Tuesday, February 28, 2017

Week 82, February 28, 2017

Area:  Kenosha

Companion:  Elder Whimpey

Date:  February 28, 2017

Well this was a good week nothing to crazy happened for us. We have a lot of good potential people we are working with and we have a few on date but we really need to help them progress more. It was sad we found this guy named Dorian who is so cool and so ready to hear the Gospel. He listened to us the first time and he said we could come back and we did and he actually remembered our appointment! We had such a good lesson with him and he accepted a date and everything and then we went back and taught his wife who was super awesome also and put her on the same date! So ya we were pumped and thought for sure they were getting baptized! Then we texted them to remind them about church and he dropped us. We are pretty sure someone showed him anti or like said something to him, it is all good though we are gonna go back and talk to him!

   Something a little less depressing haha we had a dinner with this Part member family and after dinner they really wanted to sing hymns. I was super nervous because those of you who know me I cannot sing and then you go ahead and  put it in Spanish and the game is over. Well we started and let me tell you angles were with us like we sounded so good Elder Whimpey will back me up on this one like I was blown away haha! The spirit was super strong it was really cool! 

  Some sweet news we are having an apostle come to our mission, President Nelson is the one coming! He is coming on March 11th but he is here to do something with the Madison stake I think so we only get him for 2 hours but I am so excited! We are having the whole mission together which is crazy I hope no one does anything dumb. We get to shake his hand so I will tell you all how it goes haha! 

Elder Whimpey and I also had the opportunity to teach the youth in the branch. The Young Mens President really wanted us to help the boys go on a mission because there are some who are really invested in sports and he wants them to go on a mission first so it was really fun to tell our stories and what not. I hope the kids go they will not regret it! 

A verse that I read the other day and love is in Philippians 3:13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
 I love it because we truly can forget the past because of our Savior Jesus Christ and be able to reach for the things that are in the future. My future has changed and I am reaching for different things now. I am so grateful for this Gospel it has changed my life! I love you all! I hope you have a great week! 

Love,
Elder DeSantis


Week 81, February 20, 2017

Area:  Kenosha

Companion:  Elder Whimpey

Date:  February 20, 2017

Ah well I don't even know where to begin with this week. Everything is going so good! The Lord really is blessing me so much and I have no clue why but I am not complaining at all haha! So this week I will be signing to play for Westminster which is super amazing and I am grateful for the opportunity to keep my dream alive! 

So the main part of my email today will be about Kealey and her baptism. I can't even put to words how amazing that was to be able to be a part of that. I am so proud of Kealey this is something she wanted to do for such a long time but with a lot of opposition from her family it took a little longer. I do love the Lords timing though, I know that this was exactly when it needed to be so that she could be as confident as she is about her decision and so that Jordan the member could baptize her! I had the opportunity to be able to teach the Restoration with elder whimpey while Kealey and Jordan changed. I don't know what happened but I felt the spirit so strongly in that moment. I felt the love that our Savior has for everyone so much in that moment! I also reflected on how much this message has changed my life and now many others!
 I got this text from Kealey after her baptism and it is a text that every missionary in the world wants to hear she said "Thank you for being by my side throughout everything. Thank you for not letting me quit even when I really wanted to.Thank you for believing in me and teaching me that I can do hard things. I'll quit texting you sappy things now. Just know that you've changed my eternity. Sleep in peace tonight knowing that you have surely been doing what you were called to do. You've made your mark on Wisconsin but selfishly I'm just really thankful you were my missionary." 

This text honestly has helped me so much know that I am doing what the Lord has called me to do. The story of Kealey is one I will never forget and one I will cherish for the rest of my  life! I love this Gospel so much I know it is true. I know our Savior loves us each so much. Remember the saying I said before I left on my mission "I am giving up something I love for someone I love." I thought that the someone was just the Savior but now I have come to find out it is everyone I meet in Wisconsin! I am so grateful for my mission it has changed and is currently changing and shaping my life. 

I hope you all have a great week and can feel the Lords love! I love you all!

Elder DeSantis








Week 80, February 13, 2017

Area:  Kenosha

Companion:  Elder Whimpey

Date:  February 13, 2017

Hey everyone holy cow this week was so good! So many amazing things happened we saw so much success. So I will first tell you about my area. I am in Kenosha which is pretty ghetto but I love it! I am in a Spanish Branch so spanish here we come! I am so glad to be back with Hispanics I love them so much like when I see them I just feel like we are just best friends already ah they are awesome! 

