5 Apr 11 - 12 Apr 11 LAST WEEK ON THE MISSION!!!

So I got one week left. I'm not even going to count how long I have so HA!

So this week's song is inspired by Jarrett. See ya'll later.

I have often dreamed, of a far off place
Where a hero's welcome, would be waiting for me
Where the crowds will cheer, when they see my face
And a voice keeps saying, this is where I'm meant to be

I'll be there someday, I can go the distance
I will find my way, if I can be strong
I know ev'ry mile, will be worth my while
When I go the distance, I'll be right where I belong

Down an unknown road, to embrace my fate
Though that road may wander, it will lead me to you
And a thousand years, would be worth the wait
It might take a lifetime, but somehow I'll see it through

And I won't look back, I can go the distance
And I'll stay on track, no, I won't accept defeat
It's an uphill slope, but I won't lose hope
Till I go the distance, and my journey is complete

But to look beyond the glory is the hardest part
For a hero's strength is measured by his heart

Like a shooting star, I will go the distance
I will search the world, I will face it's harms
I don't care how far, i can go the distance
Till I find my hero's welcome, waiting in your arms

I will search the world, I will face it's harms
Till I find my hero's welcome, waiting in your arms

Elder Garcia

30 Mar 11 - 5 Apr 11

WOO! I have 2 weeks 9 hours and 15 seconds left!!!

Things are going really good for me since I'm out in the middle of nowhere and everybody leaves us alone. I have plenty of investigators to keep us busy and no car to effectively waste time walking to each investigator. Life is sweet and I'm coming home soon.

Okay, this week's song is "Don't Give Up" by Eagle-Eye Cherry

All our dreams are gone
With a loss of faith
We're still hanging on
For another day
It's so hard to see
That it's going to get better
And when will that be
It's hard to say

We must believe
That if we give we will receive
Yes we must believe
That it's going to get better

Don't give up
Never give up
We won't stop
Giving all we got

Don't Give up
Never give up
We won't stop
Giving all we got

Now we're breaking away
From what holds us down
This could be the day
That brings out the light
Now we're marching on
With the will of never giving up
This time we'll have won
Without a fight

We must believe
That if we give we will receive
Yes we must believe
That it's going to get better

Don't give up
Never give up
We won't stop
Giving all we got

Don't give up
Never give up
We won't stop
Giving all we got

Don't give up
Never give up
We won't stop
Giving all we got

We must believe
That if we give we will receive
Yes we must believe
That it's going to get better

Don't give up
Never give up
We won't stop
Giving all we got

If anyone can explain to me why I picked this song, I will give you props. And props from me are better than props from anyone else. Cause I'm cool like that.

See you later (literally!)
Elder Garcia

22 Mar 11 - 30 Mar 11

It's time for everyone's favorite part of the email! I have 2 weeks 6 days 8 hours 36 minutes and 40 seconds left since I wrote this!!! Yay!

So nothing new to report here. Still working. Just to let everyone know, I'm probably just as trunky as the day I came out. The mission has been good but I can't wait to move on to bigger and better things. This week's song isn't necessarily about going home but I think it fits perfectly anyways. Enjoy.

Once again i'm falling to my knees
(I try to escape cause I just can't take it)
Now this feeling is spreading like a disease
(I fake another day and the wheel keeps turning)
This place is so pathetic
Doesn't anybody get it
Is there anybody home?
Is there anybody home?
There's nothing left.
We're just a shadow of what we used to be

In the night there's a fire in my eyes
And this paradise has become a place we've come to cry.
When I open your letter the words makes it better it takes it all away
Whoaoh it keeps me holding on
Whoaoh it keeps me holding on

Here we are preteding we're ok
(You can say what you want but you still can't fool me)
The life we're living
It's all masquerade
(I try to smile but I can't remember how)
So how did we get so jaded
Is it so complicated
To not give up to me?

In the night there's a fire in my eyes
And this paradise has become a place we've come to cry.
When I open your letter the words makes it better it takes it all away
Whoaoh it keeps me holding on

Whenever I need you
Whenever I run to
I know where to find you
It keeps me holding on
Whenever I need you
Whenever I run to
I know where to find you
On
You keep me holding on
You keep me holding on whoaoh

In the night there's a fire in my eyes
And this paradise has become a place we've come to cry.
When I open your letter the words makes it better it takes it all away
Whoaoh it keeps me holding on

Whenever I need you
Whenever I run to
I know where to find you
It keeps me holding on
Whenever I need you
Whenever I run to
I know where to find you
It keeps me holding on

Take care everyone. I'll see you in a few... Unless your married or moved away... Then good luck.
Elder Going Home Soon

15 Mar 11 - 22 Mar 11

Okay everyone, I have 4 weeks 0 days 8 hours 56 minutes and 35 seconds left since I wrote that.

