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

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 :)   

 https://www.lds.org/prophets-and-apostles/unto-all-the-world/to-sweep-the-earth-as-with-a-flood?lang=eng

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