Happy News Year!!!

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas. Mine was quite different than what I was used to. Instead of snow being on the ground when we woke up we had to sun and the grass to look at. So it was a different experience for sure. This last week has been really slow due to the Holidays, so nothing too exciting happened. We did add a new investigator last night. His name is Josue. He is really awesome and he really is interested. We helped clear up some questions he had, taught the restoration, and committed him to read and pray about it. He accepted and he also wants to bring his cousins to the lesson next week. So things are going great. Other than that not anything too exciting has happened. The message I am sharing today deals with the new year and setting goals. First, take time to honestly reflect on the past year and then determine what you desire to achieve and, more importantly, what you desire to become in 2015. President Monson has taught: "When performance is measured, performance improves. When performance is measured and reported back, the rate of improvement accelerates." In other words, your goals should be SMART: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound. The best way to achieve your goals is to seek the help of Heaven and then work with all diligence – resolve that you will not return home until you have met your goals that day. As we set goals for the upcoming year lets keep this in mind. We can do anything with the lord's help. This video is about setting goals and the new year. http://www.mormonchannel.org/mormon-channel-daily/385?v=910930409001 I know that setting goals is important and it helps us to accomplish the things we want to accomplish. Love you all. Love Elder Betts

Merry Christmas!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hope you all have a great week!!!! Time is short so I will be brief: Because everyone is out of town for the holidays, this week has been really slow. We met Elder Nielson of the 70 on Friday. We also had a mission wide christmas Devotional yesterday, meaning we went to San Diego two times this week. We had to wake up at 4 both times to be able to get there....so that was really fun. Other than that this week has been good!!! Christmas message this week: What shall We give him? http://www.mormonchannel.org/christmas-videos?v=2919740155001&cid=HPMO122214579 Our loving heavenly father has given us everything we have!!! What can we give back to him? Let's give back to him what we can!!! Love you all!!! MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!

Happy Holidays!!

Happy Holidays everyone!!! This week has been a good week. We were able to have a few adventures this week. One of which was the ward Christmas party. We went at 5 to help set up and we didn't get done until about 8:45. The party started at 6:30 and it was a great party. We were able to have 4 investigators come to it and they had a great time. We had great food and wonderful entertainment. Everyone participated in the sing along program. They even made us missionaries do a special number....Feliz navidad. And of course it was the most white thing ever. It was so funny. My companion and I sang it....and it went surprisingly well. We had fun. Our investigators are continually preparing for baptism, however we are probably going to have to push the ones with dates for next week back a month or so. We haven't been able to meet with one. The others, the mom, is a coffee drinker. She said she cant give up coffee....so we are working on that. But we will see what will happen. I am loving it out here in the valley. It is such a fun place....except it is cold at night....but luckily we have our sweaters we wear. Hahaha. I hope you all have a great week. I have to go now because I have 2 minutes left until the library kicks me off. We had to use the library this week because the church wasn't working, so peace out. Love you all. Have amazing weeks. Love Elder Betts

Stand for Right

This past week i haven't too many adventures, but overall it was a really great week. To start off the week, on Wednesday we went down to Calexico to have an appointment with a deaf man named Javier. We went to his house, we met up with the spanish sisters, because they found him. We said a quick prayer, then we rang the doorbell. He came to the door, the sisters were like "that is him". they said hi and did a quick wave and Javier made it clear he was deaf. That is when i stepped into play. I started a conversation with him and we had a great time. I interpreted for everyone and it went well. We asked him if he was interested in us talking to him about Christ and his gospel, but he said he was really sorry, but he is a Jehovah Witness and he is not interested. We said it was all good. We also asked him if he had any deaf friends who we could see if they were interested. He gave us a name and address of one of his friends. We later checked that out after we finished with Javier, and no one was home, but we are going to keep trying. Other than that, nothing exciting has happened for me. We have had a few appointments with investigators, but most of our solid investigators were either super busy, sick, or out of town this week. So not a lot happened. We did have the Christmas Devotional on Sunday that we went to. We were able to watch it at a member's house. It was such an uplifting and wonder messages. It is available on lds.org if you missed it. So go check it out. And during this Christmas season, let's remember the true meaning of Christmas and how Christ is the Gift. This past week as i was reading the Book of Mormon, I came to chapter 44. This is a big battle scene with Zerahemnah. This is a scene where Moroni stands up for the truth. Because of this God made if so that they were victorious. Later on in chapter 48 it says of how if we were to be like Moroni, then Satan would have no power over us. How are we able to be like Moroni and stop Satan? We need to put on the full armor of God. As we do so we will be protected from the dangers of Satan. We will be victorious over him. We need to put on that armor and stand for the right. I know that is true and that as we do so, we can stop the temptations of Satan. Hope you all have a fantastic week!! Love you lots, Love Elder Betts

Thanksgiving!!!

Hello Everyone!!!

What a wonderful week i have had this past week!  I hope that you all have had an amazing week as well. After P-day last week we went to our ward Thanksgiving party. We had amazing food and we had such a great time. We were able to meet a lot of our members, and also we had a few non-members and investigators come. It was such a success. We are also working on re activating a less active family that we met with on tuesday, and we were able to have a wonderful meeting with them and we are now working closely with them.

On Wednesday, we had a few meetings. One with Kayla (less active who is working on now getting to the temple). Then we wrote thank you cards for the people we have been working with these last few weeks. Then we spent the day delivering them and expressing our gratitude for them. We also had dinner with a member so that was great.

Thursday was Thanksgiving. We spent our day doing weekly planning because it was thursday. We also met with a recent convert and had a great lesson with her. We Then went over to a members house for Thanksgiving. We had really great food and just a really good time.

Friday we did service for the Carrolls because they are leaving us soon ;( but we helped them clean up their apartment to be able to help them get ready for them to leave. We also had district meeting and then a lesson with Becky and Amy (our investigators). We had a great lesson with them and we were able to continue to prepare them for baptism the 27th of December. Then we had dinner with Savannah (A recent convert) and her family (who are not members, but should be). That went really well we had really great food!

On Saturday we did service for a less active family. Then we walked around a section of our area trying to visit with members and less actives.

Sunday we went to church, the Carrolls gave a farewell talk (Because they leave the 13th of December). We also taught 5th sunday on the "He is the Gift" program that is going on.  You should all go to christmas.mormon.org and check it out!! It is wonderful!! We walked around our area again and had dinner with the Burt family. Then we ended the night by going to FHE.

Yesterday we also walked around our area. We visited with a few people. Then we had a lesson with the Villalobo family (investigators). We also had dinner with the Brockwell family (The less active family we are working closely with to re activate.) Then we visited with another less active family.

So that was my week.

Spiritual thought this week is about "He is the Gift." Visit the website christmas.mormon.org to watch the coolest Christmas video about Christ!  I urge you all to always keep Christ in your hearts during the Christmas season.  Even after Christmas is over.  This time of year is a special time to celebrate His birth because "He is the Gift!"  We may receive anything to nothing this Christmas but ALL have been given something.  That something is Jesus Christ!  Christmas time is a great way to share your belief of Christ and how he means everything.  Share this video through your social media with your friends and family and remind them what Christmas really is about.  Visit the website above and check it out! :)

Love you all!! Hope you have a fantastic week!!!

Love Elder Betts