Mounda, "Meet the Mormons" & More Missionary Service Moments!

You wouldn't believe what happened. Last Monday night after dinner, we called up Mounda and asked if we could stop by real quick and share a message with him and he said yes. So, we went home to get our motorcycles (JK....I wish!) and rode over to his house. We knew that we had to do something different because he just wasn't understanding things. We watched a church video with him called the "John Tanner Story." It is such a good film and it is only like 20 minutes. I paused it periodically and asked Mounda how he was feeling and what he could do to increase his faith. I was being lovingly bold and he was actually restating doctrine to us. After the movie, I asked him what his biggest hold up is and he said he just didn't feel like he knew enough about the Book of Mormon and I said, "Well, do you think it is true?" He said, "Yes," and I told him that was all he needed to know. I told him that "I" don't know enough about the BoM, but learning comes over time and with experience. (Scripture study in this case). I told him that when he is baptized he is showing his love he has for Jesus Christ and making promises with Heavenly Father. I said it is a new start and he will learn over time and I said, "Do you still feel like Saturday is too soon?" And he said, "NO!!!!" He was going to be baptized this last Saturday, but when he was interviewed by our Zone Leader he had said he had a feeling he should wait a little. So it is a bitter-sweet thing. He wasn't baptized this past week but he will be on October 18 because his Dad is out of town the week prior and we have General Conference this coming week. I'll keep you guys updated on Mounda but will you all please keep him in your prayers? Thank you soo much! 

We also had the opportunity to watch "Meet the Mormons" on Wednesday. I'm not sure if it is out in theaters in Arizona and Utah, but it doesn't come out to theaters here until October 10. So, yeah, we are VIP's you could say. It is a really great film and I would recommend you see it when it comes out. You can also request it in your area. 

A couple other fun facts about this week are that we did a ton of service! (Mosiah 2:17-18) We helped out one member cut and lay bricks in his backyard and we helped another member mow their lawn and they have close to an acre of grass in the backyard. That was the first time I actually drove a riding lawn mower for cutting the grass. My Papa has one, but we just rode it around Pinedale for fun in the forest! Haha.....Zack knows what I am talking about!   ( : Sorry Papa!! We put some hard miles on that mower!!! We also went back over to the Turner's house for dinner and I got to see my great aunt and uncle too!!! We had a great Alaskan salmon dinner again!  (( : They also hooked me up with so much produce!! It was seriously like Christmas for me. I am trying to get down to 150 lbs and so I have been eating mostly fruits and veggies and lean protein like grilled chicken and fish. I was 156 this morning so hopefully I'll reach my goal in a week or so! 

I love being a missionary you guys! It is the best. Texas is where I need to be. As some of you may know, today is my 8 month mark and that is just cray. I cannot believe I have been gone that long! Time is flying soooo fast. I love you all and please let me know if there is anything I can do for you! 

Love, 

Elder DeLuca (the first, but not the last)

So, I pretty much have the cutest little sister ever. This is my 8 month picture that she sent me. I know some of you may have seen it on Instagram, but you get to see it again. Thank you, Buddah! I love you so much!! 

Editor's note - The caption  this 8-month picture  of Bailley's was, "Donut it make you happy he's been out 8 months?!?!"  This one is definitely my favorite so far, Miss Bailley!

​This is my district, the best in the mission!!

Here are my great aunt and uncle! Sorry it is a little blurry!

​Caroline took the pic, but there are the rest of us! 

​I am trying to get down to 150 and Elder Bergman is trying to get up to 150. 

You tell me whose lunch is whose?

Another Week! 9/21/14

So I am gonna be really brief today! 

When we were contacting one day this week, there was a lady who had walked to her car and she seemed to be in a bit of a rush and we were about to just pass by but I felt a prompting to go and talk to her so I did. I walked up to her and just opened my mouth. I don't even know exactly what I said but I just started talking! She was very interested and I pulled out a Book of Mormon and I introduced her to the book and she accepted a copy. I was like "I won't even charge you! hahaha!!" I learned something that day and that was that if I hadn't listened to that prompting, she wouldn't have heard about the Book of Mormon and why our church is different (at least that day). 

We finished up the commandments lesson with Mounda on Tuesday and we asked him to pray specifically for this coming Saturday to know if he felt like that was a good baptismal date and he told us yesterday that he wanted to wait. I was SOOOOOOOOOOOOO sad. He wasn't feeling well so he went home right after Sacrament so we will meet with him tomorrow and discuss what the hold up is. I'll let you know! 

