Mexico Week 79: For the Temple is a House of God

Hola Familia!! 

Thank you for writing me :) I always love to read your letters. That stinks about your leg Kasey. Hope that it heals up soon!  Sounds like everything has just been going great.  I am doing great!!  My new comp is Awesome!  His name is Elder Lopez and is from Ecuador. He is a great worker and sooooo cool hahahahaha. I hope that everything goes great in this change. I feel like we will have alot of success. That is awesome that the boys are going to get some merit badges this weekend! I hope that they have a great time. I hope that you are all ready for school and stuff hahaha.  

Well I will just get to the point of my email...and why I put down that subject for the email. On Saturday, a family that I Baptized in Haulcaltzingo went to the Mexico City Temple and got Sealed.  The sister, Lorena got her Endowment. It was great news!!! Even better news is that my comp and I got to go!!!! Hahahahahahha it was so sweet! We got permission to go to Mexcio City and go to the Temple to see my converts get married and Sealed to each other and their little baby boy. It was such an experience. I wanted to send pics but of course there is not a place to put in my memory card so I can’t :(  I don’t like the internet here hahaha. It was so awesome!! The Spirit was so strong and I felt like I recharged myself spiritually!  It was the best day of the Mission.  I could not help but cry as I saw Hermana Lorena and Hermano Pedro get Sealed and especially to their little son. I was so happy.  

 Baptism of Lorena & Pedro in Haulcaltzingo

 México City México Temple

 After we left the Temple...around 5ish we went to eat tortas. After we ate we went in a bus to the station and I counted my money and we did not have enough to get home. We were a little worried but I said a prayer in my heart as well as my companion and we felt so sure that we were going to get home. We got to the bus station and we checked our mission credit cards...nothing. I checked my card from home....nothing hahaha. We started walking...more worried and we heard a man yell behind us "Mormones" hahahahahaha. We turned around and it was a brother from here in Tlaxcala in our stake and we know him. He asked us about why we were in Mexico and we told him that we went to the Temple. He was walking with a bag carrier and told us to contact him hahaha, and as we contacted him the brother left to buy his ticket, but our prayers were answered and he bought us tickets as well!!  We got back to Puebla and he bought us pizza as well and him and his wife drove us all the way home. My comp and I were so surprised and we gave so much thanks in our prayers to Heavenly Father. It was amazing.

I don’t know how in the world we found a brother in the biggest city in the world, from the smallest state in Mexico, from our stake who knew us and who has money.  All I can say is that God loves us and watches out for us. I know that He answers every prayer. I am so grateful to Him. 

Our investigators are doing great.  The Familia Minor is just doing great. They still have not gone to Church but they have the desire to be Baptized and pray and read to know. We have been visiting alot of people and doing alot of teaching. We are having alot of progress and we hope to Baptize soon again. Everything has been going just great. This week we have to go to Puebla for the Zone Leader Council. That is going to be sweet like always. I am excited for the work.

It’s going to be hard to go home but I know that God will help me to be able to keep working in His work as long as I am faithful. This is a Church of workers not a museum of Saints who just go on Sundays.  We have alot of work to do...in our wards, stakes, and in the Temple to be able to help God finish His work and glory. The most important work we do is with our families.  I am dedicated to love and cherish my future family so that God can work miracles through us. 

I hope you all have a great week!! I love and miss you tons!! 

Love, 

Elder Lester

 

Mexico Week 67: BP Responsibilities and Growth, and It's Fun...

Feliz Cinco de May Familia! 

