Mexico Week 91: Busy Life Teaching and Training

Hey Family!

Well again I have been busier than ever! I actually have not been here for this week. We left Monday, my companion and I, to Tlaxcala and we have been working with various missionaries and just got back today, hahaha. We have been working hard trying to teach and train the Missionaries in the Mission. It has been a very great but also tiring experience. We have also been working on some problems with some Elders who have not been working as they should. 

The other day I was working with a couple ZL´s and we were contacting in the street and and one of the ZL´s started to contact a family of three that was walking in the street. This Elder started to ask a lot of inspired questions about the family and it was a very good contact. I watched an observed and the man was very stubborn about listening to the Missionaries and accepting an appointment. He kept saying that he had to work from 5am to 10pm everday, and that he spent his off day with his family shopping and stuff like that. I then asked him "why do you spend that only off day with your family and not somewhere else?" He told us that he does it because he loves his family and that he only has that one day to spend with them. So then I asked him "Then how about you let us come buy next week to teach you how to be with your family forever and not just one day of the week?" He then really started to think and he said..."shoot you guys are right. How about you come by next week?" Hahaha it was a great contact and the Spirit really helped us out. 

We have a lot to plan. We are starting to work now in reactivating in the Mission, and with the President we are creating a plan for the Stakes in the Mission to be able to work with the Missionaries to be able to reactivate the less active. We are also planning the changes for this transfer since my generation is going home a week early. We are planning a few training meetings that we are going to have in the Mission. We are planning who is going to take my spot, hahaha. Things are really rolling and it's getting done and the time just flies. 

Great to hear that you are all doing good. I hope that you all have a great week. Love and miss ya tons!! 

Con Amor,
Elder Lester

 

Mexico Week 84: New Area, New Assignment, New Life

Hey Everybody!! 

Well this week has been a very interesting week. I am writing you all today because tomorrow we will not have time to even wash our clothes hahaha. As most of you know I am the new AP which is an Honor. I still don't know what are all my duties and stuff like that but I will be learning. I am actually in Puebla right now and am in the offices with the assistants and my companion. We are receiving some training from them and we are working on the transfers for the Mission. It’s a lot of work and we are trying to get a lot done. In the afternoon we will be going with President Christensen to our old area to have a training meeting with the Stake Presidency, Bishops, Ward Mission Leaders, and Missionaries. It’s going to be interesting going to all of these types of meetings with the President and his wife. When we get back we are going to have to go "Elder hunting" because there is an Elder who is doing some bad stuff with girls....I am so not ready for that hahahaha.

Tomorrow we will be receiving the new Missionaries who come from Mexico in the morning and I am going to be able to see President Reeves which will be weird hahaha. We have training meetings all day tomorrow with them. Tomorrow night we will be going to the airport to pick up the Americans that are coming and we will have to drop them off at the Mission home. On Tuesday we will be in training meetings with them all day as well, and then in the afternoon we will have the transfer meeting hahaha.

Things are beginning to look interesting and it’s going to be a different experience being an AP. Hahaha, only three missionaries here have ever had all the Mission assignments - Elder Gonzalez, Elder Bencomo, and me. I refer to Junior comp, Senior comp, Trainer, District Leader, Zone Leader, AP, and Branch President hahaha...and those two other Elders are legends so I have big shoes to fill hahahaha. The good thing about being an AP is I will get to know all the Missionaries and the whole Mission, travel a lot, learn a lot more from the President, and get my packages on time if anybody sends me some. hahaha! :)  

As of this week in our area...well there was not a lot to do. I had to go to the hospital for my knee but it’s getting better and now I can start working and stop resting my knee. The good thing is that I won’t have to have surgery or anything, but I am taking some medicine which is helping out. I will have to take it light on the soccer and basketball :(

Last night we had a huge ward activity and a ton of people came. It was a BBQ that we planned, my comp and I with the Ward Mission Leader, Luis Medel, and the Ward Missionaries. We planned to have a BBQ and an open house. We planned on having about 100 with 20 invites but it was a bigger success. We had almost 200 people and 80 invites and we had a great time. The food ran out so fast but everybody was asking me recipes for the shredded beef and BBQ sauce that I made :) It was delicious. We put in some spice into the sauce because it’s Mexico. We had mashed potatoes and corn on the cob with baked bread and butter. We did it just like in the USA. A lot of the invites wanted to listen to the Missionaries, so the new Missionaries who are going to be in Totolac Ward – Tlaxcala, are going to have a lot of work. I am going to miss that ward. It was my favorite area for sure in the Mission and I really hope to go back and visit. Hahaha, I hope to start my English school with Luis Medel actually...maybe it will work out.  

