Bronx. Everything is awesome here, the Bronx is just so unique and
amazing and I just love it here. Yeah, good stuff.
Thursday we had interviews with president smith, in our interview he
asked a question to me.. He said "So Elder Casper, you go home in
November right?" And I said "Yeah", he then proceeds to let me know
that I have less time than he has been out as mission president. So he
was letting me know that these last 7 and a half months will fly by,
just fly so fast. That really hit me, my thoughts were to give my all
these last few months I have here in the New York New York North
mission. The Zone study was pretty legit, here are some of the notes I
took. "Serve where you're asked, and give where you can. Watch the
casualness, it's only for 18 months or 24 months where you can be
Elder or Sister. Are you wearing your best to the temple? Wear your
whitest shirt to the temple. Have you thought about why you're going
to the temple? When you have time after your mission, go to multiple
endowment sessions, back to back. The iPad can bring the spirit, or it
can suck the spirit right out of you." He talked about the importance
of talking with everyone and sharing the Hallelujah video with
everyone. The spirit was so strong and president always talks about
things that I need to be thinking about. It's super cool. We had to do
weekly planning, then we went to city island which is the farthest
part of our area and it doesn't feel like we are in the Bronx but
technically we are. It's a good place, we talked to this guy named
Luis Lavoy for about an hour, and by we talked to him, I mean he
talked our ear off about all the miracles he has seen in his life. He
is a super good guy.
Friday we continued weekly planning after our studies and I took a nap
because I got sick again and my throat was hurting pretty bad. I took
a nap for about an hour and then we went to see a new referral we got
named Nicole. We looked her up and she is super cool, she is in her
twenties and is a single mother with 2 daughters. We talked to her at
the door and she seems interested in coming to church. We tracted
after another look up and the first door we knock on this lady named
Kesha comes to the door and we share the Hallelujah video and it turns
out she wants her sons to have a youth program, so young men's is
perfect for her. She liked it and wants to read the Book of Mormon.
After some look ups we had to go eat and go to the church to help with
scouts. Sister Salinas heard that I was eating just pop tarts for
breakfast and she told us that's not even cool that she has so much
food that goes to waste so she will bring us some food. I am so
grateful for that, we had so many meetings this month, I don't have
enough money to buy all the food I want but I will have the money
soon. It was an answer to prayers for sure. We have also bought
cleaning supplies and the office wouldn't reimburse me for them but
you live and you learn. It almost a new month, we get some extra money
at the end of each month too.
Saturday was an awesome day, we went to sister Ramdhans but the only
problem is we need a 3rd male so we brought Felipe, Jojo and Arnaliz
Salinas to come with us and eat. Sister Ramdhan starts cooking the
food right as we walk into the door so we were playing hymn charades.
We also played Mafia and just talked about scriptures and stuff. They
are awesome kids but you know how kids are. They will fight sometimes
but it was fun to have them. After some curry and rice and good food
in general, we went to the church to drop of the food and then walked
with the kids to a bus stop to swipe them in because we have unlimited
metro cards. We called some of our referrals and some people weren't
interested. We met with our district and did an APF over at the subway
stop on the 6 train, Westchester Square. An hour of goodness. We
stopped everyone and talked with them and shared the video. We talked
to this 20 year old girl named Sabrina, we shared the video with her
and gave the Book of Mormon. She said she wants to go to church and
that she wants to get her niece involved in young women's. It was so
cool to meet her. We also talked to this guy named Peter. His brother
passed away from cancer a couple weeks ago and he was a little sad, we
shared some of the plan of salvation and shared the hallelujah video,
because it talks about "they all shall be made alive". He liked it and
said he used to meet with missionaries so too bad he lives in the zone
leaders area. We talked to a few more crazy people and homeless guys
but they gladly took the Book of Mormon and said they would read and
try to come to church. We shared the video 7 times, gave out 6 copies
of the Book of Mormon and got contact info from 2 people. They will be
baptized one day. We didn't reach our goals but it was still an
awesome experience to be bold and to put yourself out there and talk
to people. You never know who is prepared.