Thank you for all your great and amazing letters. I love you all so very much and I am glad to see that everything is going great back at home and that you are all busy and working. Working is what really makes us happy and I am happy to be able to work for the Lord in Puebla. It’s hard but it’s worth it. Thank you Brink for sharing that quote and it’s so very true. The food that you guys made dad sounded delicious. Sadly, because I am not in the city, I did not see nor celebrate Cinco de Mayo. I heard that it was great but in my 2 years here I have not been able to see it for being in pueblos hahahaha. Don’t worry Mom, I will go to Puebla when my package comes because I have to go get a bunch of materials for the branch that I bought. We go in bus :)  

 Well I have my new companion...just don’t freak out. It’s Elder Rojas and he is from Peru...but he is not the same Elder Rojas hahahaha. He is a little taller, way cooler, and a very hard worker. I really love him alot. The Presidente sent him here with me for 2 reasons. First, he will help me be ready to accept more responsibility very soon. I don’t know what that means because I don’t know what would be more than Branch President. Second, I am training him so that he can be ready to be the next Branch President. That is a great privilege for me and him. Hahahaha, they never trained me...just threw me in hahaha. But I am learning alot more about how I am supposed to do my job as I teach him. I believe that I only have a little time left and that I have almost done what the Lord wanted me to do. I am so happy with what is going on in the branch. I have seen so much progress. The members have said that they haven’t seen the branch like this for the 13 years that it has. Yesterday 34 people went!!! I was so happy because usually there are only like 19 but 34!! We also have 3 Baptisms for this Sunday and a little girl will be Baptized this week. She has 8 years :)

I am loving the work and it’s just fun to do what is right and live the Gospel. It’s fun to be obediente and keep the rules. It’s fun to study and learn. It’s fun to help people and teach the Gospel. I can really see what President Reeves wants each Missionary to experience as Missionaries. It’s also fun to clean the house, hahahaha. My comp and I got a start on that today and we will finish at night.

Yesterday I received some very sad news. A sister in my branch was beaten by her husband so hard that she is in a coma. When I heard that it was after hearing a few members confess to me about some things that they did that were very wrong. I went upstairs to my office and cried. I started feeling like Alma and Nephi, seeing so much wickedness. I knew that her husband had been hitting her for about 3 weeks now because we have been visiting her alot. We have been trying to help her with that but apparently it’s been a problem for 5 years. She has three sweet girls and two of them are our investigators. The dad is not a member...he is now in jail. Last night we went to the hospital to visit her and give her a blessing but the doctor would not let us see her for her condition. Today we will go again and we will visit her each day as well. I pray that everything will be better. When she wakes up, I will also have to help her, as her President, do the right thing and send in an abuse report so that this freaking guy stays in jail.

We have planned a trip to go to the Temple as a branch!!!!!! It will be the 26 of May and I really hope that we can get permission to go as Missionaries because it’s in Mexico City, but I think that we will because we are the leaders. But still I am happy that the members will have this blessing to go because they don’t get to go alot.

 

Well I gotta go!! On Sunday we can talk but it will be very short for the things that I have to do. The number that you can call is 797 100 7476. That is the normal number but I know that you will have to add numbers because it’s long distance. Mom and the kids...if you could call me at 5:00 my time, and Dad I will need you to call me at 6:00 my time. We will have about 40-60 minutes to talk. I am sorry that it will be short but I have meetings and tithing to deposit and interviews. If you want to call tomorrow night to see if it works that will be fine :) 

I love you so very much!!!



Love,
Elder Lester

Mexico Week 40: Reading the Book of Mormon

Happy Halloween!!

Well just so that you all know, yes Mexico celebrates Halloween hahaha, but instead of asking for candy they ask for money hahaha, so the people give little money and sometimes candy. The funny thing is that they do it with their parents hahaha!! Every little kid that asks me for money, I just tell them that in my country they ask for candy, you should do the same hahaha. It's probably mean but I really don't have millions to give out to the little kids hahaha. They hardly dress up! But it's a holiday here. I hope you all have a great Halloween this night!! Baseball here by the way is a popular sport so I heard that the Cardinals did win and I am happy that they did. I just want the Dbacks to go all the way again!

Thank you for all your emails! I enjoy reading everyone of them :) I am glad that you all had decent and good weeks!! Remember that you are all in my prayers and thoughts. In about 1 year we will all see each other again hahaha, how crazy is that!! Really my mission has been passing by so fast and I feel like this last year will just pass by faster! I am really loving it here and I really love the people here. They are really nice and the members are always willing to help anyone. I really love them here. They have given me clothes, money, blankets to keep warm, and food.

