To the most amazing family.

Dear Family,

How is life? How is school and work and all this traveling going for everyone? And thank you for the lyrics to the song! Oh and another favor... dad and mom, could you scan me a photo of your wedding, with the temple? :)

Hermana Britton, she is from Arlington, Texas and has been in the mission for 5 months.  She went to BYU for a year.  She reminds me alot about Megan.  She loves to read and she is super funny and smart. She is great!

The weeks are all starting to blur together, but being a missionary is still great and hard. So we had changes and we actually ended up going, because the other companionship in the house also had transfers of one companion so the other hna, Hermana Marcos had to go to the hospital for something that she is being treated for, and I went with her, and then an elderly couple came and picked us up and took us to cambios, which was actually pretty great, because then I could see Hermana Smouse before she left, and Hermana Tejada, because I don't think I will see here before I leave.

We got back and started working and I just know that this cambio is going to be great! She is obviously different from my last companion, she is a little more serious, but super funny and her spanish is pretty good, though not always does she like to speak it ha, and I know I am really going to learn from her when we should keep going with investigators or when we need to drop them, like who can progress.  I think that is always a hard thing to tell, but she has done some really great questions to be able to see if they are willing to change, and I love working with her.

This week was great! We found some new people also.  Matias, at first we were a little iffy becuase he is a guy, but as we started talking more at the very end of our conversation he told us he has a daughter and that he wants to change for her! So that was really great.  He is hard to find, and also didn't go to the church because he had a party the night before... but he is great and really wants to change and be a good dad for his daughter.

I decided that as a goal for this cambio I want to pray more and inquire of the Lord about what he wants us to do with his children.  So the day after cambios we had weekly planning and we prayed that for Luis and Virginia because every time we have a cita they never can, but always come to church. We decided that we were going to try to be their friends first and visit them with out setting a cita becuase they always cancelled and well... asked that if it was his will that we keep visiting them that we'd be able to talk to them.  Then Saturday came and we were clapping a door infront of them and he came out and was like hey! Come in! And we went and talked with them, and Martina was also there, the daughter.  We had a really good lesson, and he has a ton of questions, but it ended up being really good.

We were also walking home and this guy stopped us and he looks and me and was like sorry, I let you down. And I was so confused and he was like you guys were going to past but then I wasn't there. And I remembered this guy that did the same thing about a month ago and told us to pass by right before we had to go home and so we set a date, but never was there.  So I was like.. Rocky? and he was like yes! When can you come visit me! This week we are going to go see him and we invited him to church and went to go with him, but he ended up not feeling very well.

Another new we found about a week ago, we went for our cita and we was working but stopped and we talked for a bit, I think we might need to teach him a little slower but then at the end we asked if we could help him with anything and he said yes! So we helped water his plants ha, I think he was in an accident so I would have been a little harder for him, because he has a well and we pulled the water from there... well at the very end, he was like thanks! and these are for you! And he gave each of us a flower! 

Anothony is doing good... I think Erika felt like he was getting a little lazy so they set goals on what they are going to do with their life and then also to get married! so they are saving money to do it and we are finished with all the charlas except for one, follow the prophet and we are also going to include tattoos in that, because  he really likes them and wants more ha.

Family, there are times that I miss you, not going to lie, but I know this is where I need to be and helping the people here and serving my savior.  Thank you for your support and all that you do, I love you all so much! Keep going strong! Sigan adelante! I love you!!!

Love,

Hermana Louder

Dear Family,

How is life? How is school and work and all this traveling going for everyone? And thank you for the lyrics to the song! Oh and another favor... dad and mom, could you scan me a photo of your wedding, with the temple? :)

Hermana Britton, she is from Arlington, Texas and has been in the mission for 5 months.  She went to BYU for a year.  She reminds me alot about Megan.  She loves to read and she is super funny and smart. She is great!

