1/14/2013

Ay mi madre tengo UN AÑO ya. ¿Cómo va a ser?

Haha Well my dear friends and family. I hope that most of you can´t understand what I just wrote because honestly I can´t even believe that its true. But enough about that already. Back to the Work.

What a week its been. A little unpreductive as far as numbers go but we were able to have a good week.

As far as news with hno Abreu he´s doing good. He´s not baptized though. Let me tell you what that has most definitely been an adventure. We were in town until wednesday with my comp being sick. So all that time went by and we were not able to meet with him, get the baptism interview set up, and prepare him for his actual baptism. So we decided on wednesday when we were finally able to make contact with him we said that we would wait to do it this coming saturday. Well sunday comes and we are reminded that this weekend we have a District Conference that will be here in Azua. With that information and with the fact that he already has 2 sundays without going to church, I just was not sure what to do. When we got home from church that day I asked elder Perez what he thought. He looked at me and said that he had no idea either. So I looked at him and said, "wellp there´s Someone who does." So we knelt down and said a prayer. After the prayer I sat there thinking. My comp asked me if I any feelings or better ideas about what to do. I just told him to wait a bit. So he left to go do something in the other room and while a I was sitting at my desk looking for answers from the heavens I received the most beautiful revelation. I even cried from the love I felt when I received this understanding from my Heavenly Father. There I received the determination that we were going to have a baptism and later after talking with my Zone Leader elder Hunt and later in the mission coordination meeting with the leaders of the branch we were able to put a date that we could make happen. So hno Gil Abreu will be baptized now the 25 of January and thats just how its going to be. I have faith that it will happen but please pray for this baptism and that it can all work out well.

I love the fact that we are important to the All Powerful Being we call our God. I know He loves us. He gives us personal revelaton to help us and to help others around us. When you are in those quiet moments of your life I invite you all to pay very close attention to the feelings and thoughts that come to your mind after prayer and petions to our Father in heaven for help. And then I invite you to write what happens down. Those heavenly sent thoughts and feelings become personal scriptures for you and as we do that like the modern day prophets have counseled we will show our Heavenly Father that He is important to us. And as He see´s that he will be more and more inclinded to help us. 

I love you all so very much thank you for the letters and packages. The christmas cards with the letters of what has happened in the past year are my favorite. (hint hint for next christmas). Thank you for your prayers and thank you for your love. I know that Heavenly Father blesses me in His work due to the efforts of every single one of you. Have a great week and I hope you can feelp the peace and love of Christ that He gives to us all.

Love,

Elder Pemberton 

1/17/2013

Hey family!

I´m sorry I don´t have a whole bunch of time to write. My comp is sick and it looks like he´s got an ameba or something. Its been a pretty crazy day! From cries to get sent home to sleepless nights to finding a random lab in town to be able to do some tests. Yeah you all can imagine. But life is good. Don´t you all worry about it. 

As far as the week goes... hmmm what can I say to you all about this past week. Well we can start with hno Abreu! He´s getting baptized this week. WOOOHOOO! We can´t wait. We´ve been able to meet with him a few times this week and he´s doing great. He´s such a humble man and really loves the Lord and His CHurch. Thank you for all of your prayers. They have helped him find the path that god wants him to be on.

As far as our other investigators they are all doing well. I think we´re finally making progress with Bienvenido. We´re doing our best to use words that he can more easily relate to. We put a date for the 2nd of febuary. We´re also working with a few new people and with our studies we´ve been able to learn of a good way to help investigators progress easier. I´ve learned that one of my favorite things to hear from my investigators is that they have been testified to by the Holy Ghost of the truth of our message. The Lord is truly our best teammate in this work and without Him and the testifying of His Holy Spirit we would not be able to do ANYTHING.

Well it´s time to go on an intercambio with my Zone Leader elder Hunt WHO IS AWESOME!!!! I love you all SO VERY MUCH. And I hope you have a great week this week. The Lord is always with His children I know that to be true, but that is if we look for Him. Look for the Savior and His comforting power this week. I promise you as I have seen it today with my companion you will be able to find it through prayer and the scriptures.

