Mexico Week 22: Closing of Haucaltzingo, The Role of the Spirit, Farming and Love

Hola everyone!!


Well things are doing great in my area! My comp has changed a ton and we are finally starting to work hard! We still need to work harder but things are going great! He will have changes though for sure in 2 weeks and he will go and I will stay with my new comp. I am really excited because there is alot of work to do! Everyone is saying that I will be senior comp and I only have 8 months hahaha but I really think I will have more time as junior. We shall see!!


So some sad news....they closed the area of Hualcaltzingo this past week. Apparently when I left the work just fell like a rock and then the missionaries were having a ton of problems so they closed the area! Kinda sad because I really thought that that branch was going to be a ward within a year but not now :(


Well in this past week alot of good things happened. We found a golden investigator!! She was a reference from a member in Hualcaltzingo imagine that!! It's cool because she comes to all the lessons with this lady. Hermana Imelda is her name and she is really really catholic but accepted Baptism when she gets an answer to her prayers. The first lesson we taught was great and was about the Restoration. In the second lesson we answered all her questions about the chapter that she read in the BOM and Baptism and things that we do in our Church. While we were talking about it I had the strongest impression to teach about how we can know that this is true. I taught about the role of the Spirit and how that is how we know. I testified that I knew everything was true and so did my comp. It was awesome!! She really is smart and is willing to change! She wants a sign but I told her that us missionaries are the sign that God wants you to change your life. The answer of your own testimony though must come from the Spirit. This Wednesday we have an appt and will check how her homework went :)


This past week I also learned how to farm hahaha! I totally learned how to plant corn and it was sweet! We did it the old fashion way with the plow and the horse! It was sweet! While I farmed with the hermano, my comp learned how to make tortillas from the hermana, hahaha :) Apparently they don't eat tortillas in Peru, only rice hahaha!!


This past week we also found an inactive member who has not been to church for 20 years!! And his wife, who is not a member, we are teaching!! The brother promised to come to Church this upcoming week so this will be excting to follow with!!


So things are really great!! We are really close with 3 people and believe that they will get baptized in 2-3 weeks! :) We are really close to other Elders which I love hahahaha :) It has been raining the past week and one night all the streets were like rivers, hahaha but this week we will have sun :(


Well this past week I have really learned alot about the importance of love and charity. I believe that success is really brought to us depending on our attitude. I have learned that there is no reason to be down and not to love people in the work of the Lord. We are striving to be more like Him and if we don't love we are nobody! We can't do anything! With developing this love for others I have really felt more of the love my Father in Heaven has for me and my family and the people that I work with. Life is to love!!

Well I love all of you and really miss you all! I thank all of you for your support and prayers! You are all in my prayers too and hope you are all receiving the blessings from heaven!!


Love,
Elder Brady Lester

 

Mexico Week 21: Hard Week

Hey everyone,

Well this past week was probably the hardest week in the mission. I am sorry to say but I have lost complete trust in my companion. He lies all the time and really doesn't not want to work, and when we do, it's not by the rules. It's been hard because he continues not to talk or listen to me and it's been 3 weeks in this transfer. I have been doing everything my leaders have told me to do, but finally today the zone leaders talked to him for a long time because now there is a girl problem. I am not in this problem. I will do all that I can to keep him safe, but I refuse to go home for something stupid that he does. I really hope that we have emergency changes this week. I can't work with him anymore. I pray every night for him so that he has the desire to work, so that I can love him more, and so that I can help him, but its been 3 weeks of the same lazy, lying, disobedient stuff. I don't know what else to do. I really have not felt the spirit at all this past week. I am sick too, hahaha, to add onto things. He also has no money so I have to pay for him all the time to get to where we need to go because the area is huge, so sorry mom for taking out so much money this month :( I feel hopeless.

I am glad all is great back at home though!! I love your letters so much :) This week I will be writing you all personal letters kids, mom, and dad :) So expect them to come in a month or so hahaha. So Kolby, how was camp? I heard nothing from you about that!! Kasey, it sounds like you had a blast at camp :) Brinkely and Brax write more hahaha!!! I love you all :) Anything that I can do for any of you kids and parents?