Well I don't have much more time to write...and I am sure my letters will be shorter some weeks than others because my P-days are going to be much different. If you can try to write me early Sunday or in the afternoon because I might have to write on some Sundays like today. I love you all and hope that you all have a great week! I want to wish a HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Brinkley! Love ya tons Sis!  

Con Amor,

Elder Lester

Mexico Week 83: Baptisms of Jaime Santacruz and Moises Paredes

Hey There Everyone!!

Well this week was an interesting one hahaha. I have had problems with my right knee, my tendon.  I have been in my house all week because the doctor told me I need to rest my knee for 1-2 weeks. It’s been very tiring.  My knee gets tired really fast.   

We did not work alot this week. We just went to the appointments that we had. We Baptized though, hahaha, two people, Jaime Santacruz and Moises Paredes.  Hahaha, I have never thought that it’s possible to Baptize when someone doesn’t work, hahaha but we did it.  God keeps blessing us. I did alot of reading in the scriptures and Jesus the Christ in bed hahahaha, while icing my knee. I also did alot of thinking about what I want to study and the business I want to start hahaha. I had kind of a week of resting, thinking, and eating, hahaha. It was kind of frustrating cuz I wanted to work but I received alot of revelation.

Thanks for writing me! I can’t believe that Kasey is dating now, hahaha, but Camille is a great choice :)  Hope that you have fun at the dance!  I want pictures. I am glad to hear that you are all doing great!  The time is going by so fast and soon I will be back home hahaha.  It’s going to be weird for the first couple of weeks but it’s going to be fun hahaha. 

Well I gotta go. I hope that in the afternoon I can upload some pics for you guys! We ate chiles enogadas the other day with our ward mission leader and we got pics!  It’s the best food of Puebla.   

Sorry my email is short...not alot happened this week to be honest. Not alot to say for being in bed.  Hahaha, actually I found out that an Elder who goes home in November with me got sent home with Honor for some knee problems, but when I heard that I told the President in my interview that I will tough it out for 3 more months, hahaha. I love you all! 

Con Amor,
Elder Lester

Mexico Week 82: Rain and more Rain

Hey Everyone! 

Thanks for writing me!  Everything has been going great.  We have three Baptisms this week on Saturday so I hope everything will go good and things will continue to work out.  We have been struggling finding new investigators. We need to work a little harder to find.  It’s been hard to get people to listen to us.  Right now we are planning on doing a ward activity and we have the goal to have 50 references from the members.  I hope that we can get a good number of people so that we can teach more.  Everyone is getting Baptized, hahaha.  In the activity we are planning on having an open house and a BBQ dinner :) It’s going to be awesome! 

It’s been raining alot and raining even more. It’s hurricane season so it’s normal but I need to enjoy it because at home it doesn’t rain as much. I am getting nervous now that the time is winding down. There is so much I want to be able to do before I get home but it seems like it’s almost impossible. I hope to be able to accomplish my goals. 

This week we will have interviews with President Christensen. I hope that they go well. I really love the President. He is a great leader and has taught me alot. We will have changes in 2 weeks. Who knows if I will go, but wherever I end up I will finish there I believe. It’s crazy how fast the time flies by. I don’t know if I have done enough but I hope to continue with the work after the Mission working hard in my calling and with my future family. 

Things have been going good. I hope everything keeps going well at home. I love you all. I uploaded pics last week but the internet is slow so I still have another 260 pics to upload. I don’t know if you guys checked them out. Well I gotta go. Love ya all. Thanks for your love and prayers. 

Love,  

Elder Lester 

 

Mexico Week 81: Baptims of David Andres and Miranda

Hey Family!

Well it’s been raining a lot as of late!  We are getting wet, wet, and more wet!!  It’s hard to work in the rain but we are having success. It has been fun!  I really love my companion.  He is a great missionary.  I love being with the missionaries who teach me. He has taught me and he is a great friend. Today we are in Chignahuapan, hahahaha! We asked permission from the President and he said yes, hahahaha.  It has been fun visiting places and people that I knew here. I have heard that the branch fell hard a few weeks after I left. I feel sad for that. I hope things get better.  My comp and I will be going soon.  Elder Rojas is doing good here but he just is having a hard time with his comp. He is a great missionary Elder Rojas, I love him as well.

