Monday, December 30, 2013

12/30/13

Buenas tardes! this week was super good. Nobody was home so we had to search for new people, and we found them. It was awesome. We had 7 investigators in the church and we’re going to baptize one or maybe 2 this week. We’re super excited about that! This week 196 people went to church. That’s crazy for a ward down here. Castillo was a huge ward and 120 went and in Angostura only 30. So here is literally paradise for missionaries! We have some 20 or 30 investigators progressing which is like 10 more than I’ve ever had before. So we have a lot of faith that they will get baptized. We have a lot of work to do which is also something I’ve never had on my mission. I’ve never had more than like 3 planned lessons in a week  but now we have like 5 every day.
To be honest this ward has so much money they hardly give us tortillas. Right as I told you I hadn’t had a day in 10 months without a tortilla I now get almost none. The food just doesn’t fill you up with out tortillas bien calientitas. 
The missionaries in our zone are awesome. We got blessed with the best zone in the mission. Right now things are looking pretty good.
Love you guys!

Elder Lund

Tuesday, December 24, 2013

12/24/13


No email this week, just a great Skype conversation on Christmas Eve.  He looks and sounds very happy and healthy.

Monday, December 16, 2013

12/16/13

I got transferred to an area called Bella Vista. Its the richest part of Obregon and its the most baptizing area in the mission because the ward works so hard. I also got put as zone leader and my companion, Elder Larson, is in his last transfer and is working super super hard. Our house is gigantic too. Its 2 floors and we live there with the assistants. It’s for real the nicest place ever.

Last night I went with everybody and said goodbye to them all which was pretty hard. The bishop’s daughters made me a cake for my birthday because I’m not going to be there on the 27th and another family also made me a cake. We went with the family Pelaez, and the hermano gave me a bible that his dad gave him when he was a kid and he took with him everywhere always. They are battling with money like crazy and they felt bad that they couldn’t buy me a big expensive gift so they only gave me the little bible. But that was honestly the coolest gift I could have ever gotten. Then after we went with an hermana that was less active but has started going to church, but her son has been super rebellious lately but when we started talking to him he started to clean up and now says he wants to go on a mission. She almost started crying when she told me how much we had helped her son. Then after her son gave us a ride to the house of other missionaries and gave me an ice cream to say thanks for everything. That was super cool to hear all that because there were a bunch of days that I felt like we weren’t having anything of success but I realized that if we’re working hard God doesn’t let our efforts go to waste.


Love Elder Lund

O I forgot to tell you! I was walking with my companion and a priest from the ward and we randomly decided to change the road we were walking on. And right like 30 seconds after we changed roads we heard somebody shoot a gun and a bunch of people screaming. Right where we were at somebody killed somebody, and if we would have been there watching he probably would have killed us too. Thats awesome huh!

Monday, December 9, 2013

12/9/13

My district is doing much better and finally having success! We’re in the hardest part of Mexico but still we’re in Mexico! and we’re teaching with the same spirit as those in el D.F. so there’s really no excuse not to be having success unless they’re not working! One or 2 bad weeks in a row is fine, but a whole transfer.. ha but at least they’re finally trying!

This next week I have transfers. They are coming one week early this time because the missionaries from the MTC are going to arrive early. But the next one is going to be 7 weeks. I feel like I’m leaving. I have 6 months here and my companion I think is going to train so I won’t be able to stay unfortunately.. I really don’t want to leave this area..

O by the way I forgot to tell you last week but on Sunday we went to a family home evening with a family and we have to be headed home at 9 but for some reason we felt like we needed to stay there a little longer than were allowed to. And they gave us a ride at 9:30. And it turns out that a little after 9 there was a party 4 houses from our house and somebody drove by in a car and shot like 20 times and killed 4 people. So thank goodness we stayed at the members house! And in our neighborhood they have killed like 8 in the last week and we live in the safest part of our area! But don’t worry nothing will happen to us.

It’s gotten super cold here too. Like 9 degrees Celsius. So like 50 degrees haha. But it feels SOO cold. It was like 100 a month ago then it rained and brought a whole bunch of cold air and it all of a sudden got so cold! 

Your package arrived but it didn’t have any candy except the hi chews you stuffed in my slippers. But I think all the rest of the stuff got here! Thank you so much!

I can call home whenever you want on the 24 or 25 but I can only talk for 30 or 40 minutes. But I can use skype.

Love you guys!
Elder Lund

Monday, December 2, 2013

12/2/13

haha I just started writing in Spanish. This week was really hard to get a hold of investigators and we taught less lessons than I ever have in all of my mission at 7 but we worked so hard and taught more than 20 to less actives and members. We met some new people and were still super excited.
The meeting was really good. It got everybody super excited. And since our bishop was already excited it pushed him over the top and now he’s going crazy about missionary work! I don’t know how long I have left in this area but it will keep baptizing for a long long time. 
I haven’t gotten the package yet but I will on Friday. I think the best way to do everything would be to send it to a member or family member that lives in the states that comes here and you can send it to their house real easy and they can bring it here. There’s ALWAYS somebody coming and going from here so whenever you want I can find somebody. And even more easy in the holiday seasons.
Here on Thanksgiving we ate some fried quesadilla something that was super good but I was super sick. I started throwing up in the night so in the morning I couldn’t really enjoy the food. And honestly i forgot it was Thanksgiving. But with tortillas everything is always good. I can’t picture my life without them now. I don’t know what I´ll do when I go home and there aren’t any!
Have a great week!

Love Elder Lund

Monday, November 25, 2013

11/25/13

This week was super great! I feel like every week on Sunday my companion and I hit our beds at night and decide that we can't work any harder or we would die.. Then the next week we step it up another level. This week we ran around like crazys and led the mission in fechas, lessons and investigators in church. But it was a super bummer how a super potential family we have couldn’t go.. They are definitely going to go next week.. I hope.. And were super sad they couldn’t yesterday. You’d think that with how hard we’re working I’d be losing weight like nobodies business but honestly I’m going to be super fat when I get home! They just have these flour tortillas here in Sonora that they almost don’t have in any part of Mexico that are so dang good but they fatten ya right up! And we always choose them over corn tortillas so were definitely going to come home looking like pumpkins but Ni modo! 

Right now I feel like I’m starting to turn into the missionary I want to be. I feel like I’m miserable if we’re not teaching a lesson or walking as fast as we can to a lesson. Today we’re supposed to start working at 6 because it’s p day, but today we’re starting at 4, and the last 2 weeks we’ve been working more than 7 hours every Monday with our investigators. I think I’m going to die from exhaustion and my feet are super angry lately but I just can't stand not working.

This week I gave a less active member that just told us he wants to go on a mission one of my shirts because he didn’t have one so I had to go to the store to buy one more because I only had 7 and I need 8 because one has to be for when your other 7 are in the wash. ha and my companion and I used up all our monthly money on fast offerings. We’ve been fasting a ridiculous amount but we’re seeing results so I´m going to keep doing it! That’s why I had to buy my groceries with my money from home! But this week I only need to buy some tortillas and some cheese so it’ll only be like 40 pesos. so like 4 bucks or less.

