Hey Everyone!
I hope you had a good week and a good Thanksgiving! Mine was pretty good... but I threw up for the first time in over two years. The last time being when I broke my arm... I had a good streak going! We had three diners, and an appointment for just pie, so go figure I threw up, right??? ha ha!! But, it really was good! I got to spend the night with Elder Lund and his companion. It was cool. It was fun. He is my favorite companion I have had. It's always fun to work with him a bit like the good ole days!
So, due to the holiday, a lot of people were gone. We taught Ignacio once who told us that Trinidad is going to Mexico for a week again. They really like to go out of town! We will see what this means for him. What he wants to do.
So, tomorrow I start my last transfer. It is crazy. It really sunk in that my mission is ending. I am excited for sure, but I really don't want it to end. I like being a missionary too much. At the end of every transfer, there is a big fireside in the mission for the departing missionaries so they can give their last testimony and talk to their friends. I have only been to about four of them because it is a lot more productive to teach lessons, but our zone put together a choir to sing at it. I was there and looking at all these missionaries going home it was really a trip to think the next fireside is mine... everything is becoming so real at how little time I have left. Then I read Elder Nokes' email who goes home tomorrow, he didn't leave very long before I did! Missions are very short. I think I just set in in how short they really are. I am so glad is till have another month to go out and to preach the word of God to those in need before I leave.
Have you heard of the "He is the Gift?" initiative that the church is doing? It is super good. It talks about how Jesus Christ is the first gift of Christmas giving to us by God so that we may return to live with him. Go to Christmas.mormon.org and look at the sight. John 3:16 states "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." This is the scripture they are using. I encourage each of you to talk to the missionaries in your ward about this and how you can help spread the word of God this Christmas season which is the most natural and rewarding time to talk to Christ. The church is putting LOTS of money into this, they are advertising on YouTube December 7th and the whole month on Time Square in New York. Do your part to "sweep the earth as with a flood" of uplifting messages of Christ. Visit Christmas.mormon.org to learn more!
I hope you all have a good week!
Love,
Elder Lloyd
Saturday, December 27, 2014
Week 93... TRANSFERS!!!
Hi Everyone!!
This week wasn't the best as far as missionary work is concerned. There was just a lot of other stuff going on that we had to take care of. I still don't understand how sometimes a whole week just doesn't work out. But hey, that's the way it goes I guess.
We were able to get back in with Ignacio and Trinidad, so that was good! But they have a cousin in town from Mexico. The cousin said she wanted to talk and to learn more, but really she just wanted to bash with us which really was annoying cuz she really had no idea what she was talking about, just throwing around a bunch of nonsense, so that lesson wasn't the best, but afterwards, when we had to go, the members that are helping us fellowship stayed behind to talk to them and be their friend. Afterwards they told us that Trinidad would like to learn more again. So that's good. I think it was in part because after listening to her cousin, our church really just makes sense. We had another lesson with Ignacio after that, but he told his wife to take the cousin out. Then they were both at church, and at a thanksgiving dinner we had on Saturday. So, it was good! It really is cool to see how much of the ward is coming together to help them out and to be baptized. I really do encourage all of you to do what you can to help out the missionaries. Members really are the only way to do missionary work.
I am pretty sure I told you guys about Jessica last week? Unfortunately, she fell off the map. We still have lots of hope that she will come around because she really did show a lot of sincere interest. We will keep trying to find her for sure. Hopefully we can find her. we made a pretty big mission mistake... forgot to get her number.
This scripture is pretty cool. It's in Psalms 100:4-5 "Enter into his gates with Thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations." I hope you all had a good Thanksgiving. Yesterday a talk was given in church, and the speaker said right now all the meanings of the holiday's are falling off to "turkey day" or "bunny day" and he fears that soon Christmas will be "tree day" or something like that. I am going to encourage you what he said to us, as the holiday's are here, remember why the holiday's really exist. It's not just "turkey day" on Thursday, but it is Thanksgiving so give thanks for what you have. Really, do that always, but I guess especially on Thursday :). I challenge you all to from now and Thursday, to offer one prayer a day of thanks giving.
I hope you all have a good week, and a happy Thanksgiving!
Love you lots!
Elder Lloyd
This week wasn't the best as far as missionary work is concerned. There was just a lot of other stuff going on that we had to take care of. I still don't understand how sometimes a whole week just doesn't work out. But hey, that's the way it goes I guess.
We were able to get back in with Ignacio and Trinidad, so that was good! But they have a cousin in town from Mexico. The cousin said she wanted to talk and to learn more, but really she just wanted to bash with us which really was annoying cuz she really had no idea what she was talking about, just throwing around a bunch of nonsense, so that lesson wasn't the best, but afterwards, when we had to go, the members that are helping us fellowship stayed behind to talk to them and be their friend. Afterwards they told us that Trinidad would like to learn more again. So that's good. I think it was in part because after listening to her cousin, our church really just makes sense. We had another lesson with Ignacio after that, but he told his wife to take the cousin out. Then they were both at church, and at a thanksgiving dinner we had on Saturday. So, it was good! It really is cool to see how much of the ward is coming together to help them out and to be baptized. I really do encourage all of you to do what you can to help out the missionaries. Members really are the only way to do missionary work.
I am pretty sure I told you guys about Jessica last week? Unfortunately, she fell off the map. We still have lots of hope that she will come around because she really did show a lot of sincere interest. We will keep trying to find her for sure. Hopefully we can find her. we made a pretty big mission mistake... forgot to get her number.
This scripture is pretty cool. It's in Psalms 100:4-5 "Enter into his gates with Thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations." I hope you all had a good Thanksgiving. Yesterday a talk was given in church, and the speaker said right now all the meanings of the holiday's are falling off to "turkey day" or "bunny day" and he fears that soon Christmas will be "tree day" or something like that. I am going to encourage you what he said to us, as the holiday's are here, remember why the holiday's really exist. It's not just "turkey day" on Thursday, but it is Thanksgiving so give thanks for what you have. Really, do that always, but I guess especially on Thursday :). I challenge you all to from now and Thursday, to offer one prayer a day of thanks giving.
I hope you all have a good week, and a happy Thanksgiving!
Love you lots!
Elder Lloyd
Week 92!!!
Hey Everybody!
This week was pretty good for the most part!
Ignacio didn't get baptized. Super lame. He was supposed to have his interview on Tuesday, but he called us and said that his wife said he can't. So, we go over to his house to see why. He said that his son is sick in the hospital (he is out now), and Trinidad was really stressed. So, she threw down and said she will walk out if he goes through with it. He is very sad, but thinks she just needs time, then he can do it. So, that wasn't cool. Sometimes missionary work is really hard when you get really emotionally involved, and then something happens and it doesn't go exactly how you wanted it to, and it hurts. But, it's all good. One day he will be baptized.
We did have a good week, and found some really good people. We found this girl named Jessica, who is a single mother. She is really interested. We have lots of high hopes for her. I really do believe she will get baptized, but we will see. We have another lesson tonight with her. It will be good!
We also had a member bring a friend to church who really wants to learn more about Jesus as well, we haven't had the opportunity to talk to her yet, but we look forward to seeing what that's all about!!
Me and Elder Nanto got an interesting call today. Sister Tew, my president's wife, said that they are trying to train two missionaries in every stake to know how to work in the family history center so that we can get recent converts and less active members to take their ancestors to the temple to do baptisms. It is pretty cool. So, me and Elder Nanto are the Spanish missionaries in our stake to do that. We don't really know what that means yet. We found out like two hours ago or so, but that should be good!
1 Samuel 16:7 reads "But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart." This is kind of a cool scripture. What you have in your heart is what actually matters, so have a good heart, and also don't judge books by their covers.
I hope you all have a good week!
Love,
Elder Lloyd
This week was pretty good for the most part!
Ignacio didn't get baptized. Super lame. He was supposed to have his interview on Tuesday, but he called us and said that his wife said he can't. So, we go over to his house to see why. He said that his son is sick in the hospital (he is out now), and Trinidad was really stressed. So, she threw down and said she will walk out if he goes through with it. He is very sad, but thinks she just needs time, then he can do it. So, that wasn't cool. Sometimes missionary work is really hard when you get really emotionally involved, and then something happens and it doesn't go exactly how you wanted it to, and it hurts. But, it's all good. One day he will be baptized.
We did have a good week, and found some really good people. We found this girl named Jessica, who is a single mother. She is really interested. We have lots of high hopes for her. I really do believe she will get baptized, but we will see. We have another lesson tonight with her. It will be good!
We also had a member bring a friend to church who really wants to learn more about Jesus as well, we haven't had the opportunity to talk to her yet, but we look forward to seeing what that's all about!!
Me and Elder Nanto got an interesting call today. Sister Tew, my president's wife, said that they are trying to train two missionaries in every stake to know how to work in the family history center so that we can get recent converts and less active members to take their ancestors to the temple to do baptisms. It is pretty cool. So, me and Elder Nanto are the Spanish missionaries in our stake to do that. We don't really know what that means yet. We found out like two hours ago or so, but that should be good!
1 Samuel 16:7 reads "But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart." This is kind of a cool scripture. What you have in your heart is what actually matters, so have a good heart, and also don't judge books by their covers.
I hope you all have a good week!
Love,
Elder Lloyd
Week 91!!!
Hello!
This week was crazy fast again!! I don't like it! It really was a blur, and after it, I don't really know what to say to you all. We had two exchanges this week. Exchanges are fun, but it's always nice to get back to normal. One exchange was with Elder Lund, a past companion from Pico Rivera a year ago. That was cool to serve with him again. I enjoyed it a lot! We have both come a long way in that year, and have learned so much! My other exchange was with our roommate back in Pico Rivera. It was a pretty cool chance to serve with both of them for a day.
This week Ignacio and Trinidad did not make it to church which was lame. They had to take an emergency trip to Tijuana for I'm not sure why. we had a lesson with him Monday last week and reviewed the baptismal questions. It was good. He is super ready. Then, they had another lesson with him to review a few things. Tonight we have the bishop coming with us to get him pumped up, and tomorrow is his actual interview. If all goes well, he will be baptized the next Sunday. I am very excited!
The mission is in a very good spot right now. I mentioned the cool goal setting meeting to get our goal set at 75 baptisms by the end of the mission. We have had a few really good meetings this week to solidify our personal goals and zone goals. I have really enjoyed it a lot. I am super pumped and really, I feel I am going to have the next two months as the best of my mission.
