Dear Family and Friends,

How is everyone doing? Asia that's awesome that you won your game! Way to go! Any other events coming up?

This week has been normal for "the Jungle" (our areas nick name ha ha it has a lot of nick names). But this week we taught a lot of lessons and we are trying our best to teach everywhere we can. We had a very fast paced week and it always seems there is never enough time. We have been soooo tired some of the days here. Its nice to have p-days. O and we are going to go play Disc Golf today with some members. So to Andrew especially "chupa lo!" I am super excited. But more importantly we have a baptism this up coming Saturday! this will be my first one out on the mission that i was a small part of. I am super excited! Our other investigators are moving slowly. All the people here are pretty poor. And so as missionaries we really have to look for people with real intent because we could have a ton of people to teach but they all just want money from the church. But its still an amazing area because of all the people and there differences. But to give you an idea of the kind of people that we teach . . . . this week we got a new investigator that is schitzophranic and gay/lesbian. I say both because i am not disclosing their info. But ya a whole variety of people here. Well i love you all! And stay strong because this world is just going to get harder.

- Elder Frampton

p.s. and this is Chester i found him in the apartment. and elder orillana i going home this next transfer. 

Week 1 in ARG- Elder Gillett 4.28.14

Doing good! Talk about getting thrown into the mix of things though! Castellano (the Spanish language they speak there) is tough but fun! I am continually learning a ton! I love Argentina though! The Food is really good! No problems with eating anything yet! It is super different though! All the people in Argentina are generally really nice but super arrogant as well! The houses are usually barely standing when you get further out into the wards or areas! I got up and introduced myself in the ward yesterday! But luckily I had a few minutes to prepare a little espanol! My companion is Elder Santos from El Salvador! He is a super nice kid! He has been out about 10 months and is able to speak spanish and english so he kind of helps me learn new words and stuff but he is really quiet when he talks so i never understand anything he says! and especially when he talks in castellano and quiet is when I really don´t understand anything! I understand a lot of what they say here and stuff but trying to respond is different because of all the tenses/conjugations! Still doing good though! It will come eventually! We are going to play some soccer later today though with the other missionaries so I am excited for that! We are living with 2 other missionaries as well right now and they are both super cool and funny but only speak spanish so We have been helping them learn english and me castellano! We don´t have a ton of investigators right now because my companion Elder Santos has been sick for a while and some of the ones he had before are moved or don´t want to hear anymore! So that has been tough but we did get one new ivçnvestigator named Martha this week who was super nice and accepted the gospel super well! We taught her the restoration and it went well! So we will see what happens when we go to teach again! We haven´t been putting our full effort into this week though which has been really frustrating especially since we could have been! Elder Santos has been kinda using the I am sick excuse for going back to the pension and doing nothing which is rough but I don´t know what to say! We get along well but its definitely hard when we can be working harder but aren´t! Other than that though I am loving it here! Its not easy but it is rewarding to see non less actives or new investigators like Martha understand so much! Love you all!  

Yep I’m in a Cafe! I am in the area called Berazetegui.  We have a strip mall right close but its not in our zone! They have the area split into wards and each ward has at least 2 missionaries! Laundry is done in the sink or given to a hermana in the mission but it takes a week to get back whatever you give to her...I know we can be giving more effort! Love you! pictures will have to wait until next week though.. i thought the computer would take a SD card but it is older so it doesn´t have the right slot so i need the cord for my camera to connect it! Sorry!

The bread is really good as well! If you ever have the chance or can find some on the internet try to buy some dulce de leche! Super good kinda caramel thing that is super big here in Argentina! Or Empenadas which are like a roll with good beef and a few veggies in the them, and then milonesa which is like a fried chicken almost! Which is super good as well!

The other 2 missionaries are named Elder De Loayza from Peru I think! hahaha haven´t figured out exactly! And then the other missionary is Elder Denis from La Plata Beunos Aires! Haha his house is in our mission and for whatever reason he got called to be in the zone next to where he lives! :) They are both super funny though and we all get a long really well so it has been a lot of fun! And I have ben learning a lot of kick boxing while I have been down here because its really big here in Argentina I guess and Elder Denis fought Semi Pro before his mission!  The members down here are really good about feeding you everything you want and more! So I am only usually hungry right before bed! Haha So far everyday for lunch we have food at the members houses! hahah its super hot and humid here today! The summer is going to suck! Its going to be super hot! its about 70 outside today but feels about 80 with humidity!

It was hard to say goodbye to Elder Reynolds and Elder Trotter but I was excited to really start the mission!

Nope not usually dinner! Lunch is their biggest meal! Yep siestas pretty much everyday day! They always joke about there being a holiday pretty much everyday because the people are hard workers but lazy and need their siesta! haha they joke about having holidays of hot dogs and milk because of every holiday they have! not sure about mothers day yet but i have to go so i will let you know more when i find out! I have to go though! Love you!

Les Quiero

Elder Gillett  

Elder Weelson- April 28th

Hey family!!! 

So this week was incredible.  Even better than the last week! But also it was a very emotional week! hahaha.  So the work is just booming out here in Fuenlabrada! The other elders should have a baptism coming up in about 2 weeks! And we should have about 3 investigators getting baptized the 17th of may. There names are Joy, Chiti, and Victor.  They are all progressing SO well!  

