Mexico Week 26: The Lord Preparing Me for Something Harder and Bigger

Hey there everyone!!

Well this letter is going to be a short one because I have like 40 minutes to read everything from you guys and write. No Mom I still haven't gotten your June package and thank you for your letter. Get more sleep!! That was cool what Bishop Alston said in your blessing and I hope it will happen :) Thank you for all your letters kids :) Dad thanks for your letter I really enjoyed it. Seems like you guys had alot of fun this past month.

Well this past week was yet another hard week with Elder Rojas. Sometimes things look like they are getting better and we are good friends but then he gets really lazy. He needs to change really but there is nothing I can do. I really just need to lock down and keep working my patience. It's been a really hard 8 weeks with this guy hahaha! I know that the Lord is preparing me for something harder and bigger in my future though :)

This past week the work got a little better with the members. We attempted to make a ward mission plan but the meeting was postponed until tomorrow. I really hope we start working hard with the members of the ward because maybe its the way to build more unity between my comp and I.

So in the past week we had a boy and his dad come to Church to learn about it and they ended up accepting an appointment with us. Only the 17 year old son came, Enrique, and we taught him the Restoration and invited him to be Baptized and he accepted! He has been really in with the activities and stuff with the youth in our ward, and he came to play soccer with us today, so we are going to try to put a Baptismal date for the 6th of August.

Also this past week, as my comp and I were planning in the evening, I felt that we should go to visit a certain inactive member, who was a reference from another member. Her name is Hermana Alejandra Leon and it's been about a year since she has been to Church. Well we went to visit her and she was a little shy at first but then after we talked and shared a lesson, and she really opened up and shared her feelings. We found out that her husband works every now and then in the US and really loves the NBA basketball. She also has two young boys who are not Baptized and want to get Baptized. The Lord really poured out His blessings that day :) We really feel that they will accept Baptism and be Baptized soon :)

Well that is about all :(  Later today we are going to play baseball with some other Elders!!! I can't wait for that :) I really miss baseball! Well I miss all of you and love each of you a ton! You are in my prayers and please keep me in yours :)

Love,

Elder Brady Lester

Mexico Week 25: Rain, Ward Mission Plan, Showering from a Bucket, Companion Lessons

Dear Family and other people who get this letter,


Well I officially have 8 months in the mission and wow has time passed so fast. I really feel like I am still a new Missionary and just left the MTC. Well this past week things were really interesting. For the past like 15 days it has rained which has been awesome! Thursday it was raining so so hard from like 3-9 in the afternoon and night! We got soaked!! My shoes are still wet hahaha!! My pants got covered in muddy water because some car drove by me fast and all the water in the street just drenched me hahaha! It was fun :) I love the rain!

Well in the past week we didn't get alot of lessons in. We have been working really hard on a mission plan for the ward. Tuesday evening after our meeting with our ward mission leader in the church, the Bishop called us into his office and said he had something really important for us to talk about. After he told us that he wanted us to make a mission plan for the ward because he wants us to work with the members more. I was so happy to hear that from him! So this past week we made a plan for the ward! It includes goals and plans to FIND, TEACH, and REACTIVATE. We really want to improve our numbers and feel also that we can have more success with the members working with us. I really am excited to put this plan into action.


Well also in the past week we got kicked out of the house on Thursday. The owner sold the house and said we needed to be out by today, Monday. So also last week we had to find a house really fast and there was only one that we found and its kinda gross hahaha. We moved in all of our stuff on Saturday when we found the house and cleaned out the other one, but since the toilet, sink, and shower don't work in the new house, we stayed in our other house for the past couple of nights on the floor so that we could have a place to shower and go to the bathroom. Well now we don't live there anymore and the owner of the new house is installing the new toilet, sink, and shower tomorrow and Wednesday, so I will be showering from a bucket for the next two days :) Hahahaha I am excited lol ;) In the next month when we have money we are going to buy some cheap paint to paint the place lol because the walls are ugly and gross.