Well on to the things that happened this week so I will start with Kealey even though she isn't in my area anymore but she is getting baptized this Saturday! We are driving up to MKE and going to her baptism! I am baptizing her so I am so excited ah it will be so amazing! Then also we are working with the Mendoza family who have a baptismal date for March 4th. It may be pushed back so that the husband can join them if he is willing. It was so cool so elder Whimpey and I had no clue why she was so sad and we were praying to find out why. So we had a lesson and we didn't have too much of a game plan but to find her need and teach to it so we walked in and got talking and asked her questions and one thing lead to another and she just broke down and told us all the problems! Ah it is so cool how the spirit will make these things possible! We were able to give her a blessing of comfort and she just bawled through all of it such a neat experience! 

We also got in with the Part-member family last night it was so cool they are both converts and they were super strong in the church. He was the branch mission leader for a while and he loved it but for some reason about a year ago they just stopped coming, no one knows why. So we got in and had a great lesson and they invited us back to have dinner with them! We still have no idea why but I know we will find out soon! 

So ya the mission is honestly just so fun right now, the Lord has blessed me so much recently with helping me with everything in my life and when I say everything I mean everything! He has made things back home work for me and has helped me see how my life will pan out for the next few years. The Lord is amazing and He is in control which I am so grateful for. I truly know that when you put the Lord first doors will open that you may have never seen or even thought of! 

So for my spiritual thought today it comes from one of my studies this week. I was reading in Galatians 5 and verse 16 really stuck out to me and it says "This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh." To me the lust of the flesh is anything pertaining to things that are unrighteous. So Paul invites us to walk in the spirit and then the later promise of what will happen is found in verse 22-23 " 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.' If one walks in the spirit they will have these things listed in verse 22 and 23. I pray that I may always walk in the spirit! I am so grateful for the Spirit and for all it teaches me! 

Love Elder DeSantis

Week 79, February 6, 2017

Area:  Kenosha

Companion:  Elder Whimpey

Date:  February 6, 2017

Well I will start off with how stoked I am to be back in Spanish work ah I love it so much. Let me tell you though my Spanish is super rusty I have a lot of work to do! So yes I am back with Elder Whimpey and it is so fun we honestly have picked up right where we left on in the MTC but this time we know how to do missionary work or at least we think we do!

I love this area a lot I hope so badly that this is where I finish my mission. We have a lot  good potential families we are working with and have some that could be baptized soon! I honestly just am super happy to be a missionary right now like all is just falling into place! I will update you all more next week and I love you all so much!

Elder DeSantis

Week 78, January 30, 2017

Area:

Companion:  Elder Lee

Date:  January 30. 2017

So I am being transferred this Wednesday but guess who it is too yep Elder Whimpey! We are going to be serving down in Kenosha. I am so excited for many reasons but one is that I will be doing Spanish work again! Pray I can understand them haha. I have loved this area so much though, I have met such amazing people. I really consider a lot of the members here family we grew so close! I also was able to grow so much in this area I learned so many great things from all my leaders! 

This was such a good week! A lot of good things happened, all the school things got squared away which is so nice to not have to worry about. I also had a great interview with my mission president this week. I have so much love for that man he has helped me change my life so much! He truly is amazing and I owe a lot to him for what he has done for me. I also had a great birthday dinner with Jordan, Danny, Kealey, Matt, and Elder lee. I love these people they are so amazing it was so hard to say good bye to them! They threw me a great birthday party and then after we had a good testimony with everyone. Update on Kealey she will for sure be getting baptized the 18th of February. Luckily I am close enough I can come back and go to it. She actually asked me to baptize her so that will be soo fun! So ya just a great week over all! 

I have loved this area so much, it really is so hard to leave it. The people I have met really are my family now! I have never grown so much in one area then I have here. I am so excited for the people I will meet in Kenosha. I am so excited to see what the lord has in store for me my last 4 transfers! 

I love you all thank you for all the prayers! 

Love Elder DeSantis




Week 77, January 23, 2017

Area:

Companion:  Elder Lee

Date:  January 23, 2017

Man this week was great again! To start off it was like 55 almost all week, I am lovin this winter especially because this is my last winter in Wisconsin and if it wants to treat me well I will let it! Anyway a lot of good stuff happened this week! We had a guy come out with us from Salt Lake missionary Department. He was a former Mission President, he knows his stuff. It was such a humbling experience for me, he taught me so much it was so cool! We had good lessons with our investigators as well!

