Email - This Week I Turned 20 And Met President Rasband

Weekly update for Oct 16th - 22nd

My back hurts, my joints hurt, I’m just so old. Being 20 is crazy. I feel so old. My teenage years are over! I’m officially in my 20s... it’s weird to think that next birthday I’ll be home. This was my 2nd birthday on the mission.

So on my birthday I woke up and made some bomb biscuits and gravy with spicy sausage for my companion and I. Super good!

 Then I opened the presents my parents sent me and it was awesome! Thanks to my family for the gifts! I loved the wooden watch so much!

 For lunch on my birthday, the other Passaic Elders took me and my comp out to eat pizza.  My old companion Elder Ruiz Casas got me bean booozled for my birthday so as I'm sure you already know, we had to play it right then and there. I highly recommend playing bean boozled if you are in the need for a good game (and stank breath).

 For dinner my parents had ordered me a ton of food from a place called Noches De Colombia and they got me something I’ve always wanted to try. Una bandeja paisa. Super good Colombian food.

 It was a great birthday for sure. Thanks to everyone who sent me birthday wishes. Love you all.

      By my house, there’s a dollar store that is possibly the best store I’ve been to in my whole life. It has everything your heart could ever desire. Like things that would be like 5-10 dollars at Walmart are here for one dollar... but here’s the catch... some of the food that they have is only a couple weeks away from expiration.. but I mean it’s just candy so how could it actually go bad? It’s honestly the most amazing store ever.  They even sell tiger hydrating face masks.  LOL

      ELDER RASBAND CAME!! So on Saturday we got up at 5 am to get ready. The sisters came and picked us up in the van (the only van in the mission is here in passaic). We got to the Morristown chapel like an hour and a half early but it’s better than being late. It was nice to be able to talk to all the other missionaries from around the mission since it was an all mission conference. They had us all gather up for a picture and once we all were gathered up we still had a few minutes until he would arrive for the picture so we sang hymns and it was super amazing! The Mormon tabernacle choir would be proud of us. ;). The moment Ronald A. Rasband came in was such a cool feeling. You could just feel the spirit enter when he did. After we took a couple pictures, we all walked in a line to enter the chapel and we all got to shake his hand. We also had Elder Bennett and Elder Bunker from the quorum of the 70. Elder Rasband really focused on how even though here in jersey it may feel like the place nobody wants to get called, there are tons off prepared people here. He served here on his mission. He also really focused on how everything happens for a purpose and that it all happened by divine design. 

      I am so thankful for the mission and that I was sent here to New Jersey. I don’t know why yet but I know that the lord has seen fit for me to be here in New Jersey. I may never know but I trust and have faith that I was sent here by god. I have seen so many miracles and blessings here on my mission and there’s no place I’d rather be! The mission has changed my life and my eternity! Serve a mission! There will be no regrets!  I can't wait to hear how all your weeks went.  Send me an email. 

- A couple other pics from this week - 

Go Toros! ↑

Elder Mason Davis

mason.davis@myldsmail.net

Email - Orly Get's Baptized!

Weekly update for Oct 9th - 15th, 2017

     Well the weather is finally starting to cool down. The temp will only get into the 80s a couple more times. Most days are like 50 in the morning and mid 70s at the hottest time of the afternoon. I’m waiting for it to be in the 40s and 50s so that I can wear sweaters everywhere! 

I love sweaters. 👕 

     We had a week full of jukes aka no show's,  but that’s how the cookie crumbles here on the mission. 

Orly got BAPTIZED!! On Saturday I had the amazing opportunity to baptize her!

 We spent a lot of time inviting tons of members and non members too her baptism but not many came. Only like 4 members and the rest were missionaries and Bishop. 

The reason for that is because on Saturday night we had a HUGE party called Noche De Hispanidad. I’m gunna try to explain what it is. Here in New Jersey it’s a giant melting pot of people from all around the world. So we have members from all sorts of Spanish countries. So for this party each person was asked to bring food from their country and prepare a dance or skit from their country. Each country had their own booth to give out their food and had decorations and stuff from their country. Just imagine all the best foods from each country and a buffet to eat all of it. That what it was. I had sooooo much food and it was so worth it.

 For America I made pancakes and chocolate chip cookies. #represent. 

     I had an exchange with Elder Johnson from Idaho. We got free elotes from the elote man and he gave us snow cones also. He always hooks us up. For the most part people like missionaries....until you try and teach them... haha.  

We also taught Grace and Maribel and it was great. Super amazing lady and daughter! I hope and pray that they accept this gospel and let it change them. I know how much it will change their life here on earth and for eternity. 

