

 

It's the Moooooost Wonderful Tiiiiime of the Year!

Hola todos! 

Yay, Halloween is over!! You know what that means?? Christmas music! Nah, just kiddin’ but it is kind of funny seeing all of the stores change their decorations as soon as they can. I can only imagine what you're thinking Mom, or Christa. I remember how you thought it was blasphemia if you even thought of Christmas before Thanksgiving. It's just that it's soooo great!!!

This week we were able to have the baptism of A. and it was really great. She talked a little bit after she was baptized and she talked about how it was indescribable how clean she felt. She is a really great lady and I'm excited to see what we can do for her husband now. Grandma Jaussi, you will be excited and happy to know that we talked to her about her Family History yesterday and we have already got her started on that. Now she is going to enter into the class so that she can find family names for when the ward goes to the temple at the beginning of December. Unfortunately we can't go to that but maybe President Garcia will change that rule seeing as his brother is the new temple president here. He and his wife just arrived on Monday night. 

 

Elder Johnson came this week and he said some really awesome things. We had a zone meeting with him on Friday and then on Saturday he had a meeting with all of the zone leaders and sister trainers which was really sweet!. Elder Johnson started out studying 1 Nefi 8 with us and told us that the dream that Lehi had was "transcendental, y fundamental." He says that it clearly describes for us what we all need to do to find ourselves clean at the last day. I thought that I had studied all you could from that chapter but he sure proved me wrong.  

Elder Johnson then went on for a very long time describing the importance of diligent and consistent study of the scriptures. He told of countless missionaries who go inactive because they stop doing the things that they said "they HAD to do in their mission." He mentioned that the biggest thing was their scripture study. He made sure that we understood that any ex-missionary that comes home and stops reading his scriptures EVERY DAY will have problems, and even included bishops, stake presidents, and mission presidents.

Well, el fin se acerca y hay poco tiempo mis amigos! (The end is drawing near and there is little time, my friends.) Sorry that I just gave you only things that Elder Johnson told us. Just know that I hope you're all reading your copies of the Book of Mormon and that you're really meditating and "deleitando" (delighting) on the things that are written there.  If you're not, please do!!  I speak to you as Lehi spoke to Laman and Lemuel at the end of chapter 8, "with all the feeling of a tender parent." READ PLEASE MY DEARS!!!

I am pretty much done in the offices but every once and awhile I go in to help Elder H. Don't worry, I am going to try and get a picture with all of my friends in Immigration.  We're working with two really cool families right now. 

 

Con amor, 

Elder Taylor Christian Jaussi

Sea feliz, sea Mormón!

Elder Jaussi saw his former companion, Elder C.  They served together in Escarsega.

 Elder Jaussi sports  Minnie Mouse ears, the Halloween costume of little J.

 Elder Jaussi put on his angry eyes when his companion handed him a "Raider's" mug and snapped a picture.  The Raiders are the arch rivals of his Denver Broncos.  :)

Just Another Week in the Selva (Jungle)

Hola todos!!

This week was another really good one and we had a lot of success as far as lessons go. Elder C. is a workaholic and I really like that about him. We were still struggling this week to find a teaching groove together but I think we have found it. We had a lot of really powerful lessons this week, ones that strengthened my testimony for sure. 

In one of the lessons we were talking about the Restoration and at the end, Elder C. invited E. (our investigator) to kneel down and ask if Joseph Smith was a prophet. She did so and while she was praying the spirit was really strong. At the end she said, "I feel something right here..." as she pointed to her chest and then she couldn't finish what she wanted to say because she was choking up. She said she felt something she had never felt before and knew that Joseph Smith was a prophet. It was tough teaching her at first because she couldn't differentiate between praying to God and to the Divino Niño (Divine Son) but we explained prayer earlier this week and now she prays like a champ. She and her two kids came to church yesterday and now we are working with her husband. Unfortunately the trend still is showing in that her husband is pretty hard to talk to.  He works a lot first of all but second, he isn't that used to talking about religion. He is a really great guy though and I even got him to laugh a couple times this week! Believe me, with this guy it is tough to do. Haha            

