Zone Activity

Do you like this tie?

Are there any tie colors you wish you had?
Stripes?
Solids?
Plaids?
Designs?

Do you need any other clothing items?  New garments?

Not too much the orange and blue clash and the red doesn´t really fit. I´m pretty good on ties I will probably need garments in a little while. I am still using everything that I have but I will probably need others.

Are the garment sizes still okay?  Have you gained or lost weight?

They don’t clash.  They look awesome!  However, I know you wouldn’t let me buy you any plaid ties when you left, so I thought I better ask before I bought it.

Lost more than anything, but the sizes are still fine. Well, last Monday we got our water back so everything is going well. We actually get to go to the temple tomorrow. Our zone is the first zone that is going to the temple, so it is a lot sooner than others. I am really excited for it.

We have quite a few people we are working with.  We are teaching the boyfriend of an active member that doesn´t live in our sector, but we are hoping to establish the basis so that he can be baptized where he is living. We are also teaching Alfredo. He is another man that teaches at one of the colleges near our sector and he is really interested in the history of the Church and the Book of Mormon. We don´t have baptismal dates, but we are really working toward it. Things are going really well. We are still trying to get back in contact more with Rodrigo and Carolina, a Catholic family. Also we are trying to get to Flavia because she got separated from the less active member from our sector and has a basis. But we have had some hard moments trying to get in contact with people.

The zone is starting to work with real baptismal dates because generally the missionaries put baptismal dates to have them and the leaders want us working to have them get baptized. So even if we had put baptismal dates they don´t count in our numbers until the investigator has attended church. I really like that because more people will focus on the people that are prepared and actually helping them get baptized.

I love the photos. Sorry that I haven´t gotten any out yet and I doubt that I will have time today either. We had a zone activity today and it went a little longer than planned and we live about half an hour away. Thanks for everything. I hope that everyone is doing well.

That is great.  I am glad you are seeing some success.  Keep trying.  I am praying for you every day.

I am so happy you got your hot water back.  That has to make you happier.  I want to see your happy face, so try to send me some photos this week.  Even one would make me very happy!

What did you do with your zone?

I am excited that you get to go to the temple.  That is sweet.  I will think of you all day long and know that you are in a special place.  Enjoy the spirit there.

Are you out of time already?

I am almost out of time. Sorry, the weeks feel so short, writing and my hands are always tired when I finish writing. Thanks for all you do and I will look for opportunities this week to send some. I will do my best. Sometimes I just haven´t had internet in the houses or have forgotten when I was in locations that I could have used. Sorry....

The zone played a game to pass time. It was a game of police. So it is like there is one investigator trying to find the culprit who is slowly picking people to kick out of the game, but without everyone´s knowledge. There is just one mediator with all the knowledge. It is really fun. They played a lot of rounds. It was really nice with snacks also. 

Great.  I am glad you had some fun.  You will have to teach the game to us when you get home.  What were the snacks you liked?  Who are your Zone Leaders and District Leaders now?

It seems like your email time gets shorter all the time.  I know you are writing other people, and I appreciate what you can do.  I would just love to know more about what you are doing and the great experiences you are having that are strengthening your testimony.

I love you so very much and miss you a ton.  I know you are doing what you are supposed to do and I know you are where you are supposed to be.  It is just hard sometimes to have you so far away.  I miss our long talks.  I wish I could be there for a week as a fly in your pocket and see all the great things you are doing.

Make sure you are checking your shoes for spiders before you put them on.

Did you get your package yet?

No, we have pouch this Wednesday. My zone leaders are Elder Cowan and Elder Daniel. My district leader is Elder Perrogoria. We will see if the package comes on Wednesday. Hopefully it does. That would be really nice. I´m out of time. Thanks for everything. Love you!

Thanks.  I love you, too.  A nice, long handwritten letter would be suck a surprise to get in the mail for Mother’s Day!  Have an awesome week and a sweet day at the temple tomorrow!

We Are Both Really Excited and Happy to Work!

