A HOT WATER SHOWER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

July 25, 2011

Dear FAMILY,

Hey! How’s it goin guys? Ok, before I forget, because I know I’m going to forget, I’ll write about the things you asked me about mom. With the card, I still haven’t found it so I think that would probably be good if you could get me a new one if it’s not too much of a problem. I don’t use it that much, but just in case.  Andddd...with the boots I’ll take a picture this week and send it to you. I think part of it is because they’re worn down on the bottom but there’s also a place on the side where I think water is coming in through the seams. Thanks for looking into that mom!

So this week has been pretty good. Honestly there is SO much to do every day, but I guess that’s a good thing. I’m learning a ton though and my testimony continues to grow. It is amazing how much someone can progress just by serving other people. I’m learning to love the elders in the zone and to love the people that I teach even more.  

To answer your question, we moved back into the bishop’s house where we were before, which was fun because we were only there for like two days. It was pretty funny having everyone in the street watch us carry all of our stuff to the other house. It was funny, we were holding a mattress on our heads and just to joke around I said, “se vende colchon!" or “matress for sale!”, because they just sale stuff in the street like that. A lady actually stopped us and wanted to buy it. It was pretty hilarious. Also, we made a great discovery. The bathroom that the bishop and his wife use has A HOT WATER SHOWER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It’s the most heavenly thing in Nicaragua. I just don’t want to get used to it though. While I’m on the subject of random things...yesterday one of the cooks at the restaurant gave me a little green pepper to eat. So I ate it...hottest thing I have or will ever eat in my life. My throat was on fire for like an hour!

Well...for more spiritual matters...we’re still working with those two families that I talked about last week. I think that one thing I’ve learned this week is that sometimes the Lord gives us trials just to see how faithful we really are. The dad of one family didn’t go to church this Sunday because he had to work all of a sudden and he’s just having a hard time getting an answer to his prayers. The young couple had more problems and said that they wanted to get separated again. Those families had baptismal dates for this Saturday coming up...and honestly I’m not sure how we’re going to get them baptized, but I know we will. Even when things seem impossible in this life, if we put our trust in the Lord, it’s possible.

Take care of yourselves and just know that I love you a bunch. Keep reading the scrips and praying every day and BE HAPPY! We have an eternal family!

Love,

Elder Ward

Papa, gracias por tu historia sobre el misionero. He aprendido mucho con respeto a esas decisiones y recordaré eso cuando sea dificil para dar todo al Señor. Nunca he sido tan feliz en mi vida :)

The Gospel Blesses Families

Querido familia,

Quería escribirles en español entonces vamos a ver si me entienden. Jk.  I’m not gonna write in Spanish. It’s getting to the point though where it’s kind of weird speaking/writing English. I guess that’s good though...

It sounds like the funeral went well and that everyone is doing good. Just so you know Mom, I know that you’ll leave a great legacy for everyone, along with Dad too.

Anyways, HEY! It’s good to hear from you guys. It’s still weird to think that you guys are back in Arizona doing all the normal stuff while I’m watching a sick dog with a massive lump hanging out of its stomach (maybe its intestine?) waddle by the door of the cyber. But I love it.

This week was pretty crazy. Why? Well, we had to move.  That was an adventure, and a bummer considering that I just got settled in. The bummer is that we never even had time to go look at the house that the bishop and his wife found but we trusted that it would be a good house. Turns out that it’s a super tiny room and that it’s way too expensive. The worst part is that the bishop´s wife’s mom decided that she is going to rent the house that we moved from and she said that we can move back in. After moving all the stuff! Awesome! Haha. But whatever. It’s cool.

As far as the work goes this week has been good. I feel like I’m starting to get the hang of everything here. We’re teaching some pretty sweet families right now too. I’m learning a ton with Elder Mejia because he just loves the heck out of these people. There’s so much to learn on the mission and before I thought it was just about working super hard, and I loved the people, but I’m learning to love them even more. It’s amazing to see that the gospel has a solution for every problem. This week, one of our progressing families, Anabel and Milton, had some problems. They aren’t married but it turns out that Milton went off with another woman and that they were pretty much over. With Anabel we talked about how the gospel can better our relationships in our families and forgiveness. With Milton we talked about repentance and the importance of marriage and eternal families. We left both of their houses pretty distraught not knowing what would happen but when we came back they were together and happy again. Honestly, the gospel blesses our families, no matter what our situation is like. They went to church together on Sunday and are getting baptized the 30th along with another family we’re teaching.

What else...the zone is doing well and everyone is excited. There’s a lot of work to be done though. Other things...bad news for the most part. I can’t seem to find my credit card that I brought from home so I don’t know what to do about that and if I could get a new one because I don’t have a way to buy extra stuff if I need to. I looked everywhere and don’t think it’s in Masaya either. Also...my pair of boots is starting to give in and water comes in from the bottom. On my other pair the soles are half way gone and it’s way uncomfortable to walk in them but I think I’ll get em resoled. Anyways...I’ll get it figured out.

Just so you know, since I forgot last week, I fasted and have been praying for my grandmas. Tell them that I said hi and that I love them. Love you guys a bunch and miss you. Take care of yourselves and BE HAPPY!

Love,

Elder Ward

I'm still loving my mission!