The weeks are all starting to blur together, but being a missionary is still great and hard. So we had changes and we actually ended up going, because the other companionship in the house also had transfers of one companion so the other hna, Hermana Marcos had to go to the hospital for something that she is being treated for, and I went with her, and then an elderly couple came and picked us up and took us to cambios, which was actually pretty great, because then I could see Hermana Smouse before she left, and Hermana Tejada, because I don't think I will see here before I leave.

We got back and started working and I just know that this cambio is going to be great! She is obviously different from my last companion, she is a little more serious, but super funny and her spanish is pretty good, though not always does she like to speak it ha, and I know I am really going to learn from her when we should keep going with investigators or when we need to drop them, like who can progress.  I think that is always a hard thing to tell, but she has done some really great questions to be able to see if they are willing to change, and I love working with her.

This week was great! We found some new people also.  Matias, at first we were a little iffy becuase he is a guy, but as we started talking more at the very end of our conversation he told us he has a daughter and that he wants to change for her! So that was really great.  He is hard to find, and also didn't go to the church because he had a party the night before... but he is great and really wants to change and be a good dad for his daughter.

I decided that as a goal for this cambio I want to pray more and inquire of the Lord about what he wants us to do with his children.  So the day after cambios we had weekly planning and we prayed that for Luis and Virginia because every time we have a cita they never can, but always come to church. We decided that we were going to try to be their friends first and visit them with out setting a cita becuase they always cancelled and well... asked that if it was his will that we keep visiting them that we'd be able to talk to them.  Then Saturday came and we were clapping a door infront of them and he came out and was like hey! Come in! And we went and talked with them, and Martina was also there, the daughter.  We had a really good lesson, and he has a ton of questions, but it ended up being really good.

We were also walking home and this guy stopped us and he looks and me and was like sorry, I let you down. And I was so confused and he was like you guys were going to past but then I wasn't there. And I remembered this guy that did the same thing about a month ago and told us to pass by right before we had to go home and so we set a date, but never was there.  So I was like.. Rocky? and he was like yes! When can you come visit me! This week we are going to go see him and we invited him to church and went to go with him, but he ended up not feeling very well.

Another new we found about a week ago, we went for our cita and we was working but stopped and we talked for a bit, I think we might need to teach him a little slower but then at the end we asked if we could help him with anything and he said yes! So we helped water his plants ha, I think he was in an accident so I would have been a little harder for him, because he has a well and we pulled the water from there... well at the very end, he was like thanks! and these are for you! And he gave each of us a flower! 

Anothony is doing good... I think Erika felt like he was getting a little lazy so they set goals on what they are going to do with their life and then also to get married! so they are saving money to do it and we are finished with all the charlas except for one, follow the prophet and we are also going to include tattoos in that, because  he really likes them and wants more ha.

Family, there are times that I miss you, not going to lie, but I know this is where I need to be and helping the people here and serving my savior.  Thank you for your support and all that you do, I love you all so much! Keep going strong! Sigan adelante! I love you!!!

Love,

Hermana Louder

Our house and out front :)

I LOVE YOU!!!!

Dear Family,

YEAH EMILY!!! You look beautiful! Congragulations! Ah you need to send me more photos!!!

Thank you so much for sharing with me, sounds like everything is going well at home! And really nice experiences and weather!

Changes! I will be staying here! And I hope I die! My companion is going to melo ha! And my new companion is from her group, Hermana Britton, another american! I am excited, and super happy to be staying! Well no matter where I'd be in Uruguay still be a missionary and with great people!

So I remember reading your letters about Joseph Smith and my testimony about him, and decided that I wanted to strengthen mine.  So I was stuyding about him, and thinking when I really got my testimony.  But I feel as though being a member my whole life it is just something I accepted.  I love being able to share the first vision, and had it memorized since the CCM so that has been really good and I can feel the Spirit as I share it and testify. And this week as thinking about him there was one day that I prayed to feel that he is a prophet.  Well we were having an intercambio with the hermana viajantes and they came to our area, and we went to the house of a new investigator and we were sharing the restoration, well I began to share about Jospeh Smith and the first vision, and as I began to share it impacted me so much more this time.  The Spirit was so strong and I felt so strongly that he truly is a prophet of God.  I know he restored the chuch of Christ to the Earth.

