Monday, May 24, 2010
Report from Aruba (email dated 05/24/2010)
So this was a nice full week of heat and sweet and good lessons taught to our investigators. I'm not sure if i mentioned a man named Roy last week. He's a great guy and right now our number one investigator that is progressing. He even came to church this week with his little 8 year old son which is always a great step for investigators here in the mission field. Right now Roy is really in the first steps of conversion and we just pray that he's able to continue enduring upon that path. He's married and they just have one child who's 8 years old and a good kid. He really enjoyed church i think which was good. Especially because many times if the child doesn't have good experience that family doesn't either, but luckily that wasn't the case with Roy. Our goal for this next week is to get his wife involved in the lessons because still she hasn't really participated to much yet. She's been sick and is going to have a surgery to remove a cist from her stomach or something like that so she just stay's in bed while we visit with Roy. So we pray that all goes well with her health and also that she's able to see the change in her husband by listening and visiting with us. Earlier i guess Roy was going through a tough time and drinking was a bad habit, but now he's starting to clean up and we're more than happy to be there to help him out in that process.
Also we had a cool lesson with a lady named Angela who's been investigating the church for a good amount of time now and she has never made it to baptism. So i asked her what's holding her up and she said she just has a really bad smoking habit and hasn't been able to get over it yet. So we focused on teaching her of repentance and how that is a change of our view of God and our selves and how that's going to help her make it to baptism. So we then asked her if she was willing to stop smoking and prepare to be baptized and she said yeah. So then we asked her where all her cigarettes were and she told us, so then we took them away from her to help her avoid the temptation. We then destroyed the cigarettes so that they don't help kill any one else either. Its interesting how that on the cigarette package it says in bold and clear letters, "Smoking Kills", and yet the people still buy them. How bad of an addiction is that right? So Angela is going to be in our prayers that she is able to overcome her addiction.
Also, i guess i should let you now about my new companion shouldn't I. His name is Elder Ellis and we've actually been in the some District before so we sort of already new each other. He's from Oregon and went to a year of school at BYU Idaho. He speaks both spanish and papiamentu very well which is always nice because we really wont have any problems with any language's. He's only has one transfer less then me so we're both pretty old in the mission you could say. We're going to work very well together i believe and I'm looking forward to ending my mission most likely with him.
Here in San Nicolas its pretty much a desert every where with a lot of cactus. It's like the area that we would pass through as we were going down to Arizona when you pass the dam and are in a complete desert and its hot, really hot. Also here theirs a lot of people that speak English but we speak all of our languages every day, those being Papiamentu, Spanish, and English. Its pretty fun though and sometimes hard to keep the languages straight in your head. But it comes easier now! I mean after almost 2 years you'd hope so right?...
But any ways that s how things are going here in the mission field of San Nicolas, Aruba.
Much Love,
Elder Lopez
Also we had a cool lesson with a lady named Angela who's been investigating the church for a good amount of time now and she has never made it to baptism. So i asked her what's holding her up and she said she just has a really bad smoking habit and hasn't been able to get over it yet. So we focused on teaching her of repentance and how that is a change of our view of God and our selves and how that's going to help her make it to baptism. So we then asked her if she was willing to stop smoking and prepare to be baptized and she said yeah. So then we asked her where all her cigarettes were and she told us, so then we took them away from her to help her avoid the temptation. We then destroyed the cigarettes so that they don't help kill any one else either. Its interesting how that on the cigarette package it says in bold and clear letters, "Smoking Kills", and yet the people still buy them. How bad of an addiction is that right? So Angela is going to be in our prayers that she is able to overcome her addiction.
Also, i guess i should let you now about my new companion shouldn't I. His name is Elder Ellis and we've actually been in the some District before so we sort of already new each other. He's from Oregon and went to a year of school at BYU Idaho. He speaks both spanish and papiamentu very well which is always nice because we really wont have any problems with any language's. He's only has one transfer less then me so we're both pretty old in the mission you could say. We're going to work very well together i believe and I'm looking forward to ending my mission most likely with him.
