Saturday, July 26, 2014
July 26th, 2014 - Weekly E-Mail
Familia,
So this last week was a really good week! I think that it was probably the best week so far here in the offices. We were able to go out and work every day, and so we had more success than normal, which of course is good. When one sees someone else go through the conversion process it helps that same person go through it too, which is why I love so much teaching people and helping them come unto Christ, because I myself as well grow closer to Christ! But yeah, lets look at the week.
So of course I don't remember exactly what I did every single day, but I remember the big events that happened, or the cool things that happened, so yeah!
This last week, on Thursday, we had a Centro de Visitantes (or Visitor's Center) in the church, and so we went like 2 hours earlier (because it was at 8 p.m.) to the family that I told you guys about last week and then they went to the Visitor's Center!!! It was the coolest thing to see them there! I just remembered being so so so happy!!! In the Visitor's Center, me and Elder Beifuss were in charge of the Celestial Kingdom along with the sisters, and it was sooo cool!!! The whole experience was cool because a lot of people came and it was a walk through of the plan of salvation, but in person!!!
Also yesterday we went to a less-active family, and their daughter is 9 years old, and has wanted to be baptized for a while, so we were able to put a baptismal date with her for the 30th of August, and the whole family is going to go to church again, but not just go one time, but keep going! So we are going to help this family reactivate and help the girl get baptized!!!
Other than all of that we had a lady named Lluvia (or rain in English) commit to go to church tomorrow, and so we'll see how everything goes!!
But thanks for all of the birthday wishes!! It was really cool because it was all in Spanish, but I loved it! I was still really busy, but God gave me many gifts...or miracles this week, so it was really cool! It was a good birthday...and I'm 19 now!!! haha, how crazy!!!!
So random fact....I was looking at Family Search, and I think 6 generations from me, we have somebody named Parley Pratt Loveless. He married Martha Perry, who is the daughter of Mary Hoopes, and Mary Hoopes' father, Jonathan Hoopes Sr. is also the great (x4) grandpa of Elder Hoopes.....so we're related not too far back....weird huh!!!
But yeah, it was a good week. With each day I grow to love the mission more and more! I couldn't be doing anything better at this time in my life!! I love you all, and hope you all have a good week!!!
-Elder Loveless
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Wednesday, July 23, 2014
Saturday, July 19, 2014
July 19th, 2014 - Weekly Letter
Family,
So this last week has been pretty good, but I was kinda bad at keeping track of all that I did, so if this email is short or weird by any way, I apologize ahead of time!!!
So first of all, last week on Sunday we were contacting people in the streets and knocking on a few doors and what not, and so we went to a person that said that we could come back when we wanted, and so we did!!! He didn't answer though, so trying to be proactive I told Elder Beifuss that we should go to the neighbors....so we did it! Little did we know that this family would accept us. So the dad came out and told us that he had stopped drinking and smoking and all of that stuff, and that he wanted help so that his family could get closer to God, so of course we accepted and he told us we could come back in a few days, so we did and it was a really good lesson. The dad wasn't paying as much attention because he technically wanted help for his family, but his family was really intent on listening to us. And, the cool thing is that there are 5 people in the family over the age of 8....so that would be like the other family that I baptized in Camargo, so now it's just up to God and us to help this family, but we're super excited!!! It's our first investigators in this area!!! Other than that, in the aspect of investigators we have been contacting a lot of people and passing by people's houses, and we're getting people to teach, now we just have to follow-up with everyone to be able to have more poeple to teach.
In the offices everything has been going good too! Still learning more frases in Spanish and what not, and today actually an Elder (Elder Hernandez) had to go and get surgery on both knees, but he has been with us for like this whole last week!!! Feel bad for him......both knees....that must be pretty painful, but yeah! So we're going to take turns sleeping with him in the hospital for 4ish days, so I might be sleeping in the hospital one of these days. But for me in the offices everything's going good!!! I ate at this super good Chinese restaurant this week and that was super good!!! But yeah!!!
Oh and one more thing....I finished the Book of Mormon again this morning, but this time I took notes for every chapter and it was amazing! Now I know the Book of Mormon so much better, and the stories amaze me!!! Like for example Captain Moroni and his valor as he goes to battle against the Lamanites and always returns, and the 2000 stripling warriors...or better said, the 2000 courageous youth!! We also have the amazing conversion story of Alma, and how he baptizes millions after, and then Nephi and how he had to put up with his brothers. We have the amazing talks from King Benjamin, and Samuel the Lamanite, and all of the words of wisdom from Lehi and Alma to their children. The Book of Mormon is the best book in the world, but more importantly....I know it is the word of God, and that Joseph Smith truly translated it by the power of God....it couldn't have happened any other way....he couldn't have made it up...it's too intense....it's true. I love how I felt after I finished, and the whole time I was reading it.....and I'm excited to start it over again.