Today, Sister Prince from College Park Ward came with her son Cory to have brunch with us and that was awesome! I was so happy that they came all the way out here! It is like a 45 minute drive from The Woodlands. They just love me (not as much as Bailley though)! I love them too. The Prince family is awesome!!!! Cory actually was companions with Elder Costello and they served in the Utah Ogden Mission so I met him before I came out. It is a small world in the church!! 

I love you all and I hope you have a great week!

Love, 

Elder DeLuca

​It was sprinkling when we came back but the just of that is me making my fat cry! 

I am not very nice in the gym! I go hard!!!!

This is Cory and his mom, Sister Prince! They are awesome!  

Another Week!

Okay, this is going to be the shortest email ever! 

This week was pretty sweet. We met a homeless guy and we talked with him for a few minutes one night on our way home and he was really nice to us, but he has a bit of a potty mouth. I didn't realize how terrible it sounds until I met this guy and he says them like every other word. So, we went home and we saw him again the next morning and we wanted to go get him something to eat rather than just giving him money because he told us straight up that he was an alcoholic. We went to Wal-Mart and I bought him some food from McDolanld's and Elder Bergan bought his dog Shadow some doggy food. He was so grateful for our service, but I think I felt even better than he did! We saw him again that day and gave him a Book of Mormon and he said he would like to discuss more later so we may be meeting with him. I'll let you know how that goes.

We started teaching Mounda the commandments lesson this past week and he has been keeping the commitments we leave with him! He came to church as well! 

So, Chris and his girlfriend actually came to church too. We finally met with Chris this past week and we explained our purpose to him and he expressed that he did not want to be baptized because he was already baptized in another church. He had listened to the restoration lesson many times, but he still doesn't want to work towards baptism, so we told him that we are not going to continue meeting with him because we have to find those that are prepared. This was really tough for me, but I know that we had to do that. We told him that we would stop by periodically and check up on him. He totally understood why we said what we did and he said, "I want you guys to find those who are prepared too, but I am just not one of them right now." I know that we definitely planted some seeds there. He is a great guy! 

So, that is a really brief update for this past week, but I'll let you know more next week! I love you all so much! 

Love, 

Elder DeLuca

This Alaskan salmon is seriously the best! Eat clean everyone! You will feel so much better! 

So I got my hur all done upp! Hahaha! 

This is my favorite salad ever! 

Another Great Week!!!

Hello everyone! This week was awesome, but it seemed to fly by!

We met with Mounda on Wednesday and we taught him the third lesson and it went super well and he came to church Yesterday!

Friday, we had District Meeting and we talked about the doctrine on redeeming the dead discussed in D&C 138. This month's training is a little bit different because we are focusing a lot on family history and temple work because our entire mission is getting iPads within the next month or two and we are going to be training members and investigators how to use family search!

Saturday, we met with Charly and we committed him to be baptized and he was very hesitant which caught me by surprise because I thought that it would be something that he was wanting to do. He said that he didn't feel quite ready and he asked me "Where do you think I need to be spiritually in order to be baptized?" My response was "That is a really good question, what do YOU think? Because that is something that has to come within you and you have to want to do it" He said that he would just need to be willing to follow Jesus Christ and keep His commandments. I told him that he was right and he said I am just not one hundred percent sure that Jesus Christ is the ONLY way I can make it back to live with God. I then asked him if he came to the realization that it was only in and through Jesus Christ that he came be saved, "Will you follow the example of Jesus Christ by being baptized by someone holding the priesthood authority of God?" Before I even finished the invitation he was nodding his head and he was like, "YES!" So, we are going to continue working with him and help him come to that realization. If you have any suggestions, holla at your boy! Send me an email and let me know what you think would be good for him!

Sunday was the best! We go to mission prep to help the prospective missionaries prepare for their missions and we take turns teaching them with a couple of returned missionaries. This past mission prep was awesome. Brother Walraven gave a devotional before we started the lesson and he was covering "A Successful Missionary" part on page 10-11 in Preach My Gospel. As you may know, some missionaries base their success off of baptismal statistics alone and if I were doing that, I would be a failure. In know even though I haven't found, taught, and baptized anyone I am still successful. I have changed SO much these past seven months and I am closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ more than I have ever been. The part that really stuck out to me was on page 11 and it is the very last bullet point. It says "You are successful when you are obedient, live righteously, and do your best in helping other live the gospel." It doesn't say you can be or you could be, it says you ARE! I love that.