Sadly, we don´t have hot water yet, but it should come really soon. We went to our church to watch the sessions and we could watch in Spanish or English. I chose to watch in English with my companion, but I wanted to watch the Spanish talks in Spanish. Just a side note, Elder Zeballos that is from Chile has talked to our mission in conferences before and I met him in the 6th week in Chile. I really enjoy his conversion story. It is not the first time that I have heard it though. This week has been better even with cold water and my cold, but I am happy and working hard. We had changes today and my companion and I are staying together for another change here. We are both really excited and happy to work. He and I get along really well, so it was a happy surprise since I thought that I would get changed today. I am excited for this change and things are going to be great. The mission has sent us the receipt of the pention costs, so we are going to give that to them (the apartment managers) today and we should get our warm water back for tomorrow.

I really love the photos and that you had a great Easter weekend. There wasn´t a fancy Easter concert and we still haven´t heard anything about one. Our mission president didn´t let the Elders go to the Priesthood session, but is going to let us watch it in our zones this Saturday. Also he decided to let the whole mission go to the Temple as their Districts, so I will get to go to the Temple anyway this next month which is really exciting.

Don´t stress out too much over me. I am happy here and love the work. Things are going well and I really hope that Dad is doing fine. He has had to suffer a lot of pains that most people couldn´t have handled. I know that he has had a long struggle and often wonders why he has to pass through so much, but I love that he just keeps trying to do his best. I love his persistent attitude even though things come up against him. It has always been a great example for me when I have been lazy or just haven´t wanted to do the hard things. Thanks for everything and I love you all. Thanks for all the support and love!

Tell Clain to keep working hard and that he can accomplish the hard things in life that push him to his limits. He just has to believe that he can accomplish them and do all that he can and the Lord will show him His way. I have been taking my medicines and it is a minor cold just mostly a chest cough and minor mucus issues. I am fine with any challenges thrown at me as long as I can keep working and helping the people. Thanks for everything. Sorry that I haven´t gotten pictures sent in a little while. I will do my very best to send some this week from a house or something. I need to find my best recent ones to send. 

Sorry that I wasn´t able to write more. I have been doing my best to get to everyone in more detail. Don´t stress too much about the messages. We get the Liahona in the mission and for the American missionaries we get it in English and usually we have a copy in Spanish or something but things are going well. They get us the Liahona to study which will really be nice to go over the talks again. I really enjoy re-reading the talks to learn more. Thanks and enjoy this week. I am really happy that there were lots of great family moments this last week and that you were able to go to the Temple. It sounds like you all had a great time.

Happy Easter!  I am so happy to hear from you.  I was thinking you had been transferred because I hadn’t heard from you.  I am glad all is well and especially glad that you are happy!  I think you are good for Elder Argyle and he is good for you.  I hope you are able to resolve the water problem soon.  I am glad your cold is only a minor thing.  I love you so much. Thanks for this positive letter.  I will look forward to some photos.  If nothing else take a few selfies.  I miss your happy smile.

Thanks I am out of time and will talk to you next week. I love you!

It was a great week.  I will send you some photos of the grandkids next week.  They are on my digital camera so a little harder to get to than the ones on my phone were. 

Your package cleared customs today, so you may get it on Wednesday if this is a pouch week. 

When you go to the temple, take all of the temple cards you have that need endowments and share with the elders and sisters.  It helps us to get the endowments done and I am sure these ancestors will be happy to be endowed in the Chile temple in Spanish.  Sort of a nice surprise for them.

I know. I will. I know right where all of the cards are. I appreciate everything. It may not be this week, but it will happen in the month. Thanks!

I love you, too.  Don’t ever forget that.  We are here rooting for you all the time and praying for you and know that your ancestors are there as angels watching over you each day, also.  They will protect you from harm and accidents if you are obedient.  I am trusting in their power to keep you safe.  I love you, Son.   Have a fantastic week!

Power Back On - Still Cold Showers

The same Monday, last Monday, we got our power back, but we still haven´t gotten back our warm water. We have been working a lot on finding other investigators, because the ones that we have are not progressing very well. We have been trying really hard and the most likely to be successful have not really been too receptive these last few days or we haven´t really been able to find them. We are looking for other people that are ready right now and doing all that we can to teach other people that are prepared to make covenants and follow through on them. There hasn´t been a whole lot this last week, but working the best that we can and still things have been difficult, but doing our very best to find success, but it just hasn´t come this change.

