Hola mi familia!
Well I made it! I woke up on Monday at 2:30am and headed out to the airport! I got to talk to my awesome family and then flew out to Detroit. From Detroit we took a small tiny jet to white plains NY! The thing was tiny but I made it safe. My mission president (President Morgan and Sister Morgan) picked us up along with a bunch of elders that have served here for a while! They took us to the mission home and we had dinner with all the new Elders and sisters that came in yesterday (27 of us). I've been able to already make some super good friends.
This morning we went to north Manhattan for transfer meetings and then also upstate for the second transfer meeting. I am serving in the city Yonkers (right outside of The Bronx) and this is my companion Elder Paiz (picture below). He is awesome. He's 21. He's from Florida and he speaks really good English and Spanish. He's very humble and he's willing to help anyone with anything. If only we could all have that quality. I just met him about an hour ago and we go out tonight to visit people and teach a couple people....all in Spanish...and my companion was fluent in Spanish before he came out here and he said once he heard Dominicans speak, he had no idea what he was saying....and tonight we are visiting 2 Dominicans. Let's go! Haha.
It's extremely green here. I've never seen so many trees in my life - they never end! Such a beautiful area. There are SO many trees everywhere. Lauren...you would want to live here 100%. It's pretty humid here but it's ok, I am getting used to it. The city is pretty ghetto but I like it. It feels like home (LA). I actually haven't gone to Yonkers yet so I have no idea what that will be like (I'm at the church right after transfer meetings). I will have more for you next week, but just know this mission experience is amazing!
One thing that my mission president shared with me was this. He said that the point of this mission was so I could come to know my savior Jesus Christ & God. He said this will be the hardest thing I have ever done and the hardest thing I will ever do in my entire life, but that's the point. It comes to a point where I say, God, I can't do this anymore on my own. I need you and whatever you want me to do is what I will do. Once you decide this, he begins to grow you WAY more than you ever could on your own. It's simply beautiful. Tragic at first (the hard times), but then colorful. God makes our trials beautiful, but we have to let him. We have to give him our heart and our will, because that's the only thing he doesn't have. I love you all so much!!! Have a fantastic week and I will give you a lot more info next week! Pray for me! I pray for all of you daily! It's about to be a crazy week.
Oh! We get iPads too! Change someone's life today!!
Wednesday, September 3, 2014
PICTURES WEEK #6 (First Week in NY)
My first companion in New York, Elder Paiz.
First night at the mission home.
Tuesday, September 2, 2014
Wednesday, August 27, 2014
New York City Here We Come!!! (August 27, 2014)
Why
Hello! =]
The
time has finally arrived. 6 weeks has passed here in the MTC since I have left
and I am finally going to be leaving to NY on Tuesday. We leave at three in the morning, and then
we have a layover in Detroit, and then to NY (should get there around 4 on Tuesday). I am so ready to leave. The food here is horrible. The MTC
isn't the real world, so I am extremely grateful to be going to the epitome of
the real world. I may regret this later though. Haha.
The
language is still difficult but It will eventually come.
So
my teacher's name is Hermano Savio (brother Savio in Spanish). He is one of the
most amazing guys I have ever met. He served a mission in Panama and he told us
this story that is amazing. He is the only active member in his family.
He
was teaching a lady on his mission. In their culture (Panama), the women are
taken at age 14 to get pregnant and give birth with older men. It is a
tradition in that culture apparently. At the time, she had fallen in love with
a boy her age. She ran away from the man with this boy, and they created a life
together. Well, Brother Savio and his companion ended up finding her, and
teaching her, and she truly saw the truths of the Gospel and she wanted to take
the first step of eternal blessings and enter the waters of baptism. Only
problem was she couldn't. She was living with her boyfriend and they wanted to
get married in the temple so they could be sealed together for eternity. But
legally, they could not get married because this woman ended up getting an STD
from this older man when she was 14, and the only way you can legally get
married in this area in Panama is if you have a doctor clear that you are
healthy and clean. For years she would go to the doctor and get tested, hoping
that somehow she would be healthy and clean again so she could get married. The
woman and her boyfriend wanted to enter the waters of baptism, and wanted to be
sealed together through all time and eternity in the temple, but they couldn't,
because legally they were not allowed. Hermano Savio was teaching them a lesson
one day, and all of a sudden his companion felt prompted to say the following.
