Elder Vawdrey today

Hey Family!

 

That's super good to hear about Tanner! I'm super proud of him! He will be an awesome missionary! It's more than ok to be nervous! I'm still nervous out here! Man that's soo soon he leaves! I'm super pumped for him to leave!

 

It is good to hear that Brad is doing much better! I was worried about him all week! I just hope he can get out and serve in Ukraine! It is most defintaly the best time out in the field! The MTC got super old super quick! Same thing every single day! But out here it is different almost every single day! I'll be sure to email him real quick!

 

ahh my Spanish.. But I probably wont be comfortable with it until like my 10 month mark! Like I am learning a ton every single day, but there is just soo much to learn! They say once you know how to conjugate into tenses. It makes it a ton easier! So I'm just focusing on that into like past tense, preterit tense and future tense. Those are the easiest.. there is tons others that are even harder!

 

This week was pretty good at the beginning of the week. Started off with finding 2 new investigators and teaching them. Then we taught Santiago, Rigoberto and a new kid, Rolando. They are all friends and super awesome! They are friends of the Saldivar family! I love that family! But we had lessons with them and stuff.. Then we kinda lost contact with Juan.. So we don't have a lesson set up with him or we haven't even been able to contact him.. So right now we dunno if we are gonna have him baptized on the 23rd.. After Thursday the week kinda just slowly went downhill.. We don't follow our schedule planned out for the next day.. There is just always an excuse to go somewhere else.. Or do something for the district! But I really just want to work and teach and baptized! Then I kinda got negative and down on myself.. Which sucks! Don't do that! It's not worth it! After I got negative I just got impatient again and Elder Ochoa started to bug me super bad! I swear it's only on Saturdays and Sundays that people bug me. I dunno why! It is annoying! But we have a dinner set up for almost every day this week! All except Saturday! So that's good!

 

I haven't used my cleats yet cuz it has been really cold in the mornings and rainy all the time! They say this is the coldest spring in a while! Hopefully it warms up soon! We played basketball at a elementary in the morning on Wednesday.. then I left my jacket there! So now I only have a sweater! Ahh! No worries! I have been really warm!

 

Asombroso sobre LP winning State again! Tell LP soccer to just win state already! 

 

Love you family! You are the best! Do good in work and school!

 

Love,

 

Elder Vawdrey

Jarrett Weekly Letter 3.9.2014

whats up!!!

 

Well it was an alright week that is for sure it was really sad to see Elder Jones leave but it was going to happen sooner or later right? Well I got a new companion obviously and he is Japanese his name is Elder Sakae he is really a nice guy and right now he is on his 9th transfer he just barely turned senior companion and district leader at the same time. Also he barely speaks any English again so it is an adventure.

 

So basically he is a really nice guy but he really doesn't know what he is doing. He is nothing compared to Elder Jones, no offense but his skills are not that great. I am just happy at how much I learned from Elder Jones that is for sure. And I am glad that he taught me how and what I need to do when I am senior companion, because basically right now I am senior companion; I plan every night, I call the people we need to call, I contact every person, I start and teach most of the lessons, I do all the records and basically everything; so basically I am senior companion. It is honestly like I flipped positions from last transfer. He also doesn't have much dendo fire, and so I am really trying to raise that for him. The only problem is I don't want him to bring me down to his level so I want to just keep pushing and stuff it is just hard when someone doesn't have much happiness in the work.

 

I am sorry but other then that nothing much happened! Well besides that I love the branch that I am in they are totally family; they are the best there is!!  They are just so nice!! I honestly get along with every single one of them and they help me so much and they make me feel loved it is just amazing!!  This is probably why I like this area so much!! 

 

Love,

Elder Nielsen

 

Oh P.S. I cook every meal and I do all the dishes! Can you say taihen!!!!

Jarrett's Weekly Letter 12.2.213

This week was hard because my companion has been sick and so that means a lot of time indoors.  My companion woke up in the middle of the night and then he fell asleep on the couch so I woke up and did exercise in the room and same with personal and language study because I didn't want to wake him up. So basically I studied all day today from 8 in the morning to 5 at night. I did have a short break as we go and get grocerys today because we didn't get them yesterday.

 

Wednesday we woke up to snow on the ground it was honestly a nice sight I really do miss snow alot. We stayed in for most of the day and then for like a hour we went to a book store and did natural dendo and so we talked with this guy for about an hour about kanji books and what ones are the best and stuff. Nothing really came from it but we did get his number which is nice.