Love,
Elder Pemberton

11/19/21012

Dear Family,

Hey I´m so so so sorry that I don´t have time to write a whole bunch. I am in the Capital right now because I had to come to pick up my new companion. Just so you know a little bit. Elder Paredes and I had a wonderful last week together. We had a lot of unity and we were able to truly learn to love one another. He´s being transfered back to the capital and I truly hope that he can find succes likle we´ve been able to have in Azua. My new companions name is Elder Perez and I hear he´s Dominican! So it sounds like it´ll be a lot of fun a learning expereince but a good one. I´ll do my best to write more next week. I want you all to know how much I truly love you all and for all of the birthday packages that I have gotten. I´ll also send pictures next week. Have a great week and again sorry its so short this week.

Love,

Elder Pemberton

11/12/2012

Como me enseñó mi papa de la misión "Hay la viuda"

¿Cómo están mi queridos amigos y familia? I´ve missed you all and I´m ever so grateful for every letter email and loving thought and prayer that has been sent my way. I know you all are busy and I know that the mail system sometimes is horrible but just know that you all will receive so many blessing for the efforts that you all make to take care of a servant of the Lord.

This past week has been a good one. As I have said my companion and I have been able to work things out. Things don´t fly smoothely but we´ve learned how to finally communicate and to try to talk things out. There have been times where i´ve just felt too tired to try to my things ok, or felt like I just couldnt wait for the next transfer but my loving Heavenly Father opened my minds understanding and helped me realized, "your not going to be able to say ´I cant wait for the next transfer´ if you have problems with your wife or your kids in the future." So I do my best to try to solve the problems and try to help him and love him instead of push him away so that I can have my own space. As I have realized how pride is the beggining of all sin I have also learned the beggining of all things good: Love. As I was reading this morning in Alma 20 this morning and thingink a little bit about the little differences that my comapnion and I have I read about when Ammon and Lamoni meet up with King Lamonis father, the king of the Lamanites. The king was mad seeing his son with a "lying nephite" and wanted to kill both Ammon and his own Son. But after Ammon wounded him and after he was lying on the ground pleading for his life he was able to see something that due to his hate he hadn´t seen before. The scriptures teach us the the king was astonished "when he saw the great love that Ammon had for his son Lamoni." Now I´m sure that because he was afraid for his life the king would have done practically anything to not die. BUT when he saw the love that Ammon had for his son not only was he willing to give up everything but he humbled himself (the opposite of prifde) and wanted to know WHY?! Why does the nephite love my son so much. Are we not arch enemies? He became interested and because the love the was found in Ammon. And my dear brothers and sisters where do you think such love came from? 

"Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure. Amen." 

I testify of the love the we can receive from our Savior who is the Perfect Example of who we need to become. And the best part about it is that we truly can become like Him. But we must humble ourselves and change the things that are not in tune with His example. But its possible and He will give us the power to do it. 

As far as investigators go. We have a good group of progressing investigators with Eridania Natalia and Cesarina who are progressing well. I feel a little bit worried because it seems like they´ve lost a little bit of excitement and Eridania is not reading the Book of Mormon like she should be. But with the Lords help and your prayers combined with ours I know they will be ready for their date. 

Hno Abreu is also doing well. He came to church again this sunday and again he loved it. He still hasnt made a decision on which church to join as he still is receiving all sorts of visits from other religions. But this morning as I was reading a general conference talk I received the sweet feelings of revelation. I think he needs to understand better what the priesthood is seeing as how he understands quite well the principle of authority being an ex politician. I´ll have to run it by my companion but I hope we´ll be able to work that out.

We also have found two new young men. The first is Yeuris and is a good kid who´s 17. He´s a bit of a couch potatoe because he already finished high school and isnt doing anything. He came to church and is showing some good effort and understands everything well even though he´s a bit awkward in the lessons. We´ll see if we can get him to seminary this week and get him active!