For a little update on who we are teaching, Kealey is going strong she had a really good talk with the Stake Patriarch which really helped her concerns! I am praying that she can get baptized this weekend before I leave that would just make this area so worth it, it has already been great but that would be amazing to end it like that! I am not too worried though she will get baptized one day!

Elder Lee and another missionary on exchanges found this awesome family! They are so cool like super prepared she just left her old church and said she will never go back. She was like the first person to connect all the dots to the restoration without us having too! It was so cool. It is a family of 6 and 4 of them are over 8. Ah they are so sweet I am super excited to see what happens with them! Also Mark our other investigator that just showed up to church a while ago is doing good haha he is such a funny guy, he went to this baptism the sisters had in our ward and he wrote on a note card to give to the girl who got baptized he said "I am a new member not yet baptized" so sweet!

Today my spiritual message is thought of because of the passing of an old teammate and friend, Andrew Garcia. He was an amazing kid who was always happy and a kid everyone wanted to be around. A verse that I stands out to me at this time is John 13: "34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another." The time we have with people truly is precious and we need to have that love for everyone because we have no idea when the last time we will see them is. Love is a powerful feeling that when one feels that love for the other person you truly care about them more then yourself. Which is all the reason our Savior did what He did was because He loves all so much that he was willing to lay His life down for us! I love you all so much I truly do! I hope you all know I am here if any of you need anything!

Love Elder DeSantis

Week 76, January 16, 2017

Area:

Companion:  Elder Lee

Date:  January 16, 2017

Well it has been really good here for being January it is staying in like the upper 20's so whatever you are all praying for back home keep praying for that because it is working! It was a good week we finished up Zone Conference's they were super fun all of them went really well! I learned a bunch being able to hear from everyone new things stuck out every time! 

So you remember the guy Mark that just showed up to church last week ya he is doing really good! We met with a him a few more times and in one of our lessons he said "every time I left my church on Sundays there was a whole that I never felt was filled." Like who says that ah man so cool! He is gonna get baptized on the 28th of January! So keep praying for him! 

Kealey is doing really good right now like she is staring to really make her own decisions which is HUGE for her! She met with the Bishop on Sunday and just loved it like really felt his love and just feels super welcome! She is probably the coolest person on the earth I am telling you she is hilarious! You all have to meet her one day! 

So a lot of funny things happened this week I will tell you about two! So first one was we were heading to Appleton for a Zone Conference and when we walked out of our apartment it was just pure ice every where! Let me tell you that nice shoes with wooden soles don't have any grip on them so the second I stepped onto the ice I started sliding towards the stairs and I am carrying a bunch of stuff. I thought that was how it was going to end for me but the Lord stopped me like a centimeter from the stairs! Good thing I said my prayers that morning! So the next thing was pretty dumb of me no like really dumb of me! So my mom got me a work out band that is super thick, so I was laying on my bed messing around with it and putting on my feet and pulling it up and yep totally slipped off my feet and smacked me right the face. Elder Lee was dying so was I though ah man I wish we had someone just film our companionship haha! 

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

Love Elder DeSantis 




Letter from Laurie Cutler



Dear Holly,

I had the happy privilege of seeing Elder DeSantis last night at the mission home and today at a baptism. He is doing so well! I met his investigator, Mark, at the baptism and he seems very sincere. Yesterday I had lunch with Kealey and she mentioned how sad she is that Elder DeSantis will be transferred next transfer. Everyone loves your son, including my husband and I. He is a GREAT missionary and leader. It made me so happy to see him again! Thank you for sending him to serve the Lord.

Love,
Laurie Cutler

Week 75, January 9, 2016

Area:

Companion:  Elder Lee

Date:  January 9, 2016



Well another good week, we have been pretty busy because of Zone Conferences. It is super fun to see all the missionaries and get to know them! We have one more week of Zone Conferences this week so we will be pretty busy again but, that is always good I like being busy. 

We had some really cool things happen this week! So there was a guy named Mark who just showed up to church. So I went to talk to him and we sat by him at church and he said he has been once and really liked it. He also had a friend who was a member and he really liked how he was just different then everyone he treated everyone so well. He said he wants to learn more about all this and then maybe even join! How crazy is that, like that never happens in Wisconsin especially in the area I am in right now! So just know your example can bring people into the church! He also stayed for all 3 hours and he really liked it! So we are super stoked for Mark! 

