Never underestimate the good

My new zone leader, Elder Vorwaller

Thinking on my past couple of weeks, I`m filled with a lot of different emotions, the small triumphs and the big failures, the frustration and the gratitude, the discoveries, the yet-unanswered questions, happiness and sadness. I feel like I`m living a life of opposites, but far from disliking the fact, I find that I quite enjoy it. My successes are painted neon by my failures, marking that although I sure did mess up a lot (a lot) There were a lot of things good that we did. There is a scripture in the book of Mormon that says if we didn't have bad things in life, we wouldn't appreciate, or even understand and enjoy, the good things.

I have now been in Santa Cruz for all of Alfredo's family, birthdays, even his mom!

I had an experience this last week that kinda put things in perspective for me. We baptized Keilor and Yolanda about two months ago. After the baptism it was a little hard to get out to see them, and unfortunately they weren't coming to church very often. The change they had worked so hard to make, was slowly being undone. To give a little background, K and Y always say how before the started learning about this church they always fought, never at peace. And how as they started to learn, things began to Change. Keilor specifically did a 180, he went from drinking and partying and who knows what, to a man who forsook all of that to have a better family. About a month ago we were able to start visiting them more frequently, and they started coming back to church. One Monday, after a family home evening in the house of Alfredo, we were bringing them home, (a member was helping us out) Keilor said something that gave me pause. As members of this church, we go to church for many reasons, but primarily it is to partake of the Sacrament. After your baptism, the sacrament is like your weekly opportunity to be washed up. \

To cleanse all of the bad stuff. When you don`t take it, the bad stuff sticks to you, and accumulates. That is what was happening to Keilor. Seeing him after he had missed lots of Sundays was a shock. All of the wonderful light that he had at his baptism had fled. But by returning to the church, you could see a black and white difference. As he told me on the ride home how he had begun to feel the change, I realized that this is all worth it, everything we do, if only having helped this one family be happy. I had the privilege to ordain Keilor to the priesthood this past Sunday. I would have preferred that a member do it, but he asked. Notwithstanding, it was a privilege to do it.

Unfortunately, I know that I haven`t done this story justice. But it is a miracle in my eyes. Never underestimate the good you can do in a life. If you help even one person, count yourself lucky. Also to those who are members, you are indispensable to the missionaries. Much of the success we had with Keilor and Yolanda had to do with exceptional members who helped us.

Love Noah

Making Tortillas

Food, glorious food!

 Keilor and Yolanda!!!!

I'm sitting in a beach chair in the middle of the congregration

It's worth it

Hello Everyone,

We had a LOT of rain this past week. I got SOAKED. It was cool the first time, but it lost its novelty mighty fast, wet feet? no bueno. It just ain't cool. I bought another pair of shoes. Someone here handmade them for fifty bucks. They`re pretty nifty.

We also had a baptism! A young man named Keneth, he is the nephew of the muchacha we baptized last week. His mom really wants to be baptized, but sadly there are complications. Yesterday (Sunday) was wonderful because seven of the eight people that I have baptized in Santa Cruz came to church. And let me tell you, that is a marvelous feeling. Knowing that what is being done through me is helping. Seeing the change in the lives of these people I love so darn much.



It`s worth it.

Can you guess which shoes are mine?

Time is a demon, dominate it if you can, cooperate with it if you have to, run from it if you can`t.

Amiably,

Elder Noah M. Toney

Listen

Hello Everyone!

My first district

Big News! Transfers is today, And I`m still in Santa Cruz! Wooohooo. I`ll end up having almost nine months here. Really it just makes me laugh. I know people so well here, I love the ward, and luckily the ward loves me (I hope). Pretty much nothing has changed with me, but a BUNCH changed in the mission, 12 missionaries finished their missions. Here in Santa Cruz I`m to continue as District Leader. I feel much better this time around, which is not to say that I feel I should depend on the Lord less, rather now I can focus on depending on Him better, rather then being stressed out of my gourd. As a leader I have come to recognize that I have some strengths and weaknesses. I`m very good with the people side of things, I love my missionaries, and they know it. So when I have to correct them (something I really do not enjoy) generally they work hard at changing. They know I want the best for them. On the other hand, I'm an awful administrator. Numbers, documents, names. I don`t like that part so much. This transfer I`m going to change that. Organization helps.

My zone

I also achieved a life long goal. Returning from Liberia via bus, I was so tired that I fell asleep standing up. Scared the bejeepers outta me, and my companion too. But all was well.

I am also discovering something, that is the power of listening. And it`s just that, listening is pure power, whether our intentions are good or bad, good listening skills really empower us. From listening we gain understanding and knowledge, and with those two things you gain influence. The ability to really help someone. Inversely you are also able to hurt, but that side doesn't interest me as much. Do your self a favor, learn how to listen. It really opens your world. Be it you spouse, child, best friend, worst enemy, or God. Learning to listen will better your life. Its bettering mine.

African Safari

I could expound on that all day.

Love you all,

Attentively,

Elder Noah M. Toney

My zone leader

Baptism, family of Ana

My convert, Yolanda

Miracles

Hello Everyone!

