Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

Elder Holland spoke this week to the missions in Monterrey. These two missions will become three the first part of July. We were blessed to be able to sit at the feet of an Apostle of God and hear inspired, personal messages tailored for each mission's needs. Monday was our preparation day and so all of the temple missionaries attended the conference with the East Mission. Tuesday, John and I worked the late shift and so were able to drive to Saltillo, about an hour away, to participate with our mission (the West Mission) and another senior couple before our shift at the temple. The following are some of our notes and photos from the two meetings--you will get the words, but the power of his teaching is impossible to describe!

Monterrey West Mission--Elder Holland Conference

May 20, 2013

What is your purpose as a missionary? It is to take investigators to salvation. How do we do that? We teach doctrine: First, we take them to the restoration, then to the Doctrine of Christ: Faith, repentance, baptism, and the Holy Ghost. As missionaries we must continue to go deeper and deeper and not just brush the surface of these crucial doctrines. (As he was writing these points on the board in Spanish, he had trouble spelling repentance--arrepentimiento. He said, “This is a very big word in Spanish, and it is a very big problem--in any language.) 

We read together 2 Ne. 31:2, 21, 10, 9, 12, 13, 17 and 2 Ne. 32:6 in that order. More fundamental than the Doctrine of Christ is the life of Christ--more than what you teach is what you are. Christ came to turn doctrine into action. Look at His life and follow Him (2 Ne. 31:13, 17). All of these words we have just read were written on metal plates. Why did he keep repeating the same message over and over when it was so difficult to engrave by hand? Because this was a very important message--the only message: Live as Christ lived. 

Obedience is the first law of Heaven--and obedience is the first law of everything. If you want investigators to have more faith, then you need to have more faith. If you want them to repent, you need to repent. Every principle you ask of them, you need to put into practice. Do everything you know how to do to follow Christ. That is the most fundamental missionary message that there is in this life. We begin to understand, when we would rather die than disappoint Christ; when we have nothing in us that would crucify Christ again. 

In Mosiah 27 we read about how Alma and the sons of Mosiah were “astonished” by the angel (vs. 12). You don’t need to be an angel to astonish--just live as Christ lived. Now that takes a great price; but living a Christ-like life means being obedient to the laws of God--all of them. That obedience bestows upon you power and authority. And that combination astonishes! (see Hel. 5:17-19) 

“Why is the work so hard? Why isn't it easier? If this was so easy,” Elder Holland said, “I would do it better and so would you. I have thought about it for 50 years. It is not easy for us because it never was easy for Him. There was not one earthly thing in Christ’s life that was. The road to Salvation always goes through Gethsemane.

“Being a disciple of Christ is the most joyful thing in life and the most difficult. I love the Lord with all my heart--with every fiber, muscle, cell, and chromosome of my being. The gospel has given me everything! I bear witness of the divinity of Jesus Christ and of the Father. 

May 21, 2013

Elder Holland began his talk with these energetic words: ¡Tengo gozo en mi corazón hoy! (There is Sunshine in my Soul today) ¡El evangelio es verdad! (The gospel is true)¡Hermana Holland es mi esposa! (Sister Holland is my wife)

I want you to love every single minute of this mission--the good, the bad, and the ugly--it should be the Clint Eastwood mission! On a graph, the excitement and commitment at the beginning of a mission are a steep angle. Later in a mission the angle lessens and sometimes flattens out, or even declines. Maintain an upward angle and continue to get better and better until the very end of your mission. 

• Keep the Book of Mormon in the center of your study every day, no matter what else you study. 
• Continue to have powerful scripture study time
• Develop a new love of the scriptures
• Persevere vigorously with language study

Don’t just live your mission going up--live your life going up vigorously! After your mission, always dress, look and act like “the best time in your life!”