So I'll start out the week telling you about Victor.  Victor is seriously the man.  He is 20 years old, and already has a little daughter.  He's from colombia and just the humblest most soft spoken guy Ive ever seen.  We get along super well! He comes and plays soccer with us every week, and its weird... but soccer just like connects me with people.  Its really weird, but its really awesome!  He did have a date for the 4th of this coming month, but he needs a bit more time, so we moved him back 2 weeks.  Well... this week, we starting meeting with his sister as well.  Victors whole family is Jehovahs Witness and let me tell ya.... they just go hard.... all of the Jehovah Witness's.  So we were teaching his sister and mom... and they just got talking about deep doctrine, and began like putting words in our mouths and it just didnt turn out good.  Well.... After that lesson Victor failed us in a lesson, and then just didnt show up at church, when he promised he'd come.  And wasnt answering his phone.  So we thought his family had just told him all these lies about us.... so we pass by Sunday night, and is doing amazing! This whole week, he has still been reading the Book of Mormon, and had legit excuses for not coming.  He said he didnt have any questions or doubts, so we dodged a bullet with that one!:)  Please pray for him.  He is doing incredible.  And is progressing so well.  We have such powerful lessons with him.  

Later that day after the lesson with Victors sister and mom, we went and visited chiti.  We stop by and begin talking with her, and she just breaks down crying.  They dont have hot water, her husband is in Austria looking for work, and she is raising 4 little girls.  Every morning she has to get up at 4am and boil water for her girls, so they can shower with warm water.  The Crisis here in spain is crazy.  Seeing people dig in dumpsters for food, is almost a daily experience.  Seeing homeless people IS a daily experience.  Almost NO ONE has work, and are just barly surviving.  It is such a hard situation.  

Were getting an awesome BBQ/Water Party planned for the Branch here in Fuenlabrada.  They need it.  The branch here is really struggling.  There is SO much drama, and just no active preisthood holders.  Its tough.  So were hoping this will excite and unite them.  I basically planned it all... hahahaha but its gonna be a BBQ with slip n slides, Water Balloon Vollleyball with the towels, music, free LDS DVD's, BOMs, etc, Ping Pong, and rely race things! hahaha.  We already got invitations out, and are having everyone inviting their friends and family! Should be an aewsome activity! Were planning it in June.  

So I have SO MANY funny stories about Nigerians.  Dont let me forget to telll you guys when we call in like 2 weeks.  Im just dying thinking about it.  They are such incredible people.  I am so thankful for them.  So humble and loving. I have tons of funny experiences! 

Zone Training is coming up this week!!  Today for P day we went to Toledo! Look it up.  Its way awesome.  I almost bought a "Capitan Moroni" Sword, custom made for missionaries, but I just couldnt do it... maybe a little bit more down the road.  

I love you guys so much.  1 request to you all.  Read 3 things.

1) The Book of Mormon

2) Preach my Gospel (Doesnt matter if your going to serve a mission)

3) The Articles of Faith.  I realized how I really dont even know all of them!

I love my Savior.  That is my motivation.  Thats my drive.  I love my Savior more than anything.  

I love you all!

Elder WeeLSON

Jarrett Weekly Letter 4.27.2014

Whats up!!

Well its another week in the city! Freak it was the fastest week I have ever seen, I guess I am just loving the city way too much! I never want to leave this area!!

So I got my haircut this week; and my companion cut it for me!! It looks super sweet I like it! I did a little new hair style, it is were the sides are way short the top is long but I push everything to one side and then have it stand up I guess it is pretty chill. 

So the sisters had a baptism this week and that was way cool to go see, her name is Tomoka San. She is 14 years old and her father just recently got baptized so he performed the ordinance. It was super cool to see her so happy before and after the baptism and I could really tell that it brought the sisters a lot of joy! I was super happy for them! 

We had a ZTM this week and that was pretty good we had a guy from the Quorum of the 70 come and talk to us. His name was Brother Aoyagi, yes a Japanese man but a really nice guy. He taught us about the importance of having the spirit with us at all times because that is truly the thing that converts the kyudosha. It is so important for us to bring in the spirit with our investigators when we are teaching. 

Every Saturday night we have sports night and oh my goodness it is the greatest thing ever! So this last sports night there was quite a bit of people but there was 6 including me wanting to play basketball and all I got to say is that it was the greatest thing ever and I just freakin miss sports soo much! And I am not going to lie we played 2 on 2 me and my companion didn't lose a single game.... I still got game!

So dendo this week was really slow! I think we are going to try some new styles like go up to the college, morning dendo, and just other things like that because lately we haven't been able to find a lot of new investigators or anything. And so it totally stinks how we don't have anyone to teach and see them become closer to God; so we really got to start moving. My companion kinda likes the relax dendo (not really pushing yourself dendo) so that is kinda of hard but I just got to keep trying to push the both of us! 

Well I love you guys, thank you for all your prayers I really feel them!!

Love, Elder Nielsen

This Week (Elder Frampton 4/21)

Dear Family and Friends,

How was everyone's Easter!? This was my first Easter away from family and i learned a ton. I was able to focus more on the savior out here on my mission. It was an awesome day.

But this week was good. Crazy busy but really good ha ha i like when its crazy busy. I am still getting used to the area and all so that's a whole 600 members to know and all the streets. So this week just decided to throw a double exchange on us as well. So what happened is i packed for two days and went from one companion to the next over 3 days ha ha. I went with elder Romero on Wednesday and Thursday then came back for 2 hours in my area then went with elder Cheney for Thursday night and Friday. It was crazy ha ha. And elder Cheney is in a Spanish branch so everyone we went to talk to or teach was Spanish! so that was fun to try y best ha ha he ended up translating for me most the time ha ha. We have been working our tails off though and i am feeling a lot better :). I was so excited to get that video of Britt getting her mission call! St. Louis Missouri! i cant believe it ha ha. But it was an awesome week. This picture is of a fungus that was growing in our bathroom! i found it while trying to clean up after all the past gross missionaries that have dwelt in this apartment! Then the other is a picture of me and elder Cheney. I love you all!

