Monday, June 27, 2016

Knife

"I bought this cool knife in a bus to shave my face...
it doesn't work too well hahaha!"


Apron

"My awesome new apron."


June 27th, 2016 - Weekly Letter

June 27th, 2016 – Weekly Letter
New Week!

Oiiiiii friends and family in all the places of the world. Saludos de El Salvador! This week was good, but really rough. Every single one of our baptismal dates fell...we are literally starting from ground 0. The training of my companion is going good! I can understand him now so we're making progress! Training can be and is super stressful. He's learning super fast so that's good!

We spent this entire week contacting without success. We have very few investigators let alone investigators who are progressing. Just the family Carcamo and they're still waiting for the divorce. We are relying on the Lord 100%.The members here don't want to help so we are spending a lot of time visiting them to serve and gain their trust so that they can help and have desires to help. Today we are going to have a Noche de Hogar (FHE) with the Familia Flores-Diaz which is a member family so that'll be good!! This week there was a job fair Friday in the church and we received about 20 referencias that we need to contact so that was really good. Saturday, Elder Ortega was sick so I babysat him in the ZL's house and my companion left with Elder Mejia to work in their area. The ZL's and hermanas each had 2 baptisms this past Saturday and the Hermanas will have 2 more this Sunday.

Like I said, we are basically starting from ground 0 and I spent more time on my knees this week than on my feet. I really have learned the meaning of the word Humility- to rely 100% on the Lord. I prayed a lot for comfort and guidance and a scripture came to my mind. I'm pretty sure it's Psalms 46:10 that says 'be still and know that I am God.' Wow. The Lord answers prayers and directs His work. This next week we are gonna put dates like crazy and at least baptize 1 in July!

I got the package from the family and I love everything in it! Especially the food!!! So thanks!! All is good here in La Uniòn!

Have a great week and always pray and real the BOM! God lives and answers prayers. I testify of that! I love you all and I'll talk to you all next week!

Saluuuuuu Pues!!

-Elder Loveless

Best and Worst of the Week:
Best: Lots of revelation
Worst: all of our baptismal dates fell through

Sunday, June 26, 2016

5 Months Today!!!

Today is Elder Loveless' 5 month mark!!!
June 26th, 2016
Only 19 months left - we are out of the "20s"-
Yeah!!!
Those sticky notes are adding up!





Monday, June 20, 2016

Mammon

A fruit called mammon.
They're super weird.


Las Pupusassssss!!!

Las Pupusassssss!!!



Jersey

El Salvador jersey that I bought for my birthday!!!


Birthday Ice Cream

We bought ice cream for my birthday.



June 20th, 2016 - Weekly Letter

June 20th, 2016 – Weekly Letter
Semana de mi Cumpleanos


This week was awesome. We worked really hard and found a lot of new people to teach so that was good. This week, wasn't toooo eventful but basically, Saturday was my birthday so after lunch we went to centro and I bought a few souvenirs (??) and then we bought ice cream. At 3 we had an activity in the church and that was awesome. After, we had the baptism of Hermana Steffanny!! Yeah!! Then we went to Hermana Bartola's and ate tons of pupusas. I had 8. Sooo good. Sunday I had the opportunity to confirm Hermana Steffanny and that was good. This week I also studied the priesthood and found who gave it to John the Baptist and all that stuff all the way back to basically Adam. That was cool. And I learned when Peter, James and John received the Melchizedek Priesthood. I also learned that in the pre-earth life, our spirits were adults!! How cool is that! And last but not least, in my first interview with President, he told me that the people here (Of the tribe of Mannasseh) have dreams. It's a gift from God. Firstly with that being said, in the book of Nephi, It says that Nephi and Lehi had dreams. In Alma 10.3 we know that they are from the tribe of Mannasseh. Sooo cool! And about 1 month ago, Hermana Jessica had 2 little kidney stones I think they were and they were causing her a lot of pain. Elder Palmer and I gave her a blessing and that night, she had a dream and in the dream, a voice told her that they had left her body. WOW! What a miracle. I was thinking about that a lot yesterday. Also today I said about a 15 minute prayer asking God if he was there. If he loved me and knew me and if I was doing the right things. He told me 'Elder Loveless. I'm here. I know you inside and out. I love you more than you know and you are doing my will which is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.' Wow...that was really cool. I testify that God knows each of us personally. He loves us. He answers prayers.

Thanks for all the birthday wishes and hope you all have a great week!  I love you all y que Dios les bendiga!

Saluuuu Pues!

Love, Elder Loveless

Best and Worst of the Week:
Best: Bautismo!!! Worst: hmmmmm just walking around a lot and sweating even more


Saturday, June 18, 2016

Happy 19th Birthday!!!

Happy 19th Birthday Elder Loveless

Mom made his favorite ice cream cake, we lit the candles and sang really loud for him then we all enjoyed a yummy piece of cake.  Hope he was able to have a fun day in El Salvador!!!



