July 31, 2013

What up! What up! What up!

     Greetings from Mexico!  Sounds like the trip to Park City was super original haha jk.  I bet it was way fun and way good to get away and relax for a little bit. Wish I could have been there...Even though it’s super bomb down here in Mexico…haha but really!!! I’m loving my area with no shade and so much walking under the hot blazing sun, it doesn’t get better than that. Not to mention the loving stomach aches…I’m living life to the fullest haha:)

     I really do love the people here. Here is a list of all the names of people we are teaching…ok so there’s Samuel, Jovana, Pedro, Abril, Mariela, Ruth, Emma, Serfio, Cristina, Genoviva, Diana, Rocio, Karen, Lizbeth, Elvia, Ricardo, Karla, Juan, Angel, and there is a little bit more than that. But this is all the menos activos that we are working with that went to church this last week. So we are seeing the progress and blessings from our hard work. It’s really is a beautiful thing.

     This week I went on changes again. I really like changes because you get to learn more and see the progress. It’s great stuff.

      So I bet you all are wondering why I didn’t write on Monday. It’s because we changed our p-day to Wednesday this week so we could go to the temple.  It was so great to go to the temple this morning.  We all felt the spirit so strong and definitely felt the peace.  It was really cool to go through and do a session in Spanish.  I am so glad I learned Spanish.  I really couldn't imagine teaching the gospel any other way.

     Well I want you all to know that I am doing so good!  Everyday I’m out here, my testimony grows stronger.  I’m so grateful for the gospel and all the answers I have received testifying to me that this is the true church of Jesus Christ.  Like that talk you sent, it is worth it... really, there is so much that makes the mission all worth it!

     Thanks for everything and I will talk to you all on Monday..love you so much! 

Elder Lawrence

July 22, 2013

Hola mi familia, como esta ustedes? Espero que todo esta bien. Yo quiero ir con ustedes a park city…jaja.

    Well this week just went by supa fast right?? Holy cow I can’t believe that you guys are already going school shopping, what’s up wit that!!! So I have been 20 for about a month now!! That’s pretty cool right! I feel like I have so much more wisdom now!! But it’s not because I turned 20... I have learned so much already from my mission. Everyday I go to sleep with something new that I have learned. I have grown so much spiritually, but not only spiritually, I am learning the things I need to learn to make a family work and be close. The gospel is so important and I am so blessed that I get to teach people about the gospel and bring them closer to Jesus.

     This week we had 13 inactive members attend church. We didn’t get to have that many lessons because a bunch of the families made excuses and just canceled out on us. I know that there is a time for everyone to hear the message that the Lord has for them. There is a time prepared for everyone. I know that when we put in our part, God also puts in his part and gives us the blessings that we need to continue on in this work and for the eternidad.

      So this week we went to the beach for our P day. It was really fun to just relax and go chill out on the beach for a little bit. We also had changes… so I stayed in my area and one of the leaders of the zone came and he was companions with me for the day. It was good to learn from someone that has a little bit more experience than me. I also went on a cambio with the leader of the District. So I got to go to their area for the day.  I got to go with Elder Richard for the day also.

     We had a bunch of spiritual lessons this week. One of our investigators that has a baptism date didn’t go to church, so that baptism date fell through. A lot of the families don’t seem to want to listen to us. But we try our best everyday and the spirit is with us and we are learning so much, and that’s what’s important.  

     Well, I love you all so much and hope you guys have a wonderful time in Park City. Buy me something haha..;) A carmel apple and eat it for me.

Love you all and adios. Cuidese mucho!

    Elder Lawrence

 La playa bebe!!!

July 15, 2013

Hola Familia!!

    Oh yeah, there is definitely a lot going on here!  Elder Leon and I are working so hard here in Independencia 1…especially because we opened the area. So we had to talk to every member of the ward and get all the references we could, and we are still getting references from them. We have a lot of families that we are working with. We are probably working with about 30 people in total, maybe more. So yeah, we have been keeping so busy, and I am so tired!  Haha my legs hurt like every night. That’s when I wish you were here to give me a massage haha jk.

     We had 15 people show up to church this week. That is including inactives and investigators. So right now we have one investigator that is progressing and the other did not go to church. I’m surprised because for the lesson with him we invited the most powerful member of the ward…actually one of the most powerful in Madero and we taught a lesson with him. His name is Brother Camacho. He helped with his testimony and he was really direct also. It was way spiritual. After that lesson we put a baptism date with him.

