May 27, 2009

The past few weeks have been quite a roller coaster ride as far as events go. My morale and faith, though, haven't wavered. There were many things that made me disappointed, but none of those things made me discouraged. There's a big difference between the two! Disappointment is a fact of life, discouragement is a state of being that makes you want to give up or slow down.

One of our investigators, Marino (the husband of a recent convert, Rosario), was taken to prison right after he came home from Anahy's baptism. He had some outstanding warrants for his arrest so they came and got him. We all think it's a blessing that he is in prison, though. He was trying to give up drinking but his "friends" kept dragging him back to it. He couldn't get away from them because they live right by him. Also, unknown to his wife, he had a girlfriend on the side that has been in the picture for about 5, yeah 5!!!, years. He also wanted to break it off with her so he could get baptized. So now the Lord has taken him away from all those things. He could be in there for maybe 2 years! It will be good for him. Rosario has such an amazing optimism! She is way awesome!

As of 2 weeks ago we had 4 people committed for baptism with a date... but as of right now, we don't have any. Jessica was to be baptized May 23rd, but she isn't able to go to church for awhile because she has to work Sundays. We thought it best not to baptize her into inactivity. Haha! She's doing good other than that. She'll be baptized eventually. Another person is Paulina. She had a date for June 6th, but she has to be either married or not living with and not doing certain "acts" with her boyfriend for at least 2 weeks before the baptism. It's now within that 2 week period before the 6th of June so she can't be baptized then because she's still living with her BF. She still really wants to be baptized so she is trying to work things out... either get married or break-up. She's living in a home with many families. One of the families is members of the church. I think she'll still be baptized as well. Horacio is another one that was committed for June 6th, but he didn't come to church... so he won't be baptized on schedule. We're not sure about him... we think he might be wanting to join to use the welfare system. We're being careful, but still working with him. Elba was the other one for June 6th but didn't come to church. I still have hope for all these people and we're still working hard! :)

Last week I went on exchanges with Elder Graham, my MTC companion! That was pretty fun! We went to his area. Last Thursday I went to Independence with the zone leaders at the Mission Home for a mission leadership council. That was pretty cool. Some people from the Missionary Department in Salt Lake came out to talk to us. I really enjoyed it! 

Haha! So get this... you know how Rosario's husband, Marino, went to jail? Well this past week we started teaching Rosario's sister, Marina! Haha! She has a husband Marino, and a sister Marina. She's really awesome! I think she'll get baptized!

I'm sorry my update for the past few weeks was little, but I know you want to hear from me, so I'm going to wrap this letter up so I can send it off. 

May 11, 2009

Things have been so busy here! And I'm still trying to adjust to being here. I'm never good with change. But I'm loving it here! We are just so very busy! I feel very sorry that my letters have been so late recently! I'm going to do better.

So let me tell you about the past two weeks. First, I'll start with the week of Apr. 19-25. Wow, that's a long time ago! I'm so sorry, babe! It feels like it was just yesterday, though! We taught a WHOLE LOT that week! Sunday- 4 lessons, Monday- 4 lessons (that was the day we worked the whole day because of the temple trip), Tuesday- 7 lessons (we also committed Anahy for May 9th!), Thursday (I was off on exchanges) but elder Caceres got 8 lessons, Friday- 2 lessons, and Saturday- 4 lessons.... total of 37 lessons for the week! When the AP's found out about our numbers they called us and told us we broke the mission record for lessons in one week! The last record was 34. Haha! How cool is that! They asked us how we did it, and I told them we blacked out Sunday morning and woke up Saturday night with 37 lessons! Haha! It's probably not too far from the truth! That week was such a big fast blur! Haha! After District Meeting on Thursday I went on exchanges with Elder Hanson in the Olathe 2nd area. We biked a lot and we committed one of their investigators for baptism on May 30th... my birthday! Haha! For district meeting I taught the "I'll try VS I'll do" principle because it's a new set of missionaries! haha! Friday we went to the farmstead and had a good time. It was soooo busy! I was on the Fishing Shack Register pretty much the whole 4 hours! Lots of elementary school fields trips! Haha!

So, I don't really remember much of what went on the next week. I'm sorry. We went to Zone conference on Wednesday in Lee's Summit! I got to see the new stake center there. It was still being built when I was there. Driving through Lee's Summit brought back a lot of memories! Haha! Zone conference was pretty good, as always. It's Elder Seethaler's last transfer. He goes home May 29th! That's crazy! After Zone conference I went on exchanges with one of the zone leaders, elder Peterson. That went alright. And then on Friday we went to the Farmstead again! Haha! That's how fast the weeks go by! I can't keep up! Saturday I interviewed a lady for baptism from the Olathe 2nd ward. Casey Ellis. She's pretty awesome! She 24 and she is joining against the will of her whole family! That takes a lot of courage! But she knows it's true! I love the gospel! We taught 24 lessons that week. Not bad! Oh! We also committed another investigator for baptism that week! Her name is Jessica Velasquez. She's 18, from Guatemala, and she is committed for for May 23rd! She has quit coffee which was her only concern. She's pretty cool!