So, when we got to church we sat with Charly up closer to the front because he was very distracted by crying babies last time. Even before we got to the church, I knew in my heart that I was going up to bear my testimony and I did! It was the coolest thing ever because right before I went up, I said a silent prayer and I asked Heavenly Father to help me not be nervous and not to sweat! I seriously sometimes will sweat when a lot of people are staring at me! So I had a couple things I wanted to mention and they were seriously all touched on by the previous people but I went up anyways. I said "I had a few things I wanted to say but they have already been said so it is my prayer to you that someone in here will take something from what I have to say." Both of my prayers were answered almost immediately. I got up there and I wasn't nervous, and the AC vent was pumpin' cold air onto my head and I didn't even break a sweat. Also, right after I went to sit down a returned missionary came right up and he said Elder DeLuca said something that touched me so I had to come up. Both of my prayers were answered! After Sacrament, Charly thanked me for getting up there and he said that he was going to go home and I was like what!? We have to go to class! He said he had a book he wanted to go read and I was like well there isn't even that much time left of Gospel Principles so will you please come? He smiled and was like, "Aww man, yes I'll come!" He actually thanked me for asking him to stay!

Later Sunday evening we had the opportunity to go over to the Turners house!! We had the best meal with them. Alaskan salmon!!!! We also shared a message about having faith in Jesus Christ and I shared one of my favorite scriptures, Helaman 5:12!

I just want you all to know that I am so happy and grateful to be out her serving a full-time mission. I know this is where I need to be and I wouldn't want it any other way. I am so blessed to have such a wonderful family and friends! I love you all so much and have a great week!

Love,

Elder DeLuca

​Check out those ties!!!!

​This is Charly! Sorry for the bad lighting.

Here are the Turners!!!! I love my cousins! They have such a pretty family!

New Gators!!

Alright. Well, this email is going to be soo short, but we had a great week! 

Elder Bergman and I are staying here!!!! So you can start sending those letters Buddah! (: We had a 5week transfer so this one will be 7 to even it out. 

So, On Friday morning we had Zone Meeting and we were still just talking about the importance of working with members. We had a really good lesson presented by the Zone Leaders! 

Friday evening, we started teaching a new investigator!!!! Brother Williams is a recent convert and his son Mounda Jr. wanted to take the missionary lessons! We taught the first lesson with him and everything went really well. We committed him to be baptized on September 27th, but he still wants to pray and see how he feels about that date. He does want to be baptized though!! 

Saturday we met with ANOTHER new investigator named Charly! He visited Salt Lake about a month ago and the Sister missionaries caught him! Hehe. They shared the first lesson with him and took him into the visitors center and he loved it! He told them that he wanted to learn more so they referred him to us! We shared the first lesson with him and it went really well. He asks super good questions which shows me that he really is taking in all that we teach him. It is so awesome being a missionary. I LOVE it!!!! 

Yesterday, we had the coolest thing happen. We had dinner at the Johnson's home and we invited Charly and Mounda! They BOTH came! There was also a less-active member there too. Yea you could say it was a party! We had a good meal and we shared the Plan of Salvation lesson with them and it went so well. We are really trying to be good listeners and to ask inspired questions and that makes all the difference. 

This week was seriously one of the best weeks ever. I promise you that missionaries are most happy when they are being obedient and when they are teaching. I am a happy missionary! I love being out here in Texas and there is no doubt in my mind that I have been called here for a specific reason. I have been called by a prophet of God and he knew exactly where I needed to be. My testimony continues to grow each day and I love it. I am learning so much, you guys. I am convinced that the reason I am going bald so fast is because I am gaining so much knowledge, that there really isn't enough room for some lousy hair! Hahaha I do love the hair that I do have, and I take extra good care of it! 

I love you all so much and I hope you have a great week!!!!

P.S. I bought a new toothbrush and it is seriously life-changing. I feel like I just left the dentist every time I brush my teeth and I LOVE it! Its a Philips brand if you are wondering. Also, remember to floss at least every night! It is so important! I never miss a day. Sometimes, I floss after lunch too, but always after I brush at night! I promise you blessings if you do that! Whiter teeth and less or no cavities!! 

Sorry this is the only pic but I'll send more next week! This is our Zone. We have one of the larger ones in the mission! 

Zone Conference & More Miracles

Well hello everyone!! 

This week was saaweet!! This past Tuesday, we had a Zone Conference and wow! President Mortensen is inspiring. I stand confident in saying he could literally answer anything. He is so knowledgeable about the gospel. I hope to get to that point some day! He talked to us a lot about the Bible, mostly the Old Testament. He showed us a lot of cool things where some people do not realize or interpret it the wrong way. Everything about the gospel in in the Bible as well as the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and The Pearl of Great Price. He showed us how to use the Bible more and explain to people that our religion is right here in front of their face! He didn't say it like that, but I had to put a lil' Elder DeLuca twist in there. ( ; I guess what I took from Zone Conference is that the more I study, the more things make sense. It's as simple as that, guys. We have to be in the scriptures daily, both individually and as families!

