3 October 2009--Conferencia Hoy!

Well it has been a pretty crazy week. First Monday I had to make the payment for all of the missionaries, and so I was a little stressed to get that done. Usually it takes about three days to get in there so I had to get it done to have it in for the first of the month. So I got it in, and the money actually got there a day early. The only problem is we had changes on the 30th so everyone took their money out a day early, and there were a few that left their travel money in their old area, where they were supposed to bring it to their new area. So that created a little bit of a headache yesterday trying to fix that problem, but it wasn’t too bad, and I think we got it pretty well taken care of. So we sent a bunch of missionaries home on Tuesday, and it was crazy because Elder Ebert went home, and he was the secretary when we came in. It’s just crazy how fast time flies. So we got all of that taken care of in time for the new missionaries to come in on Wednesday. We gave them their training, and everything, and got them sent off to their new areas. Let’s just say it was a relief to finally get all of that taken care of. Elder Micheal Taylor from Tooele came in, and it was awesome talking with him about what’s going on back in Tooele. It sounds like some good friends have gotten back from missions and everything. He said the new high school in Stansbury is done, and that Tooele high is going to turn into the ghetto. Let’s hope not, man I love Tooele High.
So the work in our area is going really well. We have found quite a few new investigators, and we have one named Andres that we are working hard with, and we are going to put a baptismal date for the 17th of this month. He has been to church the last three Sunday’s, and is excited for conference today too. He is great. We also have a few references from members that are starting to progress too. I just talked to a missionary that was just in Pichanaki, and it made me miss everyone over there quite a bit. He says they are always contacting in the park, and the people ask where the gringo that used to run in the mornings went. I got a good laugh about that, and it was just great to hear how everyone over there is doing. I also ran into one of my first baptisms here in the office the other day, The Hna Pajuelo. She is so awesome, and she actually has a daughter in the mission right now, and they were a little worried about their daughter so they came to talk with President. Its crazy that it has been almost a year since we baptized her, but it was so good to hear she’s still strong in the church and everything.
So it was a really good week. What made it even better was I threw down a good 5k this morning. I’m feeling pretty good in my running right now too. Just couldn’t be happier here doing the Lords work, and I just can’t believe how blessed we all are to be part of this gospel. Thanks for everything, and tell everyone hi for me. We’re going to head over to conference right now, and I am so excited. Its so amazing to hear the prophet and apostles speak. All I have to say is, OHHH YEEEAAAHHH!!!
Nos vemos pronto,
Elder Lee

REALLY SPECIAL POST!!!--Elder Lee

We are family Orihuela Rojas, from Lima, Peru.
On Saturday, we met Elder Lee. He came to our house, with his companions, Elder Ebert and Elder Mera. We spent spiritual time together.
He's a great boy! He's very spiritual and we were glad of having him in our house.
Actually, we also have a son, who is serving in Panama Mission.
We are sending you a photograph of Elder Lee, Elder Mera, elder Ebert and our family.

Blessings,

Orlando & Yovanna Orihuela.

19 September 2009--¡Hola Todos!

Well it has been an interesting week. Elder and Hermana Goede left this Wednesday, and we went to the airport to see them off. They were really excited to get home and see the family, but they were crying because we surprised them by going to the airport. We are really going to miss having them around. They were a lot of fun. I had a meeting with President the other day just going over all of the finances, and we have found that we are looking great for the end of the year. He gave me quite a few assignments to verify a bunch of different things, so this week has been the busiest I have been since I got in here. We got my bank account set up, and things are just going great right now, busy but great.
So my new area is where all of the ‘Gringos’ that live here in Lima assist. It was pretty interesting going to this ward. The first person we ran into was the President of the Lima South mission, and the rest of his family. Then we went in and there was President of Lima Central! It was crazy, and then there up on the stand was President Nash of the presidency of the 70! Man is there some priesthood power in that ward or what. They are all way nice though, and just talk like normal people. It makes me a little less nervous thinking of them as normal people too :) Oh and the other day it was crazy, I don’t know if I told you this already, but Elder Myler and I had an area 70 invite us to eat lunch with him! I had to go to this meeting for all of the stake presidents in our mission to reimburse them for their travel and hotel. So while we were sitting there waiting for them to come up to get their reimbursements the area 70, Elder Pino, told us to eat with them. I told him we were just there for reimbursements, but he said eat, and I sure wasn’t going to turn down that buffet lunch! It was awesome, and what made it even better is they had a ton of beans and rice, and that is definitely my favorite plate here now. It was awesome!
So in proselyting it was like starting from zero last week because they split the area and Elder Ebert kept there investigators. We have been working hard to get new ones though, and we have a few awesome references that are progressing great. I think this area is more like a mission in the states, where the people have more money and aren’t as willing to listen. I miss the people in the street who would just accept an appointment only talking to them for like 30 seconds, but it’s a whole different experience. The members are helping a lot to present their neighbors, and we are seeing a lot more success that way. My companion has a disease called chrom or something where he has tons of ulcers in his intestines, and he had to have part of his intestine removed. Every two months he has a medical treatment that just drains him, so we aren’t able to work as hard as I would like, but we’re working with what we got. He is such a good kid though, and he loves the work, his body just can’t go sometimes.
So everything is going awesome here, and couldn’t be happier. Its great to hear everyone is doing so well at home too. I met a family here that lived in Utah, and the son came out with a shirt that said, “It’s a BYU thing, to BEAT UTAH”. It was awesome!! It was cool to talk a little about good old life back in Utah. Lets hope BYU can keep this streak up too. Let me know how todays game goes next week Thanks for everything, and I love you all!!
Elder Lee