It has been a really long time without hot water it has been over a month.... I have been getting a cold and haven´t been feeling very great this last week, but we have kept working looking for success, but things have slowed down for me a lot even though we still have a really good attendance. The attendance has gone up to 163 this last Sunday and was around 150 the whole month. Things are improving, just that our investigators haven´t gotten to church lately. I am exhausted at the end of each day and things just haven´t shown the same results like before. I am still looking for the people that are truly prepared to be baptized. It has been a rough change, but things overall for me are not that bad. I am getting along really well with my companion.

Thanks for all of the support and always writing even though I am bad about details. I don´t have pictures this week. Somehow I forgot my camera in the house and will have to try to send some pictures this week from houses. Conference this weekend we will have to go to the Church for all of the sessions and leave to lunch and other things provided by the members. I am really excited about conference, because we have lots of opportunities to help people hear more from the General Authorities.

We haven´t actually started using the Easter Pass-Along Cards and videos yet. The mission wants us to use them this week, so that is what we are starting today. I am really excited because it should help us to find new people interested in what we are teaching and be our way to find more success. About the Easter Concert I haven´t heard anything and we sent in the surveys 3 weeks ago.... It is a little frustrating because things don´t appear like they are going to happen as of yet, but I don´t have any idea honestly. 

Thanks for the photos they look fun. I hope that that shares a little more about how things are. We are going to be walking a lot this weekend to get to all of the reunions to see Conference. 

The phone system here has a setup that sends messages when someone has called you when you weren´t available or has become available to call so that isn´t it. We always know if someone has tried calling or anything.

Sorry that I don´t have more time but I have to be done now thank you for everything and I am trying to do better about the details. Sorry if it is still lacking. I am doing my best right now in the details.

Tough Week. No Electricity!

It has been a really hard week for me we haven´t had a lot of success still no baptismal dates. No we haven´t seen the Catholic family. Flavia and Oliver got separated and Flavia isn´t listening to us anymore. There is a lot going downhill. We had 13 lessons and to make things worse we haven´t had warm water in 3 weeks. They cut our power 3 days ago so we are in the dark in the evenings and mornings, the only time that we are in the house. The fridge is gone so we have to buy food daily now because we only have the stove to cook. We had to throw out some food because of the fridge issue. We can´t charge our phone much, so we almost always have a dead phone. I am doing pretty well health wise, but doing my best. I don´t know if I will stay or what, but Root Beer Extract would be nice and maybe something for Elder Argyle´s birthday in April but that is after changes so I don´t know if I will be here. They don´t sell dry ice, so we have to make it with root beer extract to have home-made root beer. Thanks for everything and I will try to keep you updated.

I am sorry you are struggling.  Did the Office Elders not pay the bills or what?  What have you done to try to get power restored?  Have you called the Office or Mission President?  Have you talked to your District Leader and Zone Leader?  Don’t let it go on for long.  It will be too disruptive to your work. 

I can send Root Beer Extract and then you can just mix it with sugar and water to make Root Beer punch like we have done at home.  It is 1 cup of sugar and a Tablespoon or two of extract to a  half gallon of water. 

Ya that would be really nice. Also Elder Argyle´s birthday is next month but I might change before it come around. I have no clue. Thanks for everything. I have been trying but haven´t gotten around to sending photos and I have been looking for photos to take but not that many to be honest.

You sound very discouraged today.  I am sorry.  Keep trying.  Things will work out.  Have you talked to someone about getting your power and hot water back on?  Why is it off?

I have many times. I went through my leaders first and they knew we didn´t have water and when our power went I called them and they told me they had called the leaders but I called the Pensionists anyway. My leaders now can´t call us because our phone is dead and we haven´t seen any results which really makes it hard to be happy. I have had a horrible week and everything is going bad for me lately.....