So anyways, this week's home song is in third person to me but might be first person to a lot of you. It's Come Home by One Republic. Enjoy.

Hello world
Hope you're listening
Forgive me if I’m young
For speaking out of turn
There’s someone I’ve been missing
I think that they could be
The better half of me
They’re in the wrong place trying to make it right
But I’m tired of justifying
So i say you’ll..

Come home
Come home
Cause I’ve been waiting for you
For so long
For so long
And right now there's a war between the vanities
But all i see is you and me
The fight for you is all I’ve ever known
So come home
Oh

I get lost in the beauty
Of everything i see
The world ain’t as half as bad
As they paint it to be
If all the sons
If all the daughters
Stopped to take it in
Well hopefully the hate subsides and the love can begin
It might start now..Yeahh
Well maybe I’m just dreaming out loud
Until then

Come home
Come home
Cause I’ve been waiting for you
For so long
For so long
And right now there's a war between the vanities
But all i see is you and me
The fight for you is all I’ve ever known
Ever known
So come home
Oh

Everything i can’t be
Is everything you should be
And that’s why i need you here
Everything i can’t be
Is everything you should be
And that’s why i need you here
So hear this now

Come home
Come home
Cause I’ve been waiting for you
For so long
For so long
And right now there's a war between the vanities
But all i see is you and me
The fight for you is all I’ve ever known
Ever known
So come home
Come home

Later ya'll
Me

8 Mar 11 - 15 Mar 11

Okay everyone, as of the moment when I finish this sentence, I'll have 5 weeks, 9 hours, and 33 minutes left. Not much to say except Satan still hates me. So here's the long for the week.

Michael Buble - Home

Another summer day
Has come and gone away
In Paris and Rome
But I wanna go home
Mmmmmmmm

May be surrounded by
A million people I
Still feel all alone
I just wanna go home
Oh, I miss you, you know

And I’ve been keeping all the letters that I wrote to you
Each one a line or two
“I’m fine baby, how are you?”
Well I would send them but I know that it’s just not enough
My words were cold and flat
And you deserve more than that

Another aeroplane
Another sunny place
I’m lucky, I know
But I wanna go home
Mmmm, I’ve got to go home

Let me go home
I’m just too far from where you are
I wanna come home

And I feel just like I’m living someone else’s life
It’s like I just stepped outside
When everything was going right
And I know just why you could not
Come along with me
'Cause this was not your dream
But you always believed in me

Another winter day has come
And gone away
In even Paris and Rome
And I wanna go home
Let me go home

And I’m surrounded by
A million people I
Still feel all alone
Oh, let me go home
Oh, I miss you, you know

Let me go home
I’ve had my run
Baby, I’m done
I gotta go home
Let me go home
It will all be all right
I’ll be home tonight
I’m coming back home

5 WEEKS!!!
Peace out
Elder Garcia

1 Mar 11 - 8 Mar 11

Hey everyone! I have 42 days and 9 hours left till I'll be done with the mission! Yay! So, since I have nothing else to say, I'll just post my going home song.

I'm staring out into the night,
Trying to hide the pain.
I'm going to the place where love
And feeling good don't ever cost a thing.
And the pain you feel's a different kind of pain.

Well I'm going home,
Back to the place where I belong,
And where your love has always been enough for me.
I'm not running from.
No, I think you got me all wrong.
I don't regret this life I chose for me.
But these places and these faces are getting old,
So I'm going home.
Well I'm going home.

The miles are getting longer, it seems,
The closer I get to you.
I've not always been the best man or friend for you.
But your love remains true.
And I don't know why.
You always seem to give me another try.

So I'm going home,
Back to the place where I belong,
And where your love has always been enough for me.
I'm not running from.
No, I think you got me all wrong.
I don't regret this life I chose for me.
But these places and these faces are getting old,

Be careful what you wish for,
'Cause you just might get it all.
You just might get it all,
And then some you don't want.
Be careful what you wish for,
'Cause you just might get it all.
You just might get it all, yeah.

Oh, well I'm going home,
Back to the place where I belong, And where your love has always been enough for me.
I'm not running from.
No, I think you got me all wrong.
I don't regret this life I chose for me.
But these places and these faces are getting old.
I said these places and these faces are getting old,
So I'm going home.
I'm going home.

