Email from Elder Lofthouse 3/19/13

I can't believe another week has already passed.  And once again, I can't really remember what happened.  It all feels so long ago!

We had zone conference on Thursday.  I love Zone Conference so much!  It's so inspiring and uplifting.  We were talking about why we are here and how our reason should ultimately become simply because we love Christ.  I was asking myself, "Am I here because I love Him?  Do I have a burning testimony of Him?"  I wrote in my study journal, "I am so imperfect and selfish.  How can I could I ever represent and become like Him?"  And though my question was rhetorical, I knew in that moment that the next thing that would be talked about would be the answer to that question.  And that was the Easter Project.  As a misison, we are going to read through every single reference listed under Jesus Christ in the Topical Guide, including all the sub categories like "Jesus, Antemortal existence of."  We should be done in August.  President Gelwix promised, "If you will do this, it will change your mission, and you will experience a mighty change of heart."  After only a few days I'm already starting to see a difference.  I am trusting in that promise from a servant of God, and I am so excited to see where I'm at in five months.

E was baptized on Saturday.  And her two kids, K and J should follow on the 30th.  Remember A, the one who found the Restoration pamphlet and called us to learn more?  He came to church on Sunday!  And that morning when I called him, he said he couldn't make it.  But I guess he found a car to use and made it for Priesthood and Sacrament Meeting.  He really liked it, wants to meet with our Branch President today and told my companion and me that he wants us to be direct with him and tell him exactly what Joseph Smith taught and what he should and shouldn't do.  He says he's still making a decision, but Elder Hernandez and I can see him as a bishop one day.  We also had another investigator at church on Sunday.  Her name is Da.  Elder Hernandez and his previous companion had street contacted her before I got her, set up an appointment and then forgot about it.  Elder Hernandez and I ran into her again last week and she said she'd waited half an hour for them!  Woops.  We started teaching her.  She said she thinks there's a God, isn't sure what she believes about Jesus Christ, and she has a nose ring.  But she has a light in her eyes, and after her first lesson she started praying, and she read the chapter we left her, Alma 32.  Best of all, she found her own ride to church, but when they flaked out on her, she walked about 3 miles to get there.  She's progressing so well!  The only problem is that she does speak and understand Spanish, but she's very comfortable with English and she's YSA aged.  So we're thinking the YSA ward would be better for her and we might be passing her on to those missionaries.

As I've been doing the Easter Project, I've been noticing how Christ would take time to renew and strengthen His relationship with Heavenly Father.  He would fast for forty days, or he would pray so long on the Mount of Transfiguration that His apostles would fall asleep.  He also spent all night long praying before he selected the Twelve.  How often do we forget to say our prayers?  Or when we do say them, how often are they half-hearted?  Does your mind wander as you pray?  Are you thinking about what you're saying?  More importantly, are you feeling what you're saying?  Sincerity brings the Spirit more than anything else.  You can share testimony and pray until you're blue in the face, but until you're doing it from your heart, the Spirit won't be there.  I invite all of you to look at how you pray and ask if you are really talking to Heavenly Father or not.  The Bible Dictionary teaches that prayer is a form of work.  It does take effort to pray mightily, but if you will take the time to do so, you will feel the power of God enter into your lives with more strength than before, and you will see miracles.  

I love you all!  Keep the faith and don't ever stop striving to improve!

-Elder Lofthouse-

Email from Elder Lofthouse 3/12/13

Hello from the California Fresno Misison!  How's everyone doing?  I'm doing great!

Elder Rasband came and spoke at a Stake conference here in my area and I got to shake his hand!  He said they're expecting to have 90,000 missionaries in the field by the end of the year.  I can't wait to see how that affects church growth!  I was listening to my companion translate it into Spanish, so I'm not sure what I heard right, but I think they said there's going to be 58 new missions and 2 new MTCs.  This is such an exciting time!  I'm so excited for General Conference.  It can't get here soon enough!

Last night, we were doing our daily planning.  Elder Hernandez has leadership training today so Elder Vera is with me, and he was planning with us last night.  Well, we were planning, and the doorbell rings.  I said, jokingly, "It's probably President Gelwix again."  And Elder Hernandez looked out the window and said, "It is!"  Of course, we didn't believe him until he actually opened the door.  And there he was, again!  Twice in two transfers I've had the mission president visit my apartment.  That never happens!  He wasn't sure why he was there, just that as he was passing by, he felt he should visit.  He reminded Elder May that he had to be at the mission home on Sunday to get ready to leave to Argentina (his Visa went through in record time!)  and then told us that the Savior loves us and wants us to know that He's with us.  President prayed with us, and then he left.  Oh, he also counseled us (as prompted by the Spirit) to not fall into routine prayers, to pray with "energy of heart."  Good advice for all of us.  