Tell Grandma and Brother Hoyel that I got their letter and package! The letter from the Hoyels was sent in June! and it had 3 2 dollar bills that I gave to the hermanos here in the ward that went crazy when they saw them! haha I love the people here! I never want to leave! They all live WAY below the united states poverty level but they are so willing to give me everything they have! So when one of them needs a shirt or a 2 dollar bill or whatever they need I’m going to help them out a little bit. I’m going to make sure its only if they really need something and I’ll pay for it all when I get home but I would honestly give them anything.

I don’t know if I told you but the hermana Pelaez had her baby and its a little boy thats the cutest future missionary ever! The first thing they they did was put him some church pants! 

I’m honestly so happy here. I feel like God’s opened my heart and filled it full of everybody in my area!

This week we have a meeting with the area presidency. Thats Elder De Hoyos, Elder Johnson and Elder Valensuela (I think that last one’s right). They’re all seventies and I think they’re coming to yell at all the members here cause they do literally nothing. On Saturday we helped our bishop paint his house, and for like 2 hours I just talked his ear off, as you know I’m capable of doing, and just talked about the potential in the area, and on Sunday in ward council he made a goal of 40 baptisms every year. And if they don’t stay active they don’t count. He’s getting really excited about the work, and we are going to take advantage!

Have a great week!
Love you guys!

Elder Lund

Monday, November 18, 2013

11/18/13


This week went by so fast..! I only really got 1 full day in my area because we had so many meetings and I had to do interchanges with both of the areas in my district because the missionaries were fighting.. so I had to leave everything to my companion.

This week we had 1 investigator in church. His name’s Angel and his family are all members, but they got baptized in Phoenix and when the came here they saw how the church is way different, and kind of lost the desire to go. But they are now going, and their oldest son wants to go on the mission. And we’re going to baptize Angel on the 7th of December. There were once again like 10 investigators that were super excited to go to church, that didn’t go.. But thats fine because Im pretty sure they´ll go next week!

We’re doing great here! The ward is literally like my family now. And the Hna. Pelaes (Who just got baptized) had her baby on Sunday at 2 in the morning! They thought that it or the Hna. was going to die because he had his umbilical cord wrapped around his neck, and I guess there were complications, but everything ended up fine! She has so much faith! So does her husband. They called the bishop to ask if it was okay if they missed church because she was having her baby. And if the bishop would have said no, I’m 100% convinced that they would have been to church, on time. 

It’s so awesome to see your converts so strong in the truth. The bishop here is going to be released in 1 year, and EVERYBODY is talking about how the Hno. Pelaes should be the next bishop. And he’s only been a member for 1 month. He’s always the first one to every service project the ward does. And neither him or his wife have home or visiting teaching assignments yet, so they visit everybody at least once a week.The church makes them so happy, and that makes me so happy!

Love you guys!

Elder Lund

Monday, November 11, 2013

11/11/13

I`ll start with transfers. My companion and I are staying together for the 3rd transfer. By the end of the transfer I will have 6 months here. It’s crazy how fast time flies. This transfer I got put as District leader which should be cool. I’m super excited for our area, and I think we`ll have some success. I love the people here in the area so much, and honestly don’t want to leave after this next transfer either..
  
This week we had a some success with new investigators we found, but only had 2 in church. But the coolest moment of the week is when we met this lady from Mesa Arizona. She was a 23 year old that had 3 kids, used to be addicted to meth, and apparently dances at a strip club. She’s from Colorado so we talked all in English, and when she was telling us about her life I just prayed that the Lord could help us make some change in her life in some way or another. Anyway we had a lesson of like an hour and a half and at the end she had started crying because of the spirit, and accepted baptism and the word of wisdom and the law of chastity. It was the craziest change I’ve ever seen in anybody so fast. She left to go to Arizona where she lives with her mom, so i passed the reference up there and I’m hoping I hear about her baptism soon!

Its kind of crazy how I’m ALWAYS tired, but never want to sit still and do nothing. Grandma asked me how the mission has changed me most and I'd definitely have to say in my work ethic and my decisions. haha I feel like I haven’t gotten super mature yet and I still love to laugh and have fun, but now when its time to work I can put my head down and work hard.

Everything here´s going great! I’m loving it and I’m excited to have 1 more transfer here!


Love Elder Lund

Monday, November 4, 2013

11/4/12

Sorry I didn’t write last week! We went to the internet in the morning, but I forgot my cable to the camera so I couldn’t send pictures, so I decided I would write the letter when we came back in the afternoon, but in the afternoon I thought that I had already written in the morning! sorry!

Everything went great with the baptisms. This family is so special. They have absolutely no money because the husband is waiting for his license to get here so he can start working again as a trucker. But in the meantime the ward has helped them out a ton. But a couple of times people have joined the church when they have needed help, but when they get back on their feet they just stop going. So when the Hermana Pelaez went to one of her best friend’s house, Hermana Soto, to ask if she could borrow 50 pesos for the bus to go downtown for something important, Hna. Soto told her she didnt have any money, and just had the food in their house. So hna Pelaez went and did a loan or something from somebody to be able to go down town. She took out 300 pesos and did her business downtown, and when she was on her way back she stopped by the Hna Sotos house and gave her 50 pesos so she could buy tortillas for her family(B.T.W here tortillas are 100% mandatory). Hna Soto apparently just started to cry because Hna Pelaez, who has literally nothing, was willing to give her 50 of her loaned pesos to her family so they could have tortillas. This family is so amazing. They are the most Christ-like people I’ve ever met.

As for my companion and I, we had a great week up until Sunday. We were expecting like 16 people at church, and not a single one went. It was so.. I don’t even know how to describe the emotion... just awful. Its hard when you know your being 100% percent obedient, and the people don’t show up. But it just means we just have to look for whatever else we can improve on, fix it, and then we´ll get those baptisms! Right now were both in like hyperdrive diligence mode! And I´m really excited to see the results!

I feel like whenever I hit a rough patch in the road, I always grow the most. And I can definitely say I grew a ton this week! So to be 100% honest, the hard times don’t bug me too much. Because I know the Lord only makes us stronger, after the trial of our faith. So I’m excited to come home with a 6 pack!

We have transfers on Monday but I honestly don’t think I’m leaving yet. I can’t tell if I feel like I’m staying, or if I just want to stay so bad I’m convincing myself I am! I love this area so much, and really don’t ever want to leave! haha. The members, even though they don’t help us, are so awesome, but especially my investigators! I want to see every single one of them everyday for the rest of forever!

Love you guys!

Elder Lund

Monday, October 28, 2013

10/28/13



No letter today, just two pictures... waiting during the baptism interviews and then the baptism day of their "miracle family"

Monday, October 21, 2013

10/21/13

Feliz cumple aƱos mamƔ! What is that, 29? haha Hope you had a great day!

So we were going to have a baptism of the Peleaz family on Tuesday, but they got told by a member about this coffee that’s made of soy and wheat, which isn’t against the word of wisdom, but they were putting uncaffeinated coffee in it for flavor, so they are going to have to wait till Saturday and be re interviewed to see if they can do it in the night on Saturday. So we fasted that they will be able to stop drinking it. We go with them almost every single day, and they last night told us that they aren’t having any trouble with the coffee. So I feel like we will probably baptize them on Saturday!! Tomorrow in the morning they are going to get married, and so my companion and I are going to pitch in and buy them a cake, but it will be 600 pesos, so I’m going to have to take like 25 bucks out of my card. This family is so special, I would honestly do anything for them. They are already starting to prepare their 4 year old son for the mission! They pay tithing every week, and the 8 month pregnant Hermana has already fasted! (We didn’t ask her to do it because isn’t that bad to do or something?) She just had something she wanted Gods help with, so she just did it! You guys would absolutely love them. They are so amazing.

