Monday, March 27, 2017

March 27th, 2017 - Weekly Letter

March 27th, 2017 - Weekly Letter

14 meses. Oooof!

Hey everyone! Saludos de El Salvador. I really just want to write in Spanish because it's a lot easier for me jaja. My mind just thinks in Spanish.

Anyways, today I complete 14 months! How crazy. Time flies by fast but I really wish it didn't. There's not enough time to do everything that I need to. Juela. It's crazy.

Well, this week we welcomed the new elders and there's one from New Zealand! He's awesome. Also my son (that I trained), Elder Butler, is a zone leader now. How crazy. On Wednesday we had changes and everything went well. It was the 1st time that I have done changes without Elder Arango or Elder Stout and let me tell you, it's stressful. But it all worked out good. Wednesday we also came to know that Hermana Tatiana left the country...she was gonna get baptized! Puchica...but the Lord has a purpose for her and for her family.

We received 2 new companions so now we're in a quartet. Sometimes I feel like I'm a babysitter...but we're working with them. We had to pick up a few missionaries from the bus terminal and then go to Soyapango and Apopa to do some emergency changes and that went well.

We had 2 investigators in church yesterday. Also Luis went to the temple on Saturday with the ward and loved it even though he couldn't enter. He's doing good. The mission is great. It is hard, but the biggest and most rewarding miracle is to watch someone give up their past to change and accept the Restored Gospel. Everything is good here and always super busy.

Hermano David is starting the divorce so he should be getting baptized hopefully in May or June. Everyone and everything is good here.

Quiero testificarles de que ésta realmente es le iglesia restaurada de Jesucristo aquí en la tierra. Él ha llamado un profeta en estos días y él se llama Thomas S. Monson. Hay 12 Apóstoles y sé que el Sacerdocio está aquí en esta iglesia. José Smith fue un profeta de Dios. El Libro de Mormón es la palabra de Dios y sé que es verdadero. La Expiación es real y sé que funciona. Esta verdaderamente es la Obra de Dios. Es muy corto el tiempo que tenemos para servir a Dios con todo nuestro corazón, alma, mente y fuerza. Sé que no es fácil, pero tampoco fue fácil para el Señor Jesucristo. Mi testimonio ha crecido bastante en estos 14 meses y estoy listo para servirle aun mas por los otros 9 que me quedan. Amo a mi Salvador y a mi Padre Celestial. Ellos viven y nos conocen. Estas cosas son verdaderas y las comparto con todos ustedes en el sagrado nombre de nuestro Señor Jesucristo, Amen. (I want to testify to you that this really is the restored church of Jesus Christ here on earth. He has called a prophet these days and he is called Thomas S. Monson. There are 12 Apostles and I know that the Priesthood is here in this church. Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. The Book of Mormon is the word of God and I know it is true. The Atonement is real and I know it works. This is truly the Work of God. The time we have to serve God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength is very short. I know it is not easy, but it was not easy for the Lord Jesus Christ. My testimony has grown a lot in these 14 months and I am ready to serve you even more for the other 9 I have. I love my Savior and my Heavenly Father. They live and they know us. These things are true and I share them with all of you in the sacred name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.)

Les quiero mucho a cada uno de ustedes. Cuídense mucho y que Dios les bendiga. (I love each of you very much. Take good care of yourself and God bless you.)  Have a fantastic week and don't forget to read your scriptures!!! I love you all!

-Elder Loveless

Best and Worst of the Past Week:
Best-All of the changes are done and everyone is in their areas safely and soundly.
Worst-We are gonna be super busy these next 3 weeks.

Letters and/or Packages:  None

Wednesday, March 22, 2017

March 22nd, 2017 - Weekly Letter

March 22nd, 2017 - Weekly Letter

Cambios!! (Changes)

Hey everyone! Sorry I couldn't write on Monday. We were super busy working and planning the changes.

This past week was a good one. I´ll try to see if I can remember. Hermano David is doing great. Still waiting for his divorce. Hermano Luis went to church and hasn't smoked or drank in 2 weeks. He's such a good kid and has changed a lot. The ward is helping out with him and the 1st counselor in the bishopric interviewed him and put goals for his baptism and all that. That was awesome.

Hermana Tatiana is doing so good. It's so amazing to see how the Gospel changes lives. She's defending the Church and really understands that to get an answer, she has to put in her part. And she did just that. She went to church with us on Sunday and she loved it. She said she felt peace and calmness like never before. She loved it and learned a lot too. Afterward we took her home with a young married couple in the ward and Tatiana shared with us that God answered her prayer and that she loved church and it was awesome. Later that night we visited her and she told us she got her answer and knows it's true. She can feel her faith growing and loves to learn and has a ton of questions. When we got there she was watching La Restauración with her 4 daughters and she was teaching them! The oldest one (9) wants to get baptized so that's cool! What a miracle.

