A humble birthday

How are you all doing? I hope you are all doing well. Well I'm doing
pretty well.

I would like to be Wes´s roommate. I have lots of catching up to do
with him. haha Also will I be in A´s and A´s ward too?

I do have a question... How will I be bringing my things up there to
school? I know shouldn't be worrying about this now but ¡¡¡ ijole !!! Not going to lie...
I'm a bit worried for the return home life. I'm sure Ill be fine, my
thoughts are just making me worried. 


By the way, it really is important to be converted and not just have a
testimony. Keep looking for the opportunities to share the gospel. Be
a true disciple of Jesus Christ.

Wow, I'm going to look so dumb trying to talk to you all in English
when I get home. I speak in Spanglish when I try to speak in English
to other American missionaries. I haven't lived with someone that knows
English since a year ago with Elder Hartmann. It has put an axe to
my English mind. haha I and my American English missionaries actually
laugh a lot when we speak in English. That truly is the gift of
tongues. 


Carlos and Jania and their family went to church on Sunday and they
are super excited for their baptism on November 30th. I believe that
they will be my last baptism. It will be awesome to have a family
baptism before I leave. I will need to send a picture of them soon to
you guys. They are such a wonderful family. I have seen the changes
within them. In the beginning, Carlos smoked and drank and wasn't too
happy, and now he hasn't smoked or drank. He is now a much happier
person and puts a big ol smile on his face when we visit him and when
he went to church. The gospel blesses lives. 


Also my birthday maybe was one of my most humble birthdays. I hardly

felt like it was my birthday but it was good. I almost could care less.
haha One companionship in the ward and district brought me candies to
church. A sister and her son brought me cupcakes, our neighbors made
chiles rellenos to take home and also for lunch the family served us
chiles rellenos. That is my most favorite meal... I was very grateful
for those small little tender mercies. Also Elder Klingler that is
also in the district and ward bought me a pizza today for my birthday.
I'm happy and maybe it wasn't much but it was enough to make me feel
happy and loved.

 I love you all! Have a wonderful week!

The companionship has gotten better

Well this week was better. The companionship has gotten better I believe. Thank you so much for the birthday wishes. Also thank you for the Google translated letter, Dad. I really did enjoy it. It made my companion and I laugh. hahaha

G, we are going to have a pretty awesome game of business when I get back. You will see why when I get home. haha

Also that would be a fun vacation, but I really really really would like to visit Mexico next year preferably in May or in the spring because Jorge and Erendira are going to get sealed in the temple and I would love to see all the people I love and have served. I don’t want to be like the ´´other missionaries that always say that and never come back to visit´´. It’s a pretty common thing people say. Plus, I have said it because I remember when you said that you wanted to come to experience the culture, get to know the people I know and see my Spanish skills. haha :) All the people want to meet you guys. I show them the picture of the family when I teach that the gospel blesses families and they adore it. They want to meet you.

I will and am definitely praying so that I can end my mission strong.  Also, Dad, I’m also not trying to count down the days until I get home but I believe 56. Don’t count the days.... MAKE THE DAYS COUNT! I love that!

This week a family that we are teaching said that they want to be baptized on November 30th.Its a family of 6. 4 of them have the age to be baptized. The wife told us this week too that she know that this was the true church. They are know living the word of wisdom. The
husband has stopped smoking, and he smoked like 7 a day. Please pray for Jania Barbosa and Carlos Beltran.

We also received a new rule to contact 10 people at least every day. I have definitely seen that the spirit guides me to the people I contact. The people are in need of hearing the restored gospel. I contacted a woman in which her husband had died a day earlier. She invited us to go to her house. She openly let us talk to her. That was definitely a miracle because we noticed a little note outside of her house that basically says that they are catholic and they don’t want anything to do with other religions. I then knew that I was completely guided by the Spirit.

I love you and hope you all have a fantastic week.

I loathe writing

I love you. Thank you for your support with everything. I know I have to learn a few things being with him. It is just so difficult. I have always been an anti that kind of person. Maybe for that exact same reason, Heavenly Father gave me a companion like that. The life will just keep throwing trials to see if we are worthy of the eternal life. I will try to work on it even though he does make me feel very uncomfortable.