We also taught a second lesson with a lady named Carolina who lives in a little town like 30 minutes outside of the city. But she accepted baptism for the 23 of november. So Hopefully I don’t get moved in the transfers on the 9th so I will be able to see it! She is extremely ready to hear and accept the Gospel. Not quite as much like the Peleaz family, but pretty dang close! We’ve had a lot of investigators come and go this transfer, but we almost always seem to have work. And if the people that chose work or other things over the gospel don’t accept it now, in the future they will need it, and they will remember the feeling that they got when they talked to us, and will long to have that comfort with them more, and when their time comes, they will join the church.

So if your sending the package, if you could put in a white shirt and like 3 pairs of socks that would be great! These socks are amazing, but like 10 kilometers everyday is starting to take a tole on them! I think my shoes will last the rest of my mission, but we'll see. They have a really really thick rubber bottom, but its a little less than half gone now, So I feel like it will definitely last until I get back! And No I haven’t gotten the Dvd’s or the picture book yet, So I you could put them in there that would be great!

Can you believe 8 months already flew by! I personally can't. Ive been in this area almost 4 months. Its crazy how fast it goes by. In 2 weeks Camille will be half way done!

Well Love you guys!

Elder Lund

Monday, October 14, 2013

10/14/13

This week went by awesomely! The family PelaĆ­s are going super strong, and I'm still not going to say anything, but I don't see any big obstacles in their way.  They're going to get married on the 22nd in the morning, and going to get baptized along with their little girl in the night at the mutual. They are so excited and so grateful for everything. They came here with nothing, they just packed 2 suitcases for the whole family of 6, so the ward has helped them out a ton. The Hermano is already talking about baptizing his daughter in January when she completes 8 years. And how their 4 year old son is going to be a missionary. This is the family that my companion and I have fasted and prayed so much to find. It's such a miracle that they left Acapulco 3 days before the first of 2 huge hurricanes hit and destroyed where they used to live. We say that the Lord didn't just save their lives, but he gave them eternal life all at the same time. 
  Congratulations on the calling mom! Your going to be great! How long will you be doing it for? That will be way fun for you!

  Today Ule wrote me! He told me he went to church 2 of the last 3 weeks, and when he didn't go it was because they were moving. I really hope he can find his way back to the light, and Pablo also. Apparently Ule is from Guamuchil which is like 15 minutes from Angostura. I probably worked 15 full days in Guamuchil. It's so beautiful, and I'm super excited to pass the references of his family members to the missionaries there!

  
  Have a great week!
Love Elder Lund





Monday, October 7, 2013

10/7/13

  It's finally starting to cool off here. Today is a little bit hot, but the last few days have been really nice. In the mornings it's starting to get cold, well just not hot, and it feels amazing!

  The family from Aculpulco is doing really good. The hermano went to the priesthood session with us on Saturday, and his whole family went yesterday in the morning. They're loving everything about the church. We just have to get them married. And that costs 1000 pesos. So I took that out of my account from home, and I think the church can repay me when I have the receipt.

  We had a really good lesson with the parents of Carlitos, and his mom accepted a baptismal date for the last day of the transfer. I think the dad will also get baptized on the same day, but I'm not sure. We're finally having a bit of success, and it's feeling amazing. I really don't want to have to leave this area, but I'm pretty sure this will be my last transfer here.

  Watching the conference was awesome. It was really cool to be able to understand everything. And on Saturday I watched the 2 sessions we went to in Spanish. But on Sunday I went with an Elder that doesn't speak any Spanish into the bishop's office and we watched in English. Even though I understand Spanish, the English is still so much better! To be able to actually hear their voices and everything.

  My companion is becoming a really good missionary. Sometimes I feel bad because I'm pushing him so hard, but he stepped up to the plate and accepted the challenge. It's nice to be able to get home and just be completely exhausted, because you know you worked as hard as you could all day.


Love you guys

Monday, September 30, 2013

9/30/13



The family from Aculpulco are a miracle family. They are really excited to get married and baptized. They understand everything, and we´re really really excited. But I won't say anything so we don't jinx anything.
This morning there were changes, but nothing changed. We're still here in Castillo. This will be my third transfer in this area, and I'm really happy that I don't have to leave. I love the ward here, and all the members. I'm super excited that you guys will have to opportunity to meet them, even though you probably won't understand anything they say!
  General conference will be great! We're bring our investigators, and I'll be able to understand everything!
  Can you tell Pablo to write me? I really wanna talk to him and see how things are going.

Here everything's going great! It's not really that hot anymore, so it's a little funner to walk all day in the street!

Love you guys! Have a great week!

Eleder Lund

Monday, September 23, 2013

9/23/13

Don't worry, the hurricane didn't hit us! Well it did but it didn't do anything. I don't know how to explain it, because I've never seen clouds so dark, or so mean looking, And the wind and rain during the first like 10 minutes was ridiculous. I've never ever seen anything like it. But then it just stopped. And the stars came out. Nobody here knows what happened. The schools had already canceled class for the next day, because it was for sure that the storm would hit extremely hard. But it just randomly left.
  There's a family that we taught on Saturday, from Aculpulco. And during the first lesson we committed them to baptism. The whole family. The dad told us that he had a feeling that something bad was about to happen about 15 days ago, and decided to come and live with a family friend here. And what do you know, a storm hit his city and leveled everything. The Lord protected this family, and prepared them to fall into our hands as missionaries. They are so excited about the gospel, and when I invited him to baptism, he literally jumped and said yes. I am so grateful to see the hand of the Lord in their life. He saved their lives literally, and gave them a life with their family forever.
  After an extremely hard week where we didn't find anybody, and had to drop a family that we had, and we just about got super depressed. But we decided that the Lord was trying us, and turns out he was. And the next day he gave us a family, and a lady that want to be baptized and they all look really potential.
  I can't believe that it's already almost October. I have more than 7 months in the mission, and it's just flown by.
  I cant wait until Camille and I get home and we can all go to the temple together. Even Kevin will be old enough!
Love you guys, have a good week!
Elder Lund