Well in this past week Elder Escamilla and I have been working hard. We found a sweet family of 4 who let us in their house to talk. Well we started talking about the Restoration and the Book of Mormon and they all loved it. There is a little boy of 10 years who in the lesson said "Mom we need to get Baptized again because the Catholic church doesn't have the Priesthood." Hahahahaha how cool is that!! That first lesson we all invited them to be Baptized and they accepted! This week this sweet boy has been reading the pamphlets and the Book of Mormon and is pushing his family to listen and read and progress. He really is a great example! This past week we have also found a couple more new investigators who have accepted Baptism and look like they are going to progress.

This past two weeks we have invited our recent converts to join us in reading the Book of Mormon before Christmas. In our visits this week they have all read a ton!! Hno Fidel and his son are in Alma 28 and read 20 chapters one day!!! Hna Cony and her family are in 3 Nephi after 2 weeks!!! They are beating us!! I asked Hna Cony "are you sure that you are not in 2 Nephi" she told me no but that she is reading in 3 Nephi. Well I asked her "so you read all of Alma?" and she responed "ohhh Alma is the best book so far in the Book of Mormon!" hahahaha!! I could not believe it! They are just strong and faithful members!! This past week we also have been working really hard reactivating members in the ward so that we can achieve our goal in splitting the ward soon. Well yesterday in Sacrament meeting there were members standing outside the room because there weren't any seats!! It was awesome!! Hahahaha the Bishop really feels that we can split the ward if we keep working hard and Baptizing.

Things are going great here in Castillotla and I am really loving Missionary work! I don't have much more to say. I have not tried anything new food wise. I have alot of pictures to send but I forgot my camera again so next week I will get them on :) I love you all and hope you have a great week everyone!! Stay safe!

Love,

Elder Brady Lester

Mexico Week 16: Loving the Work even though it's hard

Dear Family,

Well this week was another hard week in Huacaltzingo. But before I get to that let me answer questions. YES, MOM I MISS YOU!! Hahaha and Kasey I am glad you did your homework in PMG :) Grandma haha Little Ceasers is like 8 dollars here so just a tad bit more expensive. For KFC I spent like 10 dollars and got a drink, shake, chicken sandwich, fries, mashed potatoes, and a chicken breast so it was a ton of food!! That's awesome that you kids had fun with dad and that is sweet a Seventy came on Sunday. This Wednesday a Seventy is coming and the whole mission is going to listen! All 150 of us!!! I am excited. For that we are staying the night tonight and tomorrow night in Puebla with our district leader. I am glad to have a little break from my area haha.

Well this week was a little depressing. We have been working so so hard and have not been seeing a success. I think total this week we taught 8 lessons and worked our tails off. The work has been really bad. We have done everything possible alone and nothing has worked. So this past Wednesday evening we had a meeting with some of the leaders of the branch to make a mission plan for the branch so we can work closer with the members. Well it was almost 2 hours listening to their excuses about how the work here is difficult and really don't know why we are there. My companion and I felt dead afterwards and really didn't want to work anymore, but we did haha and again no success. Sunday we had another meeting with ALL the leaders for an hour and nothing got done, so today I wrote President Rex in my letter that the members really don't want to help us and that it has been like that for all the time I have been here. In two weeks we have changes so we will see what happens.

This past Saturday evening was fun though!! We had a family night thing with two families in our branch with an investigator who is so close to Baptism. She's just is a little scared because she really doesn't have many friends in the church, or so she thought hahaha. Well we watched the movie the Restoration and after we all made hamburgers!!! Well I made and cooked the meat of course being American and all, and they all said that they were the best hamburgers they have ever eaten :) So dad and mom, gotta give me props for that :) It was fun and it really helped this investigator feel better at church. Her name is Trinidad.