Here in San Nicolas its pretty much a desert every where with a lot of cactus. It's like the area that we would pass through as we were going down to Arizona when you pass the dam and are in a complete desert and its hot, really hot. Also here theirs a lot of people that speak English but we speak all of our languages every day, those being Papiamentu, Spanish, and English. Its pretty fun though and sometimes hard to keep the languages straight in your head. But it comes easier now! I mean after almost 2 years you'd hope so right?...
But any ways that s how things are going here in the mission field of San Nicolas, Aruba.
Much Love,
Elder Lopez
Monday, May 17, 2010
Bon Bini na Aruba!! (email dated 05/17/2010)
Bon Dia na tur,
So this past week was a week full of events here in the mission. Wednesday was my last transfer meeting in the mission of San Juan Puerto Rico West mission... Thursday we did see the baptism of Veronica which was a wonderful going away present from the enchanted of island of Puerto Rico. Then on Friday was my flight down to the island of Curacao where i ended up staying for a the whole day Saturday. Then Saturday night i caught a 20 min flight over to the island of Aruba to be introduced to my new area! Full of cool events right?
So on Wednesday we went to Transfer meeting where i found out for sure where I'm going to end my mission. The answer was I'm going to San Nicolas which is on the other side of Aruba then i was last time. The meeting was pretty crazy because it was my last one as a member of the San Juan west mission. So i made sure to take pictures with all the people i wont be seeing in long time. After transfer meeting on wednesday we got all the preperations ready for Veronica to be baptized the next day on Thursday! All went well at her interview and then everything just fell into place for her baptism the following day! As we were taking her baptismal pictures we had a pretty cool visitor come to show support at the baptism. President Martineau came to see it which was really cool to have my mission president there for my last baptism there in Puerto Rico. Veronica was completely submerged on the first try which was a wonderful little moment to see and feel as i watched it. All of the hard tests and trials that she had been going through were finally all put behind her as she took her first step down the strait and narrow path that the lord has given us to follow. She was very happy and relieved to have been able to be baptized and at the same time a little sad that i was going to be transferred the next day. But it was awesome that i was there to see her baptism and as a going away gift she gave me a tie! Pretty cool right?
So the next day was full of events also when i showed up to the office to get ready to go to the airport and catch my plane. Elder Sellers, who was also going to be going down to the island with me, couldn't find where he had placed his passport. I guess he didn't think about it until the last moment which made us all frantically search for his passport in all his luggage and files in the office but to no avail.So what ended up happening was that i went down by my self and stayed a day in Curacao where he was supposed to go to be with his companion Elder Wilkes. So since i was in Curacao my companion Elder Ellis stayed in a threesome with the other two elders on this island. It all turned out to be a great blessing also because i was able to visit a lot of members and including Marlone who i baptized in curacao! He even came out to go visit an investigator with us. Truly it was a great blessing from the Lord to be able to spend one more day in Curacao! So then the next day Elder Sellers found his passport and came down to Curacao and i went to Aruba on Saturday night. It was a quick flight of about 20 to 30 min. on a little tiny plane that you could see into the cockpit. It was a really cool experience actually that i liked a lot. So I'm not in the same area as i was last time and still haven't been able to see Luisa who i baptized up there last time but I'm sure the time will come. Its a small island...Also to start off on my first Sunday i spoke in church seeing how the Branch president called me Sunday morning to let me know about it. It was all good though because it was on a great subject which was Testimony! It went really well i felt and the weird part was that it was in English. Yup you read right, this branch has their meetings all in English. Every one basically on this side of the island prefers English but speaks all four languages. Its a really small branch down here though, we only had 17 members in church yesterday, so there's some room for improvement there. I haven't been in an area like this since Utuado my second transfer in the mission... Also they made me 1st counciler in the Elders Quorum presidency... so as you can see we have a lot of work to be done here in San Nicolas and I'm glade to be able to do it here with the Lord leading the way!
