Time to be Honest.

My dear friends who read this blog, 

I wish to be honest with you all for a bit.

The lord God loves all.  Repentance is key.  I feel small now, and it's funny how little things or things you forgot about come back to haunt you when you least expect them.  I remember a story about a father and his son who were short on corn for the month.  The father told his son, "We are going to go to that pasture over there and get some corn, but I need you to be the lookout."  His son said, "Alright daddy."  That night, they went to the corn and the dad said, "Am I clear?"  The son replied, "No cars are coming, but God is always watching."

In the last days of the prophet Joseph Smith's life, in sections 121 and 122 of the Doctrine and Covenants, he, in a sense, asked Heavenly Father the same question Jesus asked our Father as He was dying on the cross.  "Father, Why hast thou forsaken Me?"  To Joseph Smith he replied, "The son of Man has come before thee, art thou greater then He?"  The answer is no.  No one is greater then The Savior, Jesus Christ.  It's not that I felt better then Jesus, it is that I was not willing to own to what the truth is. 

Our life here is small.  I like to compare it to a line, (as found in Our Search For Happiness) a 12 foot string.  One end of the string represents your eternal life before your birth and the other end represents your eternal life after death.  There is a little knot smack dab in the middle.  The little knot is your life on the earth, from your birth to your death.  

My beloved friends, I plead for your love.  I am sorry for not being the best example or person, I am only human.  I only wish that you will trust in God.  Follow Christ's example and not man's example, for no man is perfect.  If you want to know of an example that will never waver, it is Christ.  If you want to know you can always trust in a man, it is solely Christ.  I just humbly ask for forgiveness, for all I have done wrong unto all whom reads this blog, and those who do not get the chance.  I got to make a change, but this is for salvation.  The same for you all.  Love the sinner, not the sin.  I love all, as I hope you will love me.  But it is also for a love to have for everyone in the world. NO ONE IS PERFECT.

This is my prayer and testimony, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen

Elder Stout

-- 

Remember who you are 

Okay, WHAT A WEEK!

I have a new companion, Elder Putnam, from Spokane, Washington.  He's a really cool guy, we are pretty much the same person.

Um, we had a great lesson with a family this week, Raymond Gonzalez. He all of the sudden doesn't want anything to do with us, but his wife wants to be baptized. But, the thing is, we were doing an object lesson, AND I LIT THEIR TABLE ON FIRE!!!!!  IT WAS SO INTENSE.  I was so afraid that that was going to be the last lesson.  What a story for my kids, huh?  Um, we also taught Alexis and Mili, and we finally made a break through.  God is putting people in our way, the hand of God is showing us we just have to keep going.  We were contacting yesterday on the ghetto, next to literally a river of blood.  Man, I love the ghetto haha.  No matter here or in the US, it's all the same.  Not going to beat around the bush, the mission is really hard.  But I know it's for people's salvation, not mine.

God bless you all.

 

Elder Stout

-- 
Remember who you are 

Pictures from the mish!

Quote from the missionary: "Man seriously, I have lost so much weight.  I feel unhealthy here, but it is all well as long as I drink water, ya know."

Stories and a Challenge.

So, we have a wonderful family in our ward.  They are less active only because of health problems with the man's wife.  Before we started the lesson, I felt prompted to ask the man a question.  I asked him "Usted recurden un hombre y un mujer, Diego y Elba Peña?"  And Hermano Colon got a huge smile on his face.  Yes, Hermano and Hermana Colon, the family that baptized Grandpa, mom!  How wonderful of an experiance that was for me to be in the house where you played as a child and to talk to the people who helped me be born into this gospel.

This last week was pretty slow.  We haven't been able to find as many families, but the ones we are teaching are making great progress.  People here are calling me Flaco (I think that is how you spell it).  Not good man, not good.  Oh, and turns out I might need glasses.  This sun is killing my eyes, man.  It's getting harder and harder everyday.  But I am improving on my Spanish, people say.  Haha it is only through God that this is possible.  Only through Him that I am able to continue in this work, learn more in this language to one day be able to speak it without pausing.