Honestly I’m not quite sure what to say right now. I know I have been the worst missionary writer in the world and that my missionary moments have been the worst. I’m sorry.. I would rather just not even have anything of my letters be on the missionary moment paper. I feel ashamed. I have been so selfish with my letters the past two years.

Honestly I feel embarrassed. But I almost don’t even care. I have had a successful mission and I have learned a lot. I may not have shown it in my letters but I have had a change of heart and I have changed as a person. I wouldn’t trade these two years for anything else. I never thought I would write this paragraph but it’s true. I remember when I was in Deacons, Teachers, and Priests and I couldn’t wait until I was on the mission and imagine my letter in the missionary moments. And now it is the complete opposite. I actually loathe writing. Writing is the worst... hahaha I need to talk. The things I experienced in the mission can’t be explained in writing. I know that I can explain with words. I know that I have developed that talent. I know that you have my patriarchal blessing and setting apart blessing. I have read those and I have seen soooooo many things come to pass. My life is being blessed and I am growing in many ways(even if it may not be shown in my writing). Maybe I’m just beating on myself with being somewhat depressed.

I love you. Have a good week.

Need help with your prayers

I’m almost in tears... I can’t believe that happened to John. John S right? I can’t even imagine a trial like that. I don’t know how my life would be like if I were in the position of John. What is going to happen with him now?? Please let him know that I, Elder Loveland, love him and that he needs to rely on the Atonement. Please share my love for him.

My week has been a difficult week too. I really really miss my companion Elder Buelna. He was my best companion and I had my best relationship with him than all of my other companions. My new companion is very feminine and I always feel very uncomfortable when he talks or actually just about all the time. His voice his high and all his movements are feminine. This truly is a trial for me. I really need help with your prayers. I don’t know what to do. It’s so hard to be with another guy like that for 24 hours every day. I have to put the example for him and it is so hard for me to talk to him. I always feel uncomfortable. Literally I’m shedding tears right now and I haven’t done that in a long time in the mission. What can I do? ( I am praying for strength in my prayers and for lots of help to be able to train my companion.)

Also one of my big goals was accomplished on Tuesday. We received 2 more missionaries in the ward. We now have 6 new missionaries in Tesistan. That was something good that happened this week.

We also read Moroni 10:3-5 with another investigator and prayed about the Book of Mormon. She received her answer and now knows that this church is true and that the Book of Mormon is true. I was so happy for her. I too had a reconfirmation that the Book of Mormon is true.

December 16th

Dear Loved ones,

I love you and I just want you to know that I'm alive. I received another son named Elder Ocaña. He is from Veracruz, Mexico. We lost all of our pday but I just want to let you all know that I love you.

My official coming home date is the 16th of December. Its a bit of a bummer but it is God's will.

I love you all.

Almost reached the standard of excellence

How are all of you doing? I'm doing all right. I'm a bit sick but we almost reached the standard of excellence last week. We had all the lessons required and new investigators required. We also had a baptism and the baptismal dates required. The only thing we missed was 2 investigators in church. We had three... SSOOOOOOOOOOOOO CLOSE! Well maybe next month.

Wow! I can't believe I could possibly be going home on the 16th! That was a surprise.

That is terrible that my talk is going to be at the same time as Wes´s talk...There is nothing that we can do to be able to work it out??

A has my number!? That is weird... haha

Also, for this next week I NEED the 3 favorite colors of each person in the family. PLEASE :)

Now I would like to go to the temple even more when I go home.

Anyway, thank you so much for the support and sacrifice to be able to write me. I'm very grateful for the family I have :)

Independence Day in Mexico

How are you all doing? Just to let you know... I love you all and am so very very very grateful for you guys.

This week we expect to baptize and we expect to reach the standard of excellence. Please keep us in your prayers so that we can accomplish with all of our goals.

We also had a zone activity today so I cant write too much. It is
independence day here in Mexico.

Anyway, I love you all. Have a good week and let me know how A is doing.

Sketch done by Elder Buelna