So that's the update on my side of things! I'm happy to read all is well back home and the family closer than ever! Remember i love you all!
Love,
Elder Lopez
So this past week was a week full of events here in the mission. Wednesday was my last transfer meeting in the mission of San Juan Puerto Rico West mission... Thursday we did see the baptism of Veronica which was a wonderful going away present from the enchanted of island of Puerto Rico. Then on Friday was my flight down to the island of Curacao where i ended up staying for a the whole day Saturday. Then Saturday night i caught a 20 min flight over to the island of Aruba to be introduced to my new area! Full of cool events right?
So on Wednesday we went to Transfer meeting where i found out for sure where I'm going to end my mission. The answer was I'm going to San Nicolas which is on the other side of Aruba then i was last time. The meeting was pretty crazy because it was my last one as a member of the San Juan west mission. So i made sure to take pictures with all the people i wont be seeing in long time. After transfer meeting on wednesday we got all the preperations ready for Veronica to be baptized the next day on Thursday! All went well at her interview and then everything just fell into place for her baptism the following day! As we were taking her baptismal pictures we had a pretty cool visitor come to show support at the baptism. President Martineau came to see it which was really cool to have my mission president there for my last baptism there in Puerto Rico. Veronica was completely submerged on the first try which was a wonderful little moment to see and feel as i watched it. All of the hard tests and trials that she had been going through were finally all put behind her as she took her first step down the strait and narrow path that the lord has given us to follow. She was very happy and relieved to have been able to be baptized and at the same time a little sad that i was going to be transferred the next day. But it was awesome that i was there to see her baptism and as a going away gift she gave me a tie! Pretty cool right?
So the next day was full of events also when i showed up to the office to get ready to go to the airport and catch my plane. Elder Sellers, who was also going to be going down to the island with me, couldn't find where he had placed his passport. I guess he didn't think about it until the last moment which made us all frantically search for his passport in all his luggage and files in the office but to no avail.So what ended up happening was that i went down by my self and stayed a day in Curacao where he was supposed to go to be with his companion Elder Wilkes. So since i was in Curacao my companion Elder Ellis stayed in a threesome with the other two elders on this island. It all turned out to be a great blessing also because i was able to visit a lot of members and including Marlone who i baptized in curacao! He even came out to go visit an investigator with us. Truly it was a great blessing from the Lord to be able to spend one more day in Curacao! So then the next day Elder Sellers found his passport and came down to Curacao and i went to Aruba on Saturday night. It was a quick flight of about 20 to 30 min. on a little tiny plane that you could see into the cockpit. It was a really cool experience actually that i liked a lot. So I'm not in the same area as i was last time and still haven't been able to see Luisa who i baptized up there last time but I'm sure the time will come. Its a small island...Also to start off on my first Sunday i spoke in church seeing how the Branch president called me Sunday morning to let me know about it. It was all good though because it was on a great subject which was Testimony! It went really well i felt and the weird part was that it was in English. Yup you read right, this branch has their meetings all in English. Every one basically on this side of the island prefers English but speaks all four languages. Its a really small branch down here though, we only had 17 members in church yesterday, so there's some room for improvement there. I haven't been in an area like this since Utuado my second transfer in the mission... Also they made me 1st counciler in the Elders Quorum presidency... so as you can see we have a lot of work to be done here in San Nicolas and I'm glade to be able to do it here with the Lord leading the way!
So that's the update on my side of things! I'm happy to read all is well back home and the family closer than ever! Remember i love you all!