I apologize, I really am having a hard time thinking of what to say. Two exchanges in one week kind of messes it up as things to report on! I do like this scripture though! It is Ether 12:4 "Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world. Yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God." I encourage you all to allow your faith to grow inside of you until it becomes an anchor in your soul. I really do know that through faith that you can stay rooted into the gospel, and that as you are anchored in Christ, you can overcome anything.
Remember this sweet pillow I bought a year ago?
Well, after a ear of searching, I found this sweet blanket to go with it!
Have a good week!
Love,
Elder Lloyd
This week was crazy fast again!! I don't like it! It really was a blur, and after it, I don't really know what to say to you all. We had two exchanges this week. Exchanges are fun, but it's always nice to get back to normal. One exchange was with Elder Lund, a past companion from Pico Rivera a year ago. That was cool to serve with him again. I enjoyed it a lot! We have both come a long way in that year, and have learned so much! My other exchange was with our roommate back in Pico Rivera. It was a pretty cool chance to serve with both of them for a day.
This week Ignacio and Trinidad did not make it to church which was lame. They had to take an emergency trip to Tijuana for I'm not sure why. we had a lesson with him Monday last week and reviewed the baptismal questions. It was good. He is super ready. Then, they had another lesson with him to review a few things. Tonight we have the bishop coming with us to get him pumped up, and tomorrow is his actual interview. If all goes well, he will be baptized the next Sunday. I am very excited!
The mission is in a very good spot right now. I mentioned the cool goal setting meeting to get our goal set at 75 baptisms by the end of the mission. We have had a few really good meetings this week to solidify our personal goals and zone goals. I have really enjoyed it a lot. I am super pumped and really, I feel I am going to have the next two months as the best of my mission.
I apologize, I really am having a hard time thinking of what to say. Two exchanges in one week kind of messes it up as things to report on! I do like this scripture though! It is Ether 12:4 "Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world. Yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God." I encourage you all to allow your faith to grow inside of you until it becomes an anchor in your soul. I really do know that through faith that you can stay rooted into the gospel, and that as you are anchored in Christ, you can overcome anything.
Remember this sweet pillow I bought a year ago?
Well, after a ear of searching, I found this sweet blanket to go with it!
Have a good week!
Love,
Elder Lloyd
Week 90!!!
Hello!!
I hope all of you had a good Halloween! Ours was decent, I guess! Actually, I liked it a lot! So, this week was pretty interesting for a lot of reasons. It started out great. We taught a few good lessons, we went on exchanges which is always interesting. Kati is doing good, so is Ignacio. But, he put off his baptismal date for two weeks. He said he is giving Trinidad a last chance to get baptized; he really wants to do it with her. But, if she wont then he will do it alone. Pray for them both!! I am still confident that after he does she will, but we'd all like to see them do it together.
So, Friday night we were supposed to be in our apartment passed 5:00, or 6:00 if we had a dinner appointment, which we didn't, for our safety and the safety of the rep of the church. We had planned to have a little party with the other Elders who live in our complex. Elder Nanto's mom gave him $100 for pizza and junk food. But, last minute, up top cancelled our party and made everyone clean their apartments. Super lame. So, we had our own party after cleaning. (It just doesn't take like 5 hours to clean a small apartment) But, after that, an emergency zone meeting was called from 8:00 to 9:00 at night on Halloween. So, we put on our suits and go to the church and met with our zone. It was a really really cool meeting. I guess our mission hasn't reached a baptismal goal since December last year. So, in MLC they threw out their agenda and all duked it out to figure out why. That happened in the day of Friday, then at night, the zone leaders brought it to us and we had a big discussion and set our goals as well. The mission has a goal of 75 baptisms by the end of the year, which is a lot more then we have previously accomplished. But, definitely within reach, especially as we work together on a common goal, and we strive to accomplish it with God's help. It was very good meeting. This transfer and next really are special because there are 16 people in my zone, and of them six go home in the next two transfers, and two more in the next four giving us all lots of experience to pool into and coordinate our plan. I know I definitely came out of this meeting very pumped up to go out with a bang and to prove what we as missionaries can do, especially with God's help. We followed this up with a very powerful meeting again on Saturday where we all came together and set specific goals to accomplish what we need to do so that the mission can accomplish their goals. We were all super pumped up and ready to go fight to the finish.
It was a little odd however because right after we had this, all of our members we had set up to go to lessons fell through, and all of our lessons we had to take members to fell through. Friday, during the day through Saturday we have not taught a lesson, or found any new investigators while the rest of the zone seemed to be doing so. I was starting to get discouraged after a few very hard days. I was really trying to figure out why and found this scripture in Jacob 4:7 which reads "Nevertheless, the Lord God showeth us our weakness that we may know that it is by his grace, and his great condescension's unto the children of men, that we have power to do these things" and I was really humbled. I was very confident that I (in caps for emphasis but you can't tell cuz it's supposed to be in caps anyways :) ) could do the things I needed to in order to meet the goals. Then, all progress towards them halts. I know that with God, anything according to His will is possible, and as we include God in our lives, He will use us for very magnificent things. That is why this was one of my favorite weeks. It was a pretty hard few days, but I learned a priceless lesson.
I hope you all have a good week!
Love,
Elder Lloyd
I hope all of you had a good Halloween! Ours was decent, I guess! Actually, I liked it a lot! So, this week was pretty interesting for a lot of reasons. It started out great. We taught a few good lessons, we went on exchanges which is always interesting. Kati is doing good, so is Ignacio. But, he put off his baptismal date for two weeks. He said he is giving Trinidad a last chance to get baptized; he really wants to do it with her. But, if she wont then he will do it alone. Pray for them both!! I am still confident that after he does she will, but we'd all like to see them do it together.
So, Friday night we were supposed to be in our apartment passed 5:00, or 6:00 if we had a dinner appointment, which we didn't, for our safety and the safety of the rep of the church. We had planned to have a little party with the other Elders who live in our complex. Elder Nanto's mom gave him $100 for pizza and junk food. But, last minute, up top cancelled our party and made everyone clean their apartments. Super lame. So, we had our own party after cleaning. (It just doesn't take like 5 hours to clean a small apartment) But, after that, an emergency zone meeting was called from 8:00 to 9:00 at night on Halloween. So, we put on our suits and go to the church and met with our zone. It was a really really cool meeting. I guess our mission hasn't reached a baptismal goal since December last year. So, in MLC they threw out their agenda and all duked it out to figure out why. That happened in the day of Friday, then at night, the zone leaders brought it to us and we had a big discussion and set our goals as well. The mission has a goal of 75 baptisms by the end of the year, which is a lot more then we have previously accomplished. But, definitely within reach, especially as we work together on a common goal, and we strive to accomplish it with God's help. It was very good meeting. This transfer and next really are special because there are 16 people in my zone, and of them six go home in the next two transfers, and two more in the next four giving us all lots of experience to pool into and coordinate our plan. I know I definitely came out of this meeting very pumped up to go out with a bang and to prove what we as missionaries can do, especially with God's help. We followed this up with a very powerful meeting again on Saturday where we all came together and set specific goals to accomplish what we need to do so that the mission can accomplish their goals. We were all super pumped up and ready to go fight to the finish.
It was a little odd however because right after we had this, all of our members we had set up to go to lessons fell through, and all of our lessons we had to take members to fell through. Friday, during the day through Saturday we have not taught a lesson, or found any new investigators while the rest of the zone seemed to be doing so. I was starting to get discouraged after a few very hard days. I was really trying to figure out why and found this scripture in Jacob 4:7 which reads "Nevertheless, the Lord God showeth us our weakness that we may know that it is by his grace, and his great condescension's unto the children of men, that we have power to do these things" and I was really humbled. I was very confident that I (in caps for emphasis but you can't tell cuz it's supposed to be in caps anyways :) ) could do the things I needed to in order to meet the goals. Then, all progress towards them halts. I know that with God, anything according to His will is possible, and as we include God in our lives, He will use us for very magnificent things. That is why this was one of my favorite weeks. It was a pretty hard few days, but I learned a priceless lesson.
I hope you all have a good week!
Love,
Elder Lloyd
Monday, December 22, 2014
Week 89!!!
Hello Everybody!
This week was good, but it went by way to fast!! I am just not sure what I am going to do if time keeps speeding up like this! I don't like it!
Trinidad and Ignacio are alright. It has been hard to keep them on the right track! Ignacio really wants to be baptized, but he doesn't want to cause problems with his family. Trinidad always swings back and forth. We found out this week that they have kids who are causing the problems because they always say things like they are catholic and their family has been Catholic for years so it would be betraying their roots to go back on that and switch religions. They will do it one day though for sure. We will keep working with them.
We found a lady this week named Kati. She is super nice. She is a Christian, but her member friend told her about the Book of Mormon because she asked why there is so many churches and how they all say they are right. So, the member friend sent us by. We have only taught her once, she missed our next appointment because she went to her church, but we had a quick chat with her yesterday and she was excited that we still came back, even though she stiffed us. She has a lot of sincere desire to learn. We are very excited to work with her. I am grateful for the church, and I do know it is true. I also know that member missionary work is very important and that hen we invite our friends to know what we know to be true, we will feel joy and although our friends still have their agency, they are a lot more likely to accept our message if we invite them and are there to help them understand it.
1 Nephi 10:19 reads "For he that diligently seeketh shall find; and the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto them, by the power of the Holy Ghost". I like that scripture. Scripture study is very important. Man cannot be saved in ignorance and as we get a question and we study it out and prayerfully search the scriptures, the Holy Ghost will teach us what we need to know.
Have a good week!
Love,
Elder Lloyd
This week was good, but it went by way to fast!! I am just not sure what I am going to do if time keeps speeding up like this! I don't like it!
Trinidad and Ignacio are alright. It has been hard to keep them on the right track! Ignacio really wants to be baptized, but he doesn't want to cause problems with his family. Trinidad always swings back and forth. We found out this week that they have kids who are causing the problems because they always say things like they are catholic and their family has been Catholic for years so it would be betraying their roots to go back on that and switch religions. They will do it one day though for sure. We will keep working with them.