Things are going great! We had a zone conference about 5 things to be a leader and to follow everything and it went super well, and other than that is has been normal! We are trying to figure out how to help Anthony and Erika get a date! they want to get married but are just putting of getting a date. And we weren't able to visit Robert, the husband of a member this week, but we have cita set for tomorrow because they went to visit family.  And we went to visit Carlos, husband of a less active and it went really well, he wants to get married and be baptized, but we are not really sure the reason behind it.  It is good that he wants that, but now we need to help me with his testimony.  And mom, reading your email real quick, interestingly enough we were sharing we a less active this week and I shared my experience about Jospeh Smith and shwe wanted us to share it with her little primary class and about him ha!

I love you all sooooo much!! You are the best family! If there is anything you want, let me know!

Oh or if anyone has the lyrics to my kindness shall not depart from thee please send me them! Love you!!

Love,

Hermana Louder

We ran to the beach this morning!

Mission leader and fam!

Anthony and Erika!

Another great day! HAPPY BIRTHDAY MEGAN!!!

Dear Family,

First off...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MEGAN!!! I cannot believe it now, that you are 17! and sorry I didn't write it last week, we walked out and I thought, oh no, megan! And more bad news... I sent your letter at the beginning of january, but they didn't take it out of the package or whatever and all of our zones letters got sent back :( so now hopefully it is on it's way.  Question! Have you gone on your first date?! Ah and how is acting up going?! I've heard that you are loving it!

We will be able to work on family history on p-days, don't worry I will find some names! And I love that you guys are doing it.  It sounds like there are alot of things going on, and lots of kids that aren't going to be in town... Mom and Dad, are you guys going to go on a little trip? ;)

YEAH! Emily, I'm so happy that you passed, you are all always in my prayers, and now... we have a little nurse in the family!

This week was pretty normal haha well except for the last bit.  So I tried a new contact solution, because the regular solution only lasts about 3 months so I need to save it! And I don't know if I'm allergic or because of the weird weather, but come saturday my eyes were terrible, so I used glasses, and as we began proselyting I started crying and I couldn't really see and they just burned! We made it to lunch and then language study and continuted but then after a charla outside, I couldn't look at my companion at all during the lesson and I couldn't see, so we called our leader and went home to put some stuff in my eyes and then we went back out.  Well later that night, my eye lids puffed up ha! But now all is good! I'll just be wearing glasses for a bit is all.

Wow.  Talk about miracles.  So because of my eye problem Saturday we couldn't talk to a lot of people, which that day is a big day in the mission field, get everyone ready for sunday! Come Sunday.  Anthony came! and they are going to try to make a date this week! And then Luis came again with his daughter, Martina and wife Virginia less active, and a cousin.  And then a member Gwendy and her husband Robert, and a less active woman, Raquel and her husband Carlos! It was crazy and it was a super good sunday. It was fast sunday and we had the stake president there and an area 70.  

Thank you for your testimonies and for sharing them with me, because every time they do they grow.  Thank you for your support and love, I love each and every single one of you!!!

Love,

Hermana Louder

fam bam

Dear Family,

It is so great to here from all of you! I always love hearing because then I know that everything is fine with you all!

This week was great!!!! So today we went to xxx because my companion needed to sign her papers and we had a little melo reunion! So we went there at like 9 and just got back.

This past week I could really feel the spirit.  So we had an intercambio with the sister leaders and I was going to their area, and the bus ride was like a 45 ride.  So I sat down and there was a lady next to me, and at first I didn't really pay attention and the other sister and I just started talking, but then the aisle began to fill so we couldn't talk, and I had the impression that I needed to talk to the lady.  Well she was sleeping.. so I waited a bit.   Then right when she woke up I turned to her and started talking and at first she didn't seem very interested, and then it started to change and I gave her a pamphlet and then wrote down her info, and then was bearing my testimony about families and that they can be forever.  And I think she really felt the spirit and then was like, oh here is another number you can try to get a hold of me! And then I invited her to be baptized of course! And she asked where she had to go, and by this time it was time to get off, so I pray that the missionaries find her!!!