Love,
Elder Lopez
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Everyone sounds so good! (email dated 05/11/2010)
Mom and Dad,
So this past week was a good week and we were able to get a lot done, but at the same time a little bumber because our baptismal date was out of town. I guess it was for a good reason, to spend the weekend with family for mothers day, but i just don't like being in church with out our investigators there. It makes me feel bad in side but she's still hanging in there to be baptized this week. Also we found another investigator thats showing a lot of good signs by reading and praying and comitting to come to church this next week. His name is Angel Rodriguez Colon, and he even told us that he's sick of searching for the truth and that he just wants to find the right one path to follow. So naturaly we are very happy to be able to show him what he's been looking for for so long. We've taught him 3 times and every time has been very effective and he's understanding everything very well so far. He reads everthing that we leave him to read and even has been praying to find out if this path is really true or not. He said so far he's felt really good about everything and is really excited to come to church this next sunday. He wanted to come this past sunday but had to work because it was mothers day and he diliveres flowers... and we all know that mothers day is a day of many flowers so he was busy with that. I told him that i'd be leaving this friday and that there would be another missionary coming to take my place and he said that he'd keep in touch and that he'd keep me updated on his convesion and if he decideds to be baptized. He's a really cool guy and i think that he'll make it to the baptism waters here at the end of this month or the begining of the next. I'm really just happy that i was able to find him with Elder Moran and help him along the path of conversion. But as we all know life just keeps on moving on and its time to turn another page in life and head down to the island of Aruba on Friday to finish out my mission strong!
Also being mothers day I had a great talk with my Mom and the rest of my family on sunday! I have to say i love every single member of my family with all my heart and that i'm grateful to know of the plan of happiness that is going to give my family the opportunity to be together forever! I love how my entire family is able to confide in the priesthood power that God has restored to the earth. I'm truely grateful to be where i'm at right now on the mission, and am excited to be able to finish my mission down in the islands no matter where at. I'm just humbled and thankful to be able to serve the Lord and show my thanks for his great and eternal plan that he has given us and share it with others. We truely are part of this marvoules work and a wonder.I pray that my entire family is able to find confidence and faith in the Lord even through this really hard time with whats going on with our newest member of the family, Mason. After reading Rev. 21:4 and meditating President Monsons talks in the last conference i know that we are in the Lords hands and he will wipe away all our tears and sactify all of our good works for the life that is to come. Lets all keep up our faith with prayer and fasting and confiding in the Lords will, and all will turn out for the best. I'm 100% positive of it.
Your all in my prayers and thoughts and i love you all!
Love always,
Elder Lopez
So this past week was a good week and we were able to get a lot done, but at the same time a little bumber because our baptismal date was out of town. I guess it was for a good reason, to spend the weekend with family for mothers day, but i just don't like being in church with out our investigators there. It makes me feel bad in side but she's still hanging in there to be baptized this week. Also we found another investigator thats showing a lot of good signs by reading and praying and comitting to come to church this next week. His name is Angel Rodriguez Colon, and he even told us that he's sick of searching for the truth and that he just wants to find the right one path to follow. So naturaly we are very happy to be able to show him what he's been looking for for so long. We've taught him 3 times and every time has been very effective and he's understanding everything very well so far. He reads everthing that we leave him to read and even has been praying to find out if this path is really true or not. He said so far he's felt really good about everything and is really excited to come to church this next sunday. He wanted to come this past sunday but had to work because it was mothers day and he diliveres flowers... and we all know that mothers day is a day of many flowers so he was busy with that. I told him that i'd be leaving this friday and that there would be another missionary coming to take my place and he said that he'd keep in touch and that he'd keep me updated on his convesion and if he decideds to be baptized. He's a really cool guy and i think that he'll make it to the baptism waters here at the end of this month or the begining of the next. I'm really just happy that i was able to find him with Elder Moran and help him along the path of conversion. But as we all know life just keeps on moving on and its time to turn another page in life and head down to the island of Aruba on Friday to finish out my mission strong!