The pictures are: the office elderes, Elder and Sister Goede, Elder Goede giving me the keys to the safe, My new office, and my companion Elder Mera

12 Septemeber 2009--Nuevo Compañero!

Well it was an awesome week. Last Saturday we had the baptismal service of Johan Negron, and it was amazing. You could feel the spirit so strong, it was an amazing experience. His whole family was there too, and I know they felt the spirit. We have been working hard with his mom and his brother, and Johan is setting an awesome example for them. He is so awesome, he is signing up for institute classes, and just couldn´t be happier. That’s what is crazy about this area, it is like a richer area of Peru. Everyone has there own cars, and all of the streets have big huge gates that you are guarded and everything. Its really weird being in a rich area after all of my mission being in province where they didn’t have money. In my other areas you could knock on a door and about 75% of the time have a new investigator, and here is a little different. When they have money they don’t listen as well, and I was really surprised when we have had a few doors slammed in our faces. They are a little more ‘duro’ hard to get to in this area. The awesome thing is we have Papa Johns, Pizza Hut, and Dominos, and it tastes just like good old American Pizza. Oh man I’m loving it. Our pensionista is amazing too. She made tacos the other day, and I haven’t had those since I left home. We also made French toast this morning, just like last Saturday, and it was amazing. I’m not going to lie I’ve put on like 8 pounds!! I decided I had better start eating a little less since I’m not working out as much as I used to Elder Myler loves going running in the morning though so we are putting in some good runs. We have a block we run around that is just over a quarter mile, and I’m getting down to about 5:40 miles for 2 ½ miles. I’m moving up to a 5k each day next week too. It feels so good to be getting some good runs in, and still doing the good old push-ups and sit-ups too. So I’m still staying in pretty good shape.
The office this week was crazy. I got my new companion Elder Mera this week. We were in a threesome for the past couple of weeks, but now I have my new companion. He is secretary of registros, and he is awesome. He had some problems with health, so I have to keep a pretty close eye on him, and we can’t walk very fast, but things are going good. So I moved to his area, and its just like starting from 0. We are looking for new investigators like crazy, and its going to really help to get to know the members of the ward too. Its rough even after just a month leaving Santa Patricia, it’s a great ward. They say the new ward I am in is great too though. My trainer Elder Goede is leaving next Wednesday, and then its all me in the finance office. I feel ready though, and President has really put a lot of trust in me. The end of this month is going to be crazy though, with having to pay all of the missionaries during changes. Its going to be a good time though. Everything is just going great, and I’m loving the work.
Its great to hear how well everything is going at home too. Always love hearing the success everyone is having. Spencer won the keys to success car too, that is awesome, and you guys need to congratulate Toby on his mission call too. Colombus, Ohio, that is awesome. Keep up the good work, and I’m always praying for you all. Talk to you later!! Chow!
Love, Elder Lee