 

Thursday, we dendoed for a little and then I taught my first mogi lesson to a member family it was alright I felt like it could have for sure went better. But they said that it was really good. And also today in church during testimony meeting he straight up in front of everyone said I had such a strong spirit and that the lesson was unreal and that I am such a good missionary. I was like dang, like I didn't feel like it was that good... Also sitting crossed legged every time we are at a house kills my hips but hey who cares I don't need to worry about myself.

 

On Friday as we were dendoing my companion started not to feel good again so we came home and he slept again.

 

Well can you believe that it is already December! Well I can but at the same time I can't! The snow is almost melted which I do miss a lot. Another day of staying inside again  - you guessed it my companion is still sick and refuses any medicine I offer him. I basically just studied the Gospel and love it so much I wish I could spend just about everyday just filling my knowledge of the Gospel. I also started to study lesson 3 so hopefully I will be able to teach that soon! Also I guess I have lost some weight probably muscle because my suit coat is getting to big for me so that kinda stinks but I kinda like losing the fat if it is fat...

 

Tonigh we are going to a public bath  so that will be interesting!  The public bath is just all these people butt naked just chillin!! so yeah should be interesting it is like part of their culture!

Well that is about all for the week.

 

Elder Nielsen

December...

Well family.... where do I start... possibly the best week ever!!!! I can't even tell you how happy I am.  It truly was a week full of miracles.  It was so amazing.  

But let me just start off with getting some business out of the way... Theres 1 thing I want.. CARLOS.  a DVD with my mission call opening video on it. If that would be possible:) That is all.  Oh! andddd.... Aryleys showed me the pictures she put up on FB.  Im sorry family for that just hideously histerical photo she put up.  Every time I see it I cant decide whether I should just die of laughter or just want to hide myself.  hahahahaha jk, its hilarious!

Okay so now that thats done I'll tell you about my week.

It was so amazing!! So we started out the week in the Trio with Elder Franson, Elder Christensen and I.  It was tons of fun and weeeiirrddd having a car.  The other elders have the car.  Its way better just walking/running every where.  (Yes we still are running from lesson to lesson).  hahaha! 

So there is an investigator named Paco.  He was taught by Elder Franson and his old companion.  Elder Franson was telling me about him and how he was so ready and was getting super close to his baptism... but they compltely lost 100% contact with him like 1 week before I got here.  We hadnt seen him all last transfer.  Its been over 2 months since we've heard from him.  Well... I decided to try to give him a call on wednesday and of course.... no answer.  Well on Saturday we get a call..... IT WAS PACO!!! He called and sounded kinda sad and asked if we could meet with him on Tuesday.  So we'll see how that goes.  It was truly nothing short of a miracle. That NEVER happens.  Were thinking something had to have happened with him or his family or something.  Please pray for paco family.  

So this week there was something equivelant to Black Friday here.  Called "La Noche Blanca" and it wasSaturday night not Friday night. But let me tell ya... it was NUTS.  Lets just say not a single person stopped to talk to us that night.  I can't even begin to describe how crazy it was... BUT.  That morning Elder Franson and I baked those brownies you sent me! So that whole night we went from investigator to investigator and gave them each a few slices of brownies and invited them to church.  And guess what! We had more investigators in church then we ever had before! So thank you so much mom, for sending those! Each investigator was SO grateful.  And was so excited. 

This week we also had and awesome miracle! A return missionary.. named Romina is now the choir director for the ward.  She was at the church thursday night and said some person was just walking towards the church.  He recognized the sign! Hes from Poland and speaks like 4 languages.  He had a friend that was LDS, and he loved him tons.  His name is Miguel.  He doesnt smoke drink or any of that stuff.  And he really wanted a Book of Mormon.  We ended up getting a Polish Boook of Mormon for him! It was incredible.  He already knows tons about the church.  And the miracle is that he lives in our area!!! Every single member reference has gone to the other Elders.  Because they all live in the neighborhoods and cities outside of La Laguna Center.  We pretty much got all the University.  So that was truly a miracle.  Were SO excited.  He's a machine.  hahaha.  He knows more about sports than anyone I know.  Like sports statistics.  You can ask him anything and he knows it.  So lets just say we get along super well. haha! 