- Elder Frampton

Elder Anderson's (4/14)

Andrew's letter from last week.  He responds to our visit to his mission without him knowing we were there until he read it in our next email to him.  It was fun to see his area and to visit the visitors center.  What a great mission!



Well, well, well!  I cannot believe that you would do such a thing! You really drove through my area? Chinililis! Well it looks like you had a great time bumming around in my stomping grounds. How did you like the country club? Pretty nice right? What time were you there, in the morning or later? When i saw those photos I was laughing so hard! I cannot believe that you came here HAHA! Good thing I didn't see you here.  Well, that is awesome that you had a great time here in my mission. I loved those pictures of the temple. They were so incredible. It is such an amazing place, and we are going to go to the templetomorrow!!!

Anyway, I have been having an incredible week. I truly have loved almost every moment this transfer with Elder Calhoun. We are working so hard and finding a lot of people. We literally have been finding on average, 1 person a day that is just so prepared to be baptized. We have been finding a ton of people, but none of them live in our area. We have not found any prepared people that live here, or some of them speak English so we have to transfer them over to the other missionaries. I am just happy that we have been guided by the spirit to the prepared people who will be baptized, even though we have to send their referral. We are still doing a lot of work and seeing a lot of success. We have noticed that the only way to have success is to be 100% obedient. We have been seeing the miracles day after day because we have been so obedient. We have found in the last week about 5 people total that would be a surprise if they didn't end up getting baptized. Too bad we can't teach them, but I don't care. We have been guided by the spirit time and time again and have found the most prepared people. We are harvesting all of the good fruit, but we have to give the fruit away, and I am getting pretty hungry.  :)

Yesterday, we had another miracle story finding someone. On general conference Sunday we were street contacting in between sessions and we saw this old couple walking. We stop and talk to them and they kind of just walk away from us. We started walking with them and finally they opened up a little as we connected with them. They gave us their information, and said it was okay to come back. They really did not seem interested at all, so I was a little reluctant to go back, but Elder Wing said that he felt like we needed to go over there yesterday, so we did. We get there and only the husband is home. He lets us in and we start getting to know him. He is from El Salvador Santa Ana, and recently moved here!  He misses his country a lot, and he said that he remembers seeing guys like us in El Salvador. we began sharing our message with him, and he accepted it all. He accepted the Book of Mormon and said that he was going to read it.  He said, "I only accept this book because I will read it." He said that he would be baptized when he learns the Book of Mormon is true. He is so ready, and the best part is he actually lives in our area. We finally have someone to teach!!! We finally got a new investigator. I know that we were prompted to keep talking to them, even though they walked away from us.  In fact they were on their way to mass. Is mass out? No but your hats on crooked!  HaHa!

Anyway, I am so happy right now. Everything is just so good out here. I have been learning so much, and I just feel the spirit so strong. I have been just loving every moment out here. I still have a long way to go before I get to where the Lord wants me to be, but I know that if I continue on the path I am on I will get closer and closer every day. I love you so much! I am so grateful for all of you at home. I truly am grateful to have such an incredible family.  It is the biggest blessing I could possibly have in my life.  Love you!

Elder Anderson (the younger)

Elder Weelson (4/21)

What a crazy week family!!! It was just an incredible week! I loved it so dang much.... man I hate starting emails. hahaha. 

But anyways... J. and V. ended up getting baptized! J. asked Elder Hansen to baptize him, and V asked me to baptize her.  It was an incredible baptism, and they are just the most incredible people ever.  They have so much faith and trust in the Lord.  Truly such examples for me.  BUT.... theres a story to this baptism... hahaha.  So usually I like to have members do the baptisms, but this time, they insisted on us doing it.  Well I get in the water with V.. and just picture a big, thick boned, nigerian lady...... whose TERRIFIED of the water..... man Im laughing just writing this.  It was a first time baptizing experience I will never ever forget.  Lets just say it took her many many times to finally get it.... but thats jumping ahead of the story.  So we get in the water together and I begin to say the baptismal prayer, "V. I. S. habiendo sido comisionado... amen" and as she goes back into the water as soon as her head hits the water she just flips out and screams!! hahaha she started to flale all 4 limbs all over the place.... causing me to basically fall into the water with her. hahahahaha.  Man shes got some force.  So there we are both soaking wet... doing it again.  I say the prayer again "V. I. S. habiendo sido comisionado... amen".  I lower her into the water and right when her head hits again she stops and says "Is that okay??" hahahaha. It this point Im basically putting my back into it trying to get her to go under the water... hahahaa.  Its like she forgot 100% of what we taught her and demonstrated her, on how the baptism needed to be.  So here we go again.... "V. I.S.habiendo sido comisionado.... amen." And I thought I was for sure gonna get her down this time. I had my leg infront of her body and basically just lowered her with a bit more force.  I got her down!!.... but her leg shot up some how between both my legs and straight out of the water. hahaha... dont ask me how she managed that.. but she did.  Okay.... here we go again... by this time everyone is like giving V. instructions at the same time and just stressing her out even more.  So I start... "V. I. S. habiendo sido comisionado... amen" this time I was literally stepping on both her feet and like tried to just get her to slowly go under water super naturally without me lowering her or anything.... well.... nope.  Still no. hahahahaha by this time Im willing to try anything to help her get under the water. So the final time... "V. I. S. habiendo sido comisionado... amen"  we both just kneel down together so our heads are barely poking out of the water... and in her words "She just dipped her head in the water".... FINALLY!!!! hahahaha! Some primary children that were there started to clap and cheer... hahahaha.  What an experience.  I cant even beleive how afraid of the water she is.  So j. was next and learned from his wife, and got it on the first time! It was a great experience, and still very spiritual:)  Then once I saw V. after getting changed she had a big smile on her face, and said "Well... double blessings!" hahahhaha.  Thos guys are incredible.  It was a very memorable baptism:)