Monday, September 16, 2013

9/16/13

Dear Family,

This week went pretty well. Our investigators seem to always be progressing, but they never seem to go anywhere. It's getting a little frustrating but honestly we haven't gotten too down. This week I read in the bible about Peter´s conversion, and I realized something. It wasn't when he saw Jesus feed the thousands that he got converted, it wasn't when he saw Jesus heal the mans ear, it wasn't even a miracle, but it was when the cock crowed for the second time in the morning and he realized that he had denied Christ 3 times. Thats when he decided to be the disciple that Christ deserved, and when for the third time Christ asked him if he loved him, and for the third time he said yes, and Christ said "Feed my sheep", in that moment in the last chapter of John is when Peter became "The Great Apostle". The same thing happened with Joseph Smith. It wasn't when he saw The Father and the Son, And it wasn't when he saw the angel, or even when he started translating the Book of Mormon, but when the Lord came and took the plates from him, and when he let the pages get lost, thats when he truly truly became converted. Its like it says in Ether 12:6 We don't receive any testimony until after the trial of our faith. And it really doesn't matter that much if we fall down, But what makes a disciple a stand above the rest, is when they fall, they decided not only to move forward and keep trying, but to truly resolve to be better, and the rise above and beyond what's expected, and give everything to the Lord. 
    That's given me a lot of comfort this last couple weeks, when we haven't had a lot of success. It's like Ammon said, in the moment when we are about to turn and go back, but we decide to press forward, that's when the Lord gives us success. That's when we truly become converted.
    I've realized in my 6 months here, I have never once heard an inactive member tell me that they don't believe that the church is true, or that the book of mormon is true. The knowledge is still there, and they can never deny it. But when the trial of their faith came, they fell down, and never had the strength to get back up. They never made the resolve to become the true disciple that Christ expects of them.
    We put a lot of baptismal dates this week with new references that we found, and after we had the lesson with them, and put the date, we asked them where they lived, and every single one of them lived outside of our area. Which shouldn't be super frustrating because they're going to get baptized but honestly it's hard, because you get so excited that you are going to be able to help them, but then you have to pass them off to other elders. I guess that's just the selfish part of me coming out, and maybe that's what the Lord's teaching me, how to be more humble, but it's pretty hard. But my companion and i haven't let it get us down. Thats one of the good things about training, I have to always be in a good mood! And it's helping a ton.
   This week I think we are going to try and put a date with a girl named Melissa for the 28th. She's gone to church like a million times, so she really could get baptized whenever she wanted. She just has to decide when the time is right for her, or in better words, realize that the right time is now.
  Well have a good week! Go BYU!
Love you guys,

Elder Lund

Monday, September 9, 2013

9/9/13

Geez, I can't believe Grandma and Grandpa are already home! They can finally relax and take it easy up at the cabin for a while! Tell them I love them! I was thinking yesterday about how I've been here for a while, and how in 2 changes its already going to be christmas, I couldn't believe how fast time has gone by.

This week was super frustrating because we couldn't find anybody, they just were never home, and we walked and walked and walked, then knocked on a door (that nobody answered) then walked and walked again. And it felt like we hadn't taught  any lessons all week, but by the end we look at our numbers, and at all the good lessons that we actually had, and It was a great week! I've learned so much by training. Ive learned how to take charge and do what I know is right, and it feels real good. My companion is such a great missionary, and sometimes I feel bad about how hard I work him.. But you know how I am, When someone is giving 100%, I demand 110%. And he's rising to the challenge and I love it because it inspires me to be better too. He has almost come completely out of his shell and were having a lot of fun while we're working insanely hard!

The baptisms aren't coming this transfer as easily as they did last transfer, but we're starting to see positive signs. One problem is members. They love when missionaries go to their house and stay there for hours and eat with them and basically are just lazy with them, because they don't realize that if they're with the members, they're not teaching people. And I'm not lazy so we basically only go with members for the food, and if we are going to ask for references. So this transfer they think we're being lazy because we don't really go to their houses a lot. So they refuse to give us references or come with us to lessons. And they always say, why would I go with you to a lesson if you never come talk to me. And we always explain, we aren't called to go spend all day with the members. We're called to bring souls to Christ. And we don't do that when we sit in their house. So it's been super hard to find people and teach them without the members. But we, just his week, found 2 families that are super excited about the church, and I think are going to get baptized. But I just don't know when. One has to divorce his wife and marry his girlfriend, and that can take months. And the others have to work on Sundays until October. But I really don't care if I baptize them, I just want them to get baptized some day. And I feel like someday they will.

O I almost forgot to tell you! Some guy tried to rob us with a hammer. He came up to us while we were eating at a members hot dog stand and said Give me 10 pesos and acted like he was going to hit me. So I said I don't have ten pesos, and he told me to give him the money again. So I changed to subject to the Mexico soccer game that they played that night, but he wouldn't stop telling me to give him money. But he was super drunk and I knew he wouldn't hit me with his hammer so I just kept telling him to leave, but he kept yelling at me to give him his money. So I told him, hey man is that a police man? And he turned and looked, and ran away. haha I thought it was the funniest thing ever! But what was super funny is that like 2 months ago when he was just as drunk, he robbed 2 tiny little Mexican missionaries of all the money and their cell phone, and we didn't give him anything and got him to run away! It really scared my companion because he's not used to the Mexico yet, so I always tease him about it. 

Have a good week! and tell Kevin to smile a little!


Love Elder Lund

Monday, September 2, 2013

9/2/13


I had forgotten all about RSL! That's awesome that they're doing well! Here everyone is freaking out because Mexico is doing awful in soccer! I swear the whole country shuts down when they play! 

But this week was super rainy. I'll send you a photo later, but all the streets had like knee high water, so my little companion was almost waist deep! It was nice to get a break from the heat! But it's back up to full temperature now, so unfortunately it didn't last!

My companion is getting better and better every day. We're doing really well. We dropped more than half of our investigators this week, and are trying to find new ones. But I still think were going to baptize a couple this transfer.

This week we had 2 complete families that we we're teaching, but we just dropped one. That was a super bummer, but they just never came to the church.. We are teaching Carlos' dad, and I think him and his little brother will accept a baptismal date, but I don't know about the mom yet. She doesn't really want to listen to us, but with time I think she will settle down.

We also have a 16 year old girl that is getting excited about the church. The problem with her is her brother got baptized then went on a mission. But when he was on the mission he didn't change much, so when he got home he was still an immature kid. So she decided if he didn't change with 2 years, then she didn't want to spend her time in the church either. Also the missionaries before would just go hang out with her family, and do nothing in their house all day. But now that she has us working really hard, and really interested in helping her progress, I think she'll get baptized. She went to church for the first time in like 1 year on Sunday, and we're teaching her with the bishop's daughter.

I haven't talked to anyone from my last area. I loved the people and everything, and I'd love to go back, if I end up Zone Leader in the same zone, but really we didn't have a lot of progression in that area. and almost none of them have phones or computers, so it would be really hard, And since they have all basically decided that its not for them, I don't see a huge reason to write them. But they still haven't gotten baptized. Nobody.

Thats so crazy how Grandma and Grandpa are coming home already! And Camille has less than a year left! My companion counted my days, and I have exactly 12 less than 200, so camille already has 200 days! I literally had forgotten about time till my companion came. I knew I had 6 months, but I didn't think about like what month it was, or really register the weeks or days. And I've noticed that since he's always thinking about time, its slowed down the time for me a little bit. Hopefully I can get him off that subject, and help him get lost in the work, so I can re-lose my self!

Its been really fun to train, aside of the fact I can talk a little more in the lessons, it's fun to see someone so young in the mission so ready and willing to serve, even though he hasn't seen any big miracles yet!

Lately I've been dreaming in pure Spanish, but this week I had a dream where I was called by the prophet and he said that I didn't do every thing I
was supposed to do in my mission and I had to go home and go to school, and when I woke up I was so mad. I was still in like sleep mode, so I thought I was really going home! And I think it was right then when I realized exactly how much I love the mission. I knew before that I liked it, and I wanted to be here more than home, but I didn't realize to what extent. And I'm super stoked for my 500+ more days here!