We found a lady this week named Kati. She is super nice. She is a Christian, but her member friend told her about the Book of Mormon because she asked why there is so many churches and how they all say they are right. So, the member friend sent us by. We have only taught her once, she missed our next appointment because she went to her church, but we had a quick chat with her yesterday and she was excited that we still came back, even though she stiffed us. She has a lot of sincere desire to learn. We are very excited to work with her. I am grateful for the church, and I do know it is true. I also know that member missionary work is very important and that hen we invite our friends to know what we know to be true, we will feel joy and although our friends still have their agency, they are a lot more likely to accept our message if we invite them and are there to help them understand it.
1 Nephi 10:19 reads "For he that diligently seeketh shall find; and the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto them, by the power of the Holy Ghost". I like that scripture. Scripture study is very important. Man cannot be saved in ignorance and as we get a question and we study it out and prayerfully search the scriptures, the Holy Ghost will teach us what we need to know.
Have a good week!
Love,
Elder Lloyd
Thursday, November 13, 2014
Week 88... TRANSFERS!!!
Hello Everybody!
This week was pretty good but sooo fast! I am not really sure why, but me and Elder Nanto were both talking, and we both feel like half of the week just kinda blurred together, and we can't really remember... but hey, it happens.
Ignacio was at church again! However, this time, Trinidad did not come with him. Not sure why, come tomorrow, we have a lesson to figure it out. She is still kind of shakey, but Ignacio is progressing super well. Once he gets baptized, I am confident his family will follow. Trinidad for sure, and I am confident that Trinidad will get baptized and they have a lot of family that lives there that currently wont listen to us. Their 40ish year old son did thank us the other day for what we do because he has noticed a good change in Ignacio. So the roots are definitely planted, but now isn't the harvest. Once Ignacio gets the Gift of the Holy Ghost, things will start moving a lot in that house for sure.
We also had Hermana Torrez at church. That made me very very happy. When I first got to this area, she came with her daughters once, then hasn't come since. Her daughters came one other time with out her. Well, I watched their family pass through very very hard times, and I really don't like that to happen, well they stopped talking to us, then they finally started again like a month ago, and now she is at church. It feels sooo good to know that I was privileged enough to help them become active again. I love my mission soo much! I am very grateful for my service.
Alma 37:37 reads "Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day." I like this a lot. Daily prayer is a very strong tool that we have. Through prayer we can come closer to Christ and know God's will for us so that we may live according to His will. I challenge you all to take the advice of Alma and to really counsel with the Lord at all times and for everything, and you will have His spirit with you more abundantly.
Have a good week!
Love,
Elder Lloyd
Week 87!!!
Hello Everyone!
So its Columbus day again. I'm not really sure why we like to shut down all the libraries on p-day, but ya know. Whatever.
This week was good! Highlight from this week: we went to Ignacio's house on Monday, I think, to talk a bit, review Conference and stuff. We walk in and Trinidad, his wife, was being really friendly and stuff. She has been not very willing to talk to us lately. Back in the day they went to Oregon to see Ignacio's dying brother and he bore testimony of the Virgin Mary and Trinidad got re converted to the Catholics. Well, on Monday we went in there and she is all hey, I have good news! Then went away for awhile. We talk to Ignacio for a bit, she walks by and I'm all hey, whats this good news?? Then she tells this story about how she was trying to get a passport and stuff all figured out, but accidentally left it in a shopping cart on the road. It's really important cuz it costs like $700 to replace and someone could steal her identity. She prayed really really hard for like a few hours, finally was able to retrieve her passport and stuff and it was kept safe. Now she knows for fact that God lives and although she was being stubborn, and wouldn't talk to us or anything, now she realizes that this is God's will for her, then she apologized for being so rude to us and ignoring us. Then, she said a closing prayer and in that prayer, pleaded for forgiveness and to be pardoned and promised she will take the church seriously again. She was the only thing holding back Ignacio. They both came to church as a couple yesterday, and the ward was very happy to see them. Ignacio had no idea of her experience till she told us all that. He was very happy. We didn't get another lesson with them because they had family stuff, but we did get some homemade fish tacos which were super super good. I love fish tacos :) We look forward to finally getting them to accept baptism. I really do know that God loves each of his children and He cares about what we care about. The Supreme Governor of the Universe probably really wouldn't care too much about a passport. In the eternal scheme of things, it really doesn't matter too much. But being our Father, He really does care for us so he helped her out and now she is interested again.
Doctrine and Covenants 58:26-27 states "For behold, it is not meet that I should command in all things; for he that is compelled in all things, the same is a slothful and not a wise servant; wherefore he receiveth no reward. Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness;" I like this a lot. a lot of times we wait so long to act, really needing to be guided for everything and worrying to much about if its something we should do. But as this scripture states, we should be always doing good things by our own accord, even if its not from the Spirit necessarily. In doing so we will be very effective servants of the Lord.
I hope you have a good week!
Love,
Elder Lloyd
So its Columbus day again. I'm not really sure why we like to shut down all the libraries on p-day, but ya know. Whatever.
This week was good! Highlight from this week: we went to Ignacio's house on Monday, I think, to talk a bit, review Conference and stuff. We walk in and Trinidad, his wife, was being really friendly and stuff. She has been not very willing to talk to us lately. Back in the day they went to Oregon to see Ignacio's dying brother and he bore testimony of the Virgin Mary and Trinidad got re converted to the Catholics. Well, on Monday we went in there and she is all hey, I have good news! Then went away for awhile. We talk to Ignacio for a bit, she walks by and I'm all hey, whats this good news?? Then she tells this story about how she was trying to get a passport and stuff all figured out, but accidentally left it in a shopping cart on the road. It's really important cuz it costs like $700 to replace and someone could steal her identity. She prayed really really hard for like a few hours, finally was able to retrieve her passport and stuff and it was kept safe. Now she knows for fact that God lives and although she was being stubborn, and wouldn't talk to us or anything, now she realizes that this is God's will for her, then she apologized for being so rude to us and ignoring us. Then, she said a closing prayer and in that prayer, pleaded for forgiveness and to be pardoned and promised she will take the church seriously again. She was the only thing holding back Ignacio. They both came to church as a couple yesterday, and the ward was very happy to see them. Ignacio had no idea of her experience till she told us all that. He was very happy. We didn't get another lesson with them because they had family stuff, but we did get some homemade fish tacos which were super super good. I love fish tacos :) We look forward to finally getting them to accept baptism. I really do know that God loves each of his children and He cares about what we care about. The Supreme Governor of the Universe probably really wouldn't care too much about a passport. In the eternal scheme of things, it really doesn't matter too much. But being our Father, He really does care for us so he helped her out and now she is interested again.
Doctrine and Covenants 58:26-27 states "For behold, it is not meet that I should command in all things; for he that is compelled in all things, the same is a slothful and not a wise servant; wherefore he receiveth no reward. Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness;" I like this a lot. a lot of times we wait so long to act, really needing to be guided for everything and worrying to much about if its something we should do. But as this scripture states, we should be always doing good things by our own accord, even if its not from the Spirit necessarily. In doing so we will be very effective servants of the Lord.
I hope you have a good week!
Love,
Elder Lloyd
Week 86!!!
Hello!
This week was pretty good! Turns out I have a new nephew now so that's pretty cool!
We actually spent a lot of time this week trying to work some stuff out. Like a lot of house keeping stuff trying to keep every ones head on straight! Like, for example, an Elder down in Hunting Beach went home. Not really sure why. Usually we aren't really affected by that but this time, they pulled an Elder from up here to go down and fill his spot because there is no Spanish ward down there so the Spanish Elders cover 4 white wards and translate, meanwhile there was 10 Spanish Elders in one ward up here! So that was fun. trying to get that all organized and stuff. It is always sad when your friends leave, but its all good!
This week at church we had a less active family there! It was pretty cool. She works a lot on Sunday's so it is pretty hard for her to come. We really hope she can start coming regularly though! She really is pretty converted to the gospel! She reads and prays and doesn't hesitate to come to church if she isn't working, It's just she works a lot!!
Ignacio is doing well; we didn't have too in depth conversations this week. One of our lessons was interrupted by his granddaughter that lives in river side who has a lot of very sincere desire to learn about God cuz you can tell the church she belongs too just isn't sitting right. We had a good lesson with her and invited her to get the missionaries to her house. She wouldn't give us her address, but I really do hope she invites them. She will get baptized for sure.
I am super excited for conference this weekend! Ezekiel 3:17 reads "Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me." This talks about the calling of a prophet and why we have them. This weekend, we have the opportunity to hear from the watchmen on the towers and to hear exactly what God wants us to hear. I invite all of you to watch as much as conference as you can. Go in with a question and pray and fast about it, and I promise you will receive and answer.
Have a good week!
This week was pretty good! Turns out I have a new nephew now so that's pretty cool!
We actually spent a lot of time this week trying to work some stuff out. Like a lot of house keeping stuff trying to keep every ones head on straight! Like, for example, an Elder down in Hunting Beach went home. Not really sure why. Usually we aren't really affected by that but this time, they pulled an Elder from up here to go down and fill his spot because there is no Spanish ward down there so the Spanish Elders cover 4 white wards and translate, meanwhile there was 10 Spanish Elders in one ward up here! So that was fun. trying to get that all organized and stuff. It is always sad when your friends leave, but its all good!
This week at church we had a less active family there! It was pretty cool. She works a lot on Sunday's so it is pretty hard for her to come. We really hope she can start coming regularly though! She really is pretty converted to the gospel! She reads and prays and doesn't hesitate to come to church if she isn't working, It's just she works a lot!!
Ignacio is doing well; we didn't have too in depth conversations this week. One of our lessons was interrupted by his granddaughter that lives in river side who has a lot of very sincere desire to learn about God cuz you can tell the church she belongs too just isn't sitting right. We had a good lesson with her and invited her to get the missionaries to her house. She wouldn't give us her address, but I really do hope she invites them. She will get baptized for sure.
I am super excited for conference this weekend! Ezekiel 3:17 reads "Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me." This talks about the calling of a prophet and why we have them. This weekend, we have the opportunity to hear from the watchmen on the towers and to hear exactly what God wants us to hear. I invite all of you to watch as much as conference as you can. Go in with a question and pray and fast about it, and I promise you will receive and answer.
Have a good week!
Love,
Elder Lloyd
Thursday, October 2, 2014
Week 85!!!
Hello World!
This week was way to fast! I really like Elder Nanto a lot! We get along great!! We really laugh all day. It's funny.
