Another Week...Another Adventure

Cake in the Face-Happy Birthday!

Hey hey little family!

I feel like I start off all of my letters the same way, and sadly I feel like all of my letters are starting to sound the same, when in reality every week is its own adventure in the mission. Anyways, it’s good to hear from you guys, and especially from my bro, Connor.  Do you think that you could send me his e-mail address?  I’d like to write him every now and then.  It’s cool to see how his mission is taking shape and that he’s feeling some of the things that I did.

President Moestel and Family

Well, this week was definitely an adventure.  Honestly, I realized just how much work is needed to run a mission, and honestly it’s miraculous.  I guess that’s something I’ve come to appreciate here in the office...just how ordered everything is.  I guess I’m the one that feels a little disordered though.  And dad, I’m trying really hard to be like my mom because I think the Lord put me here to learn how to do "little quiet acts of service¨. Tuesday and Wednesday were insane.  Both days we woke up at 5 am and started doing things nonstop for the 17 new missionaries that came and for the 12 that were leaving.  It’s interesting to watch new missionaries come in and to see the experienced ones go home from one day to the other. It really shows just how much we change in the mission.  Anyways...they may have been two of the most stressful days of my life.  On Wednesday I think I realized it was my birthday at around 10 am, and by the late afternoon I just felt like I couldn’t do it anymore.  I hate to say it but I was just kinda having a bad attitude thinking...what a great birthday...and other lame stuff.  We had to open 3 new areas and get all the stuff to the houses. At one point, I found myself waiting in the car alone in front of the house and I just started to pray, pleading that the Lord would help me to have a better attitude and would gave me strength to keep going.  Anyways...I think what I learned this week is that living a consecrated life is not easy, in fact it’s really hard, but it brings a certain type of joy.  I feel like this week I’ve really grown a lot and come closer to the Lord.

Unfortunately, we didn’t have much time to work in our area, but we gave a little more time for the Lord and His angels to do their work.  Honestly, some of the people we find are SO ready for the gospel.  This week Elder Talla and I both felt really prompted to knock on a tin door so we did.  A nice lady came out with a big smile on her face and asked, “are you guys going to come in?”  We came in and sat down when a bunch of people just came out of the house and sat down.  Turns out that the lady is a recent convert’s mom, she has 3 daughters who’ve been to church at least 3 times, her husband died recently, and there’s also another family there(husband, wife, 9 yr old kid).  We only visited them twice this week but they are always SO happy when we come and hardly know anything about the gospel.  If those aren’t the Lord’s elect, I don’t know who are.

What else...oh man, this Elder finished his mission this week and lives here in Bluefields (Atlantic coast). He had to stay in our house last night and he’s the funniest guy ever.  He speaks like a Creole English and has tons of energy.   Anyways...one of his comps gave him a referral of this girl that lives in Nicaragua so we took him there to go meet her today...they’re already talking about marriage and stuff and they met TODAY!  So I got to be a matchmaker today...cool huh?

Oh and to answer your question mom, my birthday was ok...at least Hermana Monestel remembered :) She gave me a bag of candy and stuff so that was cool. Also my birthday package came!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was super stoked!!!! And thanks so much…I loved everything in it, especially the family pictures and the binder of gospel pictures to teach with (I already started using them and they’re awesome) Who knows that happened to the Christmas packages???  But I’m 21 now...super weird. Anyways....I love you guys and I love this gospel...also I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love, 

Elder Ward

Do you know who you are?

Dearest Family,

I think it might be safe to say that this has been one of the most spiritual weeks that our whole family will ever have. I don’t know how much time I will have to write because I’m going to focus most of my time on writing to Dad’s young men, but here it goes.

Welp, Connor is now Elder Ward II huh? It’s kinda crazy hearing about you guys doing the exact same thing that you did with me and it makes me think about just how much I’ve changed since then. I’m super excited for Connor and I know that he will be an awesome missionary.

