June 24, 2013

Hola Buenas días a todo:)

     How is everybody??? I am doing really great. So I’m guessing that you all are pretty anxious to hear if I got transferred... and yes I did get transferred!  Well it’s what ya do when you’ve got so much time in a place ya know haha. I figured I would get transferred for this change.  Yeah, I am going to miss Elder Martinez so much…he was such a good companion and so easy to be around. We really got along like brothers.  Maybe it’s just me… but my personality is really chill and so it’s easy for everyone to get along with me jk haha:)

    Yeah, I did get to go to the Worldwide Missionary Fireside.  It was really awesome.   It was so great to hear everything they talked about.  It’s amazing how big the part is for the leader misional.

   Dang, so it sounds like you guys have been so busy these days…especially with baseball. I hope the baseball team starts doing better and wins all their games! :)

  So I bet you’re all pretty interested on where I’m at now. So you won’t believe it!!! I’m in Zona Amplacion... yepppp the first area where I started the mission:) in Area Independencia . Isn’t that crazy?  That’s where I really wanted to go. God really knows what we want. I’m glad to be back here because I will be able to see all the members that I know and talk to them better with my Spanish now hahaha:)) So I’m really really excited about that!  I got to see Elder Rodriguez today and talk to him for a little bit.  It was so good to talk to him…I miss that guy!

    Well, I bet your all wondering who my companion is??? His name is Elder Leon and he is from Honduras. He is in the same generation as me again. So yeah, we will be opening this area. Well, I have to go because the time is up… bye, love you all SO MUCH:)

Elder Lawrence

June 17, 2013

Hey hey...

     So this is actually my last p-day here in Valles. Can you believe that? Wow how fast time flies!!! I will have 5 months here in one more week.  Pretty crazy right?? Sounds like you guys had a really awesome time in Richfield. I’m sure it was really nice to get a way for a little bit and enjoy some summer baseball.

     So I just want to start this letter by saying Happy Father’s Day to dad. I am so thankful everyday for your example.  You’re the reason I try to become a better person everyday. I love you so much. Thanks for always being there for me and showing me what hard work is and what it can get you. I love you so much!!!

    Oh and to answer your question we actually work with our Ward Mission Leader. We meet with him twice a week…on Sundays and on Thursdays. His name is Hmo. Joel Briseno. He is such a great guy and support to us Elders. He is always helping us and coming with us to visit our menos activos. (less active membors).

   This week only one menos activo showed up to church.... I can’t even believe that. O wait yes I can! They say that they will go and then they end up having another excuse every week. But it’s alright because they will return…every single one of them.  I know they will, I feel it. Maybe not in the time that I’m here in Valles and that’s alright because God has a plan prepared for everyone one of them. I have really come to love everyone that I teach. They all have a special spot in my heart and I am really going to miss them all soo much.  Especially the family Torres... they have become my family here in Valles. I love playing hockey with them in the street and then sitting down to read the Book of Mormon with all them right after…then we finish up with some quesadillas. They are a family that we have really focused a lot of attention on. I have seen so much progress with this family, even if right now they aren’t going to church. God really has some big plans for them. They have so much love and potential. I can’t wait to view it when they go through the temple…because I know they will.  Later on down the road in my journey through life:)

     Maybe you should stop reading all the missionary blogs because I wouldn’t really want you comparing me to the other missionaries;))) hahahah jk jk.  One thing that I have learned, is that every missionary [elder] is different and has a different way of teaching. I love this church, God and Jesus Christ. I know that this is true and by following the example of Jesus Christ I will become the type of missionary he was. One who teaches with and has love for everyone and everything.  I know that I have touched the hearts of many people in Valles... and these lives will change. It’s a process… a process that God knows and is in charge of.

     One experience that I had this week…. My companion and I were talking the other night about the church. The next day a man came up to us…he was pretty sketchy [weird] and he started asking us questions. He asked some  weird questions and some serious questions. We started talking about Jesus Christ and the things of God. It was exactly the things that Elder Martinez and I were talking about the night before. We were able to answer his questions and give the man peace. I feel like we were prepared the night before for this man…that we had received revelation for this guy. I was also able to apply some of the things to my life what this man was talking about.  I received an answer to one of my prayers awhile back...a little bit later we were out walking and another man came up to us. He also had questions for us. Even though this man may have been a little tipsy haha, he too talked about some things from things we had discussed the night before. I truly believe that God not only prepares the people but he prepares us missionaries for these experiences. It’s important that we’re always listening and always ready.  That is why obedience is so important because we will be blessed and it allows us to be in the right places at exactly the right times. Here’s a phrase I thought of…the mind thinks but the heart knows. It is so true. It is important to follow our hearts. If we follow our hearts that is when we will find the spirit and the spirit is what will teach the lessons that need to be learned.