Do you remember Ignacio and Trinidad? They are back from Mexico now. We talked to Ignacio the other night. He is doing good! He didn't read in Mexico which is lame. He didn't remember much of the BOM so we started from the top and read the introduction. It was good. At the end, we did a recap on how the book is true. He said that he believes the book is true, and that he needs to read it more fully. We didn't discuss how it went with Trinidad in Mexico very much. We didn't have time. All of his family was coming over for his sons birthday. Then, yesterday he went with his family somewhere so he wasn't at church. We do have a lesson with him tonight though to talk about baptism. Pray for him to accept!! :) He has had a lot of family move into his house lately, so it'll be super good if he gets baptized and they all can see the difference in his life!
Sorry, i wasted a lot of time this email session and now this is short...
Moroni 10:32 reads "Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God." This scripture is one of my favorites. It really is super cool! Through Christ all our imperfections can be made whole if we do the best we can and always stay faithful.
Thanks a lot for all your prayers and support!
Love you all!
Elder Lloyd
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
Week 84!!!
Hi Everybody!
I liked this week a lot!! I love my new companion Elder Nanto! He is a stud. Super funny!! He is from North Carolina.
This week was actually kind of crazy. A lot was going on this week that wasn't too productive as far as lessons taught. Basically, we cleaned house this week and got rid of a lot of our old investigators that weren't progressing, and one investigator we had had to go to Guatemala to sort out some legal stuff. We had a lot of time to hit the streets and really go hard to find more people to teach. Makes for long days sometimes, but when you get home you feel really good knowing you tried hard to make stuff happen.
This morning we went up to hike up to the top of a mountain, really more of a big hill, but we got up there and set some really good goals and plans as a district. It was awesome. I haven't hiked in a very long time. Not sure how much this counts as hiking, but it's the best I got :) So that is why we were later today. It was super good though. The Spirit was there strong, guiding us and helping us to set some good goals that will make us all stretch as a district as we try to reach them and try to help each other to effectively invite others to Christ. I really do love my district leader. He has helped me out a lot, and the members of my district. I really do LOVE it here in Whittier. My whole mission I have heard bad things about Whittier, its hot, you go up and never hear from the mission and never leave. My first time here in Whittier West a year ago was great! That one and this one are honestly my two favorite areas! There are a ton of super good missionaries here and a ton of really good people that we can talk to. So much potential we are tapping into to bring about missionary work. I am so grateful for my call to serve in this mission, and in this area with Elder Nanto. We are both learning sooo much form one another. I am sooo grateful for my mission. I really get sooo excited to hear about people going out to serve missions. I really do know that missions will shape the lives of any one who will let them.
Fun story, the other day we went to pick up a member to take out with us. We drive to his house and he stiffs us, we were bummed but whatever right? Then our lesson fell through, kind of a crappy start of what was supposed to be a good night. But then we found a huge stuffed elephant, so, we grabbed it than put it on the other missionaries toilet. It was funny. You may have had to be there, but i say it was a tender mercy to make us feel better :)
Oh and I forgot to say this last week, and almost forgot this week, the second councilor that got deported, Hermano Pagola is back. Not really sure how, but I figure, if you can cross the border once i guess you can do it twice right? Props to border patrol!
This scripture is pretty cool. It's in Doctrine and Covenants 68:6 "Wherefore, be of good cheer, and do not fear, for I the Lord am with you, and will stand by you; and ye shall bear record of me, even Jesus Christ, that I am the Son of the living God, that I was, that I am, and that I am to come." This is a super cool scripture. A lot of people ridicule the members of the church, mainly because they just don't understand, but never be ashamed to stand up for your beliefs. We are on the winning team, and Jesus Christ is with us to build us up.
Have a good week!
Love,
Elder Lloyd
Week 83!!!
Hey Everyone!
This week was fast and kind of a blur! It was good! I am really trying to remember what happened though! Transfers came up again. Pretty sure last week I forgot to say don't send me letters, but that's okay cuz I am not moving anyways. But, Elder Cuello is moving to Cerritos. The area next to my last one! I am getting a new companion named Elder Nanto. The only thing I know about him is he is white, his Spanish could use a bit of work, and they describe him as a panda. Not sure what that means, but I am looking forward to working with him!
We had kind of a cool meeting this week, President Tew called all the non native Spanish speakers to have a specialized Spanish training. It was mainly geared to the newer missionaries, but I still learned a lot of really good things. I really do LOVE Spanish and the Spanish culture. No offense to any of you, but they are a lot cooler than white people. :) It really is just so much fun! They have such a different outlook on life! It is sooo laid back except for work time and party time! I had kind of a crazy experience in this. One of the Ap's trained us on learning the culture. He shared a few mission experiences and how much he loves it here. He has been out the same time is me. It hit me really hard that I don't have allot of time left. It really sucks! I'm really really going to miss this place.... Now its just time to sprint to the finish!! This point of my mission really came a lot faster then I ever thought it would. And usually at about right now, people start trunking out. I'm really not all that trunky though. :)
Alma 5:21 reads "I say unto you, ye will know at that day that ye cannot be saved; for there can no man be saved except his garments are washed white; yea, his garments must be purified until they are cleansed from all stain, through the blood of him of whom it has been spoken by our fathers, who should come to redeem his people from their sins." I found this scripture the other day. I really like it. Only through repentance can we be saved. There really is no other way. So allow Jesus Christ to help you be clean so you can be saved and have an eternal family.
Love you all lots!
Elder Lloyd
Friday, September 5, 2014
Week 82...TRANSFERS!!!
Happy September and Labor day every one! So I am the family history center right now. I really really don't like using slow computers... so if I don't get to your email today, I apologize... plus they cut my time short...
This week was interesting. One of my old roommates Elder Allowitz (the companionship that crashed on my floor for a week) was doing service for his investigators, and a dumpster ran over his foot and it was full of water. His foot literally exploded out the back of his toes... turns out the dumpster was pretty heavy. So he has been on bed rest, so we tried to run both areas all this week while we took turns sitting inside while he was on bed rest. So that was fun. I didn't really spend a whole lot of time in my area this week. again... I've had off days, off weeks, but I never thought I could have on and off transfer but this one is pretty close! We have all kinda been taking turns having medical problems.
Another crazy story, so the first councilor in the Bishopric wasn't at church on Sunday and a lot of the members were talking about don't go to San Diego. It's dangerous down there. I didn't really understand. Fast forward a few hours till after church I found out that the first councilor got deported last week. So that kinda sucks... I guess he went to San Diego to pick up some money and got taken by the immigration. Hopefully he is alright.
So Moses 7:62 reads "And righteousness will I send down out of heaven; and truth will I send forth out of the earth, to bear testimony of mine Only Begotten; his resurrection from the dead; yea, and also the resurrection of all men; and righteousness and truth will I cause to sweep the earth as with a flood, to gather out mine elect from the four quarters of the earth, unto a place which I shall prepare, an Holy City, that my people may gird up their loins, and be looking forth for the time of my coming; for there shall be my tabernacle, and it shall be called Zion, a New Jerusalem." This is super cool. How God will send out truth and righteousness to sweep the earth. You all should watch this. Its like 45 minutes long so be prepared for that, but really watch it. Its super cool and literally ancient prophesy being fulfilled through us. Please watch it :)
Welp, that's all I got this week. love you all!!
love,
Elder Lloyd
Week 81!!!
Hello!
This week was pretty good!
Ignacio and Trinidad didn't come to church, that was super lame. But we did have a good lesson with him and a member this Tuesday in which he said he got his weeks mixed up, and he isn't going to Mexico till this Friday. We have another lesson set up for tonight. It was cool, we were talking to Ignacio, Trinidad kept walking by acting like she wasn't interested still. Then at the end of the lesson she gave up her act and joined in. She definitely missed us once she wouldn't talk to us. I really hope it all goes well in Mexico when they leave and upon their return they still desire baptism.
We picked up one of our old investigators yesterday. Michelle. She is super cool. She never came to church with us because she said one time she went and it just wasn't for her. Well, she had an appendicitis three weeks ago, and now her opinions and priorities have changed and she is willing to talk to us again. So we look forward to meeting with her.
Our President asked us all to memorize Jacob 4:4 and 6 to get ready for a specialized training this week that we have. It's cool. "For, for this intent have we written these things, that they may know that we knew of Christ, and we had a hope of his glory many hundred years before his coming; and not only we ourselves had a hope of his glory, but also all the holy prophets which were before us. Wherefore, we search the prophets, and we have many revelations and the spirit of prophecy; and having all these witnesses we obtain a hope, and our faith becometh unshaken, insomuch that we truly can command in the name of Jesus and the very trees obey us, or the mountains, or the waves of the sea." It is super cool. You all should study the scriptures so your faith can become unshaken as well.
I hope you all have a good week! love you lots!!
Elder Lloyd
Week 80!!!
Man, another crazy week in the books!
So this week we were able to get out and finally do some good missionary work. At least for the most part. We still had some stuff to go to. Like Wednesday I had to drive another missionary to Anaheim. That was pretty fun. We drove right past all the Disneyland signs and stuff (as far as I know, not the actual park). I really wish I had my camera so I could send pictures for my mom :) but yeah that was good. Then we had to go to Long Beach a few times so Elder Cuello could meet with the mission president. Kind of a crazy story. I was in the office talking to a few other missionaries. I walked into the main part of the office instead of the foyer and like a minute later one of the senior missionaries walks in with a hand delivered package from my aunts and Grandma. That was kind of a trip. It took me a little bit to really realize I was just in the same building, and like 20 feet away from my family. I may have been a little trunky for a bit but its all good. :)
We had the bishop come with us to a lesson with Ignacio this week. It was really good. He expressed his concerns he is having. The Bishop asked him if he has faith in the Priesthood. He said yes, so the bishop then gave him a blessing to help him to know what he needs to do. Friday this week they are heading down to Mexico for a wedding and to celebrate Independence Day. He said while he is down there he is going to talk to Trinidad about their baptism . I hope it goes well! Pray for him! :)
1 John 4:7 reads "Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God." I really like that scripture a lot. you should all try a little harder to love a little stronger :)
I hope you all have a good week!
Love,
Elder Lloyd
Wednesday, August 13, 2014
Week 79!!!
Hello Everyone!
This week was pretty good, all things considered... So one of the elders that moved in with us was super sick all week... So basically this whole week was a ton of mini exchanges while someone would stay in with him bored out of our minds while he slept and the other two were out working in either my area or his... It was pretty interesting. But in the mix of things we were able to pull out some good lessons.