He told them that if she were to fast and pray with all her might, mind, and strength,
she would be clean again, because this is what God wanted for her, and he
promised her that she would again be clean. They (the woman, her boyfriend, and
two elders) fasted and prayed continually for 24 hours, and the next day, she
had a doctor's appointment. She called Hermano Savio crying because she said
that the doctor said she was all clean and clear from any disease. She went
back to the doctor and told him that she has been here many times and the 20
times she has been tested, it has come back with bad results. So he ran the
test again, twice, and nothing came back that was negative. He was astonished.
He said it was a miracle. This story was amazing. It is a true testimony to me
of sincere praying and fasting. When we truly want to build our relationship
with God, He will talk back, but only when we first reach out to Him.
James 1:5. When we do, we can work miracles.
One
thing I love about The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints is that it's
not just a church. We claim it to be the eternal truth. We have no creed by
which we are limited to. Anything that has been revealed, or that will be
revealed that is true, is a part of the gospel. EVERYTHING. We have the
blessing to have the authority of God to act in his name to bind things on earth,
that will be bound in heaven (like eternal families for example). People often
wonder (no matter the religion) what it's going to be like in the next life,
and how God will judge us. This sums it up perfectly. "The final judgment
is not just an evaluation of a sum total of good and evil acts - what
we have done. It is an acknowledgment of the final effect of our acts and
thoughts - what we have become. What is it that we are
trying to become? Well let's look in the bible - Matthew 5:48. Christ says we are supposed to become perfect just as God is
perfect in Heaven. We are supposed to become like Jesus and God, but why?
I
heard a parable this week that I think really answers this question.
'A
wealthy father knew that if he were to bestow his wealth upon a child who had
not yet developed the needed wisdom and stature, the inheritance would probably
be wasted. The father said to his child:
"All
that I have I desire to give to you - not only my wealth, but also my position
and standing among men. That which I HAVE, I can easily give
you, but that which I AM you must obtain for yourself. You
will qualify for your inheritance by learning what I have learned and by living
as I have lived. I will give you the laws and principles by which I have
acquired my wisdom and stature. Follow my example, mastering as I have
mastered, and you will become as I am, and all that I have will be yours."
This
parallels to the pattern of this life, it's meaning, and the next life/heaven.
The Gospel Of Jesus Christ promises the incomparable inheritance of eternal
life (living with our families, in the presence of God, remaining in a state of
happiness forever), the fullness of God, or our father in heaven, and what I
love most is that is shows (the Gospel shows) the laws and principles by which
it (eternal life) can be obtained. It is the answer to eternal happiness!
I
have a very analytically driven and scientific mind and it is because of this
that I have come to see why we need both science and religion (religion
literally means man's connection back to God, or to tie back). I have come to
understand their roles. Religion tells us why, and science shows us how things
HAVE happened. See "happened" is the key word - it is of the past.
Science alone cannot "observe" the future because when we observe, it
is something that has already happened.
C.S.
Lewis explains both of their roles perfectly. This is what he said:
"Science
works by experiments. It watches how things behave. Every scientific statement
in the long run, however complicated it looks, really means something like,
"I pointed the telescope to such and such a part of the sky at 2:20 a.m.
on January 15th and saw so-and-so," or. "I put some
of this stuff in a pot and heated it to such-and-such a temperature and it did
so-and-so." Do not think I am saying anything against science: I am only
saying what its job is. And the more scientific a man is, the more (I believe)
he would agree with me that this is the job of science - and a very useful and
necessary job it is too. But why anything comes to be there at all, and whether
there is anything behind the things science observes - something of a different
kind - this is not a scientific question. If there is "Something
Behind", then either it will have to remain altogether unknown to men or
else make itself known in some different way. The statement that there is such
a thing, and the statement that there is no such thing, are neither of them
statements that science can make. And real scientists do not usually make them.