This week we also went to the temple!!! WOW.  That was my first time seeing the new video.... talk about INCREDIBLE! It was absolutley amazing to be back in the House of The Lord.  I was so temple trunky.  I hadnt been to the temple for over 7 months.  But that just made me super thankful we acutally have a temple in our mission.  I cant even begin to describe the feelings that I felt in the temple.  Such a sacred place.  I love the temple so much.  It was so good to get back there.  I couldnt sleep the night before I was so excited! 

All the district in our zone went to the temple, so after the temple we had district meeting.  I went to the Alcorcon District Meeting and shared a message.  It was super awesome.  So many amazing missionaries.

We also had interviews with President this week.  Man there are so many perks to serving in madrid. It was a really really good to meet with him.  I love President Jackson so much.  He is such an incredible guy.  I really look up to him. 

Well thats about it for this week! Were finding close to double digit new investigators ever week, which is awesome! Were having a great balance of teaching and finding.  I love working with Elder Hansen, that guy is so increidlbe! 

Thats about it family.  Hope you enjoyed the baptismal story as much as I enjoyed writing it. hahahaha:) man, sometimes I just lay in bed and just laugh at so many funny things that happen.  Im so happy, and learning so much.  I left on the mission with a very simple and basic testimony.  I feel that with the time I have had here, my testimony has grown even more simple and even more basic.  I KNOW Christ loves me, and is my advocate.  I know the Gospel is happiness.  I love you family.  Thanks for all the love and support!

Elder Weelson

Jarrett Weekly Letter 4.20.2014

It was a good week that is for sure so! We waited all Monday night to get the trainer call but it never came... So could I just say my companion was pissed! I was just like you honestly don't deserve to be trainer I am sorry, I didn't tell him that but it is true.

Tuesday I got the transfer call and they said I was going to Odori yes the middle of Sapporo were you can go anywhere in Sapporo and it has honestly been the best thing ever. I really love the city and just seeing people all the time and hearing car alarms and horns honking I guess I am really just a city person.

My new companions name is Elder Asato he is super cool he is from Japan and really has been a super nice and cool person. Me and him get along really well. So something that is different around this area is that people are so cold hearted it is so sad. It is hard to teach people lessons and nobody will really listen to our message it is total opposite from Kitami. Currently right now we don't have any investigators so that is kinda of taihen. But that just means we got to kobate and work are butts off and just find a ton of good people. But I really like the challenge and I am totally looking foward to beating it.

Well that is about all for the week! I love the city and it is the greatest place ever! Love you guys

Love, Elder Nielsen

Week 5 Elder Gillett 4.17.14

So this week was an amazing week to have! The first of the week was just super normal until I was able to go see Elder Bambi Clark! That was a super cool thing! Ha so on sundays we always have a devotional that everybody from main campus and west campus go to. But since our branch president makes us go to choir we always have to be up there an hour early! When we went up I knew that Bambi was going to be up there so I brought Elder Trotter with me and we started looking around for him before we had choir! We saw a couple of missionaries and noticed they had Russian name tags on so we went up to them and asked if they knew where an Elder Clark might be! They said they were in his district or zone or something and said he was in the lunch room eating where all the Russian goers are sitting. So Elder Trotter and I snuck in and and around the Salad bar and I was able to get all the way to him and tap him on the shoulder before he saw me so when he looked up it was super cool to see him! hahah kinda like one of those movies where they haven't seen each other in a long time and then they finally do and its super cool but this time wasn't as romantic... Haha just more of an Elderly Bromance going on if that makes sense! But seriously it was so awesome to be able to sit at the devotionals with him and "pay attention" to the speaker on sunday night! hahaha but tuesday night we had Neil L. Anderson come and talk to us about the power of the Book Of Mormon and all the different doctrines in it! It was really cool and special too because he made it more of an interactive talk where we all read scriptures together and would share our thoughts on everything together! And then this week we had an investigator we have had for awhile that we have become really good friends with while we have been here and hang out with when we don't have class. So to give a little background Gabriel is about 50 years old and is from Chile, lived in Buenos Aires for awhile and now lives in Utah. Now I would type the whole story out but I don't have even close to enough time so i will include some pictures at the end of this email that has the whole story written out! Super amazing experience though! 

So yeah everyone is asking how ready I am to leave the MTC! and the answer is I am more ready than you could ever know! Seriously I have really enjoyed and learned so much while I have been here at the MTC but there is only so much time you can handle here before you feel like you need to just jump all the way into the language and learn with application! I am so ready to go to Argentina! I have felt the amazing feeling of loving your investigators and how tough it is going to be to leave friends like Elder Cragun, Elder Trotter, Elder Reynolds and Gabriel but I am so ready. 