We FINALLY got Ignacio at church, but Trinidad didn't go. We found out that two or so months ago, they were in Oregon. His brother told him how the Virgin Maria has helped him to not die of cancer for the past 7 years, and made them promise not to switch religions till he dies. Well, Ignacio said he did it just to shut him up. He still wants to get baptized, but Trinidad flipped out. Now they argue about it and all sorts of stuff, and they are moving to Mexico at the end of this month... Please pray for them. They need it....
Doctrine and Covenants 98:22 "And again I say unto you, if ye observe to do whatsoever I command you, I, the Lord, will turn away all wrath and indignation from you, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against you." That scripture is pretty cool. You should all obey God's commandments so that he protects you and builds you up :)
Love you lots! have a good week!!
Elder Lloyd
Week 78!!!
So this week was interesting... wasn't the biggest fan of it to be honest. So, Tuesday was transfers right?? So long story short, we found out Tuesday morning at 7:20 am that we are getting roommates at 7:30 am, and we were 20 minutes away sending off another missionary. So a lot more of this week then I wanted was spent trying to get these two missionaries a new place to live and a lot of housekeeping stuff. It was really quite annoying. So they were supposed to be living with some members, but last minute, the members bailed. Something came up, so now they are crashing on our floor and we have stuff piled up everywhere cuz we have no room for two more missionaries. Its not the biggest apartment in the world. So they may be here for the transfer. But in two weeks, another apartment opens up in our complex that we are trying to get. It's kinda crazy... We also had to run to long beach this week which took up almost an entire afternoon. Basically, a lot of stuff happened this week that I didn't really want it too and as a result, we really didn't work as much as I wanted too.
But, the work we were able to do was good. We found a new investigator named Janneth. She is 15, a year ago her 13 year old brother died. It was really sad talking to her. She, at first was very reserved and wouldn't say much, but thanks to the Spirit and the gift of discernment, we were really able to talk to her and to get her to open up. We took her back a few years, when believing in God would give her hope, and helped her connect the dots and realize that now when she needs God the most, the last thing she needs to do is turn her back on Him. Then we testified that the Plan of Salvation exists and through Christ, she can see her brother again. It really was one of my favorite lessons I have taught.
I like this scripture. Its Doctrine and Covenants section 98 verse 13. It reads "And whoso layeth down his life in my cause, for my name’s sake, shall find it again, even life eternal." It is pretty cool. If we really lay down our life for Christ, really will find purpose and truly come to know that He lives and you will really learn what life is all about. And once you learn that, life is happy and fun :) I read a talk once in which Elder Holland says that someone asked him if he would die for the church. he responded man I'd love dying for the church because right now I'm living of it and I'm getting old and tired. Dying is the easy part! Or more or less along those lines. I thought that was pretty cool and I'd like to invite you all to really start living for Christ and the church. Lose your life for him, and you really will find it.
Thanks a lot for everything!
Love,
Elder Lloyd
Week 77!!!
Hello!!
This week was really kind of slower... like a lot slower... I'm not really sure what to say here.
This week was really kind of slower... like a lot slower... I'm not really sure what to say here.
Me and Elder Cuello are staying together for one more transfer. That will be good. We are here for a purpose, and will go out and find the reason why. Someone here needs u,s and we will bring the Gospel to them. I am actually glad because one of our investigators took a two week trip to Europe. She comes back next week. She takes a while to get warmed up with people, so I am glad that me and Elder Cuello are both here to help her out because she already knows and trusts us.
Ignacio and Trinidad were supposed to come to church yesterday but they did not. We called him and he said that it was because Trinidad fell asleep and he didn't want to wake her. I was really annoyed because they were up and going 45 minutes before church when we stopped by to remind them to come.
So I just learned that I have to be off the computer quickly because there is a big line waiting, so we don't get the extra time today... Doctrine and Covenants 90:24 says "Search diligently, pray always, and be believing, and all things shall work together for your good" That is super cool. If you are faithful, you will be blessed and things will work out for your benefit.
Sorry this email isn't the best this week... it was a slow week and I am out of time.
Love you all!
Elder Lloyd
Week 76... TRANSFERS!!!
Hello!! So this week was super fun with our mini missionary! We had a pretty good time. It was really cool to see how much he grew in just a little time. He really got a lot more confident in sharing the gospel and speaking up in lessons. I am super excited for him to go out and serve his own full time mission. He really enjoyed the week we had. He was, however, excited to go home. I don't think he was the biggest fan of no phones, no girls, and no music, but that's the mission! :) He really enjoyed it, and I really could see how much he started to care about the people we teach in such a short time. It was a neat experience. It made me realize how much I have come in such a short time. Missions really do shape your life, and really help you to be better; if you let them change you, that is.
This week was good. We found three new investigators that we will continue teaching. We were supposed to get Ignacio and Trinidad baptized, but it didn't work out. I guess he still has family in Mexico and property over there. Not sure exactly what happened, but he really just dropped everything and had to run down there for a week to fix it. They keep saying how excited they are to be baptized. They are ready to go too! We'll just have to wait for them to come back. They will be here this week.
We had a zone conference this week. It was good. Some of the things that were said there, and my experience with Pablo really made me think a little bit. It got me thinking about how glad I am to be serving a mission for the past few months. About how much I really have grown and learned. I am sooo thankful for my mission.
So crazy stuff, yet another transfer has passed. So... if you want to send me a letter, make sure it gets to my by Saturday because I may or may not be moving soon! I hate transfers! They are stressful! I don't think I'll ever get used to them! But, that's how it goes!!
So this verse in Malachi 4:2 reads "but unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall" that is pretty cool. Basically if we are a God fearing people and we do what God says, His Son will heal us through His atonement. I know that this is true. That Christ really did atone for all our sins and pains. I invite all of you to do all you can to follow His teachings so you can take advantage of His atonement in your daily life.
Until next week,
Love,
Elder Lloyd
Monday, August 11, 2014
Week 75!!!
So this week was pretty good. Really, it was odd. It went super fast though! We really had a ton of lessons fall through this week. Like a TON!! We don't even know why! We also dropped Zen. More of she dropped us. I am bummed. She really is so prepared! She talked to her pastor feller at school and he confirmed for her her beliefs. She really isn't the hardest catholic, but apparently enough. Now isn't her time, but I really do think she will come to the church later. Probably after she graduates and is out on her own in college or something. We found a few other really cool people this week that we look forward to teach. Their names are Christina and Natalie. They are sisters. Elder Cuello contacted their dad on exchanges and we went by. He was very drunk, so we didn't talk to him much but he told us to go by. We return, he was a little drunk. He said he wants us to teach his family. So we did. They are all very cool. We are trying to help him get off alcohol and him and his family to the happiness they can receive from the gospel. We will see how that goes!
I love my family sooo much! This week, I literally watched a very solid family start to collapse. One of the hardest things I have done on my mission is see the effects of families that fall apart, or watch them fall apart. This family was super cool and solid, but slowly stopped being soo active in the church, than one thing after another, they are on their way to getting a divorce. The daughter texted us really upset and said we are among the very few people we can trust. It really had me upset. I don't like it when families collapse.
We got a mini missionary today. Basically what that is is we have a priest serving a mini mission this week with us. He is with us 24/7 doing all that we do to help him prepare to serve his mission in a few months. I had never heard of that in Utah. Not sure if they do it there or not. Kinda cool, its actually Pablo Luque. The son of some very cool members in my last area. Pretty cool, no one had any say in it. It was just revelation :) So we look forward to having an awesome week with him!
I like this scripture. its Joshua 1:9. "Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest." Basically it's a commandment to be happy and confident and to remember that if we do what we know is right, we will have the companionship of the Holy Ghost. Its short and sweet. I like it :) I am not really sure of a commitment to leave. Got it ha ha. Cnfidently share the gospel with someone this week! It will be good! I really can promise you that God will help you out. He really will help you, because he wants His children to return to live with him and only through this Gospel is that possible.
Have a good week!
love,
Elder Lloyd
Week 74!!!
This week was good. I'm a day late because we had a temple trip today. I really do love the temple sooo much!! I love the feeling in it as you go and just sit and ponder. Every time my testimony strengthens in Jesus Christ and in the Plan of Salvation, and that I will be with my family forever. I love the Gospel sooo much!! I challenge all of you who can go to the temple currently to go do it sometime this week. It will strengthen your testimony as well. All of those who may not be able to go at this time, please do what ever you need to do to be ready to go in as soon as you can. It may be hard, and take a little sacrifice, but get there as soon as you can. I can promise only good things will come as you forsake what is holding you back for the things of Christ. I really do know that the peace and eternal joy the things of God offers you is far better than any momentary pleasure the world can offer.
This week we was kinda slower with the holiday and such. We were not able to get anyone at church which is super lame, but we found a bit and taught some good lessons that will hopefully get some folks at Church next week.
So the girl Zen we found last week. We had a lesson yesterday. We texted her to confirm it then she texted us trying to drop us and stay catholic. We asked if we could still come over. She said yes, so we took some of the young women with us to help answer some of her questions. She is super prepared but her family is pretty catholic... I'm afraid she isn't going to be allowed to really investigate. We taught her grandpa the other day too. He is cool. I really hope that we can see them progress!
I am out of time in just a bit... sometimes people send me pics that take all my time! :) but here is a cool scripture in Mormon 8 :35 "Behold, I speak unto you as if ye were present, and yet ye are not. But behold, Jesus Christ hath shown you unto me, and I know your doing" that is really cool. Particularly in the end of the Book of Mormon, it is written just for us. It is really neat. It is directed to us and what we need to know in these days. Moroni really did see us. He really does know what is like, and through the Spirit he wrote these things. I wanted to share a scripture from chapter 8 but all of them I wanted were really too long to do here so I chose this one and I would like to invite you all to study Mormon chapter 8, which is written for you personally, and choose one principle to apply in your life this week. Ii know as you prayerfully do so, Jesus Christ will help you to become more like him.
Have a good week!
love,
Elder Lloyd
Week 73!!!
Hello everyone!
This week was pretty good. Elder Cuello had a TON of bike problems though which was super lame. Poor guy. We spent a lot more time indoors then I would have liked while he fixed it up, and I sat there studying, or seizing the moment to just relax in the A/C a little bit.