The very next day we had an intercambio with the zone, and Sister Young and I worked in my area.  She is from texas and has been in the mission for 3 weeks! And it was amazing, I felt the Spirit so strong with her.  We put all her stuff in the house and prayed and left and as we started to walk up the road I felt the small impression, no turn around and go to julio, a new we had found a while back.  So I said a little prayer and we turned around.  Though he wasn't there we talked to many other great people! Then we had an appointment with Alicia and she let us right in (our first lesson) and we sang and prayed and found out more about her life.  And then we started to teach her about the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Ah it was sooooooo good.  The Spirit was so strong, and we invited her to be baptized again, but said no but she wants to learn more and told us that she felt really good.  We helped her realized that it was the Spirit.  Then later that day we had a lesson with Pablo, and man he brought out all his doubts again.  I felt so bad because hna Young is still learning Spanish so she doesn't talk much.... but we were talking and listening.  I then there came a moment where I was just completely blank, and felt the Spirit and a voice say, ask hna young, just ask her.  I didn't want to put her on the spot, but I turned to her and asked her.  And what she shared was perfect.  And she bore testimony of the BOM. After the lesson we talked about it, and she spoke a lot in that lesson.  She told me that she had the impression to talk but didn't want to and then when I asked her she didn't understand what was being said or if what she was thinking would be ok at this time, but shared any way. 

The next day after that Hna Dowdle and I were back together and working away and we could finally work in an area that is pretty far.  So we got there and then we had to go to the bus stop so that we could go to the baptism of the other hermanas.  Well something happened and the hermanas couldn't find their investigator so we kept working, but before we left my companion had a list of antiguos and we decided to pray to know who we should visit, and the people we had in common, that is who we would go to. We both had Sandra in common, and decided to try to go visit her and talk to everyone on the way.  Well we turned down her street and we weren't seeing any signs or numbers so we saw two girls outside and at first my companion didn't want to go, but we decided come on lets talk! So we went up and they ran inside, ok weird.  Then the mom came out and was like what? And so we were like well hello! How are you? Yes sorry to bother you we are just looking for an adress.  What manzana y solar is this.  And she told us and I'm sure both our jaws just fell open.  And we were like in unision, oh your Sandra!! And she was like yes! and we told her that we felt like we needed to visit her! And we set an appointment for this week because she didn't have time.

Anthony is doing good, and they are going to make a date this end of the week to get baptized and he is going strong! It amazes me every time, but I know that the Lord prepared him.

I am so grateful for these experiences that I have been having with the Spirit, because it bares testimony to me, that He not I am the real teacher, as you shared with me a couple weeks ago dad. I know that as we follow these small but significant feelings or impressions the lord trusts us more and that we will always have his guidance.  I love you all so much! Have an amazing week to the best family ever!!

Love,

Hermana Louder

FAMILY!!!! Being nice will bring you close, having lice will bring you closer.

Dear Family,

WOW!! How are you all doing now that you are back in school and everything, the winter this year really doesn't sound that bad! That is good, and you can all be safe.

Mom, our house is nice... and we have a washer but we hang dry our clothes. I am doing well, and trying to eat healthy :)

Things are going great! So we had a multi zone conference last tuesday and we talked about a lot of things like being your own steward and how to begin teaching (PMG) and... family history!! And so everyone listen up, I'm so excited! In february we are going to be able to go to the temple, but before then we will be given time to use familysearch and find our own family names and do everything for them in the temple!! So dad and Emily... don't find them all! :) ah that was probably the coolest thing to hear.  And also President Cook took a picture of us, so I sent you the pictures!