     I’m trying to change up my weekly email so they are shorter and only have the good stories that I feel like you’d want to hear... so let me know what you think or if you want me to go back to like the top 8-10 things of the week.

 I can’t believe I turn 20 in 3 days.  Only 3 more days to be a teenager! I love the mission so much and there is no place I’d rather be right now. I know I am meant to be here in New Jersey teaching the Spanish people. I love you all so much and have a great week and look for ways to serve those around you. 

 - Some of the people here in NJ put things like this on their doors to detour the missionaries.  It didn't keep us from knocking :- )

Elder Mason Davis

mason.davis@myldsmail.net

Email - The Good The Bad and The Ugly

Weekly update for Oct 2nd - 8th

Howdy! Well this week was great(ish). Ups and downs like all weeks are. Time is flying. I only have 10 more days to be a teenager. I turn 20 in 10 days! October 19th. Here on the mission birthdays and holidays are so much different haha but it's still cool.

We had exchanges with the zone leaders and we went to their area which is Englewood. This is also the Korean area so it's cool to see lots of signs are in Korean. We worked hard all day and talked to tons of English and I talked to tons of Spanish people. Great day weather wise as well. For our snack during the day he made me a tortilla with honey and peanut butter, it was ight. 

We had zone conference and it was super good and cool to be able to see the whole zone! Also there was a clothing give away from all the stuff past missionaries left in their homes. So I went and looked if their was anything I needed. I found this super ugly giant bath robe so I thought I would be funny and put it on... that's where everything went down hill... yes, people were laughing but it wasn't worth it for what I was about to find out. When I took it off it looked like I had a white suit instead of blue.... I was covered in the fabric from the robe! Then even more people laughed.... I used duck tape to get most of it off haha. Good times! 

So the technology we use to keep all our investigators and members and set appointments is called Area Book. Well, this week it had a huge update. But, not for the better. It changed sooooo much stuff and made it so much harder to do lots of things and set up appointments. Nobody liked it. So I've really been looking for the good in it and I've found a lot. I'm starting to think positively of it. So we're all good.

I was able to give like 4 blessings this week which is always my favorite. I love the ability to give a blessings and help people. The priesthood is amazing.

So, Orly was supposed to be baptized on this past Saturday but a couple little things came up and her grand daughter wasn't going to be able to come and she really wanted her to. So, now it is this Saturday at 3:00 PM. She asked me to baptize her :). My companion will be giving a talk on baptism. She is amazing and is super prepared. We have worked with her for 3 months now. 

We also started teaching a older man who is family with a member. We have taught him a few times and now he is on date for October 28th! We just have to get him to church which is his only struggle since he gets home from work on Sunday morning at 3.

Well now for possibly the saddest part of my whole mission... so last week we received a message from bishop that a lady needed a blessing so we went over there under the impression she was a member. She isn't but all of her family in the Dominican Republic is. She told us she was pregnant and that it was a high risk with the way the baby was at the moment. She asked for a blessing so we gave her one, shared a short message and set up a time to come back and teach her... this week we came back to see how she was doing. She told us the baby had died. I'm not sure how far along the baby was, I don't think it was very far along but it still crushed my heart... she and her daughter were both crying and I was about to. I said a quick prayer in my mind on what I could teach. Many scriptures began to come to me. We shared many of them about how all children who die before the age of accountability will be saved in he kingdom of God and how she WILL see her child again. We taught the plan of salvation and by the end she was at peace and knew that g\God had a plan for both her and her baby. He knows things we don't. Now she is in a tough situation and has turned to the Lord. She has been reading from the Book of Mormon and wants to be taught more about our message. I know that the Lord works in mysterious ways. Some are not what we expected. 

All I know is that this church can bring every peace and comfort to know what happens after this life and to really know gods plan for us. I'm so thankful for this opportunity to be able to teach this plan to everyone. I know this church is true.

Now time for a happier story. We have really been pushing on getting in actives to return to church. So we have been visiting all the members in our area. Less active, and inactive. We were able to get into the door of 2 of them. Neither of them had been in over 5 years (2 different houses). With Both of them, we shared very powerful videos and by the end they both said that they need to come back to church so they could feel that same spirit that was present. We bore our testimonies and invited them back and told them God needed them on his side and needed their help. I love being a missionary. The good, bad, and the ugly. I love each and every day. I love you all too. Hope you have a great week.

- Funny picture I took this week on the street -

mason.davis@myldsmail.net

Elder Mason Davis

Email - Questions Of The Soul References

Weekly update for September 25th - October 1st

First off I want to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my amazing sister Sheridan Nicole Pulsipher! She turned 22 on October 1st!! Have a good one for me! :-) 

This week was a good one! Really hot weather and now it has been cool for a couple days. Here's a few points on the week. Hope you enjoy. 