This week was tremendo.  As always, I’ve got a lot to tell and little time to do it.  The beginning of the week was super busy because we had to get everything ready for 3 days of back to back conferences. I had an awesome experience though when I was at the bank one day.  This lady, probably in her 40´s, came up to me and asked if we were the Mormons.  I began to explain to her what the real name of the church was and she said, "can you come over here and talk to me for a little bit?" It was kind of a surprise, considering that we were waiting in line at the bank.  So we went over to talk to her and she began to explain that she had had a lot of really tough times in her life and that she felt like she was losing her faith in God.  It was a really spiritual experience because I could really feel for her and it felt so good to be able to tell her that Jesus Christ understood what she was going through and that He truly lives.  We kept talking right there in the bank and she said, ¨I sometimes wonder if the best option would just be to take my own life."  That really got to me...The Spirit came pretty strongly then and a question came clearly to my mind.  I asked: "Do you know who you are?" She began to explain that she had had lots of success in her life, but I cut her off and said...”let me help you answer that question...you are a daughter of God.”  Then the nicely dressed woman, with her work portfolio, began to cry behind her sunglasses.  Then the people that she was with came and she had to go.  I promised that we would send missionaries to her house.  Sounds kinda like a movie or something huh?  But honestly, I thought a lot about that question this week and I’ve come to feel more and more that I am a child of God and that He has a plan for me.

I think I forgot to tell you guys this, but Elder Nelson came on Wednesday to have a conference with us. It was such an awesome talk! It was cool too because it was combined with the north mission and I got to see my friend, Elder Whatcott, who went to Highland High.  What else...I got pulled over by a cop this week for doing an illegal u-turn supposedly.  They basically can’t do anything though because we aren’t from Nicaragua.  Cool huh?

Anyways, I gotta go already but I love you guys!  Mom, sadly enough, I still haven’t gotten any of my packages...but oh well.  Hopefully they come some time.  Dad, I attached the letters for the young men above.  I hope that you don’t have a hard time translating them.  I’m keeping you guys in my prayers. :)

Love,

Elder Ward

Advice to my Bro-Things I've Learned on my Mission

Hey Wards!

I’ll be honest with you, there haven’t been very many times where my heart has ached for home in my mission, but after reading those letters it’s kind of hard not too.  And it’s not just because of the parties, all the new stuff that is going on, but because I really love you guys. I imagine that it’s a little glimpse of what our Heavenly Father feels about us. He wants us to come home because He loves us. We are His eternal family.

I don’t really know where to start...I wish I had time to sit down and write a bunch to every one of you guys...but I feel like I should write a little bit to my bro...the soon to be Elder Ward.  Well...we’re really doin it Harry!!!! (inspiring right, that’s from Dumb and Dumber if you didn’t know)...but seriously I just wanted to give you a little bit of advice, maybe not even advice, but to tell you a couple of things that I’ve learned on my mission. 

1. Recognize that these 2 years are the most important of your whole life and for the rest of your life, there is no experience in this life that even comes close to serving a mission.

2. Always be worthy of the Spirit because it is what directs the work...train yourself to receive personal revelation and FOLLOW IT.

3. Love the people that you serve with all of your heart, and remember that they are not numbers or baptismal statistics, they are children of God.  Also, love your companions no matter how difficult they are...the Lord knows why they’re your companion even if you don’t.

4. There is no such thing as a sacrifice...we just pay back a small percentage of what we have been given.

5. Don’t focus so much on the results of your work. There are two amazing missionaries from the BOM, Abinadi and Ammon. Ammon baptized thousands of people and Abinadi just reactivated a less active member. Who was better than the other? Both, because they both did what the Lord commanded them to do.

6. Be BOLD. Do things that other missionaries are afraid to do. Talk to everyone...pastors from other churches, rich people, poor people, people on buses, you name it. The gospel isn’t pest control, taking "no" as an answer means a lot more than having bugs in your house.

7. Be obedient, and do it with love. Don’t be like the Pharisees who obeyed just to obey, but obey because you love the Lord and want to have His spirit.

8. You will have days where you want to give up, when you will suffer, where you may think that it’s not worth it to be there.  Remember that these two years are an opportunity to feel a little bit of what Christ felt and what He did...draw closer to Him in those times.

9. Work hard. If you want to have success, WORK. 

10. If weird boils appear on certain parts of your body, get it looked at right away. Cut your toenails good, and come back with a cool accent so the girls like you more when you get back.

11. Give the Lord everything that you’ve got and remember the covenants that you made in the temple.  Pray to Him fervently every day and let Him guide the work.

