Shocking news, and I'm "home"

We had to leave the zone to be able to go to Terranova hospital for my eyes.  They then sent us to a specialist that worked a bit far away for walking.  We walked there.  The doctor let me in and I told her about my symptoms.  She then did some exams.  I have 20/20 vision.  My left eye was super bad and it was affecting my vision a lot.  She then checked my eyes.  She told me that my eyes were in bad condition, especially my left eye.  I had an infection in my left eye and a tiny one in my right eye.  Then, when she finished the exam, she gave me the results.  She told me, “You are allergic to the sun and severely with the eyes.”  Well, that is the shocking news.  I’M ALLERGIC TO THE FLIPPING SUN!!!  I can’t believe it.  I haven’t known anyone that is allergic to the sun.  I guess that explains why I have sneezed while entering into the sun my whole life. 

The doctor then prescribed three different eye drops.  One is for the infection; one is for allergies, and the other for itchiness.  We then returned late to eat lunch.  Then we had to return to the hospital for eye drops.  I also bought myself some sunglasses.  President and Sister Wagner gave me permission to wear them.  Well, that was my pretty crazy day.

My official day of going home is the 23 of December.

Dear young men, (14-18 year old men going on their High Adventure this week)

Well... I was hoping to share this as my homecoming talk but oh well. It is the first thing that comes to my mind..... Just to let you all know... You aren't quite home right now, and neither will you be in your home when you go back to your house. Now let me explain why...

The very first day of my mission, I had to say goodbye to family, then go on an airplane where I had some bad stomach pains and I was just super tired. A couple other missionaries and I got off the plane and went for our suitcases. All of the sudden we saw Elder Jeffrey R Holland in the Airport. We about died. But wait, it gets better. He comes up to us and says, "Welcome Home Elders." At that moment I was thinking oh wow.... I just started the mission... I still have forever away to be able to go home. That was a tad bit sad just after having a sad farewell about an hour earlier. I thought well he must have thought wrongly or thought we just ended our missions. I tried not to think about it too much. That was a big part of my first day.

During my mission, I have had many trials which include having a culture shock, new language, super hot and humid weather, terrible houses with many creatures, tough companions, trained other missionaries, being a leader, and recently found out that I am allergic to the sun on July 27, 2013. Let me tell you something, it is not an easy task, in fact it is very tough. Even if it is very tough, it is very rewarding. I can testify that these are the best two years of my life and that they will be the best two years of your lives. I have learned so much while being in the mission. Now I would like you all to open up to D&C 122 and read the chapter. (Read chapter before reading on.)

I truly know that we have trials to be able to learn and grow. They are for our good. In fact, if you have trials, that means that God loves you. He is preparing you to be able to return to his presence. There is not a single gift better than eternal life. Who doesn't want to live with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ in eternal families? Let us cherish life with whatever difficulty that we have. The life is only but a short moment and the mission is only a moment of that moment.

Even if there are trials on the mission, there are many great things that happen. You see lives change. You see people take their first steps on the straight and narrow path to eternal life. You see miracles. You participate in miracles. You experience the gospel. You might even learn a new language or two. You learn about how to apply the gospel in your future families and your future life. You experience a change of heart. You learn how to study efficiently. You learn how to communicate with people. You learn how to follow the Spirit, and how to use it in your own life as well as in the lives of others.

The mission really is a journey, a duty, a blessing, and will give you a big advantage in life here and after.

Reflecting back on my first day in the mission a few times, I have thought that what Elder Holland said was on purpose. The "home" is the mission and/or is the presence of our Heavenly Father who loves us. While you are in the mission you will feel more at home than any other time in your life. You will be the closest to your Heavenly Father during that time. Prepare to go “home”. Prepare to go on your mission. I testify that Elder Jeffrey R Holland is an Apostle. I know that what he said is true. I know that the mission will be the best decision of your lives. I know that trials build us. I know that God lives and that He loves us. I know that the Book of Mormon is true and that it is the word of God. I know that Joseph Smith saw God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ in the Sacred Grove. I know that the power of prayer is real and that God answers our prayers. I know that Christ suffered for all of our sins, sicknesses, afflictions, pains, and heartaches. I know that through his Atonement, we can repent of our sins and return to the presence of our Loving Heavenly Father. I know that JESUS IS THE CHRIST. I know all of these things to be true and I bear my testimony in the name of our Savior and Redeemer, even Jesus Christ. Amen.   