5 September 2009--!Bautismo hoy dia!

Well it has been an awesome week, and we are going to finish it with Johan's baptism tonight at 7:30. He is so excited, and couldn’t be more ready to make this covenant with God. He actually was interviewed by E’ Wilding, and then by President Leyva. It was a long interview, but he is ready and excited for his baptism tonight. He had some terrible problems with alcohol, and he is so ready to change his life around. He has invited tons of people and even went out and bought a bunch of new cloths for the baptism. Its going to be awesome. We also had our multi-zone conference 2 days ago, and it was amazing. I learned so much of how I can be better as a missionary. Working better with the leaders of the church, the friendship that is necessary between a companionship. We always need to think of how we can serve one another. There really aren’t any problems when everyone is trying to develop the christlike attributes. Its amazing how simple it is to be happy always. Be more like Christ. President also taught us how we can better our teachings, and how the spirit is essencial or we might as well just not teach at all. It was a really powerful conference. It was way cool because I got to see a ton of my old companions too. My papa in the mission E’ Lima was there, and it was really awesome to see him. He is really an amazing friend. E’ Maldonado, E’ Guillen, and E’ Guttierez all my friends from back in Pichanaki and it was great remembering the good times there. All of our converses are doing really well, and it was really great to here. Its interesting being in the awesome because I get to be communicating with all of the Elders a lot more. Elder Goede is going to be leaving soon, and that’s going to leave me alone in the finance office, but he has trained me really well, and I feel really comfortable with everything going on. I just really feel lucky for the opportunity to work in finances, all I’ve heard is good stuff about people who were financiero’s in their missions. I think it is good experience for me.
It sounds like everything is going so great at home, and you guys don’t know how happy it makes me to hear all the good you are all doing. I have a hard time believing that Allison is already going to be entering graduate school, that’s awesome she is taking a scuba diving class though. I was reading a few dear Elders from Steph and it hit me that she is a senior in high school now! Holy cow, I can’t believe it, and its crazy to think we’ll be hitting up SUU together next August. The projects Andrew is doing in his woods class sound awesome. You are going to have to send a few pictures of your projects. How is Jen doing with school, and the cello lessons, and everything else. I can’t wait to see the new yard too, its sounding amazing. Sounds like everything is going well in Dad’s work too. Keep up the good work with your class mom, sounds like you always have the luck of getting a few problem kids, but just keep up the good work. You’ve really learned how to handle them after so much experience with them. Toby got his mission call to Columbus, Ohio! That is awesome. I really need to get better at my letter writing to everyone. Its so good to hear that Cecily is doing so well. I’m glad she is stopping by the house, and keeping in touch with everyone. I can’t believe she is going to be getting her mission call soon! Good times, waiting for the mission call. Sounds like Cam is doing awesome with the running still. I told him he had to write me when he broke the 4 minute mile, and I haven’t heard from him yet :( I’m interested to see what his times are at right now. Oh and Cassie wrote me too, I’m sure she is just as excited as ever to have Shay coming home. Shay sounds like he is doing just awesome, its just hard to believe his is done in a month! Well it is always just amazing to get letters from everyone, and I really want to apologize for being such a bad letter writer, but I’m going to keep trying to be better. Thanks for everything, I love you guys so much. ¡Un gran abrazo para todos!
Love, Elder Lee

30 August 2009--1 year baby!!

Well put me down for 1 year in the mission!!! OHHHH YEAHHHH!! Crazy its already been a whole year huh. I’ve reached the peak, and I’m headed downhill now. I still remember the day that you guys took me to the MTC going out to eat at the BYU
creamery, and then picking up the kids from school to take me over. Man I was so nervous that morning. I really can’t believe that was over a year ago now. Time flies when your having fun!! Sounds like things are going great at home. Everyone is back at school and as busy as ever. Its always good to hear. Steph and Andrew are working some crazy hours at seven peaks. Hope you guys still have time to do your homework and everything, and even more importantly the sports! Ha ha. So how are things going with swimming? You guys should be starting workouts soon I think. Are you still running Andrew? If not you better be swimming hard buddy, its all good I love them both. I’m getting some pretty good runs in every morning, I’m up to about 2.25 miles a day, and I’m going to work it up to 5k each day in these next couple weeks. So sounds like Allison is back from Tonopah. That must have been an awesome summer. So I guess she is back at BYU doing the studies again. It sounds like school is going good for you too Mom, and Dads job sounds pretty interesting also. How are things going with Jen and her last year in Junior High. Just really interested in everthing that’s going on back home. Oh and the yard is really sounding beautiful, I am really excited to see the whole house when it is done.
So everything is going awesome down here in the mission. It was a pretty busy week with getting all of the changes in so we could make the missionary payments. We have 188 missionaries in this mission, and it is our responsibility to make sure that they have there money the first day of the month or there are a lot of angry missionaries. So that was our main responsibility this week trying to figure out how much each missionary was going to receive with travel, personal, laundry, and everything else included. It turns out to be a pretty big job. So we got everything ready Wednesday so we could hit the button Thursday and pay the missionaries. Lets just say that is the biggest payment that I have ever made in my life, but hey, it was awesome!! We also had a zone leader conference where I gave a little training on reconciliations for their funds and everything. I’m not going to lie, I was pretty nervous, but everything really went well.
This week we had a lot more time to get out and teach too. We have the familia Negron, who are progressing really well. The best one is Johan though. He is going to be baptized the 5th of September, and he is so excited for it. He has prayed and felt the spirit so strong, and is just loving being in the church. We are working hard with his mom and brother, and we are going to be challenging his brother for the 5th also. We also have Leslie that was baptized last Saturday, and I’m pretty sure it was the most spiritual baptismal service I have been in. When Leslie got up to give her testimony she started to cry, and was so grateful to have made this decision and have the church in her life. She even said that she wants her mom to get baptized too, and then after her mom got up and gave her a big hug. It was amazing. We are working so hard with her mom, she really has had answers to her prayers and seen miracles happen. The problem is her whole family are strong Catholics and her Grandpa is dying, and she is worried about offending everyone and having problems there. We are continuing to animate her though, and she is going to be baptized, the question is when though. As we put our faith and prayers together she will be baptized sooner than later. So we are really having a lot of success with finding great investigators too, and the members are really helping a ton. I think that is what is going to help the hna Rosillo more than anything else.
Well it has really been a great week, and a great year. Thanks for everyones prayers and letters, you don’t know how much I appreciate them I love you all, and am praying for you always. Thanks for everything!!
Love,
Elder Lee
The pictures are the temple, Leslies baptism, and the 1 year celebration with my companions E’ Myler and E’ Ranilla

