Elder Weelson 6-2

Wow, what an incredible week!!!  This email is going to be a little bit shorter.  I'm just gonna let y ou know right now.  hahaha.  I have tons of pictures to send, so Im gonna send a little more time doing that today.  Its kinda a process on this dang computer, and we had a zone activity today for Pday.  We went to this awesome park, had a HUGE picnic, and played capture the flag.  It was so much fun.  The zone is so awesome! 

But this week was seriously the greatest!! I am so happy, and having so much fun, but have never been so focussed in my life!  Elder Bohne and I still havent spoken in english together.  Its awesome.  Im seriously loving it!  I want to take advantage of every single second I have being emersed in the spanish language.  I got a long ways to go though.  Ive reached a point, where I could just settle, and be totally fine.  Say and understand basically everything.  But there is still so much to learn, and so much I need to learn to reach that next level!  So that is going great. 

Man, I just couldnt be more grateful to be here in Fuenlabrada, with Elder Bohne.  He's such a stud.  I'll try to make sure to actually tell you how the week was, instead of just worshipping elder bohne this week!  hahaha, he's just the man.  So we had such an amazing week!!  We have so many investigators that are soooo close.  This week about 15 people had committed to coming to church, and a few others were a little shaky... there are so many prepared people!!... but yeah, 15 for sure didnt make it to church this week, sadly.  The Colombians, Edith, Marcos, Guadalupe, Gentiel, and Elizabeth are doing so amazing.  They are really falling into place in the branch.  We havent really even taught them that much, because they have just been coming to the weekly branch activities and stuff!  hahaha, they are loving it, and such incredible people.  We haven't visited them once, without them giving us some sort of food.  They have so much faith and are doing so great.  Please pray for them!  

I just want to finish by saying how grateful I am to be a servant of the Lord and for prayer.  Prayer is the key to everything.  With a faithful prayer in your heart ALWAYS, and taking time to stop, think, meditate and pray is so so so so powerful.  I know our Father in Heaven listens.  He activiley listens.  And is so anxious to bless us.  I am so happy.  I feel so grateful to be able to give EVERYTHING I have to help just a little bit with this great work.  I love the people here in Spain.  I love you guys so much.  If I have learned anything these past few weeks, its Love.  I seriously feel such a love in my heart.  I am so thankful for my Savior, Jesus Christ.  He always turned outward, and loved.  I feel such a passion in my heart for this work.  I have never felt something this strong in my entire life.  A love so strong for these people.  A desire so strong to serve the Lord.  A faith so strong, that Elder Bohne and I can be insruments in the Lords hands to bring forth His will.  I love you all so much.  Hope you have an amazing week, thanks for the emails and letters! I appreciate them tons!  Life couldnt get better!!!!! I'm so dang happy.  

till next week, signing out,

Elder Weeeeeelson.

haha

ARG - Elder Gillett 6.2.14

Ehhh it was just a one day thing! (being sick) Seems to happen a lot down here but oh well! I am doing perfectly fine now! But now Elder Santos says he has "bronchitis". ugh...  We found some good deals on jerseys and stuff this week so I bought a few things with the money I got from trading with one of the members! Got some FC Barcelona socks, a banner thing of BOCA juniors, and a jersey of River Plate! The champions of the league in Argentina! I will make sure to send pictures next week! But yeah my ipod thing is already not working... No idea whats going on with it! 
So this week was another slow week! We have a couple new investigators and they are doing good! We visited Ruben and he has stopped smoking a ton but hasn´t completely quit but he is going to try to this week! And we couldn´t get him to say his first prayer with us the other day when we talked to him! So we will see how it goes with him this week! 

We taught a lot of less active because they have changed our mission to a pilot program to only focus on the recent converts, menos activo members, and the investigators! So that has been really cool! Supposedly we have a member of the 70 going on tour of our mission this week and he will be visiting our district! I don´t know for sure but thats what we heard! 

Then with one of our new investigators Rosa who lives in a really nice house! hahah anyways she is catholic but doesn´t go to church and doesn´t read the bible (like everybody in Argentina) haha They all say "Yeah I am Catholic but I never go to church or read the bible" So basically they aren´t :) haha but she told us before we taught that she didn´t have much time but when she let us in we talked for like a little more than an hour! She was really interested and wants us to come back to teach this thursday! So we will see how that goes! 

