Mother's Day Skype

We had great Internet connection this time and could hear Brian, I mean Elder Luke, very clearly.  The picture was still a little blurry but we could still tell he was sweaty like crazy.  It was so fun to laugh with him and to see how happy he is.  He has lost some weight, especially in his face. He still doesn't like the heat, but has grown to accept the heat and the fact that he sweats a lot.  We asked if he carries an extra shirt with him to change in during the day and he said no that they didn't have time to change.  Then his aunt asked if he should be carrying a clean shirt and he laughed and said probably.  Funny.

This was our last phone call until he travels home in November or early December.  He has estimated that he will be traveling the last day of November or first couple days of December.  This is just from his calculations and so don't plan any travel plans just yet!

We took some videos and will try to get them posted on here some time this week.

I am asking that the Lord would touch the hearts of my investigators so that they may glow in the darkness

Well mom, I have learned something this week that might help you. The brother of Jared had a problem in the Book of Mormon. They were commanded to build ships but there was no light in the ship. We can compare this to our situation. We have built the business but there is something missing. The light. Returning to the story in the book of Ether, the brother of Jared asks the Lord if he will provide the light or are they supposed to remain in all the trip in the darkness. The Lord responded with something that impacts me, he said what is it that thou would have me do? The idea of the rocks glowing was from the brother of Jared but he asked the Lord with faith that he would touch the rocks with his finger. I am now asking that the Lord would touch the hearts of my investigators so that they may glow in the darkness just like the rocks. Now the question is what is it that you would have the Lord do for the business? The Brother of Jared asked in faith and he received and with that he saw the finger of Jehovah/ Christ in spirit, and with that the veil was taken away from his eyes and he saw EVERYTHING: imagine if we ask with faith and we have the same thing happen. Now maybe we wont have the same experience but we can defiantly receive guidance. God can touch our business with his finger and it will glow. 

 

Well also this Sunday was very good. I was able to share my testimony and there were a lot of people that went to church along with the investigators that we brought. Also my district improved so much this week.  It is very good because now we are almost set up to complete our goals. That's a good feeling.

This week I went to a sector in my district where it rained and i got super soaked. It is all earthy and it turned to mud and I was like skiing in mud. I didn't fall but I was soaked.  We didn't have out umbrellas but thankfully I had my scriptures protected.

This week at church I was reading during the Sacrament in John 6, that talks a lot about the Sacrament. I was just impacted so much and filled with the Spirit.  I bore my testimony on how I want God to approve my actions like he was so prideful of Christ when he said for behold this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased. After sitting down from baring my testimony, I just felt that someone was hugging me. I just felt in that moment that God was satisfied. It was a wonderful feeling.

Well transfers passed and I am safe, I am still with Elder Crush. I might have wanted to be change a little bit, but I know that God wants me here, so what can I do. Who am I to go against God.

Well any questions about Sunday? I might cry a little bit, because we are getting close to the moment of giving you that hug.

I love you

ElderLuke

About a month ago we sent Brian a package that included a bunch of ties.  He said that Ties make him happy and are his one way of changing things up.  But he really wanted skinny wool ties.  Trust me nobody sells wool ties anymore.  For a good reason.  But every time I go to Deseret Industries we look for skinny ties.  This package of $2 ties brightened his day.  Here is his mini-fashion show.

PERFECT

This tie was a joke.  It was wool but one of the biggest ties I had ever seen. 
Brian likes it and everyone thinks it works on him since he is so much taller than everyone else.  ha ha

 

Wow... looking skinny ElderLuke

Most of all I want to be like my dad

Well I can say that I am just amazed, and for sure I cannot top your awesome experience (at stake conference). I love when you guys send me spiritual experiences because I learn from them. I love Travis Hammaker (a six year old from our ward who gave a talk in stake conference on Sunday). So cute. That is so good that you were able to learn from the stake conference. This last week was our ward conference and they talked mostly about families also. I wanted to share so many things I have learned from you and dad. Even though they were only talking to the parents I wanted to share my perspective through the eyes of a son who has learned a lot from his parents. Most of all I want to be like my dad. I appreciate more all the experiences that we have. Not because I am away but that I have greater and deeper understanding on the importance of this life. A lot of the things I learn in the mission is from applying it in my mind on experiences with you and dad in the past. All in preparation to be a father in the future. Wow time flies. I was thinking, I will return home from the mission and I will have 20 años, what happens if I marry that next año. Getting married at 20 años. That sounds weird. But " its not good that man is alone". Well that's for the future. But so many blessing my future family will receive for my service here. 

 

Well this week we had a baptism. It was very spiritual and wonderful. It was my companion's first baptism. He did a good job and he was so filled with the spirit that evening. Also it was cool because I was directing the music in the service and while my companion and the lady were changing their clothing after the ordinance, we sang two hymns, when we got to the end of the second hymn, the sister had just sat down. It was perfect timing. Super awesome.

 

Today I am writing late because as a district leader I was invited to go to something called consejo de lideres (leadership council). Normally the zone leaders only go. But I and a few others were invited. I learned a lot and it motivated me a lot. Its wonderful to be with President. He always stresses the importance to take advantage of the mission because it prepares our lives. I also was able to see old friends and say good bye to my first zone leader and very close friend. Elder Estrada. He is from California. He goes home next week. 

Wow time  flies. But its good....

 

I love being a missionary.

 

I got your package. SUPER HAPPY AM I.  I love the ties and nutella. It got opened in the shipping and spilt a little on the ties, but i can wash them. Thank you so much.