Love Elder Lund

Monday, August 26, 2013

8/26/13

Buenas tardes! Como estan! This week was super fast. I feel like we worked harder than I ever have in my mission. It's super cool to be training, because you can start a missionary off right. There's a lot of bad trainers, and they start their sons off super bad. And then later they just get worse. But it's really fun. My companion's Elder Serrano. He speaks fluent Spanish and English because he's from Mesa Arizona. My compa started out super serious. But not in the good, serious about the work, kind of way. But as in the so serious he never smiled.. ever. So that was super hard to deal with because I like to laugh and have fun. But he's starting to come out of his shell. I think he just needs more confidence. But I feel like with more time he's going to learn how to be more happy and show emotion better! 

This week after we worked so hard it was a super bummer that we didn't have any investigators at church. We have 3 families and 3 different individuals that were super excited to come to church, but they just didn't come! Right now were about to head over with them and see what's up. But either way I still feel like were going to have a lot of success here.

It's crazy that we're already almost in September! The time just flies! But it still isn't even close to time to wish us home! haha I've barely even started!

This week I've been thinking a lot about the MTC and my first transfer in the field, and It feels like just yesterday, but when I think about all the stuff I've done and all the people and especially all the appointments and lessons, it seems like it's been forever. Last week I had a dream that I finished my mission and I was so bummed. I remember I was telling you that time went by so fast that I didn't remember anything from my last 8 areas. I remembered everything up to this transfer and everything else was too fast to remember!

This week we were teaching a family, and the dad is super strong Catholic. So naturally when he'd say something wrong I had the urge to tell him he was stupid and prove him wrong with a scripture. But I've learned that that never works. So I just listened to him and shared about the Book of Mormon, and he kind of just shut up and listened. Then we went back on Friday and he said he'd been reading it and thought it was true, but that he still doesn't want to change religions, because the church isn't important, only Christ is important. So I shared in Galatians 1 or 2:6-9 that talks about how if theres more than one gospel then it can't be from God, and he started listening, and comparing our bible to his. And he committed to read the whole Book of Mormon. Thats a commitment I'd never extended before! But it's what I felt like I needed to leave with him. And I really feel like he's going to read it and see if it's true. And what's cool is I know if he gets baptized than his whole family is going to follow him.

Well thats the end of my letter, Hope you had a fun time reading! haha
Love Elder Lund

Monday, August 19, 2013

8/19/13

Wow 6 months.. so fast! I can't believe it! It feels like forever, and at the same time like the blink of an eye. I'm super excited for this next 18 months! Now that i can talk almost completely fluent and all, its so much better. Also tomorrow i have to burn my 6 month tie! don't worry I bought a tie for 10 pesos in the flea market!

When I had my interview with the president he told me I would find a complete family with mom dad and kids to baptize during this transfer. And I kind of forgot, but I worked hard everyday the whole transfer. But during Carlos´s baptism his parents and brother came, and they all cried the whole time. And they said they want to get baptized too. It was the last day of the transfer and I found the family! Its so crazy how the Lord works like that, when we have his promise, we have it guaranteed if we do out part. We just don't know when it will be fulfilled. Thats one thing I've learned out here. You always find the golden investigators in the last 5 minutes of the day. Its the reward for working hard all day.

O also this week was transfers and Elder Perez left and I'm going to be training. I'm super excited. He arrives at the airport at 6 but I'm not going to pick him up till 8 in the morning tomorrow. So I'm super excited about that. It'll be nice to be with a kid thats super excited. After like a year or more it feels like the missionaries start to lose their excitement, so all of mine have been a little "dead" but I hope this new guy will be ready to work! We are going to have a lot of success I think! Were not going to baptize these next 2 weeks, but we have 2 families ready for 3 weeks, and a few individual investigators. Its so nice to always have people to go with. In Angostura, there were times that we had nobody for like 2 days, and we just had to contact, and that's super frustrating. But here was always have people.

These last days it was insanely hot. I felt like I was used to the hot, but holy cow.. It was ridiculous. They say from the 15 of August till the 15 of September is the hottest part of the year. Like they all say in the 16 of every year it starts to cool off, so I'm pretty excited for the 16! haha one month!

Right now I'm just super content. I'm always worn out, and tired, and hot, But I'm always happy. I don't know why, but I love it all. And there's not anywhere else in the world that I'd rather be than here in Obregon.

O also a member of the church went to Disneyland and brought me back a Mountian Dew! haha I'm going to drink it with my son tomorrow! I'm super excited for that! haha

Love you guys!


Elder Lund

Monday, August 12, 2013

Q&A from Grandma and Grandpa

Buenos Dias Suecos from Mexico!

So this week we did get to baptize Mayra. It was a pretty cool story but ill tell you about it in my email to my mom.

So for those questions.

1. About rejection, it really doesn't bother me. God is preparing people in our area in some way or another. We just have to find them. Here we are only allowed to contact people in the streets or knock doors if we have a "Strong" impression to do so. So the way I see it, when i get those impressions and I talk to someone in the street and they say no, its just a test of faith. Theres a lot of stories about how President Monson follows basically every impression that he gets from the spirit without thinking. And because he does this, the Lord trusts him more and more and gives him more and more impressions. So when we get rejected its a bummer because this soul really is super close to salvation and says no, but it means God's going to trust us more and give us more people.  So really it hasn't really bothered me.

2. My favorite thing we eat here is either Ceviche con Camaron, or Pozole. Ceviche is like a bunch of tomatoes and spices with shrimp or soy or fish, that you eat with toasted tortillas. And Pozole is this soup with garbonzo beans and meat and onions and who knows what else but they're so good! The craziest thing I've eaten yet is called menudo and it is like pozole but it either has cow intestines or like the cow skin. It sounds awful but I didn't know what it was and I ate it and it wasn't bad, then my companion told me later that it was cow skin, and I almost died! haha but its alright! Here there's also a bunch of hotdogs in the street. Every corner has like 2 stands. And here they're SO good! They put salsa and tomatoes and basically everything you could imagine on it and its amazing!

3. One good thing about my companion... Theres a bunch good about him. You learn so much from the companions you have. My compa is really patient with the people and loves them so much. He also has a super good memory, so we never get lost in the streets. That helps me out a ton, because mine is So bad, and trying to find a house on the other side of the area is pretty much impossible for me, but he just knows all the streets, so that makes it super nice!

4. My favorite doctrine to teach is definitely Faith. No matter what situation the person is in, when they discover the faith in Jesus and the atonement or the resurrection, they always feel something. They always have a million questions. And they Always fine peace. Of everything i feel like faith is the most important thing we can have in this life. I love to bear my testimony of times when faith has helped me. Every time we teach I feel something, and grow a bigger testimony as well as hopefully spark a testimony in them.

5. My study time is divided up like this: at 7:30 I study Spanish, then 1 hour of personal study, then 1 hour of companion study, then we work. But everyday I shower and eat really quick so I usually can find like 45 minutes in the morning before my Spanish study, to read whatever I want. And in the night I usually have like an hour to study what we're going to teach in the morning. I really love my study time. Its the most relaxing time of the whole day, and its in the air conditioning!

8/12/13

Buenas Tardias Familia!

I just wrote like more than half of my letter in Spanish, then realized and had to delete it all. 
haha.

