I´m still here in Arquitectura

I´m still here in Arquitectura, but now I´m training Elder Flores as a zone leader. I saw him start the mission in Colima. He´s a fantastic artist, actually, and we are composing a few songs together as well. We´re both super excited for this transfer, and so is the whole zone. There were three baptisms in the zone on Saturday and everybody is excited and ready to work hard. Things feel like they´re changing here.

We had a good meeting with our new ward mission leader and worked out some detailed plans and now he´s getting to work on his part. The Elder´s quorum president worked with us all day yesterday as well, which was pretty cool. We´ve been having some trouble getting people to come to church, but we´re putting even more into assuring that they´ll be comfortable there and that they have transportation and everything else we can think of. We´re also trying to find new, good investigators every day.

I plan on keeping in touch with a good number of the friends I´ve made here, and it won´t be that hard either. Many are going to (or planning on going to) BYU, and everyone in the world seems to have a facebook now. It won´t be awfully difficult. I have indeed changed a lot as well, and a word that comes to mind is "temperance". Everything has a balance and must be put in its proper place and at its proper time, with what God asks of us leading the parade. That extends even to my future, as I learn to sort talents and interests into the little slots where they all belong in order to become and do what I want, and what God wants. It´s all about perspectives and priorities.

So here I am, doing my best to preach the gospel, help my new companion, and take care of the zone. I´m feeling pretty good. I´ll let you know how things are going with the investigators as things develop. For now I´ll recommend that you look up the artist Phil Wickham. He has some good stuff, from what I´ve heard. You´ll have to let me know what you think.

Love,
Elder Lund

So let's see...

Happy Valentines Day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It´s so crazy to think that I´m on the downhill slope and will be seeing you all before too long. Thanks so much for teaching me all that I know and helping me become who I am.

So let´s see...transfers are tomorrow. They´ll tell us what´s going on tonight at 6PM, but right now I still don`t have a clue if I`m staying or going. The good news is that the ward finally has a ward mission leader and the sacrament attendance is going up. Things are starting to stabilize. We´ve also found a lot of people to teach and who want to listen to us...but the trick is getting them to church. So far nobody has kept their promise to come. We plan on reexplaining the importance of the sabbath day, making it as easy as possible for them to go (getting rides, passing by for them in the morning, etc.) and seeing if they change. If not, we´ll have to keep looking for more people and let them go. There has been a big focus on searching for the elect, as in those who hear the voice of the Lord and do not reject it (which means keeping their commitments). I´m sure we can find many, we just need to have faith and do our best to find them.

So remember Elder Talbot? He´s Assistant right now, and we did divisions on Friday. I went with him to his area, and Elder Gutierrez (his companion who is from Ecuador) stayed in Arquitectura with Elder Cruz. It was a difficult day because almost all the appointments fell through, but the two lessons that didn´t fall through were good ones and it was a good experience to work with Elder Talbot again. We´ve changed so much since we were greenies living in the same house in Colima.

Britany´s dad is back in the hospital. He´s not doing so well, but at least he´s stable. The baptism has been put off by the family until he´s well enough to at least be present and see it happen...I don`t know when that will be, but for now we´ll have to help them out in what we can and focus more time on other investigators.

Today we´ve organized a carne asada with the zone (including the missionary couple that arrived not too long ago) in a park overlooking the barranca (the same place as last time) which will serve as a good way to destress the missionaries who are working hard but having a hard time, and say goodbye to two really good elders (Elder Sorensen and Elder Thomas) who are going home tomorrow. After that we´ll have district class and get to work.

I haven´t gotten any mail yet, but it only comes every once in a while anyways. It all gets sent to the offices, and then when the secretaries or the president have a special reason to see the zone leaders, they give them the mail for their zone. We still haven´t seen anything yet, but they are probably waiting for transfers before sending everything out, so as to not send letters to the wrong places. I did get a letter from Uncle Shaun not too long ago though (well, about a month ago), as well as the Bragonjes and Brother Lindsay. I haven`t been able to thank them for their cards, but it´s always good for a missionary to get mail.

Well, at least the missionaries who have no fear of getting a "Dear John", right?

Well, it´s time to run. Take care, behave yourself, and thank you so much for the scriptures and talk. I´ll look into them as soon as possible. Love the pictures too. Take care.

Love,
Elder Lund

Lehi's Dream

Hey, gotta write really quick.

So I spent some time in divisions this week with two newer Elders and helped them out a lot, since they were having some troubles with adjusting to the mission. It was great, and they´re full of hope and the spirit. I have really high hopes for them, and what they can do for the mission in the future.

Also, Saturday we had a "Lehi´s Dream" activity. We had a tree spray painted gold with fruit and a string people had to follow blindfolded, and my job was to essentially lead people astray...the opposite of what I do every other day of the week here. I had a packet of cookies and got a LOT of people to come after the cookies...it was really easy. I also was able to lead a number of people away by simply telling them that I would help them get there and leading them by the hand into darkness. It was actually a fantastic lesson about how Satan works and how careful we have to be to hold on to the word of God in order to not be led astray...because it is easy to get lost.

Church was nice. The assistance in church is going up...even though nobody from the bishopric was there this week. Not sure what happened just yet, but I`m looking into it. Everything ran smoothly though.

My biggest concern right now is that the father of Britany (our baptismal date) is sick...or more correctly dying. He may not make it many days more, and it´s been really hard on this family that is trying to become active in the church and do set things right. Yesterday they asked us to come over and talk to the father (Jaime) about Britany and the baptism, and we ended up talking to him for a decent amount of time. He´s in really bad shape. Please pray for him and for that family. It´s about all we can do for them right now.

Well gotta run. Love you mcuh! I`m sure you`re doing great in institute, and I`m glad you got to have some fun in DC as well. Discovering new cultures is great.

Love,
Elder Lund