Saturday, December 27, 2014

Yeah Yoda! Grandma Val and Mom sent the same thing without even knowing it!


Christmas Eve Pajamas!


Christmas Eve - We sang and gave candy out to sick kids at this hospital.


December 27th, 2014 - Weekly Letter


Family,

     Well I sure do have to agree with you mom that my favorite part of this week was Christmas, because I got to talk to all of you guys!  It was an amazing Christmas!  I'm glad that you guys had a great Christmas too!  Enjoy this last week of Christmas break, and have a great New Year!  I love the pic that you guys took! Who were some of the people that commented on the picture?  I would also ask if you could send the pics with Grandma Val and Emily as well!!! But yeah, it was super fun seeing you guys again!  Jon and Emma, Emily and Ashton and Dace, everyone's grown up....soooo weird!  I'm glad you liked your gift mom!  I thought you'd like it :)  Oh and I hope that all of your shirts fit you, and that you liked them as well!  We're you guys able to try the candy?!?!

     So yeah. Apart from talking to you guys on Skype, it was a great week of Christmas spirit.  On Wednesday, the 24th, we went to a hospital and sang to the children there and gave them candy.  It was a super neat experience as these sad depressed kid's faces gleamed with joy as we gave them a little bit more of Christmas.  We met some kids in some pretty sad situations, but they were all so cute.  

     Also, the 25th, Christmas day, after I talked with you guys we went to eat with a member, but we ended up going to her parent’s house and ALL of the family was there. And the majority of them weren't members so it was crazy.  Everyone was just yelling and it was kinda funny. After, we went out back and they had a piƱata that we broke.  After it broke one of the older ladies there started grabbing candy and then she started throwing it everywhere and pegged this really old lady in the head....it was super funny, we were all laughing at this family.  And then later they threw this super loud firework by our feet and it exploded and it was SO loud that I thought I was in a war zone or something.  It was crazy.

     Later after we went back to the offices we prepared ourselves a little bit and we went out and went Christmas caroling.  That was super super awesome and spiritual.  We went to a few of the older members and they just felt so happy. One of the old sisters of the ward said that it was always her dream that some young men would go to her door and sing to her, so we accomplished her dream. And then we also sang to 3 random people and they all said that they wanted us to go back and visit them, so that was super cool. I don't know, but this Christmas I felt something different....just a really strong joy for what I was doing......all in all it was a very special Christmas for me!  

      Also earlier today we went to Chihuahua Centro and bought a few Mexico toys, and then we found the BEST churro store ever.  It's this cool store called Churros and Chocolate and they stuff the churros with different flavors, and it's so good!  

      But yeah....I would have to say that this Christmas I truly felt the true meaning of Christmas.  My testimony definitely grew of Christ and I'm proud to be one of His dedicated servants at this time.  Thank you all for your love and support!  I'm so glad I was sent to this family!  Love you all so much! Hope you have a great new year!  I don't know what I'll be doing yet, but I'll for sure be setting some goals!  Have a great week!!!!!!!! Take care!!!

 

-Elder Loveless

Skyping with Elder Hansgen's family.



Christmas Day 2014- Skyping with Elder Loveless!!


More pics from the Chihuahua Mission Christmas party!! December 19th, 2014





 

Sunday, December 21, 2014

"Elder Hansgen...haha!"


"All the missionaries in the whole mission at the Christmas party."


"Pic with Hermana Escareno, Hermana Gonzales and Elder Shaddick."


"Pics with Elder Reynolds and the Sisters! I like the second one with the Sisters...pretty funny!"



Elder Loveless and Elder Hiskey


December 21, 2014 - Weekly Letter


Family,

     Wow!!! What a week!  It sounds like the whole world is pretty busy during this time of year.  And that goes the same for us here in Chihuahua!  Sometimes it stresses me out....but then comes Christmas day, and everything is so calm and perfect.  That is the spirit of Christmas.....if we feel peaceful and calm and loved.....it's because we're feeling the true spirit of Christmas. Christ is the definition of Christmas, and He is love, and tranquility, and peace.  