Next awesome thing that happened was Michelle and Jackson Vanlue came to church again and Michelle Jackson mom is really clicking with Sister Jackson the bishops wife. This probably one of the best compliments I have gotten in my life right here. We had our lesson after Sacrament which was on God. The question was asked "how do you know God is real?" Michelle rose her hand and said "Because of this man right here" *pointing at me. She goes on and says "he showed up at my door in the freezing cold some what uninvited and has helped my son out so much" Ah man that was a great moment in my life right there! 

Now we are starting to teach Kealey again I don't know if you remember her you probably do I wrote about her all the time. She is really wanting to find out what is true in life so she is reading the Book of Mormon again, I really hope that we can help her receive her answer! She is awesome though so I am excited! 

For the Spiritual message for all this I have a quote I want to talk about it comes from our mission President he said something super profound "This church doesn't get you somewhere, it makes you something." I love that so much it is so true we aren't in this church just to make it back we are here because we want to become so much better while we are here! I have started to realize that more and more each day. I have so much to do to be more like our Savior but, I have plenty of time to do be more like him. I have seen that this church has made me such a better person but, it only does that if we live it! We can't change if we don't make the changes to our lives we need to! I love you all so much I am always here to help! 

Love Elder DeSantis




Week 74, January 2, 2017

Area:

Companion:  Elder Lee

Date:  January 2, 2017



Wow so crazy that it is a New Year! All I am really going to write about today is what I have learned this last year being on a mission. When I look back to when I started this year all the way back in Green Bay, I am shocked of how much I have changed. I have truly learned so much in just one year. 

I want to talk about two men who have influenced my life completely. This isn't to say nobody else has, because trust me so many people have helped change my life. The first is President Cutler, that man is amazing. The spirit he has is so amazing. All of his trainings I have heard and for the wisdom in that man. He has showed me what truly matters in life and to stay focused on those things! He gave the Lord his whole heart for 3 years and the Lord did wonders with him! I know he was called of God, I look to him as an example every day! I truly know "Family Life is Eternal Life" -President Cutler

The next man is President Williams, now I see the same qualities in him that I did in President Cutler. The thing that he has done for me is something I can barely put in words. The love that radiates from that man is so real. His leadership qualities are truly those of the Saviors. He has helped change my life in a way I wish I could express in words, he will never know what a difference he has made in my life. He has set me on the path to God. He has helped me realize so much more of what the Atonement is and what it truly means to me! 

With both these men we have created truly a Father and Son bond. They have stepped in and been that Father figure for me while on my mission. I don't want to discredit at all what my Dad back home has done because I love that man with my whole heart and he is also one of thee greatest examples of my life and is why I made it out here! I just know that I was called to this mission so I could be blessed with two amazing Presidents who would alter the course of my life! Because of their testimonies mine has grown! I know with my whole heart that this is Christ church. I know that the priesthood which I hold is the same priesthood that Christ himself gave to his apostles and with it families are made eternal. I am so grateful to know my family is going to be with me forever and I will do all I can to make it so I have one of my own as well! I love my Savior Jesus Christ, I love His Church! I love you all as well and I hope you have a great new year! Make some sweet goals and don't quit on them! 

love,

Elder DeSantis

Week 73, December 26, 2016

Area:

Companion:  Elder Lee

Date:  December 26, 2016

Hello everyone it was good to talk to a lot of you I especially enjoyed the part where baby Holly just took the phone and stared at me haha she is super cute! It is crazy to see how big all of my nieces and nephews are. Honestly it scares me how much they have changed I always say that would know who I am when I go home, but truth be told I probably wont know who is who when I get home!

So I feel as though all of you know what I did this week but I will do a little recap for all of you. So the day before Christmas the office couple took us out to Chef Paz a new Peruvian restaurant that was super good. Might not have been the most authentic Peruvian food because a lot of them are from Mexico haha. Still really good though! Christmas Eve we went to a Part member family for lunch. The father isn't a member, but he is a guy pretty high up for Mexico. He has the position which is called the consulate for Mexico. They are a funny family very Hispanic so that was really fun! Then we had dinner with the Lewis family ah man such a fun family they have 4 little boys all under the age of 11 so we played games and what not with them. 

