Studying

hey family....=) and happy birthday Mariana!...

im happy to hear you all had a good valentines day....  and mom and dad I wish I could've heard your talks.

jacosa thanks for writing me.. i really appreciated it, i know im not the best at writing people back but i truly did feel special receiving that letter from you... it brightened my day!! along with the letters from mom and dad also of course...=)

well this last week went swell, we had zone leader council this last wed and thurs, which was super fun and spiritual... i learned alot about how important it is to study, and that when we study we really need to use it as a time to receive personal revelation... i really think one of the biggest traits i have picked up here on the mission is how to really study... i love to read now, and not just read to read but really read for understanding.. throughout my whole life i have been bad at studying, but im excited to put what i learned in practice when i get home.... im sure mom is pretty happy...lol

well the work is going good i haven't been in my area much because me and my companion have been doing many divisions with other missionaries in our zone... but for what i have seen we have a couple people lined up to go to church this Sunday, so I'm pretty excited...

Well id better get going but remember that i love you all and im always praying for you...

Love,

Elder Kingston

p.s i wasnt able to write you on Monday because today we went to the temple... i got to do iniciatorias... it was good to remember all the covenants that i have made with the Lord and all the blessings that come with keeping them...

 

Oh and thanks for all the pictures....=)

Johnny's freezing baptism

Hey Family,

thanks so much for your birthday wishes....=)

it sounds like everyone was busy celebrating new years.. I'm glad you guys had a good time...

mom and dad that's cool you guys got to spend time with grandma... I'm sure she loved the company. that's cool you guys went to dad's house he lived in growing up. I have always wanted to go and see it, after all the stories he told us... haha like when he threw the snake on his sister or ran from a bull....=)

I really have learned alot here in my mission, but one of the biggest things i have learned is to have a relationship with my father in heaven and really putting my trust in him.. and i am so grateful for the relationship i have gained with him...

this last Sunday was real cool, Soledad got confirmed, and she is really happy. we also baptized johnny... his 

story is pretty awesome...

so about 3 weeks ago my companion and I walked (hiked) up to the last street on the side of a mountain called Mitras because a member had given us a reference. the reference wasn't there but about 3 houses down there was a guy, with sunglasses, a cane and just really lookin thugged out..haha we walked past him and just invited him to church to see if he had a desire, and he told us that he would love too. we scheduled another appointment for the next day.The next day we got to know him a little more and he told us he had been in prison for 2 years but he was falsely charged... they charged him with selling drugs... he really has had a rough life, we started talking to him about the hope there is through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ... and he accepted to be baptized.. talk about ready...  and yesterday i had the privilege of baptizing him in crazy cold water because we don't have any gas to warm up the water for the baptismal font... haha... but we tried... i spent most of my time in church on Sunday trying to heat the water with irons...lol  i know pretty desperate right!? and yeah it didn't work, but he still got baptized and is so grateful for being cleansed of his sins....

i know that there are many people ready to hear the gospel, its just that we as members need to open our mouths and talk about the truth, so that everyone has the chance to here this message of the truth.... i know that by doing this we will be helping to bring to pass the glory and immortality of men.... i hope that all of us may try our best to be close to the spirit so that we are not scared to spread the truth....

well i gotta go but i hope all of you have a great week and just remember i love you all...=)

Love 

Elder Kingston

These are pictures from last week:

Baptism of Juan

JUAN'S BAPTISM

HEY FAMILY! MISS YOU ALL...=)

CONGRATS JACOSA AND ANGELA ON GETTING YOUR CONDO. YOURE PROBABLY MOVING IN RIGHT NOW HUH!??? THAT'S AWESOME... IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU GUYS HAD A SWEET CHRISTMAS FIRESIDE, IM SURE IT WAS AMAZING.

ITS CRAZY THAT CHRISTMAS TIME IS HERE, LIKE DAD POINTED OUT IT IS STILL REALLY HOT HERE...LOL ITS REALLY WEIRD, DOESN'T FEEL LIKE CHRISTMAS...  BUT THE PEOPLE HERE DO DECORATE THEIR HOUSES AND THEY GET PINOS FOR CHRISTMAS JUST LIKE WE DO... SO I DON'T GET TOO HOMESICK...HAHA

I THINK THE GREATEST GIFT FOR ME THIS CHRISTMAS IS ACTUALLY HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO TESTIFY AND DECLARE TO ALL OF MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS THAT JESUS IS THE CHRIST AND THAT REALLY HE SUFFERED AND DIED FOR US AND THAT WE CAN SHOW OUR GRATITUDE FOR HIM AND HIS SACRIFICE THROUGH HAVING FAITH IN HIM AND HIS ATONEMENT, REPENTING, BAPTISM, RECEIVING THE GIFT OF THE HOLY GHOST AND ENDURING TO THE END BY KEEPING THE COMMANDMENTS... BY LETTING OTHERS KNOW THIS, ITS A GIFT TO THEM AND TO ME...=) AND TO JESUS CHRIST...

