April 14, 2014 Letter

Hello family!

Sounds like it's been a crazy week, as usual in the Loveland home. Good to hear. :) If it was boring I would be worried. :P Also, Happy Anniversary next Saturday to the BEST parents on earth! I love you guys and hope you have a great day. :)

 

Don't worry, we have running water again and everything is going great here in Playas. :) 

 

On Wednesday we had exchanges. Hermana Diaz, our sister training leader came here and was with Hermana Torres and I went to Paraiso with her companion Hermana Olsen. She got here a transfer after me. She is such a kind and wonderful person. It was cool working in a different area and with a different companion for a day. I learned a lot, even though it was a short time. 

 

We still don't have a ward mission leader, but Hermano Ceron keeps helping us out and Bishop promised us that we'll have one next week. :) I love this ward and I'm really excited about the progress I've seen here.

 

To answer your question Mom, Hermana Virgen is a wonderful, wonderful sister in our ward. She is in the Relief Society presidency and just loves to help the missionaries out. She is planning on going on a mission, but her plans were postponed because she was called to serve as Stake Public Affairs, especially to help with the temple.

 

M is doing super well. He has prayed and received answers and he KNOWS that this is the Church of Jesus Christ. He also got engaged this weekend, so that is very exciting! He has been reading the Book of Mormon and understands it well and asks questions when he has them and it's a privilege we have to teach such an awesome person. I am excited for him. 

 

S and her adorable family are also doing well. We taught her the Word of Wisdom and she says she drinks coffee every morning and she needs it to start her day, but she's willing to give it up because she know it's important. She's so great! The other day we went and visited her and as we were starting the lesson I said, "Today we'd like to talk about an important commandment..." and she said, "Okay, tell me." :) She is always so anxious to learn. I love it. And I love her!

 

I love being a missionary! I know that this is the Church of Jesus Christ and this is His work. I'm so grateful to be a part of it. I know that God lives and loves me. I can see it in countless moments every day. I know that Christ lives and He is my Savior. I know the Church is true!

Dad- Sorry you and Mom were sick yesterday, but I hope you are all better now, especially for the eventful weekend coming up. :) Happy birthday! I hope you have an incredible day! I love what Sister Morby said, it is very true. We just have to keep working hard and serving the Lord with all we've got no matter what our circumstances are!

Mom- Thanks for the photos! Everyone is getting so big! About ice cream...we eat it fairly often here. Sometimes the members give us some, and sometimes we like to go the four of us hermanas and get some at a little ice cream place nearby. :)

Ross- Thanks for the email! I'm glad you're still alive! haha. but I do understand that you're life is pretty busy. Thanks for the updates on your adorable family. You have some really funny daughters. haha I love them. Thanks for your prayers and support! You have always been an incredible example to me!

Autumn- Wow. What bright email. It kinda hurts my eyes. haha but thanks so much for writing me. :) Sounds like you've had some good adventures. I'm glad you have some good times with your brothers too. They are pretty cool. Actually our family is awesome. I love you! 

Wesley- Thanks for the email. I'm glad you are excited about going on a mission, it's the best! You get to meet some many people and see so many miracles and it is an great time to serve the Lord. Plus it is lots of fun! I'm the missionaries in our ward know how to tease you. That's good, since I'm not there to do it. :) Also I think you need a haircut, punk!

I love you lots and hope you have an amazing Easter and celebrate all that it means for us! What a joyous day. :)

Love, Hermana Loveland

P.S. What have you learned from Preach My Gospel this week? :)

April 7 , 2014

Hola!

What a week. I can't believe this transfer is half way over. I am loving my time here in Playas and being with Hermana Torres. She is an awesome missionary and I've learned a ton from her. 

I loved general conference and I hope you were all able to enjoy it as well. We watched it in the stake center. It was different watching in Spanish but I was still able to understand it and learn a LOT. I am so glad we have a prophet and other church leaders to share this inspired messages with us! I am excited to have the Liahona with all the talks and be able to read and study them more.

Also most of this week we didn't have running water in our apartment. Apparently the people who live above us didn't pay their water bill and our water is connected. So we had a tiny bit of running water but not sufficient to shower. A couple times we went and showered at the other hermanas' house and on Friday night we got permission to stay the night with them because we had to leave earlyish in the morning on Saturday for General Conference. That was fun. :) Hermana V took us. She is a wonderful person and is always helping us out.

Our numbers of lessons and new investigators have been kinda low, but this week we are going to work harder and I know that the Lord will help us. It is His work and He won't let us fail. Sometimes I feel like a fall short from what He expects of me, but I am so grateful that I can improve and that the Lord is here to help me. This in an incredible work and I am so grateful that I get to be a missionary, represent the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and share the Gospel of Christ with the people here. Sometimes it is hard, but it's incredibly worth it and it's the greatest work on earth!

Yesterday we ate with a less active family, the Herman family. He is American and she is Mexican. He doesn't really speak Spanish and she doesn't speak English. I have no idea how, but somehow it works for them. He is also a great cook. He made lasagna and served us a ton. It was amazing. Then he brought out strawberry shortcake, which was also delicious. I was feeling very full, and then he brought out ice cream! We ate so much yesterday and I am still kinda full. haha. 

S and family are doing well. I loved the family home evening we had with the Ceron family. We also went and got the information about what S and E need to be able to get married and how much it will cost and stuff, and told S about it. Most likely they will get married in May, and then she will get baptized. And most likely I won't be here. But I will be forever grateful to my Heavenly Father that He put her in our path one day and that we had the courage to contact her, and that she was so willing to listen. I love that family so much!

Well I've got to go. This computer doesn't want to read my memory card, so I'll have to send pictures next week. :) I hope you all have an excellent week! I love you and pray for you!

