Dear Fam Fam,
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| Elder Velasquez |
How are you all? I am doing great. We had cambios (transfers). I am still here in Solana. Elder Coy got sent back to Loja. He was quite upset about that. My new companion’s name is Elder Velasquez. He is a gringo-latino from Cincinatti, OH. His dad is from Guatemala. We just met a few hours ago. Me parece un tipo bastante bueno. (He seems like a really good guy)
We had a really good week this past week. We got a lady named Jocelyn to come to church. She is the partner of a less-active member, Marcelo, we found contacting. When we first talked with her, she said that she was Catholic and could never change because of her mom, but then we shared the message of the Restoration and she really caught on and wants to be baptized.
The only problem is that the less-active partner is not all that excited about coming back to church. He actually got baptized and was really active in another ward called Los Esteros (one of my earlier wards), but something happened so he changed job locations to change wards. We were able to visit with the sister yesterday with the bishop. The bishop lived before in Los Esteros and was there when Marcelo got baptized. He had heard that Marcelo had moved to this ward but had never been able to find him. He talked with Jocelyn about setting an example for her husband so that he could decide to come back to church and marry Jocelyn. I thought it was pretty cool. It has been hard to visit our investigators with the bishop.
Elder Carnese is still here but Elder Johnson left. He was only here for two weeks. The new elder’s name is Elder Silva from Chile. I just wanted to ask you for our new address, phone numbers, and the names, the unit numbers of our new ward and stake, and the name of the airport in NJ. I got my trunky papers (flight itinerary) the other week, but it came in blank because they are missing information. I need to send them los datos nuevos (new information). I was also wondering if you could send my mission call in the next package. President said that we should read over it frequently. I would like another camera, but I don’t know how much time I would have to use it. I am old.
Well, here's my promised pysch-feely:
These last few weeks I've been working with a senior missionary named Elder Packard due to some of my companionship issues. I think he works with the whole area because he's based in Lima. So far we've only been able to have to or three full conversations due to phone problems and a trip to Bolivia that he had to take. Mostly we've talked about not being passive and learning to talk to people to get both our needs met so I don't get frustrated and then explode. We've also been working on replacing bad thoughts of ineptitude (which lead me to try to blame or tear down my companion) with edifying, uplifting thoughts from Christ. So far I've really enjoyed our sessions together even though I haven't been able to talk to him for a week or two. I just decided last week that I wanted to share with you some of what´s been going on.
Does this mean I can’t open your emails since you’ve been hacked?
Well, I look forward to writing to you all next week and as always I will be in District Meeting waiting for a mountain of DearElders.
Elder Carnese is still here but Elder Johnson left. He was only here for two weeks. The new elder’s name is Elder Silva from Chile. I just wanted to ask you for our new address, phone numbers, and the names, the unit numbers of our new ward and stake, and the name of the airport in NJ. I got my trunky papers (flight itinerary) the other week, but it came in blank because they are missing information. I need to send them los datos nuevos (new information). I was also wondering if you could send my mission call in the next package. President said that we should read over it frequently. I would like another camera, but I don’t know how much time I would have to use it. I am old.
Well, here's my promised pysch-feely:
These last few weeks I've been working with a senior missionary named Elder Packard due to some of my companionship issues. I think he works with the whole area because he's based in Lima. So far we've only been able to have to or three full conversations due to phone problems and a trip to Bolivia that he had to take. Mostly we've talked about not being passive and learning to talk to people to get both our needs met so I don't get frustrated and then explode. We've also been working on replacing bad thoughts of ineptitude (which lead me to try to blame or tear down my companion) with edifying, uplifting thoughts from Christ. So far I've really enjoyed our sessions together even though I haven't been able to talk to him for a week or two. I just decided last week that I wanted to share with you some of what´s been going on.
Does this mean I can’t open your emails since you’ve been hacked?
Well, I look forward to writing to you all next week and as always I will be in District Meeting waiting for a mountain of DearElders.
Love, Nannie-Pooh
Dear Grandma Natalie,
How are you? I am sorry we have not been able to talk in so long. As you know, I've been in Ecuador these past 18 months as a missionary. Even though I have had to put my studies on hold for a while, I know this is the best decision I have ever made. It is hard, but the gospel I share is able to bring such hope and solace to the humble people of Ecuador. The message I share gives them a new foundation for faith in Jesus Christ. The reason for this new hope comes from our belief that God still talks with man on earth like we read about in the Bible.
Even though many people believe that now miracles don't exist anymore and that God is far away in Heaven and does not take much concern in our daily lives, the people I teach can find hope and new confidence in God by believing that he called the boy Joseph Smith to be a prophet in the spring of 1820. The convincing evidence of this is the Book of Mormon. I am not sure how much Dad has been able to talk to you about all this. Have you ever been able to read the Book of Mormon? I know that anyone who with sincerity will read the Book of Mormon and pray to God with faith to ask if it is true will come to know of its divinity by the power of the Holy Ghost.
I am sorry if I am getting a little preachy, but this is what I have been talking about every day with everyone for the past year and a half. I am so glad that we will be moving so much closer to you when we come to New Jersey. Mom tells me we will just be a few hours from New York City. I am not sure how much time it takes to travel to Maryland. It will be so much easier to visit when I get back in October. Well, I just wanted to send you a little note. We only write to our families by email every Monday. I would love to hear back from you someday. Talk to you soon.
Love, your grandson, Grant
Dear Grandma Natalie,
How are you? I am sorry we have not been able to talk in so long. As you know, I've been in Ecuador these past 18 months as a missionary. Even though I have had to put my studies on hold for a while, I know this is the best decision I have ever made. It is hard, but the gospel I share is able to bring such hope and solace to the humble people of Ecuador. The message I share gives them a new foundation for faith in Jesus Christ. The reason for this new hope comes from our belief that God still talks with man on earth like we read about in the Bible.
Even though many people believe that now miracles don't exist anymore and that God is far away in Heaven and does not take much concern in our daily lives, the people I teach can find hope and new confidence in God by believing that he called the boy Joseph Smith to be a prophet in the spring of 1820. The convincing evidence of this is the Book of Mormon. I am not sure how much Dad has been able to talk to you about all this. Have you ever been able to read the Book of Mormon? I know that anyone who with sincerity will read the Book of Mormon and pray to God with faith to ask if it is true will come to know of its divinity by the power of the Holy Ghost.
I am sorry if I am getting a little preachy, but this is what I have been talking about every day with everyone for the past year and a half. I am so glad that we will be moving so much closer to you when we come to New Jersey. Mom tells me we will just be a few hours from New York City. I am not sure how much time it takes to travel to Maryland. It will be so much easier to visit when I get back in October. Well, I just wanted to send you a little note. We only write to our families by email every Monday. I would love to hear back from you someday. Talk to you soon.
Love, your grandson, Grant
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