2015 Jul 21 - Logan, UT

new companion! :D

I just got a new companion! He's awesome and works really hard! So hard, in fact,that I've fallen asleep a couple times when we stop rushing around everywhere! XD

This week we've been visiting all the WML's, Bishops, and Relief Society Presidents that we can! it's been an appointment almost every half hour! D: It's been crazy!

On another note, I miss you all and wish you a great week and a happy Summer! :)

Also, attached is a picture of Jesus Christ who served his Mission for three years. The perfect example of Missionary work. He always testified where ever he went and loved those that he served with all his heart. May we all follow his example and try our hardest to serve God in our callings.

Here is your spiritual thought for the day: Luke 10:38-42 

38 ¶Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.

 39 And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word.

 40 But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.

 41 And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:

 42 But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

In this Scripture Mary chose to hear the word of God while Martha did the chores. While the chores did need to be done, we all need the Gospel more. Even though this world demands much of our time, God is more important than anything on this Earth today and we need to understand that, just like Mary understood it. Spending time with Family on Sunday is nice, but it is better to go to church and seek those things that are needful for eternal life and for our personal Salvation. In today's world there is a lot of confusion about what is important and what is trivial, and throughout their lives a lot of people become confused about the difference between the two categories. And as members of the church, it is our job to search for those people that God has prepared to receive the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ and to point them in the right direction. :) It is our job (including mine) to find people who can be taught by the missionaries (like me! :D ). So, what I ask of all of you is to pray to find someone who is ready to receive the Gospel and pray to recognize them when you do find them.

Well, I have to go! P-day is crazy busy! D:

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Chris Padilla

Maybe you can grow up to be an actor and play the part of Jesus... Too funny on the name tag...

Keep up the good work Elder!!!  Learn how working hard makes the days go by fast.  It sounds like your companion is awesome for you!!!

Ciao...

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2015 Jul 7 - Logan, UT

Hello, again!
It seems like yesterday when I last sent an Email out to you all! :)
I am really looking forward to the baptism happening this Saturday. :)
It will be great! :)
I am super bored this transfer since my companion knows the area so
well and when I say "Let's see who lives here." He just tells me who
it is and starts going to the house that he wanted to go to the whole
time.
Also, there is a lot of sitting around here since he keeps feeling
sick and taking outrageously long naps. :/


But, something that I learned out here... If anyone wants to be
baptized, and is worthy. Baptize them.
If you think that they are going to fall away from the church, Baptize them.
If they do or don't have a testimony, you baptize them.
No matter what, if someone is ready for baptism, you baptize them.
Baptism is the first step to following Jesus Christ! Also, once you
are baptized, you get the gift of the Holy Ghost.
And the Holy Ghost will help you to make the correct decisions.
Correct decisions like... Going to church, following the Word of
Wisdom, and the law of Chastity! No matter who you are, you always
need to get baptized to start being awesome! :)
That's my thought for this week. :)

(Also, I took Teancum's advice for my signature.)

Yea, I desire to dwell among this people for a time; yea, and perhaps
until the day I die.

Also, my companion is having a tough time with his bike! Three times
he has gotten flat tires since I've been here! He had to call our
Senior Missionaries and get them to bring their truck so we could get
our bikes home in a timely manner! XD

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Chris Padilla
Shad, I'm so sorry you're having a tough time with your comp.  it sounds like he's not very excited to be on the mission.  All you can do is study while he sleeps.  Now you can see why your first comp and the mission president were concerned about you falling asleep a lot.  I know you were adjusting.  The other thing you can do is call investigators while he's asleep and share a scripture with them, or see how their personal study is going.  You could also draw me a picture.  :). I love you Elder and pray for you to find people that are ready to be baptized.

2015 Jul 3 - From President Warren

Greetings

Elder Padilla,

I am so appreciative of the fine missionary you have become.   I am grateful that you are representing the Lord Jesus Christ so well as you teach the Gospel every day.  I know that missionary work is not always easy, but it is worth it when you see an investigator pray for the first time or you see a family enter the waters of baptism.