We have been teaching a lot this week. It is super nice. We had an older retired couple scheduled for baptism next week, but his brother is really sick right now, so they pushed it back a few weeks so they can go up to Oregon and see him. They are very prepared and ready to go. They were found like 6 years ago and have been in the area book for quite awhile. I was thinking, I bet the missionaries who found them all those years ago would be so happy to know they are getting baptized. I love this work.
We found a really solid girl named Zen this week. She lives with her Grandparents. We received a referral to go by her grandpa, Ramiro, but they had family in town so they didn't talk to us, although, they were very nice and want us to come back. Zen however, did want to talk. She is catholic but very open to learn more. Mid lesson, she stated how we seem to know what we are talking about, how we are very sincere and she just feels something different when we talk then when her catholic teachers (she goes to a catholic high school) talk. At the end, she asked us for a book of Mormon before we even had a chance to offer her one. The lesson went very well. I look forward to helping her more. I enjoyed this week a lot.
Mormon 7:7 reads "And he hath brought to pass the redemption of the world, whereby he that is found guiltless before him at the judgment day hath it given unto him to dwell in the presence of God in his kingdom, to sing ceaseless praises with the choirs above, unto the Father, and unto the Son, and unto the Holy Ghost, which are one God, in a state of happiness which hath no end." I like this scripture. it is talking about Jesus Christ and how he did redeem us all, now we need to do our part by living up to his commandments so that we can inherit the Celestial kingdom and eternal happiness and glory. All these blessings are promised unto us if we obey what Christ asks. So, I invite you to do and repent of your sins so that you may stand guiltless before him in the day of Judgment.
Have a good week!
Elder Lloyd
Week 72!!!
This week was super good! I really like it up here in Whittier! It isn't as hot as it was last year, but then again, I don't even know if summer has officially started yet or not. Give it a few months and we will see!
My new companion is Elder Cuello. He was born in Argentina, but moved to Arizona when he was five. He is super cool. We get along great! I have enjoyed this past week with him. This week was really very good. We have, right now, more current investigators then I have had previously on my mission at any given point. Right now, we are just trying to see who is actually interested and who we can get to progress to baptism and accept these blessings we are offering them. We were not able to get anyone at church yesterday which is super lame. We had a few saying they will come, but then they didn't . Straight up, I blame the world cup!
I am actually not really sure what to say this week... I don't really know anyone well enough to comment. There is this couple, Ignacio and Trinidad. We talked to them; Elder Cuello said they are ready for baptism, They say they aren't. We went over the baptismal interview questions, they answered everything perfectly! We have a lesson with the bishop to talk with them about it. Man, this week went sooooo fast! I really just am blanking on what happened...
Doctrine and Covenants 45:57-58 says" For they that are wise and have received the truth, and have taken the Holy Spirit for their guide, and have not been deceived- verily I say unto you, they shall not be hewn down and cast into the fire, but shall abide the day. And the earth shall be given unto them for an inheritance; and they shall multiply and wax strong, and their children shall grow up without sin unto salvation" This is pretty cool. If we are wise, we will accept the truth when it comes our way and when we do that, we will not be damned to eternal woe, but blessed with eternal families. So, be wise and do good things! :)
Have a good week!!
Love,
Elder Lloyd
My new companion is Elder Cuello. He was born in Argentina, but moved to Arizona when he was five. He is super cool. We get along great! I have enjoyed this past week with him. This week was really very good. We have, right now, more current investigators then I have had previously on my mission at any given point. Right now, we are just trying to see who is actually interested and who we can get to progress to baptism and accept these blessings we are offering them. We were not able to get anyone at church yesterday which is super lame. We had a few saying they will come, but then they didn't . Straight up, I blame the world cup!
I am actually not really sure what to say this week... I don't really know anyone well enough to comment. There is this couple, Ignacio and Trinidad. We talked to them; Elder Cuello said they are ready for baptism, They say they aren't. We went over the baptismal interview questions, they answered everything perfectly! We have a lesson with the bishop to talk with them about it. Man, this week went sooooo fast! I really just am blanking on what happened...
Doctrine and Covenants 45:57-58 says" For they that are wise and have received the truth, and have taken the Holy Spirit for their guide, and have not been deceived- verily I say unto you, they shall not be hewn down and cast into the fire, but shall abide the day. And the earth shall be given unto them for an inheritance; and they shall multiply and wax strong, and their children shall grow up without sin unto salvation" This is pretty cool. If we are wise, we will accept the truth when it comes our way and when we do that, we will not be damned to eternal woe, but blessed with eternal families. So, be wise and do good things! :)
Have a good week!!
Love,
Elder Lloyd
Saturday, June 28, 2014
Week 71... TRANSFERS!!!
So, I kinda got distracted and lost track of time... so I better hurry and do this email!! Sorry Mom! Don't be mad at me!!
So, this week was actually super good. One of the best ones me and Elder Roberts have had! We taught almost every night this week! We only didn't teach on Thursday. Manuel and Jeni are doing super good; they are progressing in the Gospel quite well. They were not able to make it to church this week. We are going by tonight to find out why not. But they are reading and understanding the Book of Mormon and praying about it. I cant wait till their baptism! Not sure when it will be, but it is definitely coming up!
So the uncle of Hermana Gonzales died. That's sad. They weren't at church because they went down to Mexico. I really hope this is what they need to return back to church.
We met this new lady and her son named Elsy and Sergio. She came to church and liked it a lot! Her husband was killed 2 years ago. She tried to keep her faith but she says it was hard because her kids were saying stuff like why did God let that happen, and she didn't know why. So, we will help her to know the Gospel and that she can see him again.
I love my mission! Time is going way to fast! Transfers is coming up again, so if you want to send me any mail, make sure it gets here by Saturday! I think I am probably going to be moving this one, I have been here for a long time!!
Jacob 2;18-19 says "But before ye seek for riches, seek ye for the kingdom of God. And after ye have obtained a hope in Christ ye shall obtain riches, if ye seek them; and ye will seek them for the intent to do good—to clothe the naked, and to feed the hungry, and to liberate the captive, and administer relief to the sick and the afflicted." I really like that. I really do know that as we put God first in all that we do, all other things will work out. I know that God wants to bless us and wants to use us to bless others, but first, we need to do what he asks of us.
I hope you all have a good week and a happy fathers day!
Love,
So, this week was actually super good. One of the best ones me and Elder Roberts have had! We taught almost every night this week! We only didn't teach on Thursday. Manuel and Jeni are doing super good; they are progressing in the Gospel quite well. They were not able to make it to church this week. We are going by tonight to find out why not. But they are reading and understanding the Book of Mormon and praying about it. I cant wait till their baptism! Not sure when it will be, but it is definitely coming up!
So the uncle of Hermana Gonzales died. That's sad. They weren't at church because they went down to Mexico. I really hope this is what they need to return back to church.
We met this new lady and her son named Elsy and Sergio. She came to church and liked it a lot! Her husband was killed 2 years ago. She tried to keep her faith but she says it was hard because her kids were saying stuff like why did God let that happen, and she didn't know why. So, we will help her to know the Gospel and that she can see him again.
I love my mission! Time is going way to fast! Transfers is coming up again, so if you want to send me any mail, make sure it gets here by Saturday! I think I am probably going to be moving this one, I have been here for a long time!!
Jacob 2;18-19 says "But before ye seek for riches, seek ye for the kingdom of God. And after ye have obtained a hope in Christ ye shall obtain riches, if ye seek them; and ye will seek them for the intent to do good—to clothe the naked, and to feed the hungry, and to liberate the captive, and administer relief to the sick and the afflicted." I really like that. I really do know that as we put God first in all that we do, all other things will work out. I know that God wants to bless us and wants to use us to bless others, but first, we need to do what he asks of us.
I hope you all have a good week and a happy fathers day!
Love,
Week 70!!!
Doctrine and Covenants section 1 verses 29 and 30 states "And after having received the record of the Nephites, yea, even my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., might have power to translate through the mercy of God, by the power of God, the Book of Mormon. And also those to whom these commandments were given, might have power to lay the foundation of this church, and to bring it forth out of obscurity and out of darkness, the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth, with which I, the Lord, am well pleased, speaking unto the church collectively and not individually—"
Saturday we had a visit from Elder Ballard of the Quorum of the 12, Elder Acosta of the area 70 and Elder Schwitzer of the 70. They came to town to do some training for the local priesthood leaders, and for us missionaries as well. I know that Elder Ballard is an ordained Apostle of Jesus Christ. I sat at his feet and listened to him talk. I felt the undeniable Holy Ghost tell me that he has authority from on High. I felt the whole feeling of the room change as he walked in and testified of Christ. I think I remember one time when I was younger that we had a member of the Quorum of the 12 come to stake conference. I really don't remember much about it though. This Saturday was the first time I have shaken the hand of an Apostle of the Lord with the new testimony and knowledge I have received here on my mission. in my mind this was a crowing event that changed my mission and changed me for forever. I mean before this time I had no problem looking anyone in the eyes and testifying that we have a prophet, but now really I cant imagine not sharing with people. In that meeting Elder Schwitzer read a verse in Alma that I'm not exactly sure where its at but says how Alma the Younger and his companions shaked and trembled because of the fact their brothers were perishing in unbelief. He asked us how many of us quake and tremble over the people of Southern California. It really makes you think. I have found myself becoming saddened by rejection. when I first started I would get discouraged by rejection. "why are they rejecting me?" then I got used to it iIguess and I wasn't discouraged. When I would get rejected I would move on. I knew I was there for a reason and someone would hear us. lately, I have come to know in a very real sense that I am a personal emissary of Christ. I am enlisted in His work to do what He would do if He were here. I came to know that it is something sad when people reject us because it is not us they are rejecting, but Christ. as we have His "only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth". This experience with Elder Ballard sealed the deal. It was a very humbling experience, hearing him testify that we are servants of Christ. It really made me want to be better. I want to go scream to the world that our church is true. That I know that through a living prophet, we have the authority to seal families for eternity.
So if I were to describe this week in a nutshell it would be the church is true. I know it and I can not deny it. I want everyone to know that I know that this is the one true church, for I have felt the Spirit testify to me the same way it is testifying to you right now as you read these words. I know the Book of Mormon to be the word of God and evidence that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Church of Jesus Christ restored on the earth in preparation for the second coming of the Messiah. Please read this book and pray about it. I desire all to come to the knowledge and partake of the happiness and joy I have because of this knowledge. As an ordained representative of Jesus Christ, I promise in His name that you will receive a testimony of Him by the same Spirit that I did. I bear this testimony to you in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Week 69!!!