July 11, 2011

Mis seres queridos,

What’s up?! Man you guys sure did have a lot to write about. I’m not gonna lie, I’m a little bit jealous that you guys were all at the beach house. But...it’s ok because we went to the beach for p-day today. We played soccer and kinda just hung out. It was fun, but not quite the same when you just have to sit and watch the waves. Dude, Connor, that’s nuts that you got stung by a stingray, and way to not be a baby about it. Missions coming up soon dude!

Before I forget...here are the answers to your questions mom:
1. Elder Mejia is a zone leader too. He’s ZL1 and I’m ZL2. He’s a way good leader too so it’s sweet to able to learn from him.
2. Our area doesn’t go all the way to the ocean but it goes to about 40 min away. Our area is all pretty close together.
3. Responsibilities...a ton. In our zone we have 19 missionaries and basically we just have to make sure everyone is having success. Zone meetings every Friday, call the DL´s for their numbers every day, meetings with the stake leaders, lots of meetings with the president, taking care of stuff like mail, health, and other random stuff, making sure everyone has good retention of recent converts, keeping everyone animated and working...it’s a lot but I’m learning a ton. It’s a little different cuz we don’t always have time to work in our own area, but it’s a blessing to be able to help the other missionaries and get to know them. It’s overwhelming at times but I know that the Lord will help me as He has in the past.
4. Oh, they actually have a washing machine, but they don’t iron. I’ve grown to appreciate all the ironing you’ve done for me in my life mom, especially because I burnt my finger this morning. (I’m dumb, I know)

This week has been pretty eventful. I’ve been getting to know the area, the members, the investigators, the other elders, tons of stuff. Wednesday was pretty sweet. We had a big dinner for all of the bishops from the stake and their wives and the stake president. We cooked dinner for them to suck up to them first, had a guy that I swear is over 100 yrs old play guitar and sing for them, and then presented a sweet new plan to work with the members. Each ward is going to have at least 6 families called to be ward missionaries and we’re going to capacitate them to be missionaries. Everyone was pretty excited about it, and we are pretty confident that it’ll bring a lot of success. Seriously, the members are the KEY to missionary work.

We’re teaching a family of 6 that’s way awesome and were hoping to baptize them at the end of the month. It’s amazing to see how the gospel brings light and joy into the lives of these people. I think that’s one of the greatest blessings of the mission, being able to see the joy that they experience as they come closer to Christ. Anyways...I’m happy and I’m still loving my mission. I miss you guys and I love you a bunch! Way to go for continuing the scripture challenge!

Love,

Elder Ward

PS. Dad, I love that talk by Elder Holland. I have a copy of it and it’s helped out quite a bit. It’s true what he says, the mission makes you into who you’ll be for eternity, and my mission means a lot to me too.

I'm in San Marcos

What’s up fam?

Well, I’ll just say right now that it’s super lame that I’m just writing to an abandoned laptop because I know you guys are all just chillin at the beach right now. I hope that volleyball is going good right now and that the waves are sweet. Ingratos...haha

I forgot that you guys are in summer right now. It sounds like everything is going good. Connor, I laughed pretty hard at your story, just might have to change your door approach for the mission. And just so you know missionary work is a lot more rewarding. I’m glad that Mom and Aubrey had fun at girls camp too.

WELLL...this week has been an eventful one for sure. Tuesday was pretty tough, really tough actually, having to say goodbye to all of my good friends from Masaya. It was bittersweet though because it felt good leaving and knowing that I played a small part in helping the people there come unto Christ. I’ll never forget that place.

AND now...........I’m in SAN MARCOS, ZONA CARAZO, and I love this place already. Your predictions about it being a tough transfer were correct though. It’s going to be a little bit tougher here because I got called to be zone leader. It’ll be a good experience though and I know that the Lord will help me out with everything. But it’s crazy being changed after over 7 months in Masaya. My comps name is Elder Mejia from El Salvador and he’s a freakin stud. He’s one of the best missionaries in the mission and he is a great leader too. I’ve already learned a bunch from him and he really loves the people and the other missionaries. The members here are super awesome too. We live in the Bishop´s house which is way awesome, especially because they have a restaurant in their house and make our food. It’s called Fritanga, basically the best food you can get in Nicaragua. We’ve even got a toilet seat, a shower, and all that good stuff. The members here are awesome too. In just this week we’ve worked with all of the elder´s quorum presidency, the bishop and his wife, another sister, the ward mission leader, and a couple of other people. All in all I’m lovin it, and we are super stoked for the zone and everyone’s excited for this change. We’ve got a goal to baptize 60 people with 18 families as a zone this month so we’ll be working and praying hard. What else, it’s not hot here which is nice, also our area is MASSIVE, so it’ll take me a while to learn my way around.

Anyways, everything is going awesome here. We found a sweet family of 6 the other day along with another that came to church this Sunday. Thanks for your prayers and keep praying for me because this will definitely be a change to learn and grow from.

Oh...and HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!!!!!!!!! Enjoy it for me. Ahhh...so trunky for the beach right now haha. Love you guys a bunch and say hi to everyone for me.

Love,

Elder Ward

Just to let you know I got my package and I was super stoked. Thanks for sending that mom