Well this past Saturday Hermana Karla could not get Baptized because we still have some stuff to teach her, so it looks like this Saturday she will get Baptized :) We also have been working with a young lady, Hermana Ana, who really wants to get Baptized but wants to wait a bit. She is not religous and knows nothing about God and Jesus Christ so we had to start with the basics, but she wants to be religous and be closer to God, so she has accepted Baptism but with no date. She came to Church yesterday which was awesome!! So we are going to be helping her to get ready by the 30th of July so that she gets Baptized then :)


Well this past week Elder Rojas changed very little. He is still doing his normal things but President Reeves called us to see what he could do to help. I told President my feelings and he listened. He talked to my comp but I don't know what was said. I know we are together for this change still but I am going to be different in this change. I am going to be patient. I am going to pray for more guidance because maybe I am with him for another reason, and to help him out in another way besides just working. It's going to be hard but I feel like it's the right thing to do. One thing I will be hard on him though, and that is his money. I have taken so much out of the home account because he spends all of his money the day he gets it. He has nothing again for this month like last month and I am having to pay for things for him. I really need him to be smarter next month with his money because I have almost nothing and don't want to keep taking out tons of money from the house just to pay for him and me to live hahaha. I just need to be the example and be obedient.


Well I gotta go! I want reports next week on how you all have been sharing the gospel with your friends and everyone!! I love and miss you all! I can't wait for your next letters!


Love,
Elder Brady Lester


PS: Tell Eric Trott thank you for the email. It really helped me out and I will take his advice. I just don't have time to write him :(


Tell Sister McCarthur that she is awesome and that I love her so much!! I have had no time to write her but I am thankful for all of her support and know that the Lord is blessing her :) 

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

Mexico Week 9: The Spirit and Singing!

¿Que tal todos?

Bueno, muchas felicidades a mi hermano Kasey. Holy cow I can't believe you are 15! You taller than me yet lol? Braxley, your letters make me laugh a ton, hahaha. And to give you my opinion...the Lakers will win again and you know why, number 24 is not human in the postseason, so I rest my case :) Brinkley, congrats with your prom invitation I hope things are going good with Trey. Tell him I say hello. As for your talk, good luck! Just remember Obedience is the first law in Heaven so that shows you how important it is. Kolby, how is everything? I love and miss all of you! Grandma, thank you so so much for your contribution. I know that the Lord has a great blessing for you soon in your life. As for BYU....I heard :( I also heard Duke lost too :( So both my teams are gone :( But hey baseball has started up!! :)  Go Dbacks!

Well this week was definately an interesting one. Things are better with my companion only because I am just really really being patient with him, hahahaha, although today and yesterday I was not. Tomorrow we have a zone conference at 8:30 in the morning and I told him we should stay with our leaders in Puebla tonight because we are here in Puebla today anyways. Well he said no because he wants to sleep in is own bed. Well today our leaders told us we need to stay here. I was right again haha so we are going to return to get changed and then come back here to spend the night hahaha. Ugh!!!!!!!!!!! We have changes in 2 weeks so hopefully we will be changed. If not...well it will be good for me, hahaha, and my patience. Did I spell that right? Lol! I am at a point where when I type and write in English I have to think about some words before I write them down because I am thinking the word in Spanish. The language is getting better. I have more confidence which allows me to speak more. I hope by Mother's Day...which is soon...I will be able to understand 100%, right now its about 85-90%.

Well this week we had divisions a couple days with some young men in our branch. It was good working with them. Anyways this week a man, 20 years old, found us and said that he likes how the mormons live and wants to learn more about our religion. Well we set up an appointment with him and taught Tuesday. He agreed to meet again and we gave a Book of Mormon. Thursday we taught him again, but me and Luis Daniel taught him since we were in divisions. I asked him how his reading was in the Book of Mormon and he explained very well the chapter we left him. Then I asked if he prayed and he did and described how he felt peacful and just happy. Well in that moment I testified how that is the Spirit testifying to him that this is true. Then I invited him to be Baptized on April 9th and he accepted!!! I was smiling so much that day, hahahaha. I cant wait for that day!

Lorena this week decided she wants to get Baptized the last week of April which is after this change. We asked her to think about the 16th or 17th of April since it's the last day of this transfer. I hope she says yes because I have been working with her since the begining with Elder Villalba and it would stink to miss her Baptism. Alan our other investigator will be Baptized on the 29th of May so I will miss that one too unless I stay in Huacalzingo once more haha.

Nothing else really happened this week, hahaha. We have been trying to find more people to teach because the others we have found have turned us away. Actually one family still is with us. Hermano Casto, his wife Josefina, and son Napolion. They are hard core Catholic and know the Bible really well. Well last night I was with Fernando a boy in our branch on divisions and we taught them the Book of Mormon and the Bible and how they work together. Well we read 3 Nephi 11 with him, and he asked how we know Nephi didnt just write that and Christ didn't come here to the Americas. Well I asked him how do you know that the Bible wasn't written by these men and there really is not a Christ. He answered that he didn't know. So I told him that this is our invitation, read, meditate, and pray to know if it is true. I then told him that we know the Bible is not complete because how many Apostles did Christ have...12...how many gospels does the Bible have...only 4. He understood that and then I felt like I should testify about families and then sing "Families can be Together Forever." The Spirit was so strong and I will tell you all that was purely through the Spirit, haha it was a good feeling.