So, last Monday we met a lady who told us to pull over off the road and talk to her. She yelled it out of the window of her car so I was thinking "Oh great....did I do a wheelie or something and is she gonna chew me out??" But she was like, "I have always seen you guys around and I want to know about your church." I was in shock!! No one does this! So we talked to her for a few minutes and I took her to the introduction page of the BoM and explained to her what she needed to do to find out if it's true. She said she would read from it and pray! Then I invited her to come to church and she came!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This was a miracle you guys. I called her Saturday night to remind her and she was like "Call me tomorrowmorning to wake me up. I give you permission" Hahah!! So I did and she came. This is the cool part. She showed up and she was immediately welcomed by people to the point where she was in tears. We had a great Sacrament meeting and she called us that night and told us that it felt warm there. She said "The Spirit said to me, 'Welcome home.'" I wanted to cry because I was SO happy!!!! She doesn't live in our area but she is moving because of a divorce so she may be moving into our area and then we could teacher her! I'll keep you posted. 

So, going back to Sacrament real quick, we had a youth speaker and she talked about the young woman's program and her personal progress and it was a good talk. Then a sister talked about strengthening families and the last speaker talked about strengthening our ward families. I want to sum up what I took from Sacrament meeting. It all starts with us as individuals. We have to strengthen us, then our families will be strengthened, then our ward will be strengthened, then our entire church will be strengthened. It is a step by step process and we all need to do our part. I know that as we become stronger as individual, our church will be strengthened as well! 

Sorry this is kind of short but I have to get going. I love you all so much and just a heads up. This is a 5 week transfer because of a new mission president seminar, so we have transfers next week. If anyone (like my adorable little sister Buddah!) sends anything this week, just to be safe send it today or tomorrow because if I am transferred, it will be a while until I receive it! Also, I will not be emailing next Monday due to Labor Day so I will talk to you all next Tuesday! Much love to you all! 

Love, 

Elder DeLuca

​It was a purple tie kinda day. ( : 

​Okay so I went on exchanges with Elder Allen this week! Remember how I talked about him in the MTC!? Well, he told me something and it was really cool to hear it from him so I want to share it. He said to me, "You have changed so much both spiritually and physically." I said, "What do you mean?" and he said "At the MTC, you didn't really seem to care about being on-time and you just kinda went on your own time, where as now you are on the Lord's time and you care so much more." Then he said, "You are definitely more buff than at the MTC and you certainly didn't have abs there!" I was like, "That's whats up!" 

I share that because some of you have said you've seen a change in me and I promise you I have changed. I had a testimony when I came out, but now I am being converted. There is a big difference. And about the physical part, I have now lost 40 lbs and I am a lil' stronger. I feel so much better, though! I eat clean and I feel a huge difference. I told you all that I was done being fast without the S, and I have made progress. I haven't reached my goal yet, but I do my best to not do anything contrary to me achieving it. It's clear to me that when I get home and I start going to school, eventually get married, and have my own family, I will not have as much time to exercise. So, if I can establish good eating habits now, they will stay with me later in life. It's easier to prepare and prevent than to repair and repent. Remember that, not just spiritually but physically as well. Eating healthy is a lifestyle I want to live!

​I think this is why I am on a bike.... 

Sacrifices & Miracles

 I see miracles every single day, and I don't like saying this but if I don't write them down, I sometimes forget some of them! I have repented and I have been doing much better this week. I have been writing down miracles in my planner right after they happen. I have seen so many this week, but I will just share a few. 

     District Meeting was one of them. Some of you may know that I get super nervous when I am speaking in front of a lot of people, so it is usually the same right before I teach my district. Well, this past week I planned really well in my studies and I just told myself that I will not be nervous. District Meeting was so good! I have come to the conclusion that the reason I was so nervous before is because I was wondering what "I" was gonna do, or what "I" was going to say. It's not about me though. As long as I am obedient and prepare myself well, I will be given exactly what I need to say and when to say it (D&C 84:85). Jesus also told his Apostles this right before he sent them to preach and administer to the sick in Matthew 10:19. I know that I was given certain things to say and we all had a really great discussion about the importance of working with members in Preach My Gospel pg. 160. 