 

Well ya I have to go teach people and bring people unto Christ. What a beautiful responsibility.

 

I love you

 

ElderLuke

 

 

 

I love you so much father

Hey dad,

I love your words.  I really have found to understand the understanding of the scripture in Moses 1:29 that says "for this is my word and my glory to bring to pass the imortality and eternal life of man." In other words we only have glory when we choose the right and follow Christ, other than that when we progress and become more perfect, his glory grows. Its what I see in you. The fact that I am choosing the right and serving and Brandon and Ben want to go on missions, those things I bbelieve gives a father personal inter glory. 

I love you so much father.

ElderLuke

MULTI-ZONE CONFERENCES IN MARCH CONFERENCIAS MULTI-ZONE EN MARZO

Reposted from the Mission's blog.

The middle of March we held three regular multi-zone conferences here in Guayaquil, which started each day with a special 6:30 session at the temple just for the missionaries.  After finishing the temple session, they boarded buses, received home-made muffins and yogurt and headed to the church for the conference. It was wonderful to be able to start the conferences by going to the temple, although it did cause a little more sleepiness during the meetings than usual.  We may have to do afternoon sessions next time!  Below are lots and lots of pictures. We have the best missionaries in the world!! - Sister Dennis

Everything ia goodish

Well I don't have a lot to say this week. Everything is goodish.  I like what you said about how we can only do our best and God fills in the rest. exactly what I need to hear. This week I have been good.  Its good to hear from you guys because it motivates me, it helps me to keep going. Like Captain Moroni fought for his family and their protection that's a huge motivation.

This week I had a cool experience where I talked with a Buddhist. They don't believe in God. Wow that was interesting. I asked them then where are we going after death. They said that we are born again in another form. Living and dying and living and dying over and over again. SO I told him then there isn't purpose to life. I said to bring a knife and lets take our lives because base on the theory there is no purpose to be here. Obviously it was to make a point and he couldn't explain to me. In the end I just bore my tesimonio on my believe in Christ.  Its so sad to believe that people are SO lost. They wont get it in this life. They can't believe.  They will just have to wait until the last day. I don't get mad, I get frustrated and then sad because they are just getting lost and lost even more and don't want to be rescued.

This week we are going to have a baptism. She is awesome and my companion is going to baptize her. She is so awesome.  Everyone in the church on Sunday was talking about her and motivating her for her baptism. The bishop personally on the pulpit gave her some inspiring words of motivation. She is awesome. She is 77. She was born in 1938.

Well I know this is short. I am not as inspired this week. I need to work hard this week. I want to lose myself in the work this week. I will give you a report on how it goes next week. I am so proud of you guys on studying Preach My Gospel. I love it, it is so inspiring. Keep studying.

I am grateful for your prayers and love,

I love you
ElderLuke

Breaking News... Its Hot and I'm Sun Burnt

Hey mom,

 

Breaking news, BREAKING NEWS, ,,,,,,,,, its hot and I am sun burnt.

Its that I was playing futbol today and when we left the clouds were out and it was over cast, so I didn't even think about sun screen. Then boom it was like playing futbol on the sun. 

It felt good to run and sprint and win a few times. I was playing one time and almost kicked full on the face of my zone leader an ex companion Elder Cordova. But I got inches from his face and I retreated, wow. The other time I did a really high kick and boom goal GOOOOOOOOOAL. To not be too prideful, but I  was awesome. Even though I lost almost every time, I only won once. haha  But it was fun to play again. I am not good but it is fun. But now my legs hurt a lot. I am going to be sore for a good time.

 

Well this week in Ecuador was not good number wise but I can't say that I wasn't edified even more. I have been listening to the conference talks and I am learning so much. But to start from scratch. Monday was okay. Then on Tuesday was awful. I was stressed, I got on myself a lot. It was one of the worst days that I have had in the mission. I didn't want to work. I just felt that with so much pressure and responsibility that I couldn't complete, why was it even worth it. I was mad at my companion, at my self and just frankly stressed out. I felt that everything was on me, and it is still on me, but what I have gotten to is that I need to be more patients. I am imperfect. soooo imperfect. but with some prayers and help from the zone leaders, now I am good. I feel now that Christ with me is pulling the load. It feels a lot better. I feel even more the influence of the Spirit. Romans 8:17.

Now its all good and we are kicking a long. I have seen even more weaknesses but I am more calm. I stand back and pray. I feel spiritually so much better.

 

This week I was with my companion on Saturday and we went with a member who is a returned missionary and an awesome friend. We went to this house, but before we got there he told me that he had fought with his crush. He said that he isn't doing well. I shrugged it off and we taught the lesson. The member taught a lot of the lesson. He admits and I do to, that he didn't have the Spirit.  While we taught the spirit wasn't there. While he taught I thought in my mind, what is going on, why is the Spirit not here, why is this family not getting it. That's when I realized that the member is not authorized to teach like me and my companion. It wasn't his place to do so. SO as we left we conversed and learned why it was such a bad lesson. We went to another family. This time it was different, the spirit was so strong. All of us had repented for the bad lesson we had given and now the Spirit was back. It filled the room. I felt it and the investigator felt it. She told us that she had questions and we were able to respond to them. It was a beautiful lesson.  The spirit is the key to everything. If we do this work to get it over with and then just get it done, we wont be successful. It would be like ride a bike down hill on the easy gear. Spinning and spinning and just losing energy. The Spirit is what gets it done through each of us, only if we allow it.

Have a wonderful week.

a lot of love a lot

Elder Luke