E (the one who was almost baptized 10 years ago) is getting baptized on Saturday, and hopefully her son, J, too.  We're still working with her daughter, Ka, but we're hoping she'll follow her family into the waters of baptism by the end of the month.  I'm so excited for them!  And we're teaching new people all the time.  Our mission found 307 new investigators last week!  Now we just need to get all these new investigators progressing.  

Well, I hope everyone is doing well back home.  I'm having a great time here, and I look forward to my experiences this next week.  Thank you for your prayers, and I hope you have a great week!

Love,

-Elder Lofthouse-

Email from Elder Lofthouse 3/5/13

Hello again!  Thank you for your letters.  There were a lot of questions asked, and I'm going to go ahead and answer them here.

Do I get to play the piano a lot?  I've played twice in sacrament meeting, and I've played in our last two zone meetings as well.  And I'm going to be playing the hymns in a special fireside we'll be having towards the end of the month with President Gelwix and the Hispanic community.  So yeah, I get to play fairly often.  How often do I speak in church?  I haven't yet.  I bore my testimony both Fast Sundays that I've been here though.  Do I have to teach in church at all?  My companion and I are usually the ones who teach Gospel Principles.  

How's the weather? It's starting to get hot.  The weather is very nice here.  It's only rained once and I haven't really used my jacket except after dinner this last week. We definitely haven't gotten any snow.  How was Valentine's day (asked by Camary)? I mentioned in one of my last e-mails that that was the day we had our Trainer/Trainee meeting.  I also happened to get the Valentine's day package you sent me that day too.  Other than that, nothing really special happened.  And what's my favorite animal (also asked by Camary)?  A tiger.  Tigers are the best.

Dad, you asked if Elder Peacock has family in Castle Dale.  He does.  Like me, it's his grandpa's brother's family.  I'm sure they're the ones you knew.  Small world, huh?

Mom, Preach My Gospel says we're only supposed to study the Standard Works and the Missionary Reference Library.  President Gelwix has added church magazines and the Miracle of Forgiveness.  In fact, he's asked us to read the Miracle of Forgiveness during our mission, even if we've read it before.  So you could send me a copy of that, but not of that other book, sorry.  And trust me, I wouldn't have said anything to you about those dogs if I'd thought there was any real danger.  And don't worry, I've been perfectly safe, and will continue to be safe as long as I'm following the rules. 

I have a couple questions.  Why didn't Xander send me a letter??  And did Rusty get the last letter I sent him?  Because I mentioned the accident in there, but in this last letter I got from him, he didn't seem to think I knew about it.  

Anyway, I am enjoying being a missionary and teaching is going well.  It's so easy to fall asleep at night.  I have never slept so well consistently in my entire life.  Ironically, I'm tired all the time.  But if you're not a tired missionary, you're doing something wrong.  I love how busy missionary life is.  Time goes by so quickly because of it, and at the same time it feels like a lot more time has passed.  I feel like I've been out in the field for three months, but it's only been 6 weeks.  So much happens each day and each week.  It's hard to choose what to write home about.  But I'm doing well, talking to lots of people, and having great experiences.  I don't really like sharing experiences that haven't finished yet and I don't know what's going to happen next.  But here's one that I hope ends up going somewhere.

We were riding down the street one day and stopped to talk to a couple and their daughter.  I don't remember what we were saying at first, but they weren't all that interested, just telling us that they were Catholic.  I asked if we could come by and leave a blessing on their home sometime.  The husband was very friendly and he said yes, but the wife didn't look too sure.  He told us they live across from O's family!  So they knew what religion we were from, and they knew that family, but the wife still didn't seem happy to be talking to us.  When we went by to give the blessing, the husband invited us in, but again, the wife was a little resistant.  They have a sign outside their door that says, in Spanish, "This house is Catholic.  We don't accept protestant propaganda or any other sect."  I'm pretty sure she's the one who put that up.  However, after the blessing, something in her changed.  They invited us back.  However, when we went back, the husband wasn't home and they were expecting company (I guess they forgot our appointment) and we still haven't gotten to teach them yet.  But the wife was very kind to us, gave us their number, and a couple of very needed water bottles.  I really hope we get to teach them soon!

Well, I hope you keep asking me questions, because I never know what to include in these e-mails.  Hope everyone is doing well!

Love you all!  And don't ever lose hope!

-Elder Ryan Lofthouse-