Love,

Hermana Loveland

March 31, 2014

My dear wonderful family and friends,

I love you! I did get my birthday package this week and I loved it! Thank you soo much! Oh and Hermana Rivera says "Muchas gracias" for her necklace. :)

I hope I can focus enough to write this letter. In this internet place there are currently some teenage boys playing video games and yelling and screaming, but oh well. :)

So my birthday was a fairly normal day. Hermana Torres made french toast and also made me a little sign that says "Feliz cumpleaños." And we also went and got ice cream in the afternoon. :) On Thursday we had interviews with Presidente Carreon and that is when I got my package. :) I love having interviews with president. He is an inspired man. I love to have that one on one conversation with him and learn from him. One of the things he shared with me was in 1 Nephi 18 when Nephi builds the boat. He said there is a formula here that we can use all throughout our lives. First we pray, then the Lord teaches us, then we act, and we do it in the way of the Lord. It is very true. I love to learn from the scriptures and apply them in our lives!

Updates on S and E: they are doing super well! I seriously love that family. Their oldest son, G, is 5 years old and his parents said that every day this week he woke up and asked if they were going to church that day, and wanted to know when Sunday was coming so they could go again. He's so sweet. This week we are going to have a family home evening with them and the Ceron family, so that should be super fun. 

Sadly R did not get baptized this week, and neither did A, but we are going to keep working with them and soon they will be baptized. :)

Another investigator we have is M. He is American, but has lived here for a long time and speaks Spanish. He is about 45 years old. One time we were going to visit another investigator and a woman outside said, "Hermanas, when you're done can you come here?" Of course we agreed. Turns out she is a member in another ward but was at her boyfriend's house. She told us that he was interested in learning about the church. He is really cool. He used to be a Jehovah's Witness. We taught him that day and also a few more times and he came to church this week. :) He has a lot of faith and he has been praying and reading the Book of Mormon and he knows that it is true. I am very excited for him.

We were not able to watch the Women's Conference, but I am looking forward to reading the talks. It sounds like they were wonderful. And I am SOO excited for General Conference this weekend. It is so cool that we get to listen to the prophet and apostles and our wonderful leaders and learn from them and the Spirit. General Conference is one of my favorite things and I am so excited for the strength it brings us. 

Dad- I hope you have an incredible weekend at Conference and at your mission reunion! I'm sure it will be awesome. Sounds like Jeremy had a great birthday party. I cannot believe he's turning 16. 

 Mom- Thanks once again for your emails and support! I love you! 

Jeremy- Happy birthday! You are OLD. Seriously, when did that happen. I hope you have lots of fun! Maybe I'll send you a package soon. Anything special you want?

Stephanie, Guy & Daniel- Thanks for the email! I loved hearing from you! I love you!

Well I have to go! Thanks for everything! I love you! Have an excellent week and enjoy General Conference!

Love,

Hermana Loveland

 Hoping birthday presents

Birthday Week

Hello family! Thanks for the letters and birthday wishes. It doesn't feel like my birthday is tomorrow, or that I'm turning 20. That's kinda old... I'm still have a hard time believing we're in March already, and it's almost over. Time flies pretty fast! I'm glad you guys got my package :) and I'm looking forward to getting yours! Thanks so much! My family is the best.

Good news- S and E and their 3 adorable sons came to church yesterday! I was so happy to see them there and they loved it. There oldest son is 5 and he didn't want to leave afterwards. I love that family.

Another family that we've been visiting is the C family. They were less active but they've come to church two weeks in a row and the wife even said the prayer in sacrament meeting yesterday and shared in Relief Society how grateful she is for the missionaries. I am very grateful for the opportunities the Lord gives me to be an instrument in His hands. I'm grateful He lets me be in the right place and the right time and be guided by the Spirit. I love being a missionary!

We've been teaching the Lopez family who have a 9 year old son who isn't baptized. They speak English as well and so we teach kind of in Spanglish. It's pretty funny. The 9 year old, R, is pretty funny as well. We were talking about the Book of Mormon and we asked him if he thinks he'll get closer to God by reading it. He said, "Yeah, and to Mormon since it's his book!" haha funny kid.

Yesterday was our ward conference and I really enjoyed it. We also have a new bishopric! Our new bishop is Bishop Montemayor and he is really awesome. He loves missionary work (and he actually served his mission here). I am excited. One concern I have is that Hermano Ceron is in the bishopric and we don't currently have a ward mission leader. But he'll keep working with us until we have one.

I am very excited about this transfer with Hermana Torres. I love her! We get along pretty well and I am learning lots from her. She is an excellent missionary. We still speak Spanish all the time outside of the house (unless we're teaching in Spanglish) and we speak it most of the time inside, though not 100%. But it's probably good to speak a little English because I think I'm forgetting it. haha

In other good news: R AND A are going to be baptized this week! We are very excited for them, and they are excited as well!

Dad- Thanks for everything Dad. I'm very glad I am a part of this awesome family. You have made my 20 years of life pretty awesome. :) I'm excited you get to go to conference. I love general conference and I'm very excited to hear from our wonderful leaders. 

Mom- Thanks as always for the updates. Yeah, the members here are wonderful. I love this ward a lot. I hope you have a wonderful spring break and the kids don't drive you too crazy!

Autumn- Thanks so much for your email. I am glad you love being in plays. It's lots of fun! And tell everyone hi for me. :) I'm glad I have such a great little sister. Keep being awesome!

Wesley- I'm so glad you are alive. That is good news. Thanks for the email. It is pretty weird that Jeremy is turning 16. He's old! I'm glad you are having a good time. I am having a great time in Mexico. :)

Thanks again for your letters and support! I love you all! Have an incredible week and share the Gospel with someone! :)

Love,

Hermana Serena Loveland