What's up?

Yes, I`m still in Guadalajara, I`m just no longer at the extreme north end. I`m even still in the same district, actually. Things are interesting here in a house made for 4 when there`s just two of us. We`re also in charge of 2 areas that are closed, so if there is a reference or someone asks for the missionaries we go to teach them. Basically it feels like having 3 areas. We have 2 investigators in one of the areas that are progressing a lot and are almost ready to be baptized, but sister missionaries will finally arrive to take over the area on Thursday.

I lived in the far northwest end of Colima, and although I know the city very well, I spent most of my time in an area of pure houses, so I don`t think I ever passed by a garbage dump. It`s a wonderful place though, and I miss it a lot.

It hasn`t been hard to keep up with the World Cup. The whole country stops functioning when Mexico plays (and every goal for either team is a universal scream that can even be heard when showering) and everyone talks about the other games as well. I keep moderate track of what goes on (as I do love soccer) but largely because it is a great conversation starter. Any stranger here becomes a friend once you start talking soccer, and friends are always a great thing for missionaries to have. The only downside is that we can`t really do ANYTHING during important games, because the country is literally paralyzed. Nobody is in the street, nobody wants to talk or let you in the house. It`s been a challenge, but a humorous one. Now that the US and Mexico are both eliminated we`ll see what happens.

It`s been quite a first week as senior companion. There is this thing of other areas and investigators we will lose, the fact that there wasn`t really anyone else progressing when I arrived, and we`ve started to contact a LOT. So far we haven`t seen many prospects (and a lot of false addresses), but I`m sure we will find some elect families soon...after all, we led the zone in contacts. Other challenges have been helping the bishop with a baptism for a normal 8 year old child that took out a lot of time and energy, the fact that it has stormed and even hailed 2 this week, and last monday the lock to the house got jammed and we couln`t get in all day. I also have a hole in the sole of my shoe. However, I`m not discouraged and we`re going to keep working hard. I know the Lord is planning something important for me to do.

Today we went to play basketball and go to some batting cages as a zone. It was a lot of fun, but I`m exhausted and very sunburned. I`m guaranteed to die of skin cancer!

So keep praying, help the local missionaries as you would help me, and be actively engaged in a good cause, and you`ll feel great! Everything here will turn out just fine.

Love,
Elder Lund

Happy Father's Day

Well, while I didn´t do anything in particular on my birthday, it has been a mildly interesting week. Saturday I spent the afternoon on the roof of one of our investigators house who is getting baptized soon. He´s just waiting for his cast to come off now so that we can get his arm wet. Due to that injury, he asked us to help out with sealing his roof. Here in mexico every single house is made of bricks or cement (not including the aluminum and wood shacks). There has been a water leakage problem, so what we did was basically mix a sealant with cement and layer the roof in that to cover up any and all cracks.

There was zone conference this week as well, and also a special conference with the zone leaders because the area president came here to the mission to give some instruction. I´m going to do my best to apply it, but it has been a good week of spiritual strengthening and learning by faith.

Also, guess what happened today? I got transferred. After a week and a half in Nuevo Mexico, I´ve been transferred to the area next door with my new companion, Elder Luis. He´s from Oaxaca and also speaks Zapoteco. The big thing with the change is that I´m now senior companion. The big in-charge. Now is when, more than ever, I need to make sure I do things right, avoid bad habits, and exercise my faith and everything I know to make a difference. It was stated by Elder Johnson, the area president that there is no limit to people who are "the elect", those who will listen, change their lives, and convert to the gospel. The ONLY inhibiting factor in this mission is what the missionary is willing to do in order to find and teach these people. Time to see how strong my faith really is. It has certainly been an interesting birthday.

Also, happy fathers day!!!! I hope you enjoyed it. Keep working hard and have faith in the Lord, and he will continue to bless us abundantly (and abundance means "more than we need or can use"...in otherwords, enough to share!). Take care, and much love.

Elder Lund

Happy Birthday!!!

Well after getting sent to Guadalajara in an ambulance, I´m now finally in my new area. I didn´t even go back for my bags, the Elderes in Colima packed them and sent them. I arrived in my area wednesday at noon, more or less. My companion is Elder Guzmán, who is from Chiapas (maps are useful) and also speaks Tzotzil. I´ll see if I can pick up any of that while I´m here. My district leader is from Cuzco, Peru. Cool guys, both of them.