Christmas day we headed to our Bishops place for lunch after church. They are an awesome family as well they were Jewish or at least his wife was before they converted so that is pretty sweet! Then we went to the Fishers ah man love this family super funny and fun family, we played some minute to win it games with them, if you are wondering we won them all no big deal. 

Well my spiritual thought today is something that I have been struggling with and that is always doing the Lords will. I try my best to do his will, but there are times where I am too scared or think I know better. Every time I do that I am left feeling alone not because He has abandoned me, but that I have left him. When we do the Lords will we wont always know what is going to happen, and it is ok we don't have to know everything. I know that the times I have done his will I have just felt so much peace and excitement in my life! The difference in doing your will and the Lords is tangible! I am so grateful the Lord and for the guidance he gives me in my life! I love you all so much! 

Elder DeSantis



Week 72, December 19, 2016

Area:

Companion:  Elder Lee

Date:  December 19, 2016

That famous quote up there is what our investigator said, let me tell you all yes the air truly hurts your face here haha! So ya update on what is going on here, it has snowed a bunch here which is super fun. For some reason though after snow falls here it the temperature drops super low so it has been super cold. So when we are tracting people keep telling us "it is really cold you should go inside." Thanks people for the advice maybe you can let me into your home haha! 

Update with our investigators so Derrick is doing ok I guess he just left back home for college break which is a whole month so that is sad but he said he would read every day hopefully he does! Jackson also is doing good he really wants to be baptized, but we can rarely meet with him, but we did have a good lesson with him at our Bishops house! Alright we need you all to pray for Nathan he is super awesome, but he has two things holding him from being baptized, first thing is he needs someone to take his lease in his apartment so he can move out! The next is he needs to find a new Job that doesn't make him work on Sunday. If these happen he will be baptized for sure! In one of our lessons with him we asked "Nathan why do you want to be baptized?" he responded "well I feel like I am reading an unfinished book, I need to make that convent with God to complete the book!" I thought that was such a good answer! 

We also picked up the new missionaries from the airport this week which is always fun, they seem like a good new bunch! We also sent home the old missionaries done with their mission it was pretty fun they are awesome missionaries and we will really miss them all! 

So something that has been on my mind a lot recently is why we haven't seen any success here. I have felt like we have been working pretty hard and I have felt like we are trying to be exactly obedient. I just kinda wondered why no one was getting baptized. So I was reading one morning and I read in Jacob 5. There was a verse that really stuck out to me, so in this chapter it is talking about the Lords vineyard and working in it.
 One verse really stuck out to me "71 And the Lord of the vineyard said unto them: Go to, and labor in the vineyard, with your might. For behold, this is the last time that I shall nourish my vineyard; for the end is nigh at hand, and the season speedily cometh; and if ye labor with your might with me ye shall have joy in the fruit which I shall lay up unto myself against the time which will soon come."

So as I read this it invites me or I guess us missionaries to labor with our might, I feel as though I am doing my best to do that. What I love about this though is it says that "you shall have joy" it finally hit me last night. We knocked on this ladies door and she was nice enough to just listen for a little bit in the cold, but she kept asking "why are you out here in the cold doing this?" I finalltold her "it is because we know it is true, the message we have is true and changes lives." When I said that the joy that came into my almost frozen heart was so real that I knew that was the success I needed to feel! I love you all so much I know that this church is true. I am so excited for this Christmas I truly grow closer to my savior each time. I hope we all remember Christ at this time of year!

Love Elder DeSantis







Week 71, December 12, 2016

Area:

Companion:  Elder Lee

Date:  December 12, 2016


Well this week we were super busy with a lot of things which is good helps you really put your mind to the work! We have transfers this week, I found out I will be staying with Elder Lee for a third transfer which will be fun! We have so  many people that are so close to baptism so I am excited to get stay for that! 

We did a lot this week, we had our Ward Christmas party for the YSA ward which was super fun I love all the members of this ward they are all awesome! Derrick our investigator came to the party and he just loved it and made friends with soo many people he is so cool! He has a date for January 28th so pray for that! With the YSA ward we just got a new Bishop and he seems super awesome really loves missionary work so I am excited to see what will all happen! 

For the other ward we serve in things are going well also. Pretty sweet miracle Jackson one of our investigators was telling all the members he is getting baptized this Saturday. Sadly he wont because he hasn't been meeting with us and we still have a lot to teach him, but we told him if he meets with us a lot this week and next week that he could be baptized on the 24th so that is super exciting! 