Sunday was so good. I gave a talk on missionary work and hopefully
that helped the ward want to go and do missionary work. I'm working on
another talk just in case I get asked again. No one came to church. It
was a sad day, we had a pretty full house with members but not
investigators. Next week we will have tons of investigators at church.
I have faith. Elder Clark wasn't feeling well, we still went out to co
op city but it wasn't super successful. I absolutely love church and I
hope you all will go to church this week, it's Easter Sunday, don't
forget Jesus Christ. He died for us all. Remember him and go to
church, renew of the covenants you made when you were baptized. Church
is amazing and there is a spirit you can feel. I want to feel that for
the rest of my life.
Monday we had district meeting. We talked about our numbers and things
we can do better. We set a goal of 100 times sharing the video this
week, so far we are at 19 and a half. It was super helpful to talk
about our district. The spirit was strong, then I felt inspired to
talk about accountability so they can remain accountable to this goal
we have set. Accountability is an eternal principle, we will be
accountable for everything we have done on earth. In your nightly
prayers tell Heavenly Father what you have done this day, tell him
things you could improve on, repent daily. I love accountability, be
accountable. Our Heavenly Father already knows what we did today, we
just need to tell him. We were having a tough time sharing the video
with people we were talking to on the street, until we came in contact
with Jose, he loved the video and he watched it and he wants his
family to have Christ in their lives but he isn't comfortable with us
coming over. We gave him our number, and a Book of Mormon. He will
call us. Sister Mojica called and told us about Donna and how she just
needs a little alone time. She realizes that the spirit in her home
isn't there anymore and she misses it. She wants that spirit. She also
told sister Mojica that it's been 3 weeks since she has taken the
sacrament and she knows she needs to take it, even though she isn't a
member, it's good practice for when she is a member. She loves
president Monson too. She wants to be baptized, everyone is sick so
it's hard for us to come over. When they get better we will teach them
again. Her testimony is so strong, I'm grateful that she called us my
first day in the Bronx. We went out and tracted after and shared the
video with everyone! In reality just this dude named Marcel who was
pretty cool. He works at restaurants.. Dope.
Tuesday was a good day, we got a referral that morning, her name was
Wanda. She want d a bible but we are out at the moment. We gave her a
Book of Mormon, shared the hallelujah video with her and testified of
prophets, talked about Joseph smith and the first vision. The spirit
was so strong as I quote the first vision. After I said it, her
thoughts were "Wow". The spirit was strong and we told her about
general conference. She wants to hear the prophet speak and I think
she will be at church on Sunday. That was the coolest feeling ever. We
had to pick up mail at the church from the office elders. We waited
for them for about an hour, we updated to iOS 9.3, it was super quick
and it's a little more reliable. I got your package mom and dad,
thanks for the candy and the journal. I don't know how you knew I
would need one in a couple months. It was perfect. We did so many look
ups and talked to a lot of people. We shared the hallelujah video with
these 3 guys and the younger guy was crying as it was playing but his
colleagues weren't interested so he followed. Seeds were planted. We
were in co op city again, it's a good place. It was cool to talk to
people and be out and about. Good stuff. It was a good day.
Today we are going to the Metropolitan museum of art, until about 3 so
it will be fun and I'll get some pictures. It's gonna be fun, they
have an armor section so we are gonna go "put on the armor of God!"
Haha.
I know this church is true, I know the Book of Mormon is the word of
God and it was given to us by a loving Heavenly Father, and that it
was translated by the gift and power of God through the prophet of
Joseph Smith. I know that Thomas S Monson is a prophet of God and that
if we follow his council we will never go astray. I know that Jesus
Christ is the Son of God and that he is our Savior and our redeemer,
Christ suffered for all of our sins. He can take away all our sorrow
and sadness, forgive our pain. As we follow Christ we can be made
clean, as we repent every single day. I know all these things by the
spirit, I've prayed and I have a firm witness of the truth of this
church. I know these things are true.
Love,
Elder Casper
1. City Island, settled in 1685.
2 & 3.New York New York North Mission.
4. Follow him and find new life #Hallelujah, this was during the APF.
5. It snowed the other day.
6. The view of Manhattan from city island. That's my people!
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