Well...there’s a lot more than that but that’s good for now I think. Man, its super weird that Connor is leaving, but at the same time SUPER awesome! Dad, I hope that some of these things can help you out too, and I know that you will be an AWESOME Young Men’s President. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that they called you right as your 2nd son is leaving on a mission. That is no small feat for a father...do what you did with us and they will make it to where we are. I’ll be thinking about that homework assignment. :)

This week was barbaric (barbaro). On Sunday that guy that asked us if he could get baptized went to church with his wife and they loved it. We’re just helping Ramón to stop smoking now. Can’t remember who I wrote about last week, but Henry and Maricela are one of the most prepared families I’ve met here in Nicaragua. They love the gospel already. We were teaching them about the Law of Chastity and we hadn’t even said 5 sentences when he says..."Wait a second...you guys want to marry us huh?" I was like..."well, yeah that’s what the Lord wants." and he says "awesome, because that’s our goal!" There were other questions like "Hey, how long do I have to wait to get baptized? and (wife) Is it ok if I get baptized again too because I already got baptized in another church.  Jaime and Juana are waiting for their divorce still and are SO awesome. They have super strong testimonies because they’ve been coming to church for like 7 months now.

As far as being financier goes, it’s been crazy. But I’m learning to love it, there are times when I just feel happy knowing that I’m serving the Lord or even helping serve President. We took President’s kids to school yesterday and it was way fun...and weird. I felt like a Dad. They were kinda bummed about going back to school after vacation so Elder Call and I, pretended like we had a radio station and it was super hilarious. Also, it’s weird going from Pricesmart and buying a bunch of food one minute then going out to the boondocks to a tin house and dirt floor to preach the gospel...pretty cool.

Anyways, I love you guys so much! Mom, I don’t think I will need those shoes but thanks anyways. My packages still haven’t come yet but I wont lose faith. Keep it real in AZ.

Love,

Elder Ward

PS Connor, write me ya little bum

We Just Have to Find Them

Hey Family!

We’re in the future now! Woo Hoo 2012!!! Man, do I have a lot of stuff to write to you guys and so little time...but here it goes. 

On Sunday we confirmed this woman named Rosario who is super awesome. She lives really, really far away from the church, like up in the mountains but she comes to church WALKING. Anyways, I thought it was way cool cuz after church she was like, “Brothers!!! Guess what I’m going to do right now?! Visit less actives with the Relief Society!” I love to see little things like that...when normal people become true disciples of Jesus Christ. We also had a nice little surprise on Sunday. We were sitting there when one of the AP´s, Elder Reyes, came up and told me that we had a family in church. I was like...mmm no we don’t, and he introduced us to a family that he had taught before. His name is Miguel and his wife Maria and her 3 kids. The wife and kids are members but the husband never could get baptized because he always had to work. We went and visited him that same day and invited him to be baptized on the 21st of this month and he said yes! That just showed me that there are people that are so prepared to hear the gospel and that we just have to find them. 

Oops, I forgot about New Years Eve. We went to President’s house at around 9:30 and a return missionary that served as AP here like 2 years back came with his whole family. It was super weird hanging out with President’s family and a whole family of gringos, but at the same time it made me feel more at home. It was super hilarious because we had like a talent show where we sang a hilarious song, President and his family sang and danced a super funny folk dance/song thing, ate food, played ping pong, and let’s just say that the fireworks we have in the states look like birthday candles compared to what President bought. It was the best firework show ever! The coolest is from where they live you can see all of Managua, so we got to see all the fireworks.

On Monday Elder Ward (my old comp) had changes and I got a new comp! His name is Elder Talla and he’s from Panama. It’s kinda cool because he even knows uncle/President Ward (mission president in Panama). But he’s the new “materials secretary” and he’s a super nice dude. We’re super pumped because were finding new families that are just totally prepared to hear the gospel and we’re gonna baptize like crazy. Dad, I really liked your tandem bike story. We’re teaching a family named Henry and Maricela and they’re super positive except that he has a problem with drinking. I’ve come to find that something that always gets the head of the family to change is the rest of his family. It was pretty awesome because we asked if we could say a prayer with them to finish the lesson and he asked, “is it bad if we pray kneeling down, and can I say it.” There’s a man who knows what he needs to do to bring him and his family closer to the Savior.

Wow, there’s so much more to tell you guys, but I’ve gotta go. Just know that I love u guys a bunch and that I love being a missionary! Connor, I love you a bunch too man and just make sure that you’re getting ready to be an instrument in the Lord’s hands. Love you guys so much!

Love,

Elder Ward