24 April 2010--Hola familia

Hey how is everyone doing back at home?  Andrew has prom tonight. That is going to be a good time.  I can’t believe that Allison graduated college this week!  Have a good trip in Syria Allison; I guess we’ll be getting home about the same time.  That’s pretty crazy.  That’s hilarious that you guys were waving at the wrong person, I got a good laugh out of that J  it’s going to be fun to hang out with the family again. 

                Things are going great here in the mission.  I am finally leaving the office for the field, and I am just as excited as ever.  The assistants have already done the changes with President, but they still haven’t told me where I’m going.  Ahhhhh.  I want to know so bad!  It’s all good though, next week I’ll be writing you from my new area.  So I think I’m not going to be able to write until next Monday, because my p-day will be changing again. 

                I am just about done training Elder Moody.  We just have the big monthly payments this next week, and then I’m good to go. He is going to be a great financiero.  He knows how to take care of the money really well, and he is really careful with it.  I think he is ready to take it all over.  I went to the bank and canceled my account and everything.  Its just time for me to head out.  There are a ton of people that I am really going to miss in these wards though.  It’s pretty funny though, people have been coming up to me in church asking how long I’ve been here, and some say, “Elder Lee, you have been here for about a year, no?”  Its pretty funny, but its time to leave.  I’m pretty happy because we have 2 baptisms today.  A young lady named Yolanda who has been an Investigador de Oro.  She has attended the church for the last 6 weeks, and she only had a few questions about tithing, but she is good to go for tonight.  We also have an 18 year old young man named Cristian that is going to be baptized.  He is just way excited, and we are extremely excited for him.  I interviewed two of the assistant’s investigators yesterday, and they are going to be baptized at the same time too.  There is also a baptism in La Molina for an 8 year old child.  So it is just going to be one big baptism.  I’m just glad we could help a few more be baptized before I left this awesome area.    

                Elder Noall is inviting everyone in the world to our trainings Sunday nights, and it is going really well.  Presidente Leyva came last week, and I think he thought it was good.   He gave us a few pointers of things that we need to improve, but it went really well. They had me right up some plans for each week of training, and we’ll see how it all turns out.  We are like the guinea pig ward with this plan, but I am enjoying it a lot.  It is really working to excite the members about missionary work. 

                Well I love you guys and thank you for everything you do.  Have a great week, Allison good luck in Syria.  I’m praying for everyone.  Love you!!!

Love,

Elder Lee

10 April 2010--Hello, family!

Sounds like you guys are having an awesome spring break.  Dad, I'm really looking forward to eating your hoagies when I get back.  That is one thing that I miss a ton.  Happy Birthday Aunt Karen!!  So it was yesterday, but it’s all good.  So your 30 now, I'm going to get home and you are going to be an old lady!  Ha.  Have I really been gone that long?  Sounds awesome that Steph and Andrew are going to be working at 7 peaks again.  That is going to be a lot of fun.  Jen is going to be babysitting for a lawyer.  That should pay pretty good Jen, keep up the good work.  Allison, congratulations on getting into grad school.  That’s just great.  So Allison are you going to be living downstairs with you friend Erica.  Sounds like its going to be a good time.  Hopefully you’re still training to hit up some major triathlons after the mission.  How is everything going with your class mom, it’s looking like another school year is passing pretty fast, you only have like a month and a half left right?  That’s cool.  Dad, how is everything going at work?  Thanks for getting in touch with Cam for me.  He sent me a dear elder, and I can't believe how awesome he is doing.  It just gets me excited to get back running again.  

        Things have been a lot different in the office this last week.  The replacement of Elder Perez came Tuesday, Elder Wigington.  So there are nine of us in the office right now.  Everybody seems to be training their re-emplacement.  Elder Moody is learning everything really well.  He has noticed that there is a ton of stuff, and it just takes a lot of practice, and then everything just seems like second nature.  We taught a new investigator named Yolanda Thursday.  She has actually been at church for the last 4 Sundays.  We had given her and her mom a Book of Mormon.  We read 3 Ne. 11 with them, and the spirit was so strong.  Then we asked them if they thought it was important to be baptized like Jesus Christ taught in this chapter.  It was awesome because Yolanda immediately said Yes.  So we challenged her for baptism for the 24th of April, and she was so excited.  It was really an amazing lesson, and it is just amazing how when the investigators can feel that spirit it just gets them excited to follow this gospel.  It was really awesome!  We also have Cristian who we are preparing for the 20th of April.  He is harder to teach because he is studying the university right now, but when we get the chance he really accepts everything we are teaching.  So we should have 2 more baptisms before I leave this area.  

         Only three more weeks, and I am going out into the field.  I'm not going to lie I am pretty excited.  It’s going to be a good time, preaching the gospel all day long.  I'm just hoping for a companion that’s willing to give it all.  We'll see what happens  Well thanks for all of your letters; it’s so good to hear news from home.  I am always praying for all of the family, and I know the Lord blesses us as we follow what he says.  Keep up the good work, and I'll talk to you all next week.  Love you!!!

Elder Lee  

04 April 2010--HAPPY EASTER and Awesome Conference

Sorry I didn’t write yesterday, there just wasn’t enough time with all of the sessions of conference.  This conference seemed like it went by faster than whatever other conference that I have seen.  Each and every message was so great and it really helped me a ton.  I feel like I am writing notes so fast on every message just because it is such good stuff.  The prophet’s message in the morning session today was so powerful, I felt the spirit so strongly I actually almost caught myself crying.  I held it back though, not so much on the cry baby side J  There were really so many amazing messages though.  I just loved every bit of it.  I liked how a lot of the messages concentrated on the importance of families, and I really felt a great love for each of you, just picturing your faces in my head really brought me a lot of joy.  I am really excited to be able to see you all again soon.  You guys are the best. 

This week has been really good.  My reemplacement, E’ Moody came Tuesday, and we have had a few good days of training.  He is learning everything very quickly, and is going to be a good financial secretary.  Its pretty funny because everybody thinks that we look alike, and that we are like the same person.  It is funny because there are 5 kids in his family too.  There are two boys and three girls in the same order as our family.  The ages are just a little different, but practically the same.  It’s pretty crazy.  I’m excited to get out into the field again though.  Today in conference we had 5 investigators in the session this morning, and we were pretty happy with that. We just had some ward missionaries called, and we put each one in charge of a person.  It was awesome, because they are willing to help us so much.  Jorge our recent convert is one, and also Joseph a return missionary.  It all went really well.  We are excited for another good week in the work. 

I just want you guys to know that I know this is the Lord’s true church, and that families are forever.  I know that Thomas S. Monson is the Lords prophet in the world today, and how happy it makes me to have the opportunity to hear his voice in conference.  I know as we serve others that is what brings us real happiness in this life, and really solves our problems.  Thanks for everything you do.  Love you tons!!

Elder Lee