The answer is prayer

Well Mexico is being Mexico. It isn't like the U.S. at all. There is not really any English here and no one here knows English either. In my specific area it is really hot. It is really humid. It is also the poorest area in the Mission. There isn't a day that goes by where I don´t see tons of ants, spiders, and other bugs. Geckos climb over all the walls. I wash my clothes by hand in what they call a pila. I work from the time I wake up to the time I go to bed. There are crazy cars with speakers on the back of them blaring out Spanish sales all day. We are white washing the area. Even the members here call this place "infierno". You can just ask Brother Harris what that means. haha It isn't America at all.

There is nothing like getting stared down everyday, all day for being a tall gringo with red hair wearing church clothes. I get quite a lot of attention in this little town that hasn't ever seen a red head except for on tv. It is quite a change in life here. 

I really came to love the people in San Diego and I do miss the mission and all the people. These past two weeks here have been super hard. So in these past two weeks I have really been able to humble myself more. I have turned myself to the Lord so many times through prayer. I have even turned to the mission president for help. He knows that I am in a really hard situation. He said that it was all part of the plan. He said that when we are going throuh hard times and that when things are really tough, is when we learn and grow the most. He completely understands me and a lot of what I am going through right now is what President Wagner went through in his mission. 

So what do we do in these kinds of times?

What should we be doing everyday, often?

The answer is prayer. Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are always there for us. They know exactly how we are feeling all the time. Christ payed the Atonement for all of us. He knows each and every one of us perfectly. I have come so close to my Saviour Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father so much these past couple weeks. We should always be praying to Heavenly Father and building our relationship with him. He is always there for us, if we will just look to him and pray. I know that Christ and the Father will help you with whatever challenge you have in your life, because they have in my life even within these past couple weeks. 

Remember to pray and look to your Father in Heaven and to Jesus Christ. Be steadfast and immovable, always abounding in good works, and strive to serve a mission. I know that a mission will bless all your lives. It is tough, but it helps you grow tremendously. I love you all. Remember the Atonement.

Villa Hidalgo

Hola!!!!!!! I'm the companion of your son. He is a great Elder. Be proud of him. I'm glad we're in this great work together. I´ll do my best to take care of him. But I'm sure the Lord is doing that just fine. Take care!

Elder Hartmann

Well I am here in Mexico!!! It has been quite an interesting week to say the least. 

My companion is a really good missionary. He is obedient and one of the best missionaries, so says the president and some missionaries. He is from Las Vegas.

There are TONS of bugs. There are bugs in our house and in our yard and there are bugs every where. It was definitely one of the scariest days of my life the first day I arrived in Villa Hidalgo.

Villa Hidalgo is the poorest area in the mission. It is also the hottest and one of the most humid areas in the mission. And I am just so lucky to be here in the hottest time of the year... hahahah

There have been lots of changes. Like president Clayton said, It is going to be a tough transfer and I have compared to the other mission. I am looking for the good here though.

Also I get stared down every where I go. Not a single red head has gone through this town, and VERY rarely have there been white people to come through this town. So it's not a great feeling but I just smile. :) hahaha

We also have to wash our own clothes, in what they call a pila. We wash all of it by hand and soap. So that is interesting.

The spanish is tough, but I am learning slowly but surely. Im learning a bit quicker here than I did in San Diego.

Remember that I love you. Stay strong, do good, and keep praying to our Heavenly Father.

I'm in Guadalajara!

I am here in Guadalajara. My next p-day isn't until next Monday. So I can't write until next Monday. This has to be really short too. I basically called you anyways so it is all good. I'm safe, freaking out, and I am going to do my best. I love you.

Email sent by his mission president's wife:

"Elder Loveland's companion is Elder Hartman from Las Vegas, Nevada. The area they will be serving in, is a little town called Villa Hidalgo. There is a small branch there, but we have great hopes it will soon be much larger and stronger.

We have already been very impressed with Elder Loveland's enthusiasm, polite manners and sincere desire to serve the Lord. We are thrilled he is finally with us."

Visa came

I got Elder Loveland's weekly email this morning informing us that his visa had arrived.  He'll be heading to Mexico Monday.  Yay!

Let the Spirit speak through you

     It's nice to hear that the trip is going well. I really wished I could go on that trip. It would remind me of my church history trip in a way. I got to drive through Kansas, see chimney rock, see some temples, and have long rides. Enjoy it and have fun! :D

      I’ve been pretty good this week. Nothing out of the ordinary here, besides going on exchanges with a greenie. On Thursday, I went with the greenie(Elder Campbell) in his area for 24 hours. Let's just say that it was pretty interesting. Neither of us are good at Spanish, but I knew a lot more than him still. So I had to do most of the communicating with all the people we visited. I also led everything, and I basically was a senior companion and trainer for the day. It was very new to me, with me being in such a foreign position to me. It’s weird to think that I am getting closer to the point of possibly training and/or becoming district leader. Time flies! We actually also had a lesson with one of their investigators that just moved to the United States like a month ago. So he didn’t know any Spanish... But it went really well and we got through the whole thing no problem. That exchange was definitely a confidence booster. It was also good practice for the future. I learned quite a bit from that exchange.

      I’m also getting a lot better at teaching. Nothing is memorized anymore with missionaries. We are all lead by the spirit now.  I have almost mastered the "pause" technique. After the companion is done speaking, there is a short little pause where you can tell he is done speaking and its not long enough to make it awkward. Then the next companion comes in and says what he wants and is inspired to say. I have it down now, and it feels so great! The key is to just rely on the Spirit. Don't worry about what you want to say. All you have to do is open your mouth and the words will flow, and the spirit will speak through you. It is so neat, and it is amazing to see day to day. All we have to do is take the effort to open our mouth and just begin to speak and the Lord will do his part through the Spirit. It is so amazing. I hope you all can recognize the spirit. I hope now that you will learn how to have the Spirit speak though you. This will be a huge tool on your mission to know how to be able to do that. It takes practice. I want to challenge you all to practice teaching something. All of you have your turns and have a companion in a family home evening, and then I want mom and dad to pick a random topic for the "companionship" and then I want you to try to teach that principle. I learned in the MTC that teaching something will help you learn and retain more than you could any other way. Learn to teach and teach through the Spirit. Practice letting the Spirit speak through you.

      I love you all and I hope you have a fantastic trip. Remember that I love you and pray for you everyday. Stay strong, do good, and learn to rely on the spirit. I love you.