I am really sorry and I will pray harder for you to be happy and have success.  Go talk to the Bishop of your Ward and see if he can call your Mission President or ask to use his phone and you call the Mission President.  Don’t let it go on because it will just pull you down.  What does your companion say about it?  Is he trying to resolve the situation? 

Satan wants to discourage you.  Don’t give in to him.  Every missionary goes through tough times.  Remember when you were in Lo Espejo and the toilet wasn’t working.  You got really discouraged then.  Once it was fixed, you were able to be happy again.  Get this fixed now.  Today!!!  Go find a phone and make some calls.  Work your way up the chain of command till someone responds to help you.  District Leader, Zone Leader, Pensionists, Office Elders, Mission President if you have to.  Don’t let it continue. 

You can’t function well when your environment is not good.  Investigators are like that, too.  They have to have their basic needs met first before they are willing to listen and change.  Sometimes Heavenly Father tries to help them to see how much they need him, but still some won’t take time to see when life is hard. 

Don’t worry about the photos.  Just snap one or two of you and your companion.  It doesn’t have to be anything special.  I just like to see your happy face. 

I love you Braxton and I want you to be happy. 

What else has been going on that made it a horrible week?

That is basically it showering with a flashlight in the bathroom in the still dark with ice cold water is really discouraging for me.... Not to mention that we can´t call to make appointments anymore really makes me not have any desire to do the work because I will have to walk all day passing for everyone without appointments set.... That is the most discouraging part for me.

Then take time today to get the problems fixed.  Why don’t you have enough minutes on the phone?  Why aren’t your bills getting paid for electricity?  What is your Senior Companion doing about it?

We are in the same situation the both of us. Our phone is out of charge..... Out of electricity..... We have called the mission and today I wrote to president about the issue in my letter. Hopefully things will work out.

Okay.  That is good.  I hope he responds and gets you some help.  If you don’t hear from him today or if someone has not contacted you to help, then go borrow a phone and make some phone calls.  Heavenly Father doesn’t want you to suffer like this.  You can’t be effective missionaries if you don’t have the basics.  What have your District and Zone Leaders said?

They said they would call the leaders and get it fixed but it has been another 3 days....

Okay.  I think you need to go borrow a phone and call your Mission President today.  You really can’t work like this and be effective missionaries.  I know you are a Boy Scout, but take action.  Don’t just sit in the dark and wait.  I am sorry it is so hard.  Remember you are loved by us and by Heavenly Father and Jesus.  None of us wants to see you suffer. 

Can you send another email to the Office Elders or Assistants to the President while you are still on?

I don´t know I just sent one but I am just done... I am out of time thanks for everything I will let you know how things went with this week though. Thank you!

You will be in our prayers.  We love you so much.  Keep your chin up and smile! 

Love always and forever,

Mom

A Friend Like McKay

The conference was half of the mission, all of the city zones. It was just a normal conference. Elder Argyle and I talk a lot about games and everything. You could think of a McKay Rowley comparison with me.  (McKay is one of Braxton’s good friends from high school).  We can talk about most anything because of what we both like. He wants to go into Computer Programming as well, so we have a lot in common. We haven´t cooked a lot lately, but we made tacos the other day. They were really good. I don´t honestly know the weirdest food I have eaten. Their food is pretty normal honestly. I like salads, honestly. I have been looking for opportunities to eat more salads.

We haven´t gone anywhere interesting in a little while. The Choir survey came out this week so it is in progress now, but I still don´t know about it yet. I will see if I have any new interesting photos to send this week.

We had a couple of investigators at church this week. Constanza, that is the girlfriend of a returned missionary, has attended twice now and we have an appointment with them tomorrow in the afternoon. We also have Barbara, that is living with a less active member and they both came this week. We had tried visiting them before, but now we have an appointment with them also tomorrow in the evening. Things are going well, lots of work. We are looking for new people all the time, because it is a hard time finding lessons. But things are slowly going up. We only had 13 lessons this last week, but we are improving things and getting people ready to be baptized as quickly as possible. Thanks for everything. I really appreciate all of the information and I hope that you keep enjoying the time with the grandkids and all the happy, fun moments.