Then we have another investigator who had a baptismal date with some missionaries before but never ended up getting baptized! He is SUPER knowledgeable about the bible and if the bible doesn´t say it, he won´t do it! HE really likes everything about our church though but because of the fact that nobody sees god in the bible, he doesn´t believe in the restoration! So we try to talk to him about it and explain it and everything so he promised us he will read the book of mormon with real intent and see what he actually thinks about it! And then it sounds like this saturday we are going to have a party of some sort with the ward and play soccer all together and everything so we are hoping for some of the ward members to invite some friends and we can all play soccer and get some new investigators and everything too! But thats all for this week! Love you all! 

This week (Elder Frampton 6-2)

Dear Family and Friends,

 

How Is everyone? Is everything going good at home or on the mission?

 

So this week we went and just visited our lists. I could honestly end my email at that ha ha. its getting a little bit picked up here with the work. The more I hear the ward talk about the last two missionaries it makes me sad that their conduct would be like it was in this area. But people come on missions to change and so they will get there.

 

So one of the days this week we were out trying to meet all these people on our lists and its like 8:15and we had no success all day and were close to home. I had written down one more name and we both were on the edge of going or just calling it but we decided to check it out. We knock on the door and this Egyptian man with no shirt on opens the door and he tells us to come in. So we went in. We sat down as he finished up on his phone call. He then he looked at us and asked us what we are doing. We start to explain he was on one of our lists and ask what he remembers about the last missionaries. he cant remember when they last visited but he asks what makes our religion different. It starts to turn into a small "Bible Bash" until he asks us to read something from our Book. We open up and read a little and he starts asking questions about the Book of Mormon. So like every missionary knows we turn to the introduction to help explain the book. We ask him to read the last two paragraphs and he starts reading but has a hard time with the words. In the last paragragh he stops for a little and we think he is struggling with the words but he looks up and says "I know this book is true, I can feel it even before I finish it. You knew to have me read this? how did you know I would feel this way?" It was soooooooo awesome! We testified of it and e wants us to come back and teach more. It was amazing to see how the spirit touches those who are ready and how the lord expects you to work all the way till your last stride.

 

So It ended up being an awesome week and I am really learning how to love the mission out here. I am greatfull for all of the support and love! It really means a lot. I love you all!

 

-Elder Frampton

Devins letter

Dear Family and Friends,

 

How is everyone!? I hope everything is going good for you all at home.

 

So this week I went to my new area that I am sweeping into. Its hard to sweep. A sweep is when 2 missionaries leave an area and 2 fresh missionaries come in. So we both know like nothing about the area. My companion is great though. he has been through 4 sweeps so he knows what he is doing. he is from California and he is like 6'4'' and like 280 pounds. I forgot a picture this week but he is great. So this week has been a lot of organizing and trying to figure out names. its also been huge on service and the amount we do here. I am getting sunburned we are out side serving all the time. Our WML is super service oriented and so we are always out and about with him ha ha its awesome. So this week was mentally hard ha ha. I heard that 6 months out is another rut for most missionaries. So I have just been thinking alot about my life and my mission and it makes me notice all the things that are going on. So this area we are starting fresh and so it seems to be going so slow ha ha but I know it will pick up. Thanks for all the support that I have been given. its hard to know what to talk about out here because nothing is really progressing or anything. But I want you to know that everything is good I am learning alot and I am praying for you all!

 

- Elder Frampton

ARG- Elder Gillett 5.26.14

Yesterday was flag day in Argentina too so everyone was cooking asado and other stuff too! We even sang the national anthem of argentina in church yesterday too! hahah

So this week was a realllly really good week but I can´t seem to not be sick since being here in Argentina! I think I am getting used to the water and food still right now!

But yeah this week we went and visited Hermana Paz(peace) haha! She is super nice and is like 30 years old or so! Has a bunch of kids and split up with her husband to be baptized in the church a couple years ago! But she has had some problems with overcoming some addictions with smoking (like everybody in Argentina) but we visited her once a couple weeks ago and she was like I don´t know if I can quit! I really want to but I don´t know how! So now a week or two later we decided to go back and visit her and see how she was doing! She invited us in and she shared her testimony with us and read some scriptures (2nd Nephi 9:41 i think-about god being the gate keeper for heaven and how he is waiting to welcome us in if we can be obedient) And she really liked the scriptures so we offered a priesthood blessing at the end... and I gave my first priesthood blessing in spanish! It was really hard at first but then the words kinda of just came out of me and I don´t remember a ton of waht I said but I do remember a feeling of just being really powerful and loving during this blessing! It was super cool! And after we finished she turned to us and said thank you so much! That was exactly what I needed! We talked to her for a little bit longer and then I heard Elder Santos say "do you have any cigarettes in your house right now?" she said she does and he told her to go get them! There is a scripture in the book of mormon that he referenced that I am not sure where it is but it says you can break the chains of sin with gods help! so he read that and instead of chains he read the cigarettes! So she did it! She ripped them up! and threw them in the trash and said I am done! She came to church yesterday a few days after this and came up to us and said that she has been clean of them since we visited which was like 3 days!

