Announcements – Archived

Released:
No Changes

New Callings:
Becky Larson called as Stake YW Counselor

Olá todos!! Well what a week!! And transfer news!! I’m finally being transferred out of Miami Beach!! It’s bittersweet but I’ve loved this area so much and will definitely miss the people here!! I will be heading up to Miami Gardens and will be serving in a Portuguese area!! Woohoo!! But I hope you all are doing fantastic and had a great week!! I love you all!! 

Well, this week was good!! My highlight this week was we didn’t have the car on Friday because the Elders went to the temple with one of their recent converts so we had to bike and bus all day and we had 8 lessons… 3 of which were in person but we made it on time to each appointment!! It was nuts!! It was a LOT of biking but truly the Lord provided a way!! It was a good day and we met a ton of cool people!! I was super sweaty but it was worth it!! We got fed steaks by one of our members that night so it was so sick haha!!

Something funny that happened this week was I got hit by a car!! Okay it sounds a lot worse than what happened but some Latina rolled through a red light and hit the back of my bike and I like skidded haha!! And she literally didn’t even know she hit me! It was nuts!! I biking in Miami truly is ride or die!! Haha it was so funny but my bike is okay!! And I’m good too haha!! So, it was hilarious haha!!

Oh!! This week I finished Alma!! And Alma is probably one of my favorite books in the Book of Mormon!! The War chapters are sick!! But not because it reminds me of clone wars (that too) but also because there are spiritual lessons to be learned from them!! My favorite character is commander Lehi!! He’s underrated for sure!! But all these Captains and commanders like Moroni and Teancum they all were great fighters but they all relied on the Lord and kept the commandments!! Almost always the Nephites were outnumbered by the Lamanites yet they were able to beat the Lamanites because of their trust in the Lord!! Now the strategies of the Lamanites were important because they were the doings of the devil!! We see the adversary’s game plan and attacks!! But more importantly, we see how we can prevent and defend those attacks!! As we fortify ourselves spiritually and continually do so every day, we are able to withstand the fiery darts of the adversary!! As we trust in the Lord, I know anything is possible!! 

Keep being amazing and have a great week!! I love you all and always remember who you are!! Til next week gang!! 

Tchau tchau!!

Elder Castillo 

Good morning!

This week was full of the most random stuff so I hope you enjoy. We have an all day p day today so I’m excited for that. I’m getting a harocut today because my hair looks like  a mop.

Tuesday 

We woke up at 6 to workout at this hotel that lets us go and workout and eat breakfast for free. We got a good pump and then went home and did our studies. We met with a kid named Dom for the first time and invited him to be baptized on August 13th. He’s 9 and wants to be better because he’s been around the wrong crowd at the skatepark. I got new tires for my bike at Walmart because the tread was down to zero. It looked like a street bike

Wednesday 

We had a service with brother Miller and helped peel up his flooring. It was tough but we are coming back another day. We had apartment inspections and it went pretty well. We keep it clean which is good. There are some messy missionaries out there. This dude on the side of the street called me a KKK member out of nowhere and was saying my companion doesn’t know his roots in Hawaii. My comp was about to blow up so we had to dip. Dude was on something 

Thursday 

We had a service for a family that has a daughter getting baptized. The mom is in rehab for some things and wants her to be there so it’s it’s bummer she isn’t getting baptized next week anymore. That’s just how it is sometimes. We had a lesson at this old dude’s house and as soon as he walked in there were pictures and Christmas decorations everywhere. We sat down and watched his home videos of the sacred grove and had a jukebox playing peaceful music. We walk in the other room and there is a christmas tree, polar express train, and moving ornaments. We were over there to give him a blessing but said someone else was going to do it. He finessed us.

Friday 

Today was another interesting one. We had district council and since we combined with the other one it’s huge now. We went to lunch with some of the elders afterwards and then had some lessons. I saw my old friend Nick again today but he was going crazy. He offered us a blunt but we declined. Then this other guy jokingly pulled a knife out and said give me all your money while moving towards us. Something new happens everyday here 

Saturday 

We had a service helping pull up that flooring again and finished it. It sucked but I’m glad we could help. We helped clean the church with the kid we just baptized and his older brother going on a mission. We got home and my companion started to feel really sick. We have just been making phone calls all day 

Sunday 

Another sick day 

Spiritual thought: 

D&C 93:40

40 But I have commanded you to bring up your children in light and truth.

The family is the most important unit we have here on earth. This gospel here on earth revolves around families. It’d so important that we come together as a family and draw nearer to our heavenly father and our savior. Just simply praying together can bring a spirit into the home that you will always want.

Elder Willis 

Released:
No Changes

New Callings:
Victoria Kempton called as the ward Just Serve Representative

Olá todos!! I hope everyone is doing well!! It’s been a minute!! Haha we didn’t have P-day on Monday because we get to go to the temple today!! So sorry it’s a little late!! But so many miracles this week!! Let’s dive into it!! 

