FAMILY!!!!! (Week 38)

 Dear Family,

How are things in Utah? I was thinking about it and your summer is almost up.... how has it been? Are you all excited to start school back up again? And EVERYONE is moving?! Are you guys moving?.... you can tell me the truth.

And yes.. Elder Lacey came here the same time as me, he is one of our zone leaders and he says hi haha.

This past week was really good, but the work is really slow.  In our weekly planning we put our weekly goals and also our zone gave us some goals to get, and we were able to reach all of our zone goals and almost all of our companionship goals.  It was amazing, because the week before wasn't as good... but we really got to work and we knew that the Lord would bless us if we did his will and everything that we could to reach the goals and so that was really neat. 

We have been working with A. and C. and it has been interesting to say the least.  A's brother is a recent convert and he does not want anything with the church, he is ten.  And he has a really big impact on A. and now he doesn't want anything to do with us so we don't know what we are going to do there.  C. is great, but her dad is a menos activo and her mom we think doesn't want to give her permission to be baptized so we'll see.  

We have been talking to everyone in the street and asking every single last person for references and it has been amazing, because we met our goal this past week with references and usually those are really hard for me.  Also here in Melo I am learning to invite everyone to be baptized, like in the street, and put a date.  At first I was really scared to do it, but now my companion is teaching me and it is going good.

Melo has been pretty cold this past week, and I don't ever want to take off my coat.  Oh and we had ward conference yesterday and we did like a choir thing and I directed ha.

Thank you so much family. I LOVE YOU!!! I hope you are having a wonderful summer and spending it well, enjoy the warmth :) 

Love,

Hermana Louder

FAMILY!!!! (Week 37)

HOLA FAMILIA!!!!

How are you all doing?!?! YAY!! I received TWO packages this week that I was not expecting at all. Thank you so much! I received one when we were at changes and then two days later I got the next one! And I am already using everything :) In fact I gave a talk this past sunday and I wore my new outfit :) THANK YOU!!

 I am here in MELO!! and it is awesome! My companion is hilarious and we live with two other hermanas, Hermana Smouse and Hermana Eddington.  Our district and zone are awesome!! We just finished a zone activity and we played capture the flag and kickball.  Here in Melo it is a little warmer but this past week has been cooler.  Well we are doing really good, our area is the smallest in the zone and almost every person we pass my companion has already talked to them, but we are going to keep talking to them until they are ready! We are teaching a lot of little kids right now and two are almost ready for baptism, Celeste and Anthony. Celeste is 13 and she looks a lot older, her best friend is a recent convert also and she is trying to receive her answer right now, praying about the Book of Mormon.  Anthony is 12 and his brother is a recent convert and Anthony really wants to be baptized, but he still needs to come to church two more times.  Yesterday he came and told us that he loved it! So we are working with them right now and trying to find new people also to teach.  And the converts here, there are many little kids but there are also some teenagers and adults who are really awesome and strong.

My companion, Hermana Bustos, is from Santiago Chile and she has the same time in the mission as me, she is 23 and is always laughing haha, she is great!

Maria Soca, she was baptized last week! And it was really nice, everything worked out perfectly, and it was so sweet also because after the baptism I was playing the piano and I wasn't watching behind me when everyone started to sing a hymn for me and it was really sad, I was crying... but really sweet.  Anyone who gets to work in San Carlos is blessed, because the members are amazing.

That's about everything that is happening right now, I haven't been here for very long but it is awesome and they say Melo is the promise land, so we need to work hard, be obedient, and do the Lords will and we'll see what happens! Thank you for everything, I love you all so much and am so grateful for you!!

Love,
Hermana Louder

CAMBIOS!!!!! AND.......... A BAPTISM. :) (Week 36)

Dear Family,

Ahhhh!!! How are you all doing!?!?

Well I can't believe it and I have soooooo much news for you!!!

CAMBIOS: I will be leaving San Carlos :( Ah I love San Carlos and everyone here and I can't believe that I am already leaving... I'm actually pretty sad about that cause I love the members here. but I know that I did what I needed to do here.  