We had our baptism on Saturday. It was really cool. On Friday we did the interview and all and it she seemed pretty excited, but her mom still wasn't completely on board. She had said yes but it was more like an "I guess" kind of yes. Anyway right after the interview we went to her mom's house and talked to her. And while we were talking Mayra ran in and started to like pass out and stuff and wouldn't talk or anything or respond. So her mom got pretty scared and asked us to give her a blessing. When we left we all felt like the mom would use this as an excuse to say no to her baptism, so my companion and I decided to fast. On Saturday in the morning when we were filling up the font, we decided to text the mom and tell her the things that Mayra needed to bring for her baptism, like a change of clothes and sandals. And we didn't get a response for like 45 minutes. And finally the phone buzzed and she said that they were about to leave the house to come to the church. It was the best feeling when knew that she was going to go through with it!

This week we worked crazy hard but we didn't have the numbers that we wanted. But I have realized that numbers really don't mean or show anything. If we are working as hard as we can we will have the baptism, and thats really all that matters.

This week we have a baptism for a 16 year old kid named Carlos. He's super ready, and really excited. He's going to get his parents to come, and I think we will be able to baptize them in the next few weeks. This ward is pretty cool, and their getting more and more excited with the baptisms that we're having and are going to have.

Honestly its super nice to see how after working SO hard in Angostura with only one baptism, and a whole bunch of frustration, the Lord's now giving us recompense. It really doesn't matter the numbers but right now we are finally seeing the results of all the work, and it feels really good.

John 14:27
Love you guys
Adios


Elder Lund

Monday, August 5, 2013

8/5/13


This week went by so fast it's ridiculous.. I have no idea where it went. We worked so hard. And on Saturday we have a baptism for a girl named Myra. She's 11 and going to be the first member in her family. But she goes to church every week and knows everything. She lives like 2 miles from the church and has to walk most Sundays but she goes to church and mutual on Tuesday. The next week we have 2 fechas but one is a crazy dude so it probably won't happen. But the other is a kid that has 16 years. And he's super cool. He's beyond ready to be baptized but we didn't think he would be ready for 6 weeks when we set his baptismal date, and he out of nowhere progressed like crazy. So we're really excited for them. 

Our mission president loves us like crazy, I don't know why, but he called us to tell us that he wants us to baptize every week because he thinks we can do it. I feel like its just a test to see if we really have the faith to do it. I feel like he's going to put me as a trainer or district leader this next transfer.. Who knows, but I'd be super stoked to do either one. But really I just want to keep doing the same. Because I don't have to worry about anybody besides my investigators. Right now we don't have a whole ton but we have enough to keep us busy all day every day, and I'm comfortable where I'm at now.

This week in the morning I prayed to find somebody and a house that I'd seen popped into my head. So in the night we went to the house to see if there was a reason. When we went nobody was home. So we talked to a neighbor, and he said that he was a member and had been waiting for us that day to stop by to invite him to church. I definitely learned that day that I need to follow every single prompting by the Holy Ghost.

So Mom I got your package on Friday, but it only had candy and the memory cards for my camera. Somebody took the USB and the watch. So today I'm going to just go to down town. Do you think you could just put some money on my card or something to buy a watch? ha I'd rather not wait another like 2 months to get one. But the candy was delicious! My companion told me the thing he loved about the states is the Twizzlers, and the next day my package came with Twizzlers! haha I've never seen anybody get so excited over something in my life! 

Oh and 2 days ago some people murdered 4 people like 3 streets from our house. But on the other end of the street, so super far away. But today they started looking for the guy that did it because yesterday was Sunday, so the day of rest, so they couldn't work. haha So they just started today! That basically sums up the police here. They don't want to do anything, but want to look like they do!

Love Elder Lund

He sent explanation for this photo :)

Monday, July 29, 2013

7/29/13


My shoe is fine I think! I wore it like 3 times this week and it's not falling apart again! So I think it will be fine. If not there are a bunch of members who can help me out. They always want to do everything they can to help us, so I think I'll be fine!

This last week was a little cooler than the last few but still hot. It's like if it's hotter than 40 degrees it doesn't matter if it hits 45 or 50, its all the same. You kind of just zone out and think about something else. But what's really different here verses Sinaloa is that in Sinaloa when there's wind it cools you off a bit, but here when there's wind it's just more burning hot air hitting you, and the shade doesn't give you any relief either. You kinda just have to learn to love the heat and appreciate it when the members give you cool water or an helado. 

All 3 of our baptismal dates fell this week because their parents weren't going to be in town, but we'll see if we can get them baptized not this week but the next week. We put 4 more fechas this week for the 10th and the 17th of August, and they all look pretty sure! So hopefully we can put a few more! There are a couple people that are active in the church that just don't want to get baptized so we're going to work really hard with them too, and maybe we can have a baptism or two this week or more the next week! Who knows, but we're going to have success here, I think!

This week we've been working really hard. We have been going back to the houses of old investigators, and haven't had too much success with them, but they're giving us a lot of references, and those references are helping us a ton.

Right now I'm going to help a lady with her house so if I have more time I'll write a little more later! But if not you'll hear from me next lunes!

Love you!
Elder Lund

Monday, July 22, 2013

7/22/13


Geez California looks so fun! I hope you're all having a great time! When I saw the photos I almost got jealous but I think I'd rather be here! So this week we baptized Juan Carlos and we have 5 fechas for this Saturday, but in all honestly they're all probably going to have to wait a week or two more. This ward that I'm in is awesome! I'm in the most ghetto part of Obregon, so everybody is really humble and accepting of us. Which is really nice for the work!

    The mission president from Hermosillo sent all the ¨frito¨ missionaries here to Obregon to get rid of them. So I was scared that my companion was going to be one of them. But we're working SUPER hard and I love it. We have a ton of people with a whole lot of future baptisms. So hopefully they will follow through. We have a goal to have more than one baptism every week. And here it's more than possible. The Obregon and Culiacan and Hermosillo and Tiajuana missions are the hardest missions to get baptisms in because everybody is so cold toward God because of all the violence, but for some reason this area just took off and we're going to have a lot of success! Our ward mission leader said that this ward's starting to look like the wards in Mexico City (that means its super easy to baptize) so hopefully it will continue to give us people!

    Right now I'm in the district with just me, my companion, the zone leaders, and the assistants. So I'm surrounded by super crazy good missionaries and I'm learning a ton. 

So I bought super glue to fix my scriptures a while back, and I just put some glue on my shoes, and so far it's been alright. They are my fancy ones, but i think they'll be fine. If not I can buy a tennis ball and glue it to the bottom! Today I'm going to try again to send pictures but who knows if it will work! Hopefully!

Scott, Elder Perez, Juan Carlos and family

Monday, July 15, 2013

7/15/13


So right now I'm in an area called Castillo in the most south part of the city of Obregon. Guasave was my old Zone, right now I'm in one of the zones here in Obregon. I'll send a bunch of photos in a minute, I'm in the house of a member right now because their computer is free, but it won't send pictures so we're going to a cyber to send them after lunch. So like at 4 or something.

This week we have a baptism for a guy named Juan Carlos. On Tuesday we took him and his wife to get married, so he can get baptized. He's like 22 years old, with 2 kids and his wife's 18 years old. She is a member, but was inactive almost her whole life. He's really excited and ready. So I'm super excited too! It'll be my first baptism to count for the mission. We also have 3 little kids who are kids of some inactive members in a little city outside of Obregon. They have a baptismal date for the 27th, so hopefully we can work with them and get them ready for that.