We've been so busy with changes that we've been in the office a lot and at the doctor's. I did some research and it turns out that I have chronic tension headaches because of lack of sleep, not eating and being stressed. So I've been taking a bunch of pills and they make me so tired haha. But I feel a lot better.

Today were changes. I'm staying here as AP with Elder Eve. Also yesterday we received the new missionaries in the mission home and there's one from New Zealand. Elder Palmer (my trainer) is training him this change so that's super exciting. But some of my best friends are going home this change...it's so hard making friends then having to say goodbye.

Anyways, all is good and this change is gonna be fantastic! Thanks for all of your love and support and prayers. I hope all is well y que Dios les bendiga. I love you all.

-Elder Loveless

Best and Worst of the Past Week:
Best-Hermana Tatiana went to church!
Worst-Welllllllll I dunno...we didn't work too much in our area, but it was a good week.

Letters and/or Packages:  None

Thursday, March 16, 2017

February 26th, 2017 - 11 Months to Go!!!

Eleven More Months to Go!!!


March 14th, 2017 - Weekly Letter

March 14th, 2017 - Weekly Letter

Hola!

Hola. This week was really good. I went to the doctor and he says I'm not sick and that I just have headaches from too much stress and not eating good and not sleeping and tense muscles...but I'm pretty convinced that I'm sick. Oh well.

This week we didn't have a whole lot of time in the area, but the little time we had there, we used super well. We met with Tatiana again and she is so good. Her husband listened and he's not even a member, but he wants her to go to church and to learn more. I think they'll both get baptized. Luis is good. He's been super busy studying, but hasn't smoked. Today we're gonna find out when he wants to get baptized. David Perez went to church on Sunday and is super happy and loves the church. He's just working on his divorce so he can marry Rosa. I hope she goes to church too. They're such good people. Henry is the son of members that is 9 but was never baptized so he'll be baptized in April on the 22nd. We're doing good. Lots of crazy things happening. Three more missionaries went home last week and 1 yesterday. Also changes are next week. This change went by so fast! What happened! Juela. Time goes by too fast. All of friends are basically gonna be home within 3 months.

All is well and I'll talk to you all next week. I love you all!

Con amor, Elder Loveless

Best and Worst of the Past Week:
Best-We had some really good lessons with investigators.
Worst-I'm still a little bit sick.

Letters and/or Packages:  None

Monday, March 6, 2017

I was bored...jeje!

I was bored...jeje!



My bored face!




I made a pupusa in the shape of an L (;

I made a pupusa in the shape of an L (;


My new girlfriend!!! (It's called a novia, jeje.)

My new girlfriend!!! (It's called a novia, jeje.) 


March 6th, 2017 - Weekly Letter

March 6th, 2017 - Weekly Letter

Gozo (Joy)

Hey everyone! Well this week was good, but also pretty stressful. We didn't work Monday because  I was sick again. Friday we had Leadership Council and that went well. We're trying to prepare everything for Presidente Durán, and I feel like we're having success. The other days of the week, we were planning things for Presidente and working a little in our area. When one is sick, it takes away every desire to work...I was dead. But now I'm super happy and a tiny bit healthier jaja.

Luis is good. He hasn't smoked in almost 3 weeks, but he still has a couple things to work on. Hno David is also good. Him and Rosa are awesome and so sweet, they just need money to be able to start the divorce. Familia Bautista...well let's just say that their gramma is crazy. She is catholic by tradition and we sat her down and explained to her the importance of the church and that she should let her grandkids go because they have such a strong desire. But she's crazy...they're not drinking coffee though which is great.

We met a lady named Tatiana who is the mom of 4 girls and she's really young herself. She left a different church because she got offended and she was praying that God would give her more faith. That same day we showed up and we set up an appointment to return and we came back and she loved the Restoration. She wants to come to church as well. We've met some really great people, but there's still a ton of work to do here.

In my studies, I've learned a lot about faith, repentance and also humility. I really feel joy being here. Even though I'm usually always tired and sick, I still feel joy being here. All it took was to just want to love the people and I feel like I'm loving them more. Even the ones that reject us. Jesus forgave them that crucified him, why can´t we love those that reject us? I've learned a lot and I just want to keep learning more. I love this Gospel and I know it's true. This is truly the work of the Lord. I'm sad that the time is going by so fast, but I still have time to keep working harder and changing more lives aside from mine. Also faith is a really interesting principle. It requires action. I have faith in the Lord that he'll keep providing more escogidos (chosen) in my path.

Anyways, thanks for all your love and prayers. I love you all and wish you all a fantastic week. And keep reading the scriptures!!! Saluuuu Pues!!

Con mucho amor, Elder Loveless

Best and Worst of the Past Week:
Worst- I got sick and didn't work a whole lot.
Best- We're finding escogidos!

Letters and/or Packages:  None