It is usually the journalists and popular novelists who have picked up a few
odds and ends of half-baked science from textbooks who go in for them . After
all, it is really a matter of common sense. Supposing science ever became
complete so that it knew every single thing in the whole universe. Is it not
plain that the questions, "Why is there a universe?" Why does it go
on as it does?" "Has it any meaning" would remain just as they
were?" Think about that.
This
is why with science alone, I am not satisfied with all of the questions I have.
I need more than what was observed to inform me of the future, not just in this
life, but in the next. - The gospel of Jesus Christ gives us this.
I
want to share something with all of you. The Gospel of Jesus Christ gives us
the ultimate hope. One thing I have found interesting is that throughout all
society, the main goal in life usually is to live happy having a family. Most
of those people can only hope that they will be with our families in the next
life. But people in the gospel know for a fact that we can be with our families
for eternity, but not only that, we know how to obtain that great blessing!
What greater joy can we have? This life would be a tragedy if we didn't have
this knowledge. Just think of all the time, money, blood, sweat, tears,
sleepless nights, all the joy, etc, you have put into your family (and for some
of you will put into your future family)! It's your everything! It would be a tragedy spending your whole
life creating your family just for it to go to waste when we die. It reminds me
of the Shakespeare play entitled "Hamlet", where an intense,
beautiful, and sorrowful story takes place, just to have everyone die at the
end. Sad right?
If
this was God's plan, well wouldn't it be a senseless one?
Whenever
God acts, there is always a reason behind his action or commandment(s) that He
gives us. For him just to send us here and create a family just for it to go to
waste, I cannot accept. I just can't. And luckily I don't have to! We have all
the answers that are needed right now and we also have the very plan from God
on how to obtain the blessings our souls yearn for! That's why I love this
Gospel! It makes us eternally happy! Eternally means forever. That includes
today! Jesus even said it himself (talking to us [Matthew 11:28-30]) "Come
unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take
my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye
shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
If we truly live the Gospel, it gives us peace literally forever, today, tomorrow and forever! I have seen it in my own life and countless of
others.
If
we decide before we come unto God, that he isn't real or His FULL Gospel isn't
true, we are cheating ourselves and remain stuck, because God himself said you
can't know him unless you come unto him first. Then you will know by the power
of His spirit. You will feel a greater peace you have ever experienced.
I
just love the peace I now feel in my life. I want everyone to partake of this
peace because it will change their lives forever.
Get
ready for some crazy stories in New York. I am sure there will be some crazy
ones. Next time you hear from me, I will be in New York! I am VERY excited!
I
apologize if some of this grammar didn't make sense. I am forgetting how to
spell and talk in English. Haha. Lo Siento.
VIDEO'S
OF THE WEEK:
I
love you all so very much!!! Have a GREAT week. =]
From
heaven,
-
Elder Austin Celaya
P.S.
Love Life. We Only Get One Chance To Do So.
PICTURES WEEK 5
This is the gym.
This is my companion being a goof.
We got to do sealings today in the temple. It was amazing to know that we can be together
with our future wife's forever! The Temple is an amazing place.
Wednesday, August 20, 2014
The End at the MTC (Almost) :) (Aug 20, 2014)
Hello to all my favorite people! It's great to talk to you
all! How is everyone?! I can't believe I have less than two weeks left here! I
cannot wait to get out into the real world! The weeks here all blend together
and I don't have much time today, but I've been saving all my good stories for
next week (my final letter before I leave Utah and head to NY). So expect a
longer letter next week!
So good news! we ended up winning the basketball tournament! It was super intense and we almost got in a few fights.
To start off, today we (our district[The 6 Elders that room with
me/study with me]) had a little problem. Our toilet flooded while we were gone
today at the PROVO Temple and we got back and the whole floor turned into an
ocean, and the toilet was leaking from the back. Right as we got home, all the
Elders under us (we are on the second floor) came knocking on our door and
asked us if our toilet was flooding because water was rushing out of their
ceiling fan. We went down to their room and it was like someone installed a
shower head in the ceiling fan. There was toilet water all over the walls, the
doors, and pretty much everywhere in the bathroom. They aren't very happy with
us. Haha. Every night we always wrestle and then all stomp on the floor so they
really don't like us. It's okay though. Me and my companion asked the front
desk to have some extra towels to clean up the mess, but instead they are
currently sending over the staff to check it out, which is not good because if
your toilet floods on the ground, your whole apartment has to be evacuated and
moved. That even makes it worse for the District down stairs because they had
bed bugs, so they already evacuated and had to move to a different apartment.