Anthony came to church, of course, and he is going strong.  He and Erika are great.  Yesterday we taught tithing and offerings, we had given him the folleto before hand so he could study it and then we taught it, and man was he prepared! He basically taught us! It was so good, and they are doing family scripture study and prayer together, and we can really see that the Spirit is teaching him.  He is gold, oro.  He was prepared, and I just feel so blessed to be able to teach him.

All of our investigators are there... we are struggling to have daily contact with them and lots of people are going on vacations or the people we find aren't from here, but there are also MANY people that are amazing, and that we are going back to visit, like it says in the scriptures it's one eternal round giro eterno and we just need to keep working and doing everything.

Dad I also decided to do the thing from PMG and I am choosing patience, I feel like I really need to learn that here on the mission, all that I can, or else I will never be able to ha! The mission has really taught me alot.

LICE.  Well we were walking one day and my companion tells me my head kinda itches. well some how we got to the topic of lice, and I start searching he hair and well, she has lice. hahahaha.... So all four of us sisters are getting treated.  I and another sister don't have it, but the other two do, so we are really being careful and washing everything and putting our hair up.  But we have no idea how they got it! That is something exciting for you guys.

Also we had another sister missionary come home to our ward here and it was really interesting here from her, she is super cute.  But I realized that sometimes I can't do everything.  That the Savior is here to help me, that he really knows me and can make my weaknesses become strong if I come unto him (Ether 12).   I just need to rely on him and enjoy this time that I have.

I love being able to serve my Savior, and become more like him through his grace.  Thank you for all that you do and your support, I love you all so much!!!!!

Love,

Hermana Louder

Zone activity today!!

The Mission!

I LOVE YOU!

Dear Family,

Thank you so much for all the emails :) You are all so wonderful, and I love hearing about everything.  How are you all doing now that you are back in school and work?

This week has been crazy so I'll give you all some more information about our area and everything, It is still pretty hot here, but I'm sure not as hot in melo. Though we forgot to use sunscreen one day... ohhhhh our noses and foreheads were nasty so I couldn't take any pictures ha, but now I am using it all the time and put it on every 2-3 hours.  We have lunch almost everyday with the members, which is awesome, that will help me to get to know them better and they are great! Our stake is actually the biggest. Church.  So they are redoing our church here, so a bus passes two times to take us all to parque de plata about 10 mins or less in bus and it is free! So we have to take the bus at 9 or 9:30 and church starts at 10 and then we take the bus back.  There are many people that know how to play piano and our ward is huge! So Ï just get to be with the members and investigators!

Our area is super close to the beach and we are going today! It is like 10 minutes walking, so we always find people in the streets that don't want to talk because they are going, so we have a lot of future inv.! And we have a ruta like a freeway that splits our area in two, and one side is richer and the other side isn't really poor, but it isn't as rich.

All of my things are doing great.  I usually wear two pairs of shoes and they have held out my whole mission. That is something so important, even though they were expencive, it was worth it. So many sisters have had to buy new shoes and it is so hard to find a good pair, my companion right now has aldreay bought two and now needs another, so I feel really blessed.

We had an english fast this week! So tried not to speak any english after 6 last monday, and it went really well the first couple days and at the end it was harder ahaha but it was really good, and I feel like it really helped us.

Ah how could I forget!!! Our investigators!

So Anthony came to church again, he is the boyfriend of a member, and they are planning to make a date or whatever to get married and they will be doing that the end of this month, so they will probably be getting married in february or march.  But he is awesome! We met with him on wednesday and gave him a BOM and he loved it, we went back on friday with a member, He told us that he had felt different in the lesson with us.  He felt so good and knew that it was all true and he had never felt that before, and it was weird because he didn't even know us.  And he had read the book of mormon and prayed! And so then we taught the plan of salvation and they want to get married! and then they went to church and we went yesterday night and we taught the gospel of jesus christ and wow.  He is so prepared.  He is still reading and he told us that he wants to be baptized so that he can go to the temple and recieve his endownments and get sealed!