T! R! U! N! K! Y! I'm trunky! Yeah! Yeah! I'm trunky!

Work is good. Elder Johnson and me are staying in Grantsville together. I'm also a lvl 7 druid.

Peace
Elder Garcia

23 Feb 11 - 1 Mar 11

Just to let everyone know, from this moment I have 49 days left. Or more accurately, from the exact moment that I write this, I have 7 weeks, 0 days, 9 hours, 36 minutes, and 35 seconds. I was talking to Elder Johnson once about an Elder in our zone that came out with him. He said the ZL's don't like him. I asked him why. He said that he was trunky. I told him that I'm trunky as well (and for good reasons. This missionary has six months left). Elder Johnson told me that the difference between that Elder and me was that I still work. I didn't get that. Can you be trunky and still be effective? The answer is no. So... what am I?

Anyways, things are going good for me.

Later.

14 Feb 11 - 23 Feb 11

Heya everyone!

So great story to tell everyone. There's this 11 year old kid named Morgan who wants to be baptized. He was supposed to be baptized last weekend but I put a stop to it. His parents are divorced and his mom is bitter at his dad over something or other. She won't let the dad baptize his son or even let her family or his family attend the baptism. Morgan wants his dad to baptize him and [his dad] wants to baptize his son. He's a worthy temple recommend holder. So I pulled the plug on the baptism and made everyone's life a lot better because now if the mom is going to get mad, she can get mad at me. AHAHAHAHA!

Other than that, Satan hasn't killed me yet. He's scared and angry at me. Good

Oh, and I'm going to be coming home in a car sometime on Saturday... I think (April 23rd). A friend is taking me home. And I also forgot to mention that I also need to kiss a girl when I get home, party, listen to music, and play WoW.

Later everyone!
Me

7 Feb 11 - 14 Feb 11

Hey everyone!

Nothing much going on out in Grantsville. I think the percentage was 80% members, 19.98% less active, and .02% nonmember. Just kidding. I don't know what the percentage is but the work out here is really slow. Most everyone commutes so we only have lessons in the evening. I don't know what we do during the day but it sure isn't productive. That and the mission basically told us that if we don't reach our goals then we're condemned and the standards for the mission is 1 baptized, 1 confirmed, 3 on date, 5 to church, 8 with a member, and 3 new investigators each week. I don't know how they expect us to get three news each week out in Grantsville. Vain ambition maybe?

Teaching is good though. Elder Johnson is amazed that I can usually get someone to start crying each lesson because of how strong the spirit is. Since I replaced Elder Johnson's last companion, the work has actually boomed here. Imagine that.

So, for those of you who are counting down, I got two months left! HECK YEAH!!! I told myself the first thing I'm going to do when I get home is sleep... unless I'm well enough rested on the drive home to stay awake. Then I'm going to party like it's one year before the end of the world. And then I'm going to get a license. Also, somewhere in my list of things to do I gotta go hot tubin' and swiming. Video games... TV... A job... Maybe some school... Dungeons and Dragons... Am I missing anything? Rock Band! Uh... I think that's it.

Two months
Elder Garcia

31 Jan 11 - 7 Feb 11

1:16 PM

Hey everyone!

Not much to report today cause I've been sick since Wednesday with the flu. I think I can honestly say that I've never had a fever go to 103 before. There's no heating in our place so it's like 50 degrees in the morning.

Stay warm!
Elder Garcia

24 Jan 11 - 31 Jan 11

2:56 PM

Hey everyone. I got good news for everyone.

So I got transfered. Yup. I am going to die in Grantsville, Utah. Now, for those of you who are not familiar with Utah, Grantsville is about as far West as you can go without going into Wendover, Nevada. I'm West of Tooele. This whole time I've been classified as a sister missionary because I've been stuck in the valley and I always have to have a car. I've spent my entire mission over on the East side of Salt Lake City. Now I'm on the West side where there are more cows and horses than people. This should be fun.

My new companion is Elder Johnson from North Carolina. You all remember Elder Doucette? My favorite companion on the mission? Well Elder Johnson has got to be 10x better. He is really in tune with the Spirit and we get along great. Of course we're also in the same things (IE D&D, Magic: The Gathering, Munchkin, WoW, Guild Wars, etc etc). Already in this past week we've had a ton of spiritual experiences. And if I'm accurate, more than the whole transfer I spent with Elder Doucette. Don't get me wrong. I love Elder Doucettt. But Elder Johnson takes the cake.

