February 24, 2014

Hello my loves:)

     Another week…it’s a little weird to think that in like 5 days my companion is going to be in his house back in Peru. It’s so crazy how fast the time goes in the mission.  Like when I was in my first area I remember seeing Elder Montoya with his companion and a couple other missionaries.  We yelled at them and they came over and played basketball with us. Little did I know that he would be my companion someday and now he is just about finished.

      Well everything is going super duper dandy!  I got the chance to talk in church yesterday. We were sitting there all calm and stuff when they told me that the other person who was supposed to speak didn’t show up. They asked me if I had something ready and I told them I am always ready. Obviously I didn’t have anything. So I went and grabbed a Liahona and the first page that I turned to is what I talked on. It was good because it went perfectly with the other talks. So that was pretty cool haha.

    Today in the morning we played dodge ball and soccer with the other zone here in Victoria... it was fun.  We are going to have a little party tonight. A member is having his birthday tonight and also we will be having goodbyes for Elder Montoya. We are planning on cooking a bunch of meat like carne asada and just eating. Then we as missionaries are going to do a little family night with this family. It’s the family Munoz who is in the photo I sent the other week where we were at their housing eating meat hahahaha. We love this family, they are the best! They also have a kid in the mission and so it makes them feel good to see us haha. We helped this same family last week also. We changed into our service clothes and we moved around their whole house.  Yeah, they moved and we moved everything for them in one day.  It was pretty tiring but I felt so good after and stronger. I love service the best. Service is the best type of work for me.

     So next week I will tell you if I’m staying here in Victoria or leaving. I hope I stay because I sure do love it here!!!

     Well, I love you all so much!  Have an excellent week, take care and keep the spirit strong! CTR all day every day…love you.

      Elder Lawrence

February 17, 2014 (6 months to go!)

Hello Everyone!!!

    Another super fast week… Can’t believe it!! I hope everyone had a great Valentines Day…it sounds like you guys did.  This week was pretty good! The two people who were baptized got confirmed and received the Holy Ghost this last Sunday.  Also this last Sunday was the best attendance at church that we have seen since we have been here.  There were over 62 members who attended church and a lot of less actives.  It was great to feel the love and spirit of everyone.  It was really nice to see a full chapel.  This Rama has helped us out so much with the progress here.  Just about everyone that can is doing their Home Teaching…the difference is great!  We have been starting to see a unity with this Rama in the last couple of weeks…with the Family Home Evenings every Friday and the activities on Wednesday’s.  This Rama will soon be a Barrio, I’m sure. 

     We received some really good references this past week and we were really pleased and grateful for that! The work is going good! So yeah, I had my interview with President Jordan this last week and it went really good.  It was nice to see and get to talk to him.  I sure hope I don’t get changed either in this next change.  I really don’t think I will but you never know.

 

     So I received your Valentines package…thank you so much!  In the next package do you think you could send some beef jerky?…haha there are a lot of people what would like to try it out.  I told them I would ask my mom to send me some hehe.  That’s sweet that I got accepted into UVU…that is some exciting news!  I’m glad that I don’t have to take the ACT test again.

     So this last week we had a family night with a family and we invited two other families.  The family Tovar and a guy named Juan and his wife and kids.  We made so much meat…like steaks, chicken and carne asada.  It was soooo good.  Then we shared a message with everyone.  It was really fun and a good way to meet people.  We always have chances to share the gospel and that’s what’s good ya know…through all the little things…like it says in the scriptures.

      We got 3 new investigators this last week and we will be putting a baptism date with them this upcoming week.  So I have hope that we will be having a baptism in March.  Almost everyone that we visit has returned to church…it’s so awesome!  We have been looking for new people to teach also. The Family Nadia, Leonardo, Mariana y Sol, Family Monica, Family Tovar, Family de Israel, Gladis, Guadlalupe, and Bryon, and more.  It is so great to see the spirit touch the lives of these loved people.  I love everyone of them.  I’m so thankful I have the chance to share with them what I know is true and to feel their love and spirit change again for the better!