The Gospel is true, my friends.  If you are a member and are active, figure out if the Gospel is true.  If you are less active, figure out if the Gospel is true.  If your an investigator, figure out if the Gospel is true.  If you're one of my friends reading this blog, figure out if the Gospel is true, and see the real reason why I am giving 2 years of my life to serve God.  The only way to find out is to read the Book Of Mormon and take the challenge in Moroni 10:3-7.  That is my challenge to all of you who read this.  And if you truly want an answer, I promise with my heart and soul that you will obtain your answer, and find that eternal happiness. This is my prayer and testimony, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Elder Stout
Remember who you are

Note from Mom: The Colons introduced her family to the Church, but the elders were the ones who baptized them. :]

Another Week in Puerto Rico

Almost another transfer down.  MAN!  Haha crazy how fast it goes.  This week has been amazing.  Please pray for Hermano Donetui and Familia Gonzalez.  SO what is new.  It got up to 112 the other day.  I can't even walk without dripping in the heat.  But it's funny because evey moring when it's 85 degrees, I am freezing.  This humidity is killing me.  I am a district leader now.  It's got a lot of responsibilities, but through God, I will be able to accomplish it.  Um, there is this one kid who I call gordito and he threw a slushy at me when we were riding bikes.  I was like, "Que paso, gordito." and he said, "MORMONS!!!!!!!"  And then he punched me when we rode by.  Come on, man.  I learned how to make rice now since I am the best cook out of me and my companion.  He doesn't think so, but you got to try the differences.  Um, the work is great.  It is better then I thought.  We have an ant infestion though everywhere.  And I have to give a talk this Sunday in Church!  Blah it's so intense.  Continue to pray for others.

-- Elder Stout
Remember who you are 

Who wears short shorts!

Okay, this was one week to remember.  We taught two new families, and they seem so ready.  The Gonzalez family and the others are just a boiling pot of people.  I crashed my bike bad!  It's a nice bike, too.  A car pushed me off the road.  It was my first day on the bike, too!  Okay, so during study, a cockroach ran right past me.  Literally 4 inches long.  I almost puked.  We killed it, pulled off it's head and it would not stop twitching for hours.  Then the ants came and literally took all of the meat in that bad boy.  Ants here are vicious and all over the place.  Everyone thinks I have lived here my whole life, I love it.  They're like, "Y tu de donde eres?"  "Soy de Washington" I have to say, but soon I will say "Cabo Rojo" or something, I dont know.  Yeah, still have not had the chance to eat great food yet, but I am waiting patiently.  So many beautiful trees and flowers here, it is amazing!  I can't wait to hopefully take pictures.  I never get the chance, man!

Anywho, love you all.  Keep on the sunny side of life!!!

-- Elder Stout

Remember who you are  

HOT HOT HOT

Two down for baptism!  Haha I love this work.  Okay, so the first day was a little different, but it feels so natural.  Everyone here says they're impressed with my Spainsh, yet I still feel lost haha.  We are teaching I think five families right now, our main focus here is families.  Like i have said earlier, families are failing, you guys need to stand strong.  Elder Vicil y yo are going to be doing a lot of work, but it will be worth it.  Big difference here, we don't get to eat dinner.  And we had no food this week either.  I feel proud but then not, if that makes any sense.  Really staring to like malta down here, it's all they have.  We had a cool session with members and investigators where we watched the Testaments (five times in a week) and you could just feel the sprirt in the room.  Oh, I killed a massive fly one day, and left it on the wall.  We came back and all the ants took the meat of the fly.  There is a little lump on the wall and it's the fly's bones.  It's gross haha.  I will take a picture and send it home when I have time.  It's so different, every morning we are up by 6 o'clock and go to bed at 10:45.  But the work is so amazing, it is so worth it haha.  Love you all stay safe.

-Elder Stout
Remember who you are