Well if you are wondering the weather this week is going to drop soo fast!! This week it will drop to about 8 below but feel like -20 so if you would add in your prayers that I don't freeze that would be awesome haha! 

Little spiritual guy here so these past few weeks I have had the opportunity to give some priesthood blessings and more then usually which is great I love giving them, but I really wanted to talk about how amazing it truly is! What is amazing to think is that this power and authority I hold is one that truly can preform and has preformed such amazing miracles. What hits me is that I forget sometimes that I have the gift to hold this but when I do remember it I truly desire to live my life more righteous each day! After giving a blessing the person told me "thank you so much for being worthy to give a blessing always be worthy to use this great power!" I will always strive to be worthy of the Priesthood!  I love this Gospel I love it because it is all about serving others! I love you all and I hope you all have a great week! 

Love,
Elder DeSantis



Week 70, December 5, 2016

Area:

Companion:  Elder Lee

Date: December 5, 2016

Well this week was full of great miracles one is that it finally snowed! I love when it snows because it truly starts to feel like Christmas. Well this week we went on a lot of exchanges with the Zone Leaders which is always fun! 

Let me tell you about the miracles we saw this week. First one is this last Sunday we had Jackson, Michelle and Weston all come to church (an investigator family) and jackson wants to go and bare his testimony next Fast Sunday! Then later he came up to me and said he wants to be Baptized on the 17th of December how awesome is that! I love that kid!! Then we had our investigator Derrick come to church again and he is just eating it all up! He explained the 3 kingdoms during our Gospel Principles class perfectly!! It was so cool! I honestly think he will get baptized this Saturday so pray hard for him! 

Funny story for everyone so there was a Member in the YSA ward that needed a blessing she is from China and her English is hmm ok haha. So we gave her one elder lee did the blessing and I did the oil and what not, anyway after the blessing Athena (the memeber) was like "wow it's like magic" now its a lot funnier if you say it with a Chinese accent, then later she was like "ok I don't need medicine now." I love giving blessings or being in them the spirit is always super strong! 

For my spiritual thought I will try to express what I have been learning/feeling recently. So I have been praying that I can have a great change of heart and grow my desire and love for the people. Something I found interesting was I never really felt this "change" I was looking for. Recently though I have found my thoughts change and what I mean by this I I think of the people and not of myself or anything. With that I have found that my desire truly is growing and I am changing it is just hard to see at times. I truly am so grateful for this Gospel it has changed my life 100% it has made me not just a better person but it has made me who God wants me to be! I love you all and I hope you have a great week! 

Love Elder DeSantis





Week 69, November 28, 2016

Area:  

Companion:  Elder Lee

Date:  November 28, 2016

Hey family how are you, I hope your week was good with Thanksgiving and shopping! Kinda funny oh the day we are Thankful for the things we have we go out shopping for more things haha I don't mean to say that to make you feel bad just thought it was funny. 
 
 So my Thanksgiving was good I spent part of it down in Kenosha with Elder Whimpey, love that kid! We played in the Turkey Bowl in the morning so that was super fun, but after we can back and changed and what not. The night before we were praying on where we should go, and we both came up with an area close to each other so we went there and we prayed specifically to find a family of 6! Well I should say Elder Whimpey prayed for that in our comp prayer and so the night before I prayed that I could have the faith like Elder Whimpey to find this family. Well story goes on to and we went tracting wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving and what not, but we finally get to this one door. A man opens it and he is huge like 6' 5" and just a big man like strong type of big. We get to talking to the guy and he is just so nice and has great faith in Christ. We finishing teaching him the whole restoration and invited him to be baptized and he said he would be if he knew the Book of Mormon was true! Then before I leave I ask him how many kids he has get this he said "4 plus me and my wife!" We were just so shocked, ah it was sooo cool! The Lord will put us where he needs us! 

 This week we also had Thanksgiving with two families from the ward. We had a lunch with one family and then dinner with the other they were both great! We also had an awesome lesson last night with the super Catholic family and when I say super Catholic I am serious. Like this man goes to mass 5 times a week and his brother is Priest and Sister is a Nun so ya Catholic blood! We brought this member with us who knows the Gospel super well and it went really well, but one thing he said really stuck out to me. He said "You know what makes you guys so compelling is your presence." This man who is like 45 to 50 and is a lawyer and makes good money is telling us that "our presence is compelling" us 19 year old kids, how crazy is that! So that was an awesome experience to have! 