     Well I love you guys so much and am so thankful for you all.... I’m so thankful to be blessed with such a great family! Love you and enjoy the Bachelor tonight:) Adios mi familia.

Elder Lawrence

I just look fat...I’m not really that fat... haha, well at least I hope not;)

We had a church activity, it turned out really good;)

Church Activity

June 10, 2013

Hola Familia,

     So how has everyone’s summer gone so far?? Sounds like everybody is keeping pretty dang busy. So do you guys have a lot planned for the summer or do you just plan on chillen a lot more?? Sounds like Kamrie had a pretty good week at EFY. That’s really good for her:) and Ethan made all-stars… that’s awesome haha congrats to Little E... and sounds like Blake just works and than gets dumped by girls all day haha nah jk:) I’m just glad to hear that the family is doing so good…what a great blessing.

      I can’t believe how fast the weeks go by here in Mexico. It’s so crazy…I guess time flies when you’re doing the Lords work:) I think one thing for me that has made these weeks seem like days is to just always keep a positive attitude. Just try to have the best attitude about everything and the days seem like minutes…. or weeks seem like days.

   We have been keeping so busy! We have so many menos activos that live in our area.  We teach about 4 lessons a day to all of the menos activos in our area. We also have to walk a lot. So I’ve been getting my tan on hahahah! The Lord really is with us during this work, because I don’t know how I’m still alive in this heat hahaha jk but its true;)

     Well anyway, this week none of are menos activos came to church.  Too bad for them, they are really missing out. No but really we can only do so much.  It is their choice and testimony that is what is going to get them to go to church. I love every one of them, so it’s sad when none of them show up.

     I went on divisions with Elder Griggs this last week.  He has a lot of time in the mission so it was nice to teach and learn from him.  I hope I make his blog hahahaha!

     Well, I hope you all have a good week!  I love everyone so much. Oh yeah, last night we had a pretty awesome lighting storm here… it was pretty intense & really cool.

     So love you all and hope you all are doing really well.  This summer is going to go by super fast so enjoy every minute of it. This is Blake’s last summer at the house right?? Wow sooo crazy!!!

Love you all so much and thanks for everything always:)

   Elder Lawrence

                Just part of my area:) good thing nobody lives in these houses hahaha.

June 3, 2013

Hey:)

    Sounds like you guys had such a great time on your vacation. Wow I can’t believe how much you guys drove. Those pictures looked awesome though!! I can’t believe that Kamrie is already going to EFY… she seems so young to me, I don’t know why. Oh yeah it’s definitely hot here in Valles.  It’s sooo important to drink lots and lots and lots of water…if we don’t drink water

we walk around with headaches and our bodies feel really weak. So ya we drink lots of water. It’s good to hear that you had a good 35th birthday party also haha;)

     So yeah, all the menos activos that we teach usually say that they will go to church then church rolls around and I guess this must be the day they decide to be lazy or something because they never show up. They usually are just sleeping or something hahah. But this week was so awesome! One of the menos activos, Terre Beltran, that we have been teaching went to church!! Elder Martinez and I were so happy you have no idea! It was the perfect time for her to show up because it was fast testimony Sunday. The spirit was soo strong in there when everyone was giving their testimonies... then Terre Beltran went up and bore her testimony.  She was so grateful for those two angels that have been visiting her and reading the Book of Mormon with her and helping her receive revelation…(Elder Martinez and Elder Lawrence) It was so great to hear her testimony and the spirit was so strong really. So that is some really good news!

     This week I also went on divisions with Elder Krambule… my best friend in the mission.  I’m pretty sure I talked him into going to Dixie…so he will probably be my roommate when we get back hahaha. It was so great and fun to go out and teach with him. The lessons that we taught were awesome! We taught Hma Rosario but she didn’t go to church. She is a really lazy sister haha. We also taught the family Torres. This family is really great and I know they will definitely return back to church. We just need to focus in on getting the father to go to church because that’s why they are missing church.

     So we also had our interviews with the president and that was really good too. I’m actually going on divisions again this night and this time with the leader of the zone, so that should be great.

     It’s pretty crazy how fast these weeks are going right?? I feel like I just got done writing you guys. And wow this week I hit 9 months in the mission!!! Not that I’m counting or anything. I love you all so much and I’m so thankful for everything…especially all the experiences that I get to have. I’m learning so much everyday. Thanks and peace and love:)

Love,

Elder Lawrence

 Elder Krambule & Elder Lawrence

May 27, 2013

Hey There everyone!!!

     What’s up? Dang, I can’t believe school is already out. That year of school really went by way fast, that’s crazy!!! And you guys are going to Lake Powell this Tuesday, that’s awesome! That trip sounds like it will be so fun.  Ethan has had so much baseball…that’s really good for him because he loves it. So I heard that he batted left handed and got a hit, heck yeah! That’s pretty dang sweet! Ethan’s probably better than me at baseball now haha.