So this sunday is supposed to be super special though! With it being Easter Sunday we are having an extra special guest come and talk to us! And we have been treated with extra special ones like David Archuleta, Richard Elliot, and Neil L Anderson! So it makes me think we will probably be having Thomas S Monson or Jeffrey R Holland coming to talk to us this Easter Sunday! So I'm sure I will have tons to talk to you about on monday when I peace out from the MTC and go to Buenos Aires! I met a tognan Hermana here at the MTC who is headed to Buenos Aires South like 2 weeks after I am and then I found out that there is a Hermana named Kaitlyn Wright who is down there also I think that went to Lone Peak and played on the girls soccer team! And also I was a host again for the new missionaries and one of the sisters said her missionary is down in south buenos aires so she has a lot to talk to me about what it will be like down there! as you can probably tell I can't wait to say the least... Love you all! Hope life is going as good as ever! Miss you!

Elder Frampton (4/14)

Dear Family and Friends,

I hope everything is going good back at home for all you!

This week was nuts! Transfers take some getting used to for sure. Because Bonners Ferry is completely different then any other place. I had to get used to seeing people again and having cars in the road and all the things like that. It was way weird to change so drastically from place to place. But sense i have been here i found out that its called Spo"kompton" and we cover the Felony flats. Ha ha ya a lot of weird things happen here. I have been told i was disgracing our religion by a less active man who believes his is Christ, gotten sick, and have seen more drugs and heard more stories about sex then i ever wanted to. So ya my week has been pretty good. with all these people struggling so much and living where people move in and out really quick its super busy. We are always on the go and we sometimes don't have anytime to even write in our journals. I haven't gone to bed on time sense i have been here with so much to do. But my companion is an awesome help to everything. Me and him get along great! We are having lots of fun as we work hard out here. I am still trying to learn everyone's names out here ha ha that's the hardest part for sure. It is really nice to be super busy. This is a picture of my companion and this other one gives you a taste of how this city is . . . . . interesting. O ya and marijuana is legal here so that's defiantly the biggest issue with anyone we teach.

Well I love you all!

Elder Weelson (4/14)

Hey Family!!! ¿How ya´ll doin? This week has been AMAZING.  Seriously each and every week just gets better and better.  Not in the sense of just everything overall gets better... but I just learn more and more every single week, and come to know my Savior, Jesus Christ more and more every single week.  But actually this last week has just been incredible in all aspects!!:) We should be having 2 baptisms this week with J. and V. They are from Nigeria, and are just incredible.  They lost there jobs.... like everyone in spain.. and they are getting kicked of there apartment because they dont have the money to pay the rent... but they are still doing so amazing, and drawing closer to the Lord. Its incredible to see how in difficult times when we need our Savior the most in our lives... we can easily just slip away and fall away from Christ.  They are such strong people and have and AWESOME little girl named Vera.  In the lessons we have she just never leaves me alone.. hahaha shes always trying to get me to play tug a war with her with something... or just look at her!  hahaha shes so awesome! That family is the greatest, and are so strong in this difficult time of there lives.  Please pray for Joseph and Victoria family!

So this week, I also did exchanges with the APs.  I went to there area, and worked with an elder named Elder Blanchard.  Hes from Idaho and is just incredible.  I felt like the whole day I was just taking notes and asking him advice.  I learned so much from him in all aspects of the work (The Language, street contacting, teaching, working with members, and obedience).  I am so grateful for that chance I had to learn from him during taht exchange.  We had tons of failed lessons that day... so it was interesting to see even the AP's get canceled on sometimes!;) hahaha.  But yeah, it went super super good!

This week honestly flew by..... hahaha I dont remember that much that happened.  I finally met all the members of the branch.  They are all the greatest!! They are super awesome.  We met a family from Brasil.. and started talking to them about all there food and culture and stuff, and they were like... "Wow... we got a brazilian desguised as an american here!!" hahahaa they were loving it.  They have a daughter and her husband that arent members living there.  I didnt  even know they werent members when I met them and we get along super well and were going to start working with them to reactivate them and batpize the 2!:)  

Let me tell you.... Fuenlabrada is just a miracle area.  We have seen soooo many miracles here.  People calling us and setting up lessons and just finding so many prepared people. 

Sorry family... we dont got much time.  We had a zone activity this week for P day.  We all went to Leganes and played soccer and had a big BBQ.  It was super awesome!! I ate  like 5 burgers and some chicken... hahaha...... I gotta watch my hormones.  hahahaha.  But things are going incredible.  The zone here has tons of room to grow, but are doing incredible! Im learning so much, and am so thankful for this blessing to be a missionary.  I know my Savior lives.  I know He knows me perfectly.  He is my firm and constant rock that I will always rely on.  I love my big brother Jesus Christ with all my heart.  

I love ya'll so much!!!

Till next week.... the happiest elder ever, Elder Weelson!:)