Thanks for all writing me hahaha.  Well I only got 3 months left but I plan to work hard and finish strong.  I have plans to keep working after the Mission as well. It has been great so far. The Zone that I am in is a Blessed Zone.  We have been working hard and really we have the best Missionaries in the Mission in our Zone.  I am happy for that.   

On Saturday Elder Lopez and I Baptized 2! Hahahaha, David Andres and Miranda. It was awesome!  We pretty much stayed all day in the Church building because it was Stake conference as well. We Baptized David at 1:00 pm and Miranda at 8:00 pm. It was a great service and a ton of people came!!

We have been working hard and this week we will have another Baptism, Jaime Santacruz is his name. He is like 30 and he is a great investigator! We plan to have at least 2 on the 25th of August. The work has been flourishing in our area.  We are really happy and I love working.  We have been working well with the members as well. We have had alot of success with them. The Family Minor came back from vacation finally so we are planning to work hard with them so that we can get them to go to Church and also have a Baptism date. The Mission has been going great so far. I only hope that we will have success for the rest of my time here.

Well I gotta go. We have to get back to our area and it’s about 2 hours away. I love you all.  I want to wish a HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Braxley. I hope you are doing great Brax, I love ya!  I also want to send a late HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Brennan.  I hope you are doing just as well.  Sounds like work, school, and Church are doing great!!  I hope that you all have a great week!!  Love you all!!

Love,

Elder Brady Lester

 

Mexico Week 80: Being an Example

Hey Family!! 

Well it’s August!! I can’t believe that these 2 years have gone by so fast!  November is getting close...it’s true, it’s going to be hard to go home. I love this work but I know that to be able to progress I need to get on with my life hahaha. I am happy that you are all having a great time back at home. That is great that you boys and dad went to scout camp. I hope you are all ready for school...sounds like you are :) I hope that you all study and work hard...it’s worth it. Make friends, have fun, and get good grades! 

Grandma, I am sorry that you are sick. I will be praying for you. I invite you to ask for a blessing from a Priesthood holder.  It will help you.  Just remember that you are in my prayers and I love you. 

Thank you for all writing me.  I am happy to see that everyone is receiving blessings!  This week my comp and I have been working real hard. We have been trying to figure out how to help the Elders in our Zone.  Last week in the Zone we had 0 Baptism dates and it really got us worried. We cracked down the whip on them and told them to get dates!! Hahahaha, of course we needed to be an example and so this week we got 3 dates!! And in the Zone we have 8 :)  I am happy and know that the Spirit is working with us! My comp and I will be Baptizing 2 this Saturday!  It’s going to be awesome. They are both young, David Andres is 14 years old and Miranda is 13 years old. They both have over a year listening to the Missionaries.  It’s going to be awesome. We hope to Baptize 6 this month my comp and I. We got alot of work to do. 

Well I gotta go! Lots wrote me today, Bishop Turner wrote me :) I love you all and hope that you all have a great week!! 

Love,  

Elder Lester 

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 78: Transfer for Elder Nuncio & Baptism of Elvia

Hey there!!

Well just to let you know my comp, Elder Nuncio has transfers :( I was really excited to stay with him again. He has been my best comp so far in the mission. We Baptized last Friday, Hermana Elvia.  She has been listening to the Missionaries for 7 months now and she finally decided to be Baptized! I got to Baptize her and it was an awesome Baptism service. Things have just been going pretty great. 

I am glad to hear Kasey that you had a great time at EFY. I wrote to your email because I thought you were still there but then I read that you are home now hahaha. I hope that you had a great time and that you always remember that time in your life. Hopefully you will be able to go back next year :) 

I am sorry for not sending pics.  I have not had a computer that permits me to download stuff. The internets are weird here because they are business and not in the homes because not everybody has money to have a computer in their home. 

Well things are going pretty great.  We had a sweet ward activity the other day. Our investigator family went. The Familia Minor. They are awesome! I really hope that they get Baptized.  We have been working with them alot and we hope to have alot of success with this family.  I pray each day that they can receive a testimony and know that this is the true church. They are really Catholic but that’s what I like because if they are Baptized they will always be faithful and active in the church. 

Thank you all for you letters. I hope everything continues to go well for you all.  I love you all and hope that you all have a great week!  I promise to try and send pictures soon hahaha. I have alot of pics hahaha! 

Love,
Elder Lester