We also had an incredible experience with Fani and Ivan.  Remember them? Fani isn't a member.  Ivan was less active.  They are boyfreind-girlfriend and live together.  So fani cant get baptized.  Remember them? Well they are getting married Feb. 6th.  So she will be getting baptized just after that.  I think Ive already told you that.  But anyways.  Ivan is a machine.  Hes wearing a suit to church and everything now.  In preisthood he bore testimony to everyone about how big of an impact elder franson and I have made in there lives.  Also about how we invited him to come to a lesson with us. And that investigator ended up coming to church for the first time after that lesson.  He told that story, and just about started bawling.  And he's a big big guy.  Like 6 foot and 275 pounds. It was such a testimony builder for him, and for US!

Sounds like you guys had an AWESOME thanksgiving weekend!!!! I LOVED the pictures so much.  Thanks tons! I miss you guys, but I haven't gotten Home Sick/Trunqui once.... I dunno.  I never really have.  This is where I need to be, and this is where I want to be.  I love you all so much.  I have no doubt in my mind that the Book of Mormon changes lives.  I know that this church is Christ's church.  Jesus Christ is my Savior and Redeemer.  I owe my whole life to Him.  I know that there is no greater work in this entire world.  I know that there are people ready for this Gospel here.  I love you family! I am so dang happy! I love Pdays so much... but the whole day I cant wait for the clock to hit 6:30 so we can get back out to work! I love you all so much.  I've never been happier out here in my mission.  Things are going so amazing! Don't even worry, just keep prayin for me! But more importantly our investigators!

Much Love, Peace and Harmony (Shout out to Rocky)

Elder wEElson

tyler's letter

This week hmmmmm. It was pretty great. We got a lot of work done on the Ward. Meeting and finding, mucho mucho. We found a lady whose name is Chui and she is about 60 and she has a super strong testimony. She sits there and takes notes during our lessons jaja. Its wonderful! We asked her if she will be baptized and she said YES!She has already been to church like 3 or 4 times in the past and you have to go 5 times here to be baptized so it should be pretty soon that she is baptized. I am really happy and excited for her to make this fantastic step. So in our Ward we have been trying to figure out a game plan for the less actives. Because it is about 30 percent actives and 70 percent menos activos. I was a bit off on my percentages last week. But ya its a bit cray cray (M sizz what up dog) So ya hopefully our plan Works. Oh the food got to me this week.... I will leave it at that.... ya....k...

I have grown a lot spiritually this week! It has been the best week yet for me in my spiritual growth. Which i didnt think could happen because the mtc is spiritual heaven. Seriously being out here makes me not miss but appreciate how easy, and fun, and wonderful the mtc was. You constantly feel the spirit so strong. You get to speak english..... and you are around your best friends all day in a room. But its pretty great here too because we get to help out people to make eternal decisions! I still am not bueno at español. wowzers its so tough. But hey its not some weird language so i cant complain. I just wish i knew more so that i could help out a Little bit more. But i am really good at bearing my testimony, especially at bearing it on familias. I can bring the spirit pretty strong, because every time i bear my testimony on mi familia i tear up a bit, because you  guys are so darn awesome!!!!! Holy cow every time I see a Little boy here I think of you kyle, all i wanna do is play some ping pong with you!! I sure do love you guys like you cant imagine! But i will be alright! Oh happy birthday dad!!!!!!!!! and grandpa!!!! I love you all so much! you are in my prayers always! Feel free to keep me in your prayers i can use all the help i can get!!! jaja i know you are!

Love you so much!!

Elder Allison

Helloooooooo,

So this is it! Last email before I am in MEXICO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :) Wowzers. It's crazy! I really can't imagine it. This time next week I will be in a little house teaching a family the gospel, knowing very little of what is being said! Can't wait! But I can bear my testimony so hopefully that will do the trick :) It has been another wonderful week, I continue to learn so much! I have been learning so much about how to be more like Christ and it is so awesome! My relationship with my Heavenly Father is growing tremendously! I really really love this so much :) I truly love it here and think it will be kind of sad not being here any more learning. But at the same time I think that will all go away the second I land in Mexico :) So I am the "travel leader" for like 14 Elders all going to MCNW. jajajajajaja I don't think the people got the memo that I don't know what I am doing in air ports seeing as I've only flown twice..... It should be interesting ;) We leave the MTC on Tuesday morning at 2:30 in the morning! ya 2:30..... should be interesting, who needs sleep anyways? jaja. But I should be able to call home that morning or around 10 in our layover in Dallas. I will email you again on like Saturday. They let us since we are leaving :) There have been a few missionaries struggling in our zone lately, so it is kind of our job to look over them and help them in every way we can, so this week has been kind of focused for me on how I can help them. I have tried learning and learning about Christ as a leader and bringing on those attributes in my leadership. I know that I have received much help especially with just loving them and praying for them each day.