     So if I’m not mistaken I believe your Birthday is tomorrow mom, Right?? Wow that’s so awesome Happy Birthday mom! I love you so much, and am so grateful for everything that you have done and do for me!!! So how old are you now like 35 or something

ike that right haha??  Well it’s about time that you get released from the primary that job was always really stressful for you. But wow that’s crazy because you have so many years with the primary. That will be cool to get a new calling though.

     Elder Martinez and I are doing good. We have been working so hard in our area even though there isn’t much success. But it’s alright as long as we know that we are doing our part and doing all we can for the menos activos and investigators.  It’s sad though when they don’t show up to church on Sunday. But what do ya do? We pray for them and keep on visiting them hehe:) pressure baby pressure haha!

    So yeah Elder Griggs is in my area he is in realcampastre 1... You read his blog too haha that’s funny. I’ve known him since the first day in my mission he was a secretary.

     So we haven’t had money here forever and I really don’t know what we’ve bought?? It’s been horrible because we haven’t eaten breakfast or dinner in forever.  All I want is a drink of milk you know. Well hopefully our money comes tomorrow so we can live again haha.

    This last week we really tried to focus in on those families who we had faith would progress and go to church and we read the scriptures with them about everyday.  The family Torres and family Beltran and they both didn’t go to church, they even said they would...haha like always. I’ve just got to keep having faith and confidence. That’s the key, right:)

    We walk a lot out here in Realcampastre and the sun is pretty dang hot, it’s really important to drink a lot of water.  That’s probably something I definitely can improve in.  I’m going to drink more water.

     So interviews with the president are this week.  He comes here on Wednesday…that should be a good time. Today we played dodge ball with all the missionaries.  I pegged a bunch of the Elders in the face haha… it was pretty dang fun!!!

     Well I hope everybody is doing really good and has a great vacation.  I love all of you soooo much. Happy Birthday again. I love you mom. And I’ll talk to you all next week. Even though it feels like one day haha. Alright take care adios. 

Love Elder Lawrence

 Hermano Somora

Family Hernandez...Hermana Reana y Hermano

May 20, 2013

Hey,

  So I’m doing pretty good!  Where to start? With the good or the bad news? Well you know with me and it’s always good news so I guess I will start with that haha. So this last week Elder Martinez went to Tampico because he is a District Leader. He went there for a meeting with all of the leaders. So all the Elders in the other areas came to my area for the divisions. It was Elder Peña and Elder Tsosie.  Elder Peña is from the Dominican Republic and Elder Tsosie is from Arizona straight off the Indian reservation. It was really great to get to spend the day with these Elders…they are awesome. Elder Peña actually speaks english too… really good English… so that was cool to be able to talk to him in english. The next day our companions got home really late, so Elder Reily and Elder Peña stayed the night at our house again. Elder Reily is the really huge guy from Nevada and he is 25 years old.  It was cool to have those guys over.

     I guess the bad new is that none of the menos activos showed up to church again, but that’s going to change this week all of them are going to show up! We gave a blessing the other night to a lady whose arm pretty much doesn’t work and it just hurts her.  I have faith that her arm will feel better and she will be able to use it. I know that she has faith too!  Her name is Hermana Flor Hernandez. So this week was pretty dang good:)

     I also got your package with the candy. I already ate it all haha thank you:) So something I was thinking about that you could send for my Birthday is a bag of jerky… that’s been sounding pretty good, oh and pork rinds or whatever those chip things are called.

     Well, I love you all so much!!! It’s really good to hear from you guys and it’s good to hear that Ethan’s taking after his big brother in baseball haha. Well, love you all:)  

    Elder Lawrence

 Divisions...Elder Pina and Elder Tsosie

May 13, 2013

Hey:)

     It was soooo great to talk to all of you!!! Really fun!  I loved every minute of it!! you guys look like you are all doing so so good... I can’t believe that I only have two more times to be able to talk to you guys… that’s pretty crazy right?? I hope I answered all of your questions that you guys had. You all seemed really content and happy so I’m really glad about that. I hope that you had a really wonderful Mothers Day, and you got to relax and all that good stuff haha;)

   So I’m not leaving Valles!!!!!!!!!! yeahh!!! I’m here for another change with my companion... so I’m really excited about that.  I think it’s pretty awesome that I get to stay here again. We both have so much faith that in this change we will have so much success and a lot of less active members will go to church. We’re hoping to get 2 baptisms for the Lord this change also so that should be good.

     It’s been raining so hard these last couple of days, you wouldn’t believe it haha, it’s really nice;) Even though we are walking around soaking wet, it’s a nice change from all the heat here usually.

 Love you all so much:) Have a good week everyone and remember your prayers:)

Elder Lawrence

This is Elder Gregory