Our other kid that we found is Rusbert! Holy smokes this kid is smart. What kind of investigator in the first lesson practically tells you word by word from memory the First Vision?!?!? And what kind of investigator comes to your house after church to put an appointment because us as somewhat airhead missionaries forgot to. I looked to my companion and said, "he´s getting baptized for sure." He´s an awesome young man who´s actually hatian but speaks really great spanish and is truly a blessing in our lives as misisonaries.

As far as other people we are working with please pray for Isamar and Hector and Emma (an inactive couple).

The work is moving forward and is going quickly just like the time. I´ve been so blessed to be here in the mission and hope all of you are feeling the blessings that Heavenly Father has promised you as well. Les quiero mucho y que les vaya bien esta nueva semana. Que tengan gozo y amor siempre en sus corazones.

Love,

Elder Pemberton

11/5/2012

Well I´m so so sorry but after writing some other quick emails the time has left me.  But we´ll go for just a quick update and I promise to write a good letter to all next week.

Investigators: Hno Abreu came to church this sunday!!!! It was awesome everyone knew him at church one because its a small small little town and two because he was a political representantive for Sabana Yegua. But he´s doing good he´s till taking studies from other churches but we´re doing our best to help him find the truth and help him understand where his Heavenly Father wants him to be. Pray for him that he will be able to find his answer soon and make a decision before he gets even more confused from all of the other religions.
Eridania Natalia and Cesarina are doing well. All loving church and always come. We have a goal to try to teach them together and tomorrow we´re going to put a baptismal date for the 1st of december. I´m really excited for them!
Isamar is a young woman of about 15 years old. She´s made a lot of changes in her life such as trying to overcome the normal teenager rebelious stage. Shes been taking lessons off and on from the missionaries for about 6 months and we feel like she´s finally ready we put a baptism date for the 1st of december as well. 
The only other one is Nicauris who needs to come to church so she can find her answer as well. Please pray for that miracle to be able to happen this coming week.
Also we need to find more peope so please keep that in your prayers as well. They are waiting for our beautiful message we just need the help finding them.
As far as our comapanionaship we´re dpoing... much better. I´m learning how to communicate how I feel and my comp is learning how to not get mad so fast. We´re doing our best to help one another and I know that all of your prayers are the power behind us. Sorry that its not much but I love you all so much have a great week!!! And good luck with elections!!!
Love,
Elder Pemberton

10/29/2012

My dear family,

Ask and yea shall receive know and it shall be open unto you. 

When I opened my email and saw all of the emails from friends and family my heart honestly soared as I saw all of the loving notes and words that you all took time to send me. To save time I´m going to print them out so that I have time to write you all. Which is very limited due to the pictures that I was tryig to send. 

Just for a quick update. I´m fine all of the missionaries are fine as far as we know. There was some major damage in our small town of Sabana Yegua there were two or three house that were taken away in a river that broke out of a man made trench. There was mud all over the roads and parts of the road were actually taken up. It was quite a sad sight to see peoples home destroyed. Their things ruined by the water. But I trust in our loving Heavenly Father who knows whats best for each one of His children. I hope that the people of Sabana Yegua will be able to come closer to God through this tragedy in stead of letting the hate and anger of the circumstances take over.

As far as investigators go. Luckily none of them were affected by the storm and we finally have baptism dates!!! They´re only goals meaning that theyre not for sure but. Eridania and her family want to get baptised and so were working with them to see if they can get baptised this coming month the 24th of Nov. They´re coming to church and starting to become part of the family of the church. Hno Abreu is also doing well. Do to the storm and the exchanges we had this week with the Zone leaders I havent been able to share with him but he also as the goal of getting baptised the 24th. His biggest problem is getting to church so please pray that we can have a miracle in getting him to church this week.

Elder Paredes and I are doing a lot better. But things did get worse before they could get better. Monday and tuesday I learned more than ever before in my life how to trust ONLY in my Heavenly Father because honestly we just couldnt find the solution to our difficulties. But like I said we´re doing better and I know its been because of all of your prayers.