So, I don't know what else to say other than I GOT LESS THAN THREE MONTHS LEFT!

Elder Garcia

17 Jan 11 - 24 Jan 11

1:19 PM

Hey everyone.

Transfers is on Wednesday. I really don't want to be transfered right now. I got three months left and I don't want to spend it getting to know a new area and new people. I like the people here and I'm having a lot of success in this area. Plus my last longest area was six months. I want to top this area with nine.

Other than that, I really don't have much to say this week.

Later
Elder Garcia

10 Jan 11 - 17 Jan 11

Hi.

Everything interesting that's happened this past weekend had been because of Satan... so... I got nothing to say.

I was going to talk about "Never Give Up, Never Surrender" or in gospel terms "Enduring to the End" but I think you get the picture. If you didn't get the picture then it got lost in the mail somewhere.

So here's a picture of me with RM Sister Larson who served in the Kiev Ukraine Mission for three days with Meagan Howell.

Happy trails!
Elder Garcia

3 Jan 11 - 10 Jan 11

12:56 PM

So, for some reason I keep having this conversation with people, about what they know versus what they believe. It's such a powerful statement when someone says that "they know" something. When someone says that, you can't refute them. You can't make them believe otherwise. That's why I don't bother with those that say that they know their religion is true. No point wasting my breath. I just think of 2 Nephi 33:

"10...hearken unto these words and believe in Christ; and if ye believe not in these words believe in Christ. And if ye shall believe in Christ ye will believe in these words, for they are the words of Christ, and he hath given them unto me; and they teach all men that they should do good. 11...And if they are not the words of Christ, judge ye—for Christ will show unto you, with power and great glory that they are his words, at the last day"

But to those that don't know, that only believe but say they know to end a conversation, I warn you that a belief can either help you or hinder you. Yes it is true that to those who honestly seek him, belief can and will become so much more. Belief turns into Faith. Faith turns into Knowledge. When we know something, we cannot deny it. Here are a chain of scriptures.

"Alma 46: 15 And those who did belong to the church were faithful; yea, all those who were true believers in Christ took upon them, gladly, the name of Christ, or Christians as they were called, because of their belief in Christ who should come.

Alma 32: 21 And now as I said concerning faith-faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true.

Ether 3: 19 And because of the knowledge of this man he could not be kept from beholding within the veil; and he saw the finger of Jesus, which, when he saw, he fell with fear; for he knew that it was the finger of the Lord; and he had faith no longer, for he knew, nothing doubting."

When I was younger, I had a belief in the church. I had a belief that everything that I was taught was right. But then something happened where I turned away for a while. I eventually came back. I was better, but I still only had a belief. One night, I was fed up with only believing. It seemed like the only things I heard in church were "I know" this, and "I know" that. Well, I knew that they knew those things. I wanted to know those things. I got down on my knees and prayed. I said, "Heavenly Father, I want to know if this church is true cause if it's not I'm done." That night I had felt the Spirit more strongly that I had ever felt my entire life (up until that point of course). I no longer had a belief. I had knowledge.

I can't deny the Spirit. I cant go against how I feel. The church is true. The scriptures are true. Joseph Smith is a Prophet of God. They all go together.

"D&C 93: 30 All truth is independent in that sphere in which God has placed it"

If the church is true, it's always going to be true. If the scriptures are true, they're always going to be true. I know this because I felt the Holy Ghost tell me it. I can never deny this lest I be condemned.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the only true church on the earth. Through it we can be saved. Without it we will be condemned. Because the church is true, we know that the scriptures are true. The scriptures tell us

"1 John 4: 19 We love him, because he first loved us.

John 14: 15 If ye love me, keep my commandments."

Three basic commandments that He gives us are go to church, read the scriptures, and pray. When we don't do these things we fall away. When we don't do these things, we only believe. We go through the motions, but we don't know. I know that when we do these things, when we follow the doctrine of Christ, when we keep the commandments, when we seek God, we will return to live with God at the last day. Every time I feel the Spirit, I know that that's just a small portion of what it will feel like when I'm in Their presence. I want that. I need that. I will do anything to get that.

I will not fall away. I will not deny what I know. I have lost myself in Christ and found something better. I found what I can become.

Don't just believe. Know.
Elder Garcia

29 Dec 10 - 3 Jan 11

2:01 PM

I guess it's that time again where I say things and stuff.