Then they couldn't "prove" they had bed bugs, so they moved back in,
and now they are probably going to have to move out again. Ahh life here at the
MTC can get crazy sometimes! Haha.
Every Tuesday and Sunday we have devotionals in
the main campus where all the missionaries in the entire place get together
(about 2,500) of them and we get to hear from somebody special. Mother, you are
going to die when you hear this, but this Tuesday, we got to hear from
Jenny Oaks Baker! For those who don't know who she is, she is a world class
violin player who graduated from Harvard with a Masters in Violin Performance.
All of her kids are extremely good at music and they are very young (they all
played with her as well). She spoke to us, and performed around five songs. I
know that music invites the Spirit like nothing else. It brought tears to my
eyes. When we feel the Holy Spirit, it's God's way of letting us feel what is
true and good. I guess then the question becomes, how do we know what are our
own thoughts/feelings and what are coming from God himself? This scripture has
helped me understand this. Moroni 7:16. It says " 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." This
scripture has helped me understand how to find what is true in my life. We can
talk about this all day, but I don't have much time. Ponder what this means in
your own life. When she played the violin, it sounded like it was a living
person crying out to God. She played it so well that it seemed like it was
alive. She is the best violinist I have heard live (besides you of course mom
:) ). And mom, out of those 2,500 missionaries, only two people got to meet her
and get pictures with her and I was lucky enough to be one of them. :) See
attached for pictures. I know your jealous mom. Haha.
I ended up writing a song this week on a piano here. It's pretty
cool how easy it becomes to write when your mind is completely clear from any
distraction. It allows you to focus in a deeper way than I ever have been able
too. The Spanish is coming along pretty good. We teach three lessons a day now
here all in Spanish, but that doesn't mean at all that I am near fluent,
because I am not. I can understand just about everything now, but talking is a totally
different story. It's coming along well though!
We have a white hand book which is our rule book as
missionaries, and this week, I felt inspired to draw a large heart in the front
of the book, because I realized that LOVE is the greatest thing anyone can do
to help others. That's my number one rule, is to love everybody! The great
thing about when we love and give to others is that it is contagious. When we
give and show love to others, that makes them want to give it back. When we
take from others, that makes them want to take from you as well. When we love
and give, it is a win win for everyone.
I have learned being a missionary isn't about teaching people
material. Think about this. I am a Christian. Christ had certain
characteristics (Charity, Hope, Knowledge, Faith, Obedience,) etc...and he had
them perfectly. It is all about Charity (the pure love of Christ to where you
start to see people for their potential, and love the good that's in them).
Being a missionary is not about how much you know doctrinally, intellectually,
or even how well you know the language. We are official representatives of
Christ, and it's all about what you do and how you truly love the people. A mission changes your
heart. It takes it and it teaches your heart how to love people the way Christ
did, and does all of us! Then those people want to live their life the same way
and spread that eternal joy. It's infectious. So, with that, I would
like to share with all of you a video. Notice that this video has NO words, yet
recognize how powerful it is. Notice that both the people in this video were
suffering and were both struggling to just live. Although both were struggling,
the husband was struggling a little less, and notice he turned outward when he
was struggling within (just like Christ), and loved his wife with all he had
and ignored his own infliction. Today, let's love somebody like this. This is
the kind of people I want in my life. I want my future wife to be like this,
but more importantly, I hope I can become just a fraction of what this wise and
loving man has become.
VIDEO (ENDURING LOVE)
I love you all so very much. Have a great week, and do something
to change someone's life!! :))
- Elder Austin Celaya
PICTURES WEEK 4
Me and Jenny Oaks Baker. Got to meet your idol mom!
Me and my companion cleaning this morning at 5 am! We are going hard as they say. We call him Jerry. He calls me Sunshine so he is Jerry.
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