A New Companion and Future Apostle Visit!

Hello Family!

Grant's new companion, Elder Valenzuela from México

I am happy that you are happy that I get to stay another mes (month).  There have been a few changes.  Élder Gómez se fue (left) and now my companion is Élder Valenzuela de Juárez, Chihuahua, México.  He is from the same group as Élder Gómez. He’s a humble guy and I think we are going to get along grandly.  It will be a good last four weeks. And bendiciones (blessings) --  Elder Christofferson is coming to the mission...Sept 1!  I’ll just get to see him on my way out.  Elder Piño was wonderful.

Well, we are working with a few people.  We are trying to reactivate one family.  They came to church yesterday.  We are also helping another family.  They are former investigators and have always wanted to get baptized, but needed to get married.  Now they say they want to get married.  The ward is really trying to go out and help them.  We are also working with an older gentleman.  He is the suegro of an hermano (father-in-law of a brother) that worked in Amazonas 1 (another area of Guayaquil) who helped us baptize his niece.  I am excited to get to work with their family again.

Mirella Barzola and family with Elder Rojas and Cuba

I will have to reel back in my crazy spending habits.  I got a full month’s allowance and I thought I could live the high life for my last two weeks, but now I will need to stretch it out until I leave.   

I am sure sad I won’t get to see you, Lia.  I got excited there when you wrote about how you wanted to do violin sonatas together.  I am glad you’re into that now.  At least we’ve got Christmas.  I am sending some pictures of my weekly planning session.  After doing our regular plans, I made my own plans.  It is hard to get and then “un-get" yourself trunky like this.

Feely: Nan's search for happiness

These past few days I have been trying to develop the attribute of sincere interest or amor cristiano (Christian love).  We watched a PMG movie about this one lady who was an eternal investigator.  She said that there had been lots of missionaries that showed great determination in trying to get her baptized, but only the last ones (that baptized her) made her feel like they weren't just trying to get something from her.  They came and listened and prepared themselves well before the lessons to answer questions she might have. Elder Gómez told me I am too direct with the people and that I need to show more cariño.  That is what I am trying to work on.

Well, love you all a ton.

Love, Elder Ludlam