Barranca de Huentitan

Look up the Barranca de Huentitan. That is right on the edge of my area, which is also where the school of architecture of the U of Guadalajara is. Hence, the ward is called Arquitectura. I live near the edge of a giant cliff and my area is the size of about 2 neighborhoods. It`s the smallest or second smallest area in the mission. I like the ambient though, and there are some nice members there. Our chapel is next to the Estadio Jalisco, the big stadium where there are lots of big events and whatnot as well. It´s the oldest church building in the city, and this is one of the oldest stakes.

For thanksgiving, we ended up ordering pizza at the house of some other missionaries (with whom we did divisions). I spent the next day in their area while Elder Juarez brought his companion to Arquitectura. The object is to see how the Elders are doing, to see how the area is, to see if there are problems or anything we can help with. We plan on doing one every week with a different set of Elders. Also, in the divisions I blew the fuse of their house, because apparently you can`t plug in the iron and the water heater at the same time. Oops!

I got the Christmas package, by the way! Thank you so much. I`ve already been hard at work muching away and sharing chocolate with the other missionaries, and am trying to find time to get to the gingerbread houses. I really really love Christmastime, I don`t know if I ever mentioned that. I will be sure to pass along many of the traditions from home to my family whenever it is that I have one. They deserve to have a special time when Christmas rolls around.

Also, there is a lady in the ward who acts like Aunt Laurie. It`s very strange. She helps us out a lot though, and accompanied us to go visit a one-armed less active member who later accompanied us to church on Sunday. He`s pretty cool though. he has just had a lot of problems with his children and family members being very harsh and cruel to him which distanced him from the church for some time. He really wants to come back though so that he can be sealed in the temple to his wife.

On the one hand, zone leader is hard work. We are running around helping out the zone as well as preparing two separate activities that have to be organized and ready within the next week and a half (one a service activity, the other is the big Christmas event the mission will be doing). We`re planning on going to an old folk´s home and a kindergarden for the first activity. Among other things, we were also assigned by the president to make a piñata. I never thought I`d learn how to do that on the mission. It should be really cool though.

So while it is exhausting and busy to be a ZL, I actually feel comfortable with the assignment. My whole life I have been prepared to do things like this, and while I am very conscious of the fact that I know little and have little experience doing this here in the mission, I feel I`ll be able to do things okay. The Lord always knows what he`s doing, and I am being greatly blessed, as well as prepared for the future. And no, I no longer procrastinate so much. There`s no time to procrastinate anymore!

As a side note, there are some HUGE caterpillars here. I`ll try to get pictures later, but they`re seriously bigger than my fingers.

Sounds like you had a fantastic thanksgiving. I hope you really enjoyed it, and don`t forget to always thank God for all he has given us, because we owe him EVERYTHING. There really aren`t words sufficient to describe the enormity of the gratitud we should have for Him.

Take care. I love you all, and will be thinking about you a lot this Christmas. I`ll try to get my own package off if I can, with gifts as well as some things I don`t want to carry around but are valuable. Hopefully I`ll be able to get that off soon. Thank you for your prayers, love, and examples. Keep the faith.

Love,
Elder Lund

Happy Thanksgiving

Hot dog burgers are basically choppsed up hot dogs on hamburger buns with condiments. I ate pretty well, actually. And yes, I`m gaining weight. I still look skinny, but I`m getting a belly, and I`ve weighed myself as well. The more acostumed I get to working out, the more I`ll fill out in general.

Concerning the water, everything turned out fine. There`s very little chlorine left in the water, but it probably killed any nasty diseases growing in the pipes. I think I`m looking a little whiter though.

So a lot has happened this last week. The hot dog burgers turned out to be part of a big going away lunch that was planned since transfers were coming up. Turns out that the ward really cares a lot for us. It really shows, because they did it again yesterday. They grilled steak and gave thank yous and testimony. There were a lot of people crying about the transfers. I`ll admit I was pretty watery as well. The ward has changed a whole lot. More people go, people are much more dedicated to helping the missionaries, and they`re just better and happier people in general. It`s been absolutely wonderful to see. I really have loved the Belenes ward and will never ever forget it, nor will I forget my experiences with Elder Wilde, Elder Record, and Elder Ramirez. We´ve been a great group of friends and better companions. I now have lots of new ties (and gave a lot away), goodbye and thank you cards, and other random gifts like christmas ornaments. If I ever come back after the mission, I`m coming back to Belenes.