When I look back upon my mission days, I am grateful that the Lord teaches us and shapes us into becoming people far better than we ever thought possible.  It is amazing all the opportunities to learn the gospel and to bless the lives of so many people eternally.  I don't know if you are aware of this, but I am a product of missionaries teaching me the gospel.  They taught me the lessons as they should have and they taught me how to pray.  When I got an answer the church was true, I learned for the first time in my life the prayer is two way communication between God and man.  I had never considered such a concept, but what a blessing it was for me to learn this.  It has eternally changed the rest of my life as I have relearned this lesson again and again in every aspect of my life--whether or not to serve a full-time mission, who I should marry, how I should act in my many church callings, tough career choices, and many more.

Please know that we as a family pray for your success.  Our stake presidency prays for you as well and look forward to your continued successes.

Sincerely,

President Warren

2015 Jul 2 - Logan, UT

Super late message
   Well, I got transferred to Logan Stake and I've never been so bored
in my life!
    My companion is a hard companion, but we're getting better and
better as we go. By the end, I assume that we'll be working together
very well! :) and then He'll be transferred. D:
   I hope all of you are doing well! :3 And I really hope that you
guys never stop praying for me, because I really notice when you pray
for me! :) You may think that it doesn't make a big difference, but I
can tell when you guys pray, and I love it! :)
   Today's scripture is about... I don't know... I kind of ramble. :/

  For my soul delighteth in plainness; for after this manner doth the
Lord God work among the children of men. For the Lord God giveth light
unto the understanding; for he speaketh unto men according to their
language, unto their understanding. (2 Nephi 31:3)

   Some missionaries try to make sense of the Gospel, or soften it,
for instance, they call Spirit prison "Summer School" when teaching
children, so that they don't freak out about going to prison, but they
distance themselves from the truth when they add stuff like that.
   Some Elders try to make sense of the Gospel so that the
non-spiritually inclined can under stand, but what they sometimes miss
is that God didn't give us the Word of Wisdom because it only harms
our bodies. The bodies will fall away, and decay, but our spirits are
what matter!

   Wherefore, verily I say unto you that all things unto me are
spiritual, and not at any time have I given unto you a law which was
temporal; neither any man, nor the children of men; neither Adam, your
father, whom I created. (D&C 29:34)

   The reason for the Word of Wisdom was being everything on the list
of no-no's is addicting! There is no bigger fight than telling someone
to give up their Coffee or Sweet Southern Black Tea. God gave us
agency, and when anything interferes or takes away our agency, that
thing is instantly doing Satan's will by taking our agency away. Just
like how Satan wanted to take away our agency in the Pre-Mortal
existence.

   Anything that someone would like to add?

P.S. When is "T" going home?

2015 Jun 23 - Preston South Stake, Idaho

TRANSFERED

Hello everybody! :D

I am E-mailing you from wonderful Idaho! This is my last day here as my area is being destroyed! :)

My area is being given to the Zone Leaders so this area will not exist anymore! This is happening because there were a lot of missionaries leaving this transfer and not as many coming in, so we don't have the missionaries to support as many areas any more!

I feel like a huge weight has been taken off my shoulders (if only for a day).

I will be going to Logan! :D The place that I spend my P-days in! :D

  I love my mission, and I love God, he is really good to me. :)

I am glad to be out of here, even though I have had some good memories here. :)

On to something new and something better! :)

The missionaries tell me that my first two areas were actually really hard, and so that makes me feel like I can take anything on now. :)

I am rolling in the money and so I feel good about how I'm doing in that department. Like I said, God is good. :)

Well, Thank you all for your prayers and I hope that they continue as I enter a new area!

Until next time! [Dubstep Outro]

P.S. A letter is coming home, soon after the start July, so be ready for that!

