Tough as always

How is everything going?  Here……it’s going well.  It’s also tough as always, but that doesn’t change.  That’s life!  I will now answer the questions that you asked me.  (1)  My companion is Elder Tejada from Chimbote, Peru.  He is a quiet person.  He doesn’t speak up with anyone unless you ask him something about Peru.  It really is hard for him to keep up a conversation unless it is on the topic of Peru.  He too is passing through a culture shock.  He has never had a tortilla in his life and now it’s in every single meal.  Also, there isn’t much rice.  They eat a ton of rice in Peru.  He is also humble and is learning a lot.  He is a good companion.  It’s night and day from Elder Jacinto. 

(2)  It was pretty awesome to see Elder Montiel again.  I asked him about Villa Hidalgo and his son.  It is fun to be able to see him every day for the main meal, also in church and meetings I see him.

(3)  I do see Adriana’s family.  We eat at her sister’s house once or twice a month on Sundays.  Her name is Guille Corral.  I also see her, her two kids, and her son-in-law every Sunday at church and in the activities.  I also met the sister that you help out her son with.  I met her a few Sundays back.  They are really nice to the missionaries.  It’s also funny to think that I couldn’t understand Adriana’s mom before the mission and now I understand her perfectly.

Speaking of Adriana…..Tell them to come visit Guadalajara soon.  I am almost positive I will be here until July.  Then I can talk with them.  Also, I haven’t heard anything from Adriana or Damon.  I would really like to hear from them.

(4)  Yes, we eat with members every day except Mondays.  Also, my investigators invite us to eat with them like once or twice a month.  Also, Jorge and Erendira have fed us a couple of times.

(5)  Here in Guadalajara I haven’t eaten weird things in awhile.  Actually, I haven’t eaten something weird since Villa Hidalgo.  Also, to let you all know I ate a lot more spicy food back in the United States than here in Mexico.  The members don’t serve us spicy food or maybe they think I don’t like it since I’m from the USA.  Let’s just say that the food here isn’t spicy.  I’m dying here!!!  I need spicy food!!!

(6)  For myself to eat….potatoes, chorizo, eggs, onion, habanero peppers and serano peppers.  I also eat cereal with milk.  I make tacos, omelets, fries, and my special Elder Loveland dish.  It’s my most favorite food in the world!  It’s even better than breakfast burritos.

(7)  You aren’t bugging me.  I like these questions.  It’s easier for me to write with the questions.

 

Congrats on going with the missionaries.  Sounds like you all had a good week with AP (his girlfriend) too.  What do my bros think about AP?  What do my sisters think about AP?

Thank you for your support and everything you do and have done for me.  I truly am grateful for my family.  I love you, and remember to stay strong, do good and love others! 

Meet Elder Tejada

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This week was different and pretty tough.  I received my son, Elder Tejada.  Elder Tejada is from Chinbote, Peru.  He is really shy and quiet but he doesn't complain about anything.  The culture in Peru is different from Mexico.  They don’t have tortillas and they have lots of different words.  They both speak Spanish but there are differences.

I am also district leader of two other companionships.  The other two are Arquitectura II and the sisters in Independencia.  What’s difficult is having to train, be district leader, and help the Elders in Arquitectura II open their area.  Three of the four elders a week ago left the ward.  I am the survivor.  I have had to help the other three meet the members and learn their areas.  The two that are opening Arquitectura II are Elders Montiel and Agustin.  Elder Montiel is my son and Elder Agustin was in another ward in the state when I was zone leader.  Two elders with six months in the mission are opening that area. 

Well, how are you all doing?  I am sure you are all excited about the Temple in Cedar City.  I sure am excited, but who knows how long it will take before it is built and open.

When you send the next package, I need black socks and white shirts.  

We also have more good investigators.  Rosa, her daughter and Rosa’s husband went to church yesterday.  We have a baptismal date for them for May 4^th.  They have gone to church two times now.  Also, Margarita Aguirre went to church too.  She has gone five times now.  She also has a baptismal date for May 4^th.  They all want to get baptized.  I’m excited for when they do.

Anyway, I love you family!  Do good, share the gospel, and strive to be like Christ.  I love you.

Big changes in all the mission

I'm sorry, but today is going to be super short because we received big changes in all the mission. I am staying in my area but the area of zone leaders was changed to a ward that has tremendous assistance in church. So I am now district leader and I will be training starting tomorrow. Elder Jacinto is going to Villa Hidalgo. Elder Montiel(my son) is going to open up the other area of my ward with another Elder that is in this zone. So now I will see Elder Montiel everyday to eat and I will be his district leader. I will have Descendencia in Arquitectura. I will have two sons in the ward. Yeah, that's right. I am going to have two sons!!! All the changes were just ridiculous this change. Interesting, but the Lord knows what he wants.

I love you all! Do good, stay strong, and be humble.

I'll be home for Christmas

How are you all doing?  I’m doing alright.  I’m excited for this Saturday.  Vanessa (14) and Brandon (15) will be getting baptized.  They are the kids of Erendira.  Jorge is their step dad.  They want to get baptized.  They also want us to baptize them.  It’s more preferable if a member does it, but if they keep insisting it, we will baptize them.

