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
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