Letter to Miller

MILLERRRRR! Hey dude!!

I love you little man. I  hope that you have a great week. I am thinking of a really importantn thing that I need to tell you. 

I hope that you listen lots to mom and dad. And that you are always a good little brother to your siblings. I know that the church is true, little man!!

LOVE YOU SO MUCH. 

I will write you more next week, I promiese. 

Letter to Mason

MASAROOOOOOOO 

Hey dude, como estas? Te extraño. Espero que eses muy bien y que estas practicando tu espanollll

I want to give you a 'kick off the summer get going talk' so lets get to it. 

In the bible, Paul explains that our bodies are temples. Lots of times, we use this scripture when we are teaching people about the word of wisdom, or the law of chastity. That the Lord, in his mercy, has lended us bodies of flesh and bone to occupy while we are here to be tested and tried. 

This week, I have been able to really think about how we are our lifes greatest work. If you can maybe remember, the Salt Lake temple took like 40 years to build. It was really really hard work, and there were many trials that the new saints faced when they were constructing the temple. 

Now, maybe that is not super important for you to ponder about, but as your summer is starting, I hope that you can remember that scripture. That We are our lives greatest work. We are TEMPLES of GOD!! How amazing is that?? Always remember to read your Book of mormon this summer, and always think if your actions are helping you build your own temple. 

Have such a good week, mas, and always remember that I am praying for you!!

You are such a good example for Miller, and remember how important your example is for him. 

LOVE YOU MAS
Mads:) 

Letter to MaKinley

Hi cute kiney bee!! 

I Miss you so so much. Congrats with finishing strong another year of school. 

The time flies so fast, really take a good couple of minutes to enjoy where you are and what you are doing. I remember super clearly when I was your age. Make sure to give thanks to our Father in Heaven, and really contemplate what he wants you to do during this time. 

Now, because I want you to be much more successful than I ever was, I want to give you a couple consejos (advice:):))) 

1. GO TO SUMMER SEMINARY: I regret that really bad. I hope that they have it. If not, take the initive to read your scriptures. I am sure mom and dad would help you a ton if you wanted to get together with the yougins in the ward and read the scriptures in the morning at like 7 like twice a week in the back yard. DO IT. The Lord will bless you. 

2. Don't get focused on boys. It is a waste of time. Just be good. Have a ton of fun and date, but dont be focused on that. 

3. Serve others. Write down every Sunday one thing that you will do in the upcoming week, and be acountable. Tell mom or dad or someone what you are going to do and then FOLLOW THROUGH. 

4. Always remember who you are, and why you are here. Kin, I love you so much. You are becoming such an awesome person and I cannot believe how much you are growing. Keep the faith, and really stirve to give it your all. A member that passed away not too long ago that lived in my area always said that today is the day to do the things we know we should do. Read Alma 34:32-33. Do not dely your repentance. We all need to repent every day. Dont wait till you need to do it. Ask mom and dad about when they went to clean the temple at night, itis so much better to do it daily and not wait till things are out of hand and dirty. 

Remember that I LOVE YOUUUUUU and miss you so much. 

As you are going to be away a lot this summer, reamember to be an example. Remember that he will sustain you through tribulations and difficultes. Be that light for someone else always. 

Love you tons Kin. I know that we are not perfect people, but I also know that our father in heaven loves us with all his heart might mind and strength. He wants us to return and live with him, and with our families. Be a good example to your hermanitos. You will be so blessed. Obey mom and dad. Remember that everything happens in the Lord's perfect timing. 

Dyc 64:32-34

Love, Mads 

We have had a good week!!

We have also had a good week. The missionary life is honestly just good. Some days, well, acutally all days, it is important to look for the good, but it is always there.  We had some ups and down's this week that have really brought a little bit of perspective into my life. 

1.We have investigators that are getting ready to get married! They have really worked everyhting out for theirselves, and the ward has really pitched in a ton to be able to take them to the medical stuff and they are going to give their papers to the bishop today! And so, we will be having a baptism hopefully in two weeks. Cinthia is super great, and we love her. 

2. We found new investigators. The Lord never forgets aobut us. Brisa, Damiris, Marina, and Jose are our new friends that we have found. We are so happy to have  the opportunity to teach them about the restored gospel. Pray lots for them, cause we are really trying to help them out. 

3. We visited the family that had their son pass away. It was really sad and they said that they are not interested in listening to what we have to say about where their son is. The Catholic church has really been a juge suppport for them in this time, and when we got there they were all sportin necklaces with saints and the Virgin. Really sad, but I know with time we will reach their hearts!!

4.THERE ARE COCKROACHES HERE. HUGE. COCKROACHES. Disgusting. They come up through our shower drain. So that has made for some traumatic nights in la casa de las misioneras. 

I am going to be very honest. My area right now is really hard....