23 August 2009--!Hola, Como estan!

Well another week has come and gone, and I really can’t believe how fast it went. This week was absolutely crazy! We had changes so we had 21 missionaries leaving for their houses, and then another 11 coming in. I had to collect all of the missionaries that are going home emergency funds, and credit cards, and it was a big job with the 21 of them. We had everyone sleeping in our house to so it was like complete chaos. So this week was some late nights, and early mornings to send off, and receive the new missionaries. I went to the airport to send them, and you won’t believe who I ran into there. Elder Garcia! My companion from the CCM! He was the financial secretary in the Lima South mission, and they were there to send missionaries home too. It was awesome, and so good to see him again. He is from Lima, and is just a great kid. It sounds like all of the missionaries in my group that are in Lima South are doing great too. I just couldn’t have been happier to see him there and to hear how this last year has gone. Crazy its already been a year huh.
So after sending them all home the next day we had the 11 new missionaries come in. I gave a training on the money that they will be receiving, and how important and sacred it is. They seem like a really good group. I was looking at the missionaries that are coming in for next month, and we have one from Tooele. I don’t know if you guys remember Mike Taylor, but he is a kid that I ran track with for one year. He’s coming in next change! Its going to be interesting seeing him again. So this week has been crazy, and it looks like the next week is going to be the same with having to pay all the missionaries and everything, but I’ll survive. I’m loving the calling.
We have some awesome investigators progressing too. One of our investigators, Leslie, is going to be baptized today, and then her mom in another two weeks. We figure that seeing her daughter get baptized is going to help her mom feel more excited for her baptism. Sometimes people think they need a ton of preparation, and all of the knowledge in the world. More than anything we have to help them gain a testimony, and have them realize and feel the promptings of the spirit. We also have the familia Negran The son Johan was a reference, and he is just an amazing investigator. He had problems with drinking before, but he has really repented, and really wants to turn his life around. He has such a strong testimony already, and it just gets stronger everyday with him reading the Book of Mormon, and its awesome because he really understands and analyzes everything It was crazy when he started asking about the Urim and Thumim, and José Smith used it to translate the Book Of Mormon. He is just awesome, and is going to be baptized the 5th of September. We are also working hard with his mom and his brother who are really awesome, we just need them to come to church, and recognize the spirit in their prayers. They are awesome though, and hopefully will be baptized with Johan the same day.
So we have a good hard week ahead of us, but its going to be awesome. Its so awesome here in La Molina. Our office is like one block from the temple, and our house a few blocks more. Its so beautiful, I really just love the area. Its different than any other area I’ve been in. A lot of people have their own cars, and have money. It definitely is one of the richer areas in Lima. There are still tons of people willing to listen to our message though, and its just a great area. Everyone know “Los Mormones” for the temple. Its pretty cool, and I’m really loving it.
Crazy school has already started again. I remember a year ago when I was with you guys those first days you started school. This year has just flown by. I’m sure starting this year will be a lot easier for everyone now that you’ve been their for a while, and its great to hear you have such a good class mom. Keep having fun, and working hard, and know that I’m always praying for you all. Hope everything is going well with work Dad, and I can’t wait to get those pictures of the family. Tell Karen, Nate, Lizzie, and Tyler hi for me, and everyone else around there. Thanks for everything, and thanks for always praying for me. Talk to you next week!! Chow!!
Elder Lee