Okay, I hope that everything goes well. I haven´t had a lot of time today to write and we decided to write earlier to get done with everything and not have to rush so much. We ran into them, (the Catholic Family he mentioned last week) the other day and planned another appointment because the last week they were out of town, so we didn´t see them. We don´t have any set baptismal dates right now, but we are working on everything that we can right now.

I was able to play the CD and I really like the songs. Elder Argyle does play the flute, but didn´t bring it. He played the flute in the Christmas concert.

We found hamburger that was around 2,000 or 3,000 pesos which is like 3 to 5 dollars but we could make a couple meals out of it and soft shell tacos they have here which works out great. 

Thanks. Talk to you next week. I haven´t gotten any photos sent I will try to from my camera this week.

Photos from a Mission Conference March 2015

Photos from a Mission Conference held in March 2015

Another Great Week!

The package was great.  I am glad that you are going to have time with the kids and get to play.

Thanks for everything. It was a great package. Elder Argyle´s name is Daniel Matt Argyle and he was born in Utah and lived in Roy for 10 years, but moved to Missouri and has been living there up until the mission. We had 15 lessons this week and a lot of contacts, but we found 5 new investigators this week. We are working a lot to teach people, but we haven´t got baptismal dates. Most everyone that is progressing isn´t married or we can´t run into them again, but we are working hard to have people ready to be baptized. We are working with a lot of references and other things.

Carlos is doing well. He has a few names ready and I don´t know when we are going to the temple again. I don´t think I am going to send the SD card. I think that I will hang onto it and keep using others. He probably has Facebook. Most everyone does these days. Thanks for everything. We are working with William.  He has been really receptive recently, but hasn´t been able to attend yet because of work and he isn´t married so we are working to teach that this week with him. We are also going to work with a new family that is Catholic with 3 kids married and we are working to help them understand the importance of praying to know, but they are really Catholic and don´t seem to want to change, but we are going to help them understand and find the answers this week.

I am changing my contacts.  I just haven´t used my contacts in a while. Everyone tells me that I look tired when I use contacts, so I have been using them less. I shared and it went well. Thanks for everything and yes it went well. I don´t know. I liked the package. Maybe a few more interesting food possibilities to cook I honestly don´t know you are doing really well with packages and I am not complaining. Thanks for all that you do. We haven´t had a time change this year. Chile decided that they aren´t changing time according to a member that told me that. I would rather hang onto SD cards and fill them up more. Thanks for everything though I am doing great. We were in Camila´s house when I took the photos and he likes to be funny and it works out fine.

It is 2:47 here now.  I will work on sending pictures. We had to do Elder Argyle´s papers to get his ID card here. The package was great. Thank you. Surprise me with the food choices, but I don´t know. Normal P-day but rushed because of ID. We made Banana Bread for Family Home Evening, Elder Argyle and I. It was great. The CD cases are great. I hadn´t bought anything yet. I honestly had forgotten to try the disc, but I will this week. I have been really busy. Thanks!

Okay I am doing well I will try sending a few photos but I haven´t taken very many recently sorry about that....

I haven´t heard anything about Easter´s program yet, other than the date. We have pans, bowls, sufficient stuff just not everything and we are creative. We have made tacos, but we are going to make more this week with soft shell burritos. The missionaries really enjoyed the package. My favorite was about math and closing your eyes and it being really dark. We are doing really great. Elder Argyle and I cook a lot together and work as a team which I have really enjoyed lately.

Elder Argyle got wrapped up by Carlos ready to send home but he was a little claustrophobic.

Sorry I sent them backwards. He is here and that was our banana bread for a Family Home Evening.

Sorry I don´t have any more time, but that generally explains things I am doing my best working hard finding more people and working with them the best that I can to help them along their paths. Thanks for everything and I will keep doing my best to give you more detail.

I'm impressed with the banana bread. Did it taste as good as it looks?

Yes I am working with Elder Argyle to learn more, even though I don´t have them all down to memory. I am learning a lot better the ingredients and about how much of everything. Thanks though.