Adversity is On Purpose and It's What Makes Us Who We Are

Oh I can't believe Matt is home! I'm sure he's doing great! I'm glad Zach can start his papers and I'm sure everything will get figured out for the Eagle project. I will guess Phoenix, AZ for Duncan.
My new companion is Elder M who is from some little town in Nevada near Las Vegas. He has been out for 21 months and was a Zone Leader for the past 6 transfers so he's a tremendous missionary and he has absolutely fantastic Spanish. Fluent Spanish. He's helping me out a lot and I can definitely see an improvement. He's very, very smart and loves math and debate. He went to BYU for a year. He's not really a sports guy but he said he's down to try. We've had a pretty good week. I ate Red Lobster for the first time and it was quite delicious. We're working really hard and I'm sure we will find some people soon to teach. We're definitely on the brink. I can feel it strongly.
I've been thinking a lot about adversity lately. It comes in all sorts of different forms. Laziness, heartache, illness, not advancing, etc... It's truly what teaches us, though. God's plan is so tremendous! Que milagro! Adversity is on purpose and it's what makes us who we are. I would not be anywhere near I am today without adversity and being taught about humility.
Love,
Elder Montgomery


Dad,
Oh wow even you gave them a lower case c. (side note if you play ball in Lakeview's Region, you know who this sentence is referring too ;) ) They must have been up to no good recently. 
Wow Matt is home already! And he spoke! I can't even believe it. 
That's very true about the agency thing. Definitely something that I've learned on my mission.
Things have been going pretty well. I am keeping a journal. I didn't really write anything during Timber Ridge but I'm trying to make up for it now. My bike is doing alright. I don't think they did that great of a job because it still squeaks but I don't really know. 
My Spanish is getting better especially with my new companion, Elder M. He has tremendous Spanish! Very very good! He's helping me out a lot. We don't really have that many investigators at all but we're doing work. I'm definitely trying to stay strong and I hope you can continue to serve and help other people.

Love,

Elder Montgomery

What a Wonderful Time to be in Texas!

Wow!!! Snow and an earthquake! What a wonderful time to be in Texas!  That's a shame that you didn't get to see off E. Tshuma. That's great about Birthday caroling to Ms. Terri. E. S is going to be a ZL somewhere for his last transfer and I will be staying in Adams Hill. I'll probably be getting a DL companion again. It's going by so fast! I feel like I just got here! 
I cannot believe that Matt is going to be home tomorrow.  He had so many companions and areas (I'm one to talk, right?)! 
That is definitely way awesome for Ben's baseball team! He landed on a team with great coaches. 
The Spanish ward is great! We're starting to see a lot of progress with missionary work in the ward. 
Wow Sis Mortensen is going home already! Craziness! 
That's great that Zach got the approval to go ahead. 
I don't really have any time because of President's day but I love you all and I'll tell you about my new companion next week. 

Love,

Elder Montgomery

To Dad:

Oh yeah that's so awesome about Matt! I can't believe he'll be home,tomorrow! Hahaha the Missionaries in your ward are emailing from our house? Sounds about right with all the computers we have in the house. Libraries closed because of Holiday and We see no such luck in the Spanish ward. Growing is always hard and we don't always want to do it but it's really the best. It's great to look back and see your progress. Have a great week, I'm out of time.

Love,

Elder Montgomery

All Sins Start from Within, All in the Name of Pride and Selfishness.

Well...

So my first impression was Bro Doyle's missionary board. That is quite possibly the coolest thing I have ever seen! I'll get some pictures to you soon so that it can be updated. That is so impressive! He's doing a great job! 

I'm excited that Zach got his stuff approved. 2 months is enough time, I think? That will all get figured out I'm sure. I did get the package from Sis K. I have about 5 more letters to write and then I'll send them all off this week. That's good that the girls played so well this year. I hope they do well in the tournament. I'm sure the girls will benefit from this break. Just let them keep working and they'll get where they want. Hopefully Ben goes to a good baseball team!

We can only do so much with our own agency. We should support in this time. Love, true Christlike love or charity in it's simplest form is all we can do. I'm not suggesting enabling but rather finding out what is best.  We should do our best to help her with any righteous actions. Agency does not mean that we can decide to sin just because we can. Moral agency is only exercised when you choose to do the right. A 10 year old shouldn't be left at home on Sunday simply because he doesn't want to go. Sure he has the ability to choose his actions, but we should "help" him choose the right. Nevertheless, people can act in any way and are not limited simply because God does not want it to occur. The consequences, however, are set in stone. What we can do is to help people recognize the true consequences and results of sin. If we search the Book of Mormon, especially 2 Nephi Chapter 2, we find ample examples of the true purpose of life here on earth. Verse 25 tells us that "los hombres exiesten para que tengan gozo" or that men exist so that they can have joy. Some people may jump on that as an excuse to do what they want in the name of "joy." Of course, there is a difference between joy and pleasure and that is what must be recognized. Seeking pleasure is just what is suggested in verse 27, in that men can choose according to the flesh. They don't actually choose to follow the devil, but rather they choose to listen to their own selfish desires. All sins start from within all in the name of pride and selfishness. So the question I ask all of you is what is the difference between pleasure and true joy? How does that affect how you act, what you do, and who you are? 

Happy Birthday and Valentine's day Mom!

Love,

Elder Montgomery

Menudo, It's Like Trying to Eat Jelly Fish...

What! Matt Ben and Joseph are already home?!? They just left! How is their Spanish? That's great that she did so well in surgery! I did hear about the snow but nobody told me the extent of the damage. But I am in a Spanish ward so there is a little bit of a language barrier. But wow that is crazy! Hahaha I'm sure that was a ton of fun at El Jinete. You didn't offer to do the dishes? Yes we realize that men are at work during that time but if that stopped the work then we wouldn't be able to do anything until 5 everyday. It's even worse in the Mexican culture. Every single male is working from dark to dark no matter the age. There is no such thing as retirement. Haha yes I know that Elder G is from Pleasant Grove. He told me last week that you and his mom were e-mailing. He knows the Thatchers and he says to say hi. I'm pretty sure I'll stay in the ward but I think Elder S will probably finish off his mission as a Zone Leader. President has been doing that a lot lately with Elders in their last transfer. We haven't been too warm here either (obviously not snow but cold for Texas) and this week is supposed to stay cold. I am not too excited. Sometimes I think I should've been sent to Costa Rica or Puerto Rico. No lengua lately but I can 100% guarantee that I'll have it again before my mission ends. I did try menudo on Monday, though. I would take the lengua 7 days out of 6. It's like trying to eat jelly fish. On Monday we ate with a member and they have a nephew living with them. We taught the Restoration and he said he would like to learn more but he seemed kind of disinterested. Plus he works a lot. We'll see, though. Tuesday was exchanges and I was with Elder M. Let me just restate that I hate the cold. I froze to death on the bike but we did go eat to Olive Garden with the B family. First time ever! It's pretty tasty I must say!  Nothing else really happened this week. It was pretty slow. Yesterday we ate at one of the English member's homes. His name is Bro. P and he is one of my new role models! He is a Aircraft Crew Chief in the Air Force and he's been overseas a couple of times. He's half Puerto Rican and half... Virgin Islandese?. He speaks awesome Spanish and Portuguese and he's a fantastic chef! He's awesome. Tonight I'm going over to the Zone Leaders' area for exchanges so that should be lots of fun! Hopefully, it warms up in Georgia.

Love,

Elder Montgomery