Guadalajara is cooler than Colima. It is also more Catholic. Even still, I also get the strange feeling that I´m in Utah or California every once in a while, and it keeps throwing me off. We´ve got an upcoming baptism as well (apparently he had been very resistant, but he told us he felt ready to be baptized the other day). His name is Filiberto, and his wife is a member. The only complication is the cast on his right arm that can´t get wet. We´re working that out though. I have high hopes for this transfer. I feel there is very much good that can be done here.

As my birthday comes up (and also the 8 month mark) I have been thinking about how fast the time has gone by, what I would have done better, and what I intend to do in the future. I am still young, but old enough to make a real difference, with respect to both age and time in the mission. We´ll see how things go in the near future.

Thank you so much for continuing to write, every bit of information is a real blessing to me. I love you very much, and know that everything will work out for our profit and blessing. The time has flown, and now I´ve got to go.

Take care,
Elder Lund

Now a new chapter...

Thank you for sharing how you see me as a missionary and son, and yes that was exactly what I looking for...although the response was even better than I anticipated. I will be sure to do my best to live up to that expectation and more. Right now I am actually in a hospital in Guadalajara. Don`t worry, nothing is wrong with me. My companion just had a stomach infection that was a little agressive and complicated, so they moved him to a hospital here in Guadalajara. I think he`ll be able to start eating solids tomorrow though. I`ve been with him almost every moment since we brought him to the clinic in Colima on Friday morning. The only exceptions are when they president had me sleep at his house last night and when he took me to eat today. We`ve been doing alright though, and we certainly have had the support of the ward. Many, many members visited him and supplied me with food. Now that it`s over, it has been a touching learning experience.

Whenever Elder Peña is released from the hospital, we`ll head back to Colima and I will pack my bags so I can come back to Guadalajara. I`m being transferred to the big city, in the area of Nuevo Mèxico in the stake Lomas with Elder Guzmàn, who has been in the mission almost a year, more or less. I`ve spent some time thinking about how I`ve learned and grown in Colima...the people I`ve met, the experiences I`ve had, and I`m very glad for the experience. Now a new chapter will start, although it will have to mean being companions with someone other than Elder Peña. I consider him a good friend. We`ll have to visit Cozumel as a family some day and swing by to say hi.

Well I should get the President his computer back so he can go home and get some sleep. Thank you so much for helping me to grow into the person I am, and I promise to try to become even better in the future and be the son you`ve always deserved. I know I will find my life`s calling soon, and be able to use the many things God has blessed me with and you have helped me to develop to bless my family and fellow man. I love you all very much, and say hi to them all. I miss David a lot as well, but I`m sure we`ll be able to spend a good amount of time together once again. Take care of them all.

Love you much,
Elder Lund

Oh, funny happening

Ha, I didn`t even realize that it`s memorial day weekend.

Well this week we had interviews with the president, as well as his wife (more of a conversation about what we learned from Elder Bednar) as well as some teaching practice with the asistants. As usual, I enjoyed it. The President has prescribed me peanuts to help improve my personal study in the mornings. Yeah, don`t ask.

Victor, an older gentleman who works in construction (but is so talented he makes cement an art) was baptized on saturday, and he and Claudia were confirmed on Sunday. It was a very special and reverent baptismal service.

Transfers are also next week...let`s see what happens now that I will have 4 transfers in the mission field (7.5 months overall, if you want to count it that way). The whole country is also super geared up for the world cup.

Oh, funny happening. Last monday, Mexico played a game against England. They lost 3-1, and everyone here was heartbroken or angry. I only realized later that I changed out of my t-shirt with the british flag on it just before the game ended up starting. I think if I hadn`t, I might have been lynched O_O It`ll be interesting to see what happens if the US and Mexico play each other in the world cup. If worst comes to worst, I can at least pretend to be from Argentina or Spain. The most interesting part is having a friend in the mission (Tyler McCombs!!) in South Africa. Things must be fun over there right now.

I`ve got a question or two for you now: What do you imagine I`m like as a missionary...or in other works, what sort of missionary do you think I am? and what sort of person do you see me as when I come back?

Thank you for the poem-story, it`s very true. We`re working a lot to unite the ward and get a ward mission plan in place...and I think next week there might finally be home teaching assignments! Ooh how exciting, huh?

Well anyways, it`s time to take off. Thank you for everything, and enjoy your time with dad if he gets to stop by before leaving.

Love,
Elder Lund