Transfered to Colinas Del Sol Ward

Wow um in the last 48 hours has been an emotional roller coaster. Wow. Well this week in all was good. We were working with a young adult who is awesome and smart, he will be baptized this 14th of February. Really, I can't member what happened this week because what has changed happened yesterday and that's what I am still shocked about. Pedernales is a awesome little city. The rama is awesome.  I got over the mistakes that they were committing and found what its doing right. In the branch we have really tight relationships with the members because we work with them and we are always with them. Pedernales is calm and smooth and super slow. But on Saturday night at 10:45 after I had already gone to bed, the assistants to the president called and said that my companion and I are being transferred. So Sunday morning we said a very painful good bye to the members and the converts and we left. We were only able to take the sacrament and then go. I can say that I cried. A lot. Because I don't know when I will see them again, I learned to love that people and it is hard to say goodbye. I felt like I was saying goodbye to my family at the airport all over again. I think the hardest part was saying goodbye to Elder Sanchez. I really love him and I don't know, we have a very strong friendship. I have never seen him cry, but I saw him cry for the first time. But we all have to trust only in God and follow him. Sunday we left at 10 and I had so much hunger, and we couldn't buy stuff so I was dyeing of hunger all day. In Guayaquil at 7 in the noche. We stayed with the elders from the office and then recently today I was placed with my new companion. Elder Condori, he is from Bolivia.  He came into the mission the same time as me and Elder Muñoz. I am now serving in the ward Colinas Del Sol in Guayaquil where everything is loud and hectic and dirty and fast and busy, not to mention hot as can be. I have a head ache right now from all the things that has changed so rapidly. But I know that God wants me to learn something. 

I lover you so very much.

Have an awesome week
 Elder Luke

saying goodbye

saying goodbye

 

Goodbye Elder Sanchez

 

Say CHEEZZZ



Goodbye ocean

 



Hello Guayaquil

 

I know I am missed and you guys are missed but I have to be here.

Wow, thank you so much for sending all the pictures. I looked at all the pictures of trek in fliker and the birthday party, seeing all of your faces so lightened and happy, really refreshes my soul. I am sorry that this letter will be shorter because I don't have a lot of time and looking at all the pictures took a lot of my short time I have. But I am good. I am healthy. Maybe a little not trimmed in the six pack area but I will be repenting and changing that. Its just so easy  to eat and not work out. Its really easy. Now I am not over weight. Just not trimmed. I am good, tired un poco (a little). But good.

This week was an exciting week. We changed a lot and we have a lot of people to work with. But we aren't seeing people progressing. Things are changing in this branch. Its more organized and we are working hand in hand now that we have a ward mission leader. 

okay one story.

On Saturday in the night time there was a storm really big. A lot of rain, wind and thunder. It was good. It shook my bed. Super powerful. When we woke up we realized that the windows were left open. One window had magazines under it and now the magazines are wet, and dirty. Other window threw dirt all over the kitchen. And worst of all was the window that was opened accidentally that lay above our desks. A lot of my books, agendas, photos, preach my gospel, DVD was all wet. It was actually pretty funny. Sucked to clean  it. All  over my desk and books and everything soaking wet. We didn't study very well that day because we were just cleaning a lot. 

Mom and dad I love you guys very well. I know I am missed and you guys are missed but I have to be here. This next 10 months will go fast but we need to take advantage of this time. I am changing and with this change is changing and forming my future. I know its hard this distance but we can understand with greater understanding the relationship between God and us. God wants that his children return to him.  I am making sure that that happens here. Mom you sent me a card once with the definition of a missionary. Missionary: one who leaves his family for two years to help families be together forever. I testify that is true. I am grateful for your support. I am grateful for your love.

Have a wonderful week.

Elder Luke

Well this week wasn't that great

Blessing are just pouring down in Boise, that's awesome. From your letter and the letter from dad it just sounds that all is just wonderful.


Well this week wasn't that great. We have had a few problems, but what it has come down to is that our numbers are really bad.  Its not that we aren't doing anything, but maybe we aren't doing everything possible. The people we are working with aren't progressing and we are constantly dropping investigators. I think its my fault for not trying my hardest this week.  Its been so hard that it gets you down in the dumps. But the Lord has his ways to get us motivated. This Sunday in church came to the branch the new stake presidency. They are really ready to work hard . The spirit was strong. They switched the order of the church. First was priesthood and then Sunday school and then the sacrament meeting. The first class we learned about loving God and serving him with all our heart might mind and strength. During that class the old man that was recently baptized was taken out of the class to have an interview with the stake president because yesterday he received the Melchizedek priesthood. It was very fast but the stake president authorized it. So now he is an elder.