This week it was 52 degrees here. I didn't believe my little thermometer, so we walked to this bank that shows the temperature and it was the same! Oh and the road was so hot that my shoe split, like almost in half. But were going to take it downtown to fix it. I guess this happens to almost every missionary here in Obregon at least once.

We have a lot of people getting ready for baptism, but we have nobody for after them. So right now were searching really hard for new people.

My crazy experience for this week was we met this guy who told us he wanted to get baptized in the first 30 seconds after we started talking. So of course we went into his house to teach him. But after about 30 seconds my companion and I felt weird, and decided to leave. On the way out of the house he followed us and started asking weird questions about the bishop. He asked us if he lived in this house down the street (the bishop's old house) and we both just said yes. After we left we called the bishop right away and he told us a crazy story about this guy. Apparently he is an ex boyfriend of a sister in the ward. And since she's divorced, and the president of the relief society the president has to meet with her in the ward council meeting every week and has to stop by with his councilors every month. So apparently she kept saying every week that she had to meet with the bishop, and when they broke up he thought it was because she was in love with the bishop. So the next day he went to the house of the bishop with a pistol and wanted to kill him, but he wasn't home. So that day the bishop bought a new house on the other side of the ward and never went back to his house. And it turns out this guy that wanted to kill the bishop is a guy that people pay to kill people. So he's no stranger to killing people, and it would be no problem to kill the bishop. So we're definitely not going to go back there.. ever.

Well I'm going to eat right now so I'll send the pictures in a couple hours! 
Adios!
Elder Lund

Monday, July 8, 2013

7/8/13



This week we had transfers, and I got sent up to Obregon. I just got here like 2 hours ago so I don't really know much about it, but it seems pretty cool here. But man! It's so dang hot! Right now its like 41 degrees, but I guess last week it was like 47.. But our house has air conditioning! So finally I will be able to sleep without dying! It was 103 degrees in our house last night when we went to sleep. In Angostura the house was just cement, and that just bakes all day in the sun, then at night its like a furnace! But here it'll be nice to have an air conditioner. My new companion is Elder Perez, he's from the same ward as Elder Lopez in the D.F.
 
I guess here it won't rain as much as in Culiacan, but the Hermana told me to keep my rain coat, because when it rains, it rains hard. And we had interviews with our new mission president, and he's really cool. He seems more laid back then President Cantu, but he's definitely still going to be good. And I didn't get my package. I think its still in Culiacan. So hopefully next month! 
 
This week we had the baptism of a kid named Richard. I'll send photos. That was on Saturday. It was a nice way to leave Angostura.
 
Here we had the zone meeting on the 4th of July, and the new president had all the Americans go sing the national anthem in front of everybody. It was pretty funny, I bet you'll find the video of us on the missionary mom website. Besides Elder King, Lopez, and I all celebrated by eating a cake. (Elder Lopez was born in new York and lived there for like 5 months, so we decided that was American enough to celebrate with us)
 
Besides that we really didn't have a lot go on this week. But ya its cool to be in a whole new area. Everything up here is so different. But I like it so far!
Love Elder Lund


O I forgot to write what things I learned this week! Our Mission President showed us a video about miracles, and it talks about how with small things God has been able to do great things. But I got a little different thing out of it. It talks about Moses splitting the Red Sea with his staff, and about David killing Goliath with his pebble. And what I got out of it is sometimes we get caught up in trying to be David or Moses, and do these huge miracles, but more often than not, we're not the people achieving the miracles, we're the staff or the pebble. And when these things are in the right hands, like Moses or David, or in our case, the Lord's, miracles happen. If we just do what we have to do we will see the miracles that the Lord works through us.

Monday, July 1, 2013

7/1/13


This week I found out why it was 115 degrees here with my old companion, and why it's only 109 here now. It's because dumb Elder Goates would put the thermometer in the sun for like 20 minutes before reading the temperature! haha It's not quite as crazy as I thought here! But this week was super cold (according to everybody here) because  it was like 103 degrees from 12 to 4, then about 85 degrees at 5. We had rain 4 times. Its been so nice this week! Its nice to be able to go into the shade and actually feel cool!
      
If you can notice, my English is really dying. I'm forgetting words like crazy, but more than anything, I feel like I'm just talking really choppy! But my Spanish is getting SO much better! My companion tells everyone I'm fluent. (Even though I'm not) just so they'll talk to me really fast and with big words so I can learn more. So this week I haven't understood as well as I did before, but I'm learning so fast. It's awesome! But I still have an AWFUL memory so it's hard to remember a lot of words! Like grammar and stuff I know, but my vocabulary is still small.

I'm going to get the package hopefully this week. We get our letters and packages every zone meeting, and those are usually the first week of the month. And I still don't know the address or my mission president or anything. Hopefully we have a capacitaciĆ³n soon so we can learn the new rules!

This week we worked harder than in any other week in my mission. I'm really starting to love everything about the work. It's starting to be like sports, where I just want to work super hard all the time, because the reward is worth it. 
   
We have a baptism this week for a little boy named Richard. He doesn't count as a baptism for the mission, because he's still 8 years old. But the Branch president hasn't been able to teach him, so we've been doing it. So for me it feels the same as a normal investigator. So I'm really excited about that.

Also this is our last week with Alena before she moves to Culiacan. Hopefully the missionaries there are good ones! She's going to come back here on the 20th to get baptized with her sister, but I have a feeling I'm going to be transferred this Monday, so I wont be here for it.. But all that really matters is that she gets baptized! I'm just excited to get the news that she went through with it.

I don't have a lot of time right now because theres like a million people here in the Ciber waiting for computers!
Love you!
Elder Lund


Scott's 1st zone (Guasave) with new mission president Scott is behind the President and companion Elder Lopez is in glasses two to the right

Monday, June 24, 2013

6/24/13


     So I'll start out first with transfers. I'm still going to be in Angostura with Elder Lopez for another transfer, so I'm officially in the Obregon Mission. I'm really excited that I'm not changing areas, because this area all of a sudden got potential.
     We started teaching a 9 year old of a member family, who isn't baptized because his dad was in Cancun for a year. So were going to baptize him this next Saturday, and also have 4 people scheduled for the 20th of this July. Also hopefully the apostolic lady will keep progressing.
     So about the Golden Investigator. Her name's Helena and she LOVES the church. Elder Goates and I gave her the pamphlet about the restoration like 2 and a half months ago, and she said she prayed and knew it was true the very first day. So when I went back with Elder Lopez for the first time in like 2 months, she was really excited to see us. We gave her a Book of Mormon and came back the next day and she was already in Alma 34. She is the sister of Norma, an investigator who is going to get baptized when she can get a divorce, (which should be the 18th of July) and she wants to get baptized with her. Problem is, she's moving to Culiacan this month, so the missionaries there will have to help her. But she's going to come back here to get baptized with her sister.
     With Rosario, the apostolic lady, she didn't pray about the Book of Mormon, but she did start reading. We only had time to visit her one time, but I'm almost positive she's been reading the Book of Mormon like crazy. She still kind of wants to prove it's wrong, but accepted that only God can tell her. So she is going to pray. We're going back today, so hopefully she's gotten an answer.
     It's pretty cool how after those weeks where we didn't have any success, we are now getting rewarded for our work. We aren't allowed to fast here in the summer except for fast sunday, and then we have to drink water. But since we have a new Mission President starting today and he hasn't set any rules yet, we are going to fast after we eat lunch today, until tomorrow. We really just want our investigators to keep progressing to baptism, because we can't become complacent with the success that we're having. We have to remember like it says in Alma 26:12, of ourselves we are nothing, but with the Lord we can do all things. 
    This week I was reading a little in Ephesians, the Book of Mormon and Jesus the Christ, and in Ephesians 6:10-16 it talks about how we need to have on the full armor of God. And with it we can quench all the fiery darts of the adversary. Also in Alma 2:10 there's a story of Amlici (Satan) telling his army to take up their arms to fight the Nephites (People of the Lord) And for me this kind of says that satan has his army, he has his weapons, and he can do damage to us. Because, like it says in Jesu the Christ, we, as humans, are weak and can be taken over easily by satan. Being alone, we are no match for satan. But if we have on the armor of god, he can't reach us. The armor doesn't just make us invincible or anything. It just makes it so he can't get to us as easy. So if we have the armor of God, if were doing the things he commands and asks, Satan and his armies can't penetrate through our armor. I thought that was pretty cool. I never really thought about it that way. 