You can’t teach the Doctrine of Christ until you live it--you need to bring it to the teaching. In the Doctrine of Christ, we are His investigators. None of us are home yet. He wants you to have more faith, repent more, study more (the same things you want your investigators to do). Pray with greater urgency, change your habits, put it all on the line. Do all you know how to do to emulate Christ. When we love Him and reverence Him, then we can teach with power and authority.

• 2 Ne. 31:13--You must live with real intent, without pretense or hypocrisy
• You must have integrity in what you are doing here.
• We need you forever! You can’t go inactive! We can’t lose the shepherds!
• If you come to teach this and testify of this truth--you must believe it. We need you to be your best convert. That is the only one I insist you bring to the Lord!
• Don’t ask your investigators to do something you are not willing to do for the rest of your life.
• Pray less like a child and more like an investigator
• Study with more intensity
• Clean up bad habits

God wants you to stay true forever because you are God’s investigators. He feels about you like you feel about the people you are teaching. Bring your life to Christ and others will follow.

A new couple arrived this week, Arturo and Guadalupe Priego. They were originally called to serve in the Mexico City Temple, but just before they were to leave he had to have a six-way heart bypass.  He recovered in record time--only four weeks of therapy instead of eight. They were reassigned here and are so grateful that he is well and that they are able to still serve.  

Hermana and Elder Priego

They stayed with us one night while we helped find them an apartment and get them set up. What troopers they are! Our extra bedroom has no air con and it is now over 90 degrees on a daily basis. They just smiled, turned on a couple of fans and told us the next day that it was perfect--that they were actually cold when they woke up! 

We found them to be absolutely delightful people and are excited to have them "on the team." They are originally from Hermosillo, but they've lived in Provo for the past 20 years and have dual citizenship. They are parents of 8 kids. Hermana Priego raised her own children and then took over tending grandkids and great-grandkids while the parents worked. She says her job was to teach them Spanish and then they could go to school to learn good English. Consequently, it has been hard for her to be away, buy she is very happy working in the temple. Arturo retired from teaching in Mexico before they moved to the USA and then worked for NovaTek in Provo. We probably won't see a lot of them since they will be working the opposite shift from us and will attend a different ward nearer their apartment. They are very committed to their mission work. Prior to leaving, Arturo handed his bishop all of the necessary funds to cover his rent and utilities for the 18 months they will be here. That's commitment! We have had fun getting to know them and seeing their great love for our Heavenly Father.  

Back in the "Casa"

A Peek into the Last Two Weeks: 

Family, painting, parties, family, barbecue, ice cream, family, flowers, hugs & kisses--and did we mention family? 

XOXO to all who made it so memorable!

We were surprised as we boarded one of our flights to be greeted by Elder and Sister Christensen (who were over us in Mexico City) and Elder and Sister Bednar. They asked if we were coming or going to our mission--we explained that we were on "leave" while the temple was closed. While John picked up our bags, Sister Bednar found me and introduced herself. We had a short conversation about their trip and our work. In the last 12 days they had been in Bolivia, Columbia, and Peru--it had to be exhausting. As we parted she said,  "Enjoy your time with your grandchildren." 

We were so happy to be home for a few days, but are very content to be back at work and engaged in our service. It was great today to hear the reports of our ward's little choir for Ward Conference and how well they did. That was a fun project--finished up for us by our dear friends the Jones who took over as pianist and director in our absence. Thank you, dear hermanos. 

Temporarily Closed

The temple is closed for maintenance for two weeks. We will return to posting at that time.

Families in the Temple

Mother and Daughter

Saturdays are the biggest and best day of the week in the temple. People come from far and wide and the temple block is always teeming with families. A week ago Saturday I got lucky and was able to work with three beautiful families.

The first was a sister who was going through the temple for the first time to be sealed to her husband immediately after the session. What made this more interesting than usual was that her mother was also going through for the first time--I kept thinking how sweet it would be to prepare for that day as mother and daughter. It became even more unique when I realized that the sister escorting the bride had come through for the first time herself only a couple of months before.