     But yeah....so this last week was good here in the mission.  Pretty much this whole week we were preparing for the Christmas party that took place yesterday!  We also saw a miracle this last week when President was waiting on his Mission card for like two weeks, which had the rest of the money that we needed to finish buying what we needed for the Christmas party, and it arrived literally the last day that we were allowed to use money as a mission. So that day I called Utah and everything to figure out when it was going to come, and literally right after that it arrived. Then President came running over and we went to go finish buying everything. And then me and Elder Reynolds were the first ones to get smart phones in the mission.  Supposedly this next year slowly but surely the missions in Mexico are going to be changing to smart phones. In the US and Europe and areas like that everyone has smart phones....so we're slowly changing.

     So the Christmas party went great!  The only thing was that it was kinda weird being secretary, because I had to make sure everything went smoothly.  I didn't get to eat much either, because I had to make sure that the missionaries had enough food first.  I did get a little bit of Turkey though so that's all that counts!!!  I was pretty much running around the whole time, but it was cool. I feel that I was really living the true meaning of Christmas as I was serving others. I don't think it was the same at the beginning of my service as a secretary, but now I like serving other people...helping them out and making sure everything is good for them!  Service has become something that I like!  Now that I'm probably getting close to leaving the offices, I realize that I have learned a lot of things.  Maybe in different ways, but it's been a great experience! And it shall continue for the rest of my life, because this life is the time for us to prepare to return to live with God.  

     But yeah! So I'm also super excited to talk with you all on Christmas day.  For now the hour will be at 11:00 am.  I am not 100% that it will stay 11:00, but unless I tell you otherwise, it will be at 11!  Hope you all enjoy the package I sent as well!!!  

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Only through Christ is salvation possible.  Always remember that!  Especially during this time of Christmas!  Get to know Christ....and then Always follow His gospel!  

I love Him....and I hope one day I can say that He is my best friend! 

Have a great week!

See you on Christmas!

Love you all!!!

 

-Elder Loveless

Saturday, December 13, 2014

December 13th, 2014 - Weekly Letter


Family,

          Sounds like your week was great!  Sounds like everyone is super busy, but that's usually what happens during Christmas time!  Christmas is coming so fast....and I feel like it was just barely Christmas...time flies by way too fast in the mission.  A day or two ago I was on lds.org and I was looking at the Christmas pictures to make one of them my desktop wallpaper, and I saw some pics of the Salt Lake temple during Christmas time, and I just remember that it's so beautiful!  Having more than a year without going to the temple is sad. I miss going so much.  For Emma's play, make sure to take a bunch of pics and send me them! I'm super excited for her!  It's going to be super awesome!  Oh and let me just tell you about the weather here in Chihuahua. It's still really hot. Like it's still in the 70's here, and a year ago it was already really cold during this time.  A few days ago it was hailing, but that's the coldest it's got in a while!  So yeah!

So this last week was pretty crazy if I do say so.  So on Monday Elder Beifuss got news that he was going to have transfers, and so on Tuesday he had transfers. It was kinda weird just because I was with him for 6 weeks in the MTC and another 24 weeks here in the offices.  But it's all good! I was about ready for a change in the offices.  Elder Ferrel was the secretary like a year ago, and President brought him back to end his mission, and then the next executive secretary in training is Elder Reynolds.  We still haven't decided on a new financial secretary.  Elder Ante is not going to be the next one, he's just helping out here in the offices, so we're still waiting until we find out who will be the next financial secretary, but for now I'll be here in the offices for another month or more.  But I kinda like the changes that have happened here in the offices. It was too long for me being the same way that it had been.  I didn't like changes of anybody in the beginning of the mission, but now they're pretty cool!  Changes are new beginnings and it's pretty cool!  

          Also this week came some new missionaries to the mission. There were 4 Americans and 4 Latins, and the cool thing was that all of them came from the Mexico MTC. They're starting to send all of the missionaries that come to our mission to the Mexico MTC, which is super cool!  But yeah, just like how missionaries came, 8 missionaries left.  It was kinda sad because like all of the missionaries that left are super awesome!  Two of them were my zone leaders, 1 of them the assistant, and the others I knew very well.  We woke up at 4 that morning. Long day....