​Hello cute family and friends!!

I would like to just quickly drop a note in. I am currently in Gazalem. We have been working realy hard, bringing to pass The Lord's work here!

It has defintily been warming up a whole ton, which I love and hate at the same time. I hear that May is the killer month here, so we are praying a lot not to become withered old ladies. The amazing part about Conejos is that everyone is a member of the Church! It is a true testimony of the divine work that we, as missionaries, have the privlidge to be in. 

We have been recently visiting a lot of people, the sad part is, that most of them are not very interested in the Gospel and the blessings it can bring into thier lives. That is easily the hardest thing for me in the mission. Rejection. But, luckliy, this morning, I was reading a little about rejection. 

In Alma, chapter 43-45. There are some true power verses there. I was thinking about how Moroni, then only 25, was called to lead his army into a huge battle (43:51), with double the number of Lamanites, who, were super strong. As they really relied on the strength of The Lord, they were able to defeat the Lamanites. Moroni, being super Christ-like, gives Zerahemnah the chance to surrender, but as he hears the terms, totally tries to take his arms back up and kill Mormoni. I think that so many times, we are doing good in life (or maybe in the mission) and decide to reject the terms that God has set for us. The pride gets to us, and we think that we know better. Fortunatley, God will never cut off our pony-tails and stick them on his sword, but there is a powerful lesson to be learned.  I truly know how important it is to give our trust to him. To willingly and lovingly give all we have over to The Lord. 

I know he will bless us as we do so! Look at the difference in outcomes with Moroni and Zerahemnah. The Lord will sustain us. He will strengthen us, and make our abilities sufficent to bring to pass his will. 

I am going to be very honest. My area right now is really hard, I feel like I have been called to be a captian and have no idea what to do, but I do have the faith. And I am fully accepting of the will of The Father for me. I hope that something has touched your hearts from these verses of scripture, and I know that they are true. I also love the mission. It is so hard, and really some days I struggle, but the joy that the Gospel brings to my life is unique. It is something that I hold very dear to my heart, and I love the feeling that I have as I share it with others. 

I love you all, and hope your week is fantastic. 

Hot days and hard times...

It has been a good week. Humbling for sure! We are starting from zero here and have been working really hard. It was a hard week. But I have been doing alright.  I am learning a ton here. Firstly, I want to talk to you about Rafela. She is 75, she is a member, and her husband left her about 8 months ago. This sister has touched my life a ton in these past weeks. She LOVES to accompany the missionaries. She is in the best shape that I have ever seen a 75 year old be in, and she hauls when we are walking to appointments. We call her Rafiki. Like a little bit the monkey from Lion King. She is SO great. 

It is SOOO hot here.

My companion is cute, but not motivated. Like when I get up in the morning, its go time. We wake up early so that we are ready to get hustling at 6:30 to exercise. Really we only wake up 15 mins earlier. But after that, its  'listen to a conference talk and work out' time. But...the compa doesn’t quite get the get up and get moving part of the mornings. I am trying so hard. I hope that she will just adapt to everything!

She is scared to be on a mission. Everything scares her. I really understand a lot of it, especially being yanked out of comfy Utah and thrown into Mexico City. A good opportunity to be charitable.  She is just really quiet and reserved. She doesn't like to talk much in lessons, and she will not contact in the street. Its hard, but hey, like dad just said. If I am wondering or doubting why she is my companion, its a lot bigger than that doubt, Its a doubt in the revelation, which I do not have. But yeah, we are just working along! 

The area is REALLY tough. A totally growing opportunity for me.:) I know, we will be alright, but it has definitely been a struggle°!

Maddi's little day planner

The work is good. we travel to EL SALTO. (The salty. Okay didn’t even think of the translation until now. I’m dying laughing) which is like 10 minutes in Combi. The hardest part is that there is virtually no public transport, and so its really hard to get from one place to another. Where we live is like the burrow with all the members, and there only passes a combi every hour, and they stop passing to go back to our house at 7. It makes for hard days. 

It is SOOO hot here. Tons of walking, and our feet are so covered in dust by the end of the day!!

(Lani asked how Maddi's Spanish is coming along)

Mom, yeah, its amazing. I feel fluent. Obviously there are still a couple things that I don’t understand grammatically speaking, but seriously, the gift of tongues comes to those who work. Its amazing. I love Spanish!

Also, Favorite talk from conference. FAMILY COUNSILS: I hope you guys are applying that a lot. Also the talk about fathers struck home for me and I was bawling. I miss you lots, dad. But also, really love the family councils. We are going to have them when I get home (and hopefully you guys before that!!)

Also, dad,. you asked me how do we contact. We approach people in the street and just start talking with them!! Or in line at the grocery store, or in the combi, and we have little cards. I have a stack in the front of my agenda that I like to keep.