Well this week we will be focusing on our investigators Trinidad, Alan, and Fernanda because we feel that if they accept, they are really ready fo Baptism 28th and 29th of this month! We have changes the 30th so I hope we get these three before changes, but it all depends on this week!!

Well anything else you want to know?? I am loving the work even though it is hard. Oh btw, I heard a story that about 4-5 years ago an Apostle sent almost ALL the missionaries home from this mission because they were starting like secret combinations and stuff with secrets codes and rings and stuff that I can't believe. So the mission has been recuperating since then. Scary and just crazy!!! Well tell Jacob to write me!! I hope all is good with him and that he gets back out because if only Jacob P and I return it will be sad.

Well I love and miss you all!!! Mom, I attached the pictures of my shoes on this email.

This is what Elder Lester's shoes look like after only wearing them a few months in Mexico.

A new pair has been mailed to him this month!

Love,

Elder Brady Lester

Mexico Week 6: Service with the Members

¡Hola!

Well we just had changes this morning and......I am still in Huacaltzingo!!! Elder Villalba did get a change. I was sad about that and kinda cried. Haha, I didn't know that it would be so hard to leave him. Anyways my new companion is Elder Lumbreras who is from Mexico hahaha :) So far I like him! Even though it's only been 7 hours, hahahaha but things are looking up here in my area! As for the language it is way better. I am understanding about 70-80 percent of what the people say. It is difficult to talk still but I am getting better. I am just afraid of making a mistake when it's casual talk which is weird because when we teach I will talk and talk, hahaha but that is probably because the Spirit is helping me and plus most of my vocab is Gospel right now, haha. I have definately seen improvement and can't wait to completely get it, haha. So I feel like the reason I stayed here was because President Rex called me and asked if I wanted to and I said yes, haha cool huh?

Anyways thanks for the sports updates! GO BYU!!! Kolby I am sorry you didn't make the team but keep your head up I know exactly how you feel. Brink, Morp sounded fun!! Tell Trey and Sean Hi for me :) Braxley, I love your cute letters, hahaha :) How is your defense going? Kasey, I am glad you are looking for a job! Start saving that money! Good luck in the search. We shall have a race...can I get a Baptism before you get a job? :) Grandma you should totally go to Cancun! There is an Elder Bravo here from Cancun.

Well for this week not much happened again. The work is hard and I think the Lord is trying to teach us something. Not sure what yet. I hope for more success this coming week. This week Elder Villalba and I have been looking for ways to serve. I think this week we are going to help the Branch President build a house, haha which is his job :) Oh and yes Mom, you have your info right so far about my area and the Branch President. Anyways we are looking for service and we want to start with the leaders of the branch so they can set the example for the members. We have some plans we have been working on to try and strengthen the leaders and have them set the example. We hope that this week we can get a ward mission plan rolling so we can get more references from the members.

Well this week Lorena finally accepted Baptism!!!!! She finally prayed and got an answer. She wants her husband Pedro to do it but we don't know if he can right now. This month she will get Baptized by us or him :) I am so happy and excited for her!! We also got 2 investigators new and invited them to church and they showed up hahaha, which was a miracle!! We have an appointment with them this week.

I don't have any more time so this is a short one. I will upload pics next week for sure. I forgot my camera at the house :(  Everything is great and I am feeling good!! I love you and miss you all! Thank you for your prayers and kind words everyone! :) Can't wait to hear from you all!

Love,

Elder Brady Lester

P.S.  Mom, my feet are fine but could you send me some insoles for my shoes. I think they will keep them nicer and my feet too. Also some more shoe polish. Thanks!!

News from Mexico

Hey everybody!!! 

So I only have a little time because we have been going everywhere trying to find internet that works and we have an appointment in 30min. Anyways, I am in Huacaltzingo Puebla. It is two hours away from the city of Puebla. It's a farming town. Everybody here is so loving and so humble even though they have nothing!!!! I am about 2 hours away from the city of Puebla, and only every Wednesday do we go into Puebla for meetings. Life here is good though! I don´t understand a thing which is sad because I really want to help the people here. Hopefully soon I will be able to :)

The first night here, when we arrived, we all went to the mission home and ate sloppy joes and potato chips that Sister Rex made. They were yummy!! Anyways we just ate and went straight to bed that night. That was the last night with the Elders I have been with for 2 months, haha.