I know the Book of Mormon is true, and I testify of it in the name of Christ...or Redeemer and Savior, and I share this with you all in His name, even the name of Jesus Christ.........Amen.
-Elder Loveless
Have a good week, I love you all so much!
Oh and Grandma Val gave me lots of food and Grandma Barbara gave me a cool canteen tie (a tie that I can drink water from ) haha!
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Sunday, July 13, 2014
July 12th, 2014 - Weekly Letter
Family,
Tuesday we also had time to go out and work, but it was kinda weird because we started to contact people, but they didn't accept us. We actually talked to a guy that doesn't believe in anything. Like he thinks that things don't happen for a reason, but just because it happened....like everything is just coincidence. We were talking to him for a while but he didn't seem to be changing his mind at all, but it was still a cool mini talk with him.
I can't believe how fast time flies by while here in the offices. Like I feel like just yesterday I was writing to you guys, but it's been a whole week. But it's just because everyday we have work, but work that keeps us occupied the whole day, and so all of a sudden it's a new day, but it's cool....I like the work here!
So something cool happened last Saturday after I wrote to you guys and everything. So I was able to go to my old area, Rio Sacramento, and see Elayne get baptized....one of the investigators that I had there, and so that was super cool.
Sunday was my first time at the new ward Granjas (which means farms). It is a really cool ward. It isn't as big as my old ward, Rio Sacramento, but it's also not as small as Camargo. I also played the piano for Sacrament Meeting, so I might be playing piano again for the ward!!!!
Monday was more of a normal day. Because Monday is the preparation day for everyone else we don't have really any missionaries come to the offices.....but sometimes. So in the afternoon Elder Beifuss and I worked....and it was actually pretty sweet. Since we don't have any investigators we have just been contacting people on the street, and it's going good!!! Like we get a lot of rejection, but at the same time we've got to know some pretty cool people. Now we just hope we have a lot more free time to visit these people that we've contacted on the street. That night is when Elder Whitney came to our house. I wasn't able to go to the airport with him, because I guess it just worked better if Elder Hoopes and Elder Zarco went together, but yeah.....he stayed at our house Monday night. It was kinda funny because that night I gave him a hug and said bye dad, hope to see you soon!!! Elder Whitney's such a good elder.......It was kinda sad that he had to go back, but I know that he'll come back.....and if he come's back at the perfect time, he might go home with me and the elders from my generation!!!Tuesday we also had time to go out and work, but it was kinda weird because we started to contact people, but they didn't accept us. We actually talked to a guy that doesn't believe in anything. Like he thinks that things don't happen for a reason, but just because it happened....like everything is just coincidence. We were talking to him for a while but he didn't seem to be changing his mind at all, but it was still a cool mini talk with him.
Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday we weren't able to leave the offices to work except for one visit that we had with one of the other elder's investigators.....but we just had so much work.....and we still have a lot of work.
Thursday was good, but it kinda ended up a little sad because President had a meeting with us, but me and Elder Beifuss had to go with an elder to the hospital for a while, and so we ended up returning when the meeting only had 5 minutes left. I think I ended up spending 300 or 400 pesos on taxis.....but luckily it's reimbursable. I was kinda sad because we had to leave the meeting, but it's part of being a secretary, so it's all good!!!
So yeah, and then this morning we went to this huge mall here in Chihuahua called Fashion Mall. It kinda made me feel like I was in the United States again, but we just went to look around. I ended up buying a cool tie for 70 pesos, which is like 5 and half dollars!!! And the tie is super cool! So that was a fun activity that we did!!
But yeah! I've really been learning to be even more humble here in the offices. You might ask why, but here's why. In the offices there are days when we go to bed at 11 or later, and we still have to wake up at the normal 6:30, so sometimes I just feel like I want to go to bed, and then I work on the computer most of the day, so that mixed with being tired....it's not the best feeling. It's just constant tiredness. And then how I've been having to learn Spanish financial terms. Working in the offices isn't a walk in the park........but I've learned more about humility because there are times when I just have to kneel down and pray. I have to ask that God gives me what's necessary for the rest of the day so that I can complete my work in the offices and out of the offices. I love how close I am to Christ at this time in my life, and I just hope that I learn good enough so that I don't become weaker after the mission. But I know these things are true!!!