Monday, June 13, 2016

Elder Loveless and Elder Arirama

Elder Loveless and his new companion 
Elder Arirama from Peru.
(Beautiful background!)


June 13th, 2016 - Weekly Letter

June 13th, 2016 – Weekly Letter

Viajes con todo!!!
(Lots of traveling)

Oiiiiiiiiiiiiiii Cheros y amigos in your small places,

This letter is gonna be short, but here it goes. This week was tough. The Lord is really testing us. We traveled a lot so we didn't have tons of time to work in the area. We had Zone Conference which was awesome and then Thursday we had to go to San Salvador to do immigration for my companion so that was 8 hours in a bus and we had to wake up at 2:45 am. Friday was awesome. We had interviews with Presidente Vàsquez and that was sooooo good. I talked to him about everything and he helped me so much. He told me to read Alma 8 and I invite you all to read it as well. It's Alma preaching and he basically converts an entire city (Melek) then travels 3 days....3 DAYS to the city of Ammonihah where “Satan had a strong grasp on their hearts”. Because they were not of the faith of Alma, they wouldn't listen. They rejected him and spit upon him and all that stuff. He left and was lamenting because all of these people where gonna die and suffer and wouldn't have their salvation. An angel appeared to him and told him to go back and to teach again and he did, except he entered from the south side where he found Amulek who was his awesome companion from then on. I feel like Alma where I feel like I've done my part, but all we get is rejection...I need to return and preach again. Missionary work is not easy one bit. I love it with all of my heart. I have finally learned what missionary work is and I'm dedicated to serve with all my heart, might, mind and strength. The family Melendez told us they don't wanna go to church anymore and that was heartbreaking. On the bright side, Stefany (Sister of Hna Mari y Jessica) is gonna get baptized this Saturday! We are doing good and working hard. I am relying on the Lord con todo and the Atonement because the Atonement isn't just for sins; it's to help our shortcomings and our afflictions. I also studied the Priesthood sooooooo good and that was awesome. I love the scriptures and being a missionary. It's the best and most rewarding work that there is.

I wish you all a great week and I'll talk to you all next week! I love you all!!!

Saluuuuuu Pues!

-Elder Loveless

Best and Worst of the Week:
Best…Interviews with President! Worst…Family Melendez doesn't want to talk with us anymore.

Monday, June 6, 2016

June 6th, 2016 - Weekly Letter - Changes Week!!!

June 6th, 2016 – Weekly Letter – Changes Week!!!

Hello everyone! Saludos from El Salvador!! 

This week was...tough I guess. But good. Monday was crazy. We ran around to everyone and said goodbye for Elder Palmer and I won't lie, tears were shed. That was sad. After that we packed him up and we got on a bus to San Miguel. We said goodbye just like that and he left with 2 other missionaries and I left with the ZL's in San Miguel. I slept there, then Tuesday I woke up at 3:15 a.m. to be on a bus to San Salvador by 4. I rode there with Elder Eve who is also a trainer this change. It was a 3 hour bus ride there.  The Assistants picked us up and took us to president's house for the trainer's meeting which was AWESOME!! There were only 5 trainers and 5 new missionaries. After the meeting, the newbies came in and we got our new companions. As soon as my companion walked in, I felt the spirit soooo strongly. 

My companion's name is Elder Arirama. He's de Peru and his accent is kinda hard to understand so I get frustrated a lot because I feel like I can't help him...That night we slept with the secretaries and the next morning at 9 we were on a bus to La Uniòn. Thursday we worked like normal and Thursday was such a good day. I felt the spirit in literally every lesson that we had. Friday was the same. Also Friday, Saturday, yesterday and today it has rained nonstop. It's pretty miserable to proselyte in the rain, but this is what I signed up for (: 

Yesterday was a bummer day. Rejection after rejection after rejection and also Fam Melendez didn't go to church because of the rain. We visited them and they told us they didn't want to be baptized anymore...WHAT!?!? Ahh super bummer...they were so positive...but we will still keep meeting with them to keep them animated want to baptize themselves again. 

Anyways, my companion is awesome. He loves to learn and to work and we're gonna work so hard this change. I feel inadequate to be a trainer with my very little experience…but I know that the Atonement is there to help me with that...I've been praying a lot and stressing too...I can't understand my companion a lot but we're working it out…learning together. There's a reason the Lord chose me to train so I'm gonna work really hard. We get along really well and he likes to have fun and joke so that's fun. 

Also Elder Palmer is a Zone Leader In Cojutepeque!!! I'm so excited for him. All is well here in La Uniòn and we will work so hard this week!! Also something in the trainer’s meeting the President said is that trainers are the most important leadership position in the mission. God sends his best to the front lines so I will be relying a lot on His Atonement to help me through this. Thanks for everything!! I love you all and Press Forward Saints, In Steadfast Faith in Christ!!  

Saluuuuu Pues!

- Elder Loveless


Best and Worst of the Week:
Worst…it has been raining for 4 days straight,  Best...New companion!!!

Elder Loveless received a letter from Grandma Barbara and Elder Kaylon Draney this past week.