So the other day I was studying and my comp was sleeping and a sister called us and told us that her dog died at 2 in the morning and asked if we could come and help her bury it in the back yard. Hahahaha, for three hours we dug a huge 4 foot deep hole for the dog, hahaha it was so funny and I was dead afterwards.

Today for pday we played basketball finally, soccer, and volleyball. For some reason it was really boring, hahaha but I still had fun. After, as a district, we went to eat pizza at Sams Club which was yummy :) Today I had to wash my clothes in the bathroom sink, hahaha because we have nothing else, but I am going to ask a sister if in the next change we can "rent" her washing machine every Monday, hahaha. We will see how that will work out :)

To answer questions - I tried one new food this week....donkey meat. It was WAY good hahaha!! It tasted like steak actually hahaha :) Kasey would like it lol. We do eat at a members house everyday but they don't want us because my comp is a jerk to them all...which is sad. The members and the ward are really good though! There is a ton of work to do here but we just need to work hahaha!!

Well I love and miss you all! Sorry this one was short but nothing...and I mean nothing happened this week. I love you and stay safe!! I look forward to your letters next week!

Love,

Elder Brady Lester

7 Months Serving and an Example of Obedience

Today is Elder Lester's 7 month Anniversary for his wonderful Service to the Lord!

What I admire about Elder Lester is that in his new area, Castillotla, his missionary companion, Elder Rojas would always do his laundry on Saturday's because a Hermana in the ward who offers her washing machine/dryer (I'm assuming she has that). She works on Mondays, which is P-day so that's why he doesn't do it on his P-day. Elder Lester explained to Elder Rojas that they would have to do their laundry elsewhere on P-day. They asked the Relief Society President last Sunday if any Hermana's in the ward would help with this - no one would. :(  So Elder's Lester and Rojas will be washing their laundry by hand in their apartment on their P-day. Elder Rojas isn't too happy about this and Elder Lester's talks about not being lazying, working, and being obedient. But I'm sure they will work it out.  I admire his example of Obedience.

I love these pictures of Elder Lester in Huacaltzingo

 Elder Lester and Elder Lumbreras in Haucaltzingo offering Service

Mexcio Week 20: Baptism of Isabel, Work to do, and Giving Talks

Hola everyone!

Well this past week was a better week in my area and with my companion. He seems to have reacted better to wanting to work. I have tried everything and even talked to him about it, and he responded, for about 2 days hahaha. He is starting to get lazy again and mad at me for trying to do what is right, but apparently we will have divisions with the Zone Leaders soon, so hopefully that will help us out. He really is a great guy and an amazing teacher! I have learned to improve my teaching from what he has taught me, and I know it will help, but I just need to exercise more patience maybe, but still be strong and obedient.

Well I told you guys that the Mavs would win! Just because I am on a Mission doesn't mean I don't have my sports prediction skill and gift :)  Hahahaha but I am glad that they won. I have very little respect for Lebron hahaha. I hope the dbacks win it all this year but I am not predicting anything in baseball yet, lol.

Well this past week Hermana Isabel got Baptized.

The sweet lady who can't walk or move very well. We had to fill up the font at 7pm on Friday and heat it up because she could not get Baptized in cold water. Well after it filled up we left the church to go home. Saturday in the morning at 7 we went to stick in these metal heater things to heat up the water, but most of the water drained out, so we stayed another 2 hours filling up the font again, hahaha. After that we left and worked for the day, and at 5 was the Baptism. Well we got to the church very early, at like 3:30, to make sure everything was ready. Well it so happened that the electricity was out in the building for most of the day and the water did not heat up at all! So we rushed around trying to fix up the electricity, and finally it was working and just barely got the water hot enough for the Baptism. During the services I talked about the Holy Ghost and after was the Baptism. Elder Rojas performed the Baptism, and I had to get in to help get her into the font and Baptize her. We had to do it twice but it was still a sweet experience. This week we hope to Baptize her daughter Karla :)

Well Sunday I had to give a talk and I talked about Charity and Love. It went well I thought. I talked about how we are Diciples of Christ because we got Baptized and took upon His name...but without love, the Pure Love of Christ, we are nobody and definately not Diciples of Christ. Also Hermana Isabel was Confirmed. After, during the Gospel Principles class, a nonmember lady came and asked us how we all say that this Church is true and she wanted to know how she could know for herself! Hahaha golden I thought! Well we ending up teaching her the message of the Restoration and she accepted another visit in her house :) Her name is Hermana Sandra and I really hope that she will progress with us!