 “Faith is not so much something we believe; faith is something we live.” - Joseph B. Wirthlin Y Elder Lawrence

Love you all so much!!!!!!!!!!!!

Getting my flu shot today

February 10, 2014

     Thanks for your email…So sounds like another very good week for you guys…for me as well!!!  Yesterday we had two more baptisms. It’s so amazing to see the change when they have made the choice to change their lives and repent and keep the covenants that are necessary.  It was super good and the church was full for these baptisms…it was so Awesome!! That never happens…a church full of less active members.

     Our area plan is super awesome here!!! The Rama in Bicentenario has a great area plan. Our mission leader sets up all of the meetings for us during the week so that we have members with us in all of the lessons. The work is so smooth here for us, it is really nice. The Rama does all of our planning mostly and we go and visit everyone that is programed for us to visit. They give us references every meeting. We have activities that are planned just for the less actives and investigators and the members are always there helping and becoming friends with who we visit. For this reason we have seen some major progress here in Bicentenario. The members are all doing their Visiting Teaching now and we even have less actives that are doing Visiting Teaching also. All the less actives are starting to receive calls in the church so they feel that they actually have a reason to be here in church. Our job is to visit and teach everyone they give us and try to talk to everyone that we see.  I love this Rama so much…it’s great! This is the true church and work of the Lord and we are the representives of him. There is nothing better!!!!

      I’m going to get my hair cut today. We have interviews with the President this next week.  Seems like we just had those, should be good. I still haven’t received your package. I hope it gets here soon. I’m hungry for some candy haha. Well I love you all so much. Thanks for all…have a great week!!!

  Love,

   Elder Lawrence

 Eric & Cruz Ramierez & Guillermo Ramierez

They are not family...two separate families

 Guillermo Ramierez

February 3, 2014

What’s up, what’s up ya’ll...

     Another week more in the work of the Lord…it’s all good! This week is going to go by super fast here for us because we have two baptisms. This Tuesday is the intervistas for them and they will both be getting baptized this Sunday at 5:00.  Just so ya know you guys are invited if you want…feel free haha jk. But really it will be awesome! Everyone will be there even the Spirit and that’s who we are most excited about here.

     So this last week was chill and seemed fast as well because we went to Tampico.  Yes they did by us pizza and yes it kinda was like a little break haha. We didn’t teach on Tuesday.  It was good to get back to our little area and get to work. There are so many people here that are really willing to listen to us.  They are very receptive and it’s nice. We are going to be putting a date for baptism with another investigator that we have this week for March so booyah!!! The work is good, the church is true and the spirit is strong! We are happy here… what more could I need?  I've got the support back home.... so things are good. I have a lot of faith. Never can be too positive right? We wouldn’t want any negative energies in this area.  Having a good attitude this is what it’s all about.

     Sounds like the superbowl was lame, so that is cool hahaha! But that’s good the Blake has a girlfriend, it probably won’t last long but it’s whatever right? I liked the photo he sent, it was nice.  I’m just glad to hear that he talks to girls haha jk. So when will Blake get his call then? I’m excited for him!

     This morning we climbed the famous mountain here in Victoria all the way to the flag.  I will have to send you some pictures.  It was fun!  After that we ate so much meat and meat with a family from the church. They actually have a kid in the mission too. They are a great family…the Familia Muñez.

     Everyday I have so many learning experiences.  I have learned and continue learning so many new things always…It's awesome!!!

    Love you all and have a great week... love you guys!

  Love,

    Elder Lawrence

 We live just a little bit outside of the city.  We travel about 5 min to get to the city. Victoria is the Capitol of Tamaulipas and yeah it’s pretty Americanized here... the houses obviously are not but the city is.  Like all of the fast food restaurants are here and Walmart and all that good stuff. 

Eating lunch with the Familia Munez