ALSO IM REALLY EXCITED TO TALK TO YOU GUYS ON CHRISTMAS...=) I WILL DEFINITELY GIVE YOU GUYS THE DETAILS NEXT WEEK....

GREAT NEWS..... JUAN WAS BAPTIZED THIS LAST SUNDAY... HE IS REALLY HAPPY ITS WIERD THOUGH CAUSE HE DOESNT REALLY SHOW AN EMOTION.... HES 75 YEARS OLD AND HES A COWBOY.... (VAQUERO) AND HE HAS REALLY BAD HEARING SO WE HAVE TO BASICALLY YELL AT HIM FOR HIM TO UNDERSTAND....LOL YOU CAN JUST IMAGINE HOW OUR LESSONS ARE WITH HIM...

BUT HIS BAPTISM WAS REALLY SPECIAL. HIS GRAND DAUGHTER MADONNA SHARED A GREAT TESTIMONY OF GRATITUDE AND IT WAS VERY MOVING... HE WILL BE CONFIRMED THIS SUNDAY... OH YEAH HIS BAPTISM WAS A LITTLE DIFFERENT.... HAHA MOM AND DAD IT TURNS OUT THAT IT WASN'T JUST YOUR WATER HEATER THAT HAS PROBLEMS....HAHA WE ALSO FOUND OUT ON SUNDAY WHEN WE WERE FILLING THE BAPTISMAL FONT THAT OUR WATER HEATER DOESN'T WORK.....YIKES... THE WATER WAS FREEZING... ME AND MY COMPANION ELDER KIOA SAID A PRAY BEFORE PRAYING THAT THE COLD WATER WOULDN'T EFFECT US IN THE ORDINANCE.... AND REALLY IT DIDN'T FEEL THAT COLD.... JUAN WAS THE MAN AND DIDN'T COMPLAIN AT ALL..... ALSO WHEN I BAPTIZED HIM HIS FOOT KEPT COMING OUT OF THE WATER SO MY COMP HAD TO GET IN ALSO AND HOLD HIS FEET DOWN....HAHA IT WAS QUITE THE EXPERIENCE...=)

WE ALSO BROUGHT THIS GIRL NAMED IRMA WHO IS 19 AND SHE REALLY SEEMED TO LIKE IT.... SO WE WILL SEE WHAT HAPPENS WITH HER....

WELL DON'T HAVE MUCH TIME BUT JUST WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW THAT IM ALWAYS THINKING OF YOU AND THAT IM SO VERY THANKFUL FOR ALL THAT YOU GUYS DO FOR ME.... HOPE YOU HAVE A FANTASTIC WEEK.... LOVE...

ELDER KINGSTON...=)

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Zone Conference

Hey family,

Happy Birthday Keva...=) i hope you had a wonderful birthday...

Jacosa felicidades on your great production!  I've never been to one but im hoping that in the future i will be able to go...

haha mom i cant believe you still havent decorated the Christmas tree yet...lol you better get on that... i wanna see pictures...

so you guys are getting allot of rain huh??? here it hasn't rained at all... its actually pretty hot still... i don't really like it though, to me Christmas isn't the same if its sunny...lol

even though I'm not with you guys i am really excited for Christmas...=)

this last week went by really fast, my comp and I had a leadership training in the offices which was really fun...  all the zone leaders from the whole mission get together and we have fun... there's about 20 zone leaders... i was so happy because we played flag football..=) i also learned alot too... one thing that stood out to me was that we shouldn't say do as i say... we should say do as i do.... we talked alot about what makes a good leader and being a good example is the first thing we need to do...

we also created a power point presentation for our zone conference which is tomorrow....yikes! im pretty nervous to have to give the presentation but im sure everything will go just fine.

this last week we didn't have much time in our area but we did manage to bring someone to church who accepted to be baptized this coming Sunday.... his name is juan.  hes about 70 years of age... hes really sweet...

well i better get going but just wanna wish you guys happy holidays and that i am so excited to talk to you guys on Christmas...=) i hope you all have a fantastic semana and remember that i love you..... take care...

Elder Kingston

Oh mom and dad if you guys havent sent a package yet i was wondering if you could send those hot chocolate packages from costco... you know the ones that have different flavors like raspberry and vanilla... thanks.... love you...

La Fama

Hey Family....=)

I hope you all had a great thanksgiving.... aww man all that food is making my mouth water right now... its all good, ill be their next year...=) but to answer your ? mom no we didnt celebrate thanksgiving because its not a tradition here....haha bummer huh!? lol...thats sweet you guys got your Christmas trees already... me and my companion are thinking about buying a Christmas tree here... haha i need something to get me excited for Christmas....lol

so this last week we had changes.... i totally thought my companion Elder Morby was going to leave from solidaridad because he already had 4 changes their (6 months) and me just 1 change (6 weeks) but No...haha they left him their another change which means hes going to have 7 and a half months their.... and as for me i am now in an Area called La Fama in the zone mitras,and they changed me from District leader to a Zone Leader... im now with Elder Kioa who is from Reno, Nevada.... he is really chill hes tongan... haha me and him have always been good friends throughout the mission... its cool that were companions now... he has 21 months in the mission... just a little bit more than me.... this is going to be a great experience being in charge of a whole zone... haha we have the richest parts of Monterrey and all of Mexico in our zone.... its going to be fun....=)

well i gotta go dont have much time... but just want you guys to remember that i love and care for each and everyone of you.... i hope you have a great week...

