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.

 

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 

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