Well on to the next week. I'm sorry I'm going so fast through the weeks. I'm catching up so I can get back on track with regular letters every week. This past Wednesday we got an awesome new investigator! Heracio Hernandez. He was a headquarter referral to Olathe 3rd ward, but they gave it to us because he's spanish. We went over and he was so excited to see us! I guess when he was 7 his 3 older brothers joined the church. He even remembers the missionary's name.... Elder Thompson. This was 32 years ago, by the way. Well, for one reason or another he didn't end up joining the church, but he loved everything about it. He remembers all about Joseph Smith and the gold plates. And he LOVES the book of mormon! He had left his in Mexico, so we gave him another one. He was SO grateful! He's coming to Church on Sunday! His wife was raised Catholic, so she doesn't have good ideas of the church, but he told us that we will be able to change that! Haha! He started reading the  book of mormon to her and told her about the mormons "Son De Dios" --- "They are of God". Haha! He's golden! I'm excited for him!

Thursday after district meeting I went on exchanges with Elder Wiggins in the Olathe 3rd. He is a sign language Missionary. We go way back  to the KC zone! Haha! We went and did service at a home of a completely deaf couple. 100% deaf! Friday morning I went to the Farmstead with Elder Wiggins. We were in the dairy barn until 12:30 when we switched back up from exchanges... then I went to the fishing shack with Elder Caceres! Haha! I got 2 shifts at the Farmstead! That was awesome!

Saturday was a crazy day! It was a good day, a stressful day, happy day, sad day, and even just a plain weird day! It was quite a rollercoaster! It was Anahy's baptism, which went great! It was very good! Although, 15 minutes before the baptism one of the people giving a talk cancelled. So I had to fill in at the last second and give a talk on baptism in Spanish. That was stressful! Haha! 30 minutes before the baptism Elder Wiggins calls me and tells me that his companion fell 20 ft. out of a tree and fractured his face and was being rushed to a hospital in an ambulance. I guess they were doing service for someone. That night he went into ICU and was operated on. It will take a few days before he can leave and then he is getting sent home. That makes me sad! Especially because it happened right before Mother's day! He will recover, but it's still pretty bad! That was Elder Bradshaw. Poor guy! Also on Saturday before the baptism we were at a spanish members apartment, Angelita. Apparently she bought a live chicken, because she like chicken fresh! Haha! We watched her cut it's head off and de-feather it by boiling it. Weird... just a weird experience. It was a first for me. Haha! Well, I guess I'd better wrap this letter up.

April 27, 2009

Finally have some time to write you all the things that have been going on! I have a long list of things to tell you! Well, let's start with the Monday before transfers. Wow, that seems like so long ago! Yet, it went by so fast! I actually found out Monday night that I was being transfered. But I wasn't told where. The ward temple trip was that Saturday and we both wanted to be able to go but we didn't know if one of us was being transfered and if one of us was... if it was close by so we could still go. So we called up President Van Komen and told him the situation. all he told us was that I was being transfered and it would be close. I had to wait until Tuesday night for the details. That was torture knowing I was leaving but not knowing where. You know how I hate not knowing things! Ha ha!

Tuesday morning we went to the Farmstead. We weren't in the barn this time, but in the "fishing shack" Haha! It was a lot more fun than the barn! Haha! We found all kinds of ways to catch the little fishies in the "lake"... it was more of a pond, but it was loaded with little bluegill fishes! Fishing is not usually my sport or the sport of any other ADD person.... but I liked it because it was so dang easy to catch a fish in that pond! Haha! And there's no complicated equipment involved... just a long thin stick, fishing line, hook and pale of worms! Haha! It took 2 seconds (literally) of having the line in the water to catch my first fish! Haha! Right after the farmstead we got ready and then went to the Independence Visitor center with the Bumatays. That went really well! They are progressing very well! 

Wednesday morning we went to downtown Kansas City, MO to go to the school Bro. Laudie goes to... UMKC. We went there to get our teeth checked out by him. Wednesday night we had dinner with the Capener's. The last supper... in overland park! Haha! We had some amazing BBQ ribs! MMM!!!! I'm really going to miss them! Right after dinner we went over to the Bumatay's to have a lesson and eat some amazing homemade strawberry cheescake!... Because I was leaving. That's was very nice of them! I sure miss Overland Park, but I'm sure I'll be back sometime.

Thursday was of course transfers! We drove all the way to Independence just to come back to Olathe! Haha! My companion is Elder Caceres. He came out at the same time as me. He was born in guatemala but has been living in Orem, Ut for the past 9 years. We get along pretty well! We had weekly planning on thursday when we got back to Olathe. Then we set out on our bikes the rest of the day and got 5 lessons!

Friday we got to go to the St. Louis Temple with the Olathe 1st ward! We have a recent convert here named Rosario and she was able to go on the youth temple trip! We took a charter bus there. It was pretty nice. The St. Louis Temple is beautiful! I wouldn't say my favorite, but still beautiful! I got to confirm the youth for the dead! My companion was baptizing people! It was way awesome! Friday night we drove up to my old area in Overland Park to stay the night with Elder Murie and his companion so we could ride with him in the morning Saturday up to the church to get on the bus and go to the temple with Monica. Well, we were there at the church Saturday morning at 6:00 but then Monica never showed up! :( We tried calling, Elder Murie went to her house... nothing! We were about to go to the temple anyway, but then at the last second we decided not to go because we had just gone the day before. We decided it would be better to go back to Olathe and work. I'm kinda glad we did, too. We got 6 more lessons on that day, which gave us 25 lessons for the week! I was pretty bummed about Monica, but I'm better now. 

Okay, here's what I'm going to do so I can get this letter sent out Tuesday monring. I'll send this letter off and in another letter I hope to have done soon I'll tell you about last week.