Elder Gillett - April 9th, 2014

I love getting packages and mail! Seriously it makes the weeks go by so fast! Yes! We need some more music! Hahaha yeah it could be! (re: Gen. Conf) I really enjoyed it a ton honestly but I really got the most by far out of the first session! I thought that he was probably somehow related to Todd because of the last name Zwick!  It was really nice to be able to sleep in until 8:30ish on sunday and saturday because of conference though! :) haha that was a blessing for me! But we have learned a ton this week about letting the spirit teach! It was especially an amazing feeling when we were talking to one of our investigators who we found out smoked and drank but he was really really addicted to smoking. After we had just talked about letting the spirit teach and not us I really tried hard in that lesson with Adan to do all the things they told me to do like to start the lesson with prayer always, pray for your companion as they are speaking so they will say the right thing and have the spirit with them, to not look for what scripture or line in the preach my gospel we are going to respond with to the investigator but to really just listen to what they are saying, what the holy ghost is saying, and what your companion is saying. We also learned that 90% of feelings from the holy ghost will come in the form of a question you can ask your investigator. So after trying those things during this lesson with Adan it was the coolest experience ever! We had a member (another teacher) come in and help us explain the word of wisdom to Adan and it went amazing! Right as we walked in we introduced the member to Adan and Adan is a 23 year old with a 4 month old baby and he is looking for a job or else his dad is kicking him out of the house! so right as we walk in Adan said something about not having a job and the member said Hey i have a job for you! Adan was super pumped! It was super cool(even if he isn't a real investigator) to see his progress and how amazing this gospel and church is! So now with Adan having a job, we started to teach about the word of wisdom! We taught him a little bit about not smoking and drinking before and he didn't drink in 2 days since we taught him again so that was a win! But we got in there and started to teach him about how to better overcome smoking! And it was cool to apply what we learned in the lesson before because as I go back and think about that lesson, I don't think I personally moved my mouth once and said what I was thinking! Seriously, anytime I had a feeling i needed to say something it came right out in pretty good spanish and it was super cool! Even the teacher(member) who came in with us was a little surprised at how well that went! It was an amazing experience! 

So yesterday we had the opportunity to be Host's for the new missionaries here on West Campus which is one of the reasons I wasn't able to host Brad! I was a little bummed but oh well! With only having less than 2 weeks left It was really cool to introduce the new missionaries to the MTC! It made me think back on my first day here and how lucky they were because they weren't thrown in a classroom from the get-go like we were! It also made me realize how much progress I have made being here only a month. Super crazy thought! I have learned more about the gospel and language here in 4 weeks than I ever could have in 3 months! I love being out on a mission! I honestly haven't had a hard time with anything just because I have learned to enjoy the good and the bad! Love you all! The Church is true! And if any of you are choosing on a mission or not! I would say its been the most amzing thing to experience ever... Absolutely Incredible! 

I got my travel itinerary today! Head out on 4.21.14! Leave from the MTC at about 6;30am then from SLC to Atlanta at 11:09amand land at 4:45. then after we go to Buenos Aires on a 13 hour flight at like 9PM eastern time(I think) so about 7 pm here!

PS if you haven't heard of this thing called Dear Elder on the internet you can type up a message to me on the computer and they will put a letter in my mailbox and I will get an email of the letter too! You should start doing that! Its free and super easy!

Hasta Luego y Con Amor 

Elder Gillett

This week Elder Frampton 4/7/14

Dear Family and Friends,

How did everyone enjoy conference? How are things doing for all you? 

Well this week was good. It was a pretty normal week and we were able to see about the same amount of people that we normally see. Ha ha i don't know not to much special or different about this week. Except for conference it was a pretty average week. But i loved conference! One of my favorite talks was Richard G. Scott's on how we can influence others to choose the right in all situations. It helped me recognize how all of us can continue to be missionaries in our everyday lives. If you didnt get the chance to watch conference please watch it on LDS.Org. So your probably wondering about this picture....... our recent convert found this and thought about us ha ha ha so he showed us and said that we (as missionaries) have rights too! ha ha it got us laughing pretty good. Also about this week I got TRANSFERRED! We got calls last night and i will be going to Spokane Washington with my new companion Elder Castlemain. It is stressing me out a little ha ha but change is good because it helps you grow and learn. I will definitely miss the ward here though. They are awesome! 

Well I love you all! I will have more to talk about next week because of this change. Keep doing all the good things your doing!

-Elder Frampton

Jarrett Weekly Letter 4.6.2014

Dear peeps,

 

Well not much really happened this week we just are really blessed by having a lot of people to teach. So really this email will just be an update on how our baptismal date investigators are doing.

 

Well first off we met this guy named Ishikawa San with the sisters.  They are trying to pass him to us! He is really a nice person. His wife died a year ago, and he is really missing her! And I really wanted to keep teaching him and tell him about Grandma Snow and how I really miss her but I get to see her soon! So I hope we get to keep teaching him.

 

So to start:

 

Ikeda San, we met with him twice this week and we taught him lesson 2 and 3 he has been struggling praying and really hasn't been keeping his commitments. He has really been busy lately so I hope we can keep teaching him.

 

Kineda San we taught her lesson 1 and she is progressing as she has been reading the Book of Mormon a little bit lately. She still struggles with praying by herself, but we are working on it.

 

Imafuku San we passed her to the sisters and lets hope that they will keep her progressing.

 

Ito San we weren't able to met with her this week.

 

Tokuda San we made a baptism date with him this last week. We taught him lesson two and he is really progressing from the last time we met him he has read 30 pages of the Book of Mormon which is unreal, and he really likes praying even though his prayers are really simple.

 

Mito San, he is really struggling has he recently got a girlfriend so he is all caught up with her.

 

Other then that not much really happened! I shared my testimony today in sacrament meeting and that went really well I am going to be sad and missing this ward when I get transferred but that is okay! I do need a new area at the same time!

 

Well love you guys I am out!