This past week we found a recent convert that he we hadn't talked to in a while and has kinda strayed, but he is really great and wants to change.  He has a girlfriend and is sharing the gosple with her and told us that they little brothers wanted to go to church! Well we kinda forgot about that and come sunday we get on the bus and there they all are! He had gone and gotten all the little brothers and they want to listen to. It was really cute.

And Malcom, from canada, we had a super good lesson with him and he shared with us that he had gone to a baptism here for his cousin and really felt the spirit and was going to think on the baptism invitation, but then sunday his aunt told us that he doesn't want anything to do with the church, so we are going to be visiting him and talking to see what happened.

Thank you for sharing with me your experiences and your adivce, because I am no where near perfect and need all the help I can get.  Everyday I realize that I need to rely more on my Savior because it truly is through his grace that we can be saved.  I know he loves each and everyone of us and atoned for us.  Keep the questions coming! I love you all!!!! Have a great week! :)

Love,

Hermana Louder

US! 

The awesome missionary couple!

We helped with an open house in el pinar.

2015

Dear Family,

Here we are again?! How was your new year?!  Crepes? I still haven't gotten the letter from Grandma Burr, but I did get one from Marla!

Salinas B: two words. It's huge. WOW. We walk SO MUCH!! It is ginormous. Really though. And we don't live in our area so we have to start walking or running back to the house pretty early.  In the house there are four of us but it is a little more seperate. The other companionship is usually in their room and that is where they study and then we study out in the main room.  The house is normal kinda interesting because the ceiling is of wood so bugs are always falling for above ha, but it's good.  Hermana Dowdle is awesome! She is hilarious, and we are always happy, she has just barely began but she is working on her Spanish and really likes to start the converstations, ha it's great.

Yesterday it really hit me, from what you guys said on skype and also a member about Spanish.  So a member that just got back from her mission 2 weeks ago and is already engaged haha was talking to us and using her english and saying her companions that spoke the most spanish also had the best accents.  Ah and I know I have been really bad in that.  So this change I am putting a goal, that I am only going to speak Spanish, except of course to talk to you guys or a little on p-day, because I don't want to loose the Spanish I know right now, and I really want to get better.  I know it's going to be rough, but I really want this!

We have a lot of investigators and the bad thing is, is that none of them live close to one another, so we are always walking and talking to so many new people.  Apparently the bishop gave them some references, and so we went back and they were all really receptive so we will be visiting them this week, and also an investigator that came to church is the boy friend of a member that just had a baby, he came for the baby blessing and is really interested, so of course they need to get married! But I thing he is going to be really good.

Another investigator named P, wow.  So before changes they taught him on an intercambio the word of wisdom, but my companion wasn't there so we weren't really sure what happened. So we went to go check up on it and he was not very happy.  He doesn't want to accept the word of wisdom or law of chasity or tithing! But I think we just need to explain it to him, We were teaching him again the word of wisom and well I'll just tell you what happened.  Inspired questions gone wrong.  So I asked Hna Dowdle if I could share it and she said yes, we were talking about alchohol and how he doesn't want to give it up and she asks, do you think jesus drank alcohol or wine? and he was like yes.  In the scirptures and went on.... I just about died! Because then he was like, or do you think I'm wrong, so we had to dig our selves back up out of that hole hahaha...

Church! There were so many people, but all are so nice! And we actually have a couple that play piano so I don't have to! But I did bare my testimony.

  

Oh and we went to new years to our DOM's and had BBQ and could stay out again so they had so much food and it was soooooo good and then he and his wife drove us home and we watched the fireworks.

Things are going good, family, if you have any adivce or if anyone has advice for me, please give it to me! Don't be afraid to offend me, because I want to become better.  I love you all so much and hope that you start this year 2015 off well and have made goals! Love you!!

Love,

Hermana Louder

The picture I sent last time.. the shirts were a gift to the four of us for Christmas from a member.