Hello!
This week was great! We had Hna Gonzales and her family at church again. They keep bailing after Sacrament meeting, but at least they are there for that. Little by little they are coming back into activity. I absolutely love watching people slowly start to come into the gospel and watch the blessings and the happiness come to them. I LOVE my mission!
We found 3 new investigators this week. One is named Carmen. She is 74 and has been catholic all her life. She loves the catholic church. She could be super good though if she lets us help her! I guess time will tell. She set up a return appointment so that's good. It shows she at least liked what we said. The other two are a father and son named Manuel and Nate. Manuel fell off a ladder at work and messed up his leg and slipped two disks in his back, Nate is in 8th grade and has Leukemia, needless to say, they are very humble. They will get baptized for sure. They came to mutual. They are very interested in boy scouts, but I guess mutual was changed so they went to a park to play sports. Nate cant play sports right now, but they did meet a lot of the members and some friends. They unfortunately were not at church because Nate had a doctor appointment so that's pretty lame, but in time we will get them. They are very prepared to accept the gospel. It really is interesting to meet sooo many different people in sooo many different walks of life and see how each has had different experiences and how they either turn to God because of them, or Satan gets them to turn away. I know that Heavenly Father is leading and guiding this work.
We had ward conference this week. It was focused on Doctrine and covenants 38:30 "I tell you these things because of your prayers; wherefore, treasure up wisdom in your bosoms, lest the wickedness of men reveal these things unto you by their wickedness, in a manner which shall speak in your ears with a voice louder than that which shall shake the earth; but if ye are prepared ye shall not fear." Particularly the last part, if you are prepared, you will not fear. The bishop and stake president both gave very good talks on how we all need to get prepared, do things like save food storage, save money, learn English, get legal, (no lie. he said that), read and pray DAILY and attend the church. this weekend alone a school got shot up, 6 people died, a mom in Torrance killed her 3 daughters, and close to where I live, a cholo shot 2 random people on the street, and a few streets down from that another guy shot someone else. Basically, the world is going to crap. So get prepared both spiritually and temporally so that you are ready, for if you are ready you will have no reason to fear.
This week was super good but super fast! I cant wait till next week! You have a good week too!
This week was great! We had Hna Gonzales and her family at church again. They keep bailing after Sacrament meeting, but at least they are there for that. Little by little they are coming back into activity. I absolutely love watching people slowly start to come into the gospel and watch the blessings and the happiness come to them. I LOVE my mission!
We found 3 new investigators this week. One is named Carmen. She is 74 and has been catholic all her life. She loves the catholic church. She could be super good though if she lets us help her! I guess time will tell. She set up a return appointment so that's good. It shows she at least liked what we said. The other two are a father and son named Manuel and Nate. Manuel fell off a ladder at work and messed up his leg and slipped two disks in his back, Nate is in 8th grade and has Leukemia, needless to say, they are very humble. They will get baptized for sure. They came to mutual. They are very interested in boy scouts, but I guess mutual was changed so they went to a park to play sports. Nate cant play sports right now, but they did meet a lot of the members and some friends. They unfortunately were not at church because Nate had a doctor appointment so that's pretty lame, but in time we will get them. They are very prepared to accept the gospel. It really is interesting to meet sooo many different people in sooo many different walks of life and see how each has had different experiences and how they either turn to God because of them, or Satan gets them to turn away. I know that Heavenly Father is leading and guiding this work.
We had ward conference this week. It was focused on Doctrine and covenants 38:30 "I tell you these things because of your prayers; wherefore, treasure up wisdom in your bosoms, lest the wickedness of men reveal these things unto you by their wickedness, in a manner which shall speak in your ears with a voice louder than that which shall shake the earth; but if ye are prepared ye shall not fear." Particularly the last part, if you are prepared, you will not fear. The bishop and stake president both gave very good talks on how we all need to get prepared, do things like save food storage, save money, learn English, get legal, (no lie. he said that), read and pray DAILY and attend the church. this weekend alone a school got shot up, 6 people died, a mom in Torrance killed her 3 daughters, and close to where I live, a cholo shot 2 random people on the street, and a few streets down from that another guy shot someone else. Basically, the world is going to crap. So get prepared both spiritually and temporally so that you are ready, for if you are ready you will have no reason to fear.
This week was super good but super fast! I cant wait till next week! You have a good week too!
Love,
Elder Lloyd
Saturday, June 21, 2014
Week 68!!!
Man, it's getting hot! I saw 109 twice last week. Assuming the car wasn't lying. That was even after driving for a few minutes to get it to adjust right! So, here we are sweating all the days while you are all wearing coats in Utah :) But, that's how it goes!
This week was pretty good. We had the Gonzales family at church yesterday! They are a less active family that we have been working with. They have been telling us for months they will come, then they never did. But, yesterday they were there so that is super cool! They left after sacrament meeting, but little by little they are going to come back. :)
We found a few super good people we are going to start teaching this week. They have a lot of potential, and we look forward to helping them to come to the gospel so they can partake in the happiness that comes from it. It is super cool to see the change come into people's lives as they learn about the Gospel and apply it in their lives. I really do love my mission.
Ether 12:27 is a super cool verse that I like a lot. It reads "And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that be humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them." I really like it. When I was a young missionary, I was frustrated and a bit discouraged because I was really struggling with the language. This verse, shown to me by a friend, helped me a lot to get back on track and to be happy. To come unto Christ and allow him to work in my life and to help me out. Now, a year later, Spanish is definitely one of my strengths, and I am being blessed by it and so are many others. I invite you all to choose one of your weaknesses you have and to take it to Christ humbly and allow Him to help you make it a strength, and I promise you He will.
Love,
Elder Lloyd
This week was pretty good. We had the Gonzales family at church yesterday! They are a less active family that we have been working with. They have been telling us for months they will come, then they never did. But, yesterday they were there so that is super cool! They left after sacrament meeting, but little by little they are going to come back. :)
We found a few super good people we are going to start teaching this week. They have a lot of potential, and we look forward to helping them to come to the gospel so they can partake in the happiness that comes from it. It is super cool to see the change come into people's lives as they learn about the Gospel and apply it in their lives. I really do love my mission.
Ether 12:27 is a super cool verse that I like a lot. It reads "And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that be humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them." I really like it. When I was a young missionary, I was frustrated and a bit discouraged because I was really struggling with the language. This verse, shown to me by a friend, helped me a lot to get back on track and to be happy. To come unto Christ and allow him to work in my life and to help me out. Now, a year later, Spanish is definitely one of my strengths, and I am being blessed by it and so are many others. I invite you all to choose one of your weaknesses you have and to take it to Christ humbly and allow Him to help you make it a strength, and I promise you He will.
Love,
Elder Lloyd
Week 67!!!
Hello! Happy mothers day to all you mothers out there! I hope you all had a good day! I know mine was GREAT cuz I got to skype with my family :)
This week was super good! We got a few more investigators, and taught a few really good lessons. We were passing by some potentials we had found looking for a former investigator a few weeks ago. We met Arturo and his wife Natividad. They are soo cool! We knocked on their door, and Arturo answered. He said he had talked to missionaries before, but never got baptized cuz he moved back to Mexico for a few months, then just came back. We promised him that hearing the message we have to share will bless him more than he is able to comprehend before seeing these blessings come into his life. We asked if he's got a few minutes, and he told us to come in. We had a very nice talk with them. They are nonpracticing Catholics, and very very humble. We really were able to feel the Spirit with them. They said they cant wait to learn more. It truly was a miracle to find to a family that really wants and needs the Gospel.
We also had a lesson with Maria. Her nephew passed away last week, or two weeks ago. It was super sad, but she was humbled a lot. Her husband too. We finally got her husband to sit into a lesson with us. That was very good. We taught a very powerful plan of salvation. I love the Plan of Salvation and what it means. It is a very big role in why I am out here serving.
Last week, a few of the young women threw us a quincenera. It's like a sweet 16, but it is for when Latina girls turn 15. It was pretty fun. Me and 4 other missionaries in the ward turned 15 months. We are getting OLD!!!
Doctrine and Covenants 123:16-17 says "You know, brethren, that a very large ship is benefited very much by a very small helm in the time of a storm, by being kept workways with the wind and the waves. Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed." That is a super cool scripture that Elder Roberts shared with a member. Remember that its the little things in life that make very big changes in the course of our life. So always remember that, and keep focused on the things of Christ so that you may continually be guided to the good things is life. The peace and happiness that only can come through the knowledge the Gospel gives.
Until next week,
Love,
Elder Lloyd
(I cant remember which picture I was smiling in for the quincenera, and the preview on the computer is too small to tell... :) )
This week was super good! We got a few more investigators, and taught a few really good lessons. We were passing by some potentials we had found looking for a former investigator a few weeks ago. We met Arturo and his wife Natividad. They are soo cool! We knocked on their door, and Arturo answered. He said he had talked to missionaries before, but never got baptized cuz he moved back to Mexico for a few months, then just came back. We promised him that hearing the message we have to share will bless him more than he is able to comprehend before seeing these blessings come into his life. We asked if he's got a few minutes, and he told us to come in. We had a very nice talk with them. They are nonpracticing Catholics, and very very humble. We really were able to feel the Spirit with them. They said they cant wait to learn more. It truly was a miracle to find to a family that really wants and needs the Gospel.
We also had a lesson with Maria. Her nephew passed away last week, or two weeks ago. It was super sad, but she was humbled a lot. Her husband too. We finally got her husband to sit into a lesson with us. That was very good. We taught a very powerful plan of salvation. I love the Plan of Salvation and what it means. It is a very big role in why I am out here serving.
Last week, a few of the young women threw us a quincenera. It's like a sweet 16, but it is for when Latina girls turn 15. It was pretty fun. Me and 4 other missionaries in the ward turned 15 months. We are getting OLD!!!
Doctrine and Covenants 123:16-17 says "You know, brethren, that a very large ship is benefited very much by a very small helm in the time of a storm, by being kept workways with the wind and the waves. Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed." That is a super cool scripture that Elder Roberts shared with a member. Remember that its the little things in life that make very big changes in the course of our life. So always remember that, and keep focused on the things of Christ so that you may continually be guided to the good things is life. The peace and happiness that only can come through the knowledge the Gospel gives.