My time seems to get shorter and shorter. The computer I write on isn´t very good and takes a long time to load things (a GREAT way to work on your patience when all you want to do is write your family) I also write my president a bit more than I used to. So please forgive me for not replying to all of the personal emails.

Sorry for not sending an email last week, it isn't for a lack of things happening.

I´ll dive right in: These last two weeks have been crazy. Saturday we went to visit a member whose young daughter had left him to be with her boyfriend (she has stopped studying in school unfortunately.) We later found out that when we knocked on the gate, he was about to commit suicide. He instead let us in, we talked. He changed from wanting to kill himself to wanting to kill the family that had stolen his daughter to finally calming down and not wanting to kill anyone. I wish I had time to relate everything. I just kept thinking, Heavenly Father please help him to calm down, please help me to know what to say, please please please please please. I don´t know what to do, this man is so sad I can feel it, it´s palpable. And it hurts to know someone is in pain like that. He isn't a bad man. Just in pain. We testified of love. He said that he heard a voice saying that he shouldn't do those things while we were with him. He also stopped crying. We said a prayer with him on our knees and left. It was a miracle to me.

I also learned how to cut grass with a machete. Now that builds (and knots) muscle like nobodies business. I´ve cut grass before, but this was new, even for me. I got really dirty too :D

Yesterday we had stake conference (where a bunch of Mormons get together to listen to good things.) We have an investigator named Ana. She has been investigating for eight years. She has met the past three mission presidents, she know more than I do, Her children are members, she´s married (usually people aren't married) Attends church. Even the conferences, which no one here does. But she has a fear of officially joining the church.

Yesterday we had the baptismal interview. It is a miracle it happened. First off, she almost didn't go to church (ie that means she wouldn't be able to get baptized because the people that do the interviews live in Liberia an hour and a half away where we were conveniently, having the conference.) So we went to her house at 6:30 in the morning. Wonder of wonders, she was sleeping. But, we woke her up. How rude right? But it was important. We called a member to come pick us all up. Went to the conference. It was AWESOME. The interview was scheduled for after, and well, she passed. Her story is really much cooler than I´m writing, but I am stressed and out of time. The baptism is for this weekend, pray for her, a lot.

Gradually,

Elder Noah M. Toney

Rain!

Howdy Howdy :)

Hope all is well. This past week has been an adventure. To start off, my companion learned how to make an egg bomb. I was in the bathroom when I hear this muffled explosion. I exit the bathroom in a jiffy, and see my companion standing, frozen in place, with pieces of egg covering EVERYTHING. He tried making a hard boiled egg in the microwave. He puts the egg in a bowl of water, then places it the microwave for TEN MINUTES. Then he peels it (still doesn't explode) After he is about to poke it with a fork, and before he even touched it, it exploded. I wasn't sure if I should laugh or cry. I opted for the former. This goes to show that you should most definitely not put eggs in the microwave.

I also got to speak with my Family. Ain't got much to say about that, other than that it was good to see them. Family is important.

It rained!

This past Sunday in church I heard a talk that really had an impact on me. He talked mostly about the responsibility of Fathers, and the importance of marriage. At one point he recounted a story of how at one point. his young son fought with his mom over who would take off the boots of his dad (He´s a big burly construction man) It made me remember a few of the times that I had done the same for my father. It made me wonder if I´d be the type of Father that inspired that type of respect in his sons. It keeps me motivated to do good things. The talk taught me a little bit about the importance of unity in everything we do, be it with spouse, work companion, or mission companion. Be a man of dignity.

That isn't quite so easy to achieve, but as I shared with my family last night, I don´t believe it matters where you are at in your life, COMPLETELY irrelevant, to put it frankly. I believe that what matters is where you are going, and if you are taking steps today to achieve it. We are not all in the same places in our lives, but I don´t ever remember hearing that that affects the amount of love God has for us.

Auspiciously,

Elder Noah M. Toney

The son of my cook with my plac

Compa

Mission Birthdays

Hello,

Today's letter will be rather short. I am learning to order my time a little better in the night, because now a days things are a bit busier. Suffice it to say, I haven´t kept my journal the best.

My birthday was good. Pretty much just a normal day. I had the opportunity of giving a 45 minute lesson that was completely off the cuff, hats off to Andy Louthain, he showed me the way one bright Sunday when I only spake for seven minutes and he had to fill the rest of the time.

I am drawing a blank in my mind right now. But I am well, It´s never easy, but I´m gradually learning, becoming better. I´m learning to love. The kind of love that isn't selfish, that wants to help. And I´m really learning the dangers of pride. Be wary. It is a subtle poison that seeps into every portion of your life, it destroys slowly but surely if you don´t catch it. It ruins relationships, opportunities, and dreams. Humility is not weakness, it is a sign of true strength.

Waringly,

Elder Noah M. Toney

Pancakes in a cup. I am a genius.

After the sisters broke an egg, with paper in it, over my head.

This is at the house of some memebers. I'm not quite sure what I'm doing, but it makes me laugh.

My comp is about to smack someone with a pillow.