Then on saturday we went on splits with different elders in our district so I was in a companionship with Elder Dahl from Logan! He is a stud! hahah we worked really hard that day and had a lot of success talking to new people and now in their area they have a bunch of new people to talk about the evangelio (gospel) too! But during this time Elder Dahl´s companion went with Elder Santos to teach Ruben and some menos activos in our ward! They went and taught Ruben and during this they had a strong member of the ward go with them and help to teach! They taught about the word of wisdom and that he can stop smoking! And he agreed to it! He gave them the cigarrettes he had with them and told them he would stop smoking and come to church on sunday! He wasn´t able to come to church on sunday though because he got called in for work and really needs to money! But we will go visit him this week and make sure he comes this next week! Maybe he will be ready for baptism soon! haha and during the lesson there was a menos activo member who walked by and noticed the missionarys talking to Ruben and he went and joined in and helped to testify of the church and everything! I guess Ruben even said he KNOWS that Joseph Smith is a true prophet too! Really crazy and awesome week! Now to find out a way to fix the water so we aren´t always getting sick down here and stuff!

I woke up sick this morning... again! I think it was something that I ate but I feel a lot better now! They have a really nice advanced filter that we are able to use in our apartments but I don´t think that is the problem! The problem is at members houses when they might not have a filter for the water or something! Yeah i haven´t ate anything yet but I don´t want to drink the water because that is what is making me sick I think in part! So i am drinking tang mix! Which hopefully it doesn´t come out the same color! haha   The mission is too much fun to not keep pushing on!

We are even going to play some soccer also! haha

---------------

Pictures attached-
#1  Elder Gillett sporting a cute hat
#2  Very PROUD of how CLEAN they were able to get their shower! If you remember the last picture, it looks A LOT better. However, he accidentally bleached the tips of his Nike shoes while cleaning the shower. And admitted to getting pretty HIGH while smelling all the fumes. haha-  (he didn't know that bleach would ruin/discolor his shoes...)

#3  His NEW (used) ARGENTINA Soccer jersey -  

elder weelson (5/26)

Hello Family!

This week was so incredible.  Even better than the last week!  Life could not get better out here in Fuenlabrada with Elder Bohne.  This place is incredible.  Each day I am growing to love this city more and more.  I don't know what it is.... this City doesnt really have any huge cool things... but there is something about this place.... I dont know what it is... but I just love it.  Elder Bohne is the MAN.  That guy is such a stud, and we are enjoying every single second together. 

So this week I am going to start off with some funny things that happened this week. Its weird... I feel like Im laughing the entire day... but I can never remember stories.  But anyways.... Last monday for Pday we went to the Chinese Buffet Wok... and wow did I pound the food.... never have I eaten that much at a buffet in my entire life..... just pounded it.  Well... the very next day I just felt awful when I woke up, and had a bad case of the runs.  But no worries, It all turned out okay, and we didnt lose a single minute of proselyting time.  I dont know how I servived without bathrooms, but I did! And no worries, It was just that 1 day.  I just needed to flush all that chinese food out of my system.  

Okay, now Im serious.  You can never be too serious in life, ya know?:)  Right Kdub?  hahaha.  But this week we had an AMAZING zone conference with President and the Assistants. They spoke a ton about Love.  Love for our Savior, Jesus Christ.  And how our love for Him, should carry us.  Our love for Him should give us the desires to work hard, to be exactly obedient and to do EVERYTHING possible to do the work of the Lord.  It was an incredible conference.  Presidnet talked a lot about how this work isn't about us.  Way too often we focus on ourselves. And its so true.  That really touched my heart, because I realized Im focusing way to much on myself. Everything should be for the investigators and members.  I loved it so much, and Im really excited to just forget myself and get to work.  The conference was amazing, and I couldnt be more excited to work every single day to Love the Lord more and more, and to forget myself more and more.  