Ahh funnnnnnnnnnny story for ya.

So for about the past 2 weeks our thermostat "magically" keeps on changing at night.. or so my roommates (the 3 others i am with) think jaja. They enjoy turning the temperature down to 45 degrees! which is pretty much Antarctica. So every night I finish my prayer around 10:40-10:45 and everyone else is already done with their prayers and almost asleep. So I pretend like I'm going to the bathroom and I always turn it way up and turn it from cool to off or heat :) They were so confused how this was happening jaja. I said some thing like "maybe it is one of the security guards" because they don't really like the security guards here. They had a bad encounter or something once. So they were like "ya! It totally is them!!!" They are still convinced that it is the security gaurds jajajajajajajaja. They set up a "trap" to try and catch them. The past 2 nights they put the Ironing board right in front of the door with things on it so that "when he opens the door and sneaks in our room in the middle of the night it will fall down and we can catch him!" jajaja Wowzers too funny! So last night I unlocked the door so it would look like one of them tried to sneak in but saw the trap and turned back. They totally fell for it. It is really to easy :) I think I will keep going with it. It's just to much fun :) 

I watched a mormon message I beleive it is called Heavenly Father-Earthly Father. Man oh man It is way powerful! I couldn't help but think of you throughout the whole thing dad! You really are everything it says in the message! You are the bestest ever! :) 

I love you all so much remember who the ultimate example is in our lives. Jesucristo! If we try and try each and every day to be more like him I know that our lives will be so much better! I love him and his sacrafice for me and for everyone! Without the Atonement we'd be struggling big time! I know without my Heavenly Father I am nothing Alma 26:12. One of the best scriptures out there in my opinion anyways :)

Alrighty hear goes my best attempt at my testimony.

Yo sé que Jesucristo es mi Salvador y Redentor y Él es su Salvador y Redentor.

Yo sé que a traves la expiacion de Jesucristo nosotros podemos limpio de nuestros peccados. Esté conocimiento me ayuda a tener esperanza en mi vida.

Yo sé que El Libro de Mormon es verdadero, porque yo orado a saber por mi mismo.

Yo sé que Dios es nuestro amorozo Padre Celestial.

Yo sé que nostoros podemos orar a Dios todos el tiempo y recibir una respuesta.

Yo sé que las familias son eterno, este conocimiento me ayuda a tener faliz por que mi familia es todo cosa in mi vida.

Este es mi testimonio 

En el nombre de Jesucristo, Amen.

( The spelling is way off. I can say it just not really quite type it fully correctly yet ) Love you all!

-Elder Allison

Jarrett Nielsen

In class today Bro Willard told us a story about this Elder and how the first three weeks he had no idea what his teacher was saying but he put in the faith and the work than he was the best japanese speaker in the mtc. You have no idea how much that motivated me. I can't tell you how much I like Bro Willard he is truely an amazing guy. I got a letter from grandpa today and it is always good to hear from him. I probably have learned 75 new words in the past 2 days. The MTC goal is 700 and if I can do 75 each day I could reach that goal in like 15 days.

Reading the scriptures is always the best I wish that I could read more! Today during class I just feel like our teacher just didn't care about us anymore and he has just gave up on us, this is a different teacher than Brother Willard. So I got down on myself but I just said a nice little prayer and all the sudden I just felt the strength again that I could do anything with the Lord. During our teaching I was able to say a lot more sentances it was the gift of tounges! Than our next class Bro Willard really helped me today and he really show me that he loves me he is one of my heros.

Last night me and Elder Sizilio (brazilian) and Elder Scott we had a sleepover it was super sweet. Because Sizilio had surgery we had to wake him up every hour to make sure he was alive. It was super fun we stayed up until like two in the morning which is the latest I have stayed up yet on the mission. It was super fun, Suquilio is an amazing guy he truely loves this gospel and his family because he has helped them out with money a lot he has had a rough life I really connect with him a lot, he is another one of my heros. About the language I love it, it is honestly amazing.

Well I want to share with you guys experience; well I am not sure if you would call it an experience. I just have realize how important prayer is. I can tell the difference when I forget to pray in the morning and when I do I can just tell because when I do I really do have amazing experiences throughout the day. I realize that we are able to talk to our heavenly father all the time whenever we need him, and that our relationship with him should honestly be best relationship we will ever have with anyone. There are always times that when I get down and discouraged and I think to say a prayer and it is amazing how fast my day will turn around. I love talking to my Heavenly Father; and I hope that me and his relationship can go stronger.

Love
Elder Nielsen