MELO, Centenario A will be my new area, with an Hermana named Hermana Bustos, and she was here in San Carlos before me. Melo is the fartherest area I'm pretty sure from the mission house, it is like 6 hours in bus, so that'll be fun! But I'm excited and I know it is hotter up there so that is nice!

M.S.  You are never going to believe me when I say this, BUT. M. is getting baptized today at 6!!!! In church I sat next to her during sacrament meeting, and right after the Sacrament she turned to me and started talking and said she wanted to be baptized before there were cambios cause she wanted us to be here and that she would be baptized in the font and not in the river! And I was so shocked! I couldn't believe it, so I told her we'll talk about it after the meeting and to our leaders.  Well we talked to our leaders that night and everyone was all in all we needed was the permission of our mission president.  So Monday we go over to teach her the rest of lesson 5 and prep her just in case she can be baptized and we get a call during the lesson that she can be baptized!!! So we prepared everything and will be having her baptismal service this night!! I'll send you pictures next week :)

San Carlos has been a roller coaster and I am so so so glad that I had the opportunity to work here.  I love the people and the area, and I can't believe that my companion and I will get to finish it off with a baptism.  I know the Lord really tested us and that we tried our hardest to work hard and to do everything we could, I know that He truly softened M.'s heart so that all of this could be possible. Her works in mysterious ways, and always giving me tender mercies.  Always search for the tender mercies and be grateful.

Ah. Well that is everything.  So I will be going to changes tomorrow and my new area and will let you all know how it is next week!!!

I love you family!! You are the best!!!!! Have a wonderful week!!

Love,

Hermana Louder

 

 

 

 

Hola from Punta del Este! 8 MONTH MARK (Week 35)

Dear Family,

Hello!!! How are you all doing?! Sounds like you had a wonderful 4th of July!!! And I love allllllllll the pictures! SO CUTE!!!!! What is the next thing that is coming up in your lives? Already preping for school ;)

YEAH!! Mom! I'm so glad you got the letters! I acutally sent it before your birthday and thought you had already gotten it.  Sorry it was so late!!

We don't celebrate the 4th of July here, but me and my companion dressed up and one of our members sent us a text haha....

Today we went to Punta del Este!! Finally! Because we have changes next week and we wanted to go just in case one of us gets changed and it was awesome! Hermana Elena went with us and we took lots of pictures and with the fingers in the ground ha. So that's what I've been doing today, thought the beach wasn't very warm, like it is there, but it was fun.

We had interviews with President this past Thursday and they were really good! Also while people were being interviewed we had little workshops with the assitants. They taught about the importance of the Book of Mormon and teaching to the needs of the investigators.  And President also talked about the change that is taking place with all the missionaries of how now we will be teaching lesson 5 before baptism and working more closely with our converts after their baptism and giving all of the lessons after.  He actually sent us an email that said that last week right after he had been in Utah for the presidents conference! And then right when my companion and I were leaving the assistants stopped us and wanted to talk.  Because we haven't had any baptisms here and it has been a little rough they wanted to talk, and they told us they know we are working hard and that we have the Spirit and are following it, and that our investigators also can feel it. And how we just need to keep working hard and focus in on people and it will be alright.

This past week we really worked with less actives and they are awesome! We had some really nice lessons with them and some really sweet experiences.  Oh and Saturday! We were working and I was on the phone with one of our recent converts and my companion was talking to an less active and they both said we could visit them in 30 minutes.  Well they don't live very close to each other and we weren't sure how to go visit.  So we decided to pray.  As we finished the prayer we got a call from Hermana Elena and she said she could go visit her sister (the recent convert) with us, and so we went and it was really good. She hasn't been feeling very good, but we finally got to see her!

It is cold here, but this past week wasn't that cold, there was only one really windy day that was pretty bad but other than that the weather has been nice!

I love you all so much!!! Thank you for your love and support and examples! I'm praying for you, and hope for the best.

Love,

Hermana Louder