Family of Five

I found the three children huddled together with their arms around each other on two straight-backed chairs in the foyer of the temple. There were two girls, 16 and 13, and one boy, 11. The space was really too small for the three of them, but in their excitement and anticipation they wouldn't be parted. When I told them it was time to go back, their faces exploded with smiles. It was obvious that their family had prepared very carefully for this day and its special promises. They reverently followed me to the sealing room where we waited until the sealer invited them into the room. After they were sealed to their parents, the sealer had the family gather and look into the temple mirrors. They stood with arms around each other as the sealer taught them about the pre-existence, our life here on earth, and the great potential of the eternities that stretch before us. As he spoke, the family physically drew closer and closer until they almost literally became one as arms embraced and tightened around one another. The spirit was palpable and their happiness could not be contained. That family will never forget what they learned and what they felt during the sealing. 

Change of Heart

The last family I worked with had one daughter about 14 and another about 10. The oldest daughter was not interested in being there--every particle of her body language expressed resistance, disinterest and even some resentment at having spent so many hours waiting in the temple. The youngest daughter was thrilled with the whole experience and seemed to drink in every detail of her time in the temple. When I took them back, I felt like I was dragging the 14 year old and chasing down the 10-year-old. We waited outside the sealing room for a few minutes and then they entered. As I watched the sealing, a miracle literally took place before my eyes. The resentful, disinterested 14 year old began to soften. By the end of the sealing, she was weeping openly and seemed confused as to why. This family also stood before the mirrors and the parents wrapped their arms around the children as the sealer spoke. The older daughter's countenance began to soften even more and she suddenly turned and wrapped her arms around first her mother and then her father, weeping and hugging and weeping and hugging. I thought she would never let go of them. She came out of the sealing room a completely different person and returned to the front of the temple with a spring in her step and a light in her eyes. Oh, how I hope she can keep what she felt with her forever!

Santa Lucia Riverwalk (or Where is the Alligator?)

One of our next door neighbors once said, "Water is magic." The Santa Lucia Riverwalk truly is  "magic." It washes away cares, opens one's eyes to beauty, and creates deep gratitude for the miracle of God's creations. Welcome to a haven of peace and refuge. 

The Santa Lucia Riverwalk is patterned after the one in San Antonio, Texas. Monterrey boasts, however, that this man-made river is the longest in the world: 2.5 kilometers. It is full of fountains and water features that start before you even climb into the boat. Steps follow this waterfall up to the beginning of the river. The large bucket is from the original steel foundry nearby.

Stepped fountain

Foundry bucket fountain at the beginning of the Riverwalk

You catch the boats here at the Foundry Bucket Fountain and then take a leisurely 20 minute ride past sculptures, art, and water features. It finishes downtown in the museum, art and restaurant district. Any time during the day you can catch a return boat back to your car.

A Santa Lucia boat next to the "Needle"

Sculptures and foot bridges 

Pedestrian path that follows the river on both sides.

The police are always watching--this is an elevator surveillance vehicle.

Cleaning boat vacuuming the bottom of the river.

Fountain along wall...

...Being cleaned by these workers.

Some fountains are easier to clean than others.

Circular water feature in front of "the needle."

We floated under bridges...

Through tunnels . . . 

Alongside enticing sidewalk cafes...

...And famous local murals.

Past walls of water...

Sprays...

Bubblers...

Falls...

And behind this fountain, you disembark under the patio overhang.

At the end of the ride, you pass this sculpture--it hides a secret.

Can you see the alligator?

And then, of course, we did it all again in reverse. 

A magical, peaceful, serene day on the river!

Forever...

Angelica and Moroni

Angelica Monsivais was sealed to Moroni Sanchez last Friday, April 12, 2013. She was the music director and a counselor in the primary, so we met when I started playing the piano for the children. As her wedding day approached, she asked us if we would attend her sealing. We were delighted. It happened to be an evening when we were working, so the coordinator assigned me to reception so I could greet her when she and her fiancé arrived. Everything was checked and double-checked and she was taken back to the bride's room to dress.