The second hour Elder Sanchez gave the lesson of being obedient. That was my favorite class. He didn't say anything that I haven't heard before. I knew what he taught, but its what the spirit does that hit me. I feel that the Spirit chewed me out.  I saw everything I was doing wrong in my mind and in the end that I wasn't being obedient like God wants me to be. I learned a lot from a story. I remember so many times dad telling me to do something, chores or something, I remember always asking why? Why? Dad always responded because I said so. That response that dad gave stuck in my mind since church to this moment. Because when Dad responded that I  always murmured and I was angry because I wanted answers and I didn't  obey. But in the book of Moses, when Adam was sacrificing an offering to God an angel came and asked why are you doing that. Adam answered "I don't know, but my father has asked this of me."  Adam obeyed because he knew he had to even though he didn't know why. Now I know more about being obedient to everything that comes from God. But something that I am weighed down with is that before the mission I wasn't like Adam. I feel bad for not being obedient to dad. I should have never asked why. That applies with God. I shouldn't ask why, I should do it. I really hope that dad can forgive me for not being obedient for all those years.


The third hour in church, they called a new ward  mission leader who is awesome. And a convert gave an awesome talk. Super spiritual. The stake president pulled us aside and told us that if we work our hardest God will bless us with a chapel. I just felt a change in everything. The work is moving very well here and I want to participate . I don't want to be changed (transferred to another part of the mission).


Thank you for your support and for loving me. this week will be a lot better.

I love you

Elder Luke


p.s. I made a short list of things what I would receive in my next package.


Exercise bands. The ones that have different colors that used to be in your guys' closet.


Shoes. Actually mom, my shoes are going bad. My brown shoes are shot as well as the Clarks shoes that had the holes that we bought first. The other Clarks that are more sturdy are almost flat on the bottom. They work and are my favorites, I don't use the new shoes that often to preserve them for conference and church and when I come home. I have to look good for that too. No worries about the shoes but I would love another pair of brown shoes. Not what I bought the last time but something more like they sell in Petersons.


The chocolate spread that you sent for Christmas.


That's about all I could think of. Oh also ties. I love new ties. You guys can choose. I don't need it right now so take your time.

 

There is a huge story behind this comment and there is no time for it

Wow that's awesome that the business is going good, BSU won and that everything is going perfectly in Boise. (Well... perfectly I don't know but we're pretty blessed.) I don't have a lot of time to write, forgive me. I am truly blessed with a few things I was able to learn this week. This week was rough. We didn't have a good day Monday and not Tuesday and Wednesday we went to Bahia where we almost got stranded, the same time we were broke. I really need to budget money. But it was nice to chill Wednesday and Thursday (New Year's Eve and New Year's day the missionaries had to stay in their casa to avoid the parties and strange customs of burning large paper statues). I didn't sleep but I chilled. I did a lot of exercising and I drew. Nothing great but a little sketch. What has gone down this week is that we don't have a program to work with. The people haven't wanted to receive us and the people that we have been working with have been falling in sin. But since Friday Ii have felt that my ability to teach with the Spirit to their needs has grown. I have felt that the spirit muy fuerte (very strong) recently.

First thing that I had go down where I learned a lot is when an investigator got drunk. He was drunk in front of me and called me over and started to cry.  He begged for forgiveness for drinking. Now I wasn't judging him. I wasn't the person he needed to ask for forgiveness from, only God. Now he doesn't remember that moment because he was drunk, but in that moment I found the love I have for him. I felt that his soul, his spirit that was in him was talking to me saying that I need to help this man. He was drunk and drunk people are weird but the Spirit is the same and I felt it crying out to me for help. That moment I saw him not as garbage or a bad person I saw him as a son of god throwing his potential away. I don't want to give up on him because I know that Christ wouldn't give up on him and I am a representative of Christ. I now see a child of God that needs to change and needs my help to be like his father in heaven. I am so grateful for that experience because it has strengthened my testimony that God loves everyone and there is no exceptions. The other thing is that God needs me to rescue his almas, his children. Its hard to be a missionary but its worth it.

 

The second thing is that I want to thank you mom and dad for giving me the chance to be in an eternal family. There is a huge story behind this comment and there is no time for it but I am grateful that my mom loves my dad and dad loves my mom and that we are sealed together for time and eternity. I have learned so much about the plan of salvation and I am so grateful. Thank you! (OK cliff notes version of the mission field stories doesn't work for this mom.  I hope that we'll find out more about this story someday soon.)

 

I really love you mom and I am truly grateful for all that you do for me. I am always led back to something that Elder Bednar said, that the video games, the internet, the movies, working and money and everything temporal is not real or is real for a short moment. But what is real is being engulfed by the arms of our heavenly father. That's what is important. The things that are spiritual that lead us to our father.

 

Have a wonderful week.

Elder Luke

 

PS I also cut my hair super short.