Trust in the power of the priesthood

C and Elder Ramirez at quarterly interviews

Well this past week was even tougher with my companion. We have had to talk a lot of things out. He doesn't like how I’m obedient with the rules and when I tell him when he is disobedient. It really has gotten on my nerves. I really am needing prayers and my companion too. It has been super difficult.

We are slowly but surely cleaning the house.

I’m excited that you had a good trip. It sounded pretty fun.

I can’t believe Logan is home now. All of the people I knew are now getting home. SO WEIRD!!!

Spiritual moment of the week... Well we went to a family where their husband and father has been a super alcoholic. He entered the temple 10 years ago and went inactive. Well we went to their house. We found him out front really drunk. We started talking with him and entered into their home. We talked with him and convinced him to receive a priesthood blessing. He had never wanted to accept one. So that was a miracle in itself. I gave him the blessing. To end the lesson, we convinced him to say the closing prayer. He hadn’t prayed in a LONG time. We definitely had the spirit to be able to convince him those things. Also so that you know the severity of his addiction....Every single day he has gone home super drunk. Well since after that blessing, he hasn’t drank at all neither smoked. He even went to church for the first time in 2 years. He has told me since that blessing that he admires me. I know he is one of the reasons for why I came to this area in this time. God truly knows where I should be in the right time.. I know that the power of the priesthood is real and that we can receive blessings from the Priesthood.

I love you. Do good, stay strong, and trust in the power of the Priesthood.

Lots of problems with my new companion

Well another time I will tell you I'm sorry. I have had lots of problems with my new companion this week and today. It's the disobedience and he doesn't like that I'm strict.

We have cleaned up a lot of the house. The bathroom is not cleanable. What goes in mostly comes out of the bottom of the toilet. We also had no cleaning supplies for the house, so I had to buy everything. My area has everything from really rich to really poor. Its an interesting area. Ive been gaining trust from all the members we have visited.  My area also is HUGE compared to my last areas.

We also had a baptism this week. His name is Julio. A few miracles happened this week so that would happen.

I'm doing my absolute best to try to help this area for the better in the future. That includes area book, house clean, member trust, obedience, and using time wisely. I will make this ward a better place
before I leave. I am very determined to do it. President Wagner told me that my experience will really help the ward that I'm serving in. He trusts in me with that and to help my companion that has been saying he is going to go home. Honestly there are lots of challenges here, but I know this is where I should be and I can help the Lord so much within these last 6 months of my mission.

Do good, stay strong, and know that I love you!

I got transferred

Well I got transferred.... It’s not the greatest news in the world but it must mean that I need to be in my new area which is called Tesistan 2. I will be district leader. Knowing my companion for about 3 hours I’ve learned that he is humble and disobedient. I will be fixing that up these next few weeks. Also, I arrived to the house and it was a disaster. That too we will be fixing up in the next couple weeks. I also had a really sad morning and last night. It was so hard saying bye all the people I love in Arquitectura. I’m pretty sure this will be my last area and I’ll be “dying” here in missionary terms. Anyway, there was a very small amount of time today to write because of the changes.

I love you all. Do good, stay strong and endure to the end.

I think I will be leaving to my LAST area

I’m doing pretty well but I’m a little worried too. There are transfers next week and I think I will be leaving to my last area. That is my opinion of course. It might happen or it might not. I have 6 months left. Enough time to be able to have another area.

There isn’t much to respond to from the last weeks letter so this is a bit more difficult....

I think I will be receiving a letter for suggestions on when I would leave, what time, etc, soon. What is it that you want for me to put. Honestly, I would like to visit all the places with you but I prefer to be relieved of the calling first. I also would like to go in May if it is possible. Jorge and Erendira and their family would be sealed in that month and I want to be there for their sealing if possible. I actually prefer that than visit places in December while not being relieved.

Nothing interesting happened this week. It was actually a pretty terrible week. We’ve dropped all of our investigators and now we are on the search for them.

I love you.