In a few minutes, the coordinator came to get me. It turned out that Angelica had no one to be with her on this very special day. It was not her first time in the temple, but it was definitely her first time to be married and the coordinator wanted her to have someone by her side. I arrived in time to help her into her dress and to make sure that she was properly attired for the sealing. There was just one little problem. The scoop neck on her dress didn't cover her collar bones--a requirement for a dress worn for a sealing. A different dress from the temple was suggested, but her heart was set on the dress that had been made for the occasion. I suddenly remembered a lovely linen handkerchief in my temple bag. The beautiful lace around it had been crocheted by an equally beautiful friend, Melanie. I retrieved the handkerchief, quickly ironed it, and we attached it under the neckline with tiny, invisible safety pins. It matched the dress almost perfectly, was approved by the temple matron and Angelica's face became all smiles. After the very sweet sealing ceremony, she prepared to go outside for pictures. As I was helping her, in the back of my mind I heard dear Melanie's voice say, "Give the handkerchief to her as a wedding gift." So I did. Angelica now has a beautiful hand-crocheted linen handkerchief to carry to the temple each time she goes. Thank you Melanie for sharing a gift that keeps on giving. 

Hna. Hoffman, Moroni, Angelica, Elder Hoffman

Food Matters

(Grandchildren note: Find the secret code)

Rodriguez's

Their daughter, Elena, served in the Visitors' Center in Mexico City with us. They come to the temple twice a week now that they have retired. We were invited to their home for real "Norteño" (northern) food. First you heat up the tortillas and put them in a cloth napkin to keep them warm. Then you eat frijoles charros (cowboy-style pinto bean soup) and the yummy, warm tortillas. The drink is "agua de melon" (sweetened cantaloupe water). The main dish is called "discado" and is made by frying chopped bacon in the bottom of a big round pan with chunks of pork. Then chunks of beef are added, onions, green peppers, and finally chunks of Polish sausage. Cook it together for about an hour and serve. Apparently it is the main stay of church parties and family gatherings. 

Corn tortillas being warmed

Frijoles charros and melon drink

Discado

For dessert they served "capirotada," which is served during Lent or on Good Friday and dates back to the 1640s. It is like a bread pudding, but without eggs. They add raisins and other dried fruits, coconut, peanuts, pecans, almonds, chunks or layers of cheese and sometimes cookie decors. It is saturated with a syrup made from whole cane sugar, cloves and stick cinnamon. and steamed until set. It is made at Easter-time because the ingredients represent the suffering of Christ on Good Friday. The bread is for the Body of Christ, the syrup is his blood, the raisins are the nails of the cross, and the whole cinnamon sticks are the wood of the cross. The melted cheese stands for the Holy Shroud. There are recipes for this dish that were recorded by the Holy Office of the Inquisition and are saved to this day in the archives of the Catholic Church.  

Capirotada

Restaurant Dos Palmas--eat dessert first!

Our friends, the Meneses, invited us and the Jones' to lunch. The presentation of the food alone was worth the outing! After lunch they showed us around downtown where we played tourist and wandered the shops. Sweet people!

Fruit bar or sculpture?

Mexican noodle soup

Cream of cilantro soup

Taquitos, sopes and sausages

Farewell to the office couple: 

On April Fool's Day we said farewell to Elder and Sister Lilywhite. They have been a mainstay of the mission office here and will be sorely missed. If you know anyone who would like to work with a wonderful mission president in a fascinating part of the world--have them get in touch with us. You know, ask a missionary--we can help! 

Clockwise from head of table: Morris', Hoffman's, Lilywhite's, Jone's, Swapp's  after dinner and before the April Fool's Day Easter egg hunt.