          Also we've been planning the Christmas party in a week from today! It's going to be SO amazing, and all of my card’s money is gone now because I've bought everything.  So Applebees is going to cater us for our Christmas feast. That is going to be amazing! And then we rented a few candy tables that are going to have chocolate fountains.  Oh it's going to be super awesome!  This is going to happen next Saturday so I probably won't be writing you guys on Saturday, but probably the next day, Sunday, or maybe even Monday.  Just so you're aware!  And about Skype, I'm still not 100% sure what time I'll be able to call you guys, but next week I'll tell you for sure what time. But what time would be best for you guys? Give me a few times that would be better for you all, and then I'll figure out what time works best for me.  I'm really excited!!! :)

          About BYU.....I would appreciate it a lot if you could still finish the application for me.  Just to have more options in the end.  With more options I'll really be able to figure out which school is best for me!  Thank you so much mom!  And I really wouldn't want to go to Dixie. I've heard it's kinda a party school, and I don't really want that.  I want a school that puts a lot of emphasis on the church as well.  

          But yeah, that was about it for my week!  Everything is going good! I didn't feel as stressed this last week! So that was good!  This week may be a little bit stressful, because the whole mission is coming on Saturday, and that is also the last day for me to finish everything that has to do with finances for this year.  Gotta make sure we end on a good note!  So wish me luck!

Thanks for everything that you all do! I'm so proud to be a Loveless :)

Have a great week!

Love you all!!!!

 

-Elder Loveless

 

 

Saturday, December 6, 2014

December 6th, 2014 - Weekly Letter

Family,
     Sounds like your week was super cool!  All the Christmas parties are starting so that's pretty awesome!  We´re going to have the Christmas party the 20th of this month, so in two weeks from today!  It's going to be super cool. You guys can't say anything because it's going to be a surprise, but President bought all of the elders ties this year, and for the sisters I'm not 100%, but it's going to be like scarfs or something.....who knows. But I'm super stoked for that!  It's going to be a really cool Christmas. It's going to be my second and last Christmas in the mission....how weird. Okay, well yeah!  Oh and I'm super excited for the Christmas devotional tomorrow! We're going to be seeing it here in the offices!  That is something cool about being a secretary, because for things like the devotional tomorrow we can watch it through the internet.  But yeah, in our house we have set up a few Christmas stuff, like stockings and a few little trees and stuff like that! Pretty cool!!  
      I think that the coolest thing that happened this last week was a meeting that President had with us.  We talked about our lineage and the rights and responsibilities each house of Israel has.  There were a lot of details, but it was super cool. One of the coolest things that I learned was about the blacks and about why they were suddenly allowed to receive the priesthood, and why it was in that time and not earlier or later in time. But it was just super cool stuff, in that meeting President helped us realize a lot of things, like for example the house of Ephraim. Those who come from the house of Ephraim were sent to preach the gospel and preach it to all parts of the world. President also talked about how if we were born in the covenant then we were valiant fighters before the world was, so we got the privilege of being born in the covenant!!! Wow...it was just soooo coool!!!
      But yeah, other than that I have just been doing good!  For like half of the week I was going to bed between midnight and 1 in the morning because of various things that we've had to do. Like for example last night Elder Ante and I had to go to Cuauhtemoc and we got back like at 1 in the morning.  But it's all good. I'm doing all I can do so that everything goes good and smoothly here in the mission.  It's still stressful being in the offices, but everything is doing good. A lot of missionaries told me at the meeting with President that I looked wasted or beat up, or dead and stuff like that. I'm slowing getting a receding hairline.......yeah that's not good. But even though the offices are stressful at  times I am learning a ton. And I know for sure that I'm never going to have any job that keeps me as busy as being in charge of 230 people. Here work is 24-7, but at least a normal job would be a few hours a day, 5 or 6 days a week.  So yeah....I'm super grateful for the experiences that I'm having here in the offices!!!  
       Thanks for everything that you do for me! For all the love and support!  
       Now I just wanted to share a quick thing that I liked that I read in one of my personal studies this week.  I was looking through the Liahona of this General Conference in October, and I was studying one of the talks that President Monson gave, and he was talking about Satan. There is a scripture in the bible that says that Satan's job is to tempt us.....it's what he's supposed to do, so when we feel like we're the only ones, we're not.  Also when we have temptations, we can say, well it's just Satan again, and just move on. I'm not sure if I'm making much sense, but for me just knowing that Satan is supposed to tempt us helps me conquer him and his temptations! Super cool!
      But yeah!!! Have a great week!!! Enjoy the season! Love you all!!

-Elder Loveless