Lately I've been on this sort of spiritual high. I've been told all my life that the Spirit is a "still small voice" that you have to really listen to in order to hear it. For the past I don't know how long, I've found out that that's different for me. To me, in order to hear the Spirit it's like tuning into the right radio station. Some people never tune to it because they'd rather listen to something else. Maybe their own selfishness. Maybe their pride. Maybe they'd rather listen to the lies others keep telling them. Sometimes someone would rather listen to the lies they tell themselves. We've all tuned into those stations. Lyrics that spit out words that sound like "I'm doing what's right even when I know I'm wrong." Sometimes we'll find a good talk station on a debate about how we'd rather do what's easy than do what's right. Every now and then, we'll eventually get bored and tune into the Spirit but the volume will still be low enough that other things will block out the sound. Some words might catch our ears and help us feel good about ourselves for a moment, but eventually it'll fade. Me though, I've cranked up the volume.

It's a funny thing following the Spirit. Sometimes (most times) I'm the only one who can feel it. Or maybe someone else will say that they're feeling the Spirit but I'm getting the chills. Occasionally the Spirit will move me to do or say something that others don't agree with. It hurts to hear what I have to say. In that I quote 1 Nephi 16: 2 "And it came to pass that I said unto them that I knew that I had spoken hard things against the wicked, according to the truth; and the righteous have I justified, and testified that they should be lifted up at the last day; wherefore, the guilty taketh the truth to be hard, for it cutteth them to the very center." Still it seems like I stand virtually alone in knowing that I do what's right. It's because repentance is a hard thing to understand, especially that it's hard to do and it hurts.

How would you like to be told that you're wrong all the time? That you've screwed up and messed up? That you need to change your ways and align yourself with God or else be consumed in the world? I've practically been told that my entire life. I never seemed to do anything right and when I did do what's right others told me that it was wrong. Well, let's turn to Moroni 7 on this matter.

"12 Wherefore, all things which are good cometh of God; and that which is evil cometh of the devil; for the devil is an enemy unto God, and fighteth against him continually, and inviteth and enticeth to sin and to do that which is evil continually.
13 But behold, that which is of God inviteth and enticeth to do good continually; wherefore, every thing which inviteth and enticeth to do good and to love God, and to serve him, is inspired of God.
14 Wherefore, take heed, my beloved brethren, that ye do not judge that which is evil to be of God, or that which is good and of God to be of the devil.
15 For behold, my brethren, it is given unto you to judge, that ye may know good from evil; and the way to judge is as plain, that ye may know with a perfect knowledge, as the daylight is from the dark night.
16 For behold, the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil; wherefore, I show unto you the way to judge; for every thing which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God.
17 But whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do evil, and believe not in Christ, and deny him, and serve not God, then ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of the devil; for after this manner doth the devil work, for he persuadeth no man to do good, no, not one; neither do his angels; neither do they who subject themselves unto him."

There are a lot of you out there who know me, who have been with me for years and have stayed by my side all that time. I ask you, why? Why would anyone stay by someone who did the wrong things. Sure I have my faults, but I'm as good natured as they come. I don't like lying. I don't like hurting people. I do the right thing even if it's hard because I know that that's what God would want me to do. I'm bold with others because they need to hear the truth in order to change and come unto God. If I don't then I would be ashamed. But I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If I am good, I cannot do the devil's work in destroying others. If I am evil, I cannot build up the kingdom of God.

So which side am I?

I decided a long time ago what my number one priority is: To live with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ forever. Everything else falls into place. One thing I've noticed though is that the closer you get to God, the bigger the target is on your back. Satan hates you and others are jealous because you're doing what they refuse to do which is what's right. Cause sometimes the hardest thing and the right thing are the same. It's a lot easier to do what's easy. It's easier to tear down instead of uplift. It's easier to take offense instead of humble yourself. It's easier to not listen than to hear and do.

So where do you fall? Where do we all fall? What piece are we playing in our lives? Are we pawns? Or are we Kings and Queens? The Spirit knows us. The Spirit is always there for us, trying to help us achieve our potential. Are we going to crank up the volume and listen, or are we going to change the station?

This gospel is true. God loves us. I know both these things and I'm trying to help others know them as well. If we know these things, then we will do everything that God asks of us. If we don't know or only just believe, then what's the point? I will not fall away. I will fight. I will be the hero I was meant to be. I tried being someone else but that style didn't suit me very much. I heard the call and I answered.

I am a servant of Jesus Christ.

I love you all.
Elder Garcia