Well, highlight was Marie was baptized on Sunday WOOHOOOO LETS GOOOO!! Hence the name SPACE JAM because she got dunked last Sunday!!! Haha well I’m so happy for her!!! She is doing super well and loves the Book of Mormon!! She’s super happy and I just am glad I was able to be there with her on her journey!! So many miracles went into her baptism!! It was nuts because we rode the bus with her on Sunday.  And she just got a bus pass so we told her to bring it! We get to the first bus… and she didn’t have her bus pass!! And for some reason the bus driver was super strict and was gonna kick her off the bus (which in Miami most of the time they don’t care). A random lady on the bus just handed her 2 bucks!! It was insane!! But we have to take 2 buses to get to church. So at the stop of the second bus, I was fully prepared to just pay for her.  And this super nice lady was concerned for Marie and how she couldn’t get on this next bus! (This lady was on the first bus, another lady!!)  Which in and of itself is already nuts because people here in Miami usually mind their own business and just don’t really care to talk to you!  The next bus comes and we get on and same thing happens as the first.  But this time that sweet concerned lady scans her bus pass and gets off the bus so Marie can ride the bus!! I almost cried!! I told the lady “I will pay for you!! Please get on!!” She insisted she will wait for the next bus and blew me a kiss.  I know for a fact that the Lord was watching out for her!!! Sorry I hope that all makes sense!! It’s hard to give these miracles justice with just words!! 

Something funny that happened this week was since Marie’s baptism happened so fast we had to get her baptismal interview done and we set up a time and day but she wasn’t home in time! So we called her, and she was at a Dennys… so we did her interview in a Dennys!! HAHAHA it was so funny but it worked out well!!! Everyone that was eating around Marie’s table literally got up and left as soon as they started the interview!! So crazy!!

This week was definitely a good one!! It was also a tough one!! And I truly have learned a lot about myself but also my Savior!!  Something that resonated with me this week is this quote from Amy A. Wright, 

“Waiting upon the Lord can be a sacred place—a place of polishing and refining where we can come to know the Savior in a deeply personal way” 

At times I found myself this week just trying my best to get through some days.  But as I reflected I learned more about who my Savior is to me and how I can learn to trust him more!!  I can’t testify of that!! 

 I love you guys and I hope you have a great rest of your week!! And always remember there are good days to come!!

Tchauzinhos!!

Elder Castillo 

Good Morning!!!

We just sent off Elder Jensen to the airport so that was pretty sad. He’s gonna kill it in Finland Tuesday

Today was a good one. We had a ton of lessons and even invited a girl named nayeli to be baptized!! There was a storm that rolled in so it was super windy and dirt was flying everywhere. This girl randomly came to us and said “i’m gonna ask my mom if I can be baptized” sounds good to me. We have some good work and some exciting things to come

Wednesday 

It was like 97° out today and I was dying while biking to lessons. I guess I’m a Utah boy now and can’t take the heat. Towards the end of the day it got cloudy and then the thunder came. We got drenched so badly that my water proof shirt was no longer waterproof. Definitely the hardest it’s rained in a while. Our shoes were squishing as we walked into the church for our meeting with the stake and our mission president. Utah needed the rain so I’m glad we got it 

Thursday 

I had some really good studies today about the true meaning of forgiveness and how to have that christ-like love for people that have hurt us in life. We called a ton of people to set up the baptisms this month. It gets pretty stressful if you’re not organized. It rained again today, which was good. We went to some houses before having a lesson with “Patten” who is getting baptized on Saturday. We are hyped for him.

Friday 

Solid day. We had zone council and one of my companions Elder Jensen bore his testimony because he leaves on Monday to Finland where he was originally assigned. He is a good dude and will definitely miss him. We went to this crazy family’s house and ate leftover eggs and turkey bacon. It looked like the dog treats called ” beggin strips”. We went to the skatepark and I did some tricks on the kids scooters there. They were super cool and thought what we did was awesome. We found a new kid to teach too. They asked where we got our cool clothes haha. They thought we were cops at first. We got locked out of the apartment and had to get a crowbar and crawl through a tiny window to get in. Missionary life.

Saturday 

I had the weirdest experience on the mission yet. We first had the baptism for patten and it went super smooth. He’s one of the coolest kids I’ve met on the mish. Afterwards we had a service with the weirdest lady. She was going on and on about anime and made cringe jokes. She was pulling up a root and passed out out on the ground. We had to carry her to her couch inside and she flopped on it. The only thing she kept saying was ” water..water”. I don’t know if I’m going back there again.

Sunday 

Solid Sabbath day. Had church and confirmed patten a member of the church and gave him the holy ghost. We had a flat tire so we walked 45 minutes to a a youth night. We played games and shared our goals, it was fun hanging with the youth. Elder Jensen has been packing because he’s leaving to Finland tomorrow. I’m gonna miss this dude, he’s a real one.

Spiritual Thought:

D&C 42:61

 If thou shalt ask, thou shalt receive revelation upon revelation, knowledge upon knowledge, that thou mayest know the mysteries and peaceable things—that which bringeth joy, that which bringeth life eternal.

Praying is one of the most important things we can do in life. Having the lord in every aspect of your life will help you to grow and make good decisions. We can receive knowledge and answers to questions by praying to heavenly father with real intent. Follow the teachings of christ and heavenly father will give you the answers you need 

Elder Willis 

Released:
Denise Clouse as Relief Society 1st Counselor

Called:
Angie Dunn as Relief Society 1st Counselor