Also, I don’t think I told you all yet, but I will now be coming home December 23^rd instead of December 30^th.  Everyone in the mission lost a week in the mission due to the MTC changes.  It’s actually pretty neat.  I won’t be missing Christmas now.  How lucky am I to only miss one Christmas on the mission? 

We went down the canyon today. It was super cool. That is why I wasn’t able to write much today. I love you all!

Also Hooray for the Cedar City Temple!!!

Prepare to serve a mission

How is everything going?  Here, it is going pretty well.  That’s awesome that you were able to visit La Mesa 3^rd.  Who were the Sister Missionaries?  Also, did you meet anyone else besides President Morgan?  I’m happy that President Morgan was good to you.  He is a good man.

Please tell me you guys tried the California Burrito.  That is one of my favorite foods and is only found down there in that mission.

That’s awesome that you visited the temple and Mormon Battalion.  I still haven’t even entered there.  The temple, yes.  So how did the whole trip to San Diego go?  

For me this past week has had ups and downs, but the ups weigh more than the downs.  Elder Jacinto and I were privileged to be witnesses in the wedding of Jorge and Erendira.  They were also baptized and confirmed on Sunday.  That was a very special time.  I was privileged to confirm Erendira.  Well, now it’s official!!  They are married and are members of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  Now we are going to work on their kids Vanessa and Brandon.  They are 14 and 12.  We have them planned to be baptized in two weeks.  We are hoping that Jorge will be able to baptize them.  We are also hoping that they will be able to be sealed in the temple next year.  That would be super sweet to go to.  (crossing my fingers)

Another life changing experience from the gospel happened with them, especially Jorge.  He has sold drugs, participated in drugs, alcohol, been in jail, and has done many more things.  All of his family and friends have said since he was a teen, that his destiny was going to be death, or in jail all of his life before he turned thirty years old.  But no!  The complete opposite happened.  He is thirty years old and has ended all of that, repented and has been baptized.  He and his wife have strong testimonies about how the gospel changes lives.  They live more peacefully and happily.  Not a single person that they know would have guessed that this would happen to them.  We found them through former investigators.  They were found previously by knocking on doors when that was allowed.

I’m looking forward to seeing this family in a couple months, next year and throughout the years, to see how it helps them and changes them.  There is almost no better feeling bringing someone back to Christ and helping change their lives.  I feel very honored to be an instrument in the Lord’s hands.

A, G, J,little g and possibly B and S. . . prepare to serve a mission.  You will learn more in the mission and grow more than any other possible thing you could do in those two years.  It’s like fitting 10 to 15 years of experience into two years.  Prepare to be instruments in the Lord’s hands.

I love you all.  Smile, do good, stay strong, work hard, study the scriptures, and do God’s will.

I went to the temple again

Did you meet anyone I know down up there in San Diego? My week went pretty well. How is everyone else?

Please thank Great Grandma B for me and let her know that I love her.

Also how did everything else go this week?

This week I went to the temple again. I am so dang lucky I have been through 2 times already and I only have about 8 to 9 months here in Mexico. Normally the average is 1 or 0 in this mission. I have already beaten the average. I love the temple so much. The Lord answers our prayers when we are there. The Spirit is also super strong.

Jorge and Erendira are actually getting married and baptized this week. Im super excited. THey always share there testimonies with us.

I don't really have much to say this week. Sorry... 

I also finished True to the Faith and Our Heritage. They are really good books.

I love you. Do good. Stay strong. And recognize the blessings throughout the day.

If ye love me, keep my commandments

This week has been pretty good. Our companionship gets to go to the temple this week because we won the scripture chase and examen in the zone conference. We also have our investigators Jorge and Erendira that are going to get married on Friday and baptized on Saturday. Please pray so that they will prepare. They are great!

Also don't worry. I do learn things from all of my companions. I have been moldeable with the things I can work on. I'm trying to develop the attributes of Christ found in Preach MY Gospel.

Spiritual thought for the week. I hope I don't surprise any of you by saying that you are all gods. God is our loving Heavenly Father. If he is our Father and we are his children then we are Gods. Just like Mom and Dad are humans, I too am human. We aren't horses, cows, or dogs. Please look up Psalms 82:6. We are gods growing to the potential of our Heavenly Father. Its amazing how much he loves us. He has prepared the plan of salvation, given us bodies, experiences, trials, families, the restoration, repentance, the atonement, a living prophet, scriptures, etc. He has given us so much to show his love. Now the question is... Do you Love him??? How do we love him? In the scriptures it says, "If ye love me, keep my commandments." If you really love Heavenly Father then you need to obey his commandments. You can't  just say you love him, but you have to do what he has commanded us. No matter how hard it might be to obey commandments at times there is always a way by way we can obey them as Nephi teaches in 1 Nephi 3:7. Look for the way to obey him in all ways so that you can love Heavenly Father. Also remember that you are gods with the potential to become like your Father in Heaven.

Love God, do good, and endure to the end! 

Love, 

Your Red headed Mexican Missionary Elder Tierra de Amor (Elder Loveland)