Well...

Well I´ll start with what I need to share, and then I´ll get started on your list of questions. I do need to be more specific about things, after all.

So anyways, we´re working with a family of 12 now. The main character is Rafael, who recently got out of surgery for a brain tumor. He can`t speak and is in a wheelchair, and his nephew who lives in the states and is a member asked for us to visit him and give him a blessing. They want us to come by every other day if we can. Rafael is great, and the rest love to learn about the gospel and are willing to do whatever it takes to help their brother to get better.

Also, I will be getting a new companion tomorrow. Elder Wilde is staying here as well, but that`s because we´ll now be two companionships in the ward again. My companion will be a brand new, shiny and green missionary. I don´t know his name or even at what time I´ll get to see him (or if he´s Mexican or not), all I know is that it will be my job to train him while continuing as DL. Trainers have a big impact on the missionaries they train, so this will be a big responsability for me.

I bought a watch today, by the way. I have been relying on the phone, but now that we´ll have to share it I need to have a functioning watch and the one I got before entering the MTC broke a while ago. It´s pretty cool looking, and was decently cheap.

I still don´t know what to do when I get back. I know I love music and writing and inventing/creating things, and that philosophy classes were fun. I have an interest in archaeology, history, language study, and many other things as well. The trick is that I can´t really to much career studying while here, because I have other, really important things to do. Suggestions are always welcomed.

No, I don´t generally mention the "beautiful Guadalajara women"; but believe me....they exit. The other day someone mentioned to me that the new Miss Universe is from Guadalajara, and it doesn´t surprise me in the least. No, I`m not really trying to think about that sort of thing. Yes, sometimes they hit on me. No, I don`t have any plans to come back for anyone. It would be interesting to run into a Tapatía at BYU though...

Guadalajara is at the same altitude as Utah, more or less. Here during the summer it has been hot and dry, but more dry than anything. The sun is strong, but dry heat doesn`t bother me as much as Colima or home, but I do have to remember sunscreen. It also rains for a couple hours two or three times a week.

Time is out, but there will always be more to tell you and I´ll do my best to give more details and answer more questions next time. Take care of yourself. Also, who are the current missionaries at home? What is the ward doing to help them out? We`re always in desperate need of ward helpers on this side of the border.

Lots of Love,
Elder Lund

The big 1 - 0

Well, here I am sitting on the big 1-0. Ten months in the mission, which means 14 left. Transfers are also next Sunday, so who knows what sort of craziness might go down. All I know is that we are working hard and well together.

Ernesto was baptized on Saturday, and it was a great service. We had lots of pictures of the temple up and sang a special number half in English and half in Spanish. He said he felt great, and it was a wonderful feeling for me as well. I also did my first baptismal interview this week for the Elders in my district, and it was a great experience. I hope everything turns out great for them, and I`m getting accustomed to the crazy schedules that leaders often have with interviews and activities (we helped the Sisters with an activity Saturday as wells) and baptisms and whatnot all the time. It´s actually sorta fun.

Other than that, it´s just a lot of gaining more experience, learning more about the things I teach, meeting and helping more people, and moving forward in the mission and in life. I don`t suppose anyone has any career suggestions for me? That much is my biggest concern for the next year, as I´ve only got that much time left to figure out my major. It´s not really a worry right now, but I do know I need to keep thinking about it or the answer will never come.

I hope everything is great at home. The shoes are fine, the pants are fine, the apartment is clean (gasp!), and the food is great. I`m going to try to learn a trick or two so I can cook up some latin tastiness when I get home. For now, I simply continue marching on as a member of God´s army. Happy birthday again, and I hope you enjoyed the temple.

Love,
Elder Lund

I'm still young, right?

Well Ernesto will be waiting until this coming Saturday, but he feels sure about this baptism. He wanted to wait a week, but we talked to him in the morning today and he says he feels good. We´re trying to arrange for Elder Shumway (Mr. Broken-foot) to baptize him, because he may be able to walk at that point. We´re going to do our best to make it a special one. It feels like it has been a long time since Victor was baptized. Also, this week I will be doing my first baptismal interviews as District Leader, as everyone in my district has a baptism planned for this weekend.

Everyone here is getting ready to go back to school as well, which is kinda crazy. Did I really head off to BYU 2 years ago? It´s really hard to believe. Saturday I complete 10 months in the mission as well. I`m still young, right? RIGHT? A year ago I was working in systems engineering in NASA. Now I´m in Mexico preaching the gospel and I speak Spanish. I wonder who I´ll be a year from now.