Sorry I´m short but I´m way out of time. I cannot thank you all enough for the love and support that you all give me. I hope the Lord is pouring out His blessings upon each and every one of you for thinking and taking care of one of His servants. Please have a great week. You are all in my prayers. Y siempre recuerden sobre todo que confiemos en el Señor nuestro Redentor.

Love,

Elder Pemberton

10/22/2012

Well I need to be serious with you all. It´s been the hardest transfer of my short mission life. Mostly because of my companion. I know that the Lord see´s it fit to try His children and there are days when I feel a little bit brave and I ask for more trials in my life to be able to grow more. And well does the Lord hear the prayers of his children. 

Elder Paredes and I, short and sweet, are very different. He´s a great person just raised very differently than I was. He recognizes his faults and its been hard for me to recognize mine, because I´m so focused on just accepting him for who he is and trying to bare it all. We just dont feel any unity when we teach because he teaches very differently than I was taught. We had exchanges on friday and when he came back on saturday I just felt such a tension between us. Before we went out to work he said that he needed to talk to me. So I sat down at the desk and he told me he couldn't take it anymore. He said, "what do you what me do to? What do I need to change? " And I just looked at him. What am I supposed to say? I felt like he wanted me to pull out a magic button that at promblem solver written on top. All I could think of was trying to be the missionaries that Preach My Gospel tell us to be and be obedient. I feel like I´m always walking on thin ice with him and I feel like I never know what to do. So his solution was to start letting me make all of the decisions. Its been a really hard couple of days on top of the diffuclt transfer that passed and the one we´re in right now. And all of you who know me well enough know that I´m not so great at handling difficult situations. The best hope I have is that all of this will make me stronger and that I´m learning a lot. I guess? I understand that the Lord asks us to sacrifice everything for Him but I do ask myself, "is there at times unecessary sacrifice in our lives?" I know that this is where I need to be. 

But no worries, not all is lost. There is always hope. I´ve done the best I can to try to understand how can I find happiness in spite of it all. We got to go to the temple and unfortunately I wasn´t able to leave as happy as I wanted to. And only the Lord knows why. But I was able to learn something. I was able to learn that we can find the a fullness of joy when we complete with our purpose. And as I thought more about it, I thought, "well, what other time in my life am I going to have a more defined purpose?!?" For those of you missionaries, "inivite people to come unto Christ by helping them..."  you know the rest. I feel bad for those of you out in the lone and weary world where its less easy to understand your true purpose. Also looking for help I was reading in the May General Conference Liahona and I came across the President Uchtdorfs talk in priesthood session. I learned there that especially as missionaries we can find happiness as we look back on the day and realize which moments we were used as instruments in the Lords hands. There are answers in the scriptures of the ancient times and modern day. 

Now, on to investigators. Even though Elder Paredes and I are having some problemitas we have been able to find some investigators. We found a man named Gil Abreu and he's such a great man. He´s had a really humbling year. His family left him and went to the US. He lost his leg in a weird accident when he stepped on glass from a light bulb. The leg got infected and the doctors had to take the leg. He was also a Subdirector of Agriculture for the southern region of the DR. Which is a pretty big deal. Unfortunately his party lost in the presidential elections and because of his leg he wasn't going to be able to keep up with his projects that he had. Now he is looking to join a church. He feels a great need to join a church because he knows how much God has helped him in his life. He´s honestly such an example to us. Because he´s not depressed nor hateful for what has happened. He feels good and he shows it. We just hope that he can get his answer soon because he´s receiving a few other churches at his house. The battle of souls is real. Pray for him. 

I´m out of time but please pray for these people as well. Eridania, Natalia, Cesarina. They are a family a mom and her two girls. Isamar, who is a girl of 14 years and Nicaruaris. And please please please pray for my companion and I. We want to fix things, we just dont know how. I love you all, hope you have a great week.

Love,

Elder Pemberton

P.S. If you could send some emails or letters or anything I could really use the strength. I don´t mean to sound needy I know you all do so much for me. But If you have time that would be great.