 So for the spiritual message it comes from our Bishop in the YSA ward during ward council he said something that really stuck with me. He said "Life for us is to do the right thing, for the right reason." I thought that was awesome, so true we are here to make righteous decisions and our ulitmate goal is to do them out of love for God! It is a process but it is one that I have felt happen within myself, you truly do start to do things because you love God. I love you all so  much and I am so grateful for all you have given me! 

Love Elder DeSantis



Week 68, November 21, 2016

Area:

Companion:  Elder Lee

Date:  November 21, 2016

So this past week was so good, we went around the Mission and had Zone Conferences which were super fun. I love seeing all the missionaries and being around President ah that man is amazing has so much wisdom and knowledge. He makes me want to just gain more and more knowledge! Well anyway all the Zone Conferences so far have been really good and super spiritual. We have two more left so hopefully those go well also! 

Elder Lee and I spoke on Sunday in one of our Wards it was super fun. I had the topic of "How developing Christ like attributes makes you a more thankful person." It was a fun topic I thought it went ok. It is crazy how fast 15 minutes goes while you are up there haha. Oh also on our way back from a Zone Conference we stopped in Lake Mills to eat (my old area) and we also went and I was able to see the Cabreras again ah it was soo awesome!! They are doing so good he drove out to Utah to watch conference. He reads every morning with his family out of the Book of Mormon that man is so converted it is sweet! Also another funny thing happened with one of our investigators Derrick, so he came to church yesterday and the sister missionaries had their investigator there and so they went and showed them the Baptismal font. Haha Helan (their investigator) is straight off the boat from China like doesn't understand english too well and so Derrick was like "Helan I am a little farther along then you" Luckily she didn't understand at all hahah so funny! I love Derrick he is supposed to be getting baptized this Saturday I pray it happens! 

I guess my spiritual thought of the day is that we all have so much to be grateful for and I know in hard times is so hard to find anything but I know that if we look for them we will see that we do have so much! I know that we have one amazing thing to be grateful for which is that we have a Savior who lives and loves us and has made it possible for us to return to our Father! I know this is all true I hope you know that My whole heart believes that we have a Savior an older Brother who loves us! I love you all I hope you enjoy Thanksgiving I am thankful for all the support I get from you all! 

Love Elder DeSantis🦃🦃🦃

Week 67 November 14, 2016

Area:

Companion:  Elder Lee

Date:  November 14, 2016



We had a super busy week this week, we picked up the New Missionaries which is always fun they are awesome! I probably met the most loving and humble missionary in the world. He just got here and is from California but is Samoan and he has had such a hard life! He is 26, but that guy is just so amazing I know he is going to change sooo many lives out here! We also had ,the missionaries who are going home, testimonies that is such a spiritual experience for me each time. These missionaries truly come home converted to the Lord! 

So for our investigators they are doing well. Derrick is doing good he came to church this week and he loved it! He is progressing well just need him to teach his parents what we truly believe they are feeding him a lot of anti stuff but he is staying strong! Jackson is doing good he just needs to meet up with us more to help him progress more, but this week will not be the week. We have Zone Conferences so we will be going around the mission all this week until Friday sadly but it will be fun! Nathan is doing really good he just really needs someone to take his lease ahh pray hard for him because once that happens it will happen! 

Ah man so for the story this week, Elder Lee and I are trying to dunk before the end of this year -which is going well btw dunked a volleyball- so we have been doing leg work outs and what not. One work out I was doing was like box jumps onto the stage and I was doing some and I slipped and slammed my shin onto the edge of it. Hurt like no other haha, but I think I like cut a nerve because not I can't feel anything under where I hit guess I won't need shine guards anymore for when I got home! So ya that was fun! Also another crazy thing is Bridger Hansen his last companion came home from his mission and he came to the YSA ward so I got to meet him super fun to talk about the things Bridger shared with him! 

The Holiday season is such a good time to help serve people and the best time to share the Gospel well I guess it is always a good time to share the Gospel, but people are so much more willing to listen right now! I love helping and serving others the joy I feel and the love you grow for that person is real and I know each of us is a child of God and just like any good parent would love it if someone served their Child! I love you all and hope you have a great week! Let me know if I can help at all!

Love Elder DeSantis

1) Bowling again 
2) Elder Marsh great missionary he went home
3) Elder Marsh again