 

Elder N

week 3 Elder Gillett 4.3.14

That's really tough to hear about Dad! hopefully all works out and he can get better soon! But yeah i know Dad and whether or not he is feeling it he will be back out working and everything ASAP! I haven't seen anybody going to the Bahia Blanca mission so far but i will try to find out! I am in a companionship of 3! sorry i thought i had told you that! I'm so excited to see Brad though! I want to find out if there is any way I could go up to Main Campus and be his host for the day! That would be the coolest thing ever! Everything happens for a reason i guess though! Hopefully you guys have fun over Spring break! Things are going good! Anxious to get out to Argentina but the weeks are flying by! I can teach a whole lesson in spanish really easily and my companions always end up turning to me and asking what the investigator said or how to say a word so i am doing awesome i feel like! Definitely have been gifted with the gift of tongues! The weeks here at the MTC are pretty consistent! Not much changes from week to week! but this sunday we had a really cool devotional of a certain mormon singer that just returned off his mission! David Archuleta came and gave a small talk to us on sunday night and then sang a bunch of hymns for us! He seems like a really cool guy and most of the people at the MTC got to shake his hand and talk to him for a second! And then the same devotional the Organist for the MoTab came and talked to us and he was a really cool guy! Absolutely amazing the talent that the organist, Richard Elliot had! It was such a cool and amazing spiritual experience to hear from people like these two who were well known and were spreading the gospel through their music talents! So this week has been an awesome one! Me and one of my companions Elder Cragun were asked to give a blessing to a Hermana missionary who broke her foot here at the MTC a few days before and it was really started to flare up and feel the pain! So we gave the blessing and now it sounds like she is doing pretty good! So that was fun! So guess who i saw here at the MTC yesterday? There was a bunch of new missionaries that came in and as we were headed to class we noticed them and they didn't have enough hosts to show them where their apartments and classes were so we all started helping them out. And then i heard my name Gillett called out from behind me and I turned around and it was Levi Lopez from the Rangers who i planned with a long time ago! I never thought he was LDS so it was cool to hear from him and think that another missionary probably worked on his family so that i could see him here and its cool to think i´ll have the opportunity to do that for other people families! But I also have really enjoyed being at the MTC sometimes it can be really hard but overall i know i am supposed to be here and whenever i start to doubt it at all i am swept over with the feeling of comfort that i am doing what i need to do! Super Bien! But this last week i got interviewed by the Branch President because everybody does the 1st 3rd and 6th week of your time at the MTC and we have come to be really close! He even told me that if i hadn´t been planning on leaving the 2nd week in and hadn´t already called other missionaries to be the Zone Leaders that i would have been his first choice! Its nice to notice that people really do actually notice the effort that you put in! So yeah anyways love you all! Hope everything is going good! Can´t wait to see Brad this week too! 

Hasta Luego y Con Amor 

Elder Gillett

Fuenlabrada! Elder Wilson 4/7/14

Family!!! sounds like everyone is doing amazing back home! Aubs... keep holdin the fort down at the berry.  You'll miss those free smoothies.  hahhaha.  But yeah, that thought just popped into my mind.  So anyways, this week was incredible!!! I had a ton of ups and downs! My first couple days here... were... just different.  It was kinda a hard transition.  Everything totally different, and I was in culture shock! hahaha.  Who knew you could go through culture shock within your own mission.... welp its true. hahaha.  But yeah, so I went from tons of young students to just spaniards and everything inbetween.  It was so different and defintily took a couple days to get used to.  As well with all the other missionaries.  I think more than anything that was the hardest thing... leaving Elder Wells, Bohne and Larkin.  Those guys are incredible. I love Elder Hansen to death.  He is seriously such a stud, and I have learned so much from him.  But there is just one elder here that we live with.... that is to say the least... disobedient.  And doesnt like the fact that Elder Hansen and I are obedient.  hahaha. Ive never been in a situation like that, but I learned a ton, and its going well now.  They are slowly getting better, and Im really trying to help them.  President and the AP's called me just to tell me that they really need me to get the other companionship obedient and working here in fuenlabrada.  So Im excited, and know they will get better.  I just need to be humble and love them.  

But the work out here is very different from the work in the Islands.  There is tons of work to be done...and Im super pumped!!! I almost dont even like P-Day cuz you cant get quite as much work done.. haha.  But yeah.. this week Elder Hansen and I have been working so hard together.  We found many new investigators and 5 of those investigators we found, now have a baptismal date.  Please pray for Joseph, Victoria, Mirian, Florence and Joy. Its pretty crazy cuz there are tonsss of nigerians here.  So Ive taught more english lessons here in this one week, as I have the entire mission... and let me tell ya... Im bad.  I cant teach in english. hahaha! I have yet to meet the Branch President here because of General Conference, and he lives really far away.  We have tried to set up a time to meet, but he just hasn't been able to.  Im really really excited to get working with the members here in Fuenlabrada and create a close relationship with all of them.  Im seriously loving Fuenlabrada so much.  Its my first area that I dont feel like Im in a vacation spot.... and I like it.  Its just a normal city, full of a bunch of people.  No historical attractions.  No beach 10 minutes away.  No crazy carnavals or anything.  Its awesome!! Im really excited, and I don't think I have ever felt so focused on the mission.  

Okay, so we got to watch a few sessions of General Conference this week.  That was awesome!! I LOVED Elder Hales talk about obedience.  "The Savior lives, because He obeyed"  So simple.... but so powerful.  That one statement really impacted me.  Sometimes we forget that the very first thing the Savior chose to do was OBEY. We wouldn't have resurrected if he didnt obey. We wouldnt be able to return to our Father, if he didnt obey.  We would have no purpose here, if Jesus Christ wasnt obedient.  I really loved that talk a lot! I really liked the talk by Sister Reeves as well.  You could just feel her love and sincerity for every single family in the world.  Also Elder Scotts talk about love.  INCREDIBLE.  And then Elder Oaks talk was one I will ALWAYS remember.  It really impacted me as well.  "There is no up or down in the service of the Lord, there is only forward and backward."  No misisonary is higher than the other. No missionary is lower than the other.  Every Preisthood holder, regardless aaronic or melquisedec is either moving forward or backward.  Not up or down as they are asigned responsibilties.  I think I could go through every talk, and just say I loved them all.  hahaha.  I got to see all the sessions, besides Sunday afternoon. 