    We were able to get in and teach a less active member that has not been to church in over a year and we also were able to talk with her boyfriend and he was interested in learning more so we were actually going to go over there this evening, but she told us it wasn't going to work out today earlier this morning. Anyways, it was a miracle that we even got in! We hope to start teaching her boyfriend soon!

     Okay, this one is going to be kinda funny/weird but this really happened. We went to check on another less active member this past Saturday and HE WAS ACTUALLY HOME! He was busy doing yard work so he told us to come back at 3:30 and we could come in and share a message with him. So, we went finding at some stores for a couple of hours and when we were about to get back on our bikes to head over to his house, I had noticed that I had stepped into some nasty gum. Party foul!!!! I am very particular with my clothes and I take good care of them, especially my shoes, so it took a lot in me to not get super upset about this gum. I scraped off the majority if it so it wouldn't get all over my bike pedal and then we headed to the member's house to find him not there. I was so upset you guys....I was heated, literally! So he has a bench out front and I was like well I am going to get more of this gum off so I sat down and started scraping away and then like 30 seconds went by and he pulled up. This was a miracle and then I immediately noticed that had I not stepped in the gum, we would have knocked twice then just left and we would have never seem him. He had to go pick up his autistic brother last-minute and then was rushing back. I felt so bad for getting upset because we were able to go inside and share the message of the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and it went so well. There are reasons for everything you guys. There are no coincidences, only miracles. 

    

 I could keep going, but I want to talk about sacrifices. We had such an amazing Sacrament meeting this past Sunday and the Spirit testified of so many things to me. Sister Juergens gave an incredible talk and I want to share some of the things that she had mentioned, so please note that this is all her and I take no credit for this! The thing that stuck out to me most was this: "Our degree of love for the Lord, the gospel, and our fellow men is measured by what we are willing to sacrifice for them". I LOVE that! It is so true if you really stop and think about that. She went on to say how we have different sacrifices today than what the pioneers had to sacrifice back then. For example, we aren't asked to leave our homes and travel across the plains, but we are asked to fill our homes with the light of Jesus Christ, and this can be difficult in today's changing world. We aren't asked to leave the temple we just built and move on, but we are commanded to hold a current temple recommend and be worthy to enter the temple. This can be very difficult for some people, and it may be easy for some. As we see, we have different things to sacrifice today, but we are still showing our love for God by what we are willing to sacrifice. To me personally, sacrifice is giving up something you like, for something you love. To me there is a big difference between liking something and loving something. Likewise, liking someone or loving them. There is power with love, and when we give up something we like for something we love, we are so much happier. Sister Juergens had mentioned the sacrifice that missionaries make when they serve a mission and it made me think a little. I know that I have made some sacrifices in order to be out here, but I wouldn't want to be anywhere else at this time in my life. I know I am right where I need to be and the Lord has and will continue to bless my family, my future family, and me as an individual more than anything I have had to sacrifice, just because He loves me that much. He loves us all that much! We are promised in Matthew 19:29  that we will receive an hundredfold as we keep the commandments. Also we read in D&C 130:21 "that when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated."

 

      I have changed a lot in the past few months that I have been out here on the Lord's errand and I promise you that it is all for the better! I was never a terrible person, but I certainly was not who I am now and who I want to become. The gospel of Jesus Christ is the center of my life and I will keep it that way throughout my journey here upon this earth. My Patriarchal Blessing has so many promises and blessings that I will receive on account of my obedience and faithfulness to the gospel. Like I said before, I am more happy now than I have ever been before and I promise you that it is because I am living the gospel. I owe everything I have and all that I am and who I want to become to my Father in Heaven. I love him more than anything and I have a strong relationship with Him. Every night before I lay my head down, I get on my knees and I thank my Heavenly Father for giving me the opportunity to be out here in Houston doing the Lord's work. I love being a missionary so much! I am really scared of snakes, heights, and doing flips on the trampoline, but it terrifies me how fast my time is going here. It seems like it is a new month every two weeks for me....it is cray. My time here is short, so I have made a promise to myself and to the Lord to be the best missionary I can be. I am so grateful for my family and my dear friends who all love and support me. Thank you guys! This would be so much harder for me without all your help. I love you all so much! 

Love, 

Elder DeLuca

​It is a small world in the church. We got to go have dinner with my cousins! I love the Turners!!!!! We had a great night! 

​I know I don't look like it next to Elder Bergman, but I really have lost a lot of weight! 

​I don't know about you, but I think this was $5.99 well spent at Goodwill. My buddy Elder Zeke Strong would be so proud to see me in this shirt. It even has a pocket for my name tag, so I pretty much had to but it!