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 71: Learning alot as Branch President

Hey there!

Wow its June!! It’s crazy how the time flies. I totally forgot to tell you guys last Monday that a dog totally bit my finger and tore it up pretty bad hahaha. Everything is alright now. I cleaned it up and put a band aid on it hahaha. 

Just to let you know Mom I still haven’t gotten the package you sent. I hope that I will go to Puebla soon for it.
 
Thanks for your awesome emails. I love reading the funny ones from Brax hahaha. It sounds like you boys had a great time on the trek! I am so happy that you all had a great spiritual experience. I remember when Brink and I went on the trek. It was so awesome!! Sounds like everything is going great back at home. Wow I can’t believe that it’s so hot!! How is the weather in Puerto Rico dad? That’s awesome that you are getting some missionary work done over there! Hahaha the weather here has been pretty warm as of late but now we have been getting some rain :)
 
Well this week is the last week of this transfer. I asked President to leave me here hahaha, and he told me that he would think about it. I really hope that I stay here more time. We are starting a library in the branch!! It’s going to be awesome! I asked for a tons of stuff!! Scriptures, markers, manuals, books. It’s so sweet what we are doing. We also started up the single adults program. We planned activities for each week for the rest of the year. Activities like dances, games, sports, cooking, FHE, service, and camping!! It’s going to be a blast to see these members have tons a fun. They have never seen these things before. Hahahaha, you can say that I am changing this Mexican branch into an American ward, hahaha :)
 
Well nothing else much has happened. We are getting alot done in the branch. We were not able to go to the Temple on the 26th of May because the other branch canceled, and they rented the bus so it was lame, but now we are going to do it with just our branch on the 16th of June. Also the young women are going to have a campout on the 22-23 of June! These things are so new and so awesome!! Hahahahaha, it makes me Happy! But we have been struggling in the Missionary work. Everybody just says no and we have not been able to teach alot. I have learned alot here as Branch President, more than any other area, but I think that my teaching skills are going away, hahaha.
 
Well I gotta go. I love you all!! I heard that David Archuleta has made 2 CDs during my mission, one that just came out?? Hahaha, I wrote Sean just to let you know Brink. I love you tons everyone!! Grandma, I know it’s hot but you gotta get out!! Mom and you should go to lunch one day, hehehe.

Love,
Elder Brady 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 37: Straight up Missionary Work

Hey everyone!!


Well this past week we got alot done as a companionship! We have been working really hard and we are seeing alot of success. This past week we got 5 Baptism dates for 5 investigators. We have been working really hard to help our investigators feel the need to accept Baptism. This past week Hna Reina and her sister in law accepted Baptism and they are getting Baptized on the 16th of this month!! I can't wait for it! They have been progressing like crazy!! In the past week we had a very sweet experience with them. On Tuesday we taught both of them in a members house and the lesson was going very well as we were reading 2 Nephi 31 in the Book of Mormon. After, we talked for a bit and read, and the Spirit really hit me hard and told me to invite them to be Baptized on the 16th of October. Well I did it and Hermana Carina said of course, and she kinda shared her testimony of why and how she felt as she started to learn and know all of this. After, I invited Hermana Reina and she said no. We talked for a bit and after I invited her to pray with us in that moment to receive an answer. She was hesitant but my companion promised her that she would receive an answer to her prayer if she prayed right then with faith. She did it, and in the prayer the Spirit was so strong. She started crying and so did Hna Carina. I even started crying, and after her prayer we all sat in silence for awhile. After about a minute or two she said that this is all true and she later accepted Baptism on the 16th. It was a great miracle that God did that day. My comp and I were so happy!


The next day we went and talked to the husband of Hna Coni - Euloterio. He was very different as we started to talk that evening. We started talking and he said that he had a dream that he wanted to share after he read the Book of Mormon and prayed. He started describing a place, a beautiful building with palm trees and water and flowers, and said that it was a gorgeous place. In his dream he wanted to go but someone told him that he had to get Baptized so he was not able to go. Well we started talking about the Temple and what goes on there. I had a picture of the Arizona Temple in my pocket and I showed it to him and he said that that was the place in his dream. He started saying that that is his goal, to go to the Temple so he accepted Baptism and just said that he would do anything to be sealed with his family in the Temple. That day him and one of his daughter accepted Baptism for the 22nd of October. We are working hard with his other daughter but she is tough because she is older. We are praying that she will accept.


This past week my comp and I led the disctrict in everything! We are having so much success!! Eight investigators showed up yesterday to church and it was just a wonderful day. I testified about Mothers. I believe that the calling of Mother is the most important calling in this world, more important than the Prophet. They have the responsibility of raising the children of God. That's not a small task. Without women the Plan of Salvation does not work. After I gave my testimony, I swear every single sister thanked me, hahaha. It was just a great day yesterday!


Well I gotta go now but love you all and hope you all have a great week. You are in my prayers!


Elder Lester

Mexico Week 28: Listening to the Spirit and Testimony of the Temple

Hi everyone!!