Also, as a fitting end to the transfer Arturo was baptized this Saturday. He even asked to be able to share his testimony at the end of it, and said he really felt light and peaceful afterwards. I made sure Elder Ramirez was the one to baptize him. I don`t have my camera with me now (transfers) but when I can I will send photos. He got the prayer right, but had to repeat the ordenance because Arturo´s foot came out of the water. It`s fine though, and there are a number of other people who have accepted baptismal challenges lately who we have met. Also, Martín (his dad) went to church again and he liked it. There was a really good turn out at church this time around.

Now for the big news: I`m being transferred to the next zone over, Independencia, as Zone Leader. My ward is called Arquitectura and my companion will be Elder Juarez, who I met in Colima when I was green and he was District Leader. It`s really hard to leave, but I`m willing to accept the Lord´s will. I know he has much more planned for me, now that I`ve learned a lot from Belenes. I know how to baptize, to teach, to love the investigators as well as the members, and a lot of other things I didn`t really understand before. I plan on making the best of whatever I enfront now. The ward was devastated though, because the only one staying in Belenes is my greenie, and the rest of us are going. E. Wilde is going to Manzanillo and E. Record to another part of the city.

I doubt I`ll celebrate Thanksgiving in my new area, but I`ll celebrate it in my heart. Thank you all for supporting me. Just as Holley said, this isn`t just my mission, it`s the whole family`s mission. Keep praying and I`ll keep praying for you all as well. Never lose faith and never forget that love conquers all.

Enjoy Houston and say hi to Shaun and fam for me. Eat lots of turkey and make lots of memories. Drive safe as well. We have a lot to be thankful for as a family, after all. I`m having a fantastic time here, knockin´ out my best two years.

Love,
Elder Lund

Secret Aztec formula

Well, I enjoyed the secret Aztec formula, but it didn´t really clean me out. I think I´ll keep drinking it anyways for the protein and the taste. It´s pretty good with vanilla and an apple. Today a member is planning on feeding us "hot dog burgers". Not sure what that is but supposedly they´re pretty good. I´ll keep you updated.

So this week I learned the importance of arriving REALLY early to take your investigators to church. We went to pick up Martín, an older man, and bring him to church at about 11:25. Church starts at 12:00. What we weren´t counting on is that he wanted to walk...and walks slower than a turtle. We got there at about 12:45 and missed the sacrament. That means we walk about 30 times faster than he does. It´s ok though. He had a great time and plans on coming back. His son has a baptismal date (Arturo) for this weekend. This weekend is our last chance to baptize before transfers.

Also, the water cut off yesterday...so we can´t wash dishes or shower. Eww. The whole area is out, because of some repair or construction whatnot. All I know is that I´ve never been able to brush my hair without gel before. Zone conference was also this week, and they talked about attitude and being happy while you work. I suppose the effort to shape up and improve the mission has created an overly serious mindset in the mission, which I have seen. It´s important to enjoy yourself on the mission. Actually, any creative or fun contacting ideas or things to do in the house are more than welcome!

The members are more and more willing to work with us, although we´re out of cell phone minutes which makes things more complicated. However, we´ve got a good relationship established now. Hopefully we can make the most of it, since there is a week before transfers. Never miss a chance to help out the missionaries!! I´ve been here a while, but as usual you never know what will happen. Elder Record thinks I´m gonna be a ZL. Elder Wilde thinks I´m getting another greenie. I really haven´t a clue. All I know is I´m comfortable where I am and enjoying what I´m doing. Thank you so much for your prayers, I know miracles are just around the corner. A lot of them are already coming to pass insofar as my own life is concerned.

More details later, but for now its time to scoot!