So first of all, HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!!!!!!!!...since I won´t have another chance to say it before your birthday. Make sure you have lots of fun and send me pictures. I`m sure life with half the house missing will be interesting as well. Just keep in good contact and pray for strenght/comfort and you`ll be alright. In fact, the house will be even easier to clean! No but seriously, take care of yourself and stay close to heavenly things. God will bless our family greatly, as He has already done.

Well that dreadful hour has come again, and I want to look over my class again. Say hi to everyone for me.

Love,
Elder Lund

A little time today...

So I`ve got little time today, but I`d like to comment that the leadership conference was fantastic. In total it ended up being 22 hours of instruction over the course of 2 days, but I think it was definitely worth it. I learned a lot of things that I can apply and teach to the district, and I think we`ll be able to see a lot more success soon.

Also, there`s a series of videos taken from live missionary work called "The District" that is often shown a lot in the MTC to show good examples of how to do certain things. The interesting thing is that in this conference we were shown The District 2, which was filmed in San Diego. It was badly dubbed into Spanish by the Assistants and Secretaries, but it was a fantastic aid. Also, a certain Elder Christiansen is there as one of the most prominent missionaries. Yes, that`s right, I spent 2 days watching examples from a good friend`s missionary work. It was actually really touching that way. He`s doing a great job.

Other than that, there`s a baptism planned for this Saturday. His name is Ernesto and he wants an eternal family. I`ll tell you more when I have more time, but we`re just working hard and praying that it will all work out. I`m not the best missionary, but I`m still trying, and the point is I won`t let myself stay down. There is much work to do, many miracles to see, and many lives to bless. We`ll be visiting Ernesto tonight to do a family home evening and making sure all is set for Saturday. For now, I need to go.

Love,
Elder Lund

DL adventures

It`s been quite an adventure so far as DL. This weekend we went to help the Sisters in my district knock doors, because they´re opening the area and they have very few people to teach. There are also two activities planned for next week within the district. However, I won´t be able to attend one because I´ll be in what is called "concilio"...not sure what the translation would be there...it´s not "council", but the idea is that it´s a meeting that happens each transfer. Normally all the zone leaders go and they learn from the President, sometimes guest speakers, and the Assistants. However, the President is starting a new format. Today is just ZLs, but Tomorrow and Wednesday district leaders will go as well. I believe I will see Elder Peña, Elder Talbot (DLs), Elder Rosas, and Elder Tovar (ZLs) there. I`ll let you know how that turns out.

So there are two upcoming baptisms planned, and we`re praying that everything works out alright. One is Ernesto, who is the husband of a member (Blanca). She`s dying of diabetes, having about 3 years more life left, and the family wants to be eternal. From what I understand, Ernesto wasn`t too interested in that before, but he`s changing. He`s a very good guy who has had a hard life. The baptism is planned for the 14th, and we`re doing our best to help him achieve that goal.

The other is Rodolfo, a friend of a member whose name is Hugo. Rodolfo was a heavy alcoholic with a job in house construction and many, many family problems. He wants to stop drinking, fix his life, and be in good standing with God. He had a baptismal date of this weekend, but we`ll see if it gets pushed to next week, based on the number of things we need to teach and that we can`t see him very often. We`re going to make the attempt, however.

There are, as always, others I could mention, but time is always a restricting factor. Just know that there is always someone to help.

This week was youth conference here, where youth from all over Jalisco, Nayarit, and Colima come to Guadalajara each year. As it happens, it takes place in the stake center here in Lomas, which just happens to be in my area. We also just happened to have a meeting with the bishop friday, which was when the big ending dinner was. We saw the Mission President there (he came for his daughter) and I got to see a lot of people from Colima, including Jorge and Tonantzin. It was a very special moment to see them again, especially after having left Colima so suddenly (and in the back of an ambulance).

Another thing of note was that yesterday, heading from church to lunch (where we planned to break our fast), some guy on a bike rode by and stopped to hand us the two cold sodas he hand in his hands. He didn`t explain himself at all, he just gave them to us and rode off. Angel for his charity or devil for tempting us to break our fasts early, I`m not sure...but God bless him anyways. It was interesting, to say the least.

The Elder with the broken foot is doing okay, he`s just working in the offices now. He goes home soon, actually. As far as shoes go, I`m doing alright currently, but in these next weeks (when I have time, that is) I will shop around for another pair. Currently I am house shopping as well, as the President has asked that we move from where we live right now.

Honesty, I am still quite lost concerning my BYU major/emphasis, but I know I need to be getting on that. I have more or less a year to really decide and take the first steps necessary to have classes, etc. ready when I come back. I`m sure I will figure it out though. Everything comes in its own due time, and God provides the aid necessary for every challenge.

Love,
Elder Lund