Well this week really passed by fast! I almost have 9 months in the mission now hahaha and boy has it passed by. That is great news for Ethan Pike and Mark (Scanlan)!! Why does his companion remind him of me lol? Do you have his mission email, Mom? Oh and it's Aogosto in Spanish, hahaha :) That is crazy that you guys sold the Wii, but I am glad you bought the hoop :) Just dont dunk on it!! I would like to play on it when I get home.


Well in this past week I got a little lazy with my studies and working. I have been trying so hard with Elder Rojas but I am really disappointed that I have not been able to help him out. We do have transfers in 2 weeks and I really hope I stay in this area. This area has so much potential and I know that we could Baptize every week, but this area just needs 2 missionaries with the same purpose...help people come unto Christ. I really hope the President and the Lord keep me here. I really need to get back on my studies again though.


Speaking of President Reeves, he has been changing alot here in the mission. Every house now in the mission has a portable DVD player and the Preach My Gospel videos so that we can watch them as comps and study and practice. I love that he did that. I just hope Missionaries don't abuse that privilege. He has also come out and said that we must not eat with or teach a woman unless there is a man present. I have been waiting for someone to give out that rule and finally he did it! He has also given the commandment that we must contact at least 10 people a day in the street so that we can find new investigators. That will be hard for Rojas because he hates contacting. Whenever I want to contact I do it by myslef as he stands off in the distance, lol but its all good. So little by little the President is changing the Mission :)


Well this past week I had a sweet experience with Hermana Sandra. She still has not accepted a date for Baptism so we have been thinking about dropping her, but we just love her too much. The other day she brought us pancakes to our house! She also signed up on the member food list....where we go and eat for the day...and we ate with her. She is amazing and really loves listening to the lessons. She wants to get Baptized but wants to wait a little longer because she doesn't know if she is ready to make a big committment with God yet. Well anyways my experience was cool. We had splits again with some young men in the ward and I went to teach Hna Sandra and the plan was to watch the movie "The Testaments" with her, but something told me to bring the movie "The Moutain of the Lord", and so I did. Well it kept coming into my mind to watch that movie with her so we did it. After the movie she got excited and asked...When can I go into the temple? Hahahaha I told her that she has to get Baptized first and then wait a year but she got to thinking and later told us that she wants to get Baptized but she is going to pray for a date. Well we have not been there since, but tomorrow we have an appt with her and we hope that she has a date. The experience was sweet as I learned again of the importance of listening to the Spirit. I don't know what will happen because we watched that movie and it was neat as I got to bear my testimony about the Temple and the blessings that she can receive if she enters.


Other than that, the week was normal. We did not have much success and I got sick with diarreha again hahaha. Also the other day it rained really hard and I left my window open next to my desk so all my books got a little wet and my Preach My Gospel in Spanish, with all my notes from my studies, got destroyed and soaked! I just bought a new one from the mission but I won't see it for 2 weeks hahaha. Also, our water got clogged so it comes out really slow now. The pipe needs to be cleaned or changed. Tomorrow we have the owner coming to fix that out.

Well I hope you all have a great week! You are all in my prayers and I love you all very much! I love Missionary work!! I hope things get really good soon here! Thank you mom and kids for the package!! I loved it!


Love,
Elder Brady Lester


PS: Dad....Hace 2 semanas por escribirme una carta o correo. ¿Estas bien? ¿Que paso?

Goodbye MTC, District and Zone - Last Temple Trip

Elder Lester and Elder Hammond

Elder Lester and Elder Cummock

MTC Week 8: Teaching and Learning

Hey!!

Week 8 here at the MTC!! So I got some news the other day from my Branch President and the travel office here at the MTC. Our Visa's have not come yet, but they are working on them. They said we should have them between now and two months. So we will probably stay here until the 24th or the 30th of January, then get reassigned to Boise, Vegas, Seattle, and anywhere in Utah or Arizona. Crazy!! I really want to get to Mexico but I wouldn't mind going somewhere else for a bit in the states. I think it would be good practice for spanish and teaching :) I just want to go out and get started!! I am so excited!!

This week was another good week at the MTC. Elder Walker and I keep working harder everyday! We are trying really hard to speak Spanish all day but it is difficult. We can do better, and I have Faith that this week we will do great!


This week we got to be hosts for the new Missionaries again which was fun!! :)


So this week Elder Walker and I have been teaching, teaching, teaching, and teaching some more!! We keep teaching and we are getting better each time and learning so much everytime we teach!! It's amazing how much we learn. My favorite is when we have personal and companionship study. We learn so much and it helps us a ton with our teaching. This week Elder Walker and I had some really hard investigators. We had one who was gay, one who was 60 years old, and a 15 year old who has a  chastity problem, and a evil spirit problem. They were all true stories that our teachers had on their missions and they role played for us. It was insane!! Apparently in Mexico they have word of wisdom problems, chastity problems, and evil spirit problems often. It made me nervous but I am ready to help any of those people out!!

So today I had the most amazing experience in the temple today. I learned so much more and felt the spirit so much more than I ever have in the temple. 