Well I have been learning alot in this new area. There is a lot of work...we just need to work hahaha!!

To answer your questions - I have tried new foods almost everyday. They eat much more chicken and soup here in the city. The food is way different from Huacaltzingo because they have more money here, hahaha. Yesterday I had this meatball thing after Church with a salsa and it was so so good!! How we wash our laundry...hahaha well we did wash with a Hermana in our ward but it was on Saturday's and we can't do that, so I told my comp we have to wash Monday's or find another way. Well she is not home Monday's and yesterday we asked the Relief Society President to ask some Hermanas but nobody wants to help, hahaha so we will be washing by hand in our apartment!!! :) hahaha.

Well I am sorry to here about Jonathon and Taylor. I really hope Jonathon gets back out. I am really sad of hearing about people going home hahaha. Taylor....well he is also in my prayers. I hope all will continue to be fine with him. And somebody please tell Jacob Handy to write me!! Little terd hahaha.

Well that is it for today! I love and miss you all!!

Love,
Elder Brady Lester

Life Lessons

Hi Elder Lester,

I have been thinking about what you are going through with these companions that are lazy, doing things their way, etc… And I am very quick to just tell you to tell them that you are there to work, etc… I say that because I know that’s what will bring the most happiness and success to you all. But what I’ve realized is that you will be dealing with this throughout your mission. You will always be with someone that won’t be the same as you. And it’s learning how to work as a team.  What you are dealing with are LIFE LESSONS.

These experiences will help you throughout your life when you are at a job and you are working with someone else and they aren’t doing their part of the job. Or you are the boss and you have an employee who isn’t doing something the way you think they should.  This will help with your future wife and children too.  What I wish I would have taken the time to tell you in the email is that the key is to figure out how to motivate that person, companions, etc., and learning what you can do to help.  By talking and having a discussion on what is it that you guys can do to accomplish this or that. Talking it out and figuring out a way to make it work and what you can do to help.  I know as a Missionary you have to plan out your days and have goals, so this goes right along with this. Also I know that following the rules will keep you safe, so coming home on time at night is crucial.

So after thinking about it, I didn’t want it to sound like I just wanted you to tell your companion that this is the way it’s going to be, and you weren’t going to allow what happened with his last companion, and not getting any work done to happen again, etc.  But I know you have the skills, and are learning more skills everyday, to learn how to work as a team, and how to be a happy and successful Missionary, and these Life Lessons will bless you throughout your life.  I know you have shared in your letters ways you have made things better with Elder Lumbreras, and answers you have received from your studying, and the inspiration you have received. This will continue to happen to you as you seek ways to learn how to be successful with each companion you have, and your new companion Elder Rojas. You will be blessed, and you will bless your companions life, and the lives of the people you are serving.

You are gaining so much experience in such a condensed amount of time. I remember when I went on my mission and I was at the MTC, I heard that the mission experience is like 40 years of college education. You are blessed for this opportunity to learn how to work with these companions and they certainly are blessed to learn from you, know you, and have you touch their life forever.  You know how much you learned in the MTC with Elder Walker, and even at the Hill Cumorah. These experiences are invaluable. You are doing such an outstanding job. I am so proud of you and have loved learning from you.  Thank you for that.

I love you,

MOM

June Package

Here's Elder Lester's June Package

 Popcorn, Hot Fries, Chocolate, Shout Wipes, Applesauce, Lemonade Kool-Aid, Toothpaste, Toothbrush, Coconut M&M's, Gum, Pens, Mechanical Pencils, Coconut Chocolate Granola Bars, Starburts, May 2011 General Confernce Ensign, and five new Ties (zipper).

 Packaged all nice and sealed up with the usual Missionary stickers, and the Lady of Guadalupe - Mary Guadalupe taped to the seams so the package won't get broken into. It's worked every time!