And here is a shot of my area, see if you can find what's wrong in
this picture! :D
It's good. :)

Some days Sad, some days happy... :)

2015 Jun 16 - Preston South Stake, Idaho

I have had a wonderful week! :)

Okay, so, I've got the best Investigator ever! She teaches as much as we do. She's super smart and knows her scriptures backwards and forwards. She reads the Old Testament, and apparently, Jesus quotes it a lot. Her name is Dawn and she is the reason that I have to read the Old Testament now! XD

She says it's all about that Deuteronomy and Leviticus. That's where all the good stuff is, and that's where the higher law that Jesus teaches is mostly from! :o Wow, amazing! I'll figure out if it's true. X)

Also, does everybody remember that series that Dr. Suess helped write? It was about a momma bear, a papa bear, a boy bear, a girl bear, and a baby bear. Do you remember the title of that series? Don't read on until you remember it... I'll wait.... ... ... ... Okay, so you probably said that it was "The Berenstein Bears", Right? With the last letters as S-T-E-I-N? Well, get this, it was actually Berenstain, with the last five letters as S-T-A-I-N. Spooky, huh? Someone is time traveling. And they need to stop it... Seriously. XD

Lastly, I'm thinking my time in The Preston South Stake is drawing close to the end I believe I'll be moving on the 24th of June. So, I'm trying to get everything done here as well as I can! :o

Also, is Lyssa flipping me off here? :o [See attached photo]

Not cool Lyssa... >:(

By the way, in case you're wondering, no, she did not flip me off.

She was just moving her hand quickly. :)

 

 

 

2015 Jun 1 - Preston South Stake, Idaho

To My Family

   Tomorrow is my B-day! :D

   Happy birthday to me! Happy Birthday to me! Happy birthday, Elder Padilla! :D

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! ... Almost! :3

   Well, how are you all doing today? Are you having a good time? Tell me about what I'm missing! :)

I am doing okay, but man... I miss home, but I'll make it through with all the prayers that are being said for me. :)

I keep learning all this stuff in the mission, and then forgetting exactly what I wanted to share with you when I start writing my letters. But here is something I found in my studies the other day:

In this scripture, Jesus is talking t the Pharisees.

Matthew 21:42, 44

 

 42 Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing,and it is marvellous in our eyes?

 44 And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.

This is talking about Jesus and those who fight against him. The Rejected Rock is Jesus Christ and truly, he became the Corner Stone of our church and still remains to this day. Those who appose God are broken, or in other words, they cannot win their fight. But those who Bring the wrath of God upon them bring a worse condemnation on themselves. "Grind him to Powder" is a nice visual of how pleasant it would be to Fight God angry at you.

I know that God is powerful and I know that he loves us. I wish that the people here would listen to God, but I know that I cannot force them to choose righteously. That plan was rejected before the world was. But I can invite them to do good, to coax them away from the fate that awaits those who do not respect God...

This spiritual thought is more to say, please help the missionaries find people to teach. Everyone needs to come to Christ, and the missionaries are few, and they need help finding everyone who they could teach. So, I ask you all to find someone for the missionaries to teach, or at least pray to find someone. Thank you.

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Chris Padilla

Ok, I'll get you one.  I love you!!!!  I can see in your letters that you are getting good at explaining points of the gospel.  It sure is wonderful to see.  In your letters don't forget about the people, those that are touching your heart and those whose lives you touch.

Ammon and I are home teaching companions , we're teaching this lady (Cheri Lynn Hall) who has a bunch of health issues.  But, is also a very blessed woman (in some ways).  When she was just a member of 1 year she petitioned her Bishop and Stake President to enter the Temple, which was granted.  When she entered the temple she saw three spirits in there that were part of her family.  Two of them were together and the last one was a 5 year old child but wasn't standing with the other two.  This led her on a genealogical mission to find out who she was and why she wasn't part of the other two, those being a grandmother and cousin.  She found out that the little girl had passed away years before Cheri was born and they almost forgot about her because they never talked about her.

Cheri is blessed that way but, she is also sad because she never has had the opportunity to marry and be sealed with a man in the temple.  Albeit, she has been married three times, one of those being to a returned missionary.  She was very sad when I asked her about her three kids being sealed to her.  I told her that I knew the Lord would make it right for her.

Well Shaddy booboo, oops Elder Padilla.  We love you and have a super birthday.  Oh by the way, I'm putting 20 into your account so you can have a nice meal on mom and I.

Love dad

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