Until next week,
Love,
Elder Lloyd
(I cant remember which picture I was smiling in for the quincenera, and the preview on the computer is too small to tell... :) )
Thursday, June 12, 2014
Week 66!!!
So, wasn't watching the time... usually I try to do these emails first now, but today I got distracted a bit... now I am almost out of time.
This week was good. It was super slow though, and super hot! Like 100 degrees every day! We spent a lot of time in finding activities with members and tracting because almost all of the lessons we had set fell through. But, that's how it goes. Every week cant be the best week!
So our investigator Maria couldn't meet with us this week. Her nephew died, its sad. Her family is all super sad. I cant imagine trying to face death without the gospel. A death in the family is hard enough with the gospel and with the knowledge that I WILL see my family again. They are doing some funeral stuff like that, but this week we should be able to get in and have a lesson. Sounds like the perfect time to teach her the Plan of Salvation! So, we will get in on that and bring her to the knowledge we have and allow Christ to comfort her in her time of need. We really hope we can catch up with her whole family as well. She has told us that she really wants her kids to learn more about Christ because she has failed at teaching them herself. She really is a cool lady, with a lot of sincere desire. She just works a lot so we can meet with her.
I didn't get transferred! So I will stay here with Elder Roberts for another 6 weeks! I am excited! That makes 5 transfers in this area which is crazy! That's two more than my other areas! I felt like I am not done with my work here, now its time to go find out what the Lord has in store.
Isaiah 41:10 reads "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness." I really like that. It is a great comforter. I really do know that as we do the things that God Commands, He really will be with us. I have seen it in my life, that as I strive as hard as I can do obey with exactness, I have the Spirit with me a lot more prevalently and I have much more peace and joy in my life. I invite you all to strive to obey with exactness, and I promise you that as you do, these blessings will come to you too.
Sorry the email is a little bit lacking this week,
Love,
Elder Lloyd
This week was good. It was super slow though, and super hot! Like 100 degrees every day! We spent a lot of time in finding activities with members and tracting because almost all of the lessons we had set fell through. But, that's how it goes. Every week cant be the best week!
So our investigator Maria couldn't meet with us this week. Her nephew died, its sad. Her family is all super sad. I cant imagine trying to face death without the gospel. A death in the family is hard enough with the gospel and with the knowledge that I WILL see my family again. They are doing some funeral stuff like that, but this week we should be able to get in and have a lesson. Sounds like the perfect time to teach her the Plan of Salvation! So, we will get in on that and bring her to the knowledge we have and allow Christ to comfort her in her time of need. We really hope we can catch up with her whole family as well. She has told us that she really wants her kids to learn more about Christ because she has failed at teaching them herself. She really is a cool lady, with a lot of sincere desire. She just works a lot so we can meet with her.
I didn't get transferred! So I will stay here with Elder Roberts for another 6 weeks! I am excited! That makes 5 transfers in this area which is crazy! That's two more than my other areas! I felt like I am not done with my work here, now its time to go find out what the Lord has in store.
Isaiah 41:10 reads "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness." I really like that. It is a great comforter. I really do know that as we do the things that God Commands, He really will be with us. I have seen it in my life, that as I strive as hard as I can do obey with exactness, I have the Spirit with me a lot more prevalently and I have much more peace and joy in my life. I invite you all to strive to obey with exactness, and I promise you that as you do, these blessings will come to you too.
Sorry the email is a little bit lacking this week,
Love,
Elder Lloyd
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
Week 65... TRANSFERS!!!
This week was interesting! We had Mormon helping hands on Saturday which was really cool. I have never done that before. We were supposed to do it last year, but Elder Kasen and I were already committed to help a family move so we didn't make it to the big organized project. It was pretty cool. We got to wear the cool yellow vests you see on the news and on the world report between conference sessions :) We helped this little old lady paint her house. She could barely stand. She had to have her care taker come help her walk out to say thanks to us. It was really neat. Her garage, and door frames and window frames were all messed up, so we sanded them all down and painted them for her. Her house looks a ton better now. She was very appreciative of our help. Service really gives you a good feeling inside :) I was on the sanding crew. I really wish I would have took a picture but I didn't have my camera :( so me and a couple elders were covered in white paint dust from head to tow. Her house was pretty old too so chances are it was lead paint. That's just how California rolls. for basically all day Saturday and Sunday I was sneezing and coughing out white pasty stuff. Pretty sure I have lead paint dust all up in my lungs. So if I get lung cancer in a few years, its because I served a mission :)
Last night we went up to Whittier for a baptism. That was super cool. It was a family that Elder Roberts taught. It was weird to be back up there, so close to my last area. I wanted to go visit some people again, but I couldn't so we didn't. :) It was very cool to watch this family come unto Christ and be completed by the Gospel. Start their new journey together towards sealed eternally. I love watching baptisms.
I learned a really important lesson this week. More of realized I learned it a bit ago. In 3 Nephi 12:44 Jesus tells us to "love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them who despitefully use you and persecute you/" So me and Elder Roberts were out and about. It was like 8:30 and our set just fell through. I HATE knocking doors that late. We resolve to go by one former investigator we had written down. So, we go and knock it. This dude, probably about 27 or so answers and cusses us out. He says that we better not knock his door again and he does not appreciate us stopping by and just goes on this big ole rant. It really made me sad. Starting a mission, you really learn how to cope with discouragement and rejection, then I finally got to the point where I wouldn't get down on myself at all or anything like that when rejection happens. It happens a LOT, but this guy made me sad. I was thinking about that long and hard for a while. One morning I was studying in Preach My Gospel. In Chapter one it goes over our purpose as missionaries and how to define success. In there it says "Some may not accept your message even when they have received a spiritual witness that it is true. You will be saddened because you love them and desire their salvation." I LOVE that line. It hit me hard. That's why this guy bothered me so much! Because I love him! He just didn't even give us a chance. A year ago, I would have gotten discouraged, a months ago I would have just shrugged it off, a week ago I got truly sad that we were rejected because I do love this man I don't even know and he didn't even give us a chance to help him be happy. To me, that was a major bench mark in my mission. It helped me to see that I am finally becoming the missionary I need to be.
Transfers are this week! Crazy how fast time flies! So, if you ahve anything you want to send to me, do it so it gets here before Saturday! :)
Have a good week!
Love,
Elder Lloyd
Last night we went up to Whittier for a baptism. That was super cool. It was a family that Elder Roberts taught. It was weird to be back up there, so close to my last area. I wanted to go visit some people again, but I couldn't so we didn't. :) It was very cool to watch this family come unto Christ and be completed by the Gospel. Start their new journey together towards sealed eternally. I love watching baptisms.
I learned a really important lesson this week. More of realized I learned it a bit ago. In 3 Nephi 12:44 Jesus tells us to "love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them who despitefully use you and persecute you/" So me and Elder Roberts were out and about. It was like 8:30 and our set just fell through. I HATE knocking doors that late. We resolve to go by one former investigator we had written down. So, we go and knock it. This dude, probably about 27 or so answers and cusses us out. He says that we better not knock his door again and he does not appreciate us stopping by and just goes on this big ole rant. It really made me sad. Starting a mission, you really learn how to cope with discouragement and rejection, then I finally got to the point where I wouldn't get down on myself at all or anything like that when rejection happens. It happens a LOT, but this guy made me sad. I was thinking about that long and hard for a while. One morning I was studying in Preach My Gospel. In Chapter one it goes over our purpose as missionaries and how to define success. In there it says "Some may not accept your message even when they have received a spiritual witness that it is true. You will be saddened because you love them and desire their salvation." I LOVE that line. It hit me hard. That's why this guy bothered me so much! Because I love him! He just didn't even give us a chance. A year ago, I would have gotten discouraged, a months ago I would have just shrugged it off, a week ago I got truly sad that we were rejected because I do love this man I don't even know and he didn't even give us a chance to help him be happy. To me, that was a major bench mark in my mission. It helped me to see that I am finally becoming the missionary I need to be.
Transfers are this week! Crazy how fast time flies! So, if you ahve anything you want to send to me, do it so it gets here before Saturday! :)
Have a good week!
Love,
Elder Lloyd
Week 64
So this week was super good!! But to be honest, I'm not quite sure what happened! haha. I was just thinking back, and it seems like we had no time to work!! We did find 4 new investigators so that's super cool! they have lots of potential and will make good members of the church in a few weeks!
So the week didn't really start til Wednesday because Tuesday was P day for the temple. Thursday we had District meeting and weekly planning. Then Saturday we had zone Conference which was super good! We learned a lot about teaching plain and simple truths followed by an inspired question. It was super good! It is really hard, but it is a very good way to bring the Spirit to a lesson and get the investigators thinking. You can really get to know them better and understand they're thoughts and desires and we can best help them. I now can only ask where was this training a year ago?? It was super good! Then Sunday we had church. This week there wasn't the most amount of Proselyting time. But it was still a good week and we used every minute we had to find some more people to teach! I love it here!
3 Nephi 18:21 reads "Pray in your families unto the Father, always in my name, that your wives and your children may be blessed." This is really good. Family prayer really is a good way to strengthen our families immensely. I know that as you all pray together in your Families that you will grow together and be stronger. There will be more trust among your families and you will see great blessings. I invite you all to pray together in your families.
So the week didn't really start til Wednesday because Tuesday was P day for the temple. Thursday we had District meeting and weekly planning. Then Saturday we had zone Conference which was super good! We learned a lot about teaching plain and simple truths followed by an inspired question. It was super good! It is really hard, but it is a very good way to bring the Spirit to a lesson and get the investigators thinking. You can really get to know them better and understand they're thoughts and desires and we can best help them. I now can only ask where was this training a year ago?? It was super good! Then Sunday we had church. This week there wasn't the most amount of Proselyting time. But it was still a good week and we used every minute we had to find some more people to teach! I love it here!
3 Nephi 18:21 reads "Pray in your families unto the Father, always in my name, that your wives and your children may be blessed." This is really good. Family prayer really is a good way to strengthen our families immensely. I know that as you all pray together in your Families that you will grow together and be stronger. There will be more trust among your families and you will see great blessings. I invite you all to pray together in your families.
I love you!
Have a good week!
Thanks for the apple!
Love,
Elder Lloyd
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