Weekly email

Anyways, Elder Walker and I are geting along really well.  We has probably taught me a lot more than I have taught him.  It's kinda crazy how every day I'm able to see God get me ready to be able to help him along the next step of learning and training, though I think he is learning and getting better a lot faster than me. He's waymore comfortable and everything than I was when I had been in the field the same amount of time, and he had six less weeks in the MTC.  I don't remember whether I told you he was from Idaho Falls, but I just did, so that should be good haha. 

 

We've been doing a lot of knocking and some teaching, and it's been really good.  We are kinda going to be focusing more on members and stuff for a little bit because we need to get them more involved.  Pretty much the usual deal, I think.

 

So we're kinda teaching this catholic family who I think is really just more interested in learning about our church from a member of it.  They do not see any need for a restoration of the gospel or anything... but they are reading the Book of Mormon.

 

Also, we will hopefully be teaching a family (the father's name is Jason) who we found knocking.  They are both religeous but nothing has really fit them.  We've invited them to try Christ's church, but it was kind of a jumbled lesson and the wife came out of it seeming a little uncomfortable... and she has a stronger personality.  We'll be seeing them on Saturday morning again, so prayers would be appreciated.

 

What was Joseph Smith's favorite snack? 

 

Macamoroni and cheese!

 

I think that's it for the week... I can't think of anything else...   I guess I'll have some more for you next week.  There are some potentially really good things that should happen this week, so next week should be an exciting email.

 

Love you!

 

Elder Katzakian

Letter from President Jones

We are so proud of Brock. He has only been out 6 months and already a trainer. He was sad that Elder Lish transferred but he learned a lot from Elder Lish. They will be life long friends!  Below is a letter we received from Brock's Mission President.

Training...

So I guess the first thing is that my companion's name is Elder Walker and he's from Idaho Falls, Idaho.  He is a member of the Walker Farms family.  He was a drummer before and likes cars/trucks. So we've had a really good week together. We did some good door knocking and people teaching.  He's gotten comfortable talking to people and participating in lessons and stuff way faster than I did, so that's pretty cool.  We're teaching a Baha'i family, which is pretty interesting.  Their beliefs and history mirror ours in an almost eerie way... but they are just missing the special divinity of Jesus Christ and His priesthood and such.  It just kinda proves to me the reality of what we teach and how every belief has stemmed off of the truth, but is just missing a couple important pieces...  Also, Abel will be at church this sunday and hopefully after... He still has the desire to be baptized and follow Christ, so that is good. We are just helping him to continue to understand the Book of Mormon and the gospel contained therein.

 

I've been even more incredibly busy, and I didn't really think that was possible... I end up using just about every spare second during the day for something, and pretty much fall dead into my bed at night.  Haha I think that I'll probably just sleep for like a year when I get home to make up for it all.

 

Anyways... for some reason, my mind is drawing a blank on other things that happened this week... also I have to share my brief computer time with Elder Walker because the library system was all weird and he'd have to wait a few hours otherwise. 

 

Love you

 

Elder Katzakian

Pictures

"Zak"

"Evan"

"we drink smoothies from pitchers"

"I was having a 007 kind of day" 

"How we fill the font in Canyon Springs Ward!" 

"That was at the apartment.  Me attempting to write in my journal"

Singing and preaching

So I have to say that it was way cool to sing at the game. It's been a while since I've had a real singing performance and I forgot how much I liked it :) Also the game was pretty fun to watch. Honestly, though, I didn't enjoy staying for the game that much because the spirit couldn't really be there... It was basically babylon. People walking around selling beer and other things that do no good for your body, the only benefit being the immediate satisfaction of the taste; girls wearing almost nothing doing dances that are designed only to show off the body in a provocative manner, not for the fluidity and grace that is a part of the real art of dance; music with tempo and beat that drives almost all thoughts out of your head but those of compulsion and aggression; and then nearly a whole stadium of people booing and mocking five men who were playing their hearts out to do well at the sport they loved.  Just being there with the perspective and mindset I have now killed most of the fun that could've been had.  Not that that is bad, though.  George Hill did have a sweet dunk that we're going to have to talk about when we knock on his door...

 

Anyways, that's probably the most interesting thing that happened this last week.  I actually just drank a smoothie that had protein mix, weight gain mix, and butter pecan ice cream in it (and I got it in the largest available size). That was pretty interesting.  It's called The Hulk and you can buy it at Smoothie King. It just sounded too delicious to pass up...

 

So  transfers are this Thursday.  I'll still be here, so go ahead and keep sending whatever to this address.  Anyone who just wants to be safe, though, (like if they don't look at the blog much) might just want to always use the mission office address.  I get my mail from there every couple weeks. Elder Lish is leaving. He's going to be doubled in to a new area, and still be a district leader, just for a different district. We don't know where he's going until thursday though. I also don't get to know who my new companion is until I drive him home on Thursday, but I do know one thing about him...

 

...He's going to be as green as a seasick Irishman! Fresh out of the MTC.  I'm a trainer! :)

 

So that's pretty cool. I'm way super stoked, but also kinda nervous. That also means I'll probably be here next transfer as well. That means I'll most likely be spending over a quarter of my mission here in the stone oak area.  That's pretty intense.  This transfer that's about to start will make it a quarter here...