Elder Williams had his first P Day in the mission and we did the normal missionary thing. Laundry at the laundry mat, shopping, emails, stuff like that. Yeah sounds fun right? :) it's the best, I love it! "Nacho Libre voice" 

I had an exchange with Elder Ruiz Casas and it was tons of fun! We knocked a ton of doors and everyone juked us! We ended the day with some food from Noches De Colombia. 

Elder Ruiz Casas has 4 weeks until he goes home.

Orly will be getting baptized this Saturday, October 7th!

Crazy story that happened while we were at her house... she said she had diabetes and that she wasn't feeling good so she checked her blood sugar and it was almost 500. That's super high. We should be around 100... So we gave her a blessing and nothing bad happened.  She is awesome. She watched General Conference with us. 

We met a new investigator. His name is Bienvenido and he lives with a member. We taught him and he excepted to work towards baptism. So we will be working with him for the next few weeks until hopefully he is baptized. The work is great here in Passaic New Jersey.

We set up a Book of Mormon for contact with QOTS (questions of the soul). So what it is, is 10 questions that people often ask. we have them pick one of those questions from a page in the front of the Book and then we answer that question using the Book of Mormon. Lots of amazing scriptures in the Book of Mormon to answer the questions of the soul. It's been working great! Lots of new people to teach with it. 

We are teaching an awesome family of 5 right now. They are looking for a good place to raise a family and we are helping them see this is the place for that. We have had members come with us every single visit and it's helped so much. To all you members out there, do all you can to try and go on team ups with the missionaries and help them teach and be friends with their investigators.

As you all know this week was General Conference. Man how exciting conference is. I'm so thankful for the opportunity we have to listen to the Profetas (SPA) and apostles! It's the same as listening to God. Very sad that Thomas S. Monsons health was not good. Also very sad to hear that Elder Hales passed away during conference. I know he is in a much better place right now still working away.

 This conference I feel like the two things that were mentioned a lot were repentance and the Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon clearly teaches us the purpose of life in Alma 34:32 - 33.

 "For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors.      33.And now, as I said unto you before, as ye have had so many witnesses, therefore, I beseech of you that ye do not procrastinate the day of your repentance until the end; for after this day of life, which is given us to prepare for eternity, behold, if we do not improve our time while in this life, then cometh the night of darkness wherein there can be no labor performed."

I invite you all to really think about those 2 verses and think of how you can apply them to your life to come closer to our Father in Heaven and really prepare to meet him. I also invite you to try the prophets invitation to all and STUDY the Book of Mormon each and every day no matter the sacrifice you have to take and do all you can to gain a firm testimony of it. The Book of Mormon has changed my life in numerous ways! I will raise my family on the teachings of the Book of Mormon and the modern day prophets! I love you all so much and want the best for each of you.

Please send me your favorite stories of the scriptures as you read every day.  

Elder Mason Davis

mason.davis@myldsmail.net

Email - First Few Days With My New Greenie

Weekly update for September 18 - 24th

First week with my new greenie.

So about my greenie, his name is Elder Williams from Sandy, Utah. He loves marching band. He is also a genius! Nicest guy and ready to work.

Elder Diewald will be missed. He was a great guy. 

Since Elder Williams is my first greenie.  Let me explain how it all took place. 

Tuesday morning came and Elder Diewald and I drove over to the Short Hills chapel. I had to sit in a room with all the trainers and greenies and watch some safety videos. When it came time for transfers the greenies were not in the gym and exciting like normal. They were in the chapel and very reverent. I was assigned my greenie and we headed home. When we got home, I had my comp look at a map and pray to ask where we should go. He said he felt we should go knock Autumn Street. So, we did. We found a couple really cool people to teach. Although my comp is brand new in the field, his Spanish is very good. Being the wizard he is, he studied very hard in the MTC.

 Also he is deathly allergic to cashews and pistachios... poor boy. Best two nuts.

Mel took us out to DQ so that was a good time! It's the first time I've had it on the mission. 

The elote man at the top of our area also gave us elotes. Good man.

On Friday I had a meeting in Morristown since I'm district leader. All the newly called leaders went there to have a training. I left my greenie with the other Passaic Elders. The lunch we got was pretty good and I got to see Elder Marz! 

We have begun teaching a few super awesome families and we have gotten a couple members to help us teach. Having members in lessons makes such a big difference! Get involved in missionary work. Ask the missionaries if you can teach with them.

That's about all I have time to write about this week! But I did finally get a picture of a church in our area! Hope you like this church. Also I only have like 2 pics of my "son" aka greenie.  I love you all and work with the missionaries.