            Another investigator, L. is recovering from a leg surgery and that makes it good because she can't run away from us!! Yeah! Last night she seemed different so we asked her what she was thinking lately and she told us that she was really excited about everything we were teaching for the first week but that she didn't feel as excited and wasn't sure why that was the case. We explained the role of the Spirit and also talked about what Satan likes to do at times. Elder C. showed Moroni 7, the way to judge, and after talking it all over she was back on board and she even said she was excited again. It showed because at the end of the lesson both she and her mom asked quickly, "Hermanos, cuando regresan??" (Brothers, when are you coming back?) Elder C. invited her to pray as well and when she was done her smile was priceless.  I really have learned the power of prayer this week once again.  

Honestly the mission is still tough and I really miss all you guys but when I focus on why I'm here and what the Lord expects of me, it gets better. Along with that, when I receive answers like I did [this week] I feel like I can't let God down because He never does that with me.  Oh how great the goodness of our God, right? I hope you all know I love you so much and that you're always in my prayers. Keep on keepin’ on but most of all, keep the commandments for in this there is safety and most of all PEACE.  Really, there is!

 

Con Amor, 

Elder Jaussi

 

Elder Jaussi had this picture of Presidente and Hermana Garcia taken to wish his brother, McKay a happy birthday.  :)

 

3 Nephi 13:19-20

Hola todos!

          I'm still in Mérida and Elder C. and I are still the Zone leaders in Zona Brisas. I tell you what, Elder C. is such an awesome missionary.  I really hope I can be like him. He has one month less than me but he is a machine. He teaches really well and he is really funny too. We get along pretty well too which always makes it good.

I told all the immigration ladies last week that I was leaving but that before I left for good I wanted to take a picture with everyone. They were sad but at the same time they were excited for the picture. I'm going to give them copies of the Book of Mormon too and I hope we can stay in touch after the mission to see if anything ever happens. I honestly think a couple would accept it.

3 Nephi 13:19-20  “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and thieves break through and steal;  But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal.”

 

 

I'll let the pictures do the talking... The worst part is, they didn't take any copies of the Book of Mormon!!! The Pearl of Great Price was left in our house too!

So, Elder C. and I stopped by the house at around 6 at night and when I opened the door we saw all our clothes thrown across the house. The first thing we thought was, "Man we sure are pigs. Did we really leave the house that nasty???" However... When we turned the lights on, we saw broken glass all over the kitchen, suitcases thrown open, and unfortunately things taken.  Elder C. had his iPod and speakers swiped, our DVD player that we have in the house was stolen and my shoes!!! Not my athletic shoes!!! It's all good though.  Elder C. and I both had the same train of thought really: Number 1- At least we are safe.  Number 2- I'm kinda ticked at that stinkin’ guy!  Number 3- This is such a sweet story to tell the fam!!!! Haha

Elder C. and I have had some good chuckles about it all but now we've got to figure out how to put the metal protectors on better so we can sleep a little better.        

            Well it has been quite the crazy week this week. There really is a lot of work in Chichen Itza and having to train in the offices as well makes it even busier.

Elder Jaussi with Hna. G, who just completed her mission.  Elder Jaussi said that she is a great missionary.

 Elders Jaussi, T., and C. riding in a "Nacho Libre" moto taxi

 Combined nametags create Elder Jaussi's full name

 A "lovely" spider outside the apartment

Semana 6......Cambios!

Elder Jaussi, along with Elder T., Elder F., and Elder H. put in some late hours re-working maps for the entire mission one night this past week. 

Transfers occurred and Elder Jaussi will begin training his former companion, Elder H. to take over his immigration duties.  He will spend time in the mornings with training and spend the balance of the day working with his new companion, Elder. C. from Bountiful.  He is looking forward to being back out in the field and working with Elder C., who he says is a great missionary.