I love you all so much!!! Thanks for the continued support and love.....this last week I received a package from Grandma Barbara, Grandma Val, and you guys!!! I saw the wrapped packages and I told myself that I can't open them until my birthday. But I just wanted to thank all of you for those :) It's kinda funny because in our district there is a sister named, Hermana Radilla, and her birthday is the 20th of July, so we're going to have a mini birthday party!!! So that'll be fun!!
But yeah!!!!! Have a great week!!! You're all awesome!! Love you all!!!
-Elder Loveless
Saturday, July 5, 2014
July 5th, 2014 - Weekly Letter
Hey family,
So it hasn't been too many days, but still, these days have been good and crazy, and just everything. I've been learning a lot of important lessons, and I like have been realizing a lot of things about myself, but it's been fun, because although sometimes all 4 of us secretaries stress out a lot, we always try to have a little bit of fun so we don't stress out too much. But yeah....
So on Tuesday it was actually super cool, because every first Monday or Tuesday of every month there's a zone leader meeting, and then after they always eat super good, so as secretaries, of course, we don't go to the meeting part, but after President always invites us all to eat, so we ate super good that day. Right after that though it was pretty stressful for 2 or 3 hours because pretty much half the mission came to the offices for transfers and for materials and packages. One of my jobs includes working with the materials. So I order like all of the mission pamphlets and Books of Mormon and everything like that. I also order all of the house things like refrigerators and washers and that kind of stuff. So when all the leaders came I had to give out a lot of materials to everyone, and also I gave out everyone's packages, but it was just kind of stressful because we didn't finally have a break until 2-3 hours later, and then people were trying to get in the restricted part of the offices, where only we can go, so yeah. But it's part of the work. That night some elders from far away slept in our house, and one of them was Elder McKay, so I finally met him! But the elders were talking all night so it was kinda hard to sleep.
Wednesday was also good, it was actually calm in the offices....Elder Zarco took me to teach me how to deposit money in our mission account and everything like that, but it's interesting, because everything that we do with the mission money we have to keep an exact account of that. So for example, everything we buy we have to do something called facturar the receipt, which I don't know what that is in English, but yeah. Even if we deposit money into the account we have to keep a perfect account of that. So yeah, so I learned how to deposit money into our account and how to put it in the church records. After that, it was like 9 in the morning so me and Elder Zarco went to eat breakfast at McDonalds, and that was good. First time I've eaten McDonalds in Mexico. Later that day we didn't really have time to work in the offices because we had to go help some sisters move into a different house, and me and Elder Zarco had to go to the owners house and 'debate' if you want to say it like that, to get her to rent the house to the sisters for cheaper, and so that was crazy. I met one of those sisters, and I found out that she is from Lehi and knows like a ton of the people that I grew up with, so that was funny.
Thursday was normal, I finally put in all of the reimbursements that I had, which was like a billion, but now I'm finished!!! Later in the afternoon we finally had time to work out in the field, and me and Elder Beifuss contacted a few people and we have times to visit them today, and that's awesome because before Thursday we had nobody to work with, but now we have opportunities.
Friday was good too, very similar to Thursday, but there were a ton of elders here for immigration and stuff, so I saw like Elder Whitney and Elder French, and Elder Newman, and a few other elders that I know from the mission. It's kinda weird because being in the offices you get to know everybody in the mission, and you get to know all of the areas in the mission, so that is pretty cool!!! But Friday night, or last night, Elder Beifuss and I worked again and contacted a few more people and so now we have more people to pass by for, but we're excited! We kinda have it really good here in the offices because we are in the offices until 2, and then we go eat with a member, and then we are in the offices again until 5ish, and then we work out of the offices until 9, so we skip the hot part of the day!
As a secretary we have a ton of perks, but it's because we work so hard. Almost everyday I just have been mentally and physically dead. Like I literally feel like I am learning Spanish all over again because I never knew any of the financial terms before, and it's not like I would learn them unless I came here. So everyday I learn more financial terms....but sometimes I don't understand anything, and before in my other areas I understood everything. But it's good, because who knows....it might come in handy in the future. The only stressful thing is that I found out that I'm one of the first American financial secretaries that this mission has seen for years, because the Americans just can't understand as well, so President and God have a LOT of trust in me. But luckily I still have like 2 and a half months to learn good!!!
So yeah...things are good here! I don't know if I already said this, but I received a package of food from you guys!!! I love receiving those packages ;) I also received a letter from bishop!!!
But yeah, so thanks for everything!!!! This upcoming week is going to be amazing!! Love you all!!!! Have a great week!!!
-Elder Loveless
Friday, July 4, 2014
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