Don't be the 17% (Week 20)

Hello Everyone,

I must say that this week went by really fast! Not really sure what happened this week because I felt like I just emailed a weekly update ha ha! This week we have mostly been finding investigators to teach and have started to see the fruits of our labor with some scheduled potential investigators, which is good! 

Stadium and Entertainment Center

 

Burgers!!

This past weekend was stake conference and Elder Walker of the seventy was there and he gave a fantastic talk! He talked about how the Lord's work is hastening.  He also talked about hymn 264, Hark all Ye Nations which is our mission hymn and the talk titled Catch the Wave, which is our mission motto! It just shows that the leadership of the church is all united under revelation received from God! It was also very spiritual when a new convert stood up and started pointing out people who helped him to his conversion and who he recognized.  After those people stood up Elder Walker said OK now lets see your new family and everyone in the congregation stood up and the spirit was so strong.  It had such a strong impact on him, it was amazing! The Sunday session Elder Walker spoke again, he talked about how the number Christians are starting to decline. Less and less people are admitting they are Christian, I believe there has been a drop of 17%.
 I just want you all to remember who you are, a Child of God, Your Heavenly Father loves you and cares about you and does everything for You. Never forget who you are and stand up for your belief wherever and whenever, don't be the 17% who deny the truth and shy away. Be proud of your belief and Your identity as a Child of God!!!!!

 I hope you all have a great week and I love you all!!!!!

Elder Salcedo

Happy Easter (Week 19)

Hello Everyone,

This week went by really fast to say the least! Happy Easter to everyone!!!! or late Easter ha ha! Elder Shortland and I had a very busy and tiring week. We have been trying to find more people to teach. We have just been traveling around the city and talking to lots of people.  We were able to set up appointments for this week, so we will see how those go! This past Saturday we went to an Easter party that President Parker hosted. We had dinner (aka lots of Chinese dumplings and rice) and we watched bible videos, Meet the Mormons and we played table tennis. It was a really great party and lots of people attended! I found out there is a movie theater in the basement of our teaching center so that was really cool to see!

 On Sunday was the Easter service and it was really nice to hear recent converts give talks. It's so awesome to see the progress they have made in their life because of the gospel of Jesus Christ! Francis was also confirmed a member of the church and received the Holy Ghost this Sunday! I spoke with him after and he is so excited, he told me that he was saving up money from work so that he can go and serve a mission as well! He is awesome! 

Opening our care packages from home!

We took Francis and Hao our recent converts and Kit an investigator out to lunch in China town. We  had some hot pot which is always super good and yummy! Hot pot is a spicy dish made of  beef, fish, muscles, and vegetables . We have been going to China town a lot to eat.

Hot Pot

China Town and Bings Chinese restaurant on the corner

Elder Shortland and I are looking forward to the new week! Sorry for the late email, but they had a public holiday here Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday and the Libraries were closed! I hope you all have a great week and I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!!!!! 

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Sincerely,

               Elder Ethan Salcedo

Spiritual Giant (Week 18)

Hello Everyone,

We had transfers yesterday! Elder Shortland and I will both be staying in the city, which is so fantastic! This was such a great week!! We had general conference this week and I learned so much, There were very many powerful talks given and this was probably my favorite one so far that I have been able to watch! 

Francis was baptized on Saturday! It has been so amazing seeing how truly prepared he was from God! He had already quit smoking three months before, so the Word of Wisdom was not a problem with him! He has a friend who has a sad life because of her parents having Law of Chastity problems, so he understood the importance of the Law of Chastity.  He wants to pay his tithing so other people around the world could receive the resources he has which have changed his life and so they can learn more about God! He was super excited to be baptized and to watch the prophet speak right after! When he was baptized he said he felt like God was holding him in the water. He also said that a year ago he met some people and he didn't want to listen to them, but when he met us he said he had a feeling that he should listen.  He did and now his testimony in God and in Jesus Christ is so strong! He was truly prepared by God and is indeed a spiritual giant!

Elder Shortland and I with Francis

 

 Elder Shortland and I are ready once again to smash the work this transfer and do our very best to bring as many of God's children back to Him as we can! I hope you all had a great week  and I invite you all to take the challenge of the speakers from General Conference and read the Living Christ testimony and Family Proclamation, which we were invited to read and study many times over this conference. Continue to study the notes you have taken and the talks from conference again, I promise that they will answer your questions! I hope you all have a great week and I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!!!!!

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Sincerely,

               Elder Ethan Salcedo