This week I hope we get more people to teach haha! We are also looking to serve alot. Saturday we painted a members house blue haha and it was really good!! I have pictures that I will upload when I have time. Right now I have some uploading.

Oh this week I bought two soccer jerseys haha. One of the Puebla team and another from Argentina. I want to buy a Mexico and Chivas one when I have money hahaha.

Well for General Conference we just watch it in our stake center here in Puebla which means in Spanish hahaha. I hope I will understand everything hahaha.

Last week I got your package Mom......wow thank you so much. It's like I am walking on clouds, hahaha.

Oh two other quick stories. One lady thinks we are Apostles, and a drunk man hugged me this week and asked what our profession was because we dress nice. Well we told him and he got mad because he thought that we didn't believe Mexicans believe in Christ, hahahaha funny.

Well I got to go! Love and miss you all!!!

Love,

Elder Brady Lester

Mexico Week 8: Patience, Serving a Companion, and an Answer to Prayer!

Hey there everyone!! 

Well this week has been another tough week. Things have been getting better with my comp. He just is really power hungry, and doesn't accept the fact that he is not perfect, and thinks that he knows everything. But I have been practicing patience big time this week and it has really helped me out. I have also been serving him a ton like shoe polishing, ironing, making breakfast, making his bed. I feel good about it and hope it makes things even better :) Thursday in the morning he sliced his fingered on our broken sink and it was a bad bad cut so we had to go to the hospital in Puebla, so we traveled for two hours and he had to get stiches. Things with his finger are better.  We stayed the night with our zone leaders because Friday morning I had to go to the offices to do something for my Visa. I saw almost all my generation, Elders who came the same day I did. I didn't see Elder Walker though which was a bummer. I miss that guy so much!! He is definately a best friend!  

This week has been tough with our investigators. We found 6 new ones but we only have 2 progressing, Lorena and Daniel whom both declined again a date for a baptism. We hope our prayers are answered this week becasue they are so ready and need this step in their lives right now. This morning I felt down because last night we invited Daniel to be Baptized this Saturday and declined. I started thinking that I am not worthy or something because I felt like I don't have the spirit if these people are not accepting us. I felt like no one here was prepared to hear me and it is only an area of trials to help me later. This morning I really wanted to give up but I went in my room and prayed and pleaded for an answer and didnt really feel any better. Well, I went to my scripture personal study and just a couple days ago I decided I wanted to add D&C to my studies - how they came in order by revelation. Well today I read section 6 and it was the answer to my prayer and gave me exactly what I needed to hear and learn. I am so ready for this up coming week and know success is there. 

This past week we have really organized what and who we have because we have a ton of investigators. 17 to be exact, hahaha but only two progressing. :(  To answer your question Mom, every other week we get to go to Puebla even if we have money to go every week. This week on Wedesday I will go for our district meeting and I think we have interviews with President, but this past week we went for my comps finger and my Visa thing, and next Monday we are going again to the doctor for my comps finger for a check up, so we are just going to stay there and play soccer with our zone. As for pictures I am uploading some right now. They just take forever here. I can only get about 20 in the one hour I have here, so next Monday I will see if we can email in Puebla because the connection is faster and hopefully I can get them all on. I have like 130 to add from last transfer still, hahaha. 

Our branch has a branch building...like the size of our basketball court at the church, hahahaha its tiny. I believe with all my heart that if missionaries stay here and the members help them, there will be a ward by the end of this year. I promise it, so we will see :) We have been trying to find service and did!! This week we are going to paint a members house, hahaha cant wait :)

Well not much else to say, hahaha but if you have any more questions let me know! I missed letters from the kids today :(  I did get your package and Corrinn's thank you soooooo much!! I love the socks and American candy. So does my comp, hahaha. I hope the other package comes this week! 

I love and miss you all so so much!! Please pray for me, I need it! You are all in my prayers! LOVE YOU ALL!!!!! 

Love,

Elder Brady Lester

P.S. Are the members and missionaries in Japan ok??