 

Anyways .. that's all the exciting news for this week. It seems like some other stuff happened, but I can't really remember... so yeah.

 

Talk to y'all next week. Love you mucho.

 

Elder Katzakian

Singing the National Anthem

Brock was one of several missionaries that got to sing the National Anthem at the San Antonio Spurs Basketball game Saturday night.  Below is the link from youtube.com if you want to check it out.  Go figure, Brock is blocked by the microphone! He is the 5th one from the left in the back row.  He was really excited about this...as were we. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJm6gDylPFc&feature=youtube_gdata_player

The text says it was the Jazz vs Warriors but it wasn't. It was the Jazz vs Spurs (in San Antonio..thus the reason Brock was involved)

Also we have new pictures from the baptism of Zak and Evan. I will be posting the pictures soon! Thank you everyone for loving and supporting Brock! He is an awesome missionary and we are soooo proud of him!!

Love Eric and Ashlie

A great week...

(this first part is a portion of the "personal" stuff he wrote to us this week. It is so profound and wonderful I wanted to share it with everyone! enjoy!-Ashlie)  

...I have come to love my Savior so much more and really understand more of how much he loves us... He has given us everything, and continues to give us whatever we desire of Him.  Furthermore, our Father in heaven gave Him to us... so we need to make sure to love and honor and respect Him.  The only way to overcome the laziness and fear that I talked about last week is through love.  You will only desire to serve the Savior if you love him, and perfect love casteth out all fear. As you come to love Him more than anything else, you will desire to serve Him more than anything else and not fear to lay aside anything to serve him, and as finite mortal humans, we can do nothing for Him but obey the few, simple commandments He has given us. So how do you learn to love Him? You can't have a relationship with someone without any contact. Pray to your Father in Heaven, and after you have thanked Him for His great mercy in the multitude of blessings He has freely given you, ask to be forgiven of your mistakes and for the help and support to improve. This will come through Jesus Christ, and as you look, you will see and feel his love for you.  You will love him because He first loved you. The next is to try to follow what he has asked, for that is the only way that you can serve Him, and it is impossible to fully and truly love somebody who you do not sacrifice for and serve.  At first, before the love has developed very far, obeying is hard... but as you push through that and the love grows, it becomes easy, and it is hard to be away from Him.

This weekend we were privileged to hear the words of the Lord through His servants at general conference, most especially the living prophet and apostles of God. I just want to echo a few invitations, challenges, and testimonies that were issued over that pulpit...  If you have not watched or listened to conference (whether you, the reader of this letter, are a member of the church or not), do it.  If you don't want to because you don't care about coming closer to God, or feel satisfied with the knowledge you have and don't want more, rethink the consequences of that choice.  Knowledge is the only personal power that any of us can attain in this life.  If you are a member of the church, but are not active, remember the covenants you have made, and how sweet it is to keep them.  God has asked very little of us, and the promised blessings are infinite.  Also, remember that you voluntarily entered into that agreement to follow and obey Him.  If you are not a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, take the time to learn more about it and the eternally reaching impact of those covenants I mentioned, the first being baptism by someone who holds the priesthood authority to act in Gods name and seal commitments made here on Earth.  As you learn, with a sincere desire to understand God, you will come to know that this is truly His kingdom in preparation for the second coming of His Son Jesus Christ, and ultimately that great and last day of judgment that is the gateway into the unending life to come.  When you feel His spirit confirm that to you, do not delay following the example of Jesus Christ by going into the waters of baptism with one who holds that restored authority.  If you are an active member of this church, it is your responsibility to share this joy with those around you. You must have the charity to desire the blessing and salvation of those around you, and if you have that charity, you will invite them to come unto Christ.  If you are afraid to invite, pray for that charity, then show your commitment to God by helping His children and inviting them unto Him. I know that the things I have said, and, more importantly, that all of the prophets have said, and even more importantly, that Jesus Christ has said are true. I know that this is the way unto Him, and I seal that testimony in His name, even Jesus Christ. Amen.

The other night Elder Lish and I got invited to a little coffee house gospel singing thing with an ex pastor... so we went (no coffee for us). There was an open mic time, so we signed up.  I sang them two songs. "Come thou Fount," and Joseph Smith's First Prayer" (with a brief introduction by Elder Lish.  We then invited them to conference.  They didn't actually end up making it, but we are welcome back whenever... I've got pretty good feelings about this Pastor Kevin character.  They felt the spirit for sure. Also, we're back to square one with Jimbo... We found out he wasn't ever really praying or reading scriptures... So that's what we're working on.

There are lots of lizards, even in the city.  I've seen a bunch (and geckos). I think I'll have to go somewhere more rural for the tarantulas and stuff though...

Thanks for everything.  I look forward to emailing again next week.  If they don't broadcast the national anthem at the spurs game next week, I can pretty much guarantee it'll be on youtube before midnight.  So yeah, look for me :)

Love y'all

Elder Katzakian