Also being mothers day I had a great talk with my Mom and the rest of my family on sunday! I have to say i love every single member of my family with all my heart and that i'm grateful to know of the plan of happiness that is going to give my family the opportunity to be together forever! I love how my entire family is able to confide in the priesthood power that God has restored to the earth. I'm truely grateful to be where i'm at right now on the mission, and am excited to be able to finish my mission down in the islands no matter where at. I'm just humbled and thankful to be able to serve the Lord and show my thanks for his great and eternal plan that he has given us and share it with others. We truely are part of this marvoules work and a wonder.I pray that my entire family is able to find confidence and faith in the Lord even through this really hard time with whats going on with our newest member of the family, Mason. After reading Rev. 21:4 and meditating President Monsons talks in the last conference i know that we are in the Lords hands and he will wipe away all our tears and sactify all of our good works for the life that is to come. Lets all keep up our faith with prayer and fasting and confiding in the Lords will, and all will turn out for the best. I'm 100% positive of it.
Your all in my prayers and thoughts and i love you all!
Love always,
Elder Lopez
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Hola de la Isla del encanto (email dated 05/3/2010)
So this week was pretty cool i'd have to say! We started off with a trade'off of companions which turned out really good because on that day we taught a family here in Vega Baja that is really nice and i see with some potential to progress a lot. The names of the couple are Josue and Sahiles who are a young couple with a little daughter thats almost 2 years old and is a little angel running around with smiles all day long. Any how the family has lot of potential because the really paid attention the our message and said they'd love to have us come back to be able to share more with them. They even invited to cook for us and everything... thats always a good sign when the family offers to cook for you when you pass by. But the day that we had to pass by we called and got some sad news that the grandma of Josue had past away and that they'd be with the family that day and the rest of the weekend.. so that put our visit on hold. But hopefully we're able to get back in touch with them this week because they really were a great family and the spirit was present during our lesson with them and they felt something that they liked. Now we just need to help them realize what it was that they were feeling! Also this past week we were able to get Veronica all prepared for her baptismal interview this upcoming weekend so that she's ready to go for saturday. If all goes according to plans this will be the 1st baptism here in Vega Baja since last year when i was in this same district next door in Toa Baja. Actualy i was the last person to preform a baptismal interview for a baptism that would take place in this ward. So as you can see this area is starting to make some big strides forward.
In other news i almost wasn't going to be able to see the baptism on the 8th because President was going to send me down to the islands on the 7th, but i persuaded him to let me stay one more week up here on the main island so i could see the baptism of Veronica and also call you from a sprint phone for mothers day! Hopefuly the plans stay that way so that all goes acording to plans. Speaking of Phone call, im thinking i'll call in the afternoon around 12 or 1 o'clock mountain time and 2 or 3 Puerto Rican time because my companion is going to be using the phone at night with his family. I hope thats ok with your church time... Dont you get out at like 11 o'clock now?
Also some good new was we came across a cool guy named Angel who lives in morovis who is interested in the lessons. We met him through a reference that the office gave to us. He seems like a really good guy and a humble on also. The only problem is going to be transportation to get him to church. But thankfuly the ward here in willing to help with that! Its still early to tell exactly if he'll progress far but we'll keep him in our prayers!
So i would keep writting but i figure i'll save it all for when i call you on sunday! Sound good! I Sure hope So!
Well much love,
Elder Lopez
In other news i almost wasn't going to be able to see the baptism on the 8th because President was going to send me down to the islands on the 7th, but i persuaded him to let me stay one more week up here on the main island so i could see the baptism of Veronica and also call you from a sprint phone for mothers day! Hopefuly the plans stay that way so that all goes acording to plans. Speaking of Phone call, im thinking i'll call in the afternoon around 12 or 1 o'clock mountain time and 2 or 3 Puerto Rican time because my companion is going to be using the phone at night with his family. I hope thats ok with your church time... Dont you get out at like 11 o'clock now?
Also some good new was we came across a cool guy named Angel who lives in morovis who is interested in the lessons. We met him through a reference that the office gave to us. He seems like a really good guy and a humble on also. The only problem is going to be transportation to get him to church. But thankfuly the ward here in willing to help with that! Its still early to tell exactly if he'll progress far but we'll keep him in our prayers!
So i would keep writting but i figure i'll save it all for when i call you on sunday! Sound good! I Sure hope So!
Well much love,
Elder Lopez
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