This week was also the finals of the Champions League.  Atlético Madrid x Real Madrid.  We didnt see any part of the game... but boy did we hear it.  It was crazy.  There was NO ONE out on the streets.  Everyone was in the bars and just screaming, chanting and going crazy.  Lets just say it took a long time to get to bed that night because of all the city just going crazy.  Real Madrid I guess won in Extra Time, is the word on the street.  It was so crazy, and an awesome experience to be there for for the finals with two clubs from Madrid!  

The Lord truly is hastening His work. Its incredible.  He is just putting people in our path.  2 weeks ago we found a brother and sister from Colombia named Marcos and Edith.  They are like there 40s now.  Well it was really hard to get into contact with them, and we almost forgot about them.  Well one day we just decided to pass by their home.  They  were there but just leaving, so we set up a time and day to meet.  Well at the end, Marcos and Edith ended up coming to play soccer with us, and they brought 3 friends! It was awesome.  So we rolled up to the church saturday morning with 5 colombians.  We gave them a tour of the chapel and they loved it, and had tons of amazing questions.  We are beginning to teach the 5, and they all came to church the next day! Such a miracle.  Please pray for Marcos, Edith, Elizabeth, Guadalupe, and Emilio.  

As well we are teaching a family from Ecuador.  Juan Carlos and Estela. They came to church this past week as well!  They are doing amazing, are very quiet, humble people.  I love them so much, and are both very new as well!  Please pray for them! A nigerian brotha named Kency also came to church and loved it!  Hes such a bro, and really wants to get baptized.  We just gotta make sure he understands, and knows how serious this covenant is.  

Also we found a man named Luis this week.  Truly a miracle.  He is from the Dominican Republic, and super awesome!  He came to church this week... well kinda.  He got there late, got to the door of the church, and didnt see anyone.  So he felt a little embarassed and left.  But he is incredible.  He accepted to be baptized the 14th of June.  So we'll see how it turns out.  I really have faith that he will.  He LOVED the plan of salvacion, and loved learning all those "new things".  He is progressing amazingly.  The Lord is truly blessing the people here in Fuenlabrada.  I feel so blessed to be able to be here.  

Family, I want your advice!  I want an email from each one of you this coming week.  It can be just 1 sentence thats fine.  But I need advice.  how can I forget myself, and come to love the Lord even more?

I love you all so much.  Thank you so much for your love and support.  I know my Savior lives.  I know he died for me.  And more than anything, I know that he is activley in each one of our lives.  He knows us.  He loves us.  And knows EXACTLY what He's doing.  I love Him with all my heart.  I have the strongest desires to truly come to know Him.  Thank you all for everything! 

Elder Wilson

*Ps.... Elder Bohne and I are moving into a brand new piso!!! Super nice.  Ill send pics next week.

*Ps2.... hahahaa ps2.  We getta go to the temple on wednesday!!

Jarrett Weekly Letter 5.25.2014

Dear family and friends

I want to start off with Machida Kun so you know how the lesson went this last Sunday and how he got depressed over coffee and tea. Well we got a email from him on Tuesday and he basically said he wants to stop meeting with us. And basically said that he can't get baptized because he can't stop drinking. We are like bro come on!! You  haven't even tried stopping!! So we emailed him back and said we would still love to meet and talk and just hang out and stuff like that. But no reply as of now. 

 

Because of him dropping our numbers this week have honestly been struggling! One night I just wanted to cry it was so hard. We were only able to teach two lessons this week and that is just terrible... It is hard... It isn't fun when you teach someone on the streets or in front of their house and then at the end they say they are not interested it is just heart breaking. I just want to see- these people come closer to our God our Loving Heavenly Father. Like it stinks not seeing success but the worse is seeing them not giving this gospel a try. It is the mission life, and that is why I am here. Because I know the Lord has prepared people for me to teach, and they need to hear the gospel from me. 

I have been able to get to know this guy in our ward Brother Baker. He is American. But he is the sickest guy ever. He is from St. George, and we were able to talk a lot this last Sunday. And we have a lot of the same interests. He lives here with his Japanese wife and has some really cute kids, he served in Tokyo on his mission. It is really nice getting to know the members, I finally had time to get to know some more of them today which was nice. I haven't been able to meet and talk with a lot of them because we have had Machida kun come every Sunday and we would basically teach him right after church. I really love this ward and this area, so I hope I stay here for awhile.

Well that is about all for the week!!

Love, Elder Nielsen