Anyways the next day we got up had pancakes and went to the mission offices. We received some training and President Rex interviewed us :) He and his wife are great people!!

First look at Puebla Mexico - January 29, 2011

So we got our JP Morgan Chase cards and learned about that. Today we went to the bank and I got my first pesos!!! Cool looking money, haha. Anyways that day we got our trainers. My trainer is Elder Villalba and he is from Chihuahua Mexico. He is way cool!! He speaks a little bit of English which is nice. He is a hard worker, so loving, very patient, and just fun!!

Elder Villalba - Trainer Companion

So the first night we went to our house and then left to go talk to people! We went to Hermana Dolores house and I met her and we ate. She is the Relief Society president in the branch here. Here in Huacaltzingo 600 people live here and about 250 are members, but only about 70 are active. I hope we can change that soon!! Anyways my first meal was some spinach in some tomato broth, then we had this soup with chicken in it. I could not eat it. It was so HOT!!!!!!!!!!!!! They felt bad but I tried saying it was ok :) Anyways I just ate beans and the best tortillas in the world!!! So good!! After that we just went around talking to other members and inviting them to church. 

Yesterday was Sunday and we went to Church after our studies. I have church at 10:00 AM but we leave at 9:00 AM because it takes about 20 minutes to walk there, haha. We walk far!!!!!!! When we go really far we take a bus (which is a charter bus). One time the bus driver stopped, got out, and bought a coke on the side of the street, and then kept going. Hahaha it was weird but funny!

Anyways church was nice! President Rex and his wife came which was a surprise to all. After Church we went and ate with the ward mission leaders family Hermano Guadalupe. Great food! Best rice ever, and the tortillas here are great! We had some soup with chicken again, but it wasn´t as hot, but still hot. At least I could eat it. After that we taught some investigators the Plan of Salvation and they seemed very receptive. So far we have three Baptism dates for February 12th, but they need to come to church before they can be Baptized. Hopefully this week we work hard with them.

Last night we went to Fernando´s house, a member, and role played with him on how to invite his friends to hear a message from us. I was his friend and I understood almost everything he said which is a miracle because I can´t understand anyone here. They all speak so fast!!! Anyways some of the members, including Fernando, want to learn English so they are happy an American is here. I helped Fernando for about 30 min last night and he is very good. When we go to Puebla tomorrow I am going to get him an English Book of Mormon. 

Anyways, yeah life is good here...I am home sick though. I don´t understand a thing and everything is so dirty and nasty. I feel bad for these people. All they have are a couch, table, tv, stove, and beds. Which is pretty much the same that I have, haha. I do have a shower...concrete wall with a shower head. Sometimes the gas doesn´t work so like this morning when that happens we can´t take a shower, hahaha. Today we went shopping after our studies. We got some food and supplies.

We do wash laundry at a members home who has a washing machine, but after the cycle we have to ring out the water and hang dry our clothes. Yes we do have purified water. The members all give us good water or soda, hahaha. They feed us really good. We always have food in our bellies. The houses here are pretty much a square brick/concrete house with a concrete floor. There are tons of bugs and spiders in the houses and it always smells. I am really really glad we live in America and I am missing it right now. Hopefully once I understand a little of what they say I will be fine, haha. Some people here don´t like me as much since I am from Arizona and we passed a law that they all hate here. Hopefully I don´t get in trouble with that, haha. 

Anyways I think I answered all the questions? Can't wait to hear from you and I miss and love you all!!!!! :)

First Home in Haucaltzingo, Puebla Mexico

Elder Lester's Desk

Elder Lester's bed has the tan blanket

Love, 

Elder Brady Lester