     So today I am going to go get a haircut, that should be cool. Sounds like everyone had a really good time for the Young Mens activity at the cabin. That’s pretty crazy that dad wrecked pretty good haha. I remember that like it was yesterday when I flew over the handlebars haha. That’s awesome that Ethan is never sick of baseball and just loves it! We will definitely play some ball when I get back in like a year or so.

     So also this week we had a class with President Jordan. It was really spiritual and I learned a lot. But really every day I learn so much. Just from the smallest experiences. Sometimes it’s the littlest things when you learn the most. I know that the Lord has blessed me so much and I am so grateful to be out here choosing the right everyday and learning to become like him.

     So we actually gave Brother Camacho a bendicion in the first week here. And yeah, that is crazy because he is like a Pres. Bramall haha. So we ate the best food the other day. It was the birthday of Elder Richard and we ate crab, fish, shrimp, and of course rice…it was so dang good, probably one of the best foods I’ve eaten so far!!!!  Then there was a night for talents at the church. We went and watched the members sing.  It was cool to see all the talents in the ward.

     So I hope everyone is doing really good and enjoying summer because I know that I sure am haha;) I was in one of the hottest places in Mexico during the hottest times…I really love the sun.

Well its time for me to go I love you all so much!  Sorry this computer won't let me send pictures.  Thanks for everything always… Adios con mucho amor!

    Elder Lawrence

July 8, 2013

Hey hey...

    So it sounds like you guys had a pretty boring week, haha that is too bad. Why didn’t you all do something fun?? My birthday was pretty dang good haha…actually it was pretty much a normal day really. President Jordan and his wife called and sang me happy birthday which was really cool then the Mission Assistant’s also called later and sang happy birthday.  I don’t think they just do that for everybody…so I think I got some special privilege or something hahaha:)

     Things are going really good here with Elder Leon.  We are working really hard! We put two baptisms dates on the day of my birthday so that is some good news. But I think that they are moving areas next week so that is not good. There are so many less active members in our area and we have been contacting everyone of them. We have about 20 less active members that we are visiting right now…well, maybe a little less than that.  We also have 3 investigators. A lot of the appointments that we have the people have been canceling. Even with all the canceling we still ended up having really good numbers this week.

    Yes, we eat at a member’s house everyday and sometimes it is with the other missionaries also. So sometimes all 4 of us eat together. Which I think is pretty cool. I haven’t ever disliked the food…the food is always really good. My least favorite thing here is probably the hamburgers haha. That’s funny huh??

    Pretty crazy stuff now that I’m 20 years old… I can’t really believe that wow! Where has all that time gone?

    It has been lightning and raining here like crazy this last week. A lot of the streets are flooded I will send a photo. So our ward is really big here in independecia and there is a lot of work to be done.

    I love you all so much and hope that you have a really good week!!!

Love,

 Elder Lawrence

 Our house

July 1, 2013

Hello,

     So I’m doing really Great!!! Thanks for asking. Sounds like you guys are doing pretty good as well.  Keeping pretty busy, with dad driving all over the states, baseball, golf, science camp, work…sounds like summer, if you ask me haha;) That’s crazy that it got up to 115 degrees there…that’s pretty hot I guess you could say haha. But seriously it gets soo hot here!! Right when we step outside of the house we are sweating, it’s pretty crazy.! Madero is super hot as well! The heat here is just a little bit different than Valles because it’s more humid.

     Wow, so Adam Massey had his farewell? That’s awesome! I’m really excited for him, he will be a really good missionary.

     So my new companion is Elder Leon. He is from the same generation as me. We were both actually in the same Zone Amplacion in our first months here in Mexico…so I new him before. Now we are here in Amplacion again, but this time we are companions. He is a really great guy and a hard worker. He knows his scriptures really good…especially the bible.  I’m glad he is my companion and we are looking forward to having some major success here in area Independencia 1.

    The ward is actually pretty big here.  It’s the biggest ward that I have been in my mission so far. We introduced ourselves in church on Sunday....no one was prepared for that.  The bishop just called us up out of nowhere and we each talked for a little bit.  This ward is really strict too!  I have nver seen anything like it before...much more strict than the wards in Utah. 

    So wow can you believe that you guys will have a 20 year old on Wed? That’s some pretty crazy stuff isn’t it haha??  So I got one of your packages when I was in Valles. It was the package for my Birthday:) Thanks so much! I hope the other package gets here as well haha.

    Well thanks everyone so much for the birthday wishes.  Love you all so much:) adios

Elder Lawrence

My new companion Elder Leon