Love you guys, Have a good week!

Love, Elder Lund

Mexico Culiacan Mission with visiting apostle, Jeffery R. Holland (Scott is top row 6th from left)

Elder Lopez, Wilber, Elder Lund
   
Elder Lopez and Wilber

Elder Lund, Branch Mission Leader


Sunday, June 23, 2013

Letter to the Young Women


    We asked the missionaries in our ward to write a letter to the YW in our ward to be read at Girls Camp. This is Scott's letter addressed to our young women:


    One thing I have noticed while on my mission, is the value of virtuous youth. Here it is very difficult for the youth to remain faithful, because of the worldly influences that surround them, the same as in Ogden. I´m sure that you all have friends, members of the church or not, that choose to do things contrary to the will of God. And I know first hand how hard it can be to choose the right. It really is a struggle. I was just in high school a year ago. Let's just be honest, it's hard.
    I have just one word of advice. This is what we tell the youth here, and I feel the same applies with you. Pray and wait. Pray in your heart, pray in your mind, and if necessary, find a secluded place, and get on your knees and pray. Then wait until help arrives. God promises us that that help will arrive. Just ask, as it says in the hymn, Abide with me, Savior stay this night with me. He will be there for you. He was there for you when he gave his life on the cross, when he endured in Gethsemane, he was there for you 2000 years ago. How amazing is it that we have a loving savior who knows exactly what you're going through. That after 40 days of fasting, was tempted by Satan himself, and pushed through it. He knows exactly what you're being tempted by, and knows exactly how to help you endure.
     We have an investigator named Wilber, who used to be a drug addict. He is 18 years old, and has made a lot of mistakes in his life. But in a lesson with him, we asked him how he's doing with the Word of Wisdom, and he told us that he's got temptations, and at times he really wants to do drugs again. But he always will just pray, and wait until help from the Lord arrives.
    High school is hard.  There are a lot of tough, frustrating things that can happen in those 6 years from junior high to graduation. But one thing that I have learned here on the mission, that I wish I knew better before, is that Christ knows. An apostle said, "sometimes you just want to say 'Christ, hope you know I'm having a hard time.'" When you're experiencing difficulties, when you're being made fun of, when you're trying to stand up for your beliefs and people mock you, CHRIST IS HERE. Christ is always here for you. Through a small humble prayer to your Father in Heaven, "All will be made well" When you wonder why it's so hard to stay strong, remember Christ asked that exact same question a long time ago. If he can wonder that, then you can too. But the example that Christ set, is he endured. He made it to the end. And through him, you can too. In all the difficult times down here in Mexico, I just think, Remember Him. Remember His sacrifice. I can do this. I can endure. And in doing so we are made strong. As people we are like diamonds, a diamond starts out as carbon, an ugly soft black dirt. And after years of pressure and heat, it becomes the most beautiful and strongest substance known to man. If we endure our trials well, we will be like diamonds. We will have a testimony, and conversion that nobody can break.
   This church is true, so is this gospel, and most importantly, so is the atonement. Through the atonement, we can do all things.
   Elder Lund

Monday, June 17, 2013

6/17/13


    Of all my weeks (I say that like I have a long time in the mission) I learned more this week than all the others combined. It was HARD, and FRUSTRATING and especially HOT. But this was by far my favorite week. I honestly don't know why or how, but it was great. We didn't have a single investigator at church for the second straight week and our baptismal dates all fell, but the spirit was super strong this week. And that will lift you up no matter what you're going through.
  Every night after we plan for the morning, we have about 45 minutes to an hour to do what we want. So I take that time to read the Book of Mormon and kind of study for myself. (In the mornings we only study for our investigators) This week I read from Alma 16-30. Most of those scriptures are about Ammon and his mission to the Lamanites, and converting the Anti-nephi-lehis. I think it's in chapter 17? not sure, but it talks about the sons of Mosiah and how Ammon had to rescue them from prison. They had been beaten and starved, but in their moment of weakness they persevered and kept enduring. Then when they were rescued the first thing they did was go and preach. They didn't take time to feel sorry for themselves. I also read a little of DyC in sections with Joseph Smith in Liberty Jail, and how even the Prophet has times of difficulty, where he doesn't think he can endure anymore, but the Lord answered his humble pray for help by saying If you persevere, I will exalt thee on high. And in the next chapter also talks about enduring all types of abuse because of the word of the Lord and what he believed in. Later on in the week I reread the chapter about Ammon again in Spanish and it brought out a different part of the story that I didn't understand in English the first time I read it. It is how Ammon was commanded to go and convert the people in the kingdom of Lamoni, an impossible task. And he did it. He didn't think about the millions of reasons of why it was impossible, he just did it. Then he was supposed to get the sons of Mosiah out of jail, another impossible task, and he just did it. And God gave him a way once again. Reminded me of in first Nephi when Nephi has to go get the plates, and he doesn't think about why its not possible, he just does it.

    It's never a good idea to bible bash with anybody because the spirit isn't there, and they are just going to be angry, and shut down to the missionaries in the future. but this week we had a second lesson with a really really strong apostolic lady. She knows her bible inside and out, and had all kinds of questions for us. It was so hard not to just bash the crap out of her because I know my scriptures pretty well too and could prove her wrong in EVERYTHING. (My companion also knows his bible better than the pope) But we decided not to. I don't know why but I decided to share the scripture about faith and how we don't walk by sight, but by faith. And immediately she shut up. She started to let us teach her about Joseph Smith, and then again went crazy with her scriptures and asking why we believe in something other than the bible, and how that doesn't make sense, etc... So in an hour and a half we taught her that there were prophets in the bible after Jesus, and the First Vision. That was it! About 2 days later we had an appointment fall through and decided to go talk to her again. This time she started out by showing us all kinds of apolostolic hymns and stuff. And we finally got her to let us pray. After the prayer she let us talk for like 10 minutes without bringing up her scriptures. We taught her about the Book of Mormon and why it's necessary. In those 10 minutes, the spirit testified to her that theres something to that book. She completely changed. She started sharing scriptures that backed up everything we said! it was awesome! We left her a Book of Mormon and she said she'd pray. Were going back tomorrow to see if she actually did. It was so cool to see in a matter of seconds the light flip on in someone's eyes.

Pues, I don't have time to write much more but next week ill tell you about the most golden investigator in the history of forever!

Love Elder Lund!