Love,
Elder Lund

Also!


I am now in 2 Nephi 10 reading the Book of Mormon in Portugese!

It changes EVERYTHING!

I don´t know if its because of your prayers mom, or if its just a special blessing, but yesterday marked the third time in the mission I have been gifted shoes by a ward member. My shoes don´t look bad at all, but they always seem to have the shoes of some relative that are just my size. Now I can do church shoes, work shoes, and a spare pair.


We´ve been working on an experiment in the house as well. My companion got an "ancient Aztec power drink" recipie from a relative, and we´ve spent the last two weeks preparing it. It basically involves roasting and then grinding up into powder a billion types of beans and corn and whatnot and using it like a protein shake. Its supposed to give lots of energy, help build muscle, and also clean you out (WARNING!!!) Elder Wilde tried it...and I know the last part is true. I plan on trying some tomorrow after working out...or maybe tonight. We´ll see.


This Sunday we put a plan in action to try to get thte ward members to help out with missionary work. 7 certain members have helped out a lot, but there are two companionships in the area and a lot of people to visit. We bought them gifts and candy and made a giant thank you card (the gifts included a tigger doll, a soccer ball, yoga mat, boxing gloves, CDs of church music, a bunch of cups, and some place mats) and handed them out after sacrament yesterday. They loved it, and the members that keep promising to help us but cancelling last minute or not showing up all were saying that next time it´ll be THEIR names on the card. I´m more than happy to make more thank you cards...they just need to earn them first! You have no idea just how much of a help it is when members participate in missionary work. It changes EVERYTHING.


Concerning my future, I´m thinking more about things I want to do..not careers, but rather things I would like to accomplish. The trick then is simply knowing how to sustain myself and my family while still being able to do these things (certain books I´d like to write, things I´d like to try creating, etc.). Being a professor is one possibility, but I´m still thinking these things through.


There are a number of investigators close to baptism, but they´re not quite ready yet. Pray for them, and we´ll do what we can to help them. They want to do the right thing, they´re just missing a few pieces. I know the miracles will come though, and for now I will do what I always do: keep the head down and keep working with faith.


Love,
Elder Lund

Day of the Dead

This week we spent a lot of time looking for new investigators and using the area book to find out how previous investigators have been doing. That has been the plan for a while, but it has been the bulk of our work this week. We met a lady named Olga who says she is feels something is lacking in her search for God. We also continue working with José Angel, who lives with kidney failure and a number of other things, although things have been a little rough. He actually left to go to the hospital in the middle of one of our appointments this week. We also gave a blessing to Ernesto´s grandmother in the hospital. It was more of a blessing of comfort, because on Thursday she passed away. Arturo, another investigator, also found out that his niece died this week. I suppose it´s appropriate that now is the time of Day of the Dead.

Speaking of this time of year, Halloween was yesterday as well. It is indeed celebrated here (largely by youth) because of the heavy contact the country has with the US. Almost everyone has time or a relative in the States. Today, however, everyone is building up for the big holiday, which is Day of the Dead. It has to do with reconciliacion with death and remembering lost loved ones. Most stores are closed today and a LOT of alcohol is being purchased. We´ll see how that turns out.

Also, this weekend was stake conference. Only Arturo came with us to church, but he seemed to like it. President Saucedo was there and gave a good talk on new members. It was packed all the way back. Also, we now have a new stake patriarch and a new temple president. Tomorrow and Wednesday I go to leadership conference again, which should be fun but will be complicated for my companion as he stays here with Elder Wilde and Elder Record.

Time, once again, is very short. The Zone Leaders are busy right now, leaving me in charge of running district class and preparing everything else, so I haven`t time to write much details right now, unfortunately. I`m trying to get more in, but there just isn`t much time. I really hope everything is going on alright at home. I`m doing my best to complete with my job and bring God`s blessings to the people of Guadalajara, and I`ll do it with our without seeing fruits. I love you all, and hope you´re doing alright. I`ll keep praying for you and trying to be the son and person God wants me to be.

Love,
Elder Lund