So we went to the temple to see some of the conference sessions in the stake center there, and I got to see Elder Franson, Elder Eskelson, and Elder Christensen again!!!!! let me tell you how happy that reunion was! Elder Hansen and I got to Conference late because we were in a lesson, and may or may not have gotten lost along the way, but we walked in late, and the second us 4 saw each other.... it was just crazy!!! I love those guys.  It was so good to see them!

But things are going great here... absolutely amazing!!! Tons of funny experiences.  Elder Hansen and I are always laughing and smiling together.  Im loving being his companion.  I have been so blessed with my companions.  He is the District Leader, and is doing amazing. He is such an example to me of Leadership.  Im way grateful for him.  He was companions with Elder Ortiz as well! Just FYI. hahaha.  But yeah, Im as happy as can be.  Its amazing how everything can be 100% different, but as you are serving the Lord with all the faith and effort that you have, you will always be 100% happy.  I have such a testimony of that.  I know Jesus Christ is my Savior.  I know He knows me personally and is taking care of me.  I know He walked a perfect life, and is greater than we even know. I love my Best Friend and Eternal Redeemer, Jesus Christ with all my heart. 

Love you all so much.  

Elder wEElson 

week 3 Elder Gillett 4.3.14

That's really tough to hear about Dad! hopefully all works out and he can get better soon! But yeah i know Dad and whether or not he is feeling it he will be back out working and everything ASAP! I haven't seen anybody going to the Bahia Blanca mission so far but i will try to find out! I am in a companionship of 3! sorry i thought i had told you that! I'm so excited to see Brad though! I want to find out if there is any way I could go up to Main Campus and be his host for the day! That would be the coolest thing ever! Everything happens for a reason i guess though! Hopefully you guys have fun over Spring break! Things are going good! Anxious to get out to Argentina but the weeks are flying by! I can teach a whole lesson in spanish really easily and my companions always end up turning to me and asking what the investigator said or how to say a word so i am doing awesome i feel like! Definitely have been gifted with the gift of tongues! The weeks here at the MTC are pretty consistent! Not much changes from week to week! but this sunday we had a really cool devotional of a certain mormon singer that just returned off his mission! David Archuleta came and gave a small talk to us on sunday night and then sang a bunch of hymns for us! He seems like a really cool guy and most of the people at the MTC got to shake his hand and talk to him for a second! And then the same devotional the Organist for the MoTab came and talked to us and he was a really cool guy! Absolutely amazing the talent that the organist, Richard Elliot had! It was such a cool and amazing spiritual experience to hear from people like these two who were well known and were spreading the gospel through their music talents! So this week has been an awesome one! Me and one of my companions Elder Cragun were asked to give a blessing to a Hermana missionary who broke her foot here at the MTC a few days before and it was really started to flare up and feel the pain! So we gave the blessing and now it sounds like she is doing pretty good! So that was fun! So guess who i saw here at the MTC yesterday? There was a bunch of new missionaries that came in and as we were headed to class we noticed them and they didn't have enough hosts to show them where their apartments and classes were so we all started helping them out. And then i heard my name Gillett called out from behind me and I turned around and it was Levi Lopez from the Rangers who i planned with a long time ago! I never thought he was LDS so it was cool to hear from him and think that another missionary probably worked on his family so that i could see him here and its cool to think i´ll have the opportunity to do that for other people families! But I also have really enjoyed being at the MTC sometimes it can be really hard but overall i know i am supposed to be here and whenever i start to doubt it at all i am swept over with the feeling of comfort that i am doing what i need to do! Super Bien! But this last week i got interviewed by the Branch President because everybody does the 1st 3rd and 6th week of your time at the MTC and we have come to be really close! He even told me that if i hadn´t been planning on leaving the 2nd week in and hadn´t already called other missionaries to be the Zone Leaders that i would have been his first choice! Its nice to notice that people really do actually notice the effort that you put in! So yeah anyways love you all! Hope everything is going good! Can´t wait to see Brad this week too! 

Hasta Luego y Con Amor 

Elder Gillett

This Week.. Elder Frampton

Dear Family and Friends,

So i got one reply on my question this last week ha ha that's a very low percentage for all of you going to church. Anyway I guess i will go back to the old question of How are you all doing? anything exciting happen this week? 

My week was good. We have been really trying to get creative with who to visit and how to find more work here. Its pretty normal though for Bonner's Ferry. Just not a lot of change in a small town. But this week was good because we made it fun by going biking and going on roads we have never been on. I don't know how well the picture of Elder Miles in the car shows there lawn but it was disgusting. They had Wolf Pelts drying on there car and Deer heads laying around and just junk laying all over there front yard. I just had to take a picture of it ha ha. But the other picture is while we were biking this week around town. We got a few more contacts then being in a car so that was good. None of them said yes but hey we actually got the chance to ask. But at the end of this week we had to 8 year old baptisms. They were fun to be at and i was asked by the young girl that was getting baptized to say the closing prayer ha ha. Baptismal services are the best! they have an amazing spirit with them, even when its 8 year olds. But ya this week was good ha ha still just trying the best we can! Hope all of you are doing well :)

- Elder Frampton