Love,

Elder Kingston

p.s. mom thanks so much for the pics.... everyone looks great...=)

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Tortillas de maiz and salsa

hey family,
how are you guys??? its sounds like everything is going super. its crazy to think that thanksgiving is coming... here its not celebrated at all... =( it kinda stinks but i know that i will be grubbin on some food next year...=) and to answer your ? dad yeah i really like the food here... i always have liked Mexican food and here they have the original authentic mexican food... i think its gonna be wierd when i come back and i dont have my tortillas de maiz and salsa with every meal... haha but i am dying to have some home cooked food from you and mom or some In And Out burger...lol haha enough about food... well this last week went well. oscar is doing good he was confirmed this last sunday and he is really happy and content, Rosendo is set to get baptized this sunday... the only thing is his wife (Alma) and his kid (Kenyon) 11 want to wait. they dont feel ready to take this step in their life. we are going to be seeing them tomorrow and we have planned to teach them The Plan Of Salvation... and we are going to focus on what we need to do here on earth in order to go back and live with our Father In Heaven again and our families... i hope that you all can pray for us so that we may have the spirit so that this family will come to the knowledge that these things are true and the importance of acting right now rather than the future...if you guys can do that i would highly appreciate it.
well also this last week we had 2 Baptisms... Mayra and her daughter Yahaira... i don't know if i told you about them.... well if i havent ill fill you in on a little right now...=) well mayra was a investigator from about a month ago... we lost contact of her because she moved... but 2 weeks ago we where in sacrament meeting and she called us... she ended up coming to church and accepted a baptismal date... then this last Sunday she was baptised... it was really a special experience and i wish i had time to tell you guys more but i just dont have enough time. maybe next week. I'm so grateful for this opportunity that i have to be able to see and work through miracles. its definitely building my testimony. i gotta go but just remember i love you all and im praying for you every day... Love you guys....

Elder Kingston...

Ps. dad and mom i was wondering if it would be possible to send me 20 dollars... what happens is as a district leader i have to travel alot to do interviews... its all reimbursable but it takes a while to come.... could you do that for me??? thank you so much for everything...

also this last Saturday we had the opportunity to have a confrence with a 70.... Elder Tenorio.... i really learned alot and maybe next week ill tell you a little more....=)

Happy Halloween!

hey family,

thanks for the emails....=) i hope you all had a fantastic Halloween.... I'm looking forward for next years Halloween. here in Mexico they do celebrate Halloween its just that they don't really know how to do it as well... haha!!!  all i heard last night in the street was "Noche de brua Halloween" all the kids sing it over and over... it means night of the witch Halloween.... i was just laughing the whole time.

well this week went by super fast.... i wasn't in my area for 2 days, every change there is a leadership training for 2 days. all the leaders from Monterrey were there and we learned some pretty sweet ways to do missionary work and ways to teach to our zones and districts... it really got me pumped up....lol

we did a really cool activity where we were assigned companions and areas to contact for about 2 hours... but it wasn't any area! we were all assigned parts of the richest parts of Monterrey and Mexico.... San Pedro and Sierra Madre... i was put with one of my good buddies Elder Flynn... they made it a game... and points were involved... every 2 contacts was a point, ever lesson was 3 points, if you committed someone to church it was 5 points.... etc...  Elder Flynn  and I ended up winning!!!....haha!  we got some candy and a new tie.... i think that was the highlight of my week!

the lord is truly blessing me and my companion here in soli... this last Friday we went to a reference from an elder who contacted a guy in his area but lived in ours.... we knocked on his door and he opened with a big smile and told us to come on in... his name is Rolando,  he has a wife (Alma) and 2 sons 6 and 8...

 Elder Morby and I started getting to know them and telling them a little about our background when all of a sudden Rosendo, out of nowhere, asked us what are the steps he needs to take in order to get baptized...my companion and I looked at each other with a smile and immediately started teaching him the doctrine of Christ.  he and his wife agreed to be baptized so that they can follow the saviors example.... it was a wonderful spiritual experience... we ended with a prayer and Rosendo offered it while kneeling... it was such a loving and sincere prayer... i know that throughout the world there are people waiting to hear this beautiful restored gospel and it is our job as baptized members to share it with our brothers and sisters around us and share this light of Christ.. i know if we share it and not keep it in we will have great joy in seeing them in the kingdom of god and being able to say to ourselves... we opened our mouths and gave them the choice to accept this marvelous glory....

i hope you all know how much i truly love and miss you.. keep me in your prayers as i do you.... Love you...

Elder Kingston