So let me tell you about Elder Walker, my companion. He is from Pleasent Grove, Utah. He used to be in a band and used to do drugs and had that kind of life style. But he wanted to serve a mission. So for the past two years he has fixed his life up and repented for all his sins. He has had some wonderful experiences the past two years that have helped him get here today. I am so grateful for that because he is the best example of a man who knows his Savior Jesus Christ, and how He can help him. He knows what it is like to be at the lowest of lows and get back on top. He is the best example of a man who knows and uses the atonement effectively everyday. I hope I can take his example and be like him someday. :)

So let my tell you about my p-day schedule!! Every Friday I have p-day! We wake up at 6:30 AM and have personal study from 7-8:15. Then we have breakfast until 9:00, and from 9-10:00 we have companionship study. Then at 10:00 we go to the Temple until 1:00. Then from 1-3:30 we have prep time where we write letters and do whatever we need to do for the up coming week. Then at 3:30 we do laundry until 5:15ish, and the we e-mail home :)  That's how Elder Walker and I do things :)  We then have dinner from 6-6:45, and class from 7-9:00 and that's pretty much it!!

Well I love you all and miss you!! I love hearing from you and hope I can everyday if possible :)

Love, (Amor)

Elder Lester

MTC Week 2: The Temple, Service and Thanksgiving with Elder Holland

Hey there guys!!

First off I just wanted to say thank you for all the letters, treats, and prayers! I love you all :) Second, if possible if you could use just Dear Elder and not email me back because I only have 30 minutes to read and type and I know mom likes to type alot ;) So unless it's short and sweet, please use Dear Elder so I can use my time telling you everything.

Well the week has been great! Elder Walker and I have been working hard hard hard!! We have been trying as much as we can teaching the first lesson to investigators, teachers, and other missionaries here at the MTC. It's amazing to see how much we learn and grow by just teaching. It's also amazing to see how much we learn in one day here during study times. We have also tried contacting people in Spanish and testifying to them in Spanish as well. It's way fun.

Today I just got back from a session at the Provo Temple. The spirit was great there as my district was all in the same session together. I couldn't help but cry when they prayed for us missionaries, and also when I stood in the Celestial Room watching each member of my district walk in. It was amazing and I can't wait to go next week.

Yesterday, Thanksgiving, was AWESOME!!!! The food in not as good as Mom's Thanksgiving meal but it was good. During the day we had service projects going on. The whole MTC made over 33,000 kits and backpacks for kids around the world who don't have anything of their own. In the morning, Elder Holland and his family came to the MTC and spoke at the devotional. It was so amazing. I learned a ton! Sister Holland spoke of Luke 12:8 which I'll leave you to read :) Then the Holland grandchildren sang a beautiful primary song. Then Elder Holland gave an amazing sermon! I've never heard a more powerful testimony from an Apostle before. He spoke of how if there was a symbol for our church, it would be two elders and two sisters. He also gave an account of the Savior's ministry and the Atonement. He said that the only reason we should think we are on missions is that so the Savior doesn't have to do it alone like He did on the cross and in the garden. It is our duty as Elders to confess His name to the world. He also spake of giving to the poor and how it's our obligation as man to give to the needy. He also yelled at us and said that we must not turn down using the opportunity in our lives to use the Atonement. If so he declared, "good luck to you and to me in our mission who crucify Christ afresh!!" The devotional was amazing and I can't wait till the next one :)

Anyways, yes, the Elders in my room are going to my same mission and report the same day as me. I am not allowed to wear braclets or chew gum so don't send me any of that. I will have to give that to all the children in Mexico says my Branch President :) This week I taught the district on the power of our calling. I will later teach them on the doctrine of conversion. I also have been preparing a talk in Spanish on the Atonement for this Sunday. Each Sunday they randomly select an Elder to give a talk in Spanish haha. Scary!

My schedule is similar and yet different everyday. I will have to explain this to you in my next email.

I love you all and can't wait to hear from you!!

Love,

Brady's Temple Endowment

Brady was able to receive his Temple Endowment on August 5, 2010.

Here we are ready to go!

It was such a blessing to be able to attend the Temple with Brady. I wouldn't have given that privilege and blessing up for anything in the world.

Brady asked Brother Rasmussen to be his escort. There were many he could have chosen, like Brother Handy, Rowse, Wood or Brimhall, but he said that Brother Rasmussen didn't have any children and that was one of the reasons why he chose him. They have been close for many years and Brady truly admires Brother Rasmussen.  Several people came to support Brady on this special day. Sister Rasmussen, Brother and Sister Handy, Brother Wood, Brother and Sister Rowse, Brother and Sister Helvig, Sister Riley and President and Sister Brimhall. What was neat about President Brimhall coming was that he had an important meeting he needed to be at and couldn't make it to the Endowment session, but he was right there as we came down the hall after the session. To watch President Brimhall and Brady embrace and then for President Brimhall to put his hands on Brady's shoulders and share with him his feelings about him was just priceless. I won't ever have that image lost in my mind. It was very special. President Brimhall was our beloved Stake President for over 10 years. We are in the same ward. After his release, he became Brady's Young Men's President when Brady was a Priest.

This was indeed a very special day.