A Letter for Mom

Dear Mom,

Well I want to write you personally because I didn't do so in the last letters I sent to the kids. I would like you to know how much I appreciate you as my Mom in my life. You are the reason I am here. You have taught me and raised me in the Gospel my whole life and always taught me the importance of Serving a Mission. This Mission is the hardest thing I have ever done. I cry when we don't have success, when the people don't understand me, or when I don't understand them, and because I am not with my Family.

But I always remember the things that you have gone through as a Mother. You gave birth to five kids, hahaha wow!!! I am glad I don't have to go through that but I really do think about it sometimes. How much pain a woman is willing to go through just to be a Mother. I also think about the divorces you went through and a child, and now as a Mother. You are still Faithful in the Gospel, raising your kids :)  I am sure it's hard. I don't know really how hard but I can imagine that it is. You are the example of a Faithful Mother and member of the Church always striving to do what is right.

Sometimes I think here in the mission...why am I here? This is so hard why don't I just go home? But I always think of you first, and the things that you have overcome in your life, and tell I myself...If she can go through that, I can do this! You always give and give and give and don't expect anything in return. I am really Grateful for you in my life Mom and I LOVE YOU SO MUCH :)

You are my example. You are my best friend. You are the best Mother ever :)

With all my love,
Elder Brady Lester

Mexico Week 19: Hoping for Change and Goals

Hola Todos!


Well to start off, thank you very much Mom and kids for the packages! I got them this morning and they were great! :) Thank you boys for the bball news and I hope you are all wrong and the Maverics win, hahahaha :) Brinkley, I will try harder doing that ;) Grandma!! How are you?


Well to answer your questions, I did not see the volcano erupt. (How do you spell that word?) I am guessing the wind blew it North?? Grandma, we use the toilet to go to the bathroom but it doesn't flush so we just fill up a bucket of water and pour it in the toilet and that is how it flushes. You guys can try it at home if you want, hahaha. It really works, hahaha. We shower in cold cold cold water everyday, which is our own decision, because it's 200 pesos to buy gas and we have like no money, haha. I had to pay rent and water bill because I am the junior comp and so I won't see that money for three more weeks, and we bought alot of cleaning supplies to clean the house because we might be changing for the cockroach problem, and this lady that lives above us gets home at like 12 at night and plays music until 4 in the morning, so it's hard to sleep sometimes, hahaha. As for my ward, yes I am in a ward and it does start at 11:30. I only have one ward in my area and there are about 150 active and 300 inactives, hahaha so we have alot of work there to do.


Well this past week was a little disappointing in my new area. I was really pumped and ready to go but found out that my comp is lazy and really disobedient. So we stayed in the house alot and didn't work much. We got home late alot and I am telling him let's go or let's go work, but he doesn't really listen, and I have to listen to him since he is the senior comp. But today I told my district leader our problems and tomorrow we are having divisions to fix it. Appartently the zone and district leaders are happy that I am here because him and his last comp did nothing, so they think I will change the area alot...which I hope hahahaha. So far things are changing slowly. We found a lady to teach named Hermana Isabel. She is a sweet lady. She is divorced with two kids, Carla and Alejandro. Carla is 13 and Alejandro is 7. Well we have been teaching her and she really wants to learn and has alot of faith. She gave up coffee and she has a Baptism date for this Sunday so hopefully it will go through :) After, we will focus on her daughter Carla so that she can get Baptized too and we can bring a happy family in the gospel of Christ :) That is what misisonary work is all about! THE TEMPLE!!!! I don't care about Baptims. I want these people I teach, in the Temple making more important Covenants. Baptism is just the step to get there!


Well nothing much happened other than her. This week I want to visit all the former investigators and the member families who are all not Baptized so we have people to teach because Isabel is all we got. My comp and his last comp did nothing here in the last change so we are kinda opening the area, hahaha. I also want to visit alot of inactive members to reactivate them. My goals are 150 baps and 30 families reactivated :) I will acheive my goals I know it, hahaha :)


Well today was fun! We played soccer with the zone and there are some cool Elders in this zone. After we ate at Mcdonalds with our DL and his comp :) Yes, there is a Mcdonalds and Dominos in my area :) Que chido eh :) My area btw is the city and not terribly far from the offices :)


Well I gotta go